ApplicationNicholasCoRichwoodHigh

WEST VIRGINIA 1003(g) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT APPLICATION COVER TIER I AND TIER II SCHOOLS Complete a separate application for each school served by the LEA County: Nicholas County LEA Title I Director: Linda Keeney E-mail: lkeeney@access.k12.wv.us LEA Curriculum Director: Damon Hanshaw E-mail: dhanshaw@access.k12.wv.us LEA Special Education Director: Kathy Sibbett E-mail: ksibbett@access.k12.wv.us LEA School Improvement Coordinator: Susan Barrett E-mail: sbarrett@access.k12.wv.us Others may be added as needed by the LEA Superintendent Signature Date LEA Title I Director Signature Date Provide a brief summary of the LEA’s proposed Title I school improvement grant program Richwood High School made the decision early on to refer to itself as a “School of Opportunity” rather than a school on improvement The county and school-based leadership teams have met with all stakeholders, completed a thorough needs assessment, and have already begun the hard work of turning the school around The school year will end with a Leadership Conference where the entire faculty will focus on developing a positive school culture, a clear vision, and a collective commitment to make the vision a reality McREL, an external service provider, and a site-based transformation specialist will work with the school over the three-year period to increase student achievement through the implementation of research-based instructional strategies The model for continuous improvement will utilize Professional Learning Communities as the structure for teachers to work in teams to set and implement SMART goals, gather data, monitor progress, and adjust practice accordingly McREL’s Success in Sight intensive professional development will build capacity at the school level to continue the improvement process beyond the life of this grant Additional professional development will target mathematics, as teachers implement a research-based program using an inquiry approach to prepare students for success with the rigorous Common Core State Standards The improvement plan will increase learning time through initiatives during the summer as well as before, during, and after the school day by providing new learning opportunities to both students and teachers The LEA will remain connected to the school throughout the initiative through regular visits and meetings with the transformation specialist and the consultant(s) from McREL There is a strong commitment from all stakeholders to transform this small struggling high school into a School of Opportunity where students, teachers, and administrators celebrate academic success LEA APPLICATION I SCHOOLS TO BE SERVED: List each Tier I and Tier II school the LEA commits to serve, provide principal information and check the applicable box for the intervention model that the LEA will implement in each Tier I and Tier II school Tier I Schools: School Name/ NCES ID# Principal Tier II Schools: School Name/ NCES ID# Principal 540102000847 Carter Hillman II Email Address Intervention Turnaround Restart Turnaround Restart Email Address Closure Transformation Intervention Closure chillman@access.k12 wv.us Transformation X DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION: Address the following information in the LEA application for the 1003(g) school improvement grant A The needs assessment and capacity index were previously provided in the letter of intent to apply The letter of intent to apply has been evaluated according to the established criteria and if it was deemed to have met the standard, no further action is required If revisions were required, attach a copy of the revised letter of intent with changes highlighted A copy of the revised letter of intent with changes highlighted is attached B Provide a summary of the LEA consultation with relevant stakeholders regarding the LEA’s application and implementation of school improvement models in its Tier I and Tier II schools Each LEA shall include a description of the meeting format, stakeholder groups consulted, key discussion points and the outcomes from the discussion On January 14, 2011, the Nicholas County Board of Education was notified by the West Virginia Department of Education that Richwood High School (RHS) was identified as a Title I Tier II School of Improvement After attending the WVDE meeting, the Superintendent, Beverly Kingery, immediately formed a leadership team The team consisted of four central office persons: Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Title I Director, and Federal Programs School Improvement Coordinator In addition, the superintendent chose six persons from the school: the two administrators and four teachers with a variety of experiences, including senior staff members and less seasoned teachers, representing core subjects, related arts, and special education The staff was allowed the option to choose one additional teacher This created a leadership team of eleven individuals The leadership team was extremely active – meeting regularly, updating the board of education of grant progress, serving as liaisons to staff subcommittees, and attending community meetings during grant writing The collective insight of the leadership team provided input for all voices to be heard regarding the potential for school improvement success at RHS As part of the needs assessment, all faculty members were actively involved in the collection and analysis of data Root causes were identified for each area needing improvement This work was coordinated by the leadership team The timetable that follows (Figure 1) indicates meetings that were held with the LEA leadership team, school staff, parents, students, and community organizations Figure Meetings with Stakeholders January 21, 2011 Leadership Team Meeting – define the work January 28, 2011 RHS Staff Meeting – explain the school improvement process and its implications for the school January 31, 2011 Leadership Team – issue press release to local media February 1, 2011 Parent Meeting – explain the school improvement process February 7, 2011 Leadership Team – defining roles and identifying issues February 9, 2011 Student Body Meeting – explain school improvement and offer three specific challenges to students: academic, athletic, culture February 10, 2011 Leadership Team – meet with School Improvement Coordinator, plan data gathering February 14, 2011 Leadership Team – oversee data gathering by RHS teachers to identify root causes February 15, 2011 Leadership Team – attend state external support provider vendor fair February 16, 2011 Leadership Team – meet to refine external provider decision February 17, 2011 Richwood City Council – leadership team representatives, superintendent, and board members present overview of RHS school improvement process February 18, 2011 Nicholas County Board of Education – detailed presentation by leadership team February 21, 2011 Leadership Team – RHS teachers data gathering/root causes for SIG February 24, 2011 Richwood Chamber of Commerce – leadership team representatives, present overview of RHS school improvement March 2, 2011 RHS Leadership Team – lead committee meetings March 9-10, 2011 Leadership Team – attend state SIG workshop March15, 2011 Leadership Team – meet to work on grant components March 22, 2011 RHS Parent Meeting – led by RHS Parent Committee to discuss improvement March 23, 2011 Leadership Team – meet with RHS staff to discuss proposed grant contents and obtain feedback April 1, 2011 Leadership Team and Board President – meet with McREL representative all day at RHS to discuss potential external provider