School Improvement Planning in Action: One District's Path

With accountability increasing and resources decreasing, building capacity for school change and student achievement within districts and buildings is even more critical. Many districts in our region have seen continued success in their school improvement planning. It is a rewarding, long-term process that requires a serious investment by teachers and administrators. However, it can be challenging to establish a culture of collaboration, hold the vision, and maintain momentum.

Peninsula School District has been on a journey of school improvement for more than six years. After seeing success on several fronts, administrators struggled with the question of how to build the capacity for continuous improvement over time. “We felt that we were on the brink of big things beginning to happen,” said Claudia Thompson, Peninsula School District’s Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Teaching.

Other questions were formed to explore what that “next level” would be:

• How do we move professional development from a district model and focus to better meet the unique and specific needs of individual schools?
• How do we make formative assessments a way of doing things that is part of what teachers do routinely?  
• How do we continue to build the capacity of and support for our principals as we expect increasingly more of them as instructional leaders?  

To answer these questions, they began to embark on a district-wide school improvement process, and Puget Sound ESD's K-12 Services staff were called in to facilitate this process. Each school, as well as the district office staff, established a representative leadership team to guide their staff toward the development of an improvement plan that reflected the needs of their students. The teams collaboratively developed a shared mission and vision and analyzed data in order to create goals that address student achievement.

“School Improvement Plans (SIPs) became centered on the math and reading SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely) of the school. Schools began to take more ownership of the goals that they were creating,” Thompson said.

Once the goals were written, research teams were formed to read current research, view best practices, interview experts in the field, and visit high achieving schools with similar demographics. Teams then synthesized the knowledge learned from the study teams as a means to craft an action plan that they are now implementing and monitoring.

The process represents a framework for improvement, however a critical part of the ESD's facilitation has been helping leadership teams establish Professional Learning Communities as the foundation for the change process. In turn, this ensures a shared commitment to increasing student learning. Work in the schools almost immediately became more focused, according to Thompson. Formats of the SIPs became consistent and transparent to the community.

Thompson sees a number of things that have helped drive the continued success:

• Providing time for teachers and principals to work together ( district has late arrival time for students each week)
• Quality leadership at the central office and in the buildings (district supports this)
• Quality School Improvement teams that receive ongoing training (ESD staff provide quarterly training for all teams and individual coaching and technical assistance)
• Continual discussion and assessment of how things are progressing and then adjusting as necessary (Focus of this year's training from ESD)
• Open dialogue and communication with union leadership (district supports this)

Now in the second year of this district-wide process, the focus is on supporting teams with strategies to monitor progress and effectiveness of implementation efforts.   Thompson reflected on the process so far:

“Our map sometimes changes, our routes are sometimes diverted, but we agree that our destination is continuous school improvement and enhanced achievement for all of our students.”

Puget Sound ESD can assist your School Improvement teams in utilizing the school improvement process as a means to address the diverse needs of each school in our region.

For more information, contact Julie Rolling, 425-917-7806, 253-778-7806, jrolling@psesd.org.

Zeiger Elementary School Teacher Named Regional Teacher of the Year

Kimmie Read, a third- and fourth-grade teacher at Zeiger Elementary School in the Puyallup School District, has been named the Puget Sound Educational Service District's Teacher of the Year.

She learned of the award on the last day of school during a surprise visit from Puyallup Superintendent Tony Apostle, several district staff, and PSESD representatives Julie Rolling, director of teaching and learning, and Marlene Fuson, executive director of K-12 services.

Rolling presented her with a bouquet of flowers and told her how impressed she was with her application. “You always have students at the center of what you do,” Rolling said. “You will represent us well at state.”

Students broke into applause, surrounded their teacher with hugs, and cheered ‘Hip Hip Hooray!’ after learning she had been selected a regional winner.

Zeiger Elementary Principal Marc Brouillet said, “This is another well deserved honor for a dedicated teacher who is a great instructor and advocate for students. I know Kimmie will represent Zeiger, the Puyallup School District, and the Puget Sound ESD with honor and distinction when she is considered for the state Teacher of the Year. We are very proud to have her as a member of our staff.”

The 1999 Rogers High School graduate is in her fifth year of teaching — all at Zeiger Elementary School.

Her enthusiasm, ability to engage her students, and dedication to the profession are strengths fellow staff touted in their nominations as reasons she should be named Puyallup School District’s Teacher of the Year at the elementary level.

Read also believes in the power of continuing her own education and frequently enrolls in professional development opportunities in the district and across the state.

She serves on the school’s diversity committee, is a facilitator with the school district’s writing assessment leadership team, and has helped score math and writing at the state level for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).

This year, Read began work on her National Board certification, the highest achievement in teaching. She also serves as one of the school’s Puyallup Education Association representatives. Eventually, she wants to earn her master’s degree.

“I can’t say no to anything,” she says with a laugh. “I expect my children to learn, and I want to send them the message I’m continuing to learn too.”

A poster on her classroom wall quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks to her energy level. “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

Fellow teacher Jalyn Calderwood said she has observed Read teaching on several occasions. “I always go away amazed at the close relationship she has with her students and her awesome ability to make language arts, social studies, and math come alive.”

Read said, “I have a heart for kids. I put a lot of energy out, but I get a lot back.”

Click here to view the press release from Puyallup School District.

Click here to view the photo gallery.