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Unlocking Success: School Improvement Strategies

Explore proven methods for enhancing school culture, learning environment, and academic achievement. Learn how to empower students and staff, combat issues like bullying, increase academic success, and sustain improvement efforts over time. Discover valuable resources for personalization and effective teaching strategies.

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Unlocking Success: School Improvement Strategies

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  1. Common Sense Strategies for School Improvement

  2. Objectives • Ideas on improving the School Culture. • Ideas on improving the Learning Environment. • Ideas on Improving Academic Achievement.

  3. MHS NDSA 2002-2005

  4. MHS “SECRET” FORMULA Improved School Culture + Improved Learning Environment = Increased Academic Achievement

  5. Changing School Culture • Began by creating a committee to look at our school culture. • Reviewed school climate and achievement data. • Students did not feel the school staff cared about them. • We found that we were teaching to the upper half and not working well with the lower third of students. • Suicide was a problem. • Bullying was a problem. • School facilities were a problem.

  6. Improving the Learning Environment • Suicide • Went out and found a program to improve awareness (QPR). • Provided QPR training to staff and students. • Created a community program for training (MCCC). • Brought in speakers to address issues. • Bullying • Had teachers present strategies for combatting bullying. • Instituted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy. • Created a yearly Diversity Day assembly to celebrate differences amongst students.

  7. Improving the learning Environment • Empowered Students - Expanded Student leadership opportunities. • Homecoming week. • More Assemblies/Speakers. • Expanded role of Student Council and Honor Society students. • Empowering Staff – Expanded Teacher Leadership opportunities. • Resurrected the Department Chair meetings. • Providing more opportunities for staff in the school improvement process. • Focus on Personalization strategies for staff.

  8. Improving Academic Achievement • Reviewed achievement data. • Weakness in Reading. • Reading logs. • Required a focus on Vocabulary by all staff in their content area. • Provided staff with a NDSA benchmark breakdown of our low areas. • Staff focused instruction in these areas. • Poor Scores from Special Education and ‘Bubble Kids.’ • Creating resource room time as a class for credit (TSL). • Focus on strategies instead of tutoring. • Did classroom presentation on the importance of the NDSA testing. • ‘We need your help!’ • School/Community pride.

  9. MATH/READING BENCHMARKS

  10. Why should you care? Parent tax dollars are being spent to offer you a strong education in a safe environment. Your community is depending on you to do well! Your teachers and administrators are positive that you can make a difference! You owe it to yourself!

  11. Do you prefer this? We need your help! Do you prefer this?

  12. Mistakes made along the way • Interventions that did not have teacher buy-in. • Interventions that are too complicated. • Using a few peoples idea that was not a voice heard/supported by all teachers. • Trying to do too much too fast. • Too many initiatives without a focus.

  13. Where we are today? • Sustaining improvement. • Providing professional development. • PEAK INSTITUTE - Spence Rogers. • Personalization strategies. • Instructional and assessment strategies. • www.teachingforexcellence.com • Standards Based Education (SBE) – Peg Portscheller. • Personalization strategies. • Curriculum, instructional and assessment strategies. • Marzano Evaluation Model – Robert Marzano. • Teacher and administrator evaluation process.

  14. NDSA RESULTS 2002-2013

  15. Final Thoughts • Changing a culture takes time. • Build a system of trust and take care of the people (both students and employees) you have. • Find a way to get people to work together. • Hire good people. • Additional information contacts: Mark.Andresen@msd1.org or Perry.Just@msd1.org

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