|
InSAI Update - March 2010
The RCMS Faculty and Community Councils have been working hard at researching and developing strategies that will address the Areas of Concern identified earlier this year. Some of the strategies currently being considered for implementation are:
1. MORE AND MORE EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION METHODS
a. Working with local media avenues to communicate details specific to RCMS.
b. Utilizing technology to communicate with families (ex. School website, teacher websites, Twitter, Powerschool parent portal)
c. Better in-school communication with all departments
2. LEVELED BEHAVIOR SYSTEM
a. Identification of positive behavior discipline models
b. Positive incentives and privileges for responsible behaviors
c. Better tracking of student discipline utilizing technology
d. Students learning from mistakes and getting opportunities to exhibit positive behaviors
3. CURRICULAR MAPPING/STANDARDS BASED INSTRUCTION
a. Alignment of the curriculum in each grade level and within each core subject area in correspondence with the adoption of specific subject area textbooks
b. Implementation of standards-based instruction in each classroom with administrative monitoring
c. Posting academic standards in classrooms, on websites, and publishing in handbooks
4. MATH MODULES
a. Implementation of a standards based mastery learning program for the 2010-2011 school year.
b. All students will be included and will participate daily
c. Student progress will be monitored and based on mastery of each module for advancement to the next.
5. WRITERS WORKSHOP/READING FOR INFORMATIONAL TEXT
a. Language Arts Teachers will begin to implemented the concept of Writer’s Workshop
b. All RCMs teachers will use the standardized writing process across the curriculum.
c. A cross-curricular writing rubric will be used by all teachers
d. Consistent informational text strategies will be utilized by all RCMS teachers.
RCMS Strategy Chairs will be heading to Indianapolis, Indiana, on Friday, March 12, 2010, for implementation training.
Community Council Update - January 2010
The Community Council met and reviewed ISTEP data as well as results from survey questions posed to the students, faculty, community and parents. Interesting and important discussions resulted in the following Data Targets and Areas of Concern for the 2010 - 2011 school year.
2010 - 2011 Data Targets:
1) All Students - Mastery of Nonfiction/Informational Text Standard on ISTEP (seat data): Trend Data
2) All Students - Mastery of Number Sense Standard on ISTEP (seat data): Trend Data
3) All Students - Mastery of Writing Process Standard on ISTEP (seat data): Trend Data
4) Class of 2015 Special Education Students - Passing Math ISTEP (seat data): Vertical Data
5) Free and Reduced Lunch Students - Passing Language Arts ISTEP (AYP): Trend Data
6) Free and Reduced Lunch Students - Passing Math ISTEP (AYP): Trend Data
For additional information regarding percentage targets, view the PDF document linked below.
2010 - 2011 Data Target Summary
2010 - 2011 Areas of Concern:
We are concerned that....
1) Student behavior is impacting learning.
2) Students, Parents and Faculty are not aware of the Indiana Standards that are required to be taught at each grade level.
3) There is a lack of communication among all stakeholder groups (students, parents, faculty, and community) at RCMS.
For additional information as well as additional areas of concern required by PL221, please view the PDF document linked below.
2010 - 2011 Areas of Concern
RCMS Joins the Indiana Student Achievement Institute!
The purpose of the Indiana Student Achievement Institute (InSAI) is to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps. A Steering Team from RCMS, consisting of parents, educators, and business representatives will work with the entire faculty, the student body, and a broad-based group of community members to implement the Vision-to-Action school improvement process.
Serving on RCMS’s Steering Team will be Kelly Berenda, Aamina Sharif, BobbiJo Sammons, Colleen House, Hannah Cates, Cindy Foster, and Natalie Myers. This Steering Team has attended four leadership development training so far and will continue with additional sessions throughout the school year. Between sessions, they will conduct activities with the entire faculty, the student body, and the community to help all stakeholders work together to develop a vision-based and data-driven school improvement plan focused on raising student achievement. Committee members are currently working on the following tasks:
1. Spreading the word about RCMS’s involvement in InSAI to students, faculty, parents, and the community as a whole
2. Collecting survey data from students, parents, and the community
3. Conducting initial meetings to explain the involvement of our school in this process through faculty meetings, meetings with groups of students, community council meetings, and meetings with parents.
When this process is complete, RCMS will have a plan that meets the requirements for school improvement planning as required by the Indiana Department of Education to meet the school accountability requirements of Public Law 221.
For further information regarding this process and RCMS’s involvement in InSAI, please feel free to contact Mrs. Berenda at 866-4661 or visit the InSAI website by going to: http://www.asainstitute.org.
|
