“Excellence through Effort”
APPENDIX A
Easy-to-Read Format
Of
Van Buren R-1 School
District’s
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 1: Fifty percent or more of the district’s students will score in the top two achievement levels at each grade level/subject area of the MAP, OR the MAP Performance Index Points (MPIs) will increase by at least 2 points per grade level/subject area (Standard 9.1)
This objective will be measured by: 1) A yearly review of the assessment data. 2) A yearly review of assessment data by any of the following special groups that apply: gender, special education, gifted, LEP, ESL, migrant, homeless students (special groups are ones containing 30 students or more OR 10% of the student population); 3) An annual review of the year-to-year progress made on MAP.
Strategy #1 Objective: Teachers will analyze assessment data annually in order to drive / amend curriculum / instruction.
Action Steps:
1. Teachers will receive in-service training on analyzing Crystal Reports (MAP) and Terra Nova data.
2. Teachers will receive professional development training on reviewing and revising curriculum in order to meet the assessed needs of students.
3. Teachers will annually amend curriculum / instruction as needed to meet student requirements identified by analyzing MAP and/or Terra Nova data. Teachers will keep records of changes for a minimum of two years.
Strategy #2 Objective: Professional development will support teachers in meeting the assessed needs of the students and the majority of professional development resources will be used to improve student achievement.
Action Steps:
1. The
PDC will financially support teachers who wish to learn more about effective assessment
techniques, including the use of multiple-choice questions, constructed
response items, performance events, and scoring guides.
2. The
PDC, with faculty input, has chosen three instructional strategies on which to
have the faculty focus: reading/writing;
assessment strategies; student safety.
3. The
PDC will financially support teachers who wish to learn more about effective
instructional strategies, including, but not limited to, cooperative learning,
varied, flexible grouping, peer tutoring, and computer-assisted instruction.
4. The
PDC will assess the post-workshop evaluations to assure that professional
development activities are positively impacting instructional programs and
thereby student achievement.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 1(cont.): Fifty percent or more of the district’s students will score in the top two achievement levels at each grade level/subject area of the MAP, OR the MAP Performance Index Points (MPIs) will increase by at least 2 points per grade level/subject area (Standard 9.1)
This objective will be measured by: 1) A yearly review of the assessment data. 2) A yearly review of assessment data by any of the following special groups that apply: gender, special education, gifted, LEP, ESL, migrant, homeless students (special groups are ones containing 30 students or more OR 10% of the student population); 3) An annual review of the year-to-year progress made on MAP.
Strategy
#3 Objective: Teachers
have the instructional resources and equipment needed to support and extend the
curriculum and these resources / equipment are up-to-date and readily available
to teachers and students.
Action Steps:
1. There
are a wide variety of technological resources and equipment available to, and
used by, teachers and students.
2. Technological
resources are up-to-date, are readily available to teachers and students, and
are kept in good working order.
3. Teachers
/ students have access to, and use, the Internet for instructional purposes.
4. Teachers
will have input into decisions concerning software purchases. Proposed purchases will be directly tied to
the curriculum / instruction.
5. Teachers
will receive training in the use of the district’s technology / software in
order to provide enhanced instruction.
Strategy
#4 Objective: Positive
school climates promote student achievement.
Therefore, all faculty members will work together to help make our
schools pleasant, safe, and supportive for everyone.
Action Steps:
1. Each building in the district will use various strategies to motivate students to do their best on MAP tests and in everyday work.
2. Additional learning activities (beyond the regular school day) will be available to students who are struggling with schoolwork.
3. Alternative instructional delivery systems will be in place. These will include, but not be limited to, alternative schools, gifted programs, dual-credit courses, PLATO, and ITV.
4. Procedures for identifying and serving LEP/ESOL, migrant, homeless, at-risk, and educationally disadvantaged students will be in place.
5. Each building in the district will provide a positive learning climate by making the building visually attractive, giving positive feedback to students, supporting extracurricular activities, and promoting feelings of self-worth.
6. Each building in the district will have a written Discipline Policy that is distributed to the parents / students / faculty and is followed fairly and consistently.
