Southwest Middle School

School Improvement Plan

Year: 2007-08

PROFILE

Southwest Middle School is located in a growing area of southwest Orlando. Now in its seventeenth year, the school has grown rapidly and projections indicate that it will continue to do so. Southwest serves a diverse group of students coming from a broad social/economic spectrum. The racial make up consists of approximately 50 percent white, 21 percent black, 16 percent Hispanic, 10 percent Asian and 3 percent multi-racial or American Indian or other. We also serve a growing exceptional education population. Southwest Middle School has a vibrant and dedicated staff that is committed to providing a quality education for all students. During its first year (1991-92), Southwest received the Red Carpet School Award for being a family friendly school, and we continue to strive to improve in that area. Parents and community volunteers play an important part in the quality of the instruction at Southwest Middle School. Our PTSA organization has been named as one of the most successful in the state. Our volunteer program is also award-winning. Southwest Middle School has achieved an “A” status from the Florida Department of Education for seven years in a row. In addition to our high standardized test scores, our students consistently help us achieve awards for community service.

DISTRICT VISION

To be the top producer of successful students in the nation

SOUTHWEST VISION

We envision a school that is a community of learners and that provides a variety of experiences meant to enable ALL students to achieve BEYOND EXPECTATIONS.

To realize our vision, we must demonstrate a commitment to both professional collaboration/growth and to educate ALL students in an exemplary climate of rigor and respect.

To that end, we must study appropriate data, create responsive programs for students, and assess our own effectiveness in light of high standards and in order to facilitate necessary vitality and change.

Southwest Middle School

School Improvement Plan

Year: 2007-08

Development of the School Improvement Plan

The district ENDS Policy, District Performance Goals, and the Comprehensive Academic Achievement Plan (CAAP) were all used to develop our school improvement plan. The plan is a tool for identifying and creating a desirable future for our students and school. The school improvement plan process will enable us to anticipate and manage the complex changes that we face. Furthermore, because our School Advisory Council is broadly representative of our school’s community, we are confident that our school improvement plan reflects a shared vision of success for all of our students.

We began the strategic planning process by developing and clarifying a vision statement for our school. Our vision statement expresses the "desirable future" we want to create and is presented on the previous page.

In order to assess the needs of our school, we collected and analyzed a great deal of data. From these data we identified a number of priority needs, which are stated in our plan. These needs formed the basis for our plan this year.

The mission of the Orange County Public Schools is, “Each student will acquire the skills, attitudes, and knowledge necessary to reach full potential.” Based on this mission, we reviewed the District Performance Goals and built objectives around the goals that reflected the priority needs of our school. OCPS has also identified six supporting conditions to help accomplish the district’s mission. We reviewed and selected the supporting conditions that related to our needs assessment.

The purpose of the OCPS CAAP is to create curriculum consistency for all students and provide instructional strategies that meet the needs of our diverse student population. To make this happen, developmental, accelerated, and remedial strategies have been incorporated into this plan to ensure student achievement.

Our school improvement plan focuses on how we will work toward meeting the needs at our school. We used the results of our needs assessment as a starting point to select and develop four-year objectives. We used the needs assessment results to address budget, training, instructional materials, technology, staffing, student support services, specific school safety, discipline strategies, student health and fitness, including physical fitness, parental information on student health/fitness, and indoor environmental air quality. The SAC’s assistance was used to prepare the budget for next year so that it effectively supports the school improvement plan.

Annual objectives were developed to identify where we would be at the end of each year of our four‑year objectives or objectives based on the supporting conditions. Finally, action plans were written, which outlined the activities that needed to be completed in order to reach our annual objectives. These action plans are clearly defined activities that show what we will accomplish in working toward our objectives.

The four state education goals, Florida’s six priorities, as well as statutory requirements, were addressed in developing the plan. Not all goals and priorities are directly included in the plan since only the highest priority needs are included. Many other activities take place in the school that support the state goals and priorities but are not specifically mentioned in the plan.

Our school is committed to improving access to high quality instruction for all students. This includes increasing the percentage of African-American and Hispanic students enrolled in advanced level courses.

Once our plan was completed, it was reviewed by our community, the area superintendent, the superintendent, and the school board. This review focused on determining how much progress toward state goals and the district's mission would result from the implementation of the plan. When the school board approved our plan, they agreed that achieving the annual objectives would produce adequate progress toward meeting these important goals.

The actual implementation of our plan will be evaluated at two points during the school year. The first review of progress will be in December-January with the area superintendent. The mid-year progress review will determine if we are on schedule in completing the action plan activities that are written in our plan and data showing progress at the middle of the school year. The final progress report is made after the school year is over. At that time, we will determine if we accomplished our annual objectives. We will use those results to begin our needs assessment for next year.

Southwest Middle School

School Improvement Plan

Year: 2007-08

READING OBJECTIVE

District Mission: To lead our students to success with the support and involvement of families and the community.

Baseline Expectations

(Percent of Students)

If a school has exceeded the baseline expectations, the improvement target in following years will be an improvement of 3 percentage points per year. After a school reaches 90 percent on any of these performance targets, the target in future years will be to maintain performance.

Reading Performance:

Elementary: 85

Middle Schools: 65

High Schools: 60

Reading Learning Gains:

Elementary: 70

Middle Schools: 75

High Schools: 75

Reading Lowest 25 Percent Learning Gains:

Elementary: 70

Middle Schools: 75

High Schools: 65

Narrative to Describe Major Steps to Meet Baseline Expectations in Reading Within Four Years:

My vision for Southwest Middle School is to continue to excel academically by 3 percent each year until we meet our target of being ninety percent or better. Southwest Middle School’s Literacy Council will continue to modify our Sea Lion Time Program (Reading Strategies class) to meet the needs of the students. Through continuous monitoring and testing of students, we will arrange the order of instruction to best meet the student’s needs. We will also be closely monitoring school wide data assessment. Southwest Middle School is also providing more opportunities for students to access FCAT Explorer.

Four-Year Objectives:

By July 2011, 90 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will score at Level 3 or above.

By July 2011, 78 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains.

By July 2011, 81 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains with the lowest 25% of students.

2007-08

Needs Statement:

In June 2007, 81 percent of students at Southwest Middle School scored at Level 3 or above on FCAT reading, a decrease of 1 percent. FCAT data indicated a need for continued improvement in main idea and purpose.

In June 2007, 66 percent of students at Southwest Middle School made learning gains in reading, a decrease of 8 percent.

In June 2007, 69 percent of students at Southwest Middle School made learning gains with the lowest 25 percent of students in reading, a decrease of 9 percent.

2007-08

Annual Objectives:

By July 2008, 84 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will score at Level 3 or above.

By July 2008, 69 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains.

By July 2008, 72 percent of all students taking the FCAT Reading test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains with the lowest 25% of students.

2007-08

Mid-Year Progress:

Enter progress made at mid-year of 2007-08 here.

2007-08

Results:

Enter baseline data from 2007-08 here when it is available.

2008-09

Needs Statement:

Enter baseline data from 2007-08 for all three reading statements here.

2008-09

Annual Objectives:

Enter all three of the annual objectives for 2008-09 here.

2008-09

Mid-Year Progress:

Enter progress made at mid-year of 2008-09 here.

2008-09

Results:

Enter baseline data from 2008-09 here when it is available.

2009-10

Needs Statement:

Enter baseline data from 2008-09 for all three reading statements here.

2009-10

Annual Objectives:

Enter all three of the annual objectives for 2009-10 here.

2009-10

Mid-Year Progress:

Enter progress made at mid-year of 2009-10 here.

2009-10

Results:

Enter baseline data from 2009-10 here when it is available.

2010-11

Needs Statement:

Enter baseline data from 2009-10 for all three reading statements here.

2010-11

Annual Objectives:

Enter all three of the annual objectives for 2010-11 here.

2010-11

Mid-Year Progress:

Enter progress made at mid-year of 2010-11 here.

2010-11

Results:

Enter baseline data from 2010-11 here when it is available.

Do rules, regulations, policies, or laws at the state or district level prevent the school from accomplishing this plan?

Yes:

No:

If so, is a request for waiver needed?

Yes:

No:

Appendix F contains the form and procedures for requesting a waiver.

Southwest Middle School

School Improvement Plan

Year: 2007-08

Reading

Action Plan for 2007-08

			Status
Activities (INCLUDE END DATE)	Funding Source	Position of Responsibility	Completed	In Progress	Planned
1. Prepare students for and administer the PSAT to AVID participants to increase academic rigor (October 2007)	School Improvement	Principal
2. Continue Write Traits through Language Arts classes (May 2008)	Budget	Principal
3. Continue the use of Successmaker into reading program for Level 1 and Level 2 readers including ESE (May 2008)	Budget	Principal
4. Continue established literacy council for studying the data and writing the literacy curriculum (May 2008)	Budget	Principal, CRT
5. Provide training for all teachers in CRISS (May 2008)	Staff Development Budget	Teacher trainers, Reading Coach
6. Continue Word of the Day utilizing FCAT vocabulary (May 2008)	Budget	Teacher Trainers
7. Continue daily reading period (Sea Lion Time) for all students (May 2008)	Budget	Principal
8. All Language Arts teachers will continue to use Springboard Curriculum as part of their curriculum (May 2008)	School Improvement	Principal, Language Arts Chairperson
9. Continue 55-minute and 110-minute reading block as required (May 2008)	Budget	Principal, Reading Coach, LRS, API
10. Increase the number of tutors for AVID program students to increase academic rigor (May 2008)	School Improvement	Principal, Dean, Teachers
11. Provide intensive Saturday tutoring program for students who scored Level 1 and Level 2 on FCAT Reading (May 2008)	School Improvement	Principal, Dean, Teachers

Funding Source: Designate where funds will come from, if applicable, such as School Improvement Funds, School Budget, Title I funds, or a grant.

Southwest Middle School

School Improvement Plan

Year: 2007-08

MATH OBJECTIVE

District Mission: To lead our students to success with the support and involvement of families and the community.

Baseline Expectations

(Percent of Students)

Math Performance:

Elementary: 80

Middle Schools: 70

High Schools: 80

Math Learning Gains:

Elementary: 70

Middle Schools: 75

High Schools: 75

Math Lowest 25 Percent Learning Gains:

Elementary: 70

Middle Schools: 75

High Schools: 75

Narrative to Describe Major Steps to Meet Baseline Expectations in Math Within Four Years:

My vision for Southwest Middle School is to continue to excel academically by 3 percent each year until we meet our target of being ninety percent or better. Southwest Middle School will add more intensive math classes. Through continuous monitoring and testing of students, we will arrange the order of instruction to best meet the student’s needs. We will also be closely monitoring school wide data assessment. Southwest Middle School is also providing more opportunities for students to access FCAT Explorer. Southwest Middle School will expand articulation with elementary schools. We will work with lower performing students in the feeder elementary schools. We will closely monitor 6^th grade math.

Four-Year Objectives:

By July 2011, 92 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will score at Level 3 or above.

By July 2011, 92 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains.

By July 2011, 85 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains with the lowest 25% of students.

2007-08

Needs Statement:

In June 2007, 81 percent of students at Southwest Middle School scored at Level 3 or above on FCAT Math, an increase of 1 percent. FCAT data indicated a need for continued improvement in Measurement and Geometry.

In June 2007, 79 percent of students at Southwest Middle School made learning gains in FCAT math, a decrease of 1 percent.

In June 2007, 73 percent of students at Southwest Middle School made learning gains in FCAT Math with the lowest 25% of students, an increase of 6 percent.

2007-08

Annual Objectives:

By July 2008, 84 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will score at Level 3 or above.

By July 2008, 82 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains.

By July 2008, 76 percent of all students taking the FCAT Math test at Southwest Middle School will make learning gains with the lowest 25% of students.