Gratz Brown Elementary: Exemplary PLC School

Presented by:

Della Bell, Principal, dbell@moberly.k12.mo.us

Andrea Ambroson, Assistant Principal, aambroson@moberly.k12.mo.us

Why did GBE become a PLC?

The answer lies in our data and a need for change!

Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8

2012

47.0% 50.8% 39.7% 46.7% 56.5% 47.9%

2011

33.3% 43.1% 37.7% 48.1% 45.2% 41.0%

2010

30.0% 46.9% 37.2% 45.5% 41.7% 43.0%

2009

30.6% 38.6% 40.5% 43.0% 40.6% 36.8%

2008

33.3% 39.1% 43.6% 41.3% 41.2% 48.4%

Communication Arts- Missouri Assessment Program and/or End of Course Exams

Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8

2012

48.3% 44.2% 47.0% 50.3% 58.3% 48.5%

2011

38.5% 46.5% 36.5% 55.3% 58.6% 45.3%

2010

30.1% 32.0% 35.4% 48.5% 39.8% 34.4%

2009

29.5% 28.5% 38.0% 49.4% 39.5% 36.1%

2008

30.8% 28.8% 30.3% 42.7% 47.5% 37.3%

Our data did not reflect the efforts of our teachers and the many initiatives we were implementing. Why? We were not making decisions based on data and were not evaluating what was truly making an impact!

Math -Missouri Assessment Program and/or End of Course Exams

As a school district, we chose to implement a research based initiative to focus our efforts and improve student achievement, Professional Learning Communities!

We began three years of training with Sheila Thurman and Lori Ladwig of the Northeast Missouri RPDC.

Gratz Brown Elementary developed guiding documents to reflect the PLC process and the values and beliefs of

its faculty and staff. These documents are revisited annually.

• Mission

• Vision

• Statement of Collective Commitments

• Norms

Our Mission

• Create a safe environment that fosters mutual respect and responsibility. Inspire and value life-long learners. The Spartan Way is excellence for all!

Vision Gratz Brown Elementary is a partnership of staff, parents, students, and community having a shared vision of... • a school in which all students are empowered to be lifelong learners through problem

solving, creative thinking, the use of technology, and a commitment to excellence. • a school that fosters full communication between all staff, parents, and students in a

unified effort to ensure that every child receives the best education possible. • a positive learning environment that supports the educational growth of both staff and

students through proactive practices and needed resources. • a school that is focused on student learning with high expectations for increased

student achievement for all members of a diverse student population. • a school that values, supports, and monitors collaboration. • a school that teaches, monitors, and rewards respect, responsibility, and safety through

the full implementation of PBS. • a school that celebrates success and that serves as a source of community pride!

Statement of Collective Commitments

The collective commitments of the Gratz Brown Elementary staff: • We will care about each child as an individual learner. We will show our commitment to each

student through differentiating our instruction of curricular objectives. We are determined to help every child succeed! We are here because we care about children!

• We will partner with parents through systematic, proactive, positive channels of communication. We will provide weekly newsletters, send home Friday folders, keep the SIS parent portal up to date, hold conferences as needed, and call parents to discuss both challenges and celebrations! We will be honest and optimistic when setting goals with parents.

• We will create a positive school climate through celebrating together, supporting one another, holding each other to high professional standards, and serving as role models.

• We will value each other’s time by adhering to norms. We will be prepared for all meetings and complete any tasks that we were given to support the growth and development of our team.

• We will implement Positive Behavior Supports to help all children develop the positive behaviors needed for success in our society.

• We will be prepared to make the most of each instructional minute through developing high quality lesson plans based on the written curriculum and the needs of our students as shown through data. Building administration will make a good faith effort to provide 250 minutes of planning time each week as recommended by the Missouri School Improvement Program.

• We will embrace the use of technology and use technological tools to engage students, progress monitor learners, and prepare our children for the future.

Norms

• Meetings will have a clear purpose and remain focused on agenda items to help us achieve our building goals.

