School Plan 2020-2021 - Castle Heights EL

Goal #1

Goal

At the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year 52% of our students were proficient in English Language Arts, 59% of our students were proficient in Mathematics and 55% of our students were proficient in Science according to RISE assessments. Through the benefits of music and art instruction at least 60% of our students will be considered proficient in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science according to RISE assessments.

Academic Areas

  • Reading

  • Mathematics

  • Writing

  • Science

  • Fine Arts

MEASUREMENTS

All students will receive 30 minutes of music instruction each week. Students will participate in a school-wide musical performance.

All students will receive 60 minutes of art instruction each week through the Meet the Masters program. Students will display art, each month, throughout the school.

NOTE: A 2002 report by the Arts Education Partnership revealed that school children exposed to drama, music and dance are often more proficient at reading, writing, and math. The 2006 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum study on art education showed a link between arts education and improved literacy skills. A 2005 report by Rand Corporation called 'A Portrait of the Visual Arts' argues that art education does more than just give students a creative outlet. It can actually help connect them to the larger world, ultimately improving community cohesion. A 2011 study called 'Reinvesting in Arts Education' found that integrating arts with other subjects can help raise achievement levels.

Action Plan Steps

The school will employ one paraprofessional to teach the weekly music class and another paraprofessional to manage the Meet the Masters art program. Through the integration of music and art into the curriculum, students will activate a variety of intellectual skills to help them attain greater achievement in all academic areas. The two paraprofessionals will be highly qualified in the teaching of these subjects and will be able to navigate the complexities of these curriculums and the unique challenges they present.

Through the Meet the Masters program, students will be introduced to art history and have an opportunity to apply artistic techniques used in famous works to stretch their own creative muscles. This helps students develop an appreciation for famous works of art and engage with those works in a multifaceted way. The more senses engaged during learning, the more likely a student is to retain what they are taught. This program is unique in its ability to integrate history, language, and hands-on learning in the class.

In the weekly music class, students will be given the opportunity to create music with a variety of instruments. They will sing and play together in groups each week and will participate in a school-wide performance. Music education has many well-documented benefits including that it more fully engages the musician's brain, encourages cooperative goal-setting, increases vocabulary, and improves reading comprehension. By offering all of our students a weekly music class, we will support their well-rounded education and the overall academic goals of this school.

Expenditures

Category

Total:

Salaries and Employee Benefits (100 and 200)

Description

$18,000

2 paraprofessional (music and Art) teachers

Estimated Cost

$18,000

Goal #2

Goal

One hundred percent (100%) of students receiving Reset Room services will maintain their achievement or make growth based on DIBELS, Reading A-Z/Raz, I-Ready Math, and/or state assessments during the span of time services are received.

Academic Areas

  • Reading

  • Writing

  • Mathematics

  • Science

Measurements

Based on DIBELS, Reading A-Z/Raz, I-Ready Math, and/or state assessments, the data of individual students using the Reset Room will be monitored on a schedule to ensure that they are continuing to progress. The Reset Room paraprofessional will receive verbal communication from the student's classroom teacher on why the student needs to leave the classroom and what work the student needs to complete after they reset. The paraprofessional will keep a running log of the student behaviors, actions taken, and length of time the student has spent out of the classroom. This log will be reviewed by the principal throughout the year.

Action Plan Steps

A paraprofessional will be employed to run the Reset Room and respond to calls from teachers. The paraprofessional will coach those students on how to reset their behavior and adjust their behavior next time they are facing a similar feeling.

The Reset Room paraprofessional will receive guidance from and work closely with the school counselor and principal on how to help students effectively communicate their frustration, process their feelings, and quickly get themselves in a position to return to the classroom. The Reset Room will also have tools and technologies that can be used by the student. In addition, the paraprofessional will support grade level interventions as needed. Based on the direction from PLC teams and the paraprofessional's availability, they will meet with small groups of students to provide academic supports.

The Reset Room will also be used for students who are in need of In-School Suspension. Using the Reset Room in this way will enable teachers to keep students in the school environment and caught up academically, while still providing adequate consequences for severe or repeated behavioral issues.

Teachers will be expected to continue to use good classroom management strategies, PBIS, and behavior plans with students before they are sent to the Reset Room (except in extreme cases where a student's behavior is so out of control that the student needs to be removed from the classroom immediately). Teachers will verbally communicate the situation to the Reset Room paraprofessional and instruct them on what academic work the student needs to complete. Teachers will also provide the paraprofessional any necessary training on how to effectively help students with their work.

This will not take the place of the long term support from the school counselor, counselor social skills training, or support groups. Additionally, the paraprofessional will help track students who are going through the process of District Three Tiered Behavior Plan and facilitate the schools PBIS program in order to help students recognize and celebrate positive behaviors. The paraprofessional will track data on student behaviors and academics and communicate with teachers and parents to ensure the students utilizing the Reset Room are continuing to learn.

