Greenwood Public School District Dr. Montrell Greene, Superintendent Dr. June Leigh, Director of Curriculum 2015-2016 Instructional Management Plan Greenwood Public School District Academic Education Department Mission: The mission of the Greenwood Public School District is to maximize student potential and prepare students for an ever-changing, global society. Vision: All schools in the Greenwood Public School District will achieve and "A" or "B" accreditation rating and meet all growth expectations. Central Office Administration Dr. Montrell Greene, Superintendent Mr. Chester Leigh, Deputy Superintendent, Safety & Operations Mrs. Dr. June Leigh, Director of Curriculum Mr. Charles Johnson, Interim Director of Federal Programs Mrs. Madelyn Johnson, Director of Finance Mrs. Linda Payne, Director of Special Education Mrs. Yvette Totten, Director of Food Services Mrs. Margaret Dean, Director of Communication Mrs. Brenda Smith, Director of Technology
INSTRUCTIONAL MANAGEMENT PLAN As part of the Mississippi Public Accountability Standards 2014, each school district implements an instructional management system that meets the following requirements: 1. The school district shall implement an instructional management system that has been adopted by the school board and that includes, at a minimum, the competencies required in the curriculum frameworks approved by the State Board of Education. 2. Suggested teaching strategies, resources, and assessment strategies are available to teachers in each school for selection and use in teaching the required tendencies. Within the Greenwood Public School District, all courses taught in grades K-8, all secondary school courses mandated for graduation, as well as courses approved for inclusion in the high school curriculum include the State Department of Education s written list of learning objectives. These objectives which form the core curriculum and are systematically delivered throughout the district, include suggested instructional practices and resources that will help teachers organize instruction so as to promote student learning of the objectives. Standards for student performance have been established for each core objective in the local program and pacing guides that identify objectives to be mastered each nine weeks have been developed. A copy of the instructional management plan for the Greenwood Public School District has been included.
Curriculum A quality system offers a research-based curriculum based on clearly defined expectations for student learning that is subject to review and revision at regular intervals. In fulfillment of the following, the school district: Develops curriculum based on clearly defined expectations for student learning; Provides a curriculum that includes a set of essential knowledge and skills in each content area; Aligns curriculum with clearly defined expectations for student learning across subject areas and grade levels; Ensures that the curriculum reflects a commitment to equity, and appreciation of diversity, recognition of different ways of learning, and challenges each student to excel; Develops written curriculum guides and support materials that serve as a basis for implementing the curriculum; Promotes in the curriculum the active involvement of students in the learning process, including opportunities to explore application of higher-ordered thinking skills and to investigate new approaches in applying their learning; Gathers, analyzes, and uses data and research in making curriculum choices; and based on knowledge of human growth and development, and relies on sound learning principles. The Greenwood Public School District provides teachers with district curriculum guides that specify expectations for student learning. In Greenwood, written goals and objectives for core curriculum areas as well as physical education, technology, visual arts, performing arts, and foreign language are provided to each staff member. Curriculum guides, along with resource materials are provided for academic areas of study. Pacing guides, learning activities, and assessments accompany the guides. Staff from both the school and district levels participates in continuous planning and revision, ensuring that students receive a rigorous, aligned curriculum. Staff development, with follow-up and monitoring at the school as well as at the central office, leads to consistent delivery in the classroom to track the progress of the students mastery of objectives. Through constant observation, pacing guides, and continuous progress monitoring, we hope to maintain a consistent instructional standard district-wide. Essential curriculum areas of focus are in place to meet the needs of all levels of students. Differentiated instruction, emphasis upon inclusion for exceptional children in the regular classroom, strategies for meeting needs of English as a Second Language students, and programs meeting the needs of Academically Gifted Students provide rich learning environments which are diverse in outreach. Reading Street and Accelerated Reader provides the foundation for district-wide reading improvement. Additionally, a system-wide strategic plan was begun 2013-2014 to develop knowledge and skills necessary to implement a rigorous curriculum. Greenwood Public School District is committed to active student engagement in the learning process, without regard to achievement level or socioeconomic background. Greenwood High School offers Advanced Placement courses. Academically Gifted studies are available within the Greenwood Public School District. Greenwood Public School District offers opportunities for at-risk students through an Alternative School and a GED through the Career and Technical Center. After this data is received in the summer, schools begin to develop their strategic plan for making improvements based on the previous year s results.
