Standard 2: The system operates under governance and leadership that promote and support student performance and system effectiveness.

1 Narrative for Self-Assessment Standard 1: The system maintains and communicates a purpose and direction that commit to high expectations for learning as well as shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning. The district worked with a consultant to develop a new mission, vision, and strategic plan during the 2011-2012 school year. The plan aligns with current initiatives and goals are evidenced through both building level and district level work. Examples of this include the District Strategic Plan, and building mission and vision statements. The district systematically ensures that each school engages in a comprehensive process to review, revise and communicate a school purpose for student success. All district level policies are shared with staff at the start of each school year. They are also available on the district s website. The district leadership team works to identify a collaborative culture based on shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning. To achieve this district-wide leadership committees have been established to provide guidance/input/recommendations that are considered by the school board for development/action/planning in achieving the district s goals. The following teams are composed of teachers and administrators: Professional Learning Community (PLC) District Leadership Team. This committee developed an action plan framework for all staff. This group developed forms to guide PLCs in their work. They continue to meet quarterly and carry the vision for PLCs, district-wide. District Staff Development Committee. This committee meets monthly and approves district staff development requests, completes a yearly staff development plan with goals, and is responsible for submitting the annual district staff development report. The District Curriculum and Instruction Committee. This committee is made up of one person from each curricular area. There is a position description for all district curriculum chairs. This committee is responsible for developing the District Improvement Plan, annual report on curriculum and instruction, and in 2011-2012 created a mission and vision for the committee. The District Data and Assessment Committee. This committee supports data analysis and identifying how data can be used effectively to increase student achievement. This team developed the data dashboard. The District Technology Committee works to addresses technology needs within the district. In 2011, the district website was redesigned, and the technology policy was revised. Beginning in 2012, a Learning Device Taskforce was commissioned to investigate how technology can further enhance classroom instruction. This district-level team is currently researching policies and procedures, staff development practices, curriculum and instruction, and potential implementation measures. The team is ongoing and is expected to make a recommendation in 2013 to the administration and school board with a phase-in implementation plan. The Administrative Leadership Team is made up of the Superintendent, Principals, Assistant Principals, Director of Special Education, Director of Community Education,

2 Activities Director, Technology Director, and Coordinators. This group discusses issues as they arise and plans for future instructional and operational direction. The Instructional and Operations Committee are each made up of three school board members. These committees meet monthly and review funding requests in each of these areas. Items approved at these committees are listed on the full school board agenda. The Communications Committee is made up of representation from many stakeholders in each building and the community. This committee has developed goals that guide basic processes for communication, reach a variety of segments in the community and looks to develop communication methods in promotion of the district. This committee meets approximately every 8 weeks during the school year. The Building and Grounds Committee is comprised of representatives of all stakeholders with its primary purpose of addressing current facility needs and the longterm needs of the district. The primary focus over the last year was to address space needs for the growth of the district as well as identification of other current needs. The committee held regular meetings last year and currently is scheduled to meet on a quarterly basis. These leadership groups allow for collaboration among teachers, directors, coordinators, and administrators. This framework has developed a collaborative culture among stakeholders throughout the district. Narrative for Standard 2 Standard 2: The system operates under governance and leadership that promote and support student performance and system effectiveness. Providing education for all staff to improve instructional practices is a goal identified in the district s strategic plan. All teachers have professional development opportunities within and outside of the district. Prairie Elementary has developed a focused staff development plan for the 2012-2013 school year. During four in-service times, teachers receive training on Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP).*(evidence: contract with Martina, SIOP plan) Teachers receive follow-up support from an expert trainer, coordinator, or grade level representative. A second goal identified is to expand and enhance the use of data in decision making. Leadership staff has received training on using student data and are sharing information with the building staff. All staff attended a training on Formative Assessment in August 2012 and January 2013. Currently, the Data and Assessment team is conducting a district-wide survey to identify other supports teachers need in using data. The leadership engages stakeholders in a variety of ways. The Superintendent communicates district-wide email updates to staff. External stakeholder feedback is solicited prior to some decisions. In 2011, 4 focus groups were held with 120 stakeholders to provide input about district space needs. Participants provided feedback in real-time through polling. Their input provided direction to next steps in the process. During the fall of 2012, another internal and external stakeholder group worked with a consultant to more specifically identify building needs.

