SIP Team Minutes
From February 14, 2012 at 3:30 in Room 116
Purpose
The SIP Team gathered together to discuss the evaluations of school indicators of success, to plan and assign tasks to address any partially implemented indicators, and to share updates from the Team’s committees.
Attendees
Jim Smith, Jill Laubenstein, Rob McCarthy, Cari Franz, Jen Kelsall
Celebrations
Cari Franz celebrated that registrations were well underway and student were arriving to register at their scheduled times. Jill celebrated that a new physics project regarding roller coasters went well.
Prior Business
We began the official business of our meeting by reviewing the status of current school improvement tasks:
The indicator of school improvement regarding professional development is still in progress. The new classroom teacher assessment tool is still being developed and will not be ready until the end of the current school year. After this task has been completed, the next task will be to determine how areas of needed professional development will be communicated to the PDC.
The Team discussed the indicator regarding the maintenance of a central database and whether or not it belonged as one of the school improvement objectives in need of completion since a majority of the information is being stored using e-school. The Team agreed to revisit this indicator at its next meeting. Meanwhile, additional information about this indicator is available to read by clicking here. A small section from this papers follows:
“In the high-achieving districts, effective use of data contributed to improvement efforts at the district, school, and classroom levels. Districts working to increase productive use of data should take into account three important elements. First, data use should focus primarily on issues of student learning. Second, systems must be developed to ensure key pieces of user-friendly data are available in a timely fashion at the district, school, and classroom levels. Third, staff members will need training in how to use data as well as time to analyze it, discuss it, and use it on a routine basis to adjust instruction to better meet students’ needs.”
It may be that what is being recognized is not so much the need for a new central database system, but rather that classroom teachers in need of additional training on how to use all available data to make informed decision regarding student learning. This item will be discussed more at the Team’s next meeting.
The Team next discussed the indicator regarding differentiated instruction. When the Team expects to see when this indicator is fully met follows:
“This indicator will be fully met when ...Unit plans level each objective into three tiers – target, enhanced, and prerequisite. The unit plans also differentiate learning activities among various modes of instruction – whole-class instruction, independent work, small-group and center based activities, and homework. The activity instructions provide the detail that enables any teacher to use the learning activity, and also become a means of explaining the activity to students. What we will see as an example of Objectives in a Unit Plan is such: Target Objective: Criteria for Mastery: Pre-test/Post-test Item: Enhanced Objective:”
What the Team will need to next is to develop and assign specific tasks in order for our school to be in full implementation of this indicator. Michelle Kumor will work with the PDC to provide additional training to teachers.
Finally, the Team discussed the indicator requiring all teachers report to parents/guardians the progress of student mastery of specific standards-based objectives. The Team acknowledged that all content-area teams are in the process of realigning their curricula to the Common Core Standards. Additionally, those subjects and/or electives that do yet have specific standards, will need time to align their curricula as well. Furthermore, it is communicating with parents/guardians about where their child is right now, where they need to be (mastery of standards-based objectives) and what both the teacher and home can do to close the gap. In order to meet this, first all courses will have to have clearly defined standards-based objectives. Second, all courses will need to clearly communicate these objectives in a way that both parents and students can understands. Third, all courses will need to measure, using pre-tests, where students begin with achieving mastery before any teaching has occurred. Fourth, this information will need to be clearly communicated again to parents and teachers. Fifth, all teachers will need to communicate to parents and students on what they will need to do, i.e., study, homework, practice, at both home and school in order to achieve mastery. With that the Team developed a series of tasks that will lead our school towards full implementation of this indicator:
Task 1: Ensure that each course has developed clear standards-based objectives aligned to the Common Core Standards or similar nationally recognized standards that can be clearly communicated to all parents, students and community members.
Assigned to Jennifer Kelsall
Target Completion Date: 08/31/2013
Task 2: Ensure that each course clearly communicates to both students and primary caregivers the standards-based objectives that students will be held accountable for mastering by the end of the course.
