Wuerzburg ES/MS Improvement Plan (2006-2011)

Wuerzburg ES/MS Mission Statement

Students will be welcomed at WES/MS in a nurturing safe environment where educators, students, staff and parents will work together in an atmosphere of respect. We will encourage and support high expectations and excellence in achievement to promote life–long learning for the 21^st Century.

Guiding Principles/Vision

Wuerzburg ES/MS promotes a safe learning environment, which provides for the academic and emotional growth of all learners.

Student Performance Goal 1: All Students will improve writing skills across the curriculum.
Essence: Wuerzburg ES/MS teachers believe that communication is the ability to express and transmit ideas in writing by providing facts and details, describing or analyzing the subject, or narrating a relevant anecdote.
Data Used to Select Goal: 1. Terra Nova Standardized test 2. Teacher Assessments 3. Parent, Student and Teacher Surveys
Writing Standards: Pre-School Standard: E2a: Habits and Processes Preschool children must have multiple opportunities to experiment with using symbols, letters, and a variety of writing materials. . Standard: E2b: Writing Purposes and Resulting Genres Preschool children need to hear language being used for different purposes; and they need an environment that supports the use of authentic oral and written language. Standard: E2c Language Use and Conventions Children naturally acquire numerous grammatical rules as they listen to and use language in daily conversations. Kindergarten Standard: E2a: Habits and Processes As early as kindergarten, children should write every day, choosing and developing their topics. Their beginning “texts” may include material that is spoken, drawn and acted out along with their attempts to print letters and words. Standard: E2b: Writing Purposes and Resulting Genres Kindergartners write to understand and make themselves understood and to participate in the grown-up world of written words and communication. Standard: E2c: Language Use and Conventions Kindergartners freely write in whatever manner they can, showing little or no concern for spelling, punctuation, capitalization and other conventions that will become important later. As a result, most of their writing is readable only by the author. 1^st Grade Standard: E2a: Habits and Processes By the end of the year, we expect first-grade students to: • write daily; • generate topics and content for writing; • reread their work often with the expectation that others will be able to read it; • solicit and provide responses to writing; • revise, edit and proofread as appropriate; • apply a sense of what constitutes good writing (that is, apply some commonly agreed-upon criteria to their own work); and • polish at least 10 pieces throughout the year. Standard: E2b: Writing Purposes and Resulting Genres Written and oral work are done with more elaboration and confidence than was evidenced in kindergarten. Standard: E2c: Language Use and Conventions First graders still write mostly in their own language, producing text that mirrors the sentence structure and vocabulary of their speech. Although they are beginning to develop a sense of writing for a reader, their writers’ voices still are mostly egocentric. They can make more choices about which words to use, in which form and in what order. They also may produce text containing fragments of the language of other writers or speakers. 2^nd Grade Standard: E2a: Habits and Processes If second graders are to develop the expected levels of proficiency as writers, their daily writing habits must continue and expand. By the end of the year, we expect second-grade students to: • write daily; • generate their own topics and make decisions about which pieces to work on over several days or longer; • extend pieces of writing by, (for example, turning a narrative into a poem or a short description into a long report; • regularly solicit and provide useful feedback; • routinely reread, revise, edit and proofread their work; • take on strategies and elements of author’s craft that the class has discussed in their study of literary works; • apply commonly agreed upon criteria and their own judgment to asses the quality of their own work; and • polish at least 10 pieces throughout the year. Standard: E2b: Writing Purposes and Resulting Genres For second graders who are progressing according to standards, writing has become a meaningful activity with myriad purposes. More than ever, these children write to communicate with other people, to learn new things and to give evidence of their understanding. By the time they leave second grade, they have experimented with and produced many kinds of writing, including narrative account, response to literature, report and narrative procedure. Standard: E2c: Language Use and Conventions Second graders should be developing fluency as writers, producing longer, more detailed texts and crafting stories to achieve an effect, as their control over the conventions of language increases. Some of their sentences still echo their oral language patterns, while others show their awareness of literary style and other generic forms. Conventions appear more regularly: periods, capital letters, quotation marks and exclamation points frequently are used correctly. 