Northley Middle School

From Meetings to PLCs:Transforming a School

http://www.pdsd.org/Page/5997

Presenters

LJ Blair, Principal lblair@pdsd.org

Dan Hill, Assistant Principal dhill@pdsd.org

Nicole May, 6th Grade Science, Team Leader nmay@pdsd.org

Gina Ragan, 7th Grade Math, Team Leader gragan@pdsd.org

Northley Middle School

Penn-Delco School District is a suburb of Philadelphia 4 Elementary (K-5), 1 Middle (6-8), 1 High school (9-12)

Demographic InformationCaucasian -86%, AA -7%, Asian -3%, Hispanic -2%, Other -1%Male - 53%, Female - 47%Free & Reduced Lunch 24%IEP 19%ELL 1%

Professional Learning Communities

● Scheduled meeting timeso 6 day cycle w/ common

plan by gradeo 7:30-8:00 am

● Each group sets norms and expectations

● Staff leadership (teacher driven)

Professional Learning Communities

Monthly Meetings● Team leader (brainstorming)● Positive Behavior Support● Department (subjects and special ed.)● Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)● Schools To Watch (STW)● Technology (committee and full staff)● New teacher (group and 1:1 with mentor)

Professional Learning Communities

Team PLCsThursday 7:30 am (core & art cycle members)PM with core team only

AgendasWeek One: Best PracticesWeek Two: PBS, guidance, individual students, parent meetingsWeek Three: Data/CIP Week Four: Team Activities, student concerns, parent meetings

PLC in Action - Goal Setting

All students:● PSSA● MAP 3/year● Reading Counts● New Year’s Resolution

Mentor students:● Strategic selection ● Monthly meetings

DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS

5th to 6th Grade Transition

● Parent Orientation● Student Orientation● Transition meetings (guidance, sp. ed.)● Summer camp● Locker days

DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS

6th to 7th and 7th to 8th Transition

● Guidance - Students requiring additional supportso Groups- organization, new student, grief, social skills,

boys, girls, living with a purpose● Sp. Ed.- share files/information● Team surprises Worksheet- passed to next grade level● Leveling form for suggested placement changes● Title One recommendations- math/reading workshop

DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS

8th to 9th Grade Transition● Parent Orientation (spring)● 9th Grade counselor visits NMS● Student visits

o Elective Courseso Extra Curricular Activitieso Sp. Ed. tour

● Transition meeting at SVHS (counselors, admin, sp. ed., parent)

DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS

Positive Behavior Support ● Viking Vision - trainings, assignment book contract● Viking 200 Tickets● Green Slips (coding, referral, reteaching)● Reward Parties● PBS Store - Behavior charts/point sheets● Teacher Empowerment (T-chart)

Viking Ticket

DEVELOPMENTAL RESPONSIVENESS

Child Study Team● Administration, counselors, screening coordinator● Pre-meeting to filter through recommendations ● Meets weekly● Leads to: 504, behavior plan, point chart, iep, SAP, or smaller

interventions, class changes, parent meeting, etc.● Entire student record, family changes

Student Assistance Program● Administration, counselors, teachers (trained), outside consultant

On-going Initiatives

Year One:

● Daily Learning Objective schoolwide (Thinking Skill + Content + Product)

● Cornell Notes pilot

● Daily schedule change (focus group)

Year Two:

● Quality Questioning (presented by second year teachers)

● Increase Academic Rigor (Webb’s Depth of Knowledge)

o Challenge honors & close achievement gap for all subgroups

● Common Assessments aligned to Common Core (school wide)

● Cornell Notes schoolwide