South Washington County Schools

2013-16 School Improvement Planning

WOODBURY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Principal:
Karin Lopez
School Improvement External
Monitors:

Date Plan Completed:

Site Meeting Dates and Times:

SIP Leadership Team Members:

Karin Lopez, Kelli Isakson, Luke Riesgraf, Laurie Beebe, David Donnelly, Leah
Boulos, Leah Deiman, Eileen McElrath

REVIEW of 2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR

Were
o
Were
o

2013-14 goals accomplished?

No
all strategies carried out and were they effective?
Math & Reading Based on data, most strategies were carried out and the ones that were carried out were deemed effective.
Teachers worked collaboratively on pacing guides, focused on formative assessments, and learned and implanted work with Tier
2 & 3 words.
The exception was the tracking of summative assessments and the analysis of students who did not perform well.
o School Climate Overall, strategies were effective in improving school climate and decreasing office referrals and a high sense
of belonging and safety.
What will you modify and/or remove for 2015-16? Why?
We will refocus and narrow our action plan items to bridge all three of our goals, grouping like items under one of three
initiatives. The focus is on understanding who is learning/being successful on a weekly basis and how our students can
achieve success.
We will also include more staff development time and training around cultural competence.
We are removing all items that are standard practices at Woodbury Middle School and that are district expectations.
We will also include more student input and voice in addition to looking at standardized tests when evaluating
effectiveness and growth.

Last updated 10/22/15

2014-15 Goal #1 related to Student Achievement:

The percentage of all students in grades 6-8 at Woodbury Middle School
who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the
Standards on the Mathematics MCA (all accountability tests) will
increase from 71.8% in 2015 to 74.8% in 2016 and the achievement gap
between White, Not of Hispanic origin students and the following
subgroups: Black, Not of Hispanic origin, Hispanic, Free/Reduced Priced
Lunch, Special Education, and English Learner students will decrease by
5% in 2016 from the gaps in 2015.

Supporting DATA Goal #1

X Reading / Literacy

Rationale with measures and outcome:

Reducing the achievement gap will increase all student achievement. We
will strive to improve proficiency for all students, while concurrently
closing the achievement gaps. Currently, achievement gaps exist between
White, not of Hispanic Origin and Hispanic, Black, Special Education,
and English Learners. Our measure is MCA proficiency scores.

Identify standardized assessment to be used: MCA-III

Identify Assessed Grades: 6-8
School Trend Data

Measure of student
achievement:
Percent
Proficient
Number of students tested:

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

66.0
%

69.7
%

70.1
%

79.4
%

80.9
%

65.4
%

67.8
%

82.7
%

83.6
%

66.6
%

69.6
%

920

895

912

927

3898

3954

3951

4044

9170

9243

9325

9420

White Student Proficiency (%)

Asian Student Proficiency (%)
Hispanic Students Proficiency (%)

Last updated 10/22/15

District Trend Data

79.6
%

Supporting DATA Goal #1

Reading
Mathematics
Other (____________________)

Black Student Proficiency (%)

District Trend Data for All

Grades

Identify measures to be used: MN AYP Testing

Identify Assessed Grades: 6-8
School Trend Data

District Trend Data

11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 11-1212-13

84.1
69.9
75.1
75.1
83. 68.
7
8
80.8
68.8
69.8
71.9
78. 67.
5
3
64.8
46.4
58.3
62.1
68. 50.
0
4
58.0
47.2
47.9
49.2
69. 48.

District Trend Data for All

Grades

13-14 14-15
11-12
69.7
71.5 85.9

69.5

12-13

70.5

13-14

73.1

14-15

68.2

69.5

82.5

69.7

69.7

71.7

55.4

54.1

73.9

51.9

53.9

51.1

50.5

51.1

72.7

51.2

51.2

55.3

Am. Indian/Alaskan Proficiency

(%)

Last updated 10/22/15

66.7

40

n/a

100

0
71.
4

9
64.
5

65.2

n/a

71.7

58.3

50

60

2013-14 Goal #2 related to Student Achievement:

The percentage of all students in grades 6-8 at Woodbury Middle School
who earn an achievement level of Meets the Standards or Exceeds the
Standards on the Mathematics MCA (all accountability tests) will
increase from 69.7% in 2015 to 72.7% in 2016 and the achievement gap
between White, Not of Hispanic origin students and the following
subgroups: Black, Not of Hispanic origin, Hispanic, Special Education,
and English Learner students will decrease by 5% in 2016 from the gaps
in 2015.

Supporting DATA Goal #2

Mathematics

Rationale with measures and outcome:

Reducing the achievement gap will increase all student achievement. We
will strive to improve proficiency for all students, while concurrently
closing the achievement gaps. Currently, achievement gaps exist between
White, not of Hispanic Origin and Hispanic, Black, Special Education,
and English Learners. Our measure is MCA proficiency scores.

