Organizational Structures & Processes

At West Oak Middle School we believe that everyone is a leader. We have a culture of shared responsibility for student growth and achievement.  Each year we reflect on our school and district vision for students to be lifelong learners, engaged in their community, and be ready for the world in order to develop a clear plan with clear goals for the school.  The Building Leadership Team (BLT) uses data to inform a clear School Improvement Plan (SIP) for school growth and improvement and focused action steps that are reviewed and reinforced constantly.  This past year we utilized the Schools to Watch Rubric, Professional Learning Community (PLC) survey results, STAR Assessment data from 2023-2024, HumanEx SEL student survey data, and current curriculum maps to inform our goals for the year.

The school administration is focused on making a sustained positive impact at West Oak Middle School.  The principal understands that each person needs to understand their role and take ownership in the process if there is going to be positive change.  Everyone’s role in this process is clear.  Members of our BLT, which are selected by their peers, are responsible for developing our School Improvement Plan each year, they analyze our data, and they look for push and pull factors to help advance our plan on a bi-weekly basis.  Every teacher writes an instructional goal that explains how they will use their skills and knowledge to advance teacher learning relative to our shared improvement plan.  The administration meets with teachers to review their goals, they visit classrooms regularly, and they provide clear communication through team meetings, weekly communications, and face-to-face conversations.  For example, this year the administration has given clear parameters to format and update our unit plans and to enhance our summative assessments, so that they are aligned with our new Standards Based learning approach. Time has been allotted for teachers to complete this work and formative feedback is provided regularly.

Each teacher has the opportunity to share, review, and find ways to implement their instructional goal within their Professional Learning Community (PLC) that meets bi-weekly.  Our Instructional and Behavioral Coaches support each staff member by having them take turns sharing and being a leader. Teachers work collaboratively in their PLC’s to work together in implementing their individual goals as well as their group’s Anchor Standards in the areas of speaking and listening. Teachers also continue to work towards observing their peers, sharing practices, and holding themselves accountable to various curricular timelines. 

Late starts, PLC times, and all institute days are completely aligned with our shared vision and goals for our school.  For example, this year our improvement plan focuses on two objectives:  “Increase student academic performance,” and “Knowing all of our school stakeholders by name, strength, and need.”  In order to address the first goal, our Building Leadership Team developed school-wide action steps and our weekly PLC meetings focus on implementing cooperative strategies and monitoring our progress with fidelity.  Staff members are resources for each other during this time, and professional development is also provided by coaches and administration.  Walkthroughs take place from administration to provide insights into student engagement and our action plans.  All of our release time is focused on developing robust and current unit plans and assessments that align with our new Standards Based approach to teaching and learning.  Each meeting starts with professional learning on an element of the plan like Essential Questions. Teachers then collaborate on goals while receiving formative feedback from each other and an outside coach and administrator.  

West Oak Middle School is an active part of a larger network of middle schools that feed into Mundelein High School and Stevenson High School.  We regularly participate in articulations across all subject areas and are vertically aligned in both standards and content.  We engage in professional development around best practices and changes based on content areas and learning standards.  We have similar practice with our feeder elementary schools and we vertically align in our unit designs and the tools for intervention as appropriate for middle school grades.

There are a number of community organizations we work with.  We partner with Nicasa Behavioral Health and OMNI Behavioral Health Services to bring curriculum and speakers into our Health classes and to support social-emotional learning for our students.  A number of our students are part of Stevenson’s Catalyst organization, where they work with students from other feeder middle schools to promote a drug-free lifestyle for our students.  We also are a part of the Mundelein After-School Coalition, which is made up of middle school and high school students in Mundelein.  The group organizes community events and service projects that benefit the students of our community.

Data is central to how West Oak Middle School operates.  We have built a robust process for analyzing data for multiple tiers of support and intervention.  We examine our benchmark data three times a year and set goals based on skills the students in each PLC need.  PLC’s work on professional development and strategies to make progress on each of their goals.  Every 1-2 weeks our case managers and interventionists progress monitor through FastBridge and every six weeks a team of teachers examines progress-monitoring data on students in the areas of reading and math. They then make plans to keep or change the level of intervention for each student.  For students that are not making progress, we have a comprehensive problem-solving process that involves a hypothesis, goal-setting, and progress monitoring by a team that includes the student and the parents.

West Oak Middle School is truly committed to fostering a supportive and responsive learning environment. The dedication of the staff to adapt and find innovative solutions for students' academic needs such as interventions and inclusion support  is commendable. Regular reflections and adjustments to the school improvement plan, along with the bi-annual and frequent meetings of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support(MTSS) and intervention teams, show a strong focus on data-driven decision-making. The data meetings happen every four to six weeks and focus on the growth and movement of individual students. This collaborative approach not only helps in meeting students where they are but also ensures that each student has the support necessary for success.

Our district offers financial assistance for teachers at West Oak Middle School that helps them continue to further their education in order to strengthen the collective practices and offerings within the building.  A number of teachers are obtaining Master’s Degrees and other endorsements (English as a Secondary Language), while others speak at college events and bring the practices they have learned to their PLC’s.  West Oak is starting to partner with colleges and universities to bring student teachers into our school as well. 

West Oak Middle School fosters a strong partnership with our families and community. We actively involve parents in decision-making processes, from shaping our Parent University curriculum to informing our communication strategies. By hosting regular community events, such as curriculum nights and informational sessions, we ensure transparency and empower families to support their child's education. Our collaboration with the Diamond Lake PTO enables us to fundraise for innovative learning opportunities and scholarships, enriching the educational experience for all students.