Current Reality and GAPSS Review 1

Current Reality and GAPSS Review for Minor Elementary School

Silvia Carolina Parker

ITEC 7460 Professional Learning & Technology Innovation

Kennesaw State University

Current Reality and GAPSS Review 2

Rebecca Minor Elementary is a Title I school located in the Berkmar cluster of Gwinnett

County Public Schools. The Berkmar cluster is also home to the DHH (Deaf and Hard of

Hearing program). The school is a highly diverse both culturally and linguistically. Rebecca

Minor Elementary demographics from the 2015-2016 school year are as follows, Hispanic 52%,

African American 26%, Asian 14%, White 6%, and multiracial 3%. The free and reduced rate

for the 2015-2016 yeas was 88%. (Minor Elementary Accountability Report 2015-2016)

Rebecca Minor Elementary uses Gwinnett County Public Schools’ electronic learning

system called eCLASS. Each student has access to his or her eCLASS page in which they can

learn by watching and engaging in interactive modules and learning activities. Students also have

an opportunity to engage in discussions as well as turn in assignments through eCLASS. Parents

and students can also access digital textbook versions as well as electronic progress reports on

eCLASS.

Vision

The vision for technology at Minor Elementary is to be able to integrate it as an

instructional piece. The goal of the school is for teachers to teach through eCLASS modules

that correlate to the standards and that are instructionally challenging to all students.

These eCLASS modules would also be used as formative assessments in order to check for

understanding and for planning instruction. In a perfect world, a teacher would plan

lessons on eCLASS, post learning targets and activities as well as assessments. The

rationale behind the use of eCLASS is not only for students to use the electronic learning

system to learn, but also to use it as a way to improve parent involvement. Students would
Current Reality and GAPSS Review 3

be able to share their eCLASS page with their parents, and this will allow parents to better

understand the content their children are learning at school.

Needs assessment

At the beginning of the year, parents and teachers of Minor Elementary students

met to look at the previous year’s data. The data that was used came from Georgia

Milestones scores from grades 3-5 as well as quarterly district assessments from grades1-

5. At the meeting, parents were able to voice their opinions on how test scores could be

improved as well as their wishes on how their students should be educated.

The school improvement team also had an opportunity to examine the data and

share their insight on how the school can move forward. Lastly, test scores were also

shared and analyzed at staff meetings at the beginning of the year. Once the weaknesses of

the school were identified, a plan for the staff development was created for the current

school year.

The staff development for the current year was based on the workshop model for

math and language arts. Collaborative staff development sessions were structured to

formally happen twice a week. Grade level teams meet every Tuesday and Thursday for 50

minutes.

Professional learning

Even though the weekly staff development is based on math and language arts, the

focus of each meeting is somewhat different. During the Tuesday meeting, teachers look at

the standards, learning targets, and student work samples for math and language arts. In
Current Reality and GAPSS Review 4

the course of the Tuesday meeting, teachers explore the different components of the

workshop model which include mini-lesson, guided and independent practice, and

summarization. The teachers also incorporate the gradual release model to plan their

lessons. The goal of the gradual release model is to steadily move the students toward

independent practice through modeling and cooperative learning strategies.

During the Thursday meeting, teachers meet to discuss and create common

assessments for math and language arts. At the Thursday meeting, teachers look at the

depth of knowledge and the learning descriptors to evaluate the effectiveness and level of

rigor of the assessments proposed by the teachers.

Throughout the Tuesday and Thursday staff development meetings, the teachers

use a protocol called, plan-do-check-act to analyze the progress of their work. The principal

at Minor Elementary encourages teachers to openly discuss teaching practices during staff

development sessions as a way to learn from each other.

Another portion of staff development at Minor Elementary is the vertical team for

writing. The teachers who are part of the vertical team go to other cluster schools to

observe the writing workshop and bring ideas as well as model lessons for the staff.

At Minor Elementary, mentoring is offered primarily to new teachers or to teachers

who are facing instructional challenges in instruction as well as in behavior. Teachers can

schedule a session with the coach to either model a lesson, team teach a lesson, or to be

observed implementing the strategies learned in the staff development.

After the staff development is offered, teachers are encouraged to share what they

used from the staff development they received in order to see how much of it they are

bringing into their classroom practices.

Current Reality and GAPSS Review 5

Peer observations is something that would be implemented within the current

school year. The principal believes teachers should learn by observing each other, and it

would also be a great opportunity for them to collaborate.

Minor Elementary is also using the local school technology coordinator to support

staff development. The LSTC’s main goal is to supplement the work done during the

Tuesday and Thursday sessions by strengthening the use of eCLASS.