3 The feedback and input generated by this group will serve as the foundation for the school board to further discuss and decide on appropriate action. A strategic plan was developed over a period of 2 months and 5 meetings guided by a consultant. The plan was an effort of the school buildings and the board finalizing the plan. External stakeholders (parents and community members) were sought to be involved, but their lack of participation failed to gather the input that was sought. The Administration team currently uses a teacher evaluation platform, MVAL, to evaluate employees. This program is based on Charlotte Danielson s framework. This online tool allows administrators to evaluate both quantitatively and qualitatively. A teacher evaluation consists of a teacher completing a pre-observation form for the evaluator (administrator). The principal or assistant principal observes in a classroom on average from 50 to 90 minutes. Following the evaluation, the principal completes a written summary of what he/she observed in the classroom and then schedules a post observation meeting to discuss the performance and assessment with the teacher. If the evaluation is acceptable, no further action is required. If the evaluation is not acceptable, the principal may schedule a second follow-up meeting with the teacher to set up an improvement plan or schedule additional evaluations. The coordinator of teaching and learning may be involved to assist in identifying appropriate professional development for the staff. District 518 contracts with Southwest West Central Service Cooperative for the oversight of special education services within the district. The Director and Assistant Director are available to provide training and assist the district with general compliance and continuous improvement in the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Compliance includes program and fiscal monitoring. The MDE monitors school districts on a 5-year continuous cycle with Worthington incorporated in the SWSC monitoring schedule as listed: 12/13 Free, 13/14 Self-Review, 14/15 Self-Correction and 15/16 MDE Review. The English Learner program was monitored by the Department of Education about 1 ½ years ago with the findings citing some areas of correction with all areas being addressed and continued improvement of plans have been implemented to ensure a strong program. The district has completed and filed the annual audit reports prior to data submission deadlines and has received recognition over the years for being compliant. The district budget has been approved by the school board prior to each fiscal year with regular school board monitoring and budgets and adjustments to reflect the actual expenditures and revenues. The district continues to provide effective and efficient fiscal monitoring in order to meet State and Federal compliance. Since the implementation of government accounting standards in 2003, the district has received unqualified audit opinions ever year. In compliance with MN Statute 120B.12, a school district must adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than the end of grade 3. A local literacy plan must include a process to assess students' level of reading proficiency, notify and involve parents, intervene with students who are not reading at or above grade level, and identify and meet staff development needs. The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district Web site. This plan provides guidance to prepare all students to read at the third grade level.

4 Standard 3: The system s curriculum, instructional design, and assessment practices guide and ensure teacher effectiveness and student learning across all grades and courses. This district has several practices in place that creates an exceptional curriculum, instructional, and assessment design. Some practices are district-wide, while others are more relevant to a specific building. The system differentiates learning opportunities for students k-12 in some of the following ways: Prairie Elementary has 4.5 interventionists on staffs who work with all kindergarteners in a push-in model. These teachers provide tier II and III instruction to students identified in need of support in grades. Prairie also has a gifted and talented program for eligible students. The Middle School, housing students in grades 5-8 is built on the middle school concept model. With approximately eight teachers per grade, students are divided into two teams. Each student is assigned a homeroom teacher who serves as their advisor and meets every day for 17 minutes. During this time, key communications are given, morning announcements presented, attendance taken, students can practice literacy skills, and character lessons are taught. There is one licensed staff member who is employed as an interventionist. He provides services to student struggling in core academic areas. To individualize learning, students complete a learning contract in this class with clear expectations and goals. The High School provides individualized learning with a broad spectrum of courses offered. Honors, Advanced Placement, concurrent enrollment, University in the Classroom, PLATO, and work study classes are available for students. Each course has a syllabus clearly outlining student learning objectives. Some High School and ALC students use the PLATO program, which is an online instruction tool. This program is an alternative instructional model and is used at the high school and alternative learning center. The district is considering expanding educational options for students by applying to serve as an on-line school. Initially, the program will be intended for students in need of credit recovery, and in the future, the district s hope to also focus on offering courses that normally would not be available to students within the district. Special Programs. Instruction is further differentiated for Special Education (SPED) and English Learners (EL). In addition to mainstream instruction and curriculum, SPED students have supplemental curriculum and technology available and programs such as Read180, Accelerated Reading, Moby Math and Fast Math. EL learners have access to programs such as Words their Way and Read Naturally. Both of these programs utilize pull-out and push-in models. District-wide, teachers continue to re-align curriculum with new standards, identify gaps and overlaps, and review curriculum both horizontally and vertically. Four in-services throughout the year are focused on this work. In 2011, the district curriculum cycle was re-designed with a clearer focus on research and design of curriculum. Teachers have created curriculum maps that

