School Improvement Plan

School Improvement Plan

2006–2007

 

CrawfordSchool:  CrawfordC Elementary School

 Gloria GorhamPrincipal:  Gloria Gorham, Principal

 

Vertical Team:  E. O. Smith/Wheatley                                     Region:  North

 

 

 

Date presented to parents and community:  11/10/06

 

 

Date presented and approved by school:  11/10/06

 

 

PTA/PTO Parent Representative’s Signature

 

Teacher Representative’s Signature

 

Principal’s Signature

 

 

Executive Principal’s Signature

 

Regional Superintendent’s Signature

 

 

 

The signatures of the Executive Principal and Regional Superintendent indicate that this document has been reviewed by the regional office staff and the Executive Principal and Regional Superintendent certify that this document meets all district requirements for a School Improvement Plan.


 

Mission Statement

 

 

The mission of Crawford Elementary School is high student achievement.  To obtain high student achievement, Crawford will develop and maintain a positive learning environment, which includes effective teaching strategies, good discipline, clean, attractive buildings, community and parental involvement, as well as development of student self-esteem.  Crawford will enable students to become thoughtful, productive individuals.  Crawford Elementary’s Motto is "Only love is spoken here".

Crawford Elementary School believes in educating all students to their fullest potential.  The Crawford Family envisions a S.A.F.E. T.E.A.M.  We believe that Schools Are For Everyone; Teaching, Enriching, Accelerating, and Motivating are the focal points of our daily schedules.

 

 

Shared Decision-Making Committee

 

 

Organizational Structure

Crawford will use a quality circle design to monitor implementation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP).  The central circle represents the Panda Educational Planning Team (P.E.P.T.) which is our Shared Decision-Making Committee (SDMC).  The outer connecting circles consist of four standing committees.  Each standing committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations.  The recommendations with the necessary information will be presented to the P.E.P.T. for review and approval.  The P.E.P.T. will address decisions in the areas of curriculum, staffing, goal setting, budgeting, staff development, and school organization using the Quality Circle Model of shared decision-making.

 

Each staff member from the P.E.P.T. will be a core member of the four standing committees. The standing committees established will be divided into four Goal Setting Groups:

 

Programs and Projects/Outreach Committee
Planning:  The Programs and Projects/Outreach committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning planning concerns and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.

 

Budget/Curriculum and Instructional/Professional Development Committee
Budget:

The Budget/Curriculum and Instructional/Professional Development committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning budget issues and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.


Staff Development:
The Budget/Curriculum and Instructional/Professional Development committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning staff development concerns and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.

 

Curriculum:
The Budget/Curriculum and Instructional/Professional Development committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning curriculum concerns and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.

 

School Organization Committee
The School Organization committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning school organization concerns and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.

 

Staffing/Facilities and Grounds. 
Staffing Patterns
The Staffing/Facilities and Grounds committee will develop goals, research topics, formulate solutions, and make recommendations concerning staffing patterns and will report to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions. 

 

P.E.P.T. members who serve as representatives on standing school committees are responsible for reporting to the P.E.P.T. all pertinent information necessary for the P.E.P.T. to make informed decisions.  The P.E.P.T. members who report from each standing committee will be responsible for representing the consensus of the committee.  The P.E.P.T. will send requests to the standing committees for research, assistance, or recommendations on specific issues as they arise.

 

All recommendations for change will be researched and developed by one of the standing committees before presentation to the P.E.P.T. for final decision-making.

 

The P.E.P.T  (S.D.M.C.) will monitor the School Improvement Plan (SIP) on a monthly basis to ensure all goals are being met.

 

The P.E.P.T. meets the last Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the Crawford Elementary Media Center.

 

Decision-making Process

 

1) The assignment of P.E.P.T. members to standing committees will be based on interest, expertise, and voting.

Committees must have at least 3 members, including a representative from the P.E.P.T.

Committees will have a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and a reporter/secretary.

2) Committees will meet a minimum of 1 time per grading cycle or as necessary.

3) Membership in the standing school committees is open and may include parents, students, business partners, community members, and school employees at any level.

4) Chairpersons will be decided within each committee, as well as vice-chairperson and re-porter/secretary.  The roles can rotate or remain fixed as each committee chooses.

5) Standing school committee membership will be established no later than the end of the first week of school.

