Staff Meeting #4: 12/20/2022

Our 4th Blue Ribbon Committee meeting took place on December 20th.

The agenda is posted below as well as a summary of the information discussed and determined during that meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE 12/20 MEETING & THE ACTION PLANS

During our December Blue Ribbon Committee Meeting, our Committee "B" Members worked together to read through the final action plans created over the last three months. As a team, the Blue Ribbon Committee worked through each of the four target areas and all of the objectives and activities for each of them. The team collaboratively discussed each item, determined its feasibility for the January 2023 through June 2023 timeframe, and adjusted action statements as needed. Then, the group reviewed all the areas and objectives and set priority levels to note which items should be addressed with immediate action in January.

Moving forward, all members of the A and B Committees will select one of the four target areas to work on for the second half of the year. Each monthly committee meeting with focus on two targets in two small groups working simultaneously to meet their goals and action steps.

Below you can see a synopsis of each action plan steps and which are being prioritized as the first to be addressed.

Target Area 1: EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICE: Build upon the cycle of teaching, learning, assessment, and data analysis to improve alignment with NJSLS and student performance by reviewing (and possibly redefining) curriculum scope and sequence and prioritizing skills and standards to maximize student growth and achievement.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

1. Work through curriculum courses to potentially redefine the scope and sequence of each course and prioritize skills and standards as needed to facilitate the growth we are aiming for. (PRIORITY GOAL)

• Research NJSLS Priority Standards

• Identify grade level and curricular level weaknesses

• Find ways to incorporate the weakest standards across grade levels and content

• Communicate vertically to identify and share gaps between grades

• Student/Teacher Conference reflecting on topics/benchmarks as well as Instructor and Administrator Reflection

2. Improve consistency and cohesion by creating horizontal articulation groups of teachers working in shared classes/grades to collaborate on formative and summative assessments, increase common language and expectations, etc.

• Use monthly meeting time for articulation to review benchmarks and address missed skills

• Create a K-12 portfolio system to track progress

3. Facilitate a smoother continuum across grade levels through vertical articulation across grades to streamline common language, expectations, placements, and skill growth.

• Use monthly meeting time for articulation to create common anchor charts, rubrics, etc.

• Improved consistency in gradebooks and expectations for each department/per course/grade level

Target Area 2: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: Increase student engagement in school, both in class and outside of class, by continuing to develop engaging classroom learning activities, increasing the number of exciting school and district-wide activities to interest students, and embed more academic challenges and assemblies to improve the overall culture and climate.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

1. Continue to improve the level of engagement in every classroom so all kids are invested in daily learning. (PRIORITY)

• (Connected to Target Area 4) - Increase professional sharing through "Observe Me," student teachers, and best practice sharing to maximize engagement strategies.

• Facilitate training in types of discussion techniques, i.e., Socratic seminar and fishbowl discussion, etc.

• Facilitate training in grade appropriate use of stations, centers, and small group learning.

2. Increase the number of engaging learning activities that extend outside of the classroom to make more real-world, authentic, relevant learning for all students.

• Field Trips- reach out to external organizations for authentic professionals coming in or meeting virtually with students, virtual field trips, simulations, etc.

• Support students overall (academic support & social/emotional support) through mentoring

3. Incorporate more school-wide and district-wide academic challenges and assemblies to make school a place where kids want to be and where they want to strive for success.

• Schoolwide Academic Tournaments to encourage academic excellence: Spelling Bees, Math Olympics, etc.

• Monthly PBL Fairs, Culture Days, Growth / Achievement Recognition, & Cross Curricular Days

Target Area 3: ACADEMIC SUPPORTS: Build upon existing academic supports to tailor instruction, interventions, and assessments so they meet our diverse student needs by identifying and addressing learning gaps across grade levels, differentiate learning to meet personalized needs in the classroom, and explore ways to provide more inclusive classroom support for ELL students.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

1. Find additional ways to identify and then fill in learning gaps across grade levels and between the higher and lower learners in each grade/course.

• (Tied to Target Area 1) - Create a K-12 portfolio system to track progress

• Teachers should meet and discuss students moving from one grade o the next so the needs and achievements of the students are known.

• Explore alternate scheduling for early/late schedule options allowing for mentoring, case management, enrichment, and additional interventions.

• Examine what we want to identify as a critical skill in each content area for each grade so we know what we are assessing and tracking (can't track it all).

2. Find additional ways to provide more English Language Learner support in our inclusive (all) classrooms. (PRIORITY)

• Facilitate additional training, coaching, sharing to disseminate best practices for supporting ELLs in all classrooms

• Examine available resources and seek out tools, programs, and resources for use in the ELL program and in the inclusive classroom with ELL students.

• Examine pros and cons of schedule for future planning.

3. Work on shifting differentiation towards a targeted "just in time teaching" approach to maximize learning acceleration and address gaps in the classroom.

• Facilitate additional training / coaching on differentiation and "just in time" teaching.

• Reflect on available assessment tools to identify gaps for planning purposes.

• Build upon formative assessment methods to enhance differentiation including better use of "as needed" scaffolds and remediation rather than whole group re-teaching.

Target Area 4: PROFESSIONAL CULTURE: Enhance and build upon the professional culture of the staff by finding additional ways to make time for the professional work that needs to be done, facilitating that time with purpose, targeting professional growth activities to support our growing ELL population, and utilizing a feedback system from staff for continued improvement.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES:

1. Find time and use it wisely. There is never enough time, but how do find, make, and cherish our time to make all of our goals and plans happen. (PRIORITY)

• Facilitate better use of monthly meeting schedule to maximize time efficiency for all the work that needs to be done.

• Explore alternate scheduling for one "pause" day that incorporates SEL, interventions, case management, and teacher planning groups.

2. Since it comprises one of our largest targeted populations for supports, focus professional growth activities on supporting our ELL population and their culture as an integral part of our culture.

• Facilitate training sessions on developing lessons and activities for ELL students, as well as interventions and supports.

• Facilitate professional growth activities that reflect ELL culture and language, including learning a 2nd language together, learning more about and experiencing their culture and heritage (and food).

3. Learn from each other better.

• Make GOOD use of feedback survey mechanisms to collect ongoing input from staff on what is/is not working, what is/is not needed, etc.

• Explore and implement peer observations.

• Increased and improved involvement of student teachers.