World s Best Workforce Plan for Wolf Creek Online Schools Mission Statement: To provide students with a personalized and flexible online education that will prepare them for future success Welcome/WBWF Overview: World s Best Workforce Legislation (Section 120B.11 amended) In accordance with Minnesota Statutes 2013, section 120B.11, a school board, at a public meeting, shall adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan to support and improve teaching and learning that is aligned with creating the world's best workforce (WBWF). Minnesota schools strive to provide the best educational opportunities for all children. Providing an education to Minnesota youth that leads to creating the world s best workforce is a goal that must be addressed early on in every child s life. Students are more likely to reach this goal if they are ready for school upon entering kindergarten; achieve grade level literacy by grade three; graduate from high school and attain career and college readiness. In order to create the world s best workforce, it is imperative that academic achievement gaps are closed among all racial and ethnic groups of students and between students living in poverty and not living in poverty as well as for English language learners and non-english language learners and for students who receive or do not receive special education. The comprehensive strategic plan that districts create is intended to serve as a foundational document to align educational initiatives that serve to ensure reaching intended student outcomes from pre-kindergarten to post high school graduation. Districts should consider and use existing plans, documents and strategies that may already be in place and/or are required by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), such as the Title I Plan, School Improvement Plans; School Readiness Program Plan; Local Literacy Plan; Student Transition Plan to College and Career Readiness; Plan for Educator Effectiveness, Q Comp, Alternative Delivery of Specialized Instructional Services, Continuous Improvement Monitoring Progress Plan, Integration Plan. This district level strategic plan should illustrate how the various existing district plans fit together and serve as a blueprint to create a quality workforce equipped with necessary skills for the 21st century.
World s Best Workforce means striving to do the following: Clear defined student achievement goals and benchmarks. Process to evaluate each student s progress toward meeting the state and local academic standards. A system to review and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and curriculum. Practices that integrate high-quality instruction, rigorous curriculum, instructional technology, and a collaborative professional culture that support teacher quality, performance and effectiveness. Evidence-based strategies for improving curriculum, instruction and student achievement. An annual budget for continuation of district plan implementation. The School Board is to develop a plan to support and improve teaching and learning that is aligned to the World s Best Workforce and includes the following: Clearly defined student achievement goals and benchmarks. Process to evaluate each student s progress toward meeting the state and local academic standards. A system to review and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and curriculum. Practices that integrate high-quality instruction, rigorous curriculum, instructional technology, and a collaborative professional culture that support teacher quality, performance and effectiveness. Evidence-based strategies for improving curriculum, instruction and student achievement. An annual budget for continuation of district plan implementation. Recommended Plan Components
Agreement between local union and school board on a teacher evaluation system A rubric that defines effectiveness of instruction Description of the professional standards the district used in the development of the system. Description of the form of teacher collaboration i.e. professional learning teams, peer coaching, principal feedback and reflection on instruction Description of opportunities for evaluation feedback on instruction from summative evaluators Description of the plan for program improvement. Success in reaching the World s Best Workforce goals will be measured by the following: Student performance on the National Association of Education Progress (NAEP) Reduction of the academic achievement gap by student subgroup Student performance on the MN Comprehensive Assessments College and career readiness under section 120B.30, subdivision 1. Wolf Creek Timeline: 2013-2014 School Year develop the school s strategic World s Best Workforce (WBWF) Plan Fall 2014 Implement WBWF Plan. Update WBWF plan with new goals and strategies Reviewed Annually NEW PAGE:
School Achievement Goals: Reading: Goal to be determined by high school staff/school board. Math: Goal to be determined by high school staff/school board. Science: Every student that completes Biology A and B by the end of Term 2 at Wolf Creek will complete the MCA Science Test. Wolf Creek Online (MS/8th Grade) Goals to be determined by 8th grade staff/school board. NEW PAGE Student Progress and Growth Monitoring Our schools use a variety of tools to measure and determine students academic growth and proficiency of grade level standards. These tools range from informal assessments observed during classroom activities to formal, mandated assessments such as the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA). Educators can use these assessments to identify the needs of the students and adjust instructional strategies to meet the needs of their students and encourage individualized academic growth. TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning Charter School s mission statement is: To provide students with a personalized and flexible online education that will prepare them for future success. TRIO Wolf Creek Distance Learning Charter School s The vision statement is: To motivate and empower students to reach their full potential. Our school is based on a small community school philosophy. Our philosophy includes the belief that each student, even if they have not been successful in a traditional school setting, will make significant progress with us. This progress will be led by one caring individual who helps them in academic, as well as, non academic areas of their lives. This
caring individual is called a Learning Manager and is the center of the model on which we base our educational program. Learning Managers use what is referred to as an IGP (Individual Graduation Plan) to help students gain credits, create high stakes testing score goals, create short term and long term goals, and to think about their future. Our small school philosophy is shown in our student to teacher ratio of twenty students per Learning Manager. We believe that small numbers allow each Learning Manager to build a long lasting relationship with their students. We also believe that each student must begin to make progress from where they begin and that progress will be self paced for each individual. Some of our former students have seen their graduation dates pass where others graduate early. We work with each student on an individual basis, starting from where they came from and take them to where they want to go. Assessment Calendar Our assessment calendar informs you of the testing windows or specific assessment dates for school-wide testing. There are three main assessment "seasons": Fall (September/October), Winter (January/February), and Spring (March-May). School assessments such as the NWEA - Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) are used to monitor student growth throughout an academic year and from year-to-year. The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are required for all students in Minnesota to determine student proficiency of academic standards. Testing Calendar Data Results MCA Results MAP Testing
Hope Survey Academic Standards The Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards define expectations for the educational achievement of public school students across the state in grades K-12. The standards and benchmarks are important because they: 1) identify the knowledge and skills that all students must achieve by the end of a grade level or grade band; 2) help define the course credit requirements for graduation; and, 3) serve as a guide for the local adoption and design of curricula. Student mastery of the standards is measured through state and local assessments. State standards are in place for English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and physical education. State standards also are available in the arts, or schools may choose to develop their own. Local standards must be developed by schools for health, world languages, and career and technical education. Academic Standards in Mathematics Academic Standards in English Language Arts Academic Standards in Science Academic Standards in Social Studies Committees and Essential/Additional Duties Technology and Curriculum Committee:
Brenda Swanson and Tracy Quarnstrom (Co-Chairs), Sandy Flint, Lindsay Jarombek (Vice-Chair), and Shannette Maloney Special Education Committee: Tracy Quarnstrom (Chair), Jennifer Lake, Martha Airhart, and Jamie Nord Graduation Committee: Sheryl Palmquist & Tracy Quarnstrom (chairs), Becki Olseen, Brenda Swanson and CLSD rep Health and Wellness Committee: Sheryl Palmquist (Chair), Sandy Flint, Lindsay Jarombek, Becki Olseen, and Tracy Quarnstrom MAP-NWEA Testing Coordinator Sandra Flint College/Career Coordinator Sean Miller Title I Coordinator Shelli Matheson ADSIS Coordinator Shelly Sprain Technology Coordinator Meagan Rathbun Curriculum Coordinator Tracy Quarnstrom and Brenda Swanson Moodle (Learning Management System) Coordinator Lindsay Jarombek School Wide Data Coordinator Sandra Flint Mental Health Support Coordinator Becki Olseen
New Page Strategies for Improving Instruction, Curriculum, and Student Achievement Wolf Creek staff are always focused on improving our instruction and curriculum, so that we are able to make the biggest impact upon student achievement. Wolf Creek staff take part in the Q-Comp program and strive to collaborate during PLC meetings each month throughout the year. Teacher Evaluation Teacher Evaluation Program Overview Effective Online Teacher Rubric Individual Growth and Development Plan Dean of Students Evaluation A Dean of Students Evaluation form and process is currently being investigated by the Wolf Creek School Board. Director Evaluation Director Performance Review and Rubric Curriculum Review
Curriculum Review Process Curriculum Development Process Programming to Improve Student Achievement Charter school board and school leaders must work together to create a strong system of support for all students. In this section, we have many of the programs that support students at all levels. Contact person is listed next to each program. ADSIS - Shelly Sprain (ssprain@wolfcreekhs.org) RTI - Shelly Sprain (ssprain@wolfcreekhs.org) Special Education - Martha Airhart and Hannah Swenson (mairhart@wolfcreekhs.org and hswenson@wolfcreekhs.org) Title I - Shelli Matheson (smatheson@wolfcreekhs.org) LM Model - Tracy Quarnstrom (tquarnstrom@wolfcreekhs.org) Students Successful Transition to Post-Secondary Plan - Sean Miller (smiller@wolfcreekhs.org) Mental Health Support - Becki Olseen (bolseen@wolfcreekhs.org) New Page Community Satisfaction
Parent and Student Survey Spring 2013 Results Parent Survey Comments