District Improvement Plan

East Lyme Public Schools 2021-2022 Improvement Plan Student Success Through Recovery and Reimagining October 01, 2021

East Lyme Public Schools Message from the Superintendent of Schools The East Lyme Public Schools is committed to providing an outstanding education for every child. As we work through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are charged in identifying growth and achievement gaps within our students most impacted by the disruption of the last year and half. We will establish new baselines around student learning and utilize collected data from various measurement points. We will utilize this data to monitor and measure growth within students over the coming year.

Four established goals have been created for 2021-2022. ELPS is committed to focusing on these four goals, and this document outlines the work and identified outcomes we expect to occur. Through a focus on Social and Emotional Learning, Blended Learning, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, and Engagement and Communication we will support our administration, staff, and families in bringing forth a robust learning experience for our students.

We are committed to engaging in a collaborative process with all stakeholders to fully develop an outlined Pre-K to Twelve ‘Vision of the Graduate’. We remain true to our district mission, while also ensuring our schools continue the great tradition of providing ample opportunities for all students to engage in so they may mature and flourish from a well-rounded educational experience.

- Jeffrey R. Newton Superintendent of Schools

EAST LYME PUBLIC SCHOOLS Quality Education in a Beautiful Town East Lyme, Connecticut

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EAST LYME PUBLIC SCHOOLS Quality Education in a Beautiful Town East Lyme, Connecticut

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Social and Emotional Learning In the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) SEL Roadmap for Reopening Schools, it is recommended that schools develop an “adaptive and responsive system of tiered supports that leverages students’ assets to help them cope, navigate and strengthen their social and emotional competencies.” Best practices developed to support trauma informed instruction support the premise that teaching students how to recognize and manage their emotions, access help when they need it and learn problem-solving and conflict resolution skills matter.

To begin our commitment to Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and integration of Social Emotional strategies throughout the school day, it will be key to provide adult learning about the competencies. Combining this learning with expectations and time in the school day for explicit teaching of social and emotional skills at every grade level will begin to ensure that East Lyme students have the social emotional skills needed to move forward.

Utilizing Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) as a universal screening for social emotional skills, maintaining a commitment to 3 screenings per year, and developing a system of support for students identified as “in need” will be essential to our ability to identify root cause and work collaboratively to problem solve for students and families. In addition to data from DESSA, school-based teams will benefit from using tools such as the SEL Data Reflection protocol from CASEL in order to look at information such as attendance, engagement, discipline referrals, and cohort group trends in order to create a whole picture of student need.

District Student Problem

Students require explicit social emotional instruction based on their targeted individual needs as part of our instructional and student service model.

Structure

Districtwide Social Emotional Committee & Building-Based Committees

Standards for Effective Practice

CASEL Competencies

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High School

Solution

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If teachers are provided professional development for tier one SEL strategies, then student SEL growth will improve.

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If explicit SEL lessons are integrated into Advisory and teachers are trained to execute them, then student SEL growth will improve.

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If teachers and staff continue to model executive functioning skills, goal setting, prioritizing, responsibility, and resilience, then student SEL growth will improve.

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All students will experience direct explicit instruction aligned to CASEL SEL competencies through classroom strategies & advisory programming.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students from all identified demographic groups will report that they feel connected to at least one adult in the building.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of staff from all identified demographic groups will report that they have felt encouraged and supported to cultivate their own social and emotional competence throughout this school year.

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Building Based SEL Committee Building Based Advisory Committee

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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Middle School If all teachers are provided ongoing professional learning on researched based SEL strategies targeted to student need, then student growth in social emotional learning will improve.

• Solution

If explicit SEL lessons are integrated into Advisory, then student growth in social emotional learning will improve.

• During Advisory, all students will receive direct explicit instruction aligned to CASEL competencies which will be assessed by informal observations, exit tickets, DESSA screening, and the SEL Data Reflection Protocol.

• • •

Student Outcomes

• • •

Structure/Staffing

During classroom instruction, all students will receive instruction aligned to CASEL competencies which will be assessed by teacher informal observations, lessons/formative assessment, & DESSA screening.

• • • •

By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 90% of students will regularly engage with at least 4 CASEL competencies across all content areas.

