2012 Pleasanton External Team Report

The Nebraska Frameworks Pleasanton Public Schools External Visita4on Team Exit Report March 26, 2012

Con4nuous Improvement in Nebraska Schools

The Pleasanton Profile What the External Team Received A document that provides a concise collec3on of informa3on, in chart and graph form, that includes: • Student Performance Data • School and Community Demographics • School Program Data • Student and Adult Perceptual Data  Summary statements that aided in the analysis of progress and needs.

IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN Implementa4on – What and Why En3re Set of Significant Ac3ons. . .

By ALL staff . . .

Over a Period of One or More Years. . .

Resul4ng in Improved Student Performance Implementa3on is monitored closely by designated staff or commiHees to provide assistance and support as needed.

WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY? NEBRASKA ACCREDITATION REQUIREMENTS

• Rule 10, Regula'ons and Procedures for the Accredita'on of Schools • Required of all Nebraska public schools and accredited nonpublic schools • Requires a review of the School Improvement Process • Requires a visit at least once each five years

THE MAIN REASON! 009.01B The school improvement process includes a visita3on by a team of external representa3ves to review progress and provide wriHen recommenda3ons.

A copy of the wriHen recommenda3ons is provided to the Department. The external team visits are conducted at least once each five years.

YOUR EXTERNAL VISITATION REPORT RESULTS:

School: Pleasanton Public School Superintendent: Ron Wymore Date of Visit: 26-­‐March-­‐2012

External Team Members: Team Leader: Gary Monter, Superintendent, Palmer Member: Sara Paider, Kindergarten Teacher, Loup City Member: Jason EvereH, Systems Engineer, ESU 10 Member: Cory Bohling, Elementary Principal, Centura

Overall Commenda4ons!

1. Your en3re faculty is involved, which is evident from the staff presenta3on and interviews with staff, board/parents, and students. The process is evolving to be staff driven and staff enacted.

These are not easy things to do!

Overall Commenda4ons!

2. During interviews, posi3ve morale and a great learning environment were very evident. Students expressed a great apprecia3on for the resources presented and availed to them by the district.

Overall Commenda4ons!

3.

Professional Development has been provided to give teachers the tools to teach reading and to u3lize technology in the classroom to enable students to improve reading, to integrate technology into the classroom. This was evident in the tour of the facility, interview with seniors, and in the data presented.

Overall Commenda4ons!

4. The addi3on of administra3on was a much-­‐needed step taken by the district. The board is to be applauded for recognizing and suppor3ng this need.

Overall Commenda4ons!

5. Technology is a definite strength and we commend you for your efforts to keep Pleasanton Public Schools on the cu_ng edge of technology.

Overall Commenda4ons!

6. The External Team was presented with an impressive profile that provided not only this team with an excellent picture of school improvement at Pleasanton but also served as a valuable data source for Pleasanton Public School’s Steering CommiHee. The following specifics should be highlighted:

Overall Commenda4ons! a. The profile included an ILCD report and an RTI report. RTI was a focus of our discussion with faculty as it is designed to improve reading for a subset of students but ILCD is a frequently overlooked component within school improvement. b. The profile included a multicultural component as it pertained to the Reading Action Plan.

Overall Commenda4ons! a. The profile included an ILCD report and an RTI report. RTI was a focus of our discussion with faculty as it is designed to improve reading for a subset of students but ILCD is a frequently overlooked component within school improvement. b. The profile included a multicultural component as it pertained to the Reading Action Plan.

Overall Commenda4ons!

7. The manner in which your surveys (Climate, Communication, Technology, Graduate) were conducted not only underscores the district’s embracing of technology but also lead to an extraordinarily high rate of return.

Current School Improvement Goal(s): 1. Improve the instruction of reading, PK-12 2. Integrate technology in all curricular areas 3. Increase the amount and quality of communication between all stakeholders

School Improvement Goal #1 Commendations

1.  2.  3.

Full implementation of Reading Mastery Program and the analysis of the program to determine gaps in the instruction.

Staff have infused the RtI process into the Reading Mastery program.

Functional Walk-2-Read Program for grades K-6 implemented with Reading Mastery.

School Improvement Goal #1 Commendations

4. RtI has been implemented and staff is utilizing data to make instructional decisions for individual students. Data consists of core curriculum assessments, DIBELS, and progress monitoring.

5. Staff consensus of the reading program and implementation has been done with fidelity.

School Improvement Goal #1 Commendations 6. The importance of reading has been imbedded into the district. All staff and students are aware of the need to improve reading and why reading is important for them.

7. The implementation of programs like “DEAR” and “AR” in all grade levels.

This allows all students to understand the importance reading plays in their daily lives.

School Improvement Goal #1 Recommenda4ons: 1. RTI team should meet more often (Recommendation would be weekly), with the goal of tying the SAT process to the RTI process.

Weekly meetings would focus on individual student data and the next steps for each student.

2. Implementation of a skills based reading class in 7th – 8th grades.

3. Focused professional development geared to meet the district’s school improvement reading goal for all K-12 teachers.

School Improvement Goal #2 Commenda4ons: 1. Obvious use of technology in all classrooms.

2. Equipment is available to all faculty and students.

3. Integration with other SIP goals.

4. Student engagement and excitement in learning with technology.

5. Project based technology activities in place.

School Improvement Goal #2 Recommenda4ons

1. Network infrastructure audit – What do you tothe support your ongoing use of mobile 4. need Use of devices ISTE and foray into the world of BYOD? 2. Use of computer and network logs to standards leverage data driven decisions of revolving 3. establishment of PLC’s forConsider students, technology use. around the use of technology in the teachers, classroom. Employ PLC’s to monitor and and disseminate use of emerging technologies administrato that are impacting K-12 rs research as a education. Example: K12 Horizon Report. framework to collect

School Improvement Goal #2 Recommendations 1.

2.

3.

4.

Network infrastructure audit – What do you need to support your ongoing use of mobile devices and foray into the world of BYOD? Use of computer and network logs to leverage data driven decisions of technology use . Use of the ISTE standards for students, teachers, and administrators as a framework to collect data on the use of technology.

Consider establishment of PLC’s revolving around the use of technology in the classroom. Employ PLC’s to monitor and disseminate use of emerging technologies research that are impacting K-12 education. Example: K12 Horizon Report

School Improvement Goal #3 Commendations:

An active PEP (Parent Engaging Planning) Committee has been established and has facilitated interventions regarding this target area. This is commendable in multiple regards: a) Involving parents decreases likelihood of assumption on behalf of the district in answering the question, “What does our public want/need to know. b) Involving parents lessens the communication burden on administration, faculty, and staff. c) Involving parents decreases likelihood of assumption on behalf of the district in answering

School Improvement Goal #3 Recommenda4ons: 1. Expand your use of social media. Example: Facebook Fan Page.

2. Expanded idea of a, “wishing tree,” in order to get more community members involved by advertising volunteer opportunities.– Consider incorporating with recommendation #1, above.

School Improvement Goal #3 Commendations: 3.

Consider establishment of PLC’s revolving around the use of technology in the classroom. Employ PLC’s to monitor and disseminate use of emerging technologies research that are impacting K-12 education.

Example: K12 Horizon Report

Overall Recommenda4ons: 1. It is our recommendation that the district track the progress from one year to the next toward school improvement goals related to student learning. This data should be presented to the External Visitation Team and shared with your public to the extent the law allows (no group smaller than 10 in the case of the public).

Overall Recommenda4ons: 2. Consider charting student progress as recommended above in a growth-model (sometimes referred to as cohort progress) as this seems to be the direction that the ESEA (NCLB) and, consequently, the direction the Nebraska Frameworks model will be moving.

Overall Recommenda4ons: 3. In the subsequent improvement cycle, narrow the target area goal.

Example: Rather than, “Improve Reading,” specify, “Improve reading comprehension…” or, “Improve reading vocabulary for ALL students.”