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Seed Fund Presentation: Enhanced Instructional Strategies through Inquiry Based Learning

Webb Bridge Middle School Susan Opferman Nan Brown Carmen Hurst

School Needs/Challenges

Need/Challenge:

• Although Webb Bridge Middle School

(WBMS) has the leading middle school CCRPI scores for FCS, needs assessments at WBMS indicated a need for students to be challenged in their thinking in order to continue to achieve at high levels.

• There is a supportive and positive culture at

WMBS which emphasizes a love of learning. Teachers expressed the need for additional tools to challenge students at a deeper level. This initiative will implement Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) strategies to enhance student problem solving skills and offer opportunities for students to apply learning to real life situations.

• IBL strategies will springboard WBMS

naturally to project based learning, with community wide impact.

Supporting Data

• Surveys of students, staff, and parents

indicated a clear need to engage students more deeply.

– Only 38% of students agreed with the statement: “ I look forward to coming to school each day.”

• Students and parents voiced a need for

“more challenge” and “more life skills.”

– Student, “My courses seem to have no connection to what I want to do after I finish school.”

• Teachers voiced the need for higher-level

learning.

– Teacher comments included the desire to “help students become accountable, independent, responsible, and reliable instead of enabled and entitled.”

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Project: Target Population & Solution

Target Population

 All students, grades 6-8, will participate in inquiry based learning.  All teachers in all content areas will participate in job embedded professional learning.

Solution

 All students, grades 6-8, will be more engaged in their learning and make more connections to real world experiences.  All teachers will bring a deeper level of problem solving to lessons through inquiry based learning strategies.

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Project Plan

4

Implementation: (Project Activities) Strategic Plan Alignment Program Effectiveness: (Project Outcomes) Program Impact: (Long-term Outcomes) Budget

Full time teacher leader

• Daily classroom interaction

with student instruction, including active learning

• pportunities for teachers

and PLC support.

• Organize and implement

professional learning days.

• Coordinate collective
• pportunities for teachers.
• Develop and administer

periodic and end-of-year evaluations of program impact.

• Analyze data and report

results to PLCs, leadership and SGC. Contracted professional learning. Curricula on inquiry based learning. Aligns with focus areas: #1 Instructional Strategies Utilizing strategies and activities that ensure a high degree of student engagement and student centered learning #2 Climate and Culture Increase student accountability and responsibility for learning Implementation of cutting edge strategies to enhance student achievement. Students will be better problem solvers and more able to apply their learning to real life situations. #1 Increased use of inquiry based learning (IBL) activities to stretch students’ higher

• rder thinking skills.

#2. Research shows that IBL enhances student ownership

• f learning.

Dedicated teacher to oversee the program will insure the focus stays on IBL engagement and high order thinking skills. Student, parent, and teacher surveys will monitor progress and impact of program. Concentrated teacher training will allow for teacher collaboration to adapt training concepts into effective, long lasting classroom enhancements. Implementation of IBL is viewed as the initial step toward the school’s goal of immersion in project based learning. $69,925 – Full time teacher leader $1,500 – Professional days to allot

• ne period

per teacher to observe exemplary work in IBL. $37,000 – contracted professional learning -IBL. $5,000- Engaging Schools- creating hooks $1,100 - Support materials Exemplifying Excellence Every Day!

Milestones and Measures

Project Outcomes

1. Increased use of inquiry based learning (IBL) enabling students to become better problem solvers and more able to apply their learning to real life situations. 2. Use of IBL activities to enhance student ownership of learning. 3. Dedicated teacher overseeing program to insure IBL is a central focus at WBMS and becomes a cornerstone

• f the school culture.

4. Concentrated teacher and collaboration opportunities to adapt IBL concepts into effective, long- lasting classroom enhancements

Measures

1. Standardized test scores related to higher

• rder thinking skills with students setting

and evaluating quarterly academic goals 2. Semiannual student, parent and teacher surveys regarding interest in school and perceptions of engagement and challenge 3. Periodic and End-of-Year (EOY) evaluations

• f program developed and administered

by teacher leader implementing the program 4. Improved teacher ratings in the categories

• f “teacher use of differentiation” and

“academically challenging environment” in TKES (the teacher evaluation program)

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Budget Summary

6

Budget Item Budget Item Description Amount Budgeted* Proposed Funding Source(s)**

Teacher(s) Inquiry Based Learning Teacher Leader $69,925.00 FCS Seed Funds Paraprofessional(s) Support Staff n/a Additional Pay (certified)/Overtime (non- certified) n/a Equipment n/a Supplies/Materials Curricula materials $1,100.00 FCS Seed Funds Professional Development IBL/PBL training and materials $37,000.00 FCS Seed Funds Independent Contractor(s) Program for teachers on creating great “hooks” (openers) to a lesson. $5,000.00 FCS Seed Funds Transportation n/a Supplements n/a Other Professional Services Duty Days $1,500.00 FCS Seed Funds Other: Book Study Teach Like a Pirate $2,475.00 FCS Seed Funds Other GRAND TOTALS $117,000.00 Exemplifying Excellence Every Day!