Assigned to Jennifer Kelsall
Target Completion Date: 09/04/2013
The Team will continue to monitor the completion of these tasks at each of its meetings.
| ID | Select Objective to update task progress. | Assigned to | Target Date | Tasks | % Tasks Completed | Objective Met |
| IVD03 | SC-SP-The school will regularly and clearly communicate with primary caregivers about its expectations of them and the importance of the "curriculum of the home." (1155) | Jennifer Kelsall | 09/15/2011 | 3 | 100 % | 09/28/2011 |
| IF08 | SP-Professional development for the whole faculty will include assessment of strengths and areas in need of improvement from classroom observations of indicators of effective teaching. (1042) | Michelle Kumor | 09/15/2012 | 2 | 0 % | |
| IID04 | SS-The school will maintain a central database that includes each student’s test scores, placement information, demographic information, attendance, behavior indicators, and other variables useful to teachers. (1116) | Dan Johnson | 05/31/2013 | 0 | 0 % | |
| IIIA07 | SP-All teachers will differentiate assignments (individualize instruction) in response to individual student performance on pre-tests and other methods of assessment. (1069) | Michelle Kumor | 08/15/2014 | 0 | 0 % | |
| IIIB06 | SC-SP-All teachers will systematically report to primary caregivers the student’s mastery of specific standards-based objectives. (1097) | Jill Laubenstein | 09/04/2013 | 0 2 | 0 % |
Committee Updates/Issues/Needs
PDC UPDATE
The professional development team has begun planning the March Institute. We have contacted teachers to facilitate sessions. We currently have three forms submitted: Jim Smith will be presenting about Mastery Manager, Kevin Konsler will be presenting about the iPads, Jean, Bethany, and Sheri will be presenting about the graphing calculators. We are still in need of volunteers in some areas . We have secured iPads from our feeder schools so every one of our teachers can use an iPad throughout the entire institute day.
At the last professional development meeting, the team discussed how to address summer reading, which then led to our discussion about next year’s institute days. We would still like teams to choose a book that will most facilitate the development of better curriculum. We may need to consider two books, one on Common Core for the entire staff and one that the team chooses to utilize next year. We were thinking that we would use the first two institute days for teachers to use their summer reading to better develop their curriculum. However, we also changed around our school calendar so we could participate in LASEC’s institute day in the fall. I have spoken to Joe Hoffman about having presenters in both the areas of iPads and Common Core at the Institute Day. The second institute day would then be used for curriculum development. These are our initial conversations about summer reading and next years’ institute days; continued discussion with division heads and the SIP team is needed.
The other area we are concerned with right now is the new teacher devices for next year. We want to be able to support any professional development needs and create an effective plan in collaboration with the tech committee.
PTO
The PTO is working with administration to set up and support a room in the school set aside to be a “Parents Resource Room” that can provide parents with resources to help establish the “curriculum of the home”. When parents who were present at freshmen registration were asked whether this would be a resource they would use, there was an overwhelming response.
The PTO is also working towards developing a “community face” that can be the community-parent connection for the school. Overall this means having parent-voice answering phones, greeting visitors, etc.
Furthermore, the PTO is continuing with bringing parents out for a variety of athletic and co-curricular events. Included are “pack-the-house” nights for basketball games, a movie night, and picnic and play.
Finally, the PTO parent newsletters continue to be successful. The next issue will include information for parents on how to help their children prepare of high-stakes tests such as the ACT/PSAE.
School Safety & Discipline
The committee is currently working on revisions to student handbook for the next school year. Among the proposals to be amended may be allowing students to carry water bottles to classes once more with the installation of new water fountains that calculate the amount of reduction of plastic bottles produced.
The new Crisis Management Plan has been completed, printed and are waiting for classroom construction to be completed prior to installing them in each room.
Reading & Literary
The committee continues to pursue ways to provide additional active programming that will provide all teachers with the types of resources necessary to implement research-based reading and literacy strategies at the Tier I level.
Technology
New Business
The Team reviewed the indicators of school success that were assigned to each Team member. Below is the list of indicators that were assessed. Under the “Code” column, you are welcomed to view the decisions of each indicator made by the Team. If the indicator is not highlighted in yellow, the Team agreed that the indicator was being fully implemented by our school and no further follow-up is required. If the indicator is highlighted in yellow, the Team agreed that the indicator was partially implemented by our school and therefore will need additional follow-up and will be among the School Improvement Objectives the Team will pursue to achieve.