Identify standardized assessment to be used: MCA-III

Identify Assessed Grades:
School Trend Data

Measure of student
achievement:
Percent
Proficient
Number of students tested:

District Trend Data

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

11-12

12-13

13-14

14-15

65.5
%

72.2
%

72.1
%

71.9
%

65.5
%

68.4
%

69.3
%

66.5
%

67.6
%

72.8
%

72.3
%

69.1
%

921

897

908

927

3900

3954

3951

4053

9126

9252

9328

9426

Supporting DATA Goal #2

Reading
Mathematics
Other (____________________)

Identify measures to be used: MN AYP Testing

Identify Assessed Grades: 6-8
School Trend Data
11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15

White Student Proficiency (%)

Asian Student Proficiency (%)
Hispanic Students Proficiency (%)
Black Student Proficiency (%)
Am. Indian/Alaskan Proficiency
Last updated 10/22/15

District Trend Data for All

Grades

71.2
78
35.2
33.0
16.7

76.3
73.9
51.8
56.0
20

76.6
78.4
60.0
49.2
n/a

76.9
80.2
53.7
50.0
100

District Trend Data

11-12
68.7
72.7
43.1
48.8
42.9

12-13 13-14 14-15

71.9
70.8
50.2
55.1
41.9

72.9
71.9
54.3
51.3
56.5

70.1
73.4
50.4
49.5
n/a

District Trend Data for All

Grades
1112

12-13

13-14

14-15

70.0
73.8
51.2
53.1
43.3

75.7
78.4
54.4
57.8
50.8

75.3
78.0
54.5
56.2
46.2

72.3
75.0
50.0
53.8
44.9

(%)

2013-14 Goal #3 specific to school climate:

We will achieve 100% student engagement via positive connections and
sense of belonging.

Supporting DATA Goal #3

Reading
Mathematics
X Other (School Climate)

Identify measures to be used:

Identify Assessed Grades:
School Trend Data
11-12 12-13 13-14

Measure of school climate:

Behavior Referrals
Number of Positive Written
Communications

Last updated 10/22/15

Rationale with measures and outcome:

WMS recognizes the need to identify and positively
acknowledge each student in our building. Last year we
received 10688 Wildcat Way tickets and sent out 1,000
postcards, emails, and phone calls. As the success of the
Wildcat Way has grown, our goal has evolved from tangible
communication patterns to now creating and developing
connections with our students. Our goal is that 100% of
our students will report feeling connected to a teacher.
Students need to feel that they are important and noticed
and surrounded by a positive climate in order to be
successful at school. Our Wildcat Way Program focuses on
positive behavior interventions and restorative practices.
This is our proactive approach to eliminating bullying,
harassment and other forms of misbehavior at WMS>

499

339

191

NA

617
0

1168
8

District Trend Data

District Trend Data for All

Grades

14-15 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 11-12

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

12-13

13-14

14-15

NA

NA

NA

Strategies to accomplish defined MATH, READING and CLIMATE goals (to include plans for Staff
Development):
Implementation
Cycle*

Details for Strategies

Expected
Impact

Activities
Staff Development
Opportunities?
Strategies in place to
reach goals?
Action plan for the
school year?

1. Instruction/
Assessment
Creating and using
common assessments to
assess student learning
and redirect instruction
During staff meetings, we
will continue to share out
and highlight formative
assessment techniques for
teachers to implement in
class to assess who is
learning what.
Time and space to
collaborate around
assessment and
instruction using data
from formative and
summative assessments
Kari Lopez has committed
up to 1 release days for
each department/gradelevel team to do focused
work around their common
assessments and
instruction.

Last updated 10/22/15

Who is
Responsible
?
Who is
involved?
*Who is
providing
leadership?
*Administration
*Literacy coach,
Gifted and Talented
coach

Timeline
When will the
strategy or
action begin
AND end?
Pacing Guides:
August 2014
no projected end

Collaboration:
*TLS staff, as
needed/requested
*Technology coach
*AVID teacher &
AVID Site team
All teachers

One full day

during Fall 2015
school year.
Extra afternoon
after school
saved for PLC
work Sept-Dec
2015.

What are the

results that will
be evident if
there is
progress /
success?
How will
teachers be
impacted?
How will
students be
impacted?

Monitoring
Effectivene
ss
What evidence
will be gathered
to demonstrate
progress /
success?

At the end of the

year, we will have a
Google document,
accessible by all
staff, that
delineates all
curriculum and
assessments. This
will align curriculum
and further
discussions about
student learning
and assessments.

The pacing guide

Teachers will have

time to have rich
discussions around
curriculum,
learning, and
assessing.

MCA/MAP scores

Students will have

teachers more intune with each
students learning,
thus accelerating
his/her growth in
areas of need.

Tracking document
of summative
assessments

Findings
What were
the results?

New

Continuin
g

Counselor reports
from team meetings
Fewer students not
passing

X
2. Climate

*Administration

Advisory
phone calls:

Phone Calls home for

Advisory students

*Counselors

September 2014

All teachers

Positive and
proactive
communicatio
n:

Each Advisory teacher will

call each parent prior to
Open House. This is an
outreach to connect with
our parents, check if they
have any questions, and to
remind them that we will be
an advocate in the building
for each child for all three
years.
Positive and proactive
communication with
families
The staff will continue the
postcards home about good
news, as well as
documenting
communications in the
communications log. We
will strive to communicate
before any issues arise.
Survey about
connections
The teams will design a

Last updated 10/22/15

All Advisory
teachers

September
2013- no
projected end
Survey:
The survey will
be given in
October 2014
and again in
May 2015

Parents will be
better aligned with
our school. They
will know at least
one adult they can
contact about their
student, should
anything come up.
They will also
receive positive
reports about their
student at least
twice a year.

A record of each
Advisory parent
being contacted
Postcards sent out

The connections
survey will give us
data to improve our
climate (Pre and
Post)

Teachers will feel

more supported by
parents when a
positive culture is
fostered.
Students will
recognize the
crucial teamwork
that goes on
between home and
school, enabling
his/her studies and
emotional growth to

survey for students (based

on the districts 7th grade
survey) to assess how
connected students feel to
peers and adults in the
building.

3. Diverse
Learners
To better understand the
stories of our subgroups
Team-identified data dives
and inquiry into best
practices to close
achievement gaps using a
Plan-Do-Study-Act model.
Exposure to culturally
responsive classrooms
and other strategies for
reducing the
achievement gap
Time and attention will be
given to educate staff on
these topics with articles,
TED Talks, and other
resources. This will be done
through staff meetings and
team timeas well as
additional professional
development.

be streamlined,
rather than
stygmied, with such
a partnership. They
will also be able to
voice any concerns
they have via the
survey.
*Administration
*EL teachers
*Culturosity
committee
AVID elective
teacher and
coordinator
SAS/Data teacher
leaders
Instructional
coaches
All teachers

August 2014
no projected end

Teachers can
reference
information and
strategies from
guiding texts
Teachers will having
open conversations
around class and
cultural sensitivity
Guiding texts:
Courageous
Conversations about
Race by Glenn
Singleton and Curtis
Linton, Editors &
Minding the
Achievement Gap
One Classroom at A
Time by Jane E.
Pollock, Sharon M.
Ford, & Margaret M.
Black

The climate survey

from the students
Self-reflection on
learning
Improved
achievement for all
students

MCA/MAP scores

Students will be
recognized for their
individual
uniquenesses and
will have more of a
voice in our
curriculum and
practices

Indicates if this is a new strategy or one implemented in previous years. Sites should focus on quality implementation, minimizing the adoption of too
many new strategies in any given year.

Last updated 10/22/15

Summary of Sites Plan Do Study Act*

(incorporating future planning and working through change through

continuous improvement).
* This portion of the plan should be developed so that stakeholders staff/teachers, families, and students can easily and quickly understand what your school is doing in terms
of continuous improvement and is in alignment with the efforts of Effective Learning Teams.

PLAN what is it we want all students to learn?

At Woodbury Middle School, we want all students to learn and
achieve the set grade level standards in all areas. But
beyond that, we strive to create independent and creative
thinkers, while displaying skills of collaborative and globalminded members of society. In order to achieve this, our
students must be organized with strong abilities in reading,
writing, listening, and speaking. Our ultimate goal would be
for these skills to be applied in all disciplines, with the ability
to think, problem-solve, and inquire beyond the presented
content.

ACT how will we respond when a student

experiences difficulty in the learning? How will we
deepen the learning for students who have already
mastered essential knowledge and skills?
Within the class, the teacher will use responsive
differentiation, communicate regularly with parents, and
confer with the team during team meetings. After that, we
have several resources in place, including counselors,
reading and math interventions, gifted and talented coach,
and looping advisory teachers who communicate regularly
with students who are struggling as well as students who
are not appropriately challenged.

Last updated 10/22/15

DO how will we respond when a student experiences

difficulty in the learning? How will we deepen the learning
for students who have already mastered essential
knowledge and skills?
We have many tiers in effect to ensure that each child receives
the education to reach his/her maximum learning potential. A
specific example of this is our policy on ensuring that each
student shows a grasp of concepts on summative tests instead
of simply dismissing a below average score. All students are
encouraged to use inquiry to apply concepts to real-life issues
and questions. Leveled materials are available and regularly
updated. Teachers are skilled at differentiating within the
classroom, but they also collaborate vertically and horizontally
with many other support personnel in the building to ensure that
each child is the most successful he or she can be. The
processes we have in place involve all stakeholders, including
the parents and student. We are striving to move beyond using
only Tier 3 (Content Area) words and incorporate more Tier 2

STUDY how will we know when each student has

mastered the essential learning?
Formative and summative assessments are key to our School
Improvement Plan and monitoring of student learning.
Teachers conduct formative assessments on a daily basis
and adjust instruction, reteaching, and extension as
necessary. With this information, a teacher can be sure to
highlight any concepts on a summative assessment prior to
giving it, allowing all students the best chance at displaying
their knowledge.