UNISON ELEMENTARY Three-Year Action Plan

FOCUS AREA #1 To increase student achievement on standardized assessment measures by 5% each year over the three years. To increase student achievement on standardized assessment measures by 5% each year over the three years.

SPECIFIC RESULTS Students will show proficiency on standardized assessments at an increasing rate. Students will show proficiency on standardized assessments at an increasing rate. Teachers will teach for understanding, application and synthesis of ideas, skills and curriculum Teachers will teach for understanding, application and synthesis of ideas, skills and curriculum

YEAR ONE Assess weaknesses in sub-groups of students. Assess weaknesses in sub-groups of students. Break down information by class and teacher. Break down information by class and teacher. Examine the test to see where student achievement falls short. Examine the test to see where student achievement falls short. Extrapolate the skills necessary for success beyond mere test-taking strategies. Extrapolate the skills necessary for success beyond mere test-taking strategies.

YEAR ONE (con’t) Focus Area for Math: Focus Area for Math: -Introduce the idea of Problem Based Learning Focus Area for Language Arts: Focus Area for Language Arts: -Utilize pre-assessments and implement differentiated instruction.

YEAR TWO Provide further teacher-created support for P.B.L. in Math as well as the use of Essential Questions in Language Arts. Provide further teacher-created support for P.B.L. in Math as well as the use of Essential Questions in Language Arts. Create assessments that correspond with school curriculum that go beyond the scope of the state assessments. Create assessments that correspond with school curriculum that go beyond the scope of the state assessments.

YEAR TWO (con’t) Show students their progress in terms of benchmarks instead of scores. Students will have a clear idea of what they can do and what they need help with. Show students their progress in terms of benchmarks instead of scores. Students will have a clear idea of what they can do and what they need help with. Use year-end final performance assessments to determine effectiveness of the changes. Use year-end final performance assessments to determine effectiveness of the changes.

YEAR THREE Alter programs where they are not successful. Alter programs where they are not successful. Implement a full Problem-Based curriculum in math that has students think, grapple, and eventually solve real-world problems. Implement a full Problem-Based curriculum in math that has students think, grapple, and eventually solve real-world problems.

YEAR THREE (con’t) After a full assessment of comprehension skills, scaffold instruction in Language Arts for students who need help getting to the highest levels of analysis. After a full assessment of comprehension skills, scaffold instruction in Language Arts for students who need help getting to the highest levels of analysis. Mid-year performance assessment to determine if success for the raised test scores will be met. Mid-year performance assessment to determine if success for the raised test scores will be met.

FOCUS AREA #2 To create a culture of learning that promotes an understanding and acceptance of diversity for its learners. To create a culture of learning that promotes an understanding and acceptance of diversity for its learners.

SPECIFIC RESULTS To encourage understanding and appreciation of different cultures and to involve parents in student learning. To encourage understanding and appreciation of different cultures and to involve parents in student learning. To promote student leadership by giving voice to new students and encouraging efforts to connect to school community. To promote student leadership by giving voice to new students and encouraging efforts to connect to school community. To develop administrative practices which address diversity issues, culture of respect and acceptance among students. To develop administrative practices which address diversity issues, culture of respect and acceptance among students.

YEAR ONE Create a culture of respect committee of teachers, administrators, parents and other school stakeholders that can meet to discuss a school wide plan to promote cultural sensitivity and diversity. This should include the investigation of various character education curriculums and selection of top three for implementation. Create a culture of respect committee of teachers, administrators, parents and other school stakeholders that can meet to discuss a school wide plan to promote cultural sensitivity and diversity. This should include the investigation of various character education curriculums and selection of top three for implementation. Provide professional development opportunities for staff/parents on this committee to learn more about cultural sensitivity and accepting diversity. Provide professional development opportunities for staff/parents on this committee to learn more about cultural sensitivity and accepting diversity.

YEAR ONE (con’t) Implement a round table of minority students to discuss social/academic experiences. Implement a round table of minority students to discuss social/academic experiences. Meet with personnel department to make sure that current staff is representative of the community and discuss hiring practices that promote recruiting new staff that represent the community (i.e. Job Fairs at African American Universities, etc.) Meet with personnel department to make sure that current staff is representative of the community and discuss hiring practices that promote recruiting new staff that represent the community (i.e. Job Fairs at African American Universities, etc.)

