Core Value: Student Achievement
We believe that challenging standards and differentiated instruction encourage all students to excel and become confident engaged learners who achieve their potential at different rates and on different paths.
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Overarching Goal: To establish the District as a leader in innovative and inclusive instructional practices that meet the needs of all learners.
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Summary of Current Status FY12: Curriculum alignment is a dynamic process. MERSD’s Pre K-12 curriculum is in the process of being re-aligned to recently released Mass Common Core frameworks. A master curriculum map that documents the full PreK-12 scope and sequence is under development. In 2011 MERSD instituted a Curriculum Review Cycle in order to establish a cycle for systematically reviewing, assessing and documenting our curriculum. Through this process we strive to keep abreast of local, state, and national updates and maintain alignment and currency in the curriculum. MERSD has a partial system of common/benchmark assessment and will need to focus its work on the development and implementation of a district-wide system.
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Goal 1: Documentation of Curriculum and alignment to MA Common Core.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Unpack the standards to articulate essential concepts and skills.
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Review Cycle Ongoing
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teacher
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Curriculum materials (curriculum maps, model units) will clearly identify the essential understandings and 21st century skills as the goals for learning.
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Create curriculum-embedded, performance based
Assessments that meet MERSD standards and the parameters of DESE district based measures requirement.
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FY 13-15
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
Resources: DESE District Measures Guide
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FY13
Curriculum-embedded, performance-based assessments that are integrated and aligned with the state accountability system.
FY14
- Implementation of K-12 assessments.
- Data gathered to establish baseline results and evaluate effectiveness of assessments.
FY15
- Implement revisions.
- Data collection report.
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Research and implement curricula programs that promote critical thinking and problem solving skills, communications skills, creativity and innovation skills, collaboration skills, contextual learning skills and information and media literacy skills.
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Review Cycle Ongoing
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teacher
Resources: P21 / General Fund
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Implement curricula programs designed to produce deep understanding and authentic application of 21st century skills. Curricula should include models for appropriate learning activities that accomplish 21st century skills outcomes.
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Goal 2: Establish and articulate a core curriculum centered on 21st Century Skills.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Commit to continuous improvement in 21st century curriculum design processes.
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Ongoing
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
Resources: Entitlement Grants & General Fund
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FY14
- Secondary Technology Integration Specialist
- Technology Plan focused on of improving the teaching and learning of 21st century skills
FY15.
Teachers trained in 21st Century curriculum and technology integration.
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Deliver learner-centered instruction that enables 21st century skills.
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FY13-15
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
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FY15
Teachers trained in
- Adopted district programs.
- Tiered/Differentiated Instruction.
- Technology Integration
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Create meaningful opportunities for student demonstration/mastery of 21st century skills.
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Ongoing
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
Resources: P21/Primary Source/Entitlement Grants & General Fund
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Interdisciplinary course of study sequence requiring designated by students have real world opportunities to synthesize, apply and demonstrate their mastery of key concepts and 21st century skills. Resulting in attainment of certificate of study in
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Goal 3: Strengthen tier one instructional methodology to support differentiated instruction and individualized learning.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Organize PD Plan to support teacher training and development of differentiated instruction.
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FY13 Summer
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Administrative Council
Resources: Entitlement Grants & General Fund
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Established PD Plan & Timeline for FY 13
Budget.
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Partner w/ Simmons College – Dual Certification Program.
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FY13
Winter
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Superintendent in collaboration with the Director of Student Services & Director of Curriculum & Technology
Resources: Identify Grant Funding
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Developed Project Plan, Timeline and Funding Identification.
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Goal 4: Implement new teacher evaluation model.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Adopt new teacher standards and model collective bargaining language.
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FY13
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MERSD/META Negotiating Team
Resources: State Model CBA
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Secured contract memorandum of understanding.
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Train staff and implement phase one of the new teacher evaluation model.
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FY 13
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Superintendent in collaboration with
Resources: RTTT/Entitlement Grants & General Fund
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Recorded Educator Plans including SMART goals for fifty percent of professional staff.
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Identify and adopt district based measure for data collection.
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FY13
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Superintendent and Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
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Established grade and/or subject based common assessments.
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Train staff and implement phase two of the new teacher evaluation model.
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FY14
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Superintendent in collaboration with
Resources: RTTT/Entitlement Grants & General Fund
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Record Educator Plans including SMART goals for all professional staff.
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Implement District Based measures.
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FY14
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Classroom Teachers with the support of
- Principals
- Director of Curriculum & Technology
Resources: NA
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Recorded District-wide Assessment Data.
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Goal 5: Hire and retain exceptional teachers.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Develop and implement a common hiring protocol for all buildings.
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FY13
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Superintendent in collaboration with
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- Established hiring documentation; first year staff evaluations and outcomes.
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Expand district networking strategies for recruitment of personnel.
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FY13
Winter/Spring
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Superintendent in collaboration with
Resources: Regional workgroups / Local Colleges
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Increased quality candidates for district positions.
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Create a common vision for exceptional teaching through training and co-observation.
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FY13
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Superintendent in collaboration with
Resources: NA
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Increased co-observations by principals and directors; additional allocation of administrative time for discussion of quality instruction. Provide additional administrator training in this area.
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Establish a paid internship program for exceptional novice teacher candidates.
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FY14
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Superintendent and Director of Student Services in collaboration with
- Director of Curriculum & Technology
- Building Principals.
Resources: Local colleges/Grant Funding
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Year-long paid internship and reduced schedule for a teacher leader to provide extensive mentoring and peer observation. Consider implementing this program in anticipation of retirements or needs in shortage areas.
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Improve and expand teacher mentoring, coaching, and training.
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FY13
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Superintendent and Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with building Principals.
With Support from
- Department Chairs
- Teachers
Resources: Grant Funding
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Established peer coaching, staff meetings to review student work, PLCs, teacher rounds.
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Goal 6: Create a continuum of specialized programming designed to meet the needs of all learners PK-12.
Also Goal 2 of Core Value ~ Whole Child
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Implement an Intensive Reading and Written Language Program for grade 4/5 at Memorial School.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services
MMES Principal
Resources: Grant Funding / General Fund
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Documented program enrollment, OOD cost avoidance, documentation of student progress.
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Implement a therapeutic program for the middle school.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services
MMES Principal
Resources: General Fund
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Documented program enrollment, OOD cost avoidance, documentation of student progress.
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Evaluate and refine current specialized programs – SWING, Elementary SAIL, and TRANSITIONS.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
- EES Principal
- MMES Principal
- MERHS Principal
Resources: NA
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Documented program