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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan
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.

8. MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN 2014-2015
School Goals for
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 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.

9. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 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 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

10. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 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”

11. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – Goal 3 – Throughout the 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

12. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 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

13. Memorial Elementary School School Improvement Plan 2014 – 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.

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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