YEAR TWO Define and implement the school wide plan recommended by the committee. Define and implement the school wide plan recommended by the committee. Provide professional development to all teachers in the building regarding cultural sensitivity and diversity. Provide professional development to all teachers in the building regarding cultural sensitivity and diversity. Present the top three character education curriculums identified from culture of respect committee to staff for selection of the top one. Present the top three character education curriculums identified from culture of respect committee to staff for selection of the top one.

YEAR TWO (con’t) Deliver professional development to staff regarding selected character education committee. Deliver professional development to staff regarding selected character education committee. Provide release time for staff to observe schools in the area utilizing character ed. curriculum. Begin to implement recruiting tactics to increase culturally diverse candidates for future job openings. Provide release time for staff to observe schools in the area utilizing character ed. curriculum. Begin to implement recruiting tactics to increase culturally diverse candidates for future job openings. Identify leadership opportunities for minority students and appoint them to these (i.e. escort for new enrollees). Identify leadership opportunities for minority students and appoint them to these (i.e. escort for new enrollees).

YEAR THREE Provide professional development to other staff (i.e. cafeteria, custodial, etc.) regarding cultural sensitivity and accepting diversity. Provide professional development to other staff (i.e. cafeteria, custodial, etc.) regarding cultural sensitivity and accepting diversity. Increase diversity among staff by hiring 20% of all new staff that are ethnically diverse. Increase diversity among staff by hiring 20% of all new staff that are ethnically diverse. Implementation of the character education curriculum and continued professional development throughout the school year. Implementation of the character education curriculum and continued professional development throughout the school year.

YEAR THREE (con’t) Offer staff the opportunity to participate in professional learning communities to gain support from their colleagues as they implement the new curriculum. Offer staff the opportunity to participate in professional learning communities to gain support from their colleagues as they implement the new curriculum. Implement recommendations of the culture of respect committee and institute some of these suggestions as regularly occurring yearly events (i.e. annual ethnic lunch where students bring in dishes to represent their culture). Implement recommendations of the culture of respect committee and institute some of these suggestions as regularly occurring yearly events (i.e. annual ethnic lunch where students bring in dishes to represent their culture).

FOCUS AREA #3 To develop a school culture that fosters collegiality and a positive learning and teaching environment for the entire school community. To develop a school culture that fosters collegiality and a positive learning and teaching environment for the entire school community.

SPECIFIC RESULTS Teachers will feel that the climate of the school is more collegial and beneficial to the learning process of the students. Teachers will feel that the climate of the school is more collegial and beneficial to the learning process of the students. Encourage teachers to help each other to create new innovative ways of teaching that will work alongside methods that have been tested through the years and deemed productive to students’ educational process. Encourage teachers to help each other to create new innovative ways of teaching that will work alongside methods that have been tested through the years and deemed productive to students’ educational process.

YEAR ONE Create a climate survey to assess the feelings of the teacher’s within the school. Create a climate survey to assess the feelings of the teacher’s within the school. Assess the needs of the faculty in regard to staff development. Assess the needs of the faculty in regard to staff development.

YEAR ONE (con’t) Meet with high performing teachers to design a mentoring program in the school between newer teachers and veteran teachers. Meet with high performing teachers to design a mentoring program in the school between newer teachers and veteran teachers. Have lunches and breakfasts sporadically through the year with the entire staff. Have lunches and breakfasts sporadically through the year with the entire staff.

YEAR TWO Create a committee of teachers, administrators, and other school stakeholders that can meet to help come to the decisions that affect the school and student achievement. Create a committee of teachers, administrators, and other school stakeholders that can meet to help come to the decisions that affect the school and student achievement. Begin to implement mentoring programs between those who have volunteered for the experience. Begin to implement mentoring programs between those who have volunteered for the experience.

YEAR TWO (con’t) Volunteers to the mentoring program will develop a celebration of teacher and student achievements. Volunteers to the mentoring program will develop a celebration of teacher and student achievements. Implement new staff development led by high performing veteran teachers that is based on the needs of the staff. Implement new staff development led by high performing veteran teachers that is based on the needs of the staff.

YEAR THREE Involve 50% of the teachers in the mentoring program. Involve 50% of the teachers in the mentoring program. Give teachers the climate survey at different points of the school year to assess the value of the new programs. Give teachers the climate survey at different points of the school year to assess the value of the new programs.

YEAR THREE (con’t) Allow the advisory committee to make more decisions in an autonomous situation. Allow the advisory committee to make more decisions in an autonomous situation. Create a fair of teacher and student achievements at the end of the school year. Create a fair of teacher and student achievements at the end of the school year.