Team Member | Category | Section | Code | Indicator to be assessed:
|
| Kelsall | Educator Quality | Leadership | The principal spends at least 50% of his/her time working directly with teachers to improve instruction, including classroom observations. (1029) | |
| Kelsall | Educator Quality | Leadership | The principal challenges, supports and monitors the correction of unsound teaching practices based on evidence. (1030) | |
| Kumor | Educator Quality | Professional Development | Professional development for teachers includes self-assessment related to indicators of effective teaching and classroom management. (1039) | |
| Kumor | Teaching & Learning | Differentiated Instruction | Materials for standards-aligned learning activities are well-organized, labeled, and stored for convenient use by teachers. (1085) | |
| Kelsall | Teaching & Learning | Instruction | All teachers develop weekly lesson plans based on aligned units of instruction. (1064) | |
| Kumor | Teaching & Learning | Instruction | All teachers demonstrate in their lesson plans the content knowledge necessary to challenge and motivate students to high levels of learning. (2332) | |
Johnson/McCarthy | Teaching & Learning | Instruction - Technology | All teachers incorporate the use of technology in their classrooms when it enhances instruction and builds 21st Century Learning Skills. (2335) | |
Jim Smith | Teaching & Learning | Assessment | Units of instruction include pre-/post-tests to assess student mastery of standards-based objectives. (1048) | |
Jim Smith | Teaching & Learning | Assessment | Unit pre-test and post-test results are reviewed by the Instructional Team. (1050) | |
Cari Franz | Teaching & Learning | Periodic Assessment | The school tests each student at least 3 times each year to determine progress toward standards-based objectives. (1054) | |
Cari Franz | Teaching & Learning | Periodic Assessment | Teachers receive timely reports of results from standardized and objectives-based tests. (1055) | |
Department Heads | Teaching & Learning | Periodic Assessment | Instructional Teams use student learning data to plan instruction. (1060) | |
Jill Laubenstein | Learning Environment | Community & Family Engagement | School Leadership and primary caregivers engage in regular communication to provide mutual supports and guidance between home and school for all aspects of student learning. (2341) |
Submitting SMART Core Indicators
After reviewing and briefly discussing the assessed indicators, the Team agreed that they were ready to be submitted to the state for review.
School Improvement Objectives
As a result of the assessed indicators, two new objectives were added to the School Improvement objective list. The Team agreed that Jen Kelsall be assigned as the Team member responsible for seeing the indicator through full implementation. The Team will need to review each indicator, help Ms. Kelsall determine a target completion date and assist in developing a series of tasks that will be necessary to complete to reach full implementation. Prior to this the Team will need to develop a written statement describing what it will look like at Ridgewood High School when each indicator is fully implemented. Ms. Kelsall will work on this with other Team members and each will be discussed further at the next SIP Team meeting in April.
| Code | Description | Date Added | Score | Assigned to |
| IIIA02 | SC-All teachers will develop weekly lesson plans based on aligned units of instruction. (1064) | 2/08/2012 | 6 | Kelsall |
| TL1 | SC-All teachers will demonstrate in their lesson plans the content knowledge necessary to challenge and motivate students to high levels of learning. (2332) | 2/08/2012 | 4 | Kumor |
Assessing Conditions for Learning Indicators
The Team next reviewed the next set of school indicators in need of assessment. The Conditions for Learning Indicators are listed below. After a quick assessment of each, and a few assigned indicators to specific Team members, it was decided that Ridgewood’s Leadership Team would take time during its next meeting to review the indicators assigned to them and determine the level of implementation at Ridgewood. We will need to assign ourselves to evaluate the next set of school improvement indicators. The assessed indicators will need to be submitted to the state no later than April 25. It was recommend by Jim Smith that all indicators be assessed no later than Friday, March 30. Therefore the SIP Team will have an opportunity and review at its next meeting on Tuesday, April 17.