proposal April 11-14, 2011 Leadership Team – final review of grant February-April, Leadership Team member – update BOE at each meeting regarding grant 2011 progress C1 Develop measurable summative and growth goals that will be used by the LEA to monitor progress of student achievement on the State’s assessments in both reading/language arts and mathematics Annual growth goal example: “The percentage of students who exhibit typical growth in grades 6-8 in mathematics will increase annually as measured by the WESTEST 2.” School Name: Richwood High School Annual Summative Achievement Goal for Reading/Language Arts: The percentage of students in the “all” subgroup who score at mastery or above in reading/language arts will increase by 3% annually as measured by the WESTEST Annual Growth Goal for Reading/Language Arts: The percentage of students who exhibit typical growth in grades 9-11 in reading/language arts will increase annually as measured by the WESTEST2 Annual Summative Achievement Goal for Mathematics: The percentage of students in the “all” subgroup who score at mastery or above in mathematics will increase by 3% annually as measured by the WESTEST Annual Growth Goal for Mathematics: The percentage of students who exhibit typical growth in grades 9-11 in mathematics will increase annually as measured by the WESTEST2 Annual Summative Goal for Graduation Rate: The percentage of students who graduate from Richwood High School will increase will increase by 1% annually Respond to the following:  How were these goals determined? These goals were determined through discussions with the school leadership team and the LEA team after consultation with the SEA school improvement coordinators The team believes the goals are realistic yet challenging; the annual benchmarks for improvement will mark the school’s progress toward the goals These measures call for the number of students scoring at mastery or above in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics on WESTEST to increase by 3% in year one, 4% in year two, and 5% in year three  What interim assessment activities will be used throughout the school year by the school staff to track progress toward meeting the annual goals? Acuity Benchmark tests will serve as benchmarks in Mathematics and Reading & Language Arts WV Writes will track student achievement in writing, using the same scoring rubric as the Writing Assessment that is part of WESTEST2 Additional mathematics assessments from the adopted instructional program will be used to measure student progress toward mastery of the CSOs This would include the individualized progress tracking that is a component of the Cognitive Tutor program Interim assessment data will be used to inform and adjust instruction to meet the needs of all students This work will be ongoing and coordinated by the transformation specialist and shared with all appropriate stakeholders While graduation rate is not calculated until the end of each year, risk factors that influence student graduation will be closely monitored throughout the year The LEA will receive a grant from the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities and members of the school’s leadership team will serve on the county committee for this project This grant will increase support of the school’s efforts to closely monitor students with frequent absences and those at risk of failure and/or dropping out C2 Describe below how the summative and growth goals will be utilized by the LEA to evaluate the school’s academic progress The LEA school improvement team consists of the superintendent, assistant superintendent, Title I director, and the school improvement coordinator All team members will visit the school on a regular basis and will meet at least monthly as a team to discuss the school’s progress on the improvement initiatives Monthly progress checks with the McREL consultant will keep all team members informed Acuity benchmark data can be used to track progress in several ways Individual student progress from one benchmark test to the next, and from one school year to the next, can be monitored in both Mathematics and Reading & Language Arts WV Writes scores can be tracked in a similar fashion This data can also be compiled and analyzed to examine the progress of groups of students in a particular grade or course DP21 will allow this data to be regularly monitored by all members of the LEA school improvement team The school improvement coordinator will serve as the liaison between the LEA and the school She will work with the external support provider, McREL, the school-based transformation specialist, the school administrators, and the school leadership team to collect and analyze this data to track academic progress As this continuous improvement plan is implemented, refinements to the instructional program will be incorporated as the data warrants Power Walk Through data will allow frequent monitoring of classroom practice including use of instructional strategies, student engagement, and the use of technology – all factors linked to teacher effectiveness and student achievement III TRANSFORMATION MODEL ACTIVITIES: Design interventions and establish timelines for implementation consistent with the final requirements for the selected intervention model(s) as directed below LEAs serving Tier I and Tier II schools implementing the transformation model shall address all items under Sections A through D TRANSFORMATION MODEL A Develop teacher and school leader effectiveness 1a Replace the principal Nicholas County Schools has selected the following method to meet the transformation model requirement addressing the replacement of the principal The new principal must be placed in this position on or before the first day of administrative employment for the 2011-2012 school year School Name Tier Method of Replacement (Choose a, b, or c as described below) Start Date of the Principal Richwood High School II A July 1, 2009 a The principal has been replaced within the past two years, (defined by ED as the fall of 2008 or more recently), as required of an identified Title I school in years four and beyond placed in restructuring as defined in NCLB §1116(b)(8)(B)(ii) This change in leadership meets the requirement of restructuring the school governance for a fundamental reform Evaluation of the individual’s performance will be conducted within the guidelines of WV Code §18A-2-12 and WV BOE Policy 5310 b The principal has been or will be replaced through a mutual agreement (i.e., voluntarily applies to transfer to another available position within the district) as outlined in WV Code §18A-2 Evaluation of the individual’s performance will be conducted within the guidelines of WV Code §18A-2-12 and WV BOE Policy 5310 c The principal has been or will be replaced through the performance evaluation of school personnel process as outlined in WV Code §18A-2-12 and WVBOE Policy 5310 1b Describe the leadership competencies the district will require for principals placed in the schools implementing the transformation model See “School Turnaround Leaders: Selection Toolkit” as a resource: http://www.publicimpact.com/publications/Turnaround_Selection_Toolkit.pdf At a minimum address the following areas: Achievement: The drive and actions to set challenging goals and reach a high standard of performance despite barriers Impact and Influence: Acting with purpose of affecting the perceptions, thinking and actions of others Monitoring and Directiveness: The ability to set clear expectations and to hold others accountable for performance Team Leadership: Assuming authoritative leadership of a group for the benefit