5 include assessments and pacing guides. When new curriculum or standards are obtained, maps are comprehensively re-aligned. Maps are updated on a yearly basis, and referred to regularly by staff. The system uses data to inform and adjust instruction on a regular basis. DIBELS, a progress monitoring tool, is used with all students in grades K-4. All students are assessed three times per year. Tier II and III students are assessed monthly. Groupings and student expectations are continually adjusted to best meet the student s needs. NWEA is also used grades K-8. This growth measure allows teachers to differentiate instruction in areas students are struggling. A number of staff utilizes technology as a tool in their classroom. All staff has SMART boards, creating an interactive learning environment. Some areas have classroom sets of mobile learning devices for students. Teachers use technology for students to learn content and for pedagogical purposes. Formative assessments are conducted on these and instruction adjusted accordingly. Co-teaching is a strategy implemented at all levels of the district to meet learner s needs. These classes are focused on SPED and EL students. Training has been provided to some teachers in this area. Expanding this instructional model is an element identified in the district improvement plan. A teacher induction program serves all teachers in their first through third years of teaching. These new staff members are paired with a mentor teacher. New teachers attend a four day teacher induction program prior to the start of the school year. They receive monthly follow-up training seminars, led by the Coordinator of Teaching and Learning. They have monthly meetings with their mentor. The goal of the program is to transition new professionals into the teaching profession and ensure they have a successful experience. Parents are involved in a variety of ways throughout the district. All schools hold parent-teacher conferences three times per year. There is a parent portal on the website that parents can review student grades on a regular basis. This district also uses Shout Point, a program to send instant texts and emails to parents. Some programs that teachers are using include parent links. For example, parents can receive instant email notifications each time their student completes an AR test. The 2012-2013 school years, our pilot year to reach the families of students who are not only new to Worthington Public Schools but families who are also new to the country. Each of the schools in the district, Prairie Elementary, Worthington Middle School, and Worthington High School along with our Area Learning Center, hosted an evening specifically targeting parents who are new to the United States and American schools. Teachers from each school respectively led the presentations introducing parents to what an ordinary school day looked like for their students. Video clips, power point presentations, and pictures, along with interpreters, facilitated parents understanding of what a typical school day is like for their students. A short question and answer session at the end of the presentations along with a snack allowed parents to ask specific questions they had. An administrative representative from each school was present at each presentation as well as the district s English Learning Coordinator. Parents and teachers were very pleased with the turn out and the plan is to continue these sessions for subsequent school years.