| Team Member | Category | Section | Code | Indicator to be assesed |
| Kelsall | Educator Quality | Leadership | CII7 | All staff interactions in all meetings (staff, problem solving, committees, planning, conferences, etc.) and in the instructional setting reflect a "Culture of Candor" and a climate of trust, respect and collaboration that is focused on norms and adult social and emotional competencies. (2337) |
| Kumor | Educator Quality | Professional Development | CL16 | Professional development for teachers is determined by data (including classroom observations and review of lesson plans) that demonstrate the preparation for and application of Learning Supports. (2338) |
| Kumor | Educator Quality | Professional Development | CL17 | Professional development for teachers is determined by data (including classroom observations and review of lesson plans) that demonstrate teachers' attention to academic, social, emotional, and behavioral expectations and standards. (2339) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Teaching & Learning | Instruction - Preparation | TL2 | All teachers establish in their lesson plans and explicitly define to students high and realistic academic, physical, social, emotional, and behavioral expectations for their learning so that they know what is needed for them to achieve at proficient levels. (2331) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Teaching & Learning | Instruction - Interaction | CL19 | All teachers model physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive competencies. (2334) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Teaching & Learning | Instruction - Classroom Management | CL22 | All teachers acknowledge appropriate student behaviors and desired social skills and provide differential attention/response to inappropriate behaviors. (2336) |
RHS Leadership Team | Teaching & Learning | Periodic Assessment | IID10 | Instructional Teams use student learning data to identify students in need of instructional support or enhancement. (1061) |
Laubenstein | Learning Environment | Community & Family Engagement | CL15 | All teachers communicate regularly with primary caregivers and encourage them to participate as active partners in teaching and reinforcing physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and academic competencies. (2342) |
RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL1 | The school's Learning Support System includes academic, physical, social, emotional, and behavioral programming based on school-wide, targeted group and individualized needs. (2343) |
RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL2 | School Leadership identifies and allocates/reallocates resources needed for Learning Supports' implementation. (2344) |
RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL3 | School Leadership monitors and evaluates the implementation of Learning Supports' programming through an on-going data collection system. (2345) |
RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL4 | All school personnel actively model and foster a positive school environment where students feel valued and are challenged to be engaged and grow cognitively. (2346) |
RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL5 | School Leadership actively models and fosters a positive school environment where staff members feel valued and are challenged to be engaged and grow professionally. (2347) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL8 | The school culture supports teachers in practicing effective and responsive instruction to meet individual student needs. (2349) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL9 | All teachers invite valid and reliable Learning Supports identified by their school leadership into their classrooms including but not limited to programs/strategies, co-teaching opportunities, and consultation. (2350) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL10 | The school culture promotes and supports the academic, physical, social, emotional, and behavioral skill development and engagement of students . (2351) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL11 | The school culture promotes and supports the physical, social, emotional, and behavioral health of all school personnel. (2352) |
| RHS Leadership Team | Learning Environment | Conditions for Learning | CL12 | All school personnel work effectively and equitably with racially, culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students. (2353) |
In addition to the requirement to assess our Conditions for Learning indicators, the Team is also responsible to assess the following Community & Family Engagement Indicators. The PTO has been assigned the task of assessing each of these.