of the organization Self-Confidence: A personal belief in one’s ability to accomplish tasks and the actions that reflect that belief The Leadership Team and school staff identified the areas that support and enhance school administrative leadership:  understanding roles of principals and teachers as leaders  what good leaders to make sure the work of school improvement is accomplished successfully  defining shared leadership and necessary structures for implementation  defining administrative tasks that contribute to student achievement  moving from managerial to instructional leadership  conducting instructional discussions with all content areas  managing time and organizing the work  providing leadership opportunities for staff members with administrative potential (e.g specific training, practical experiences)  understanding that all school staff are leaders at various points for various reasons to ensure school improvement  principals as the organizers of all leadership avenues within the school After identification of these areas, the Leadership Team communicated with McREL to define the process to develop effective school leadership It was determined which processes and materials would most effectively accomplish the work Success in Sight and Power Walk Through were chosen as the primary processes with specific materials being:  School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results  What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action  Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement  Classroom Instruction that Works with Technology  Managing Transitions by Jeff Bridges Success in Sight will help Richwood High School better understand the role of professional development in the improvement process, emphasizing structures that support teacher learning, collaboration, and strategy implementation Leadership development will be aligned to improvement priorities and designed and delivered according to the National Staff Development Council’s content standards, context standards, and process standards (National Staff Development Council, 2001) Richwood administrators will establish multiple formal and informal learning structures The administrators will learn to optimize collaborative time (e.g., professional learning communities, or PLCs), meeting regularly to discuss use of instructional strategies and adherence to shared agreements, monitor progress with student learning, learn innovative practices, adjust strategies and allocate resources to support struggling students, and celebrate student growth Richwood High School leaders will use a four-step data-driven decision making process and use a variety of data to assess the needs of all students The leadership component of Success in Sight is based on Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells us about the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003) as well as an extensive review of the literature on leadership both inside and outside the field of education Success in Sight’s plan to support Richwood High School leadership at the school level is built on the premise that the principal plays an important role in school transformation, but, given the nature of the changes involved, the principal alone cannot significantly improving student achievement for all students A McREL consultant will provide tailored coaching to Richwood leaders, helping them understand and fulfill leadership responsibilities associated with increased student achievement The simultaneous development of Richwood’s school leadership team increases the individual teacher capacity for improving instruction through their work on the team In addition, as the leaders work with other teachers on grade-level or cross-grade-level teams, the leadership team members will increase the capacity of other individual teachers and the staff as a whole to improve instruction This increased school and individual teacher capacity are mutually reinforcing and lead to the ultimate goal of improved student achievement The following guidelines are incorporated into Success in Sight for working with low-performing schools:  Recognize that leadership is not the same as management — leaders play an important role in creating a shared vision for change and shouldn’t neglect that role by becoming too focused on managing day-to-day problems  Give up the notion of a “hero-leader” — a view of leadership that encourages people to look to one person in a position of authority to make important decisions is too narrow to sustain improvement efforts for the long run Schools should abandon the search for the one person who will save the day  Develop broad-based leadership — schools should build the capacity of many to engage in leading reform Leadership can be exercised in a number of ways (e.g., curriculum writing teams, school improvement teams, grade-level teams) Schools should develop formal and informal leaders at all levels  Encourage and nurture individual initiative — recognize that anyone in the school can serve as a change agent and cause the school to examine its assumptions and practices, spurring it to learn and accomplish its goals  Build a learning organization — consider every person and every situation a resource for learning Create an environment in which people can explore ideas and options Provide opportunities for people to work together to examine practices and solve problems  Take a “balcony view” — step back from the action and become an objective observer of what is occurring in the “field of action.” This allows leaders to monitor and adjust progress toward the vision (McREL, 2000, pp 8-15) In addition, Success in Sight uses the 21 school leadership responsibilities and associated practices (Waters, Marzano, McNulty, 2003) as a key element of Success in Sight continuous improvement approach (see Figure 2) Figure 2: School Leadership Responsibilities Responsibility The extent to which the principal Affirmation Recognizes and celebrates school accomplishments and acknowledges failures Change Agent Is willing to and actively challenges the status quo Communication Establishes strong lines of communication with teachers and among students Contingent Rewards Recognizes and rewards individual accomplishments Culture Fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation Discipline Flexibility Focus Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time or focus Adapts his or her leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals in the forefront of the school’s attention Associated Practices  Systematically and fairly recognizes the accomplishments of teachers and staff  Systematically and fairly recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of students  Systematically and fairly recognizes the failures of and celebrates the accomplishments of the school as a whole  Consciously challenges the status quo  Is willing to lead change initiatives with uncertain outcomes  Systematically considers new and better ways of doing things  Consistently attempts to operate at the edge versus the center of the school’s competence  Is easily accessible to teachers and staff  Develops effective means for teachers and staff to communicate with one another  Maintains open and effective lines of communication with teachers and staff  Uses performance versus seniority as the primary criteria for rewards and recognition  Uses hard work and results as the basis for rewards and recognition Recognizes individuals who excel  Promotes a sense of well being among teachers and staff  Promotes cohesion among teachers and staff  Develops an understanding of purpose among teachers and