• We will be respectful of time by beginning and ending on time with all stakeholders being prepared to contribute to the meeting.

• We will communicate with one another in a respectful manner and allow all voices to be heard.

• We will focus on problem solving to accomplish building goals.

Building Leadership Team/Care Team

7:45 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month to address schoolwide issues/data Second Tuesday of the month will address 3rd grade students Third Tuesday of the month will address 4th grade students Fourth Tuesday of the month will address 5th grade students • Della Bell • Andrea Ambroson • Dana Ross • Gina Kennison • Annica Stone • Mandy Power • Jenna Henton • Rebecca Hess • Krystal Dickinson • Kevin Morawitz • Carrie Thompson • Jackie St. Clair • Dale Heimann • Kristin Bell • Julie Wood • Chris Renner • Lindsay Hunt • Maeghan Gunn • Laura Beeler • Francine Nichols • 3rd grade subcommittee: Della, Dana, Gina, Chris, Carrie, Dale, Francine • 4th grade subcommittee: Andrea, Annica, Mandy, Jenna, Jackie, Julie, Maeghan, Francine • 5th grade subcommittee: Laura, Rebecca, Krystal, Kevin, Kristin, Lindsay, Francine

BLT Agenda

Week One

Group: GBE BLT Team Time: 7:45 a.m.

Location: Library

Facilitator: Dana Secretary: Chris

Discussion Topics- Discussion of schoolwide data picture for the remainder of the school year Planning for PLC Award Video and Data Board

Update from PLCs Update from Math and Communication Arts RTI Any other items for discussion? Facilitator for next meeting: (This individual will prepare the agenda with administrator input and provide a professional article.) Secretary for next meeting: (This individual will type the notes from the meeting and e-mail them to Della to be sent via e-mail to the staff.)

GBE 4th grade Care Team Agenda

Group: GBE 4th grade Care Team Time: 7:45

Location: Laura Beeler’s room

Facilitator: Francine Nichols/Laura Beeler

Secretary: Francine Nichols

Referred Students: Student 1 (Whitworth) retention candidate

Student 2 (Henton) reading, math Student 3 (Laffoon) Academics, aggression, vision

NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, February 19 at 7:45 a.m. in Laura Beeler’s room

Facilitator for next meeting:

Secretary for next meeting:

Evidence: Grades, attendance, assessment scores, retention rates

Time for Collaboration

• Late Start Monday from 8:15-9:15 a.m. to analyze data, create common formative/summative assessments, and develop RtI lists

• Common Planning Team Time to develop lessons

• Grade Level Planning outside of school hours

• Grade Level Meetings to attend to management issues

Documentation of Each Team’s Work

MEMBERS PRESENT:

DATE

TOPIC

NOTES/OUTCOMES

NEXT MEETING: We will… Move on/continue with step #_____ using our current SMART goal Begin a new SMART goal Discuss alternate PLC topics ______________________________________

TOPICS ITEMS TO BRING/PREP WORK

GBE PLC Meeting Agenda/Minutes Date:

GOAL First Test Retest

Teacher # in class GOAL # proficient GOAL % proficient Actual # proficient Actual % Retest # proficient Retest %

Teacher A 21 17 81% 9 43% 15 71%

Teacher B 18 15 83% 14 78% 14 78%

Teacher C 21 17 81% 14 67% 14 67%

Teacher D 20 18 90% 7 35% 18 90%

Teacher E 21 15 71% 13 62% 18 86%

Teacher F 22 16 73% 15 68% 21 95%

Teacher G 22 15 68% 12 55% 15 68%

Teacher H 21 8 38% 11 52% 13 62%

GRADE LEVEL 166 121 73% 95 57% 128 77%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

GOAL % proficient

Actual %

Retest %

Fifth Grade Multiplication Data Analysis

Response to Intervention

8:40-9:25 a.m. Tuesday thru Friday in our schedule is set aside for Math RtI. Please see assignments below. • Third grade will be assisted by all Title I staff (Carrie,

Janene, and Tessa) and Chris. • Fourth grade will be assisted by Kimber, Maeghan,

Mike, and Julie. Della and Andrea will share a group. • Fifth grade will be assisted by Sarah, Kristin, Dale,

Jackie, LeeAnn, and Betsy. Groupings will be based on Star test data and common assessment data.