All students will be provided with behavioral and academic supports through a school 'Reset Room'. Under the guidance of a paraprofessional, the Reset Room will be used to provide students a place where they can work through immediate behavior challenges, as well as learn strategies for improving their behavior choices in the classroom going forward. This will enable primary classroom teachers to continue instruction while struggling students are given focused one-on-one attention.

Expenditures

Category

Total:

Salaries and Employee Benefits (100 and 200)

Description

$13,500

1 Reset Room paraprofessional

Estimated Cost

$13,500

Goal #3

Goal

At the end of the 2018-19 school year 61% of Castle Heights students were reading at or above the level corresponding to their grade level. By the end of the 2020-21 school year 70% of students will be reading at or above the level corresponding to their grade level. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, 70% of our students will master essential standards in reading on average K-5th grades.

Academic Areas

  • Reading

  • Writing

Measurements

DIBELS and Reading A-Z/Raz reading assessments and RISE will be used to track student progress. Students' reading levels will be assessed at the beginning of the school year and on an ongoing schedule to track progress and to help guide the focus of instructional groups. Independent reading levels will be determined using the criteria of 95% accuracy and 80% comprehension on RAZ assessments.

By the end of the 2021 school year, 70% of students will be reading at or above grade level. All 3rd-5th grade students will show at least one year growth on the RISE summative assessment in the spring of 2021.

Teachers will monitor the progress of all students according to a predetermined schedule (Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly) which will be based on each student's proficiency and reading level.

Action Plan Steps

All students will be provided with individualized, small group interventions based on their reading level to help them meet individual learning goals and give them the support to grow and improve. To determine which intervention is needed, all students will be assessed at the beginning of the school year to determine their grade level performance. To achieve individualized instruction and progress on reading scores, three highly qualified paraprofessionals will be employed to provide interventions and manage the monitoring of student progress. These paraprofessionals will be under the direction of the certified Instructional Coach and will also work with grade level teams to provide specific targeted interventions for students as part of the school improvement plan. A certified Gifted and Talented teacher will also be employed to provide tailored instruction to students who show mastery of grade level essential standards.

Students who are below grade level or indicate deficient skills, will be provided with Tier II Interventions conducted by the highly qualified paraprofessionals, targeting the deficient skill in each content area. These paraprofessionals will be able to provide smaller group and one-on-one focused attention to students in the areas where they most need it; this will enable students to progress much faster in their weak areas.

Students who are on or above grade level in reading and content skills will be provided with extension activities and interventions. A certified Gifted and Talented teacher will facilitate deeper exploration for students in grades 3-5 through our PEAK program. The paraprofessionals will offer advanced interventions for students in grades K-2. The additional personnel will enable students who have already met the achievement goals to receive tailored instruction that will allow them to continue to learn. Interventions will include the use of supplemental materials and software (Reading A-Z/Raz) tied to Utah Core. Technology will also be used for interventions, extension activities, and teaching.

In order to improve the overall academic quality of education for our students, teachers will be given the opportunity to attend conferences based on the needs of teachers, grade level teams, and the School Leadership Team; as approved by the school principal. These conferences will be chosen based on their academic value and a small number of teachers interested in attending will be chosen by the principal and/or PLCs. Attendees will bring what they learn back to their teams in the form of self-assessment and a presentation to their PLC so that the training can benefit the entire teaching staff.

Additional funds will be used to add new books to the school library and to the leveled libraries available on classroom carts. These books will give teachers and paraprofessionals access to new reading materials which is crucial for keeping students excited and engaged in reading.

Expenditures

Category

Total:

Salaries and Employee Benefits (100 and 200)

Professional and Technical Services (300)

Library Books (644)

Description


$51,739

3 Intervention Paraprofessionals and 1 Gifted & Talented Teacher

Conference fees and related expenses for experiences that will be applicable and benefit the entire teaching staff.

Additional books for the central school library and classroom cart leveled libraries.

Estimated Cost

$48,739

$2,000

$1,000

Summary of Estimated Expenditures

Category

Total:

Salaries and Employee Benefits (100 and 200)

Professional and Technical Services (300)

Library Books (644)

Estimated Cost
(entered by the school)

$83,239

$80,239

$2,000

$1,000

Funding Estimates

Estimates

Estimated Carry-over from the 2019-2020 Progress Report

Estimated Distribution in 2020-2021

Total ESTIMATED Available Funds for 2020-2021

Summary of Estimated Expenditures For 2020-2021

This number may not be a negative number Total ESTIMATED Carry Over to 2021-2022

Totals

$0

$83,239

$83,239

$83,239

$0

The Estimated Distribution is subject to change if student enrollment counts change.Funding Changes

There are times when the planned expenditures in the goals of a plan are provided by the district, a grant, or another unanticipated funding source leaving additional funds to implement the goals. If additional funds are available, how will the council spend the funds to implement the goals in this plan?

Additional funds will be used to purchase additional books for the school library and classroom leveled reading carts and/or provide additional professional development opportunities for certified staff.

Publicity

  • School website

Council Plan Approvals

Number Approved

6

Number Not Approved

0

Number Absent

1

Vote Date

2020-03-11