3rd Grade Standard: E2a: Habits and Processes Third graders write longer, more complex and more varied pieces than they did in second grade, showing their deepening understanding of genres and their increasing control of written language and its conventions. By the end of the year, we expect third-grade students to: • write daily; • generate their own topics and spend the necessary amount of time to revisit and refine their writing; • extend and rework pieces of writing (for example, turn a paragraph from a memoir into a fully developed piece); • routinely rework, revise, edit and proofread their work; • over the course of the year, polish at least 12 pieces for an audience in and beyond the classroom; • write for specific purposes of their own (for example, writing a thank-you letter or a birthday card for a parent or friend); • consciously appropriate specific elements of a favorite author’s craft to refine the quality of their own work; and • apply criteria (both public and personal) to judge the quality of their writing. Standard: E2b: Writing Purposes and Resulting Genres Third graders meeting standards have a well-defined sense of themselves as writers. They know their strengths as poets, as fiction writers, as memoir writers, as experts about various nonfiction forms. Standard: E2c: Language Use and Conventions Control of conventions is an important issue for third graders who want their writing to be read appropriately. Third graders recognize the relationship between syntax and having readers read with the correct expression. They are able to explore a variety of syntactic patterns to create rhythm and tone that support meaning in their writing. They are equally adept with word choice—often reaching for words that they only partly control but that reflect a desire to give their writing substance and style. 4th Grade Standard: E2a: The student produces a report. Standard: E2b: The student produces a response to literature. Standard: E2c: The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical) Standard: E2d: The student produces a narrative procedure Grades 5-8 Standard: E2a: The student produces a report Standard: E2b: The student produces a response to literature Standard: E2c: The student produces a narrative account (fictional or autobiographical) Standard: E2d: The student produces a narrative procedure Standard: E2e: The student produces a persuasive essay
Assessments Used to Measure Student Progress: 1. Terra Nova Standardized Tests 2. Snapshot assessments in the fall, mid-year and spring using the 6+1 Writing Traits Rubrics 3. Teacher Assessments will also be done with the 6 + 1 Writing Traits Rubrics to maintain consistency in the program.
Supporting Research for Intervention/Strategy: 6 + 1 Traits of Writing Research: 6 + 1 Traits of Writing was developed by researchers from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) in an effort to design a performance assessment in writing that was comprehensive, reliable, and teacher/student friendly. This program was based upon the efforts of practicing teachers in Oregon and Montana. NWREL used the work of Paul Diederich (1974) and Alan Purvis (1992) as a foundation for their work in the development of 6 + 1 Traits. School systems and teachers have used this program across the U.S. Writing Across the Curriculum Research: ERIC Identifier: ED327879  Publication Date: 1991-00-00  Author: Sorenson, Sharon  Across-the-curriculum writing finds its merit in removing students from their passivity. Active learners are active thinkers, and one cannot write without thinking. (Steffens, 1988; Walker, 1988) Thus, incorporating writing-across-the-curriculum techniques tends to change the complexion of the classroom. Teacher-centered classrooms become student centered. Rather than the teacher being the Great Dispenser of Knowledge, filling students' empty heads, the teacher becomes a facilitator, aiding students' understanding. (Self, 1989; Hamilton-Wieler, 1989) Assuming that students gain new knowledge by making associations with prior knowledge, the writing activities commonly used across the curriculum give students the opportunity to make those connections.
Professional Development: All Teachers will be trained in the use of the 6 + 1 Writing Traits. Each teacher will do independent research as to creative and innovative writing lessons and present their findings to the rest of the faculty. All Teachers and staff will use technology to enhance the improvement of the student writing
Interventions/Strategies All students will utilize the 6 + 1 Writing Traits model as a basis for writing across the curriculum. 2. All Students will be given opportunities to write across the curriculum.