RtI continued

• Spartan Time is the name for our literacy RtI—one hour per week is set aside in schedules.

• Groups are facilitated by grade level teachers and support teachers as schedules allow.

• Groups are based on Literacy by Design data.

The journey continues… Objective Based Grading

• Third grade moved to objective based grading across the curriculum and adopted the use of assessment binders.

• Fourth and fifth grade moved to objective based grading in literacy.

• Specialists moved to objective based grading.

This shift happened to allow parents to become more informed partners in their child’s education.

3rd Grade Literacy Objectives

• Reading Comprehension: (You do not need to put “Theme ___” after the skill). • Makes Connections (Theme 1) 1st qtr • Asks Questions (Theme 2) 1st qtr • Infers (Theme 3) 2nd qtr • Synthesizes (Theme 4) 2nd qtr • Monitors Understanding (Theme 5) 2nd qtr • Creates Images (Theme 6)3rd qtr • Uses Fix-Up Strategies (Theme 7)3rd qtr • Determines Importance (Theme 8)3rd qtr • Compares and Contrasts Information (Theme 9)4th qtr • Identifies Author’s Purpose (Theme 10)4th qtr • Draws Conclusions (Theme 11)4th qtr • Writing: Assessed All Year • Knows and uses Writing Process • Generates ideas through pre-writing activities • Uses correct capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, and grammar. • Writing includes a clear controlling idea • Writing includes supporting details • Writing includes a beginning, middle, and end • Edits and revises independently

Goal Setting

From GBE’s Professional Goal Setting Form:

Teachers should write three goals for the school year. All teachers will create one goal related to technology and one goal regarding the implementation of Marcia Tate’s strategies. The school improvement goal has been done for you. I encourage you to focus on a student that you can move from having a basic understanding of concepts to one that is proficient in both understanding and applying concepts. This means that you will be growing in three areas. You will share one of these success stories at an end of the year goal party!

Goals continued…

• Focus students are monitored through data and a written update is provided throughout the year to ensure we are evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.

Maintaining a building wide focus in our staff bulletin!

• Character Trait: Honesty • PBS Focus: I am safe in an assembly. • Power Verb: Infer • Professional Learning Community Principle: Action orientation and

experimentation: How are we going to respond to our kids who don’t learn essential skills?

• Gratz Brown CSIP Strategy: 100% of staff will be actively involved in collaborative professional growth based on the six principles of PLC.

• District CSIP Activity: The District will identify at risk students in a timely manner and provide appropriate interventions that are monitored and evaluated to determine effectiveness by researching and putting in place Response to Intervention (RTI). We have an ethical obligation to identify our at risk learners and provide supports early in the school year. If the at-risk students in your classroom were your own biological children, what would you expect from the school and teacher? We need to do whatever it takes to help our kids and not lose focus of what is truly important---student learning!

• Character Trait: Responsibility • PBS Spartan Drills: 11/12: I am respectful in the restroom! • Power Verb: Summarize • Professional Learning Community Principle: Collective inquiry • Gratz Brown CSIP Action Plan: Certified staff will progress monitor

their identified focus student from their professional goals using LBD data and common assessments in addition to STAR progress monitoring tools.

• District CSIP Action Plan: The District will explore and expand student assessment/diagnostic tools which will monitor student progress over time.

• Moberly Board of Education Goals: Teacher needs assessment data will show an overall increase in the satisfaction rating for CLT from 3.84 to 4.30.

Building School Improvement Program Goal Reviews

• Twice yearly our BLT reviews data showing progress on our three school improvement goals which are related to district school improvement goals.

• The BLT team meets with Central Office staff to dialogue about programs and progress within the building.