staff  Develops a shared vision of what the school could be like  Promotes cooperation among teachers and staff  Protects instructional time from interruptions  Protects/shelters teachers and staff from internal and external distractions  Is comfortable with making major changes in how things are done  Encourages people to express diverse opinions contrary to those held by individuals in positions of authority  Adapts leadership style to the needs of specific situations  Is directive or non-directive as the situation warrants  Establishes high, concrete goals and expectations that all students meet them  Establishes high, concrete goals for curriculum, instruction and assessment practices within the school  Establishes high, concrete goals for the general functioning of the school  Continually keeps attention on established goals 10 Table 4: Year Two – August 2012 - July 2013 Activity 2012 2013 Month 07 08 09 10 11 12 01 02 03 04 05 Progress report meeting with District x x x x x x x x x (conference call or in-person) Module ▲ Module ▲ Module ▲ Technical Site Visits ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Ongoing assistance (email and phone) — — — — — — — — — — — X = progress report; ▲ = large group PD session; ● = individual school site visit; — = ongoing assistance 06 x — Table 5: Year Three – August 2013 – July 2014 Activity 2013 09 10 2014 03 04 Month 07 08 11 12 01 02 05 Progress report meeting with District x x x x x x X x x (conference call or in-person) Module ▲ ▲ Module ▲ Module ▲ Module 10 ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Technical Site Visits Ongoing assistance (email and phone) — — — — — — — — — — — X = progress report; ▲ = large group PD session; ● = individual school site visit; — = ongoing assistance 06 x — Required Materials (A.4.c.) McREL will provide Richwood High School with a wide variety of high quality products to accompany the proposed school improvement services Among these materials are:  Participant manuals for Success in Sight Modules 1-6 and selected print materials for Year professional development sessions  Books for professional development in specific areas, such as o School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results o What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action o Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement o Classroom Instruction that Works with Technology o Managing Transitions by Jeff Bridges [Note: Some materials are provided as resources for internally-provided professional development, such as book studies; others are provided to accompany schoolrequested professional development aligned with school improvement priorities.] Success in Sight will help Richwood High School to better understand the role of professional development in the improvement process, emphasizing structures that support 59 teacher learning, collaboration, and strategy implementation Professional development will be aligned to improvement priorities and designed and delivered according to the National Staff Development Council’s content standards, context standards, and process standards (National Staff Development Council, 2001) Richwood will establish multiple formal and informal learning \structures The school will learn to optimize collaborative time (e.g., PLCs, professional learning communities), meeting regularly to discuss use of instructional strategies and adherence to shared agreements, monitor progress with student learning, learn innovative practices, adjust strategies and allocate resources to support struggling students, and celebrate student growth Richwood’s staff members will learn how to use a four-step data-driven decision making process and use variety of data to assess the needs of all students Power Walk Through professional development (optional) (A.4.c.) Using a series of classroom observations, Power Walkthrough will help Richwood High School principal and assistant principal know what they should look for when observing teachers, how they should record and report their observations back to teachers, how they should track progress and improvement, and how they can determine if the professional development in which they have invested is making its way to the classroom McREL professional development webinar session will help Richwood High School leaders: gain a practical understanding of the nine categories of instructional strategies presented in Classroom Instruction that Works (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001) and why they are so powerful for improving student learning recognize these teaching strategies as the basis for observing teachers observe how technology is being used in the classroom and the level of student engagement analyze the performance of individual or groups of teachers in order to guide staff development and school improvement planning Power Walk Through training year one (optional) (A.4.c.) Richwood High School leaders will participate in a two day webinar to include viewing a series of three to four minute classroom videos that help them develop a clear understanding of the Classroom Instruction that Works strategies as well as the ability to identify the context of instruction (e.g., whole group, small groups, individuals), the type of work students are producing, whether students can identify learning goals, and the kind of technology in use Through practical, technical guidance, McREL staff will show Richwood High School leaders how to use the Power Walkthrough software on hand-held devices to capture important data during each classroom visit, upload and analyze these data on desktop computers, and coach teachers to higher levels of instructional performance 60 After learning how to collect data, participants will learn how to interpret and use the data The goal of the Power Walkthrough process is to provide longitudinal data to teachers that lead to reflection on practice Richwood High School leaders will practice using the data to craft reflective questions Throughout the training session, they will have multiple opportunities for their own reflection and practice As a result, they complete the session ready to conduct Power Walkthroughs at Richwood High School Richwood High School leaders will practice using the Power Walk Throughs with a McREL consultant who will serve as coach The leaders will also be supported also via distance Power Walkthrough training year two and three (optional) (A.4.c.) Richwood High School leaders will continue to be coached with the use of Power Walk Through for determining effectiveness of research-based strategies implementation The leaders will learn how to report the walk through data to staff in order to set SMART goals for implementation of effective instructional practices Plan to support Richwood High School’s leadership at the school level (A.6.) The leadership component of Success in Sight is based on Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells us about the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003) as well as an extensive review of the literature on leadership both inside and outside the field of education Success in Sight’s plan to support Richwood High School leadership at the school level is built on the premise that the principal plays an important role in school transformation, but, given the nature of the changes involved, the principal alone cannot significantly improving student achievement for all students A McREL consultant will provide tailored coaching to Richwood leaders, helping them understand and fulfill leadership responsibilities associated with increased student achievement The simultaneous development