Project Sustainability

Growth/Maintenance/ Sunset Plan Items/Activities Funding: Source and Cost

After the first year of implementation, the teachers will have learned the IBL strategies. Teacher support will be sustained through content area Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and supplemented

• positions. (There will be no need to continue

staffing the teacher leader position.) IBL teacher support to be paid through salary supplements Cost Center: $6,000

Exemplifying Excellence Every Day! 7

Seed Fund Presentation: Advisement Plus – Enhancing School Climate

Webb Bridge Middle School Susan Opferman Nan Brown Carmen Hurst

School Needs/Challenges

Need/Challenge:

• Although WBMS has an advisement program,

needs assessments indicated a need to have a stronger sense of belonging and connection to the school.

• All students need to have identified at least
• ne trusted adult at school who knows and

will support them.

• Our School Governance Council recognizes

the need to create an Advisement Leadership Team (ALT) to develop and implement a customized advisement program.

• We seek to partner with Engaging Schools

and their Advisement Plus program to identify specific areas of focus for implementation.

Supporting Data

Through needs assessments of students, staff, and parents, there is a clear need to support students through advisement on a deeper

• level. Of the student population,
• 37% felt that the advisement program

needed to be improved,

• 19% felt that “adults at the school seem

really interested and willing to help.” Clearly the needs assessment indicated work to be done in building positive relationships so that students feel a sense of belonging and connections to our school.

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Project: Target Population & Solution

Target Population

 All students will participate in advisement.  Students will build relationships with each other and with an identified adult in the building.

Solution

 All teachers will have a deeper understanding of the need to build positive relationships with middle school students.  All students, grades 6-8, will be more engaged in their learning and make more connections to other students and to adults in the building.  When students feel a sense of belonging and connections to adults, their school, and other students, they will be better able to reach their potential and achieve at higher levels.

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Project Plan

11

Implementation: (Project Activities) Strategic Plan Alignment Program Effectiveness: (Project Outcomes) Program Impact: (Long-term Outcomes) Budget

• 1. Recruit staff in order to

create an Advisement Leadership Team (ALT).

• 2. Identify teacher leader to

be responsible for the advisement programs.

• 3. Contract with Engaging

Schools for Advisement Plus program.

• 4. Purchase corresponding

curricula materials.

• 5. Schedule 4 day summer

Advisement Institute for the ALT.

• 6. Define goals of the

enhanced advisement program.

• 7. Customize the design

features of the advisement by grade level.

• 8. Create communication and

evaluation plans for stakeholders. The project will address the following objectives from our strategic plan:

• Increase positive

relationships (student to student, student to self, student to teacher, student to school).

• Increase student

accountability and responsibility for learning.

• Increase opportunities for

student participation in school activities. All students will feel a sense

• f belong to a safe and

supportive peer group. Students will be well-known and supported by at least one adult in the school. Students will be supported in monitoring their own academic development and progress. A well-designed advisement program that supports academic achievement, youth development, and strong student connections to school, peers, and an adult advocate. Systems and structures will be in place for sustainability.

• 1. $20,130 –

stipends for ten staff members

• n ALT
• 2. $69,925 –

Full time teacher leader to

• versee

program.

• 3. $28,135 -

Contract fee for Engaging Schools.

• 4. $1,100 -

Curricula materials from Engaging Schools.

• 5. $4,000 -

four days

• f training

for ALT. Exemplifying Excellence Every Day!

Milestones and Measures

Project Outcomes Measures

As specific design standards are established and goals and outcomes are identified, quantifiable measures will be put in place to monitor program effectiveness:

• Through varied assessments and

feedback tools such as self-assessments, support and supervision structures, and grading.

• Using processes that are formal and

informal, internal to the school and external, quantitative and qualitative.

• To assess functionality of design features

and monitor progress towards goals and

• utcomes of the advisory program

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A well-designed advisory program that supports strong student connections to school, peers, and an adult advocate as well as academic achievement. This will include:

• Protocols to support students in

monitoring their academic development and progress.

• Strategic professional development to

better prepare teachers to support students’ personal, social, emotional and academic growth.

• System in place that each students will

be well known and supported by at least one adult in our school.

Budget Summary

13

Budget Item Budget Item Description Amount Budgeted* Proposed Funding Source(s)**

Teacher(s) Advisory Teacher Leader $69,925.00 FCS Seed Funds Paraprofessional(s) Support Staff n/a Additional Pay (certified)/Overtime (non- certified) Advisory Leadership Team training $4,000.00 FCCS Seed Funds Equipment n/a Supplies/Materials Curricula materials $1,100.00 FCS Seed Funds Professional Development Independent Contractor(s) Engaging Schools-Advisory program $28, 135.00 FCS Seed Funds Transportation n/a Supplements n/a Other Professional Services Other: ALT salary supplements $20,130.00 FCS Seed Funds Other GRAND TOTALS $123,290.00 Exemplifying Excellence Every Day!

Project Sustainability

Growth/Maintenance/ Sunset Plan Items/Activities Funding: Source and Cost

After the first year of implementation, teachers will have completed training. The Advisory Leadership Team will continue to

• versee the program and maintain the

advisement program as Curriculum Team Leaders currently support instruction. Ongoing ALT support to be paid through salary supplements. Cost Center: $6,000

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