We’ve begun implementing this five part system, most notably including the transition between one social/ emotional enrichment period a month to a weekly enrichment which alternates between serving students’ social/relational and academic needs. Among our seven academic pulls, an average of 46 members of our teaching and mental health staff have provided more individualized, targeted instruction to a median 384 students. Additionally, our case studies are underway. We meet throughout the school year in multi-disciplinary teams to devise solutions for aiding our neediest kids and, through this process, acquire skills to help students in our classrooms, such as using student data to understand more of a student’s story. Our study center has become more relationships and asset-focused, now offering peer coaches. Consequently, study center coordinators identify a de-stigmatization of vulnerability and cite students’ improved sense of belonging as a result of M.T.S.S. S.I.T.s are now systemic as well.

In lieu of conducting sporadic meetings with teachers about referred students of concern, a cohort of professionals--administrative, mental health, classroom instructors--meets regularly to examine teacher and caretaker-provided data, using that data to inform individualized interventions with continuing follow-up that may result in testing students for additional learning supports. To lessen the need for these tier two interventions, we’ve strengthened our tier one instruction through enriched P. L.C. The Instructional Leadership Team liaises with each team, collecting observable data as well as artifacts to formatively assess staff’s understanding and respond in kind. Lastly, we have a skilled interventionist overseeing these learning opportunities and offering additional one-on-one support for those learners underserved by existing systems.

Beyond these school-wide constructs, at the classroom level, we’ve moved to full inclusion for our students receiving learning support services (L.S.S.) This year, we offer eight co-taught classes across four disciplines and two grade levels, an addition of seven classes and three subject areas in just two years. To ensure these partnerships best serve all students, we’ve partnered with co-teaching experts at the district and national levels to offer rewarding learning for co-teachers. One of our co-teaching teams feels so passionately about the capacity of this work, they’re in the process of designing rich learning experiences for this year’s partnerships and beyond. Additionally, removal of “pull out” classes consisting solely of L.S.S. students has led to the creation of classes such as extended English 9 and extended algebra where these students as well as those underserved by traditional freshmen English and algebra may explore the guaranteed, viable curriculum at a different pace and with an L.S.S. teacher who is also a content specialist.

We also continue to reflect on to what extent our classroom assessment practices aid the ability for all students to achieve. Last year, 14 classroom teachers and two administrators participated in before-school professional development every other week, using research and reflection to thoughtfully examine how a variety of facets of student evaluation such as homework, revisions, and grading scales aid or hinder achievement. Consequently, many are approaching student assessment in innovative ways, using practices such as standards-based grading criteria and unlimited revision opportunities to move toward assessment equity.

Our faculty and Student Leadership also participated in an equity walk. Following this walk, staff engaged in dialogue about such topics as the view with which we enter our classrooms and how, for instance, grading practices may favor the cultural backgrounds of some. Additionally, our Student Leadership class, Link Crew, participated in this experience in an effort to help students see one’s individual perspective may prove a barrier to other students’ belonging.