of Richwood’s school leadership team increases the individual teacher capacity for improving instruction through their work on the team In addition, as the leaders work with other teachers on grade-level or cross-grade-level teams, the leadership team members will increase the capacity of other individual teachers and the staff as a whole to improve instruction This increased school and individual teacher capacity are mutually reinforcing and lead to the ultimate goal of improved student achievement The following guidelines were incorporated into Success in Sight for working with lowperforming schools:  Recognize that leadership is not the same as management — leaders play an important role in creating a shared vision for change and shouldn’t neglect that role by becoming too focused on managing day-to-day problems  Give up the notion of a “hero-leader” — a view of leadership that encourages people to look to one person in a position of authority to make important decisions is too narrow to sustain improvement efforts for the long run Schools should abandon the search for the one person who will save the day  Develop broad-based leadership — schools should build the capacity of many to engage in leading reform Leadership can be exercised in a number of ways (e.g., curriculum writing teams, school improvement teams, grade-level teams) Schools should develop formal and informal leaders at all levels 61    Encourage and nurture individual initiative — recognize that anyone in the school can serve as a change agent and cause the school to examine its assumptions and practices, spurring it to learn and accomplish its goals Build a learning organization — consider every person and every situation a resource for learning Create an environment in which people can explore ideas and options Provide opportunities for people to work together to examine practices and solve problems Take a “balcony view” — step back from the action and become an objective observer of what is occurring in the “field of action.” This allows leaders to monitor and adjust progress toward the vision (McREL, 2000, pp 8-15) In addition, Success in Sight uses the 21 school leadership responsibilities and associated practices (Waters, Marzano, McNulty, 2003) as a key element of Success in Sight continuous improvement approach (see Table 6) Table School Leadership Responsibilities Responsibility The extent to which the principal Affirmation Recognizes and celebrates school accomplishments and acknowledges failures Change Agent Is willing to and actively challenges the status quo Communication Establishes strong lines of communication with teachers and among students Contingent Rewards Recognizes and rewards individual accomplishments Culture Fosters shared beliefs and a sense of community and cooperation Discipline Protects teachers from issues and influences that would detract from their teaching time or focus Associated Practices  Systematically and fairly recognizes the accomplishments of teachers and staff  Systematically and fairly recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of students  Systematically and fairly recognizes the failures of and celebrates the accomplishments of the school as a whole  Consciously challenges the status quo Is willing to lead change initiatives with uncertain outcomes  Systematically considers new and better ways of doing things  Consistently attempts to operate at the edge versus the center of the school’s competence  Is easily accessible to teachers and staff  Develops effective means for teachers and staff to communicate with one another  Maintains open and effective lines of communication with teachers and staff  Uses performance versus seniority as the primary criteria for rewards and recognition  Uses hard work and results as the basis for rewards and recognition Recognizes individuals who excel  Promotes a sense of well being among teachers and staff  Promotes cohesion among teachers and staff  Develops an understanding of purpose among teachers and staff  Develops a shared vision of what the school could be like  Promotes cooperation among teachers and staff  Protects instructional time from interruptions  Protects/shelters teachers and staff from internal and external distractions 62 Responsibility Flexibility The extent to which the principal Adapts his or her leadership behavior to the needs of the current situation and is comfortable with dissent Focus Establishes clear goals and keeps those goals in the forefront of the school’s attention Ideals/Beliefs Communicates and operates from strong ideals and beliefs about schooling Input Involves teachers in the design and implementation of important decisions Intellectual stimulation Involvement in curriculum, instruction and assessment Knowledge of curriculum, instruction and assessment Ensures that the faculty and staff are aware of the most current theories and practices and makes the discussion of these a regular aspect of the school culture Is directly involved in the design and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices Is knowledgeable about current curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices Associated Practices  Is comfortable with making major changes in how things are done  Encourages people to express diverse opinions contrary to those held by individuals in positions of authority  Adapts leadership style to the needs of specific situations  Is directive or non-directive as the situation warrants  Establishes high, concrete goals and expectations that all students meet them  Establishes high, concrete goals for curriculum, instruction and assessment practices within the school  Establishes high, concrete goals for the general functioning of the school  Continually keeps attention on established goals  Possesses well-defined beliefs about schools, teaching, and learning  Shares beliefs about school, teaching, and learning with the teachers and staff  Demonstrates behaviors that are consistent with beliefs  Provides opportunities for teacher and staff input on all important decisions  Provides opportunities for teachers and staff to be involved in developing school policies  Uses leadership teams in decision-making  Keeps informed about current research and theory on effective schooling  Continually exposes teachers and staff to cutting-edge research and theory on effective schooling  Fosters systematic discussion regarding current research and theory on effective schooling  Is directly involved in helping teachers design curricular activities and address assessment and instructional issues  Possesses extensive knowledge about effective curricular, instructional, and assessment practices  Provides conceptual guidance regarding effective classroom practices 63 Responsibility Monitor/ Evaluate Optimize Order Outreach Relationships Resources Situational awareness Visibility The extent to which the principal Monitors the effectiveness of school practices and their impact on student learning Inspires and leads new and challenging innovations Establishes a set of standard operating procedures and routines Is an advocate and spokesperson for the school to all stakeholders Demonstrates awareness of the personal aspects of teachers and staff Provides teachers with materials and professional development necessary for the successful execution of their jobs Is aware of the details and the undercurrents in the running of the school and uses this information to address current and potential problems Has quality contacts and interactions with teachers and students Associated Practices  Continually monitors the effectiveness of the school’s curricular