By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 90% of students will engage in at least 14 Advisory lessons over the course of the year.

By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 90% of students will have the opportunity to engage in extracurricular clubs and activities.

When students engage in Advisory, which is based on the CASEL competencies, their capacity to utilize and employ problem solving, decision-making, relationship strategies, self-management, self-awareness, and social awareness will improve.

In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students will indicate that they feel a sense of belonging, respected, valued, and safe.

In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students will respond favorably when asked if there is at least one trusted adult in the school that they can connect with.

Building Based SEL team Building based SEL Team with teacher/staff representatives (Advisory Committee) Related service personnel (counselors, school psychologists, social worker) will “push-in” a minimum of 1 time per month External/Internal Planned Professional Learning Opportunities

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Elementary School Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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If faculty members have training and resources that support their understanding of DESSA and corresponding CASEL competencies then individual student growth in social emotional learning will occur.

• • • •

Students will participate in targeted and meaningful learning in CASEL’s Social Emotional competencies explicit SEL instruction.

DESSA Screening will be completed three times per year.

Decreased referrals to Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

Decreased office referrals.

• • •

Building Based Social Emotional Committee Building Based Leadership Team MTSS Building Based Team

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Blended Learning In the CSDE Statewide Summative Assessment Report it is cited that student growth suffered during the pandemic.

Students who learned fully/mostly in-person lost the least ground academically, while those who learned in hybrid or fully/mostly remote models showed substantially weaker achievement and growth. This pattern held true for students in all grades and most student groups. While the academic impacts were seen in all subjects, the observed differences were largest in math (pg. 30).

The typical approach to remediation—providing work better suited for earlier grades—won’t come close to catching students up and will likely compound the problem. In The Opportunity Myth, it was found that the approach of “meeting students where they are,” though well intentioned, practically guarantees they’ll lose more academic ground and reinforces misguided beliefs that some students can’t do grade-level work. In other words, doubling down on current practices for intervention will only widen opportunity and achievement gaps.

As part of our reimagine & redesign efforts, we will be focusing on strengthening our tiered levels of instruction and how we leverage technology to ensure every student is growing academically. This includes strengthening tier one instruction that integrates research-based teaching practices with technology in order to meet grade level expectations.

The use of qualitative and quantitative data will be essential in benchmarking and measuring student growth. Utilizing multiple individualized formative data points to drive daily instructional decision making in the classroom will be an area of focus. Tier two will be re-centered on targeted mastery of individual student skills and accessibility technology tools. Tier three will be re-grounded in targeted mastery of individual goals and assistive technology.

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District •

Students’ academic growth has been impacted by the pandemic. Technology integration has been based on urgency and immediate need due to the disruptions to learning throughout the pandemic. ELPS teachers will need to design and facilitate learning experiences that will allow all students to succeed. ELPS teachers will leverage technology to provide meaningful choices within a learning experience and create the time and space needed to work with individual students or small groups of learners to accelerate learning.

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Instructional Pathways Committee Curriculum Fellows Meetings Curriculum Instructional Leader Meetings Instructional Coaching Meetings Professional Learning Schedule Teaching and Learning Hub

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High Quality Blended Learning Instructional Practices Multi-Tiered System of Support

Student Problem

Structure

Standards for Effective Practice

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High School •

• Solution

• •

• • Student Outcomes

• • •

Structure/Staffing

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If teachers and content areas work with the instructional technology and literacy coaches to increase the breadth and depth of their tier one blended learning instructional practices to incorporate a variety of active learning opportunities in a block schedule, then student engagement and ownership of learning expectations will improve.

If teachers and content areas continue to utilize Google Classroom to offer students an organized platform for class expectations and varied learning opportunities (including digital), then student engagement and ownership of learning expectations will improve.

If teachers and content areas continue to strive to meet curriculum, common core, NGSS (Science), and the Vision of a Graduate for all students using a variety of teaching and learning strategies, then student engagement and success will improve.

Star Math and IXL Math will be used by the math department and MTSS staff to increase and facilitate math screenings and to target interventions.

In a 2021-2022 end of year survey, 90% of students will report being proficient at accessing and utilizing Google Classroom, Infinite Campus, and Naviance for academic success.