Activities for 2006-07	PERSON Responsible	Start	End
Mission Statement Discussed and Completed	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator	08/06	09/06
Data Collection to determine Goals	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator	10/06	11/06
Activities and Interventions selected	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator	01/07	03/07
Activities for 2007-08	PERSON Responsible	Start	End
1.1 All Teachers will be trained in the use of the 6 + 1 Writing Traits 1.2 All Teachers will develop and adapt, as needed, student rubrics based on the 6 + 1 Traits and share by grade level. 1.3 All Teachers will share examples of rubric scored student papers at grade level. 1.4 All Students will critique and edit their writing using the 6 + 1 Rubric	Jan Nicholson Grade Level Teams- Classroom Teachers Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori Lebouef – Pre-School	09/07 09/07 10/07 10/07	06/08 06/08 06/08 06/08
1.5 All Teachers will meet on SIP In-service days to share Student Writing Samples and Best Practices.	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator	10/07	06/08
1.6 “SNAPSHOTS” of student writing will be taken in the fall, mid-year and spring.	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator	10/07	06/08
2.1 All Students and Staff will have the opportunity to enhance their writing through their use of technology (Computer Lab, Library Lab, classroom computers) by engaging in various software applications (Type to Learn, Microsoft Word, Kidspiration and Inspiration, Outlook and DODDS-E mail, and the new Creative Software Package) 2.2 All Students will maintain writing journals, which include the different curricular areas of math, science, social studies, art, physical education, music, computer and host nation. 2.3 All Students will have the opportunity to participate in letter writing through the use of Pen Pals or Buddy Classes…or writing letters to the deployed soldiers. 2.4 All Students will have the opportunity to participate in SHOWCASE. All teachers will submit the best-written work from each student, each quarter. 2.5 All Students will have the opportunity to participate in THE WES/MS Panther Podcast. Students will be selected to read their stories for the podcast. 2.6 The “Writing Process” will be used in all appropriate grade levels across the curriculum. 2.6 Samples of student writing will be evident and on display around the school.	Kristie Mashburn –Educational Technologist And the WES/MS Technology Committee Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori LeBouef – Pre-School Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori LeBouef – Pre-School Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori LeBouef – Pre-School Kristie Mashburn Jim Pippin Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori LeBouef – Pre-School Myra Malone, Kindergarten Julie Pippin, 1^st Grade Susan Jonsson, 2^nd Grade Carol Lanigan, 3^rd Grade Adrienne Ellison, 4^th Grade Eileen McGowan, 5^th Grade Don Horn, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th Grade Ann Breaux-Reiss – SPED Lori LeBouef – Pre-School	09/07 09/07 09/07 09/07 09/07 09/07 09/07	06/08 06/08 06/08 06/08 06/08 06/08 06/08

Student Performance Goal 2: All students will improve their problem solving skills across the curriculum.
Essence: By helping young children discover that they can figure things out, you encourage a strong belief in their own abilities. In addition, well-developed problem-solving skills are important for future learning in math, science, and social studies. By encouraging children to solve their own problems at a young age, we are promoting the development of problem-solving skills. These skills need to be introduced and reinforced through a wide variety of hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities.
Data Use to Select Goal: 1. Terra Nova Standardized test 2. Teacher Assessments 3. Parent, Student and Teacher Surveys
Math Problem Solving Standards: Pre School- 12 The process standards of problem solving, reasoning and proof, connections communication, and representation are interwoven and independent with the content standards and are necessary for the comprehensive understanding of mathematics. M6a: Instructional programs from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 should enable all students to: · build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving; · solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts; apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems; · monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving. Health Education Standards: HE4 Mental Health The student understands how mental health contributes to general well-being; that is, the student will: Pre- Kindergarten Standards: HE4a: explore ways to express needs, wants, and feelings; and HE4b: explore ways to communicate care, consideration, and respect of self and others. Kindergarten Standards: HE4a: explore ways to express needs, wants, and feelings; and HE4b: explore ways to communicate care, consideration, and respect of self and others. Grade 1 Standards: HE4a: recognize uniqueness and similarities of self and others; HE4b: demonstrate appropriate ways to express needs, wants, and feelings; and HE4c: discuss ways emotions are expressed verbally and non-verbally. Grade 2 Standards: HE4a: identify ways to manage the feeling of anger; HE4b: identify healthful ways to manage needs, wants, and emotions; and HE4c: identify ways to develop and maintain healthful friendships. Grade 3 Standards: HE4a: demonstrate ways to manage needs, wants, and emotions; HE4b: define stress and give examples; and HE4c: demonstrate ways to show respect for self and the uniqueness of others. Grade 4 Standards: HE4a: identify methods of stress management; HE4b: identify appropriate coping behaviors to deal with the demands of daily living; HE4c: identify factors that contribute to the development of positive self-image; and HE4d: demonstrate skills and strategies used in conflict situations. Grade 5 Standards: HE4a: analyze factors contributing to the development of positive self-image and healthful relationships; HE4b: describe school and community activities and resources that promote healthful choices and a sense of connectedness to others; HE4c: identify strategies for reducing stress; HE4d: identify abusive characteristics of bullying behavior; and HE4e: identify effective verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Grade 6 Standards: HE4a: identify peer pressure and its impact on personal behavior; HE4b: strategize actions for dealing with negative peer pressure; HE4c: demonstrate healthful strategies to assess and manage conflict and stress; HE4d: identify healthful ways for dealing with and preventing bullying; and HE4e: describe ways adolescents show understanding and respect for diversity (i.e., cultural, physical, mental, gender, ethnic). Grade 7 Standards: HE4a: describe healthful ways to express and manage strong emotions; HE4b: demonstrate healthful strategies for diminishing bullying behaviors; HE4c: describe the characteristics of good mental health; HE4d: describe situations requiring professional health services; and HE4e: compare and contrast careers related to mental health. Grade 8 Standards: HE4a: identify personal assets, strengths, and interests; HE4b: evaluate communications and strategies for building and maintaining healthy friendships; HE4c: demonstrate self-advocacy skills for positively supporting needs, wants, and emotions and for coping with transition to high school; HE4d: identify signs and symptoms of emotional stress or depression; and HE4e: identify supportive resources useful for addressing emotional stress, depression, and other mental health issues.