practices  Continually monitors the effectiveness of the school’s instructional practices  Continually monitors the effectiveness of the school’s assessment practices  Remains aware of the impact of the school’s practices on student achievement  Inspires teachers and staff to accomplish things that might be beyond their grasp  Is the driving force behind major initiatives  Portrays a positive attitude about the ability of teachers and staff to accomplish substantial things  Provides and reinforces clear structures, rules, and procedures for teachers and staff  Provides and reinforces clear structures, rules, and procedures for students  Establishes routines for the effective running of the school that teachers and staff understand and follow  Ensures the school complies with all district and state mandates  Is an advocate of the school with the community at large  Is an advocate of the school with parents  Is an advocate of the school with central office  Is informed about significant personal issues within the lives of teachers and staff  Maintains personal relationships with teachers and staff  Is aware of the personal needs of teachers and staff  Acknowledges significant events in the lives of teachers and staff  Ensures that teachers and staff have the necessary materials and equipment  Ensures that teachers and staff have the necessary professional development opportunities that directly enhance their teaching  Is aware of informal groups and relationships among teachers and staff  Is aware of the issues in the school that have not surfaced but could create discord  Accurately predicts what could go wrong from day to day  Makes systematic and frequent visits to the classroom Is highly visible to students, teachers, and parents  Has frequent contact with students 64 Plan to support Richwood High School’s teacher effectiveness (A.6.) In addition to emphasis on developing necessary leadership responsibilities for change, Success in Sight will focus on cultural elements that will support Richwood High School’s teachers and leaders in developing a positive, effective learning environment Richwood’s school culture should to include productive attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, and values for making needed change Success in Sight will help Richwood develop these aspects of culture, as well as a culture of inquiry and reflection with high levels of communication, collaboration, trust, and participation among staff members Structural and procedural elements that support a positive learning environment include school leadership teams, professional development plans, and plans for data analysis and use These elements are supported by protocols, expectations, goals, and specific objectives The first step in McREL’s Success in Sight process is to support Richwood High School’s Leadership Team, consisting of staff and the principal McREL will work with the leadership team to help the team “own” and build the capacity of their staff for improving instruction and student achievement, resulting in building a positive learning environment for all students in the school As the leadership team plans and implements instructional changes needed to make significant gains in student learning, they will establish and enhance the structures and processes needed to ensure success Implementation of specific interventions and supports for atrisk students to support teacher and leader effectiveness (A.6.) The Success in Sight process will include opportunities for Richwood High School leadership team and/or staff to intentionally develop safe and mutually respectful environments for students, in which Richwood’s students are supported in taking the risks necessary for authentic learning Success in Sight will facilitate the development of skilled Richwood staff members who use agreed upon processes to help students build self regulation and internal awareness, develop tools for communication and critical thinking in order to understand multiple perspectives, manage their own emotions, control impulses, and take personal responsibility and be part of the thriving purposeful community The Success in Sight approach is predicated upon flexibility and responsiveness and will help Richwood maximize all structures available to support students—especially those most at risk—such as afterschool programs; tutoring and mentoring programs; counseling; transition programs for students entering the building (especially for homeless and/or migrant students); and parent and community engagement Steps in this process include helping the staff deepen their knowledge and skills related to: 65 • Creating and communicating a shared program vision • Using data-driven and systemic approaches to plan, implement, and evaluate practices for support at-risk students • Designing and implementing sustainability plans • Implementing evidence-based leadership and professional development practices • Using evidence-based academic enrichment practices (e.g., math, reading, science, arts) • Building relationships among a variety of stakeholder groups (e.g., schoolcommunity, student-practitioner, school-afterschool) • Accessing local, state, and national resources Rather than dictate a specific program for any of these areas, McREL will work with Richwood staff to identify needs and gaps and to align current day program elements with out-of-school-time and other programs to increase coherence and efficiency This approach will help Richwood develop a broad spectrum of equitable policies, practices, and services that are academically rigorous and meaningful with respect for diversity of family structures and living situations Examples of culturally responsive practices that are included in McREL’s instructional framework are: building on students’ identity and background, acknowledging funds of knowledge and ways of knowing, strategic use of primary language, informed grouping strategies, consistent and meaningful access to cutting edge technology, cooperative learning, use of nonlinguistic representation, and academic language development McREL’s research-based instructional program (B.1 & B.2.) The way to improve student achievement is to effectively implement practices that are correlated with student achievement In order to identify instructional practices to effect student achievement, McREL conducted a meta-analysis on instructional strategies (Marzano, 1998) This meta-analysis identified nine categories of instructional strategies that are generally effective with all types of students, in all grade levels, and in all content areas Through individual and group training and support, Success in Sight will provide Richwood High School teachers with the skills and knowledge to implement effective research-based instructional practices (see Table 7) Table 7: Nine Categories of Instructional Strategies that Influence Student Achievement Category Identifying Similarities & Differences Explanation Enhance students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge by engaging them in mental processes that involve identifying ways items are alike and different 66 Category Explanation Summarizing & Note Taking Enhance students’ ability to synthesize information and organize it in a way that captures the main ideas and supporting details Reinforcing Effort & Providing Recognition Enhance students’ understanding of the relationship between effort and achievement by addressing students’ attitudes and beliefs about learning Provide students rewards or praise for their accomplishments related to the attainment of a goal Homework & Practice Extend the learning opportunities for students to