Swanton  School  Action/School  Improvement  Plan  
2010-­2011  
 
Statement  of  purpose:  This  Action/Improvement  plan  is  written  to  ensure  that  every  
student  in  every  classroom  has  equitable  access  to  a  well  thought  out  course  of  study  
and  consistent,  high  quality  instruction.    During  school  year  2009-­2010  we  were  able  
to  create  an  operational  definition  of  our  Reader’s  Workshop  Standard  of  Practice  and  
each  grade  level  completed  one  –  two  full  units  of  study  that  connected  science  or  
social  studies  with  language  arts  and  mathematics.    Teachers  also  worked  with  the  
math  coach  to  create  end  of  unit  formative  assessments  for  all  mathematics  units.    The  
major  steps  in  the  Action  Plan  will  continue  for  2010-­2011  to  continue  to  move  
forward  with  the  major  themes  of  consistency,  coherence,  and  connections.    
 
 
Part  One:  Standards  of  Practice  
 
Background:  During  school  year  2007-­2008,  each  task  force  worked  to  define  “guiding  
principles”  and  “standards  of  practice”  for  a  balanced  literacy  program,  a  balanced  
mathematics  program,  and  an  inclusive  social  learning  program.    The  “Standards  of  
Practice”  document  was  distributed  in  March  of  2008,  after  being  vetted  by  the  
school’s  “Design  Team.”    While  the  combined  membership  of  task  forces  and  the  Design  
Team  comprised  a  large  percentage  of  teachers,  it  does  not  include  all  teachers.    
Without  further  discussion  or  operational  definitions  of  this  document,  we  have  not  
been  able  to  fully  realize  its  potential.    During  school  year  2009-­2010,  the  full  faculty  
worked  through  the  Reader’s  Workshop  component  of  the  Standards  of  Practice  and  
answered  the  five  questions  to  create  an  operational  definition  for  Reader’s  Workshop.    
The  2010-­2011  component  of  the  Action  Plan  will  be  to  work  intensively  toward  full  
implementation  of  the  completed  definition  of  a  Reader’s  Workshop  model  and  linking  
reading  to  writing  through  the  development  of  authentic  writing  that  responds  to  text.  
 
What  will  the  outcome  be?  
 
A  clear  and  consistent  model  for  Reader’s  Workshop  will  be  understood  and  
implemented  by  all  classroom  teachers  K-­‐6.  
Authentic  writing  will  be  incorporated  as  one  component  of  the  Reader’s  Workshop  
model  (responding  to  text).  
Teachers  will  explore  the  relationship  between  the  Reader’s  and  Writer’s  Workshop  
components  of  the  instructional  day.  
Students  with  disabilities  will  have  access  to  the  general  education  curriculum  
through  improved  teaching  of  research  based  specialized  reading  and  writing  
programs.  
  
 
How  will  we  measure  this?  
 
Improved  student  achievement  based  on  the  Fountas  and  Pinnell  benchmark  
testing,  fluency  measures  (R-­‐CBM)  and  NECAP  scores.  
Improved  scores  on  the  Developmental  Spelling  Assessment.  
Achievement  ratings  on  Individualized  Education  Programs  in  the  areas  of  reading  
and  writing.  
 
What  activities  will  lead  us  to  this  outcome?  
 
Ongoing  coaching  and  mentoring  provided  by  Swanton  literacy  content  specialist.  
Creation  of  21st  century  writing  experiences  for  older  students  through  the  “Digital  
Classrooms”  of  the  Vermont  Young  Writer’s  Project  
Teacher  learning  communities  examining  student  work  in  the  digital  classroom  
and/or  on  paper    
Coaching  and  mentoring  from  outside  consultants  to  support  Special  Educators  and  
paraprofessionals  in  improved  fidelity  to  research  based  reading  and  writing  
programs  
Optional  peer  modeling  and  coaching.  
 
 
What  resources  are  needed?  
 
Grade  level  meeting  time  
Release  days  as  needed  
Access  to  the  Digital  Classroom  (subscription)  and  associated  professional  
development  
Access  to  netbooks  for  all  students  
Coaching  and  mentoring  for  special  educators  and  paraprofessionals  
Access  to  research  based  reading  and  writing  programs  for  specialized  instruction  
 
Part  II:  Formative  and  Authentic  Assessment  
 
Background:  During  school  year  2006-­2007,  we  devoted  some  in-­service  and  staff  
meeting  time  to  learning  about  the  role  of  curriculum  mapping  in  defining  and  
organizing  curriculum.    During  school  year  2009-­2010,  teachers  worked  together  to  
develop  common  “connected  units”  stored  in  VCAT,  primarily  based  on  science  content.    
Teachers  also  worked  with  the  math  coach  to  develop  units  of  study  in  mathematics.    
For  school  year  2010-­2011  the  focus  will  be  on  further  developing  these  units  by  
adding  “checkpoints”  along  the  way  using  research  based  formative  assessments  and  
authentic  performance  based  assessments.  
 
What  will  the  outcome  be?  
 
Further  development  of  existing  units  of  study  in  all  content  areas  by  focusing  on  
the  development  of  common  formative  assessments  and  authentic  performance  
based  assessments.  
Deeper  understanding  of  formative  assessment  and  the  link  between  formative  
assessment  and  increased  student  achievement  
 
How  will  we  measure  this?  
 
Completed  common  formative  assessments  and  performance  based  assessments.  
Documentation  of  data  team  work  examining  the  outcome  of  commonly  developed  
formative  assessments  or  authentic  performance  assessments.  
Improved  student  achievement  scores  as  measured  by  all  measures  included  in  the  
Local  Assessment  Plan.  
 
What  activities  will  lead  to  this  outcome?  
 
Grade  level  teachers  from  all  instructional  tiers  working  together  to  develop  
common  assessments  
Grade  level  teachers  from  all  instructional  tiers  working  together  using  a  data  team  
process  to  examine  the  outcome  of  the  student  work  on  the  assessments  and  
planning  instructional  adjustments  
Vertical  teams  working  together  on  the  ETS  course,  “Keeping  Learning  on  Track”  
 
 
What  resources  are  needed?  
 
Substitutes  and/or  stipends  for  release  days    
Grade  level  meeting  time  
Faculty  meeting  time  for  vertical  teams  
Additional  coaching  in  the  development  of  formative  assessments  that  allow  for  
differentiated  instruction  
 
 
Part  III:  Social  Responsibility  
 
Background:  We  began  implementing  the  Supportive  Classroom,  a  Vermont  based  
schoolwide  program  of  integrating  social  learning  with  academics,  seven  years  ago.    In  
2006,  we  continued  to  support  our  program  of  social  learning  by  implementing  
Positive  Behavioral  Interventions  and  Supports  (PBIS)  as  a  schoolwide  model  to  
enhance  our  Supportive  Classroom  curriculum  and  use  data  to  drive  our  planning  for  
supporting  student  behavior.      
 
During  2009-­2010  the  schoolwide  bullying  approach  was  implemented  through  the  
creation  of  a  student  leadership  group,  The  Speak  Out  Swans.    Some  research  based  
Tier  III  programs  were  ordered,  but  not  fully  explored.      
 
For  2010-­2011,  the  work  on  defining  the  Social  Responsibility  Standards  of  Practice  
will  be  the  focus,  along  with  further  development  of  the  bullying  prevention  program  
and  Tier  II  and  III  interventions.  
 
 
What  will  the  outcome  be?  
 
Operationally  defined  Standards  of  Practice  in  Social  Responsibility  continued  
implementation  of  the  Supportive  Classroom  curriculum  and  bullying  prevention  
programs  schoolwide.    
 
Increased  use  of  research  based  resources  and  strategies  for  behavioral  
interventions  at  tier  2  and  tier  3.  
 
What  activities  will  lead  to  this?  
 
Time  devoted  during  full  faculty  meetings  to  operational  definitions  of  what  the  
current  Social  Responsibility  Standard  of  Practice  looks  and  sounds  like  across  all  
school  environments.  
 
How  will  we  measure  this?    
 
Completed  consensus  documents  for  each  grade  level  for  the  existing  Standards  of  
Practice  Document.    
 
Behavioral  outcomes  using  SWIS  data  
Annual  assessment  of  PBIS  using  the  SET  
Number  and  %  of  students  receiving  tier  2  and  tier  3  research  based  behavioral  
interventions  
Social  Responsibility  grades  on  the  report  card,  supported  by  a  newly  developed  
rubric  to  ensure  consistent  grading  
 
What  resources  are  needed?  
 
Full  staff  meeting  time  
Minimal  supplies  and  support  for  the  Speak  Out  Swans