Alignment to school improvement goals

At Minor Elementary, the staff development is aligned to the school improvement

plan. The local school plan of improvement is focused on differentiating instruction and on

effectively implementing the workshop model for math and language arts as a means to

improve test scores across grade levels. Administration is frequently observing and giving

feedback to teachers in order to ensure the work done during the staff development

sessions is being implemented in the classroom. When administration conducts walk

through observations, their main focus is to observe how the workshop model for math and

language arts is impacting student learning. Data for quarterly district assessments is often

analyzed to drive future staff development sessions. The administration feedback coupled

with the teachers’ personal reflections help staff development become flexible and

consistent since it is always based on what worked and what did not.

Funding and Incentives

At Minor Elementary, a portion of the school budget is allocated for staff

development as well as Title 1 funds. Teachers have quarterly half-day planning days for
Current Reality and GAPSS Review 6

additional staff development opportunities. The school also provides substitutes for the

vertical team to go observe other schools as well as for outside conferences that teachers

wish to attend. Teachers are encouraged to attend conferences that are strictly related to

the workshop model as a way to keep the integrity of the work done during the staff

development weekly sessions.

One incentive Minor Elementary offers its teachers is the gift of time by limiting

staff development to twice a week. If the school wants the teachers to receive more staff

development opportunities, they offer this by providing substitutes. Teachers are also

given small tokens of appreciation when they are using eCLASS in their classrooms.

Diversity

At Minor Elementary, special education teachers as well as gifted and ESOL teachers

have the opportunity to informally collaborate with regular education teachers. The input

teachers of diverse students have to offer is of great benefit for regular education teachers

and other support staff. The challenge that the school is currently facing is to schedule staff

development sessions at a time in which all teachers can attend and collaborate together.

In order to make up for the scheduling problem, special education teachers and ESOL

teachers often provide strategies and staff development sessions during whole staff

meetings. With the school being highly diverse, more close collaboration should exist

among all teachers.

Current Reality and GAPSS Review 7

Collaboration

At Minor Elementary, the school wide professional development happens every

Tuesday and Thursday. It is during these meetings that teachers collaborate the most.

However, many grade levels opt to meet extra to prepare the lesson plans and activities

that will be shared during the formal weekly meetings.

In order to build the leaders at the school, administration has arranged for county

professionals to train grade levels leaders on how to effectively lead their teams during

collaborative staff development sessions. The goal of the school is to have the grade leaders

conduct the staff development collaborating meetings and to use the coach as a mediator.

Evaluation

At Minor Elementary, administration is analyzing teaching practices and student

work as a way to evaluate the effectiveness of the staff development being provided.

Observations conducted by administration are also a way to look for signs of

implementation and collaboration. The focus of the observation is to look at what the

students are doing while learning and to see if this is related to what is being discussed

during staff development sessions. Administration has been successful at emphasizing that

what is done in staff development is valuable and useful. The feedback given to the teachers

by administration should be seen as an incentive for teachers to either keep doing what

they are doing or to correct their practices.

Current Reality and GAPSS Review 8

References

Rebecca Minor Elementary Schoolwide Improvement Plan, 2016-2017

https://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/wcm/connect/c09a539d-8d2c-47f0-ae28-

4079ffa17ae2/LSPI_WEB_2016_2017_MINOR+ES.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Rebecca Minor Elementary Accountability Report 2015-2016

https://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/wcm/connect/9044e1d4-ef21-4bc9-ad2b-

1553859d4b99/MinorES.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

S. Frandsen, personal communication, February, 2017

 Georgia School Performance Standards
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
The means by which teachers, administrators, and other staff acquire, enhance, and refine the knowledge, skills, practices, and
dispositions necessary to create and support high levels of learning for all students

Professional Learning Standard 1: Aligns professional learning with needs identified through analysis of a variety of data

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Professional learning needs are
identified and differentiated
through a collaborative
analysis process using a
variety of data (e.g., student
achievement data, examination
of student work, process data,
teacher and leader
effectiveness data, action
research data, perception data
from students, staff, and
families). Ongoing support is
provided through
differentiated professional
learning.
Professional learning needs are Professional learning needs are Professional learning needs are
identified through a identified using limited identified using little or no
collaborative analysis process sources of data. data.
using a variety of data (e.g.,
student achievement data,
examination of student work,
process data, teacher and
leader effectiveness data,
action research data,
perception data from students,
staff, and families).

