PART+E+II

Classroom environment ||   ||  Weekly and daily meetings that reviews best practices and using research based learning to address program improvements  || These are only a few of the goals and objectives that are taking place within our school. B. See edited version s of Part E. Reference to SLC C. See Attachment D. See Attachment  ·  **  Our SLCs enable our large school to become small academies, to improve student achievement, foster our staff and students sense of belonging, reducing anonymity. There is more careful monitoring of academic/social progress and success and SLCs focus on ensuring that every student has a connection to an adult in the school. ** ·   ** SLCs increases teacher collaboration, best practices meetings, safety meeting, advisories that offer teachers opportunities to share ideas, new information and accountability. A vehicle often focused on a unifying theme or guiding principle focusing that work with our diversified population in the separate academies among the entire school population. ** ·   ** The goal of the SLCs is to improve academics through rigorous, data driven instruction and to increase of teachers’ ability to provide resources meeting their student’s needs. Through common-planning time, teachers are able to share cross-curricular and within various subject areas which is a good vehicle for teacher dialogue, data collecting and professional development. ** ·   ** Our SLC encourage parent communication and involvement our school has seen increased parental support because parents feel more connected to a team of teachers that know and work with their child over a period of time. ** ·   ** SLC will increase their focus on student input and accountability ** ·  ** SLC will use differentiated and themes approach for curricular enhance- ment and adult learning. Interdisciplinary work that cross-curricular and grades, themes that are found within the entire school. ** ·   ** Long term Professional Development plans that are influenced by a partnership with intermediaries. ** ·   ** Staff development in brief terms where SLCs share effective practices, specific protocols are use for the use of safety procedures and academic routines ** ·  ** The strength of the SLCs work in our school community is in the area of data analysis and data driven instruction. It has been found to work in different content areas and along various grade levels both with our Special Education population and General Education population. With more staff to analyze, package data, train teaches, tutor students 1:1 in areas of greatest need to align them with curriculum goals our goal to achieve academic success will be seen. ** ·   ** An area that has been a challenge is differentiated instruction and support for all students to achieve. Students who are coming from multi-diverse home-communities, and very different Elementary school settings require varied and diversified instructional practices. The specific academies rely on the expertise of various staff members to develop, the core content, performing arts, and an all around rigor5ous curriculum for all students. **
 * ** Objectives/Indicators  ** ||   || **  How/Results  ** ||
 * ** Literacy:  ** ||   ||   ||
 * Continue to support the use of the Children’s First Initiatives and procedures in all grades and classrooms ||   ||  Literacy Coaches will use WIKI spaces.com to share ideas/e-mails and stay abreast of all current trends  ||
 * Model and support Grade 6 classrooms in starting up reading clubs and participate in Reading Clubs in classrooms ||   ||  Through the use of RIF books and with the support of classroom teachers  ||
 * Continue to support the development of oral language proficiency, listening and writing skills for Grade 6-8 ||   ||  Introduction of professional story tellers. Use of “Story Telling Clubs” Encourage students’ own writing and publishing classroom books  ||
 * Continue to support and motivate our more capable readers through participation in the RIF program, Newspaper, and Foreign Language Clubs ||   ||  Students will be able to chose their own books to keep, will write for entertainment and information and learn a variety of languages through after-school and Saturday Enrichment programs  ||
 * Model and support Balanced Literacy reading procedures and strategies that particularly benefit ELL learners ||   ||  Teachers will attend workshops to develop lessons that meets the literacy needs of ELL students using school based data  ||
 * Review STAR data, core content and support new teachers with their levels of familiarity, comfort and understanding ||   ||  Weekly and daily meetings that reviews best practices and using research to address program improvements  ||