In 2021-2022 informal observations and learning walks administrators will observe a variety of learning activities (including the use of technology-based platforms) aimed at removing barriers and helping all learners to succeed as measured using a created observation tool.

In a 2021-2022 end of year survey, 90% of students will report utilizing a variety of learning activities throughout the school day including the use of technology-based platforms.

By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 80% of students identified for MTSS will utilize IXL math for interventions.

Teachers will collaborate with ELHS coaches to assist in the implementation of professional development and collaborate with Curriculum Instructional Leaders for follow-up.

Instructional Pathways Committee Curriculum Instructional Leaders & Content Area Curriculum Teams Professional Learning Committee Collaboration Instructional technology coach will work with teachers to research and implement tools for specific content areas MTSS Program & Staffing

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Middle School

Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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If teachers engage in at least one student-centered coaching cycle (data analysis, planning and reflection) focused on blended learning, including direct instruction, guided practice, and assessment, then student’s individual achievement will improve.

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If teachers and coaches utilize interactive technologies across all subject areas through the learning hub (e.g. Google Classroom, Class Link), then student engagement in individualized instruction will increase.

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By June of 2022 the performance index score in math for students with disabilities will increase by 2 points.

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By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 75% of students will receive a score of At/Near Standard or above on at least 3 out of 4 math and english language arts (ELA) interim assessment blocks (IAB) (ELA and math required to give 4 IABs during the 21-22SY).

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By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 75% of students will receive a score of At/Near Standard or above on at least 1 out of 2 Social Studies and Science IABs (Social Studies and Science required to give 2 IABs during the 21-22SY).

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By the end of the 2021-2022 school year, 90% of students will engage with an interactive technology demonstrated by usage reports. (e.g. Nearpod, Desmos, Amplify, etc.).

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Team Leaders Coaches Curriculum Fellows School Improvement Team

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Elementary School Solution

Student Outcomes

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If classroom teachers engage in at least two student-centered coaching cycles focused on research based instructional practices including technology integration, then students will demonstrate individual growth in math and ELA.

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All students will show growth in the standard based goals as measured by data collected through student-centered coaching cycles.

• Instructional Coaching cycles • Collaborative cycles (e.g. Teaching and Learning, grade level, professional development) • Benchmark assessments • Formative assessment (rubrics, survey data, exit slips, etc.)

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By June 2022, 75% of ELPS elementary students currently in the approaching ELA achievement standard band will move to the ‘meeting’ or ‘exceeding’ achievement standard band.

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By June 2022, 75% of ELPS elementary students currently in the approaching Math achievement standard band will move to the ‘meeting’ or ‘exceeding’ achievement standard band.

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Structures: Student-centered coaching professional development Student-centered coaching cycles Teaching and Learning meetings Grade level meetings Professional development (Wednesday morning meetings)

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Roles: Team leader Coach (Mathematics, English-Language Arts, Technology) Administrator

Structure/Staffing

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The East Lyme Board of Education, administration, faculty, staff, and students are committed to promoting equity and inclusion for all. The 2020-2021 school year was one of disruption requiring a focused ‘response’ to major educational issues. We are committed to a positive recovery effort during the 2021-2022 school year. This recovery includes a laser focus on bringing forth school and classroom activities that are equitable for all, and foster a greater sense of inclusion throughout our school district. In addition, we are committed to advancing students’ capacity as independent thinkers who through their actions yield a greater mindset and support for the promotion of equity.

District Student Problem

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Further engagement of all students in classroom and non-classroom based activities is required across the East Lyme Public Schools to promote equity, and foster greater inclusion for all.

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Focused efforts and direction provided through the District-Wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, School-Based Committees, and the Board of Education Ad Hoc Committee. Outlined domain focus areas within the Equity Institute’s audit report.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Action Teams (school-based) will follow a continuous action cycle in which they will gather information pertaining to incidents that might occur to identify and correct DEI gaps and equity issues that come forward.

Structure

Standards for Effective Practice

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High School •

If all teachers and staff are provided ongoing professional learning based on the Equity Institute audit results and ways to embed this learning into their classrooms, then our school community and culture will become more inclusive and equitable for all our staff and students.

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If explicit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues are integrated into Advisory lessons, then students will gain confidence in their ability to care for the inclusive, equitable, and empathetic school community we seek to foster and maintain.