7. Each building in the district will have regular maintenance. Regular safety checks and drills will be conducted.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 1(cont.): Fifty percent or more of the district’s students will score in the top two achievement levels at each grade level/subject area of the MAP, OR the MAP Performance Index Points (MPIs) will increase by at least 2 points per grade level/subject area (Standard 9.1)
This objective will be measured by: 1) A yearly review of the assessment data. 2) A yearly review of assessment data by any of the following special groups that apply: gender, special education, gifted, LEP, ESL, migrant, homeless students (special groups are ones containing 30 students or more OR 10% of the student population); 3) An annual review of the year-to-year progress made on MAP.
Strategy #5 Objective: Library media center resources and schedules will enhance instructional programs, and the library media specialist will be available to help classroom teachers and students. LMC resources and schedules will support instructional programs.
Action Steps:
1. Teachers will have input into the selection of LMC resources.
2. The district’s LMCs will be open and staffed for regular school days, before school, after school, summer school, and / or other special times.
3. The LMC specialist will help the classroom teachers give instruction on research and information-seeking skills.
4. The LMC specialist will incorporate more Learning Resource-Based time in the elementary schedules – moving away from the traditional scheduling of classroom library times.
Strategy #6 Objective: Guidance departments will augment instructional programs, and the district’s counselors will provide a variety of services intended to aide students in performing to the best of their abilities on district-administered assessments.
Action Steps:
1. The
counselor will review / revise the Guidance and Counseling Curriculum annually
to meet the needs of students.
2. The
counselor will introduce elementary students to a variety of career
possibilities and help students begin thinking about what careers they may want
to pursue. This introduction will lead
to discussions on what students need to do in school in order to realize these
goals, and the students will understand how what they are learning in school is
related to the world of work.
3. The
counselor will continue to expose students to a variety of career possibilities
and guide students in making a written four-year career / educational plan in 8th
grade. Students, with parent and
counselor input, will revise their career / educational plans yearly. The Kuder Career Planning System may be used
to aide in plan revisions. These activities will lead to discussions on what
students needs to do in school in order to realize these goals.
4. The
counselor will help students / families attain further counseling services as
needed for students not working to their fullest academic potential as measured
by district assessments and classroom performance.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 1(cont.): Fifty percent or more of the district’s students will score in the top two achievement levels at each grade level/subject area of the MAP, OR the MAP Performance Index Points (MPIs) will increase by at least 2 points per grade level/subject area (Standard 9.1)
This objective will be measured by: 1) A yearly review of the assessment data. 2) A yearly review of assessment data by any of the following special groups that apply: gender, special education, gifted, LEP, ESL, migrant, homeless students (special groups are ones containing 30 students or more OR 10% of the student population); 3) An annual review of the year-to-year progress made on MAP.
Strategy #7 Objective: Enhance student achievement by increasing the number of parent involvement activities that focus on educating parents about the intellectual and developmental needs of children, and by helping parents become aware of the intellectual and developmental needs of their children.
Action Steps:
1. Parents
will have opportunities to actively participate in the education of their
children through various building-specific activities and committees.
2. Programs
/ services / resources will be available to parents that inform them of
intellectual and developmental needs of children at all ages so that they can
participate constructively in their child’s education.
3. Parents
will receive information regarding the education of their children in a variety
of ways, including, but not limited to, speakers, programs, newsletters, and
brochures.
Strategy #8 Objective: The number of teachers with certification for the areas in which they teach will increase until 100% is reached. Teachers will be responsible for having, or actively working toward, proper certification.
Action Steps:
1. Properly
certified teachers will have a direct positive effect on instructional
improvements and, as a result, student achievement. Reimbursement for successfully completing the
Praxis for additional certification areas and a partial tuition-reimbursement
program through PDC is in place to aide teachers in gaining certification in
the areas in which the district has asked them to teach.
2. The
public may be informed of each of the district’s teacher’s certification and
level of education.
Strategy #9 Objective: Teachers will have input on decisions concerning the purchase of instructional materials through meetings with building principals and/or the superintendent.
Action Steps:
1. Both
formal and informal processes are in place for providing input on instructional
needs.