practice, review, and apply knowledge Enhance students’ ability to reach the expected level of proficiency for a skill/process Nonlinguistic Representation Enhance students’ ability to represent and elaborate on knowledge using mental images Cooperative Learning Provide students with opportunities to interact with each other in groups in ways that enhance their learning Setting Objectives & Providing Feedback Provide students a direction for learning and information regarding how well they are performing relative to a particular learning goal so that they can improve their performance Generating & Testing Hypotheses Enhance students’ understanding of and ability to use knowledge by engaging them in mental processes that involve making and testing hypotheses Cues, Questions, & Advance Organizers Enhance students’ ability to retrieve, use, and organize what they already know about a topic Follow up to the strategies is a key element in the Success in Sight process to build capacity for implementing proven instructional strategies that affect achievement for all students As Richwood High School’s leadership team members build capacity in the area of shared leadership and the data-driven decision-making process to determine instructional next steps for increasing student achievement, they will serve as guides to their respective grade level/department/PLC teams Richwood teachers will benefit from direct coaching from the leadership team members who work with their department teams as they monitor their progress towards reaching their SMART goals Success in Sight will provide the leadership team with explicit structures and protocols for locating effective research-based instructional practices and communicating those practices to the entire staff Consequently, myriad opportunities will exist for the staff to participate in professional development centered on the use and implementation of instructional strategies, as well as data analysis that will help Richwood reach its instructional goals Other activities Richwood High School will implement as comprehensive instructional reform programs (B.3.) Success in Sight will assist Richwood High School in identifying research-based programs that meet their specific needs Through the data analysis process, the staff will set SMART goals for increasing student achievement In order to reach these SMART goals, the staff 67 will learn ways and be provided tools and structures to find effective research-based strategies for comprehensive reform They will develop a professional development plan based on their goals and identified strategies to achieve those goals Success in Sight not only emphasizes the identification and use of research-based strategies, but also places a specific focus on the implementation of those strategies Often schools adopt programs but not implement them widely, effectively attend to the change process, or monitor implementation McREL will help Richwood High School to overcome these challenges by helping them identify appropriate criteria, learn how to make decisions, build shared ownership (including mutual responsibility and accountability for implementing the programs with fidelity), systematically plan, and use a framework for monitoring implementation and effectiveness to make ongoing adjustments Knowing that the implementation stage of a strategy or program is the key, Success in Sight focuses specifically on the quality, fidelity, intensity, and consistency of implementing research-based instructional strategies Another optional activity Richwood High School could implement in order to support the quality, fidelity, intensity, and consistency of the research-based instructional strategies is McREL’s Power Walk Through This tool and training will help Richwood’s principal, assistant principal, and teacher leaders serve as instructional leaders Using a Palm, Apple, or Windows Mobile handheld device loaded with the Power Walk Through software, administrators a quick, three to five minute classroom visit The software allows them to collect and analyze longitudinal data on teaching strategies, technology use, student engagement, learning context, and the types of knowledge being taught The goal of the Power Walk Through process is to provide longitudinal data to Richwood teachers that lead to reflection on practice Power Walk Through will facilitate Richwood’s systematic monitoring and evaluation of curriculum delivery through research-based instructional strategies The collected data will be used to inform discussions about curricular and instructional expectations In addition to the strategies from Classroom Instruction that Works, the software will be used to assess the level of technology integration and differentiation used in day-to-day classroom instruction Power Walk Through will help Richwood High School staff create student-centered, teacherled PLCs by facilitating improved coaching conversations between teachers to ensure the use of best practices and improve instruction to support student achievement goals Richwood leaders will use the data from the Power Walk Through to ensure the diverse needs of Richwood students are met and that their teachers understand and reflect upon their practice Power Walk Through sessions will help the leadership team monitor progress toward and maximize resources in support of improvement goals as they lead a continuous improvement process Conducting Power Walk Through will enable Richwood leaders to show their commitment to high standards through thoughtful and long-term assessment of instructional practice This diligent leadership will show all stakeholders the strong degree of support for the school’s transformational vision Furthermore, Power Walk Through will promote rich and informed coaching conversations between supervisors and teachers that help build a culture of respect that values relationships, trust, communication and collaboration 68 Intensive Success in Sight on-site technical assistance to support Richwood High School (D.3.) A McREL consultant will conduct on-site visits technical assistance to support Richwood High School with implementing Success in Sight continuous improvement process Each onsite technical assistance visit will be designed to reinforce and apply the concepts taught at the two-day professional development sessions as well as to build on the structures, processes, and attitudes necessary for sustainable, continuous school improvement Success in Sight will be customized to meet the specific transformational needs of Richwood High School During each on-site technical assistance visit, the McREL consultant, Richwood’s principal, and the leadership team will identify next steps needed for improving student achievement Work during on-site technical assistance visits will focus on moving the schools to higher levels of achievement and ensuring alignment of school initiatives with district goals and state requirements A portion of each Richwood visit will be spent working with the principal and the school leadership team on the specific goal of attaining school-wide implementation of transformational improvement strategies The McREL consultant will work closely with the principal and leadership team to review and implement their improvement plans, to increase instructional and leadership capacity, and, most important, to promote the school’s efforts toward increasing student achievement The school/district will provide a minimum of ½ day release time for each on-site technical assistance with Richwood High School’s leadership team During each on-site visit, Richwood’s principal and assistance principal will receive two hours