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If each content area department reviews monthly DEI updates provided to CILs by the buildingbased DEI Committee, teachers will gain competence in universal language, current issues, and best classroom practices surrounding DEI.

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If ELHS offers programming related to career pathway exploration, then students will have more equitable exposure to various post-secondary options.

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All students will experience advisory programming focused on DEI on a quarterly basis.

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High school teachers and content area groups working through the curricular revision cycle will create a more equitable curriculum that fosters cultural awareness that encompasses the viewpoints and experiences of all demographic groups.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of teachers will respond that they have implemented professional learning based on the Equity Institute Audit into classroom lessons and discussions.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students will respond that they had classroom experiences focused on caring for and contributing to an inclusive, equitable, and empathetic school community.

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Number of students participating in internship placements will increase.

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Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees (district & building) Equity Institute Audit Curriculum Instructional Leaders Advisory Committee

Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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Middle School

Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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If all teachers and staff are provided district and building professional learning based on Equity Institute audit results and are supported with ways to embed this learning into their classrooms, then student growth and awareness will lead to more meaningful and powerful discussions.

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If all staff strive to create an equitable and inclusive environment for all students by building DEI discussions into regular team meetings and monthly staff updates, then students will have the same opportunity regardless of any challenges they may have.

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All students will experience instruction around diversity, equity and inclusion as well as experiencing these topics embedded into the content of their advisory classes thus promoting equity and fostering inclusion at ELMS.

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Five or more DEI awareness updates will be presented on the morning news by the buildingbased DEI committee.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students will indicate that they feel a sense of belonging, respected, valued, and safe.

• • •

District Wide DEI committee representative(s) Building based DEI Committee Professional Development will occur based on results from an ELMS internal staff audit.

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Elementary School Solution

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If elementary staff engage in ongoing professional learning and develop an understanding of culturally responsive teaching practices, then students will benefit from an environment that validates and reflects the diversity, identities, and experiences of all students.

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As a result of elementary staff engaging in professional learning students will experience a school environment that promotes equity and fosters inclusion.

Maintain a welcoming learning environment where all students feel a sense of belonging, respected, valued, and safe.

All students will have access to an equitable and inclusive environment for all where students have the same opportunity regardless of any challenges that may exist.

In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of students will indicate that they feel a sense of belonging, respected, valued, and safe.

• Student Outcomes

• •

Structure/Staffing

• • • •

District wide DEI committee Elementary DEI committee Implementation of Choose Love and Responsive Classroom Dedicated daily SEL block (student morning meeting)

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Engagement and Communication After a full year of non-traditional schooling for our students due to disruption from COVID-19, it is imperative that we return to the structure and sense of stability that a school day and week looks like for our students. The day and/or week may not look the same in the sense of how students are engaging in learning given we have made significant and important gains in the use of technology across the district. What stands firm is our need to reengage our parent community in the school-based activities that will return and be occurring during the 2021-2022 school year. Furthering these partnerships will be imperative as we reconnect with families, engage them in the learning that their child(ren) is involved with, continue ongoing messaging with clarity and resolve, and bring forth school events and activities that foster parent and stakeholder participation across every grade level and building.

District •

Attendance, engagement, and meaningful communication between home and school was disrupted and needs to return to its fullest capacity to support academic and social emotional success, while also improving stakeholder commitment and participation.

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School Leadership Teams; Parent Advisory Council; PTA/PTO; Parent/Teacher Conferences; school-based events and activities engaging stakeholder participation, SEAC (Special Education Advisory Council); community and town partnerships.

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CSDE Evidence-Based Practice Guide -Family Engagement

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CSDE Equal and Equitable Partnerships with Families: Definition and Framework for Family Engagement

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Attendance Works Resources

Student Problem

Structure

Standards for Effective Practice

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High School

Solution

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If all teachers and staff are provided continued professional learning and support in best practices using both Infinite Campus and Google Classroom, then communication with students and families about classroom and academic expectations will be clear and consistent across all content areas.

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If all staff receive continued professional development in Infinite Campus, then monitoring attendance will be enhanced and communication with students and families will be timely and proactive.