 

Crawford's shared decision-making team will consist of 12 members.  Membership will consist of the following: the school principal, 2 parents, 2 community members, 3 certified classroom teachers, 1 certified noninstructional staff members, 1 business partner, and 1 non-instructional person.  There are three positions within the P.E.P.T.: 1) the chairperson, 2) the vice-chairperson, and 3) the reporter/secretary.  The school principal is designated as the chairperson.  The chairperson calls meetings, approves agendas, conducts meetings, and sets the calendar.  The vice-chairperson is selected by consensus within the P.E.P.T.  The vice-chairperson conducts meetings in the absence of the chairperson, sets agendas, disseminates information to members, and monitors the progress of the standing committees. The reporter/secretary is selected by consensus within the P.E.P.T. The reporter/secretary takes minutes, distributes copies of the minutes, maintains the P.E.P.T. Bulletin Board, and acts as a resource person at P.E.P.T. meetings.

 

Decisions at Crawford are made through the Accelerated Schools process, the school committees, and the P.E.P.T.  Concerns are brought to the standing committees through the Accelerated Schools folders.  Those concerns are studied, researched, evaluated, and addressed by the appropriate committee.  Recommendations made by the standing committees are determined by reaching a minimum of 80% consensus.  If 80% or more is not achieved, the committee must continue working to resolve the issue until 80% is achieved.  The solution or recommendation receiving 80% approval is passed to the P.E.P.T.  The P.E.P.T. will review the recommendation and either pass it back to the standing committee for further investigation or vote on the recommendation.  Recommendations must pass a vote of the P.E.P.T. by no less than 80% of the membership present.  All P.E.P.T. meetings will be held with a quorum, two-fifths (six or more members) of the membership.  Crawford will use the DuPont Leading/Meeting Model for all of the meetings held by any group or committee.

 

School community members may submit ideas or concerns to the standing committees or the P.E.P.T. by using the shared decision-making form available in the main office.  Community members' concerns will be addressed in the same manner that the parent, staff, or faculty concerns are addressed.  A written concern is placed in the suggestion folder. The appropriate committee addresses the concern.  The committee will then submit the recommendations to the P.E.P.T.  The P.E.P.T. will make the final decision.

 

Crawford employees, parents, or community members may request that an item be placed on the agenda for a scheduled meeting.  The Agenda Request Form should be submitted to the P.E.P.T. mailbox or school secretary, five working days prior to the next scheduled meeting in order to be included on the agenda. These forms are available in Crawford’s main office.

 

If community members choose not to put a concern in writing by submitting it through the Accelerated Schools folder process, they have the option of contacting the school principal.  The principal may choose to address the concern instead of the standing committee.

 

The principal of Crawford Elementary School may veto any decisions of the P.E.P.T.  If veto power is exercised, the principal must furnish an explanation to the P.E.P.T. members and faculty.

 

Method of Communication

Communication with all members of the school community will be addressed in various formats, such as our school newsletter, school web site (http://www.houstonisd/crawfordes), and community meetings.  Copies of the minutes of the P.E.P.T. meetings, subcommittee meetings, and task force meetings will be distributed to the staff and a copy will be kept on file in the school's main office.  Additional copies will be made available upon request to community members-at-large. They may also be requested by phone, in writing, or by e-mail.  All meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend.

 

 


Membership

 

Name of SDMC Member

Position (Classroom teacher, other school-based professional, non-instructional, parent, community, business)

Ismeal Centeno

Classroom Teacher

Luis Maldonado

Classroom Teacher

Leonel Cuadra

Classroom Teacher

Lloyd Matthews

Teacher/School-based Staff

Jacquetta Banks-Washington

Non-instructional/School Based

Maria Cuadros

Parent/PTO/PAC

Helen Sims

Parent/PTO/PAC

Ernest McGowen

Business Partner

Pamela Crawford

Business Partner

Alvin Byrd

Community Member

Gloria Gorham

Administrative Staff/Principal

 

 

Totals:

 

# of Classroom Teachers (2/3)

3

            # of Parents

2

# of School-based Staff (1/3)

1

              # of Community Members

1

# of Non-instructional Staff (no more than one)

1

              # of Business Members

2

 

 

 

Needs Assessment

 

 

Crawford Elementary is proud to be a TEA/HISD Recognized School for the 2005-2006 school year.  Achieving this status is an important milestone on the journey to Exemplary Status, and several gaps in the upward trend of scores warrant attention and are being addressed in the 2006-2007 school year.

 

READING

 

Objective 1.1 Reading/All ELL (LEP) Students Gr. 3-5

 

Crawford Elementary established a goal stating that the percentage of All ELL (LEP) Students Gr. 3-5  passing would increase from 88% to 89%.