6 In addition to collaboration in the district leadership committees, every staff member has scheduled opportunities to collaborate on a weekly basis in their Professional Learning Community (PLC). Prior to the start of PLCs in 2010, collaboration time was not formally scheduled throughout the district. Since the implementation, staff have developed essential learner outcomes by department/grade level/content area, are working to create common assessments and beginning to identify appropriate interventions and enrichments. This is possible because of the shift to focus on student learning, fostered through a collaborative culture. Standards 4. The system has resources and provides services in all schools that support its purpose and direction to ensure success for all students. The district has clearly defined processes and policies for hiring and retaining staff. In 2012, the district subscribed to Applitrack, an online application system for interested individuals. Applications are completed and routed to the correct administrators. Hiring is completed in teams of teachers and administrators. Interviews and follow-up credentials are checked. New hires complete appropriate paperwork prior to their first date of employment. District administrators review enrollment projections every (how often). Student numbers are impetus for adding or eliminating staff. The administrative team advertises for anticipated openings as soon as they are aware. Sometimes this is February or March of the prior year. While the majority of salaries are paid out of the general revenue fund, some personnel are paid out of tagged accounts such as grants, Title, staff development, and literacy. These alternative funding sources maximizes assets available for other direct instruction related items. Instructional time and resources are dedicated to support the purpose and direction of all schools. To maximize student learning time, the school district starts approximately 10 days earlier than most schools in Minnesota. These high impact learning days give more instructional time to students before the state mandated tests in the spring. The district aligns financial resources to impact student learning and achievement. In 2009, MN Statute no longer mandated schools to set-aside 2% of funds for staff development. The district is proud of its ability to continue to allocate funds for this, as teacher development is critical to increased learning of students. Funds are also allocated to buildings, where the majority of building activities and materials come from. The district uses a capital outlay process to acquire items that are more than $500. The leaders in the school district plan for and address safety, cleanliness, and a healthy environment in all buildings. A five year projection is developed for potential upcoming maintenance projects. Recent projects include: 2012 built new tennis courts. 2012 re-graded, seeded, and installed an irrigation system at the baseball field. 2011 Installed a new basketball floor at the High School. 2010 Upgraded the mechanical system at the middle school and high school to improve air quality and meet guidelines for airflow rates. Future projected projects include:

7 Building a permanent concession stand and bathroom facility at the tennis court and baseball field location. Hard surface a parking lot at the middle school Technology Individual Learning Devices The governing body regularly attends to the financial position of the district and works to ensure fiscal resources are in place to meet the needs of all students and improve the effectiveness of the system. The school board reviews short and long term financial projections based on variables that may occur (increase in staff salaries, change in student enrollment, change in referendum, etc.) and impacts they may have on students. Several federal grants are secured to support instructional time and materials that will ensure the best system of learning possible for students. Title I, II, and III are federally funded grants attained by the district. In 2011, a Blandin Foundation grant was secured and ITV technology was purchased for classroom use. The district receives a 21 st century grant that works to fund an after-school program for at-risk students. A district-wide crisis plan is in place and practiced with other partners. Each building has an emergency plan. All drill procedures are practiced as required by law. The district conducted a voluntary in-district audit of safety in al buildings in 2011. Items identified for further investigation were addressed by building administrators. Standard 5. The system implements a comprehensive assessment system that generates a range of data about student learning and system effectiveness and uses the results to guide continuous improvement. Data is used in the school district from the system to individual student level. All staff, students, and parents can access Infinite Campus, a student information system. This program tracks student attendance, grades, assessment scores, behavior, and schedules. Staffs receive training on this system through the Induction program. Staff also receive follow-up training in formal scheduled professional development opportunities. A data warehouse is also available for all staff to review proficiency and growth test scores. The program tracks state assessment and NWEA scores. Teachers are able to identify trends of students, grade levels, and content areas. Teachers receive training on program use and how to interpret results. Each building has teachers who serve as PLC leaders. All PLC leaders were trained in 2012 on analyzing student data. The Data and Assessment Coordinator also meets with PLCs to disaggregate and inform instruction based on data results. District, building, and grade level trends are identified for the state assessments. Curriculum decisions are data-based. Content areas in the review stage of the cycle review cycle from state assessments, standardized growth assessments, and classroom data to determine key elements needed in new curriculum. K-12 curriculum and instruction in-services are planned

8 using data. At the end of each in-service, the entire staff are given a survey to provide feedback. Future in-services are planned based on feedback from staff. All staff received training in 2012 on formative assessments. They used this knowledge to discuss and begin to create formative assessments within their PLC groups. All Special Programs staff receives appropriate training on data collection of students. Special Education staff and ELL staff collect and record the required data for all students. Data are communicated to both internal and external stakeholders. The administrators review and evaluate data individually and collectively at meetings. They are provided with data trends to inform instructional and student learning decisions within their PLCs. The MN Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) waiver data and new calculation system was presented to all staff so they could understand the new criteria. A common assessment Power Point presentation was created and available to all staff to learn about how to create common assessments within their PLCs.