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If all student families receive clear communication through videos and/or school-based communications about the use of Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, and Naviance, then they will be better able to track student progress and growth over the course of the school year.

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All students will be able to check their progress in their coursework regularly in Infinite Campus with grades updated bi-weekly and missing assignments marked consistently regardless of content area or course.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 85% of teachers will respond that they experienced continued training in best practices for instructional tools, including Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, and Naviance.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 75% of parents will respond that they have received consistent, clear, and effective communication from ELHS administration and faculty.

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In the 2021-2022 end-of-the-year climate survey, 85% of students will respond that they received training on access and use of Google Classroom, Infinite Campus, and Naviance to support their overall success at ELHS.

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Departments PLCs Monthly Special Education Advisory Council Board Meetings / Quarterly SEAC Parent Meetings HS Principal Weekly Newsletter

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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Middle School •

If ELMS administration communicates to families on a consistent basis through weekly updates in the areas of academics, SEL and DEI by using various modalities, then parents will be better informed of the instruction occurring at East Lyme Middle School.

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If ELMS teachers communicate to families on a consistent basis through quarterly updates, then parents will be better informed of the instruction occurring at East Lyme Middle School.

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ELMS administration will send home a weekly parent letter and/or video, IC updates, updates to ELMS website, emails/phone calls.

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100% of students on team will receive important updates via team Google Classroom

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Student families will receive at least 30 letters and/or videos from ELMS administration over the course of the school year

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Student families will receive, in addition to regular emails, phone calls and team meetings, 2 videos and 2 newsletters from ELMS teachers

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Students and families will receive 6 newsletters from school counselors over the course of the year

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Team leader will sign up for dates/times to send newsletter/video and be responsible for reviewing contents prior to sending to administrators.

Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

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Elementary School •

If elementary staff build relationships with students/families by maintaining a consistent communication system and providing parents opportunities to be involved in classroom/ school activities, then students/families will be connected to students’ education, engaged in the school community, and be encouraged to attend school.

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By providing a welcoming environment through consistent communication and resuming family events/activities throughout the school year, a sustained family school partnership will return to its fullest capacity and positively effect student outcomes.

Solution

Student Outcomes

Structure/Staffing

• • • • •

Attendance Data Parent Climate Surveys Principal Weekly Sway Analytics Seesaw Analytics DESSA Results

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Instructional Technologists will provide instructional guides and support for accessing SeeSaw, Infinite Campus, and translation of correspondence.

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Administration will share the attendance policy at the beginning of the year and mid-way through the year.

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Leadership team

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MTSS team

•

Social Emotional Learning committee

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Glossary DESSA: The Devereux Student Strengths Assessment is used as a screening assessment tool related to social emotional competence and resilience.

CASEL: The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning is a collaborative group of various stakeholders that help to build a shared knowledge, drive quality implementation, and guide supportive legislation related to Social and Emotional Learning. CASEL has been at the forefront of the social and emotional learning movement.

MTSS: Multi-Tiered System of Supports is a framework used by the district to identify struggling students and provide targeted support aligned to their needs. These supports a geared to support the “whole child” and can be focused on both academic and social and emotional needs.

Tier I Instruction: Tier one instruction is research-based classroom instruction aligned to core standards. Typically tier one instruction is synonymous with the “core” instruction. It’s the classroom level of instruction that all students have access to.

Tier II Instruction: Tier two instruction is differentiated instruction and/or intervention for students who are demonstrating deficits through assessment data in areas such as math, literacy and/or behavior. This type of instruction is usually provided to students in small groups.

Tier III Instruction: Tier three instruction is a more intensive level of instruction than tier two instruction for students who continue to demonstrate deficits through assessment data in areas such as math, literacy and/or behavior. For example, if a student is not demonstrating success in tier two, a student may be moved to tier three for a more intensive intervention usually defined by the frequency of time spent in intervention and more individualized supports for students.

IAB: Interim Assessment Blocks are provided to districts by the CT state Department of Education. They are a useful way to check student progress and to gather information about learning that can inform instructional decision making.

Star Math: Star math is an assessment tool to identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses regarding math skills. The information collected from this program is used to support tiered instruction.

IXL Math: IXL Math is an online comprehensive curriculum geared to support tiered instruction for students in need of additional support in a specific area.

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