 

Projected %

% Achieved

Difference

89%

86%

3%

 

The 3% difference between Crawford Elementary’s Projected rate (students meeting standard) and rate achieved is the result of students beginning the transition from the Bilingual Classroom setting to English instruction as well moving to the more structured environment of grades assessed by the TAKS test. 

 

While Crawford is proud of our rising scores this group fell slightly short (3%) of our goal and will reach our campus goal of Exemplary Status.

 

 

All other Reading Goals were met.

 

 

MATH

Objective 1.2 Math/All African American Students Gr. 3-5

 

Crawford Elementary established a goal stating that the percentage of All African American Students Gr. 3-5  passing would increase from 49% to 70%.

 

Projected %

% Achieved

Difference

70%

68%

2%

 

The 2% difference between Crawford Elementary’s Projected rate (students meeting standard) and rate achieved is the result of personnel responsible  for fulfilling the campus  Math Specialist role being transferred from one teacher (due to failing health) to another.  Even with this change Crawford fell only 2% short of our goal. 

 

While Crawford is proud of our rising scores this group fell slightly short (2%) of our goal and will reach our campus goal of Exemplary Status all subgroups in Math for 2006-2007.

 

All other Math Goals were met.

 

 

WRITING

 

Objective 1.3 Writing/All Students Gr. 4

 

Crawford Elementary established a goal stating that the percentage of All Students Gr. 4 passing would increase from 94% to 95%.

 

Projected %

% Achieved

Difference

95%

82%

13%

 

The 13% difference between Crawford Elementary’s Projected rate (students meeting standard) and rate achieved is the result of the 4th grade (writing) teacher having to take maternity leave in the weeks prior to the TAKS writing assessment.

 

It is also the result of students in transition from the Bilingual Classroom setting to English instruction as well as problems encountered by students facing assessment by (their first) English Language TAKS test. (SeeObjective 1.3 Writing/All Hispanic Students Gr. 4“ below)

 

While Crawford is proud of our rising scores this group fell slightly short (13%) of our goal.  We have based our goals in part on previous groups of 4th graders and aim to match previous year’s high scores (95%) and we are confident our students will reach our campus goal of Exemplary Status.

 

 

Objective 1.3 Writing/All Hispanic Students Gr. 4

 

Crawford Elementary established a goal stating that the percentage of All Hispanic Students Gr. 4  passing would increase from 96% to 97%.

 

Projected %

% Achieved

Difference

97%

71%

26%

 

The 26% difference between Crawford Elementary’s Projected rate (students meeting standard) and rate achieved is the result of the 4th grade (writing) teacher having to take maternity leave in the weeks prior to the TAKS writing assessment.

 

It is also the result of students in transition from the Bilingual Classroom setting to English instruction as well as problems encountered by students facing assessment by (their first) English Language TAKS test.

 

While Crawford is proud of our rising scores this group fell slightly short (26%) of our goal.  We have based our goals in part on previous groups of 4th graders and aim to match previous year’s high scores (95%) and we are confident our students will reach our campus goal of Exemplary Status.

 

Objective 1.3 Writing/All Economically Disadvantaged Students Gr. 4

 

Crawford Elementary established a goal stating that the percentage of All Economically Disadvantaged Students Gr. 4 passing would increase from 94% to 95%.

 

Projected %

% Achieved

Difference

95%

82%

13%

 

This subgroup is a reflection of the tested students as a whole and as such is subject to the same factors that affected the “All students, 3rd through 5th grade results.

 

The 13% difference between Crawford Elementary’s Projected rate (students meeting standard) and rate achieved is the result of the 4th grade (writing) teacher having to take maternity leave in the weeks prior to the TAKS writing assessment.

 

It is also the result of students in transition from the Bilingual Classroom setting to English instruction as well as problems encountered by students facing assessment by (their first) English Language TAKS test. (SeeObjective 1.3 Writing/All Hispanic Students Gr. 4“ below)

 

While Crawford is proud of our rising scores this group fell slightly short (13%) of our goal.  We have based our goals in part on previous groups of 4th graders and aim to match previous year’s high scores (95%) and we are confident our students will reach our campus goal of Exemplary Status.

 

All other Math Goals were met.

 

 

SCIENCE

All Science Goals were met.