2. Teachers
will carry out end-of-the-year inventories in order to better assess
instructional needs. Inventories will be
submitted to building principals as part of the end-of-the-year checkout
process.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 1(cont.): Fifty percent or more of the district’s students will score in the top two achievement levels at each grade level/subject area of the MAP, OR the MAP Performance Index Points (MPIs) will increase by at least 2 points per grade level/subject area (Standard 9.1)
This objective will be measured by: 1) A yearly review of the assessment data. 2) A yearly review of assessment data by any of the following special groups that apply: gender, special education, gifted, LEP, ESL, migrant, homeless students (special groups are ones containing 30 students or more OR 10% of the student population); 3) An annual review of the year-to-year progress made on MAP.
Strategy #10 Objective: School health services will complement instructional programs, and the district’s health office will provide a variety of services intended to aide students in performing to the best of their abilities on district-wide assessments.
Action Steps:
1. The
health office will monitor students and faculty for communicable disease and
exclude students and faculty when medically indicated. The enforcement of state communicable disease
regulations can help ensure the good health of students, thereby increasing
attendance.
2. The
health office will assist faculty and staff to monitor chronic health problems
(i.e. high blood pressure, etc.) and will provide prevention and wellness
activities and promotions (flu shots, health screenings, etc.) when
indicated. This will be done in
collaboration with local health agencies.
Improving the health of the faculty and staff will increase attendance
and overall productivity.
3. The
health office will ensure all students are in compliance with state
immunization regulations. Parents of
students in need of immunizations will be referred to the local health department
where immunizations may be obtained free of charge.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 2: The percent of students in third and seventh grades scoring satisfactory and above, as measured by a reading score derived from the MAP, will increase annually (Standard 9.2).
This objective will be measured by: 1) Yearly evaluations of MAP and Terra Nova reading results;
2) Regularly scheduled STAR assessments, and the use of DIBELS and ERDA.
Strategy #1 Objective: All district teachers will analyze MAP, Terra Nova, and other reading assessment data in order to adjust curriculum/instruction as needed. All district teachers will use MAP reading assessment data to amend curriculum and improve instruction. These teachers will also use the DIBELS, ERDA and/or the STAR results to help individual students improve independent reading skills.
Action Steps:
1. Teachers
will receive training in interpreting MAP and Terra Nova reading assessment
data and use that training to review / revise their reading curriculum /
instruction.
2. Teachers
will use the results from DIBELS, ERDA, and/or the STAR to make decisions
concerning individual student needs.
Strategy
#2 Objective: Van Buren
Elementary will administer either the DIBELS in grades K-3 or the STAR in
grades 1-5 to all students on a regular basis.
Action Steps:
1. All
teachers will be responsible to see that newly enrolled students take the
DIBELS or STAR in order to determine reading levels.
2. The
elementary school will implement the administration of the DIBELS and/or the
STAR on a regular basis.
3. Computers
at the elementary school will be maintained in good working order so STAR
screenings may be administered and so that students may take Accelerated Reader
tests as needed.
Action Steps:
1. Each
school in the district will have a plan in place to assist students who are
reading below their grade level.
2. All
students receiving additional educational services in reading will be monitored
for progress.
Action Steps:
1. All
teachers from grades K-3 will receive training in developing / implementing a
balanced research-based reading program.
2. K-3
teachers will develop a balanced research-based reading program for students in
those grades, and will have the program adopted by the Board.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 2 (cont.): The percent of students in third and seventh grades scoring satisfactory and above, as measured by a reading score derived from the MAP, will increase annually (Standard 9.2).
This objective will be measured by: 1) Yearly evaluations of MAP and Terra Nova reading results;
2) Regularly scheduled STAR assessments, and the use of DIBELS and ERDA.
Strategy #5 Objective: The elementary school will implement Reading First and all of its components in grades K-3.
Action Steps:
1. Van
Buren Elementary will have a committee of teachers who are responsible to see
that the Reading First Program is correctly implemented.
2. All
K-3 teachers will actively participate in promoting and implementing the
Reading First Program.
Strategy #6 Objective: The health office will conduct vision and hearing checks as requested by any teacher, parent, or principal, and appropriate action will be taken to ensure that all students are seeing and hearing well. (If students have problems seeing or hearing, their reading ability will likely be diminished.)