Each school s strategic plan uses the district-wide strategic plan as its foundation. Monthly curriculum meetings and quarterly district objective testing allows teachers to gather and analyze data to determine remediation needs. The District Test Coordinator provides all teachers with staff development on interpreting and using data. Greenwood Public School District embraces the stated curriculum as well as innovative learning projects in order to provide appropriate, balanced opportunities to students K-12. Technology affords our students the opportunity to extend their learning and subsequent achievement. The district technology plan is designed to meet unique learners needs in all stages of development and growth. Further, clearly identified curricular offerings at the elementary, middle, and high school levels allow students to access the opportunities based on the growth and readiness.
Instructional Design A quality system develops and employs instructional strategies and activities in support of student achievement of the expectations for learning defined by the curriculum. In fulfillment of the following, the school district: Analyzes and uses the results of assessments of student learning to improve instructional design and effectiveness; Designs and employs instructional strategies and activities that are research-based and reflective of best practice; Aligns the instructional design, including strategies and action plans, with the system s mission and expectation for student learning; Allocates and protects instructional time to support student learning; Implements an instructional design that provides all students with instruction that stimulates and enhances intellectual and creative development of higher-ordered thinking skills and requires students to apply their learning; and Provides a comprehensive program of information and media services that are aligned with its beliefs, mission, and goals The Greenwood Public School District strives to provide teachers with the necessary resources, assessment tools and strategies to ensure that all students receive quality instruction. The district uses a heterogeneous approach to placing students in classes with the expectation that teachers will identify student needs and use flexible learning groups to address learner needs. Using the district s curriculum and student assessment data, teachers develop and submit weekly lesson plans to address learner needs. Lesson plans are reviewed by school administrators and feedback is provided to teachers. Instructional time is protected by establishing classroom schedules at the beginning of each school year, limiting classroom interruptions and monitoring by schools and district administrators. Administrators regularly observe and provide feedback to teachers about instructional effectiveness. At the beginning of each school year, teachers in grades 1-12 receive standardized test data for the students they will teach. Each teacher analyzes the data to identify strengths and challenges for their incoming students. They then develop an action plan for addressing learner needs. Through its professional development program, the Greenwood Public School District communicates its expectations for instructional design and delivery. The district provides a comprehensive professional development program to meet district and school needs identified through the analysis of student achievement data. This professional development is provided during the school year including Saturdays and during the summer. Implementations of programs and staff development are monitored through follow-up sessions and development of daily lesson plans. The district has identified research-based instructional strategies which are aligned with its mission and expectations for student learning. These include, but are not limited to, balanced literacy, reading strategies, and writing across the curriculum, math problem-solving, and concept development, inquiry in science, learning styles, cooperative learning, and use of instructional technology. Professional development in each of these areas is provided on a regular basis. Other professional development is determined by school or district initiatives.
In addition to providing a variety of strategies and activities to support student achievement in regular education classes, the Greenwood Public School District also provides a comprehensive special education program to address learner needs. These programs include instructional services for students with disabilities as well as those identified as gifted/talented. A variety of instructional deliveries are used including regular classes with supplemental aids and services, resource classes, and self-contained classes. The Greenwood Public School District also has a comprehensive program of information and media services. All schools have libraries staffed by certified librarians. The libraries serve as a hub for student research. Librarians and classroom teachers work collaboratively to ensure that students accomplish the school s and district s standards for achievement. Existing programs and practices contribute to providing students with the best instruction possible. This instruction is based on data analysis, individual and group needs with a focus on the development of higherordered thinking skills and the ability of students to apply learning. Implementation of the district-supported instructional strategies is monitored in many ways. Through the district s process of observation and evaluation, principals assess the effectiveness of the instructional strategies used by teachers. In the school improvement process, each school annually develops an action plan which is implemented and revised throughout the year. Each school identifies instructional strategies that promote attainment of student achievement goals. The district and mission promote high expectations for student success and provides the basis for school focus through common goals that are addresses in the action plan.
