Here's Marlborough's Public Schools 5 Year Plan Final Believe 2016 and Scorecard 11-16-11

Hi
Building a world-class school system
Believe 2016
Marlborough Public Schools - Five-Year Strategic Plan October 2011
Table of Contents Executive Summary .. 7 Introduction Setting the Context ... 9 Building on our Strengths Addressing our Challenges .. 14 Superintendents Four Corners of Success ....... 16 Our Core Values Guiding Principals .... 17 Our Vision Mission Goals ..... 18 Our Theory of Action ..... 19 Our Strategy For Improvement .. 20 Our Current Status ...... 21 Measuring our Progress .. 23 Priority Initiatives ... 25 Goal 1: Student Achievement 30 Goal 2: Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency .. 43 Goal 3: Family Involvement and Community Engagement .... 51 Goal 4: Culture .. 55 Goal 1 Score Card .. 61 Goal 2 Score Card .. 70 Goal 3 Score Card .. 72 Goal 4 Score Card .. 73
From the School Committee
Dear Marlborough School Community, It is with great pleasure that we present to the community of Marlborough, Believe 2016, Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan. Over two years ago, the School Committee embarked upon a fact-finding mission to engage all stakeholders in a conversation about our schools and what we must do to constructively and purposefully move our district forward into the 21st Century. We want to thank all of you who have taken part in that preliminary effort, and respectfully acknowledge the many teaching professionals, administrators, local leaders and parents who have engaged and collaborated with our new Superintendent this past year to generate this living document a dynamic map of our shared futures for providing an exceptional educational experience for all of our students. We are optimistic about supporting this ambitious plan that focuses our work for the next five years directly on teaching and learning. As a community, we must now share a single focused goal: collectively building a world-class school system that truly prepares all students for the realities of a global economy. The School Committee would like to acknowledge all the stakeholders as well as the district Leadership Team for compiling the supporting data and subsequently developing this comprehensive document. The energy and vision of our new Superintendent, Anthony Pope, Ed.D., have been instrumental in blending the spectrum of community expectations into this inaugural edition of the Strategic Plan. We believe that working together allows the best of all opportunities to emerge; through mutual efforts outlined herein, we have just begun to tap the intellectual potential and heartfelt will to authentically put Marlborough on the map of 21st Century excellence in public education. The pride that community ownership confers is priceless. The legacy we will realize for all 21st Century global learners will be built together from the foundations outlined in Believe 2016. Please join us on this journey of growth and mutual accomplishment. Respectfully submitted, School Committee Marlborough Public Schools Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan page 4 of 73
From the Superintendent

Dear Colleagues and Marlborough Community, We are very excited to present the Marlborough Public Schools five-year strategic plan, Believe 2016, which outlines the goals and objectives for providing every child, every day, in every classroom access to a world-class education. Our strategic plan was created through a process that started two years ago that engaged the Marlborough community and brought together honest feedback from all stakeholders, research, and data about our school system to outline a clear direction for the future of all of our children in Marlborough. Guided by our core values and clearly crafted goals to increase student achievement and close the opportunity and achievement gap for all students, ensure effective and efficient operations of all district resources, foster partnerships with the Marlborough community and improve communication and engagement, and build a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed, this plan aspires to lay the foundation and framework to make Marlborough Public Schools a place where ALL children experience a world-class education that prepares them for a global society. We begin this year with both excitement and hope regarding the possibilities for our future because with this strategic plan Marlborough now has a coherent focus and a roadmap that will help prepare our students for the 21st Century. Guided by our Four Corners of Success - a focus on the instructional core, high expectations for everyone, using data to inform our planning, and strong accountability for everyone we are poised to accomplish our goals. Over the next five years we will focus on developing a world-class curriculum, closing the achievement gap, providing quality professional development, and developing innovative school models. Thanks to everyone who contributed to the development of this plan and their commitment to the students of Marlborough Public Schools. I welcome all of you to BELIEVE today that by 2016 we will have created an environment where ALL CHILDREN have access to a rigorous curriculum and are challenged, supported and inspired to BELIEVE in themselves. I look forward to all of us working together for all of our children. Respectfully, Anthony Pope, Ed. D.
Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan
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Believe.
in a day when excellence is the norm, diversity is our strength, and success is measured by holding each other accountable. in a day when teachers, leaders, staff, parents, community, and policymakers have high expectations for all of our students and align our decisions to collectively support teaching and learning in every classroom. in a day when students learning experiences are meaningful and relevant, families and partners are actively engaged, operations are effective and efficient, and all students achieve high levels of success. in a day that we will see our children graduate from a world-class school system ready to lead, innovate and collaborate in a 21st Century global society that we are inventing..... together.
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Executive Summary
The development of Believe 2016 involved many people who dedicated their time and energy to help create a comprehensive plan to provide clear direction for the Marlborough Public Schools for the next five years. It will be this type of dedication and commitment that will be required to accomplish our goals that we have outlined in Believe 2016. Our children deserve a quality education that prepares all of them for life in the 21st Century. With a strong focus on the instructional core and having high expectations for all students and staff, we will challenge ourselves to do what is right and provide an exceptional educational experience for our children. We all must use data for planning and also hold ourselves and each other accountable for educating all Marlborough children. One question that all of us must answer is, what do we Believe about educating all children? Do all of us have the will to challenge our old beliefs that have not yielded any results? John Dewey once said, Man is not logical and his intellectual history is a record of mental reserves and compromises. He hangs on to what he can in his old beliefs even when he is compelled to surrender their logical basis. If all of us truly Believe that every child deserves a quality education that is equal in expectation and opportunity, our answer is simple. Our children deserve our best, which means all adults must be willing to challenge old beliefs and do whatever it takes to contribute to educating our children. Our vision in Believe 2016 is supported by four district goals: Goal 1 Student Achievement - All students in Marlborough Public Schools will learn at high levels of academic expectations, and the achievement gap will be eliminated. Core Curriculum - Develop, refine, and deploy an academically rigorous curriculum that is aligned with state and national standards and embeds 21st Century skills. Effective Instructional Practices - Provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to implement effective research-based instructional practices in their classrooms to support and improve teaching and learning. Data Driven Culture - Ensure the development and implementation of a comprehensive data system that utilizes data to inform curriculum and instructional planning. Closing the Achievement Gap - Develop districtwide strategies that are research-based and proven effective in closing the achievement gap. Innovative School Models - Provide all students access to a wide range of curricular options through the development and implementation of proven school models that offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum. Advanced and Accelerated Offerings - Provide increased opportunities for our highest academic performers so that they are engaged in a rigorous and stimulating curriculum. Early Childhood - Develop and implement quality Early Childhood programs districtwide to provide a solid foundation to give students the social and academic experiences that will enable them to start school prepared. Technology Integration - Ensure the integration of technology throughout the core curriculum and in the instructional delivery in classrooms that reinforces 21st Century skills.
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Executive Summary
English Language Learners - Enhance the services for English Language Learners (ELLs) to accelerate the academic achievement of all ELL students. Special Education - Ensure that special education students are held to high standards of academic achievement while recognizing and supporting their diverse learning needs.
Goal 2 Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency - All operations in Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective. Aligning District Supports - Ensure that all instructional and operational supports of the district are aligned, developed and trained to effectively support the instructional core. Service-Oriented Culture - Promote a service-oriented culture throughout the district that is responsive to the needs of all schools and district services. Financial Accountability - Ensure that we are responsible stewards of public funds and implement structures and systems that align all of our resources to the instructional core. Technology Systems - Ensure the effective implementation of technology in all aspects of district operations to efficiently address the various technology needs. Human Resources - Ensure the development and implementation of effective Human Resources practices and processes throughout the district and schools. Facilities and Transportation - Maintain efficient, safe and quality facilities and transportation services throughout the school district. Goal 3 Family and Community Engagement - Marlborough Public Schools will foster partnerships with the community and improve communication and engagement to support our students and school system. Support and Engagement - Engage parents, families, and the community and build their support for district goals to improve the education of all children. Communication - Improve internal and external communication to parents, families, teachers, and schools throughout the school district. Goal 4 Culture - Marlborough Public Schools will foster a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed. Character Education - Develop and deploy a comprehensive character education curriculum throughout the district and integrate all aspects of teaching and learning. Bullying and Cyber-Bullying - Implement a system to help support the prevention of student bullying and cyber-bullying throughout the district. Cultural Awareness - Enhance cultural awareness and understanding throughout the school district and school community to strengthen teaching and learning. Recognition of Success - Develop structures and programs throughout the district to recognize the many successes of staff, students, and all positive aspects of the school district.
Introduction
There is nothing wrong with pursuing a vision for greatness but it means having the humility to grasp the fact that [we] do not yet understand enough to have the answers. Jim Collins, Good to Great The Marlborough Public Schools is fortunate to benefit from a committed group of staff, an involved community, and a variety of academic and extracurricular opportunities. However, as our population has diversified and the demands of a global workforce continue to increase, student achievement has progressively declined. We must recognize that excellence and equity are inseparable, and pockets of quality for some students amidst differing expectations for other students is not acceptable. We can no longer tolerate the pervasive achievement gap that is allowing too many of our students to fall through the cracks. This Strategic Plan provides a blueprint for the Marlborough community that brings together proven elements of successful school districts under a new vision to become a world-class school district. As we collectively identify our core values and redefine our expectations for all students, we must embrace the diversity of our families and work harder to engage them. We must couple our efforts to develop an aligned pK-12 curriculum and improve instruction across the district with significant support to accelerate student achievement. Our operations and resource allocations need to become more organized, efficient, and aligned to our instructional priorities, in order to more effectively support teaching and learning in every classroom. Because we know that the adults who work with and on behalf of our children have the greatest influence on their future, everyone must be held accountable for their success. Our potential to fulfill our promise to Marlboroughs children lies within our collective will and begins with a single word Believe . When we believe that every student in the Marlborough Public Schools will graduate college and be career ready by 2016, our students have a better chance of instilling the confidence within themselves to succeed. We must accelerate progress and opportunities for our students if we want them to become successful in their future. We cannot tolerate low student achievement and the opportunity and achievement gaps that still exist for too many students. We must work together to increase achievement, embrace diversity and implement supports and systems that will lead to increased student achievement.
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Introduction
The strength of a strategic plan lies in the foundation that a school district collectively builds to support it. Beginning in January 2010, the Marlborough School Committee embarked on a journey to begin the development of a five-year strategic plan. The school district brought in the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE) to conduct an initial needs assessment for the entire district. ICLE collected and analyzed district and school performance data to identify strengths and potential areas of need. The needs assessment helped the school committee and the district leadership team identify trends in student performance over time. Using survey results, data was also collected regarding schoolwide leadership, culture, instruction, and student engagement. During ICLEs assessment, all Marlborough Schools participated in a Collaborative School Review. This review took place February March 2010. During these visits, the consultants met with district and school leadership teams, visited numerous classrooms, and conducted focus group meetings with teachers, students, and parents. Using the International Centers Learning Criteria to Support 21st Century Learners, they evaluated how successful our schools are in providing educational experiences for students in the areas of foundation learning, stretch learning, learner engagement, and personal skill development. Because of the extraordinary efforts of the Marlborough School Committee, 10 focus group meetings were conducted. These meetings provided valuable insight into the current state of the district as viewed through the eyes of our school community stakeholders. Meetings were generally 60-90 minutes in length. Participants were asked to respond to a series of similar questions. Additional interviews were held with district personnel that included the upper leadership team. Additional meetings were also held with the districts various employee group leaders, as well as the superintendent and principal of the county vocational school. More focus group meetings were held with various parent groups representing special needs, advanced students, PTO groups, school councils, and athletic and music booster groups. In order to gain a broader perspective on the parental assessment of the district and its programs, we included a focus group of parents who elect to send one or more of their children to schools other than Marlborough schools. In order to gain insight from community members, focus group interviews were scheduled with representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce, local realtors, and members of the city council. Resulting from the focus groups as well as other data, ICLE submitted its recommendations to the school committee and district leadership identifying strengths, challenges, top priorities, and recommendations. While ICLE was completing its needs assessment, the School Committee hired a new Superintendent to lead Marlborough for the next five years. Immediately, the new superintendent analyzed and validated the work of ICLE and then outlined a 90-day entry plan that would yield essential data needed to help guide the development of this strategic plan. The goal of the superintendents entry plan was first to engage all stakeholders and solicit their feedback to continually keep a pulse on what is occurring in schools and the community and to create a continuous cycle of review, assessment, and improvement. A main goal of the superintendents entry plan was to accelerate the leadership transition by gathering critical information quickly and to
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Introduction
establish a strong community presence early in order to gather data regarding the needs, objectives, and priorities of the school district to inform the strategic planning process; to identify the districts strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement; and to begin building public trust and strengthen engagement in our schools. Data that was collected during the superintendents entry was integral to the development of this plan and was collected from various activities that included meetings, focus groups and conversations with teachers, students, administration, families, community, and local media, as well as collaboration with the school committee. Data also was collected from visiting numerous classrooms throughout the district, parent and community forums, teacher forums, riding school buses, and Workout Wednesdays. These different venues were well attended and provided a place where all stakeholders could voice their concerns and visions for the future of the Marlborough Public Schools. Document review was also helpful in collecting data for the strategic plan. The assessment conducted by the superintendent was guided by four essential questions: What should he know about the Marlborough community? What should he know about Marlborough schools? What is working well and should be sustained? What needs attention and could be improved? The superintendent framed the data collection and analysis through a lens for strategic planning developed by Richard Elmore and colleagues at Harvard University, called the Public Education Leadership Project (PELP) Coherence Framework. This framework served as both a lens for organizing the initial findings during entry and as a framework for developing a districtwide strategy to ensure high levels of achievement in the Marlborough Public Schools. PELP Coherence Framework The PELP Framework is designed to: (1) Identify the key conditions that contribute to district-wide improvement. (2) Describe the interdependencies between those conditions and the strategy. (3) Guide the strategic planning process for all stakeholders within a district.
E N V I R O N M E N T CULTURE STRUCTURE STRATEGY INSTRUCTIONAL
student teacher content
STAKEHOLDERS
CORE
SYSTEMS
E N V I R O N M E N T
RESOURCES The Instructional Core, or the essential work of teaching and learning, lies at the heart of the Coherence framework. The Instructional Core is based on the premise that the interconnections between teachers knowledge and skill, students engagement in their own learning, and academically challenging content lead to student achievement. The five surrounding elementsCulture, Structure, Systems, Resources, and Stakeholdersare organizational factors that support the Instructional Core. These elements are critical to implementing a districtwide strategy for improvement; district leaders greatly influence their effectiveness or lack thereof. Lastly, Environment often represents factors beyond district leaders control, yet those factors certainly can influence the success of district operations and strategy implementation.
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Introduction
Each element in the PELP Coherence Framework provided essential data grounded in research, which contributed to outlining a model for effectiveness in those areas, and a synopsis of the current reality in Marlborough with some recommendations for improvements. The synthesis of data provided us with the elements to propose a districtwide strategy with priority goals and objectives. As a result of these efforts, the School Committee approved four districtwide goals that will guide our district operations, decision-making, teaching and learning agenda, and all budget priorities going forward. As we redefined our work to focus on the Instructional Core, from aligning budget priorities to reorganizing the central office leadership structure to more closely support schools and students, we defined our core values, set districtwide goals, and engaged a broad range of staff and community voices about expectations for students to graduate from Marlborough Public Schools prepared for
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Introduction
the increasingly demanding workforce needs of a 21st Century global society. Most importantly, the work we began planted seeds of hope and commitment and the courage to believe in the success of all of Marlboroughs children. Fortunately, there is no shelf that is capable of holding our Believe 2016 Strategic Plan, because our plan lives in our hearts. By beginning the year with a single word Believe we began to implement the plan before it was even written. Together, we laid the foundation to bring a new vision for a world-class school district to life. The strategies presented in this document link carefully crafted action steps to our vision and specifically targeted benchmarks for measuring progress toward the districtwide goals. Believe 2016 will move our work forward by outlining a pathway for every Marlborough students educational journey over the next five years, with particular attention to gathering measurable evidence of progress every school year. Now the exciting challenge is to find ourselves in the plan, in each of our different roles, and strive toward making 21st Century college and career readiness a reality for every student, in every classroom, every day. If we hold ourselves accountable to our promise to the children and families of Marlboroughs community, the question we will ask each other is not Where, but rather, How are you bringing our Strategic Plan to life for Marlboroughs children?
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Building on our strengths addressing our challenges

Learning Organizations are organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together. Peter Senge Identifying Marlboroughs strengths and challenges through the lens of the PELP Coherence Framework for strategic planning provided essential data findings that grounded the strategy for the development of this strategic plan. Assessing the district through this framework, with The Instructional Core at the center of our analysis, and surrounded by elements of district operations that influence and support the Instructional Core - Environment, Culture, Structure, Systems, Stakeholders, and Resources - the strategies needed for systemwide improvement became very clear. Environment -The analysis suggests that Marlborough has tremendous potential to provide a worldclass education for its students, but has many issues to address in order to move in that direction. The national education landscape is demanding greater emphasis on accountability, 21st Century skills, and preparing students for a global economy, while aligning all states around a consistent set of internationally benchmarked standards (Common Core). All of these elements are lacking in Marlborough and this plan outlines strategies to address these challenges. Because family involvement is integral to student achievement, Marlboroughs increasingly diverse demographics will make it essential for the district to reach out to the wide variety of stakeholders within the community. There is a strong need to address issues related to student expectations and performance levels. Culture - In a climate of frequent transitions in district leadership, Marlborough Public Schools has not benefited from the opportunity to collectively answer the question, What do we believe about ensuring that all students can and will succeed? We have begun and will continue the process of identifying our core values and developing norms for how we do business, which will be reflected in every aspect of school and district operations. Our norms will be based on the Four Corners of Successhigh expectations for all students, the Instructional Core, using data to inform our planning, and implementing a system of accountability in all district operations. Structure & Systems - We are fortunate to have many caring and well-intentioned staff across the district. However, in the absence of direction and consistent district leadership, decisions are often made in isolation or based on relationships. Many standard operating systems and procedures are missing in a variety of district functions, particularly financial reporting and budgeting, Human Resources, staff evaluations, and communication with all stakeholders. We are moving toward a system of accountability in which clear processes are in place that put the best interests and needs of students at the core of every decision-making process. We also are reviewing our organizational structure and staff roles to determine how we might better support our Instructional Core. Stakeholders - In Marlboroughs multilingual community, it is becoming especially important to engage families whose voices have traditionally not been heard, including Spanish- and Portuguesespeaking families, clergy, and community organizations. Amidst a wealth of local industry, there is
Building on our strengths addressing our challenges

hugely untapped potential to expand our existing partnerships. Although school department relations with City Council and School Committee have historically experienced tensions, we have begun and will continue to cultivate very positive relationships. Meetings with teachers, administrators, and students, along with recent community and parent forums, teacher focus groups, and Workout Wednesdays have been well attended. Initial feedback from all stakeholders is appreciative of opportunities to share their input. Going forward, it will be critical to ensure a high level of continued public engagement by improving our vehicles for communication. These include improvements to our district Web site and translation services, and establishing advisory councils with representation from diverse groups of stakeholders. Resources - Marlborough is fortunate to receive substantial funding from the city, despite tough economic times. However, because we are currently operating in the absence of district goals, spending is inconsistent and varies too much across buildings. A very important goal will be to streamline our spending and budgeting to our districtwide strategic goals in every aspect of district operations, especially budget. Some high-quality technology resources are available, but again, it exists in pockets; we need to build overall infrastructure and capacity with instructional technology. Our greatest resourceour peopleare talented and committed professionals. Unfortunately, because many of their teaching assignments are not matched to student needs, our personnel structure is not supporting the Instructional Core. A new human resources director will help us improve our processes to better utilize the strengths of our staff. The Instructional Core -The foundation of a well-functioning school district is the interdependence between teachers skill and knowledge, student engagement, and academically challenging content. Through classroom observations, many engaging lessons have been seen, but also observed have been many teacher-directed lessons and/or lessons that engage students at lower levels of rigor. Some of our specialized programs exist in isolation, such as our special education (SPED) and English Language Learner (ELL) populations. INSTRUCTIONAL Moving forward, we will direct our efforts toward building capacity in all three of these elements in order to improve student learning for ALL students. These include developing a Marlborough Public Schools Curriculum Framework that aligns our agreed-upon expectations to national and state standards, teacher content establishing collaborative structures for teams to develop a culture of reviewing student assessment data and using it to CORE inform instruction, and a research-based professional development model that will empower teachers to build their capacity to strengthen our Instructional Core. While focusing on the Instructional Core, we must aggressively respond to the impact of globalization, technology, and the increasing demands of post-secondary readiness.
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Four Corners of Success

The Four Corners of Successhigh expectations for all students, the Instructional Core, using data to inform planning, and accountability in all areas of operation are the guiding principles that we plan to anchor in all of our work. When these four areas are working seamlessly together, research has shown that we maximize students potential for high achievement.
High Expectations for All Students
The Instructional Core
STUDENT LEARNING
Due to frequent transitions in Marlboroughs district Using Data Accountability leadership in recent years, staff has not benefited from to for All the opportunity to establish norms or even a process Inform Planning for attempting to think about them. The Four Corners of Success will serve as our norms and guide our goals and objectives in this strategic plan. Student success is possible when we believe in our students and we develop a culture that focuses on the Instructional Core. High expectations, strong teaching and learning (Instructional Core), data to inform our decisions, and accountability in all of our actions, conversations, and behavior should be visible, more than just on paper, but in all of our interactions. The challenge becomes, how do we ensure that all of us are guided by our norms? Some teachers may believe that all students can succeed, others may believe that only some will succeed, and some will, unfortunately, give up too easily on certain children. How can we ask everyone to have high expectations when our personal belief systems may differ? This is, by and large, the toughest part of our work. Many leaders in the field agree that we change our beliefs by changing our practice. In the words of Ronald Ferguson, closing the achievement gap begins with teacher encouragement. Our intent is that these measures will move us away from feeling despair when students struggle (I taught it, but they didnt learn it.) to a culture of shared responsibility and ownership of ALL students learning. When we focus on the Four Corners of Success, with the Instructional Core at the heart of our efforts, we will develop a culture that supports each other rather than working in isolation. In this type of culture, our attitude becomes one of empowerment. It says, I will not be done teaching it until they have learned it.
We have everything we need in public education, the question is do we have the will to do what is needed for our students. - Ron Edmunds
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Our Core Values
Marlborough Public Schools will
foster
Community
with students, families, faculty and staff, administration, businesses, and local organizations... through open and honest communication, reflection, and collaboration... as evidenced by a safe learning environment where everyone can take risks and grow academically, physically, emotionally and socially. provide the
Opportunity
for all learners to achieve success and maximize their full potential... through developing skills for problem solving, critical thinking and adaptability to create life-long learners... as evidenced by fostering the continued development of and participation in educational, extra-curricular and community programs. show
R E
towards self, others, learning and property... through celebrating, honoring and valuing diversity, honesty, integrity and trust... as evidenced by embracing individual and cultural differences. strive for
Respect
in education... through continued development and utilization of innovative, comprehensive, and consistent curriculum throughout the district... as evidenced by graduating students who are more than adequately prepared for college and/or careers leading them to become caring, thoughtful, productive citizens who can face the demands of a complex, challenging and ever-changing world.
Excellence
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Our Vision - Mission - Goals

Our Vision Together, we will develop a vision for the district. Our Mission Together, we will develop a mission for the district. We will know when our students are prepared for a Global society when they are: Critical thinkers and creative problem solvers. Skilled communicators. Highly skilled in literacy, mathematics, and scientific thinking. Collaborators. Resourceful, reliable, resilient, and physically active. Involved in our communities and connected to the world.
We believe that our vision and mission can be accomplished if we believe in all of our children, support our teachers and staff, share accountability, use data for planning, and focus on the following goals: Goal 1: Student Achievement All students in the Marlborough Public Schools will learn at high levels of academic expectations, and the achievement gap will be eliminated. Goal 2: Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency All operations in the Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective. Goal 3: Family Involvement and Community Engagement Marlborough Public Schools will foster partnerships with the community and improve communication and engagement to support our students and school system. Goal 4: Culture Marlborough Public Schools will foster a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed.
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Our Theory of Action

A Theory of Action is the bridge between our current reality and our vision for a world-class education that ensures high level of achievement for all students, and it encapsulates our collective beliefs, informed by research and best practice, about what it will take to strengthen our Instructional Core across the district. A Theory of Action links our goals student achievement, efficient district operations, family and community engagement, and a culture of high expectations to our districts five-year strategy to reach those goals. In outlining our Theory of Action, we have narrowed our focus to the areas that we predict will make the greatest impact on student achievement while expanding opportunities for all students because excellence and equity are inseparable. A Problem of Practice, a statement of the most pervasive issue(s) impeding our students success, provides the context and rationale behind the Theory of Action. Problem of Practice With frequent leadership transitions over the past ten years, Marlborough Public Schools has held no clear vision or direction around expectations for professional practice, resulting in weak and often non-existent accountability structures for teachers and administrators. Across the district, small groups of talented, committed staff demonstrate pockets of excellence in teaching and learning, but formal structures for collaboration or sharing best practices are limited because schools operate in silos with a poorly aligned preK-12 curriculum and limited professional growth. Until now, there has been no sense of urgency around NCLB Corrective Action status to refocus on the Instructional Core effective instruction, rigorous content, and student engagement. How can we increase staff awareness of effective instructional practice, build capacity across the district, and strengthen accountability in order to raise student achievement? Theory of Action A strong Instructional Core depends on teacher capacity, student engagement, and challenging content. IF We develop a professional learning model that builds teachers capacity to target the differing needs of our students, and Strengthen instructional leaders capacity to support and foster a culture of high expectations for learning and effective instruction, and Increase rigor and relevance in all content areas through a common set of learning expectations aligned to state, national, and international standards, and Our model is supported by data coupled with increase accountability for all staff, THEN We will raise academic achievement overall and close the achievement gap.
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Our Strategy for Improvement

Strategy We must focus on the Instructional Core, and make sure that all of our efforts are aligned to strengthen and support it across the district, in all four of our goal areas, for systemic improvement. Now that we have developed a district strategy to raise achievement for all students with this plan, we also have developed measures of accountability to ensure consistent, effective implementation of these elements and clear roles and responsibilities, expectations, and procedures across the district. The diagram below provides a general overview of our districtwide strategy to strengthen our Instructional Core and depicts the interconnections between our district goals, our theory of action, and measurable action steps (objectives) as outlined in the following pages of this Strategic Plan.
Student Achievement Effective Operations Family & Community Engagement Culture
pK-12 Curriculum aligned to national standards & 21st Century skills
Teaching staff equipped to meet needs of all learners
Balanced, consistent system of assessments tied to desired learning outcomes
Collaborative professional culture to ensure support and professional growth
Re-defined organizational structure
Revised protocols & procedures for smooth operations
Enhanced use of technology to increase effectiveness
Stronger accountability measures to ensure effectiveness
S T U D E N T S U C C E S S
Formal and informal structures to engage community voices
Increase industry & community partnerships to expand student opportunities
Extensive outreach to diverse populations
Enhanced flow & regularity of communication, internal & external (e.g., website)
Core values & norms that embody high expectations for the success of all students
Shared ownership of & strategies to support all student populations
Celebration & showcase of accomplishments across the district
All staff PD, resources & operations aligned to district goals
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Our Current Status

On the national scope, our country is moving toward elevating the standards for educational achievement to a level comparable to international standards through a consistent set of expectations called the Common Core Standards. Heightened emphasis on 21st Century skills of problem-solving, leadership, flexibility, creativity, self-direction, and collaboration is driven by industry needs for greater innovation in a global economy. Massive retirements and an increasingly diverse population are raising the demand for and changing the face of a more competitive workforce, particularly in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Accountability is tightening not only for students, but new evaluation models and standards for teacher performance are being introduced. Although academic performance is high for some students in the Marlborough Public Schools, too many students still are not making progress and gaining access to the world-class education that they deserve. The data over the past decade reveal our changing demographics and declining student achievement. It provides a picture of how far we must go in order to get from our current reality to our vision of achieving the ambitious Believe 2016 Strategic Plan goals. Marlborough is a hub for high-tech industry and home to almost 38,000 individuals from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, which presents opportunities for industry partnerships and community involvement. Marlborough Public Schools is a district of 4,736 students, served by an early childhood center, three K-4 schools, one 5-8 middle school, and a high school of grades 9-12 that includes an alternative program. Meanwhile, the citys population has grown significantly through the 1990s and steadily since then, with an influx of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking families. As the citys demographics have changed, so have our schools. About 60% of our school district population is White and 31% of Marlborough Public Schools children are now Latino, in contrast to 6.4% in 1994. The remaining student body is 2.8% African-American, 3.4% Asian, and 2.5% mixed races. This trend poses an exciting opportunity to diversify our student population, while challenging us to better meet the needs of the now 29.3% of our students whose native language is not English. Students from low-income families make up 38.1% of our schools, and 21% of our students are receiving special education services. MCAS achievement has been steadily declining over the past three years, and we need to acutely target our efforts to increase success for all of our students, particularly among our SPED and ELL students, and especially in mathematics. Some of our greatest improvements in academic achievement have been made just recently at the high school in 2010, with our ELL population. These results emerged directly from recent efforts to shelter content to integrate ELL instruction with general instruction and staff. Our focus is to build on these promising results and our philosophy of moving toward a more inclusive model.
Student Achievement
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Our Current Status

The perception of Marlboroughs schools by families of students who attend private, parochial, or charter schools is not surprising. Some residents consider our schools mediocre and lacking in some fundamental aspects of teaching and learning. Other parents of both in-district and out-of-district children feel that our schools are unresponsive to them and to their childrens needs. Meanwhile, amidst an environment of transition, for the first time in Marlboroughs history, we are a district in corrective action according to No Child Left Behind status. The demands of preparing students for a global society and the skills needed to enter the changing workforce for the 21st Century are rising. Massachusetts technology and STEM fields are experiencing workforce shortages, while 75% of all jobs nationally now require bachelors degrees and often prefer advanced degrees. Although we have a relatively high graduation rate of 90.2% overall, our Latino, SPED and ELL populations are not performing as well.
Culture
Historically, Marlborough has endured frequent transitions in district and senior leadership positions. As a result, although there are pockets of excellence within schools and individual classrooms, schools have been operating in isolation, making it difficult to share expertise, information, and resources across the district. Together, we can and must move toward a culture of collaboration, consistency, and accountability that will enrich our students academic and personal lives. Taking a hard look at our environment and current reality means that we can no longer avoid the achievement gaps and dropout rates of our ELL and SPED populations. It means that we will need to engage all stakeholders in our growing multicultural community more than we have historically. It also means that we must develop a set of common learning expectations, a Marlborough Public Schools curriculum framework, that aligns with Common Core standards and 21st Century skills and serves as a guidepost for breaking down walls of isolation that leave students, teachers, and administrators unclear about what they should be learning, teaching, and expecting about student success. We must believe that we are the agents of change who can and will influence students lives and outline a roadmap for their success.
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Measuring Our Progress Measurements are not to provide numbers, but insight.
- Ingrid Bucher
The strategies and action steps described in this plan will not all be implemented in year 1 or even in year 2 or 3, but they will be phased in between now and 2016. We will continue to be very transparent so that all stakeholders understand our goals and progress toward the goals we are outlining in this plan. While we understand that we are outlining an aggressive plan, we know that fiscal realities can strongly influence how quickly we move forward. We will set goals every year based on student achievement metrics and process goals. An example of a process goal would be to open a STEM Academy and to move fourth-graders to the elementary schools. Our strategic plan will be the baseline for all of our schools to outline their goals in their school improvement plans as well as all other departments in the district. We will set all of our goals at the beginning of every year and follow a quarterly schedule to report on our progress toward our goals yearly. The benchmarks will be stepping stones to accomplishing our 2016 targets. Beginning in October of every year, the school department will present a State of the Schools Address where we will present to the Marlborough community our yearly annual report that will report on outcome and process goals from the previous year. We will also use this time to set outcome and process goals for the upcoming school year. For the first year of our strategic plan, 2011-12 school year, we will present our five-year strategic plan and goals for the 2011-2012 school year. We will publish and distribute our yearly annual report as well as post it on our Web site. We will also create opportunities for the public to provide feedback annually on the progress of the strategic plan and use the feedback from our stakeholders to determine if modifications are needed to the goals, objectives, or implementation of Believe 2016. In April of every year we will publish a mid-year progress report on the goals that we set in October for that year. In addition to posting on our Web site we will also hold a community forum to allow our stakeholders to provide feedback. In September of every year we will publish our district year-end report card for the public and also the individual school report cards from the previous year. This report card, which will be based on our goals and objectives of Believe 2016, will allow our community to get a glimpse of our progress systemwide and for each individual school before the State of the Schools Address. The baseline for measuring our progress will be the data from 2011. Our targets will be set for 2016 and our goal over the next five years will be to meet all of the targets by 2016. Continuous measurement of our benchmarks will contribute exponentially to raising accountability for all of us who are responsible for implementing and meeting the goals of Believe 2016. As it is often said, what gets measured gets done. Our challenge is to ensure that we are continually measuring our progress to plan appropriately and be held accountable for the future of all of our children.
Measuring Our Progress
MARLBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

175 Washington Street, Marlborough, MA 01752 Anthony Pope, Ed.D., Superintendent Enrollment: 4,754 African-Americans Latino
White Asian
BASELINE 2011
INDICATOR GUIDE Target Met Target Missed ^ Positive growth
5 schools 2 programs English Language Learners Special Education Low Income
< > out of 26 targets met
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
All students in the Malborough Public schools will learn at high levels of academic expectations, and the achievement gap will be eliminated.
2011 2012 Baseline Goal
2016 Target Target Met
OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY

All operations in the Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective.
2016 Target
Target Met
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Marlborough Public Schools will foster partnerships with the community and improve communication and engagement to support our students and school system.
2016 Target
Target Met
CULTURE
Marlborough Public Schools will foster a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed.
2016 Target
Target Met
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Priority Initiatives
After identifying areas of the most need, we prioritized many initiatives that we feel will be essential to making Marlborough a world-class school district. We outlined ten priority initiatives that will receive more intensive monitoring, planning and systemwide coordination. Progress will be reported quarterly to the superintendent and communicated to the School Committee. There are outcome and implementation metrics for each initiative and many are included in the District Strategic Scorecard. The following Priority Initiatives will be closely monitored beginning this year and throughout our five-year strategic plan. Develop a world-class curriculum. Innovative School Models. A Collegial Professional Development Model. Expanding and Strengthening Operations and Communication. Eliminating the Achievement Gap. Enhancing Services for Special Education and English Language Learners. Strengthen Middle Level education. Transforming to a Data-Driven Culture. Curriculum Framework Accountability. Develop a systemwide accountability system.
Developing a World-Class Curriculum The Instructional Core combines teacher effectiveness and student engagement with rigorous content. Providing students with access to academically challenging content begins with a solid curriculum framework a set of agreed-upon expectations and plans that outline the progression of learning in all content areas pK-12. When articulated clearly through collaboration and consensus, curriculum communicates our values and provides a pathway for every student to achieve the intended learning goals. In response to our curriculum audit conducted during the winter and spring of 2011, articulating a pK-12 curriculum will become Marlboroughs top priority. We will ground our work in research-based curriculum models and best practices, such as identifying Power Standards, Understanding by Design, and international models such as International Baccalaureate. It will be essential that we engage and empower teachers, staff, and administrators at every grade level and content area, including SPED and ELL. We must collaborate to identify the prioritized learning standards, related key understandings, knowledge and skills, 21st Century skills, and college and career-readiness expectations for all students. Key components of this initiative include: Curriculum Development: The results from our curriculum audit and feedback from teachers and administrators consistently communicate the urgency to develop a clear path for what we expect our children to know in Marlborough. The curriculum development work started over the summer of 2011 with collaboration at all levels. Our work will continue during the school year and our goal will be to complete grades prek-8 and be ready for the beginning of 2012.
The Marlborough Learning Lens, an overview of our desired learning outcomes for pK-12 students, will be completed in the fall of 2011-12. Ongoing work, to incorporate a system of benchmark and common assessments and a wide range of instructional strategies to widen students access to the curriculum, will continue throughout the 2011-12 school year and beyond. The contents of the Learning Lens for ELA and math will be aligned to the new 2011 Massachusetts frameworks, which are based on the national Common Core Standards. The content and nature of the MCAS will evolve over the next few years until a new national assessment is implemented (expected in 2014). As a result, academic progress in this area will become more evident over time, because the MCAS will change over the next few years to better align to Common Core learning expectations. Innovative School Models When we provide access to a wide range of options for students, we increase their likelihood of success. Drawing on small schools research, we plan to explore and phase in a series of new and innovative school models over the next few years. Some possibilities include the International Baccalaureate program at the elementary level, a dual-language program in which both native and non-native students learn in both English and another language, high school career pathways such as business/entrepreneurship, and a pK-12 STEM strategy that combines a STEM early college high school with a feeder elementary STEM program. Marlborough is fortunate to have developed strong partnerships with local industry, and it is receiving Race to the Top program assistance to partially fund our STEM ECHS, which opened in Fall 2011. The program is serving approximately 120 students in 6th grade and about 75 students in 9th grade. One grade level will be added each year, forming a grade 6-12 model by 2014-15. The core curriculum will be entirely project-based, interdisciplinary, and integrate engineering/technology, as well as awareness of STEM careers. Students will engage in projects with authentic, real-world applications of their learning in partnership with local industry, including internships. In partnership with Framingham State University, students will enroll in college courses during their junior and senior years. Our goal is to offer a 1-to-1 laptop model, in which every student uses a laptop and technology is woven throughout the curriculum A Collegial Professional Development Model We are taking a systemic approach to professional development districtwide. Teachers, leaders, and staff will align their course-taking and engagement in professional learning opportunities to districtwide goals and their own professional goals. They will work collaboratively with principals and Instructional Leadership Directors to develop their own Professional Growth Plans, identify effective opportunities to reach their professional goals, and follow-up opportunities to reflect on their practice. Our collective work will be guided by a Professional Learning Communities approach, in which teams develop a culture of working collaboratively to improve student achievement through regular analysis of student data and reflecting on instruction.
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Priority initiatives
A Collaborative Coaching model will engage staff in opportunities to observe, plan and reflect together, and learn from each other. Professional development will be facilitated primarily in-house through this model, by celebrating, sharing, and building on the expertise of our staff. Our strategy will be to differentiate professional development through a tiered model, in which staff participates by professional need, rather than desire or requirement. Here are a few examples of priority topics for professional growth to support our strategic initiatives for the 2011-12 school year: Curriculum alignment, including Power Standards, Understanding by Design, and Common Core Standards in ELA and Mathematics, including the standards of Mathematical Practice Differentiated Instruction strategies (e.g., flexible grouping, compacting, complex instruction, orbital studies, etc.) Technology integration Project-based leaning ELL category trainings and specific support for content immersion Walk-through protocols (i.e., Instructional Rounds, Learning Walks) Systems training (e.g., iPass, School Fusion)
Expanding and Strengthening Operations and Communications The new organizational structure directly supports our ongoing need and priority to streamline and make all of our district operations more effective. Our goal is to reduce overlaps and inefficiencies while implementing structures, procedures, and processes that will clearly communicate expectations and consistent processes across buildings and programs. These range from human resources to finances to professional development and school operations. A new communications liaison will focus solely on communications and fostering a customerservice oriented culture throughout the district. This position will manage and facilitate communications among parents and families, the media and general public, School Committee and town representatives, and other stakeholders. The communications liaison will also oversee and update the school districts Web site to ensure that communication is user-friendly and available in multiple languages. In addition, formal communication vehicles have been established this year to inform the district vision and ongoing work, including a Parent Advisory Council, Community Advisory Council, Student Council, Parent and Community Forums, Teacher Forums, and Workout Wednesdays. These groups will continue to meet regularly. Enhancing Services for English Language Learners Our efforts to accelerate the academic achievement of English Language Learners (ELL) include changes in staffing, program, and services. First, we budgeted for the addition of an ELL Director position to begin on July 1, 2011. In collaboration with the Instructional Leadership Directors and Principals, the ELL Director will oversee instructional
programming for ELL students in Marlborough and support program staff. In addition, our goal is to move toward a more inclusive model for both our ELL and SPED populations. Including ELL staff in our districtwide curriculum articulation initiative will become critical to ensuring that these students have access to a wide range of instructional strategies and that all teachers build their capacity to support English Language Learners through professional development. We will re-assign staff toward a model of less pull-out and more integration into the regular classroom wherever possible. To enhance our outreach to families who speak languages other than English, we are allocating funds for more robust and widely accessible translation services. We will also explore outreach services, such as Welcome Family Enrollment Centers, which facilitate the home-school transition through native language communication, home and school visits, family events, and resources. Using Data to Inform Decisions. Making more effective use of student achievement results will form the backbone of our ongoing efforts to streamline our data systems. Drawing on Nancy Loves and Doug Reeves research, we will establish school-based Data Teams to engage in a regular Cycle of Inquiry that collects, reviews, reflects, and uses multiple forms of student data to inform instruction. These teams will communicate with Instructional Leadership Teams and become part of the fabric of our increasingly collaborative peer-based Professional Learning Communities model.
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Goal 1 Student Achievement
All students in Marlborough Public Schools will learn at high levels of academic expectations, and the achievement gap will be eliminated. - All children receive a high quality early childhood and fullday kindergarten experience, entering school ready to learn, grow, and succeed. - All students enter each grade with prerequisite skills, knowledge, and understanding. - All students receive the supports they need in order to reach their full potential. -Every student has access to expanded options and environments for learning. - All staff embrace the diversity of its families and engages them in their childrens learning. - All students are exposed to a work-based experience before graduation. - All students graduate ready for success in college and/or careers. - All leaders and staff are committed and equipped to meet the needs of our diverse learners. - School and district leaders support and center all of our efforts around the Instructional Core. - All staff collaborate to ensure the success of all of its students.
BELIEVE in a day when
World-Class Instruction for all Students

The only way to improve student achievement is to strengthen our Instructional Core. While other factors are important and certainly support the work of teaching and learning - family involvement, student motivation, and extracurricular activities - no other research-based strategy directly impacts results as the effectiveness of classroom instruction. The three elements of the Instructional Core academically challenging content, teacher effectiveness, and student engagement provide the keys to unlocking every students potential to succeed. However, we do not have the luxury of choosing it is only when we strengthen all three of these elements in concert with each other that we will see concrete change in our students learning and academic performance.
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Core Curriculum
GOAL 1
Objective 1 Develop, refine, and deploy an academically rigorous curriculum that is aligned with state and national standards, which embeds 21st Century skills.
Strategies Develop Marlborough Public Schools foundation and expectations for learning by developing Pre-K through 12 curriculum framework. Embed Common Core standards into all aspects of the core curriculum. Integrate 21st Century skills into all aspects of the core curriculum. Develop a system for monitoring the implementation of our new curriculum to ensure accountability. Integrate learning experiences that are inquiry based, student driven, projectbased and personalized. Develop teacher tool kits that provide resources that are aligned with the core curriculum. Ensure that the core curriculum integrates rigor and relevance needed in preparing students for post-secondary education and career opportunities. Incorporate purposeful writing across all content areas. Expand the opportunities for students to take world languages beginning in the primary years. Link the core curriculum to real-world and field experiences to provide students with instruction that is relevant. Integrate community and service learning in all aspects of the curriculum. Implement structured learning walks/instructional rounds to assist with the monitoring of the core curriculum. Develop curriculum-based assessments that are aligned to the curriculum to ensure implementation and student monitoring. Engage a wide variety of district and school staff in the development of the core curriculum. Post the curricular frameworks on the district Web site for teachers, students, and parents. Post the complete districtwide curriculum on the district Web site for teachers, students, and parents. Improve supports for struggling learners by improving interventions, resources and training.
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Effective Instructional Practices

GOAL 1
Objective 2- Provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to implement effective research-based instructional practices in their classrooms to support and improve teaching and learning.
Strategies Implement a new organizational structure that deploys three Instructional Leadership Directors (ILDs) to support principals and schools on implementing instructional best practices in the classroom. Develop and implement a comprehensive professional development model/plan. Develop a process and system for teachers to identify their individual learning needs for their own professional growth. Develop and implement a systemwide evaluation system for teachers and administrators tied to performance goals. Outline districtwide expectations and standards for defining quality instruction. Align classroom instruction to curriculum frameworks and core curriculum. Develop and implement a districtwide professional development calendar and course offerings. Develop and implement structures for vertical collaboration that takes place school to school and vertically within schools. Provide training to teachers and staff focused on 21st Century instructional strategies. Develop and implement professional learning communities. Implement a Collaborative Coaching model that will engage teachers and staff in opportunities to observe, collect data, plan, and reflect together, and learn from each other. Observe classrooms using commonly developed protocols and engage in collaborative conversations around professional teaching practices. Explore research-based approaches to effective instructional strategies for diverse populations and engage in reflective dialogue around student learning. Implement a model for using data to inform instruction. Ensure that every school provides common planning time in all content areas and grade levels.
Effective Instructional Practices

GOAL 1
Objective 2- Provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to implement effective research-based instructional practices in their classrooms to support and improve teaching and learning.
Strategies Provide training to teachers and staff on integrating technology in the classroom. Establish clear and uniform teaching standards and expectations for teachers that will serve to guide teaching and learning in classrooms. Provide professional development focused on differentiated instruction, academic rigor, and the use of data to inform instruction to provide teachers the support to teach the core curriculum. Develop and implement a teacher assistance program for new and struggling teachers. Enhance the new teacher and staff induction program to provide new teachers with the knowledge and skills to be successful in the classroom. Create model classrooms in which current teacher and potential teachers can observe highly effective teachers delivering instruction. Implement a Teacher Leader model to support classroom instruction. Provide target professional development to paraprofessionals to prepare them to support teacher instruction in the classroom. Provide targeted professional development for substitute teachers to provide them with the knowledge and skills to be successful in the classroom. Enhance all counseling and support services to help support all students. Increase our collaborative partnerships with all local and state agencies. Enhance all extra-curricular programs throughout the school district.
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Data Driven Culture

GOAL 1
Objective 3 - Ensure the development and implementation of a comprehensive data system that utilizes data to inform curriculum and instructional planning.
Strategies Identify, develop, and implement a balanced student assessment system that measures student mastery of the districts Core Curriculum, state, and national standards. Identify research-based assessment tools for gathering baseline data and measuring progress in student reading and writing achievement for all levels. Identify research-based assessment tools for gathering baseline data and measuring progress in student math and science achievement for all levels. Develop and implement common formative assessments across all grade levels. Provide ongoing professional development to teachers and staff on how to use data to inform their planning in the classroom. Develop protocols and structures for looking at student work. Create data teams at all schools and provide professional development data for the team. Create a districtwide data team. Identify, develop, and implement a comprehensive data warehouse system. Create a student portfolio system for collecting authentic student data. Develop and implement authentic assessments where students can display their knowledge and skills in multiple ways. Develop and implement assessment rubrics that align to our district mission and expectations for student learning. Identify a lead data specialist at each school to facilitate data teams and discussions.
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GOAL 1
Objective 4 Develop districtwide strategies that are research-based and proven effective in closing the achievement gap.
Closing the Achievement Gap
Strategies Develop and implement an early warning indicator system for elementary, middle, and high school students that include the indicators of: attendance, academic achievement in math and Reading/ELA, and student behavior. Create school-based attendance teams to follow up on students who are consistently tardy and absent to school. Focus on early childhood education districtwide. Implement a system for periodically monitoring equitable grouping of students across the district. Provide professional development and training to teachers and staff on instructional strategies for meeting the needs of diverse learners. Develop and require all students to have an Academic Learning Plan. Provide career exposure beginning in elementary school with a focus on internships, apprenticeships, and career exploration activities. Educate parents about strategies that they can do at home to assist their children.
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Innovative School Models

GOAL 1
Objective 5 Provide all students access to a wide range of curricular options through the development and implementation of proven school models that offer a rigorous college preparatory curriculum.
Strategies Research, develop, and implement an integrated STEM K-5 elementary school. Research, develop, and implement a STEM Early College program for grades 6-12. Develop and implement a dual-language K-5 elementary school that provides Spanish and Portuguese pathways. Implement the International Baccalaureate (IB) school model at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Create a career academy system at the high school that focuses on career exploration, 21st Century learning, and community service, which integrates internships and exposure to various careers. Provide professional development for teachers that will focus on the assigned school model. Work collaboratively with teachers to research and develop important components of the school model to be implemented.
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Advanced and Accelerated Offerings

GOAL 1
Objective 6 Provide increased opportunities for our highest academic performers to ensure that they are engaged in a rigorous and stimulating curriculum.
Strategies Research and develop appropriate assessments that identify students that are demonstrating academic achievement that is advanced or accelerated. Increase the number of students who are taking Advanced Placement courses at the high school. Develop and implement a pre-advanced placement pathway at the middle school. Develop and implement an advanced and accelerated system for elementary students. Develop and implement a dual-enrollment program for high school students which allow them to enroll in college courses. Develop and implement an advanced and accelerated system for middle school students. Research, develop and implement processes and practices that identify students early for advance and accelerated offerings. Provide professional develop to teachers and staff on meeting needs and maintaining rigor for students who are in need of advancement and acceleration.
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Early Childhood
GOAL 1
Objective 7 Develop and implement quality Early Childhood programs districtwide to provide a solid foundation to give students the social and academic experiences that will enable them to start school prepared.
Strategy Expand preschool offerings for all eligible students throughout the city of Marlborough. Research and develop a full-day kindergarten program throughout the district as a requirement for all students. Enhance the early childhood curriculum and align to the district pre-K through 12 core curriculum. Integrate STEM curriculum and instructional strategies within the early childhood core curriculum. Create early childhood centers throughout the city of Marlborough by engaging our community partners to help prepare students before they enter kindergarten. Research, revise, develop, and implement consistent developmental screening to determine levels of need in cognitive development, social and emotional development, language development, and fine and gross motor skills. Improve process for identifying children with developmental delays and provide support to them and their families. Provide language assistance for English Language Learner students and their families. Establish an Early Childhood center within one of our schools to offer child care for district staff. Develop parent-friendly guides to be distributed to homes, pre-schools, and home care providers that outline the common standards and expectations for kindergarten entry.
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Technology Integration
GOAL 1
Objective 8 To ensure the integration of technology throughout the core curriculum and in the instructional delivery in the classroom that reinforces core 21st Century skills.
Strategy Provide ongoing professional development for all staff focused on integrating technology in the classroom. Research, identify and implement a districtwide student technology assessment to monitor and assess students knowledge and skills with increasing their 21st Century readiness. Provide increased technology in the classroom in the form of more computers for students and teaching resources for teachers supported by professional development. Develop a districtwide technology integration plan. Promote greater integration of technology across the curriculum at all levels. Research, identify and implement a districtwide staff technology assessment to focus professional development. Provide technology rich classrooms for all students and provide teachers with professional development to maximize the potential of rich technology for instruction.
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English Language Learners

GOAL 1
Objective 9 Enhance the services for English Language Learners (ELLs) to accelerate the academic achievement of all ELL students.
Strategy Research and develop an effective research-based structure and methodology that outline the learning standards for English Language Learners. Develop and implement a dual-language program for elementary students with a Spanish and Portuguese pathway. Provide professional development for all teachers to become better prepared to instruct English Language learners. Identify effective assessments that are aligned to the district core curriculum. Identify appropriate resource materials for supporting teachers with ELL instruction. Provide professional development to teachers focused on SIOP and SEI instruction. Revise, develop and implement screening practices for placing English Language Learners. Develop and implement a districtwide translation service for students and families. Develop a program for newcomers and families that provides intensive transition supports in instruction and community engagement. Provide opportunities for all staff on cultural awareness focused on understanding other cultures and how to help meet their needs. Conduct consistent Parent and Community forums within the Latino and Portuguese communities. Increase the number of English Language Learners participating in advanced classes.
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Special Education
GOAL 1
Objective 10 To ensure that special education students are held to high standards of academic achievement while recognizing and supporting their diverse learning needs.
Strategy Develop a system for evaluating existing Special Education Programs. Provide students with high-quality special education opportunities within their home district. Provide special education teachers with current research based professional development around instructional practice. Develop clear and consistent program descriptions and guidelines for the provision of modified or alternative curriculums to meet student needs. Establish districtwide data collection and analysis procedures to monitor student progress. Research program models for the provision of special education services Establish an ongoing process for the self-evaluation of special education programs. Increase opportunities for collaboration with families and community resources. Create quality district programs to increase the number of students who receive services within the school district. Implement student Individual Education Plans (IEP) with reliability and develop a process to review implementation to hold staff accountable. Make curriculum more accessible to special education students. Implement a phase-in model of inclusion for special education students. Provide collaborative learning opportunities for special education students through the implementation of a co-teaching model. Increase opportunities for special education students to participate in school activities. Develop processes and practices that decrease the number of students who are over-identified for special education. Provide ongoing professional development for all teachers to support an inclusion model for special education students. Provide staff with training on how to analyze learning experiences to determine the best use of differentiated methods.
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Goal 2 Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency
All operations in Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective. All staff have and regularly engage in opportunities to grow professionally and individually. - Resources are aligned to district goals and distributed fairly and consistently across schools. - All operations are streamlined to work efficiently to support the Instructional Core. - Staff, students, and families know exactly where to go and whom to ask for help.
World-Class Operations
The structures, systems, and resources in place to support the instructional core organize districts to generate better results. These range from finances to infrastructure to people. The ways that teams are organized, reporting structures, mechanisms for decision-making and accountability, resource allocation, and professional growth opportunities can directly support or hinder student achievement. The success or our school community in having an impact on student achievement is partly dependent on how well we are organized to support schools and how efficient we are in our processes and systems that we put in place to ensure that all operational components of our district are aligned and support the instructional core. We must also be very transparent in how we operate and be clear to all of our stakeholders about how our system flows. The absence of a clear and efficient operational system makes it difficult to support teaching and learning in an effective way. We must eliminate all excuses to why we are not seeing the results we know students can deliver. In Believe 2016 we have outlined how we will develop and implement an operational system district wide that is effective and efficient and supports teaching and learning. The objectives and strategies are laid out on the following pages.
It is not childrens poverty, race, or background that stands in the way of achievement. It is school policies and the beliefs that underlie them, that pose the biggest obstacles. - (Love & Stiles)
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Aligning District Supports

Goal 2
Objective 1 To ensure that all instructional and operational supports of the district are aligned, developed and trained to effectively support the instructional core.
Strategy Reorganize the central office leadership structure to directly support learning and schools. Establish protocols for interaction and oversight between central office and school staff. Provide training to select staff that promotes a service-oriented culture throughout the district. Monitor all finances to ensure that our resources are aligned to the instructional core. Nurture and build the capacity of all employees to best support academic achievement. Create opportunities for cross-school and cross-grade collaborations.
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Goal 2
Objective 2 To promote a service-oriented culture throughout the district that is responsive to the needs of all schools and district services.
Service Oriented Culture
Strategy Increase and maintain positive levels of the school communitys (students, parents, teachers, and staff) perceptions regarding schools and central office being a welcoming and friendly environment. Develop and implement a system for monitoring communication and responsiveness with principals on key maintenance issues. Provide professional development to all secretaries/clerks in the district on effective customer service strategies to work with the school community. Resolve critical technology-related issues in a timely manner. Resolve critical facilities-related issues in a timely manner.
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Financial Accountability
Goal 2
Objective 3 Ensure that we are responsible stewards of public funds and implement structures and systems that align all of our resources to the instructional core.
Strategy Fine tune the format and structure for monthly reporting to the school committee. Research, refine and develop financial reporting improvements. Consistent implementation of MUNIS districtwide. Training on MUNIS software for all finance staff and administrators. Outline a defined budget process based on district goals (needs). Develop processes for reporting projections for future years. Redefine finance department positions and salary allocations. Pursue more external grants. Create collaborative finance committee city council, school committee, superintendent. Streamline end-of-the-year processes. Develop process to consistently and periodically review all district contracts. Actively pursue all cost saving measures. Demonstrate regular compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
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Goal 2
Objective 4 Ensure the effective implementation of technology in all aspects of district operations to efficiently address the various technology needs.
Technology Systems
Strategy Develop a comprehensive school district technology plan to be implemented over the next five years. 3-5 computer stations in every classroom throughout the school district. Mounted projectors in every classroom. Develop effective systems for tracking technology issues. Provide secure Wi-Fi environment in all schools. Review, develop, and maintain a seamless technology infrastructure. Develop, implement, maintain and monitor technology polices, standards, and controls for the purchase and use of technology. Revise, and develop a replacement cycle for technology throughout the district. Provide technology hardware and training required to integrate technology into the curriculum and instructional practices of teachers. Implement a comprehensive data warehousing system. Improve network performance throughout the district. Ensure internet and district WAN capacity will meet increasing demand as instructional technologies are brought on line.
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Human Resources
Goal 2
Objective 5 Ensure the development and implementation of effective Human Resource practices and processes throughout the district and schools.
Strategy Review and revise job descriptions districtwide. Develop and implement a new recruitment process. Implement a new attendance system that has data reporting capabilities. Develop an employee handbook that outlines needed information for all employees. Define and implement clear systems for HR and Finance Department collaboration. Create a comprehensive reporting and review of processes. Reduce redundant paper use and flow through the development of more efficient electronic systems. Develop a districtwide professional development plan for all staff. Improve system for reporting absences and attendance coordination. Create accountability and reward system for attendance and absences. Create an interview review process for substitutes. Provide a professional development model for substitutes to support them in the classroom. Develop a teacher retention program. Enhance the new teacher induction program. Develop and implement a leadership development program. Review and revise employee salary scales where needed.
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Goal 2
Objective 6 Maintain efficient, safe and quality facilities and transportation services throughout the school district.
Facilities and Transportation
Strategy Develop a comprehensive district safety plan. Develop processes and procedures for bus transportation that include protocols for emergencies, discipline, late buses. Develop an annual process for evaluating student bus stops to enhance efficiency. Research, develop, and implement an internal transportation system that is district owned. Conduct routine assessments of district facilities and enrollment for the identification of capital projects. Enhance processes for responding to work orders and streamlining cost of operations. Enhance processes for outlining long term projections for facility needs districtwide.
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Goal 3 Family Involvement and Community Engagement
Marlborough Public Schools will foster partnerships with the community and improve communication and engagement to support our students and school system. Families are welcomed and supported, and receive prompt responses to their questions. Parents and caregivers visit school regularly to observe their childrens progress. Community voices are regularly invited into district decision-making processes. Students, teachers, and leaders have access to a wider range of opportunities and exposure to careers through community partnerships.
Comprehensive Involvement for all Families
When families entrust us with their children, they hold us accountable to deliver on the promise of providing a world-class education and earn the right to share their perspectives on supports that might accelerate their childrens success. The importance of family involvement in a childs education cannot be overstated, from fostering early literacy and homework habits to simply ensuring that parents are informed. As the demographics of our community continue to diversify in language, culture, and socioeconomics, making connections and developing relationships with family members and community organizations will become critical to ensuring the success of all of our students. Also important to our childrens education are the many industries that exist in the Marlborough community that are leaders in their fields. This creates an incredible opportunity to expand our partnerships and opportunities for our students to access real-world applications of their learning, and to foster interests that may generate careers right here in their home town. These partnerships have the potential to become our greatest strength. Our goal in Believe 2016 is to outline goals and objectives that will assist us with increasing information flow and inviting broader community participation.
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Goal 3
Support and Engagement
Objective 1 Engage parents, families, and the community and build their ability to support district goals to improve the education of all children.
Strategy Create structures that invite and encourage parents and families to actively participate in student learning. Hold monthly parent and community forums that focus on district goals and issues. Develop a parent advisory council and hold monthly meetings. Develop a community advisory committee to engage more of our industry partners. Develop a districtwide teacher advisory to the superintendent to meet monthly. Develop a student advisory to the superintendent. Enhance volunteer and community partner resources to support the school system. Create structures that engage our local industries and partners to support student learning.
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Goal 3
Objective 2 Improve internal and external communication to parents, families, teachers, and schools throughout the school district.
Communication
Strategy Develop and implement a districtwide translation system. Develop a districtwide newsletter to be distributed monthly. Implement a content management system to improve the district and school Web site presence. Research and create a new district Web site. Implement a parent portal that provides essential information to parents. Develop parent-friendly guides that will be available on the district Web site that communicate student learning expectations to families. Research and develop a comprehensive district calendar for all district activities. Provide access for parents and families to the district curriculum framework and Pre-K through grade 12 curriculum.
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Goal 4 Culture
Marlborough Public Schools will foster a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed. Every school year is filled with enthusiastic, passionate, effective teachers, leaders, and staff who welcome every child and nurture their potential to succeed. Every employee knows how his/her work is connected to the districts core values and goals. Every child knows that there is greatness inside of him/her and is motivated to pursue it. Every adult is driven by the belief that every child can and will succeed. Every family believes and knows that our school system will fulfill our promise to its children. All staff holds each other accountable for our results.
Culture of Believing
The effectiveness of a district hinges on the beliefs of its leaders and staff. In todays environment, school districts, including ours, must recognize that the success or failure of every child is our collective responsibility and establish a culture of high expectations, collaboration, and accountability. The challenge becomes, how do we ensure that all of us are guided by a culture of believing in every child? Some teachers may believe that all students can succeed; others may believe that only some will succeed, and some will, unfortunately, give up too easily on certain children. In Marlborough, we must address this void and eliminate the visible separation of students by ethnicity, both socially and in distinctions between lower- and upper-level classes. How can we ask everyone to have high expectations when our personal belief systems may differ? This is, by and large, the toughest part of our work. Many leaders in the field agree that we change our beliefs by changing our practice. In the words of Ronald Ferguson, closing the achievement gap begins with teacher encouragement. In Believe 2016 we outline objectives and strategies to help us address our culture throughout the district and school community.
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Goal 4
Objective 1 Develop and deploy a comprehensive character education curriculum throughout the district integrated in all aspects of teaching and learning.
Character Education
Strategy Research and identify comprehensive character education standards as a foundation for all grade levels. Develop a comprehensive character education curriculum for all grade levels. Develop a system for monitoring the implementation of a character education curriculum. Integrate community service learning within the character education and district standard curriculum. Link the character education curriculum to real-world experiences. Develop teacher tool kits that provide resources in the classroom to support character education. Integrate learning experiences that are inquiry based, student driven, and personalized. Post the character education curriculum and standards on the Web site for teachers, students and parents. Create school based teams that focus on character education for their building. Create opportunities for parents and community to participate in implementing our character education curriculum and standards. Create student-led teams to facilitate character education throughout the district.
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Bullying and Cyber-Bullying

Goal 4
Objective 2 Implement a system to help support the prevention of student bullying and cyber-bullying throughout the district.
Strategy Research, develop, and implement a comprehensive bullying curriculum for all grade levels. Provide professional development for all staff focusing on bullying prevention. Post bullying prevention plan, standards and curriculum on our district Web site to make available to parents, teachers, and students. Align district bullying curriculum and plan with state and federal requirements. Enhance our system for reporting bullying incidents and accusations. Develop a bullying prevention task force to facilitate the implementation of bullying prevention efforts districtwide. Develop an accountability system that holds all adults accountable for being proactive in reporting and documenting bullying incidents. Develop processes and procedures that help monitor technology to prevent cyber-bullying. Create opportunities and collaboration with parents and families focused on bullying prevention.
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Cultural Awareness
Goal 4
Objective 3 Enhance cultural awareness and understanding throughout the school district and school community to strengthen teaching and learning.
Strategy Develop and require professional development for all staff that focuses on working with diverse populations. Develop a monitoring system to review implementation of district norms and core values focused on supporting all students. Develop a professional development model focused on differentiated instruction and effective instructional strategies for meeting the needs of all learners. Create opportunities for all cultural groups in the community of Marlborough to participate in the collaboration of their childs education. Consistently gather survey data to understand the needs and expectations from all cultural groups throughout the school community. Enhance the celebration of various cultural holidays throughout the district.
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Recognition of Success
Goal 4
Objective 4 Develop structures and programs throughout the district to recognize the many successes of staff, students, and all positive aspects of the school district.
Strategies Develop staff recognition programs. Create a public relations plan to showcase positive accomplishments of the district. Improve communication throughout the district related to the many successes of students, staff, and all schools throughout the school district. Improve our media presence on the accomplishments of the district. Highlight important events and accomplishments on our district Web site. Use social media to communicate our accomplishments. Enhance our relationships with local and state elected administrators and officials to highlight our districts important successes regarding teaching and learning.
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Goal 1:
All students in Marlborough Public Schools will learn at high levels of academic expectations, and the achievement gap will be eliminated.
Indicator 1 Student Achievement (All Students)

MCAS proficiency in English Language Arts (Grades 3-10) for all students. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 All Students 66% 68% Latino 46% 48% English Language Learners 27% 29% Economically Disadvantaged 50% 52% Special Education 24% 26% White 75% 77% MCAS proficiency in Mathematics (Grades 3-10) for all students. Measure Baseline 2011 All Students 54% Latino 38% English Language Learners 27% Economically Disadvantaged 39% Special Education 20% White 63%
Target 2016 80% 70% 50% 75% 50% 90%
Target 2012 56% 40% 29% 41% 22% 65%
Target 2016 80% 70% 50% 70% 50% 85%
MCAS proficiency in Science, Technology and Engineering for grade 5. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 All Students 43% 45% Latino 21% 23% English Language Learners 9% 11% Economically Disadvantaged 22% 24% Special Education 13% 15% White 54% 56%
Target 2016 75% 65% 50% 50% 50% 75%
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Goal 1:
MCAS proficiency in Science, Technology and Engineering for grade 8. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 All Students 30% 32% Latino 13% 15% English Language Learners 4% 6% Economically Disadvantaged 13% 15% Special Education 4% 6% White 39% 41% MCAS proficiency in Science, Technology and Engineering for grade 10. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 All Students 56% 58% Latino 33% 35% African American 43% 45% English Language Learners 19% 21% Economically Disadvantaged 34% 36% Special Education 19% 21% White 67% 69%
Target 2016 75% 50% 50% 50% 50% 75% Target 2016 85% 75% 70% 50% 75% 50% 85%
Indicator 2 Student Achievement (by grade level)

MCAS Reading and Math proficiency for Elementary students grade 3. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 rd 3 Graders Proficient on MCAS reading 51% 53% 3rd Graders Advanced on MCAS reading 9% 11% 3rd Graders Proficient on MCAS math 51% 53% 3rd Graders Advanced on MCAS math 18% 20% Target 2016 70% 20% 70% 22%
MCAS English Language Arts and Math proficiency for Elementary students grade 4. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 th 4 graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 44% 46% 60% 4th graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 6% 8% 20% th 4 graders Proficient on MCAS math 33% 35% 60% 4th graders Advanced on MCAS math 13% 15% 20%
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Goal 1:
Indicator 2 Student Achievement (by grade level)

MCAS English Language Arts, Math, and Science, Technology, and Engineering for grade 5. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 th 5 graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 50% 52% 60% th 5 graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 15% 17% 20% 5th graders Proficient on MCAS math 36% 38% 55% th 5 graders Advanced on MCAS math 25% 27% 30% 5th graders Proficient on MCAS science 34% 36% 55% 5th graders Advanced on MCAS science 9% 11% 20% MCAS English Language Arts and Math proficiency for grade 6. Measure Baseline 2011 th 6 graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 48% 6th graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 17% th 6 graders Proficient on MCAS math 34% 6th graders Advanced on MCAS math 14% MCAS Reading and Math proficiency for students grade 7. Measure Baseline 2011 7th graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 60% th 7 graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 11% th 7 graders Proficient on MCAS math 21% 7th graders Advanced on MCAS math 13%
Target 2012 50% 19% 36% 16%
Target 2016 60% 20% 55% 20%
Target 2012 62% 13% 23% 15%
Target 2016 65% 20% 45% 20%
MCAS English Language Arts, Math, and Science, Technology, and Engineering for grade 8. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 8th graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 61% 63% 65% th 8 graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 16% 18% 20% 8th graders Proficient on MCAS math 26% 28% 45% th 8 graders Advanced on MCAS math 24% 26% 30% 8th graders Proficient on MCAS science 49% 51% 55% th 8 graders Advanced on MCAS science 28% 30% 35%
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Goal 1:
MCAS English Language Arts, Math, and Science, Technology, and Engineering grade 10. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 th 10 graders Proficient on MCAS ELA 47% 49% 50% 10th graders Advanced on MCAS ELA 30% 32% 35% th 10 graders Proficient on MCAS math 30% 32% 40% 10th graders Advanced on MCAS math 43% 45% 50% th 10 graders Proficient on MCAS science 44% 46% 60% 10th graders Advanced on MCAS science 12% 14% 20% Graduation, College Readiness, and Post-Secondary Rates Measure Baseline 2011 Graduation Rate 92.6% Students graduating in 4 years or fewer 90.2% Postsecondary enrollment (two and four year) 87% Prepared for ELA in Postsecondary n/a Prepared for Math in Postsecondary n/a Dual enrollment completion n/a Target 2012 93.6% 91.0 88% n/a n/a Develop Target 2016 96% 95% 95% n/a n/a n/a
Indicator 3 Student Achievement (Students in the district 3 or more years)

MCAS proficiency in English Language Arts (Grades 3-10) for all students who have been in the district for at least three consecutive years. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 All Students 68% 70% 85% Latino 49% 51% 70% English Language Learners 16% 18% 50% Economically Disadvantaged 51% 53% 70% Special Education 28% 30% 50% White 77% 79% 90%
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Goal 1:
MCAS proficiency in Mathematics (Grades 3-10) for all students who have been in the district for at least three consecutive years. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 All Students 57% 59% 80% Latino 39% 41% 70% English Language Learners 20% 22% 50% Economically Disadvantaged 41% 43% 70% Special Education 22% 24% 50% White 53% 55% 85%
Indicator 4 Student Achievement (Students not in the district 3 or more years)

MCAS proficiency in English Language Arts (Grades 3-10) for all students who have not been in the district for at least three consecutive years. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 All Students 58% 60% 80% Latino 36% 38% 70% English Language Learners 13% 15% 50% Economically Disadvantaged 44% 46% 70% Special Education 20% 22% 50% White 69% 71% 80% MCAS proficiency in Mathematics (Grades 3-10) for all students who have not been in the district for at least three consecutive years. Measure Baseline 2011 Target 2012 Target 2016 All Students 45% 47% 70% Latino 30% 32% 65% English Language Learners 19% 21% 50% Economically Disadvantaged 43% 45% 70% Special Education 17% 19% 50% Whites 65% 67% 85%
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Goal 1:
Indicator 5 Core Curriculum

Measure Curricular Framework PreK-12 PreK-12 Curriculum Curricular-based assessments Structured learning walks/rounds Students enrolled in a foreign language Staff trained on intervention strategies Students experiencing an internship Baseline Target 2012 Target 2016 2011 n/a Develop 100% implementation n/a Prek-8 100% implementation n/a Prek-8 100% implementation n/a 10 40 yearly 892 40%increase n/a n/a 14 teachers 100% trained n/a Research 11th&12th grade
Indicator 6 Effective Instructional Practices

Baseline 2011 Professional Development Plan n/a Teacher Evaluation system n/a Staff trained fully on Common Core n/a st Staff trained on 21 Century strategies n/a Staff Individual Professional Dev. Plans n/a Professional Learning Communities n/a Staff trained on strategies for diverse learners n/a Staff involved in common planning time n/a Staff trained on technology integration n/a Uniform teaching standards n/a Staff trained on data use and analysis n/a Staff trained on Differentiated Instruction n/a Model classrooms at all schools n/a Para educators trained in classroom strategies n/a Substitutes trained to support classroom n/a Measure Target 2012 Develop Develop 40% n/a Research Research Research Develop Research Develop Research Research Research Research Research Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% implemented 100% 100% 25 districtwide 100% 100%
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Goal 1:
Indicator 7 Data Driven Culture

Measure Staff trained on data use and analysis Data teams at all schools and district Districtwide use of Common Assessments Balanced assessment system Comprehensive Data Warehouse system Students utilizing student portfolios Authentic Assessments used Protocol for looking at student work Measure
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Baseline 2011 n/a n/a 63% n/a n/a n/a n/a 24%
Target 2012 20 Admin Develop Develop Research Research Research Research Develop Target 2012 Develop Research 70% n/a Research Research Develop 30%
Target 2016 100% staff trained 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% staff trained 100% n/a 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 50% of enrollment Target 2016 6 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented
Indicator 8 Closing the Achievement Gap

Early Warning system Staff trained on strategies for diverse learners Students receiving full-day kindergarten Special populations mainstream instruction Student Academic Learning Plans Parents trained on strategies to assist student School-based attendance teams Minority, low income, sped enrolled in AP
Indicator 9 Innovative School Models

Measure Number of Innovative School Models School Design Teams STEM K-5 school model STEM Early College High School Model Middle School STEM Academy International Baccalaureate Elementary Dual Language school model High School Academy school models
Baseline Target 2012 2011 n/a 2 n/a Develop n/a Research n/a 9th grade n/a 6th grade n/a Application n/a Research n/a Research
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Goal 1:
Indicator 10 Advanced and Accelerated Offerings

Measure Assessment system for identification Pre-AP pathway at middle school Students taking AP courses Advance and Acceleration elem. & middle Staff trained - strategies for advanced learners Dual enrollment participation Baseline 2011 n/a n/a 209 n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Develop 230 Develop Develop Research
Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 339 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented
Indicator 11 Early Childhood

Measure Increase students receiving preschool Center for child care Students receiving full-day kindergarten Early childhood standards Parent guides Staff training on early childhood strategies
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a 63% n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Research Research 70% Develop Research Research
Target 2016 n/a 100% implemented 100% students 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% trained
Indicator 12 Technology Integration

Measure Staff trained on technology integration Technology Student Assessment Student computers in every classroom Districtwide Technology Plan
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Research Research Develop
Target 2016 100% trained 100% administered n/a 100% implemented
Indicator 13 English Language Learners

Measure Staff receiving PD SEI, SIOP Districtwide translation service Staff training on cultural awareness ELL students enrolled in AP courses Methodology and Structure for programming
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a 8.6% n/a
Target 2012 Develop Research Research 10.6% Develop
Target 2016 100% trained 100% implemented 100% trained 30% 100% implemented
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Goal 1:
Indicator 14 Special Education

Measure Program evaluation cycle Increase district programs for SPED students Staff receiving research-based SPED PD Students included in the mainstream Identification process training focused staff Compliance training Student participation in school activities
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Research Research Research Develop Develop Research
Target 2016 100% implemented n/a 100% trained n/a 100% trained 100% trained n/a
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Goal 2:
Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency -All Operation in Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective.
Indicator 15 Aligning District Supports

Measure Re-organize central office to support schools Staff training focused on customer service Training for capacity building
Baseline
2011 n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Implement Research Target 2012 Survey data Survey data All trained Research Research Target 2012 Office staff Develop 50% increase Develop Research Develop Target 2012 Develop n/a Develop Research Develop Develop
Office support
Target 2016 100% implemented 100% trained yearly Yearly training Target 2016 n/a n/a 100% trained yearly 95% resolved 95% resolved Target 2016 100% trained yearly 100% implemented 250% increase 100% implemented n/a 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% of classrooms 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% trained 100% of Schools
Indicator 16 Service Oriented Culture

Measure Positive perceptions regarding schools Positive perceptions regarding central office Customer service PD Resolve technology issues within 24 hours Resolve maintenance issues within 24 hours
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Indicator 17 Financial Accountability

Measure Staff training on MUNIS Budget development process Increase external grants received Collaborative finance committee Identify cost-saving measures Process for projections
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a 4 n/a n/a n/a
Indicator 18 Technology Systems

Measure Comprehensive Technology Plan Mounted projectors in all classrooms Revise technology cycle for district Data warehousing system Technology training Wireless connections in all schools
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
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Goal 2:
Operational Effectiveness and Efficiency -All Operation in Marlborough Public Schools will be efficient and effective.
Indicator 19 Human Resources

Measure Revise staff job descriptions New recruitment process New attendance system Employee Handbook Electronic document system District PD plan Interview review process - substitutes PD model for substitutes Leadership Development program Revise employee salary scales Measure
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Develop Develop Develop Research Develop Develop Develop Develop Research Target 2012 Develop Develop Research Research
Target 2016 100% revised 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented n/a 100% implemented
Indicator 20 Facilities and Transportation

District Safety Plan Transportation protocols and procedures Internal Transportation System System for projections for capital projects
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Goal 3:
Family and Community Engagement Marlborough Public Schools will foster partnerships with the community and improve communications and engagement to support our students and school system.
Measure Baseline 2011 n/a n/a Pilot n/a n/a n/a Target 2012 Develop Develop Develop Develop Develop Develop Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented
Indicator 21 Support and Engagement

Structures to encourage engagement Parent and Community Forums Parent Advisory Council Community Advisory Council Teacher Advisory to the superintendent Student Advisory to the superintendent
Indicator 22 Communication
Measure Districtwide translation system District Newsletter New Web site Parent Portal Parent guides with learning expectations Comprehensive District Calendar Curriculum Framework access PreK-12 Curriculum access
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Develop Research Develop Research Research Develop Research
Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented
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Goal 4:
Culture Marlborough Public Schools will foster a culture that supports high expectations and the belief that all students can succeed.
Indicator 23 Character Education

Measure Character Education Standards Character Education Curriculum Community Service Learning Character Education Curriculum on Web School-based teams Student-led teams Measure
Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a n/a Baseline 2011 n/a n/a n/a
Target 2012 Develop Research Research Research Develop Develop Target 2012 Develop Develop Develop Develop Target 2012 Research Research Research Research Target 2012 Develop Develop Develop
Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented Graduation require. 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented Target 2016 100% implemented 100% implemented 100% implemented
Indicator 24 Bullying and Cyber-Bullying

Comprehensive anti-bullying curriculum PD for all staff System for reporting bullying (enhance) Technology monitoring system
Indicator 25 Cultural Awareness

Measure Staff training - cultural awareness Staff training DI and effective strategies Collaborative structures Monitoring system to review core values
Indicator 26 Recognition of Success

Measure Staff Recognition Program Public Relations Program Media Presence
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Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible. - Frank Gaines
Believe
2016
page 74 of 73

Here&#39;s Marlborough&#39;s Public Schools 5 Year Plan Final Believe 2016 and Scorecard 11-16-11

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Here&#39;s Marlborough&#39;s Public Schools 5 Year Plan Final Believe 2016 and Scorecard 11-16-11

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Building a world-class school system

Marlborough Public Schools - Five-Year Strategic Plan October 2011

From the School Committee

From the Superintendent

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Building on our strengths addressing our challenges

Building on our strengths addressing our challenges

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Four Corners of Success

High Expectations for All Students

The Instructional Core

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Core Values

Marlborough Public Schools will

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Vision - Mission - Goals

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Theory of Action

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Strategy for Improvement

Student Achievement Effective Operations Family & Community Engagement Culture

pK-12 Curriculum aligned to national standards & 21st Century skills

Teaching staff equipped to meet needs of all learners

Balanced, consistent system of assessments tied to desired learning outcomes

Collaborative professional culture to ensure support and professional growth

Re-defined organizational structure

Revised protocols & procedures for smooth operations

Enhanced use of technology to increase effectiveness

Stronger accountability measures to ensure effectiveness

Formal and informal structures to engage community voices

Increase industry & community partnerships to expand student opportunities

Extensive outreach to diverse populations

Shared ownership of & strategies to support all student populations

Celebration & showcase of accomplishments across the district

All staff PD, resources & operations aligned to district goals

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Current Status

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Our Current Status

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Measuring Our Progress

MARLBOROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS

5 schools 2 programs English Language Learners Special Education Low Income

< > out of 26 targets met

2011 2012 Baseline Goal

2016 Target Target Met

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY

2011 2012 Baseline Goal

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

2011 2012 Baseline Goal

2011 2012 Baseline Goal

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Believe 2016 Marlborough Public Schools Five-Year Strategic Plan

Goal 1 Student Achievement

BELIEVE in a day when

Here's Marlborough's Public Schools 5 Year Plan Final Believe 2016 and Scorecard 11-16-11

Here's Marlborough's Public Schools 5 Year Plan Final Believe 2016 and Scorecard 11-16-11