 * Model the use of data analysis procedures as good teaching practices ||   ||  Weekly and daily meetings that specifically address testing and evaluation  ||
 * Administer English Language Arts Predictive (s) first week of school to Grade 6-8 students ||   ||  Literacy coaches will measure data and model alignment to core content areas and classroom instruction  ||
 * Administer Predictive to Grade 6-8 students on three separate terms ||   ||  Literacy coaches will measure and align data to core content and instruction  ||
 * ** Math/Science Investigations:  ** ||   ||   ||
 * Continue to support teachers’ Lego Robotics, Math and Chess Clubs ||   ||  Math teachers will work with after-school staff to teach students the fundamentals of various techniques  ||
 * Continue to support teachers’ new textbook inventory/distribution and familiarity with core content ||   ||  Math Coaches will visit classrooms and have weekly meeting that will allow teachers to become familiar with new information and structures  ||
 * Continue to support teachers making connections to State Standards and student portfolios ||   ||  Mathematics coaches will continue modeling and building evidence of level three and four work samples  ||
 * Continue to support the use of the Children’s First Initiatives and procedures in all Grades and classrooms ||   ||  Math Coaches will use internet to share ideas/e-mails and stay abreast of all current trends  ||
 * Connecting I.S. 195 teachers using Smart-board Math Projects to District and City-wide networks ||   ||  Through the use of current technology, computer labs, Multi-media and with the support of classroom teachers  ||
 * Continue to use on-line math tutorials that will strengthen students test taking abilities and focus on measurable goals ||   ||  Continue the use of math based data, including on line drills allowing students to track/measure their learning, through the use of journals and accountable talk  ||
 * Continue to support Science teachers with materials and supplies to support the Scientific Model ||   ||  Science Coach with support teachers in creating Science kits, to be use school wide in Grades 6-8  ||
 * Continue to develop new teacher’s classroom management skills while incorporating Balance Literacy techniques ||   ||  Teachers will attend workshop to develop lessons that meets the investigations/inquiry needs of students using the Workshop Model  ||
 * Continue to build and develop content, and strategies that leads to best practices in the
 * Continue to build and develop content, and strategies that leads to best practices in the
 * Model the use of data analysis as good teaching practices ||   ||  Weekly and daily meetings that specifically address testing/evaluation and lesson planning  ||
 * ** Technology:  ** ||   ||     ||
 * Continue using technology to inform staff, planning and implementing lessons and to teach core curriculum ||   ||  Staff developers will conduct on-going meetings on new technological trends and provide current information to teachers, as well as support staff  ||
 * Continue the use of Smart-board technology to assist staff development, conferences, teaching and student participation ||   ||  Staff Developer will conduct workshops and conferences using latest state of the art technology  ||
 * Continue the use of individual grouping classroom teaching practices by having students use individual computers in Grades 6-8 ||   ||  Teachers use on-line lessons, documents and instructional data to improve lessons, student s visit computer labs for instruction and enhancement of computer skills  ||
 * Continue the use of technology to review test data and instructional data ||   ||   Staff use running records, and other assessments i.e. ARIS to help students/parents track their students’ progress  ||
 * ** The Arts:  ** ||   ||   ||
 * Continue with Arts enrichment for after-school classes ||   ||  In-school CBO program will meet directly after-school with student and skilled and talented teachers to foster students interest and talents in various forms of the Arts and enrichment activities  ||
 * Continue with Arts enrichment for after-school classes ||   ||  In-school CBO program will meet directly after-school with student and skilled and talented teachers to foster students interest and talents in various forms of the Arts and enrichment activities  ||
 * ** Objectives/Indicators  ** ||   || **  How/Results  ** ||
 * ** The Arts:  ** ||   ||   ||
 * Continue to support the use of school assemblies to encourage Performing Arts ||   ||  Drama Coach will use various forms of the Arts and media to develop artistic appreciation  ||
 * Model and support shared reading, guided reading, read a-loud and oral reading in the drama classrooms ||   ||  Through the use of skits and mini lessons, Drama Coach will model and demonstrate fluent oral readings and speaking techniques  ||
