MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 69 Main Street Upton, Massachusetts 01568 (508) 529-1020 Debra Swain, Principal

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Table of Contents School Council Members…………………....……Page 3 Introduction…………………………………………Page 4 Core Values………………………………………...Page 5 District Strategic Objectives…………………….…Page 6 Purpose of the School Improvement Plan ……...Page 7 Memorial School Goals……………………………Page 8 Goals and Action Plan………………………..Pages 9-13 Student-Teacher Ratios……………………...Pages 14-18

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 School Council Members School Representatives Debra Swain Amy Henderson Kim Lopes Parent Representatives Erica Davidson Michele Arthur Judith Gronda Community Representative Julie DeZutter

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Introduction In accordance with the Education Reform Act of 1993, the Memorial School Council is established each fall. A school council is a representative advisory group that collaborates with the principal in planning and implementing a School Improvement Plan that is aligned with the District Goals. As described in the legislation, the School Improvement Plan has the following elements: An assessment of the impact of class size on student performance, student-to-teacher ratios, and ratios of students to other supportive adult resources A schedule for reducing class size, if deemed necessary Professional development for school’s staff and the allocation of any professional development funds in the school budget Enhancement of parental involvement in the life of the school School safety and discipline Establishment of a school environment characterized by tolerance and respect for all groups Extra-curricular activities Means for meeting, within the regular education programs, the diverse learning needs of as many children as possible, including children with special needs currently assigned to separate programs Any further subjects the principal, in consultation with the school council, shall consider appropriate The spirit of the law calls for collaboration between the council and the principal. The principal needs to create an environment of openness, collegiality and respect for all participants.

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 OUR DISTRICT CORE VALUES Our students’ success results from: Collaboration between students, educators, parents, and the community Communication of high expectations and shared accountability Exemplary teaching and actively engaged learning Fostering a safe environment of mutual respect and pride in achievement Recruitment, development, and retention of high quality faculty and staff members Focus of the future where our students acquire essential skills needed for college and careers

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 District Strategic Objectives Instructional Excellence: We will provide a rigorous curriculum, a model of effective teaching that engages all students, and methods of student assessment that use multiple measures. Expanding Options and Programming: We will provide new, innovative programming that supports acquisition to key 21st century skills so all students are college and career ready. Performance Management: We will provide ongoing feedback about performance to student and adults in the district, support improvement, and create accountability for results. Improving Communication, Collaboration & Outreach: We will create new relationships and partnerships with our families and community to improve student outcomes.

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014-2015 Purpose of the Memorial School Improvement Plan The Memorial School Improvement Plan is designed to serve as a blueprint for the actions and processes needed to increase student performance. It helps guide resource allocation, staff development, instructional content and practice, and assessment. It is not meant to be inclusive of all activities at a school, but rather it focuses on one or more areas in which the school should improve performance. Memorial School Mission Statement In a partnership with families and community, Memorial School empowers our students to become active learners and to be socially responsible in an ever-changing world.

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 School Goals for 2014-2015 Goal 1: By June 2015, every grade level will develop and implement a minimum of two hands-on, inquiry based STEM learning opportunities for their students. Goal 2: By June 2015, Memorial School will implement the inclusion model for delivery of special education services at the first through fourth grades. Goal 3: Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, teachers will meet as grade level teams, during an assigned data block, to analyze student assessment data and develop lessons designed to increase student achievement at all ability levels through flexible grouping. Goal 4: By June 2015, all classroom teachers (Kindergarten through Grade Four) will fully implement the Elementary School Literacy Program, consisting of the Wonders and Empowering Writers core programs.

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015 Goal 1 – By June 2015, every grade level will develop and implement a minimum of two hands-on, inquiry based STEM learning opportunities with their students.   Key Actions: By September 15, 2014, the principal and teacher representatives will form a Memorial School STEM Committee to support the implementation of STEM based activities By October 1, 2014, the STEM Committee will create a list of hands-on, inquiry-based learning activities that are currently being implemented for all grade levels By December 1, 2014, the STEM Committee will create a list of extracurricular STEM learning opportunities including Before/After School Enrichment and community based programs By December 1, 2014, the STEM Committee will develop a list of Memorial School parents who work in STEM-related fields and are willing to share their expertise with students/staff Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, the STEM Committee/School Council will research and apply for STEM related grants By December 1, 2014, the principal will provide a hands-on, inquiry based STEM activity during a staff meeting to serve as an exemplar   Benchmarks: List of members serving on the Memorial School STEM Committee List of hands-on, project based learning opportunities for all grade levels List of extracurricular STEM learning opportunities List of Memorial School parents who work in STEM-related field and are willing to share their expertise Copies of grant applications Copy of training materials/lesson plan for STEM related activity shared with teaching staff during a staff meeting