| Team Member | Category | Section | Code | Description |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA04 | The school's Compact includes responsibilities/expectations of parents drawn from the "curriculum of the home." (203) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA05 | The faculty, students, and parents regularly review and discuss the school’s Compact that outlines key expectations of students, parents, and teachers. (85) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA06 | The school's homework policy requires homework at all grade levels. (174) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA07 | The school's homework policy provides guidelines for the amount of daily study time at home by grade level. (205) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA09 | IVA09 The school's homework policy makes homework a part of the student's report card grade. (175) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA10 | IVA10 The school's Compact, homework policy, and learning standards are routinely reviewed and discussed at faculty meetings. (181) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA11 | IVA11 Parent involvement policy, classroom visit policy, and homework policy are clear, constructive, and include a plan for communicating the policies to parents and teachers. (84) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA12 | IVA12 The school's parent involvement policy, Compact, and classroom visit policy encourage parents to visit classrooms. (196) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA13 | IVA13 The student report card provides parents an opportunity to report on the student’s home-based studying and reading habits. (87) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Policies & Practices | IVA14 | IVA14 Parent policies, activities, and programs cultivate the "curriculum of the home." (75) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Shared Leadership | IVB01 | IVB01 A School Community Council consisting of the principal, parent facilitator, social worker or counselor, and parents oversees family-school relationships and the "curriculum of the home." (49) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Shared Leadership | IVB02 | IVB02 A majority of the members of the School Community Council are parents of currently enrolled students and are not also employees of the school. (50) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Shared Leadership | IVB03 | IVB03 The School Community Council meets regularly (twice a month for an hour each meeting) and keeps an agenda and minutes of the meetings. (51) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC01 | IVC01 Professional development programs for teachers include assistance in working effectively with parents. (192) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC04 | IVC04 Parent education programs are led by trained parent leaders. (206) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC05 | IVC05 All-school events (e.g., family reading night) include parent-child interactive activities. (199) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC06 | IVC06 The school offers parent education programs focused on building skills relative to the "curriculum of the home." (207) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC07 | IVC07 Parents receive practical guidance to establish a quiet place for children’s studying at home and consistent discipline for studying at home. (79) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC08 | IVC08 Parents receive practical guidance to encourage their children’s regular reading habits at home. (80) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC09 | IVC09 Parents receive practical guidance to model and encourage respectful and responsible behaviors. (81) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Education | IVC10 | IVC10 The school provides a family resource library that includes materials with information about parenting and parents' roles in children's education. (824) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IVD04 | IVD04 The school has a friendly document that outlines the group rules for parent visits to classrooms. (197) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IVD05 | IVD05 Teachers are familiar with the "curriculum of the home" and discuss it with parents. (189) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IVD06 | IVD06 Parents are familiar with the "curriculum of the home" and discuss it with teachers. (190) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IVD07 | IVD07 Parents receive practical guidance (e.g., website, newsletter, parent bulletin board, email, phone calls, notes) to maintain regular and supportive verbal interaction with their children. (77) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IVD08 | IVD08 Parents receive practical guidance (e.g., website, newsletter, parent bulletin board, email, phone calls, notes) to maintain daily conversations with their children about their school experiences and progress. (78) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IG01 | IG01 Parents receive regular communication (absent jargon) about learning standards, their children’s progress, and the parents’ role in their children’s school success. (76) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IG02 | IG02 The student report card shows the student’s progress in meeting learning standards. (86) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Communication | IG03 | IG03 Teachers regularly make "interactive" assignments that encourage parent-child interaction relative to school learning. (187) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE01 | IVE01 The school provides opportunities for parents to get to know each other and discuss the "curriculum of the home." (195) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE02 | IVE02 The school provides "intragenerational associations" in which students of different ages are brought together to learn. (193) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE03 | IVE03 The school provides "intergenerational associations" in which parents or community volunteers assist in the classroom. (194) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE04 | IVE04 Parent-teacher conferences are held at least twice a year and include students at least once a year. (183) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE05 | IVE05 The school's Compact, homework policy, and learning standards are routinely reviewed and discussed at open houses and parent-teacher conferences. (182) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE06 | IVE06 Parents are given opportunities to meet with teachers to discuss both their children’s progress in school and their children’s home-based study and reading habits (e.g., parent-teacher conferences). (83) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE07 | IVE07 Office and support staff are trained to make the school a "welcoming place" for parents. (200) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE08 | IVE08 The school maintains a program of home visits by teachers, staff, and/or trained community members. (186) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE09 | IVE09 The school maintains a program of home gatherings, with groups of parents meeting in a home with a teacher. (188) | |
| Community & Family Engagement | Connection | IVE10 | IVE10 Parents are given opportunities to meet with each other to share their child-rearing concerns and successes. (82) |
Announcements
The next SIP Team meeting has been set for Tuesday, April 17, 2012 at 3:15 PM in Room 116.
All indicators will be submitted electronically using this link no later than Friday, March 30, 2012.
Adjournment
There was a motion by Jill Laubenstein to adjourn the meeting at 4:35 PM. Jim Smith seconded and the meeting was adjourned.
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