of technical assistance for implementing instructional change and developing a positive culture for increasing student achievement This principal coaching is tailored to the needs of Richwood and the principal and is an opportunity to equip Richwood’s administrators with specific tools and processes for leading complex change The remaining portion of each visit will be tailored to Richwood’s school needs and may include extending the leadership team meeting, working directly with teachers and gradelevel/departmental teams and engaging in structured discussions concerning the progress of individual students These discussions will assist Richwood in meeting the needs of individual students and focusing and coordinating the work of all teachers on the success of these students The McREL consultant will assist teachers in using classroom data to facilitate meaningful and practical discussions about teaching and learning The McREL consultant may also engage in activities such as meeting with individual teachers, assisting with classroom walk through visits, or providing professional development for the entire staff Roles and Responsibilities of Parties School Leadership Teams Richwood High School leadership team responsibilities include: 69       Working closely and cooperatively with the McREL consultant Scheduling and attending regular meetings of the team Establishing and reviewing goals and improvement plans for Richwood High School based on what they learn during working sessions Guiding implementation of school improvement plans and initiatives Informing the school staff members about Success in Sight work and goals Collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the impact of their efforts on student achievement Principal Involvement Richwood High School building administrators provide leadership and support to the leadership team while drawing on the expertise of others Their key responsibilities include:  Setting clear expectations with implementation of Success in Sight and change initiatives for staff and students  Working closely and cooperatively with the McREL consultant, meeting with McREL consultant during each visit  Staying in regular communication with McREL consultant via email and telephone between each site visit  Attending all meetings of the leadership team as an active member of the leadership team  Leading efforts to establish workable goals and a school improvement plan aligned with those goals  Supporting staff and leadership team and providing them with resources as they carry out specific actions designed to achieve building goals  Setting expectations for the implementation of PLCs  Supporting a common collaboration time for PLCs  Providing resources for leadership team meetings at each technical, site visit  Guiding the collection and analysis of data to evaluate the impact of improvement efforts on student achievement  Monitoring implementation of the work District Administrator Involvement District administrators play a critical role in providing unified, coherent support and resources to the school Key district responsibilities include:  Providing Richwood High School with the necessary resources (financial and human)  Aligning policies and procedures to support improvement efforts  Setting expectations for improvement  Providing data and analysis of data  Maintaining awareness of the improvement efforts of the individual school  Holding the Richwood High School accountable for their participation in all activities associated with this initiative Setting expectations for the implementation of PLCs  Supporting a common collaboration time for PLCs  Providing resources for leadership team meetings at each technical, site visit 70  Maintaining communication with McREL consultants McREL’s Actions McREL guides and supports Richwood High School administrators, leadership team, and staff by:  Helping articulate and focus building goals  Delivering professional development designed to increase the capacity of Richwood High Schools leadership team and/or staff to make informed decisions and act on them  Delivering professional development on research-based instructional strategies  Providing guidance in research based practices for successfully engaging in school improvement  Providing Richwood High School with technical assistance to implement continuous improvement  Providing consultation and feedback  Collecting data to evaluate the effectiveness of the sessions during each large group evaluation and feedback after each leadership team meeting Budget The following budget describes the cost of all direct and indirect costs associated with providing the services, as described in the above proposal narrative In addition, the cost includes services, materials, travel costs, and fees during the contracting period Salaries are budgeted with daily rates, based on an 1800 hour year and include average vacation and other leave costs Actual daily rates are calculated each month based upon a percentage of effort in each cost center worked 552 McREL Staff Hours are included each year in this budget estimate to assist with activities as indicated above Table Full Project Budget Staff Salary, Wages & Fringe Travel Materials & Supplies Other Direct Costs Management Fee Indirect Costs Total Cost Year $43,981 $21,292 $8,200 $8,457 $15,669 $22,531 $120,130 Year $45,739 $23,542 $7,000 $8,795 $16,271 $23,396 $124,743 Year $47,568 $23,539 $3,500 $9,146 $16,018 $23,032 $122,803 Total $137,288 $68,373 $18,700 $26,398 $47,958 $68,959 $367,676 (Optional) Power Walkthrough – $500 webinar training (no maximum # of participants), $250 per year for software for each user + $45 participant manual per user 71 References Goddard, R (2001) Collective efficacy: A neglected construct in the study of schools and achievement Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(3), 467-476 Hoy, W., Smith, P., & Sweetland, S (2002) A test of a model of school achievement in rural schools; The significance of collective efficacy In W.K Hoy & C Miskel (Eds.), Theory and research in educational administration, pp 185-202 Marzano, R J (1998) A theory-based meta-analysis of research on instruction Aurora, CO: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning Marzano, R (2000) A new era of school reform: Going where the research takes us Aurora, CO: Mid- continent Research for Education and Learning Marzano, R (2003) What works in schools: Translating research into action Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Marzano, R J., Pickering, D J., & Pollock, J E (2001) Classroom instruction that works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Marzano, R., Waters, J.T., & McNulty, B (2005) School leadership that works: Research to results Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (2000) Leadership for school improvement Aurora, CO: Author National Staff Development Council (2001) Standards for Staff Development, Revised Oxford, OH: Author Costs for June team-building session: $5,280 Includes time and travel (NOTE: Represents a discount from standard daily rates of $3,750 per day, plus travel.) Table Full Project Budget - Revised Staff Salary, Wages & Fringe Travel Materials & Supplies Power Walkthrough Session Fee (July, 2011 in Denver, CO; license fee; manual for six (6) participants Does not include travel Other Direct Costs Management Fee Indirect Costs Total Cost Year $43,981 $21,292 $10,600 Year $45,739 $23,542 $8,800 Year $47,568 $23,539 $4,800 Total $137,288 $68,373 $24,200 $4,200 0 $4,200 $8,457 $16,931 $24,346 $129,807 $8,795 $16,615 $23,891 $127,380 $9,146 $16,267 $23,390 $124,710 $26,398 $49,813 $71,626 $381,897 72 73