District Improvement Plan
This statement of purpose with its supporting belief, goals and parameters will be used by the school district to guide the development of strategies, action plans and curriculum.
MTRSD Statement Of Purpose
The Mohawk Trail Regional School District is committed to educate every student in its care by providing the skills, knowledge and values necessary for individuals to be capable and concerned participants in society.
MTRSD Beliefs
Our belief statements articulate our school system's core values.
We believe that:
- The foundations of learning are literacy, mathematical competence and thinking.
- Public education has a responsibility to set high expectations and to be accountable for the achievement of those expectations.
- Each member of the school community is entitled to fair and equitable treatment.
- All students can learn.
- Learning is a lifelong activity.
- Students learn in different ways.
- Physical, emotional and social health are essential to learning.
- Nurturing and supportive relationships strengthen academic growth.
- Respect for self and others is necessary for a productive learning environment.
- Education is the shared responsibility of students, parents, staff and community.
MTRSD Goals
Our goal statements articulate our aspirations for our students.
In a safe, secure and supportive environment, all our students will:
- Demonstrate competence in literacy, mathematical skills and thinking.
- Achieve the educational standards identified for a Mohawk graduate.
- Develop the capabilities for positive and effective human relationships.
- Develop the capability to adapt successfully to continuous change.
MTRSD Parameters
Our parameter statements specify the limits within which we will pursue our mission. They are self-imposed boundaries for our system.
We will not:
- Initiate any new programs which are not consistent with the statement of purpose, beliefs and goals.
- Tolerate violence.
- Tolerate any barrier to the fair and equitable treatment of people.
- Tolerate ineffective performance by school district employees.
- Tolerate fiscal mismanagement.
Adequate Yearly Progress Goals
Middle School AYP Action Plan January 2007
- Disaggregated and distributed to math teachers ’05 & ’06 MCAS Data through Test Wiz to 8th grade math teachers and ’06 MCAS Data to 7th grade math teachers.
- Providing teachers with training in how to use data to improve instruction.
- Common Final and Midterm Examinations in math have been created the exams are mapped through each question and type of question to the Standard addressed in the mathematics frameworks for that question.
- Common pre-assessments based on mastery of the 5th and 6th grade math Standards are being developed for students entering the 7th grade (to be implemented next year).
- Common pre-assessments are being developed based on the 7th grade Standards for students entering the 8th grade.
- All 5-8 Teachers discussed District Math Performance as primary topic at January in-service day. Identified simple, common, Standards-Based tools that can follow students to 7th grade in their individual portfolios. (There is currently no district-wide math assessment.)
- Working with Walnut Hill (.4 Special Education Program) to ensure Standards-Based instruction takes place.
- Identification of middle school students in need of remediation through common assessments and MCAS data – encourage parents of these students to enroll in after school tutoring program.
Sanderson Academy AYP Action Plan January 2007
- Provide and then study the Item Analysis Roster and Summary of the MCAS very closely as a staff to review percentages of students answering each question correctly or incorrectly. Example: Take percentage of correct answers below 60% and determine why the percentages are that low and then refer to the specific standard of the frameworks to be sure we are addressing in the individual classrooms.
- Hire a full-time Reading Teacher for Sanderson Academy for 06-07 school year, which was an increase over the 05-06 school year of .5 FTE. A first grade teacher was also hired to reduce the class size (26) to two classes of 13 students each.
- Purchase Reading Program (Houghton-Mifflin) to provide continuity across grade levels for Sanderson Academy Grades K-6.
- Focus on grade level benchmarks – at the end of each grade what are the expectations? Assessments such as DIBELS, STAR, and Great Leaps will be used on a consistent basis beginning in Kindergarten to establish a baseline and then to track academic achievement.
- Provide teachers with additional assistance in the classrooms and allow the teacher to group instruction in the classrooms in Math or Writing – Full-time Instructional Assistant who can assist with small groups on MCAS/selected standards instruction
- Provide teachers professional development opportunities whether through consultants or time to review and plan for their classroom integration of MCAS. Encourage teachers to spend a professional day away from the building on item analysis and related activities, then to share findings and suggestions with the staff. There have been staff meetings and early release days devoted to MCAS whether facilitated by outside staff and consultants or by our own staff.
- Provide supplemental materials to classrooms whether purchased such as “Blast-Off” or booklets of practice test items made by Paraprofessional in building. For example a “comprehension unit” for fourth grade students was developed by the classroom teacher, reading teacher and instructional assistant and implemented in the classroom.
- The Child Study Team also became the AYP Committee in 05-06 school year and is in existence in 06-07 school year. This committee assists with development of specific plans and then oversees the implementation of the plan. For example this team performed an item analysis and identified many factors, which could be contributing to poor student performance.
- Practice Open Response and Short Answer questions on a weekly basis. Results show that these are weak areas in all the schools. Provide samples to students of question as well as "what a good and not so good answer looks like".
- Teach test-taking skills as well as vocabulary to the students (Best answer, Which is not the correct?). Also, teach stress reduction techniques, relaxation techniques, and deep breathing exercises to students and staff.
- Hold an MCAS Parent Night (Informational as well as another in January for practice of test-taking skills and actual test questions
- Send home a monthly MCAS Newsletter (working on district-wide edition) – Sanderson sending home first one before Thanksgiving break These will be completed district-wide every two weeks after that.
- Hold class meetings/morning meetings in all grades to discuss MCAS with students to see what they know/think/wonder about MCAS –gauge family perception of MCAS
- At least once a week EVERYONE in the school (Grades K-6) is practicing MCAS questions/preparation (Thursday mornings from 9-9:45 AM at Sanderson)
- Word-of-the-Week to be organized by Reading Teacher and Library Manager
- Be sure that all students have a student-friendly dictionary in class and at home.
- Post public Library hours throughout the school.
- Stress importance as well as joy of Reading. Give book prizes for reading – Teachers supply Reading Teacher with bonus points from Book Orders or give Reading Teacher order forms. She will then order books with bonus points to give out to the students.
- Set up Book Swap in library
- Provide a "treat" bag for students before taking the MCAS tests as well as provide breakfast and snacks to students throughout the duration of the testing periods.
Professional Development Goals
Technology Goals