Assessment, Measurement, and Effectiveness Results A quality system uses effective and continuous performance management systems for assessing, aligning, and improving student learning and operation performance, including organizational and instructional effectiveness, at all levels and areas of the system. In fulfillment of the following, the school district: Establishes key indicators and performance expectations for student learning; Develops and implements a comprehensive system for assessing student progress based on clearly defined student results for learning; Establishes and provides a comprehensive assessment system that includes current data that includes a profile of student performance, community characteristics, system characteristics, and stakeholder perceptions of the system (staff and stakeholder); Employs an assessment system that provides data for making informed decisions for continuous improvement; Conducts a periodic analysis of instructional and organizational effectiveness as a basis for improving the system and schools; and Communicates assessment results to all stakeholders The Greenwood Public School District provides the framework for the development of student expectations and performance indicators through the strategic planning process that is in place at the district and school levels. In addition to the state and locally mandated criteria for student performance, the district and schools adhere to Mississippi School Accountability Standards and the No Child Left Behind federal mandates. The State of Mississippi provides Greenwood Public School District with specific assessment mandates includes MS-CPAS, and state/local writing assessments. Greenwood Public School District is beginning to utilize nine-week assessments to monitor benchmark progress as well as assessment results from other district programs such as Accelerated Reading and IXL. School instructional staffs have also focused on individual student needs by utilizing a variety of technology-based systems/programs that provide opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery of specific skills, with individual reporting for the teacher. This informal assessment is utilized at the school sites as they deem necessary. Greenwood Public School District has regularly reviewed and analyzed data to assist in the continuous improvement process. The Director of Curriculum and Instruction and the District Test Coordinator have provided custom reporting and analyses to provide diagnostic feedback and evaluation of programs and projects. Most data analysis is done at the district-level on an ongoing basis or as requested by principals or district staff; however, school and classroom level analysis is common throughout the district. Annually schools are provided reports that include a compilation of the various data for their site and the district. Surveys are used by the schools and district on an ad hoc basis and include both paper and online delivery. All of this data is considered and included in the district/school strategic plans. Greenwood Public School District does not respond to data in isolation but is focused on observing trend data from a variety of the aforementioned sources to identify areas for action. The District Test Coordinator provides a compilation of reports for each school. This data source includes trend data for multiple years and is compiled annually for continued improvement process consideration. District-level leadership supports school leaders and staffs in reviewing existing data and in developing additional data collection strategies where appropriate to determine possible root causes and identifying needed intervention areas.
Greenwood Public School District s focus on continuous improvement includes the district and school use of assessment data to identify key areas for concentrated effort. The strategic planning process includes the desired results, measures, and annual results summary for the district and schools to monitor for improvement and impact of varied processes. A status report to the Greenwood Public School Board of Trustees is provided each year to ensure that progress is being made toward improvement. The Mississippi State Department of Education publishes an annual district/school level report card identifying student performance levels, rates for attendance, graduation, and class size, and information relative to highly qualified personnel. This information is shared online and is also provided in written format to parents. Greenwood Public School District has also been recognized across the state for its success in closing achievement gaps. The Greenwood Public School District Instructional Management Plan for 2015/2016 includes the following documents: Pacing guides (resources & strategies) Current frameworks and standards Blueprints (tested areas) Lesson Plans Screening and progress monitoring schedules and information TST checklist