Action Steps:
1. Upon
request by a proper authority, the health office will complete the needed
visual and/or hearing screenings.
2. If
a problem with vision and/or hearing is detected, the student’s parents/guardians
and classroom teacher(s) will be notified.
3. If
a problem in vision/hearing is detected, and the parents/guardians cannot
afford treatment, the nurse will put them in contact with local agencies that
can assist them.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 3: The percent of district seniors scoring at or above the national average on the ACT (Standard 9.3) will increase annually.
This objective will be measured by: 1) Annual review of the ACT data; 2) An annual review of the number of students enrolled in a core curricular program versus students enrolled in the minimal course requirements course of study.
Strategy
#1 Objective: The number
of students enrolled in a core curricular program will increase, and the
counselor will encourage students to enroll in a core curricular program,
because statistics show these students score higher on the ACT.
Action Steps:
1. The
counselor will work directly with students to plan their schedules.
2. Teachers
will use a variety of techniques to get students interested in taking the core
classes.
3. Weighted
classes will be offered to encourage students to take the academically
challenging classes.
Strategy
#2 Objective: The district will
encourage all students to take the ACT on more than one occasion in order to
gain confidence and knowledge.
Action Steps:
1. Van
Buren High School will maintain status as a test site to make the ACT test more
available for students.
2. An
ACT Prep class will be available to interested students.
3. A
mock ACT and an ACT Refresher/Review will be available to students annually and
students will be encouraged to participate.
4. ACT
study groups will be formed in order to help students prepare for the test.
5. The high school LMC will maintain a collection of ACT study materials for student use.
Action Steps:
1. Students
will be made aware of how ACT scores relate to postsecondary education and
career choices.
2. Tangible
incentives will be awarded to students scoring at or above the national average
on the ACT.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 4: Ninety-five percent or more of Van Buren High School graduates will be engaged in postsecondary education and/or employment (for which they received training in high school) within 180 days after graduation (Standard 9.4).
This objective will be measured by: 1) Review of follow-up data as collected by the high school counselor (two- and five-year post graduation); 2) Employer / college surveys.
Action Steps:
1. The
high school librarian will work with vocational and college preparatory
teachers to decide what resources to purchase.
2. Technology
will be up-to-date and in good condition in order to support the vocational and
college preparatory courses.
3. Regular
maintenance is done in order to ensure that the vocational classrooms are safe.
Action Steps:
1. Students
will be surveyed annually to assess their interests in vocational and college
preparatory options.
2. Community
members (including business owners) will be surveyed to identify needs for
vocational and college preparatory courses.
Action Steps:
1. Van
Buren High School will have an active Parent Advisory Counsel.
2. Parent
surveys and informational brochures will be made available to parents.
3. Media
releases will describe various course offerings.
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 4 (cont.): Ninety-five percent or more of Van Buren High School graduates will be engaged in postsecondary education and/or employment (for which they received training in high school) within 180 days after graduation (Standard 9.4).
This objective will be measured by: 1) Review of follow-up data as collected by the high school counselor (two- and five-year post graduation); 2) Employer / college surveys.
Action Steps:
1. The counselor will provide opportunities for students to learn about specific occupations and the educational requirements for those occupations.
2. High school students will have the opportunity to participate in cadet teaching, community service, and career awareness activities.
3. Senior students will have an opportunity to participate in a week-long Job Shadowing Project.
4. The district’s library media centers will provide students with career planning materials such as books about different careers and their requirements (high school and elementary) and job skill information, resume writing, and job search strategies (high school).
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 5: The district will attain a persistence to graduation rate (the % of students who begin 9th grade in a cohort and graduate with the same cohort) of 95% or above (Standard 10.1).
This objective will be measured by: Annual review of Core Data reports.
Action Steps:
Action Steps:
Action Steps:
Van Buren R-1 Schools
Comprehensive School
OBJECTIVE 5 (cont.): The district will attain a persistence to graduation rate (the % of students who begin 9th grade in a cohort and graduate with the same cohort) of 95% or above. (Standard 10.1)
This objective will be measured by: Annual review of Core Data reports.
Action Steps: