Staff experience first year of educator effectiveness model
Human Resources and Organizational Development Director John Roubik provided an update on the status of the supervision-evaluation process. Teachers and administrators effectively implemented the required components of educator effectiveness mandate in 2014-15. Feedback from teachers and principals identified strengths and challenges of the first year of implementation.
Strengths included time provided for district in-service, encouragement of collaboration, better knowledge about using effective data in the classroom, available and accessible staff resources and effective technology.
Challenges were time required to complete the process, capacity of administrators to provide quality feedback and identification of quality and consistent artifacts and reflection.
Roubik described feedback provided by staff at the May 13 Supervision-Evaluation Committee meeting. He said the committee recommended that administrators find ways to streamline the process through technical changes, reduce the number of artifacts and reflections associated with the documentation log and emphasize the importance of the classroom walk-throughs and follow-up conversations between teachers and principals.
Key recommendations for changes to the educator effective model for 2015-16 include:
- professional goal setting form – identifying all six standards in year one and then selecting two standards in each of the next two years;
- informal walk-through – administrators conducting at least one each year for all staff and two for teachers classified as C3, N1, N2 and N3;
- surveys – staff completing a client survey and growth plan early in the school year, staff analyzing it without completing another form and addressing survey analysis content in the survey growth plan;
- documentation log review – submitting fewer artifacts for each standard by focusing on two standards per year with all six standards addressed by the end of year three and omitting the communication log as a required component.
Summer Opportunities reports on successful year
Summer Opportunities Coordinator and Lannon Principal Dick Ladd shared information about the highly popular program with School Board members. A total of 1,992 students in grades 4K to 11 enrolled in classes. Combined, 138 teachers were employed and more than half of them were Hamilton School District staff. In all, 266 employees were employed including five administrative assistants, 34 paraprofessionals, 84 student teaching assistants, one coordinator and five assistant coordinators.
Ladd reported that the Leveled Literacy Intervention Program was expanded and new enrichment classes were added. An additional section of Speed, Agility and Strength for middle school students was added which led to an increase in the number of students participating in the program.
Free shuttles from a Sussex park and three elementary schools were offered again which alleviated congestion at the high school.
Lannon site plan approved
Lannon Elementary School Principal Dick Ladd presented the school’s site plan update. He reported on the progress of last year’s tactics which included a shared tactic among the four elementary schools that stated, “Using the 2014 MAP scores, each elementary school will increase the percentage of students who meet or exceed their projected growth targets by 3 percent.” Lannon added another tactic that states, “Students will develop positive social skills and pride in their school.”
Tactics for 2015-16 will be “Lannon School students will maintain or exceed literacy growth as measured by PALS, MAP and Benchmark Literacy assessments,” and “Lannon School staff will implement personalized learning strategies.”
Summer workshop status given
Katie Little, Ph.D., presented the 2015 Summer Workshop Report. The summer provided extended time for district staff to participate in curriculum and professional development. Curriculum and instruction projects included elementary writing resources, personalized learning teams, middle school intervention delivery structure, middle school advisement curriculum, information and technology literacy, and resource implementation planning for advanced algebra, social studies, AP environment science and world languages.
Professional development training focused on special and regular education co-teaching, social studies resources, RtI comprehensive intervention model and retrospective miscue analysis, writing resource, critical literacy, new teacher orientation and closing the achievement gap.
District employs various RtI activities
Human Resources and Organizational Development Director John Roubik and Instructional Services Supervisor Katie Little updated the School Board on interventions for students who are not reaching proficiency on standardized assessments. They provided a report on the many Response to Intervention (RtI) initiatives that have been addressed during the year. As part of RtI, classroom teachers and support staff deploy a systematic process to improve performance of students.
Board gets report about district strategic tactics
Human Resources and Organizational Development Director John Roubik gave an update to the School Board on the strategic priorities and tactical planning areas that will be addressed in the coming year. Tactics include
- implementing personalized learning, differentiated instructional practices;
- using universal screeners and specific progress monitoring tools to assess students’ response to selected and intensive interventions and close achievement gaps;
- constructing a high school classroom addition;
- utilizing effective two-way communication practices; and
- providing professional development on knowledge and skills staff need to engage and empower students, differentiate instruction and ensure continuous progress to promote increased achievement.
Board sets annual goals
The School Board established five 2015-16 goals for itself and the superintendent. They include:
- develop resources and implement strategies and initiatives to enhance student achievement;
- implement strategic vision-tactical planning model;
- implement communication to promote understanding of district initiatives and accomplishments;
- develop and implement plans for district facility needs;
- update School Board policies and position descriptions.
Personnel matters
In personnel matters, the School Board:
- accepted the resignations of Hamilton associate kitchen employee Monica Lohry and Lannon paraprofessional Aida Kozic;
- appointed Amber Skaros as Maple Avenue art replacement teacher, Karen Ullrick as Lannon paraprofessional, Kimberley Sehrer as Templeton Title I paraprofessional, Nathan Klafke as Templeton part-time custodian and Kristin Feucht as district technology and data management executive assistant; and
- modified the contracts of Templeton music teacher Benjamin Bedroske from 37 to 44 percent, Lannon music teacher Eileen Casper from 42 to 100 percent, Marcy art teacher Katie Cormican from 78 to 81 percent, Woodside physical education teacher Jennifer Reuter from 62 to 73 percent and Woodside art teacher Becky Vitek-Vaughn from 83 to 87 percent.