Assessments Used to Measure Student Progress: 1. Terra Nova Standardized Test 2. Teacher/Counselor Generated Social Problem Solving Rubrics
Supporting Research for Intervention/Strategy: The NCTM issued An Agenda for Action, which argued that problem solving should be the focus of school mathematics.  In 2000, the vision for problem solving in mathematics teaching and learning was expanding.  Principles & Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 2000, p. 52) states that instructional programs from pre-kindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to: Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving. Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems. Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving. AN: EJ637237 AU: Maker,-June TI: DISCOVER: Assessing and Developing Problem Solving. PY: 2001 SO: Gifted-Education-International; v15 n3 p232-51 2001 DEM: *Cognitive-Development; *Elementary-Secondary-Education; *Problem-Solving; *Student-Evaluation; *Teaching-Models DER: Curriculum-Development; Evaluation-Methods; Reliability-; Research-and-Development; Validity- AB: This article summarizes the important ideas and research findings of DISCOVER, an on-going program of research and development concerning the problem solving abilities of children and youth. It identifies five problem types and reviews the DISCOVER assessment model, including research on its reliability and validity and the DISCOVER curriculum model, including research on its effectiveness. (Contains references.) (DB) http://discover.arizona.edu/curriculum.htm Abstract Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 1986, Vol. 15, No. 2, Pages 159-164 (doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp1502_8) Effects of Social Problem-Solving Training and Self-Instruction Training With Aggressive Boys John E. Lochman, John F. Curry Twenty aggressive boys received either an 18-session anger coping intervention (AC) or an 18-session intervention in which anger coping was preceded by self-instruction training on impersonal problem solving and academic tasks (AC-SIT). Anger coping emphasized training in interpersonal cognitive problem-solving skills. Although, contrary to the hypothesis, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in their abilities to reduce passive off-task classroom behavior, the AC-SIT groups did tend to produce stronger reductions in this behavior. The AC groups were significantly more effective in reducing disruptive-aggressive off-task classroom behavior than were the AC-SIT groups. Both forms of cognitive behavioral treatment produced significant increases in on-task classroom behavior, reductions in parents' ratings of boys' aggression, and increases in boys' self-esteem. Part of the NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement Journal of School Improvement, Volume 1, Issue 2, Fall/Winter 2000 Developing problem-solving skills is something that schools often accept as a desirable goal in many curriculum areas.  However, there is little evidence that many students leave high school as better problem solvers than when they began.  This could mean that current curricula do not address problem solving adequately or appropriately. It could also mean those teachers, administrators, and other school staff members are poor at problem solving or at least do not model such skills in ways that students observe them or learn them. Certainly mathematics and science represent two core areas where many tout their intention of helping students solve problems.  Yet the evidence is clear that few students can solve real problems—quantitative and/or societal ones—in contexts where they are found in the real world (Piel, 1993; Feynman, 1985). NCTM Standards Best Practice: New Standards for Teaching and Learning in America’s Schools Blooms Taxonomy Effective Schools Research Network
Professional Development: All Teachers will be trained in the use of the Creative Publications Problem Solver. Each teacher will do independent research as to creative and innovative problem solving lessons and present their findings to the rest of the faculty. All Teachers and staff will use technology to enhance the improvement of the problem solving process. All Teachers be trained in the use of the DODEA Health Program
Interventions/Strategies All Teachers will use the Creative Publications Problem Solver Program with posters and Rubistar.com to teach and assess the students.
Activities for 2006-07	PERSON Responsible	Start	End
Mission Statement Discussed and Completed	Kristie Mashburn – SIP Coordinator