 * Continue the use of technology to express visual arts ideas ||   ||  Instruction in computer labs and the use of in-class computers  ||
 * Students will begin to create songs, school anthem, read simple standard notations, learn to play instruments and sing songs from different eras and cultures ||   ||  Through the use of after-school enrichment programs student will receive direct instrumental music instruction, also integration within curriculum areas  ||
 * Students and staff will create original dances and movement pieces in relation to people, environment and cultures ||   ||  Through the use of direct instruction by teachers and attendance at dance presentations  ||
 * ** See principal for additions  ** ||   ||   ||
 * ** Grade 8 Advisory  ** ||   ||   ||
 * Continue to organize and book speakers for assemblies addressing School Culture and //Habits of Mind curriculum// ||   ||  Guidance Counselors will respond to and select students for special performances, continue peer advisory, and student conferencing  ||
 * Organize mediation themes: Self Concepts, Awareness, Esteem, Appreciation ||   ||  Guidance team, including support staff will discuss, initiate issues, ideas and programs  ||
 * Support Social Skills awareness through partnerships with Police and SSA ||   ||  Administration will conduct a focus group and plan a week long orientation  ||
 * Support AIDS Awareness and teaching about sexual orientation in a positive environment and to discourage homophobia, stereotyping or discrimination ||   ||  Science teachers and Guidance Counselors will conduct whole group or individual lessons/sessions in regards to City-wide PD training and source teaching materials  ||
 * ** Maintain and Sustain Small Learning Communities  ** ||   || **  Incorporating looping practices to create a cohesiveness within the entire school, use of buddy classrooms, push –in pull out visiting teachers, use of Network intermediaries  ** ||
 * ** Maintain and Sustain Small Learning Communities  ** ||   || **  Incorporating looping practices to create a cohesiveness within the entire school, use of buddy classrooms, push –in pull out visiting teachers, use of Network intermediaries  ** ||
 * Small Learning Communities: **
 * In responding to the RFA as being a school interested in Small Learning Communities, here are some points to various questions: **
 * G. Why SLCs as a reform strategy for middle school work? **
 * What conversation has taken place in your school community and who is involved? **
 * Conversation has occurred, including teacher, parent, school support staff, student, UFT, and LSO. Our conversation has focused on the aspect of our school culture that we will enrich, to improve the academic and social functions of the school environment. The enhancement of students’ character development, citizenship, career-development and entrepreneurship, in addition to enhancing awareness of students’ diversity and connection to real world experiences. **
 * H. How will SLC’s change the way adults work together? **
 * ** We will increase planning time within academies and cross curricular working as interdisciplinary projects that will be increased and developed further. **
 * ** Additional Guidance Counselors and Support Staff, including family workers assigned to the SLC. **
 * ** Multiple Inquiry Teams need to be expanded to allow additional mentoring and training to the sub-units of each SLC to amass and analyze data. The M.I.T. will look for themes and strands that allow academies to loop together as a whole school and make transitions that flow from classroom to classroom. **
 * ** Intra-class sharing, adults will have more opportunity for sharing classroom lessons, strategies and shared projects, amongst colleagues based on the principles of Learning Environment survey and principles, rules and routines set up by Inquiry Team, and other experts for the SLCs. **
 * Sample Goals-while specific goals will be developed during the actual planning grant time, here are some considerations: **
 * How do SLCs help serve the needs of underperforming and overage students? **
 * Earlier in our proposal, we had addressed the question of how to serve over-age and under-performing students, each academy will have a unique area of focus that will enhance the motivation of students who have historically have under-performed. **
 * SLC being smaller than the whole-school are able to provide additional individual attention and mentoring to under-achieving students. The plan includes additional counselors, family workers, and support staff and mentors who will provide individual intervention services. **
 * J. Which area of the frameworks’ four elements are an area of strength for the school and which are more challenging? **