 

10 Components of a Title I Program

 
 

 

 

 


1.      A comprehensive needs assessment – All data was reviewed for all students and student subgroups.  The results and conclusions of this review are included in the previous SIP section, Needs Assessment. Reference Part 1: Pages 5, 6 and 7

 

2.      School-wide reform strategies – The continued use of PASS and periodic common assessments to identify and monitor student growth, the use of CLEAR and the staff development which accompanies it, the expanded use of Model Lessons and the meeting by content and grade level to monitor and develop instructional plans are part of our school-wide reform strategies.  The Exxon Mobil Math Initiative along with the Accelerated Reading Initiative (ARI) Accelerated Math Initiative will enhance instruction to help make connection between what the students know and the new information they will encounter.  Reference Part 2: Pages 10, 17 and 28

 

3.      Instruction by highly qualified professional staff - 100% of our teachers are certified for the position they hold.  They have varying levels of experience, and support is given to less experienced teachers by their colleagues.  Parents are notified if a teacher is not certified.  The teacher must either be working toward certification or efforts are made to hire someone who is certified. Reference Part 2: Pages 30 and 31

 

4.      High-quality and ongoing professional development – Instructional leaders receive training during the summer and school year to provide on-site training and monitoring.  The Shared Decision-Making Committee identifies areas in which staff development is needed. In addition to on-site opportunities, staff members participate in staff development offered at HISD, regional levels as well as that provided by other consultants. Reference Part 2: Pages 12, 24, 28, 37 and 38

 

5.      Strategies to attract high-quality highly qualified teachers – Recruitment and retention of teachers who are certified for positions for which they are appropriately certified are on-going activities.  We closely work with our region’s HISD Personnel Officer and network with other principals to help in this effort; our own teachers also serve as recruiters.  The result has been that % of our classroom teachers are appropriately certified for the position they hold. Reference Part 2: Pages 30 and 31

 

6.      Strategies to increase parental involvement – Family Math, Science and Literacy Nights are held to increase parents in the school’s programs.  Open Houses, frequent telephone contact and weekly folder updates/newsletters are methods of recognizing parents as partners. In addition, parents are offered classes to meet their needs, for example ESL classes or TAKS information classes. Reference Part 2: Pages 5, 32, 33, 34 and 35

 

7.      Transition from early childhood programs – Contact between neighborhood day care providers and the schools is on-going in order to include neighborhood centers in early childhood activities, provide curriculum suggestions, provide information about our school and to meet parents.  Our school participates in the HIPPY program.  We sponsor opportunities for both parents and future students to visit the school and learn of our programs. Reference Part 2: Pages 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38

 

8.      Measures to include teachers in the decisions regarding the uses of academic assessments – On-going staff development is available on site to analyze assessment data, whether national, state or teacher produced, to use in making instructional decisions.  Grade level or departmental and SDMC meetings are forums to discuss assessment issues. Reference Part 2: Pages 6, 11, 12 and 17

 

9.      Effective, timely additional assistance – The use of periodic snapshot assessments and PASS allow for individual student progress to be monitored at the teacher level, building and administrative district levels so that interventions and assistance will be timely. Reference Part 2: Pages 5, 9, 12, 17 and 18

 

10. Coordination and integration of Federal, State, and local services and programs – At the building level, federal, state and local services and programs are coordinated to best address student needs and are reflected in our activities listed in Part 2.  Reference Part 1: Pages 8 and 9

 

State Compensatory Education

 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Total SCE Funds in budget:  $17,579

                                                    Position               FTE

GF1-11-6118-134-30-E1-142                   EXTRA DUTY PAY FOR TEACHERS              $10,000         

GF1-11-6128-134-30-E1-142                   OVERTIME FOR STAFF                            $6579   

GF1-11-6351-134-30-E1-142                        FOOD                                                              $1000

 

Total FTEs: 0                                                                                 $17,579

 

Description of materials and services purchased with SCE funds: Compensatory education funds are allocated for planning, programs, and services designed to improve and enhance the regular education program for students with untapped potential by providing funding for the personnel needed. These supplemental funds are being used to enhance the Title I schoolwide program at our school.. (This strategy will address: grades 3 and 4 and teachers will modify classroom instruction based on the focus on TAKS objectives shown to need additional instructional support.)The information may be found in Part II  of the School Improvement Plan (page16, Objective 6).

 


 

 

Attach Staff Development Plans (Not complete waiver)

 

 

 

 

Staff Development Date

 

Type of Staff Development

 

Brief Description

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 3, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

August 4, 2006

 

 

November 20, 2006

 

 

November 21, 2006

 

 

January 2, 2007

 

 

 

February 9, 2007

 

 

 

 

April 24, 2007

 

 

TAKS Reading, TAKS Math, TAKS Science


TAKS Writing



TAKS Math

 

 

See August 3 (above)

 

 

See August