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015 Goal 2 - By June 2015, Memorial School will implement the inclusion model for delivery of special education services at the first through fourth grade levels Key Actions: By August 1, 2014, the principal will identify teachers to serve on a Memorial School Inclusion Team Throughout the 2014 – 2015 school year, inclusion teachers will visit schools/districts to observe different inclusion models Throughout the 2014 – 2015 school year, all teachers will participate in professional development opportunities addressing different inclusion models By September 1, 2014, the principal will provide members of grade level inclusion teams with a master schedule which has a minimum of two weekly common planning blocks Beginning August 28, 2014, members of the Memorial School Inclusion Team will implement a pilot inclusion program at the third and fourth grade levels By May 1, 2015, School Council Members will develop and administer a survey, addressing the pilot inclusion program, to members of Memorial School Inclusion Team to assess pilot inclusion program By June 15, 2015, School Council Members will review survey responses and make recommendations for next steps with inclusion.   Benchmarks: List of members of the Memorial School Inclusion Team Requests from teachers to visit schools/districts to observe different inclusion models Copies of training materials and agendas addressing inclusion Staff schedule with a minimum to two weekly common planning blocks identified for inclusion teams Pilot inclusion program being utilized for delivery of special education services at the third and fourth grade levels Survey addressing pilot inclusion program Survey results regarding pilot inclusion program and list of potential “next steps”

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015 Goal 3 – Throughout the 2014-2015 school year, teachers will meet as grade level teams, during an assigned data block, to analyze student assessment data and develop lessons designed to increase student achievement at all ability levels through flexible grouping.   Key Actions: Throughout the 2014 – 2015 school year, principal will utilize various protocols with grade level teams to disaggregate and analyze student performance data. By September 1, 2014, principal will provide teachers with a master schedule which includes time for a weekly grade level team meeting and a weekly data block to analyze data such as, but not limited to: MCAS results, Scholastic Inventory (SRI), Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI), Everyday Counts (EDC), and Developmental Reading Assessments (DRA) scores. By November 2014, teachers will utilize the information gained through data analysis to develop a concise action plan with strategies to improve student performance in the areas of ELA and mathematics. Throughout the 2014 – 2015 school year, grade level teams will develop and administer standard based assessments to guide flexible grouping of students and monitor student progress on a weekly basis in the areas of reading/writing/math.  Benchmarks:  Description of protocols used to disaggregate and analyze student performance data Assessment data, meeting agendas, notes regarding teacher feedback Action plans submitted by grade level teams reflecting strategies that will be implemented to improve student performance

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015 Goal 4 - By June 2015 all K-4 teachers will fully implement the Elementary School Literacy Program, consisting of the Wonders and Empowering Writers core programs. Key Actions: By September 1, 2014, all K-4 staff will receive professional development in the implementation of the Wonders literacy program By September 2, 2014 all classroom teachers will begin the implementation of the Wonders and Empowering Writers programs in grades K-4 By September 30, 2014, the elementary principals and director of curriculum will create and disseminate a district-wide implementation checklist for Wonders and Empowering Writers By October 15, 2014, kindergarten and first grade teachers will receive professional development in the use of the Empowering Writers program By October 15, 2014, the elementary principals will utilize the implementation checklist protocols during walkthroughs to monitor the implementation of Wonders and Empowering Writers At the end of each instructional unit in Wonders (approximately every 6 weeks), throughout the school year, grade level teams will meet across the district to assess the alignment between curriculum and instructional materials included in the Wonders and Empowering Writers programs By November 1, 2014, all K-4 teachers will be provided with follow-up professional development regarding the implementation of Wonders program. By February 28, 2014, all K-4 teachers will be provided with follow-up professional development addressing the implementation of Wonders program By June 1, 2015, the ELA curriculum assistants, elementary principals, and director of curriculum will create and disseminate a survey addressing the implementation of the Elementary School Literacy Program By June 30, 2015, the ELA curriculum assistants, elementary principals, and director of curriculum will share the survey results and identify key actions for year two of the implementation of Wonders and Empowering Writers  

Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 2015 Goal 4 - By June 2015 all K-4 teachers will fully implement the Elementary School Literacy Program, consisting of the Wonders and Empowering Writers core programs. Benchmarks: Agenda and handouts from training sessions Completed implementation checklists Meeting minutes from district-wide grade level meetings addressing the implementation of Wonders and Empowering Writers Survey results addressing the implementation of the Elementary School Literacy Program Key action steps for the second year of implementation of Wonders and Empowering Writers.  

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Current Class Size – Full Day Kindergarten Grade Room # Teacher Boys Girls Total Comments K 103 Smith 11 6 17 106 Lizotte 7 18 107 McDonald 5 16 108 Grau 9 15   Total For Grade 66

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Current Class Size – Grade One Grade Room # Teacher Boys Girls Total Comments 1 207 Luzzetti 12 8 20 205 Lopes 11 9 206 Couture 14 7 21 204 Washburn 13 203 Gonzalez   Total For Grade 1 103

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Current Class Size – Grade Two Grade2 Room # Teacher Boys Girls Total Comments 2 302 Warren 10 20 308 Chase 11 21 307 Perry 22 301 Pilotte 13 9   Total for Grade 2: 85

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Current Class Size – Grade Three Grade Room # Teacher Boys Girls Total Comments 3 312 Henderson 11 22 311 Webster 10 12 314 Maglione 13 23 313 K Lopes 20 Total For Grade 3 87

MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015 Current Class Size – Grade Four Room # Teacher Boys Girls Total Comments 4 208 Brown 10 12 22 213 Evans 214 Thomsen 11 21 202 Jolie Total for Grade 4 87