EVIDENCE: Based on the responses from the principal, staff development is primarily decided by analyzing standardized test
data. At the beginning of the year, teachers and parents met to analyze the data from previous year’s testing results. Parents and
staff noticed patterns in the data from grade level to grade level. They found a deficiency in the language area of math and
language arts. This is why the staff development for the 2016-2017 school year has been on the workshop model for language
arts and math.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Even though parents and teachers were included in the process of analyzing the data, I believe this should
not be limited to test scores but other pieces such as students, parents, and teacher surveys. I also believe that student work
should also play part of the data analysis. I believe the current administration is planning on including student work as part of
this data, but this won’t occur until the next school year.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards

Professional Learning Standard 2: Establishes a culture of collaboration among administrators and staff to enhance individual
and collective performance

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators and staff, as a Administrators and staff Administrators and staff Administrators and staff
foundational practice, routinely collaborate to routinely collaborate to routinely collaborate to
consistently collaborate to improve individual and improve individual and improve individual and
support leadership and collective performance (e.g., collective performance (e.g., collective performance (e.g.,
personal accountability and to construct knowledge, acquire construct knowledge, acquire construct knowledge, acquire
enhance individual and skills, refine practice, provide skills, refine practice, provide skills, refine practice, provide
collective performance (e.g., feedback). feedback). feedback).
construct knowledge, acquire
skills, refine practice, provide
feedback).
Teachers conduct action
research and assume
ownership of professional
learning processes.

EVIDENCE: Grade level teachers currently engage in formal collaboration twice a week. One of these collaboration sessions deals
with teachers going over the standards, learning targets and effective teaching practices. The second session deals with the
creation of common assessments. Teachers also meet informally in smaller groups to plan lessons and learning activities which
they present at the formal collaboration meetings.

RECOMMENDATIONS: The reason why I believe we are at the emerging level is because these formal collaboration meetings are
only structured for regular education classroom teachers K-5. Scheduling has posed a challenge for supporting staff to attend
these collaboration meetings. I believe this creates a disconnect among the staff because support staff such as special education
(resource and gifted), ESOL, and speech teachers do not have the opportunity to share and communicate ideas with the teachers
whose students they serve. By speaking to the principal, I found out that he desires for everyone to have an opportunity to
collaborate, but this has not yet happened for the current school year.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards
Professional Learning Standard 3: Defines expectations for implementing professional learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Administrators, teacher Administrators, teacher Administrators, teacher Administrators, teacher

leaders, or both consistently leaders, or both regularly leaders, or both occasionally leaders, or both rarely, if ever,
define expectations for the define expectations for the define expectations for the define expectations for the
implementation of professional implementation of professional implementation of professional implementation of professional
learning, including details learning. learning. learning.
regarding the stages of
implementation and how
monitoring will occur as
implementation progresses.

EVIDENCE: Both administration and teachers have a clear idea of how they will be monitored throughout the year. Teachers are
formally and informally observed as a way to check the progress of the staff development being provided. At this point,
observations are mainly conducted by administration; however, peer observation opportunities could become available in the
near future.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Even though the school has a good strategy to monitor staff development, this is only occurring in K-5
regular education classrooms. I believe this monitoring should be school wide in order to hold everyone accountable. This is not
to say that special education and ESOL staff are not receiving feedback from administration, but I do not believe they are being
held to the same level of expectations as the regular education classroom teachers.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards
Professional Learning Standard 4: Uses multiple professional learning designs to support the various learning needs of the staff

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Staff members actively
participate in job-embedded
professional learning that
engages collaborative teams in
a variety of appropriate
learning designs (e.g.,
collaborative lesson study,
analysis of student work,
problem solving sessions,
curriculum development,
coursework, action research,
classroom observations, online
networks). Professional
learning includes extensive
follow-up with descriptive
feedback and coaching.
Staff members actively Some staff members are Staff members receive single,
participate in professional engaged in professional stand-alone professional
learning, most of which is job- learning that makes use of learning events that are
embedded, which includes more than one learning design informational and mostly
multiple designs (e.g., to address their identified large-group presentation
collaborative lesson study, needs. designs.
analysis of student work,
problem-solving sessions,
curriculum development,
coursework, action research,
classroom observations, online
networks) to support their
various learning needs.
Professional learning includes
follow-up with feedback and
coaching.

EVIDENCE: Teachers are thoroughly analyzing every component of the learning process in their collaborative sessions. I believe
they will be pleased with the results of their hard work. Even though teachers are not currently engaged in book study, their staff
development has been planned on critical areas that truly needed attention and improvement. I admire the efforts of the
administration to keep staff development small but effective.

RECOMMENDATIONS: My recommendation would be to hold all staff to the same standards when it comes to staff development.
Support staff needs to be included in the work that is being done by the classroom teachers in order to guarantee the success of
each and every student in the school.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards
Professional Learning Standard 5: Allocates resources and establishes systems to support and sustain effective professional
learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Extensive resources (e.g.,
substitute teachers, materials,
handouts, tools, stipends,
facilitators, technology) and
systems (e.g., conducive
schedules, adequate
collaborative time, model
classrooms) are allocated to
support and sustain effective
professional learning.
Opportunities to practice
skills, receive follow-up,
feedback, and coaching are
provided to support the
effectiveness of professional
learning.
Adequate resources (e.g., Some resources and systems Few, if any, resources and
substitute teachers, materials, are allocated to support and systems are provided to
handouts, tools, stipends, sustain professional learning. support and sustain
facilitators, technology) and professional learning.
systems (e.g., conducive
schedules, adequate
collaborative time, model
classrooms) are in place to
support and sustain
professional learning.

EVIDENCE: Administration has done a great job at making sure that the staff development opportunities are strictly in
accordance with the school improvement plan. Teachers are encouraged to attend staff development that is related to the
workshop model for language arts and math. Even though this might be seen as controlling, it is a good way to make sure the
school resources are used wisely.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Both administration and teachers should be encouraged to attend outside staff development
opportunities. They should also have an opportunity to debrief together about their experiences and to share their thoughts with
the staff.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards
Professional Learning Standard 6: Monitors and evaluates the impact of professional learning on staff practices and student
learning

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Monitoring and evaluating the Monitoring and evaluating the Monitoring and evaluating the Monitoring and evaluating the
impact of professional learning impact of professional learning impact of professional learning impact of professional learning
on staff practices and increases on staff practices and student on staff practices occurs on staff practices occurs rarely,
in student learning occurs learning occurs routinely. sporadically. if ever.
extensively. Evaluation results
are used to identify and
implement processes to extend
student learning.

EVIDENCE: Teachers are regularly evaluated by administration about their learning practices and how they are putting into
practice what they are learning as part of the staff development.

RECOMMENDATIONS: I would encourage administration to make the evaluation system more teacher friendly by investing more
into personal relationships with the teachers. Observations can be nerve wrecking for some teachers, and this can cause stress in
both parties. Having open communication can help observations go smoothly.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015
 Georgia School Performance Standards
KSU ITEC Professional Learning Standard: Professional learning reinforces educators’ understanding and use of strategies for
promoting equity and high expectations for all students, application of research-based teaching strategies and assessment processes,
and involvement of families and other stakeholders in promoting student learning.

Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

Exemplary Operational Emerging Not Evident

Classroom practices (e.g.,
considering interests,
backgrounds, strengths, and
preferences to provide meaningful,
relevant lessons and assess
student progress, differentiating
instruction, and nurturing student
capacity for self-management) of
all teachers reflect an emotionally
and physically safe environment
where respect and appreciation for
a diverse population is evident.
There are high achievement
expectations for all students and
teachers. The principal and other
leaders provide professional
learning for teachers lacking
understanding of the impact that
attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background, culture,
high expectations, and social class
of both students and teachers have
on the teaching and learning
process.
Classroom practices of most
teachers reflect skill in
communicating high
expectations for each student
and adjusting classroom
activities to meet student
needs. Respect for students’
cultures and life experiences
is evident through the
emotionally and physically
safe learning environment
where students of diverse
backgrounds and experiences
are taught the school code of
conduct (customs) to help
them be successful in the
school context.
Classroom practices of some
teachers reflect evidence of
teachers’ training in
understanding the impact that
attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background,
culture, high expectations, and
social class of both students
and teachers have on the
teaching and learning process.
Classroom practices reflect
little or no evidence of
teachers’ training in
understanding the impact that
attitudes regarding race,
disabilities, background,
culture, high expectations, and
social class of both students
and teachers have on the
teaching and learning process.

EVIDENCE: Even though all staff participates in staff development, the most structured form of this is limited to the regular
education classroom teachers. Support staff needs to be working hand in hand with the teachers in order to make sure all
students regardless of race and culture, linguistic background, social status, etc. are held to the same expectations.

RECOMMENDATIONS: My recommendation would be to offer the same degree of staff development to all teachers regardless of
their role within the school. Special education teachers, RTI teachers, EIP teachers, gifted teachers, ESOL teachers, and special
areas teachers should be given the opportunity to participate in staff development that is as structured as the one offered to the
regular education teachers.

Georgia Department of Education

April 2015