After each school leadership team reflected on its school culture, community, and the key contributing factors to student growth, they used this information to select the Strategic Plan Indicators that would have the greatest positive impact for their students.  Each school was directed to select two to six indicators on which to focus during the 2018-19 school year.  Certainly, we all know that if we focus narrowly and deeply, we are more likely to realize positive results.  The indicators that this school’s leadership team selected are noted below.

Throughout the next 3 years, schools will focus on their chosen Strategic Plan Indicators as the drivers to increase student engagement and achievement within their schools. They will choose strategies to help them grow or increase within each indicator and will monitor and evaluate the student and school changes that take place along the journey.  Below you will see what this school imagines their students and school to look like in 2021 after having focused and worked on their chosen indicators for three years.

In accordance with the school improvement plan and action steps, Windsor Farm’s goal for 2020 is that Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) will be implemented according to criteria from the state and that students and adults will be using the 3 Rs behavior matrix, following the 3Rs (school-wide rules), giving students positive referrals and eagle dollars, and utilizing student break passes and other strategies to help students self-regulate their behaviors. Also, by 2020 the school team will roll out community building circles, piloted by the kindergarten team in 2018-2019. Adults will see effective structures in place that support a positive learning environment. As a result of these practices, there will be fewer behavioral referrals and more students acting in a safe manner.  Students will feel safe and supported in that they have strategies they can use to self-regulate and have clearly established rules and expectations to guide their behavior, enabling them to engage regularly in and benefit from classroom activities. As a result of these efforts, both students and staff will feel increased value as members of our Windsor Farm community. (Indicator 1)

Windsor Farm’s PARCC assessment data from 2017-18 gave reason to celebrate.  The majority of our students achieved commendable scores; the following percentages reflect students scoring a PLD 4 and 5 in Language Arts:  Grade 3 - 62%, Grade 4 - 59%, and Grade 5 - 65%. In Math the following reflects the percentages of students scoring a PLD 4 or 5: Grade 3 - 52%, Grade 4 - 57%, and Grade 5 - 63%. However, in order to  increase the percentage of students who meet or exceed expectations on standardized assessments (Indicator 6), our staff practices will include weekly collaborative planning, in addition to strong and consistent structures within the Leadership Team, School Improvement Team, and the Collaborative Decision-Making team.  The school team continues to focus on specific student groups when reviewing data to assess instructional needs.Teams will meet monthly for data chats and review common formative assessments to identify and pull targeted small groups for modified instruction to address student needs. School leaders will participate in walkthrough observations to monitor instruction and will provide feedback to teachers along with instructional coaching from administration and resource teachers.

Students will participate in collaborative, student-led activities with opportunities for engagement through student discourse. They will assess their understanding and reflect on their learning in order to grow. Students will feel they have access to quality curriculum, as well as sound instructional practices. Adults will see increased achievement as measured by MCAP and other Maryland State assessments, as well as by Quarterly Assessments at the district level. The goal as indicated on the School Improvement Plan is for 5-7% point growth for students who achieve 4/5 PLD on MCAP from this year on the Maryland Report Card.  All stakeholders will be involved as part of the team through parent engagement activities, opportunities for families to interact with community partners and access additional support for families of our English Learners, or adequate professional development for staff members.  They will have systems and structures to track, monitor, and discuss data. The expectation is that the school team will see growth in writing and making thinking visible in math, and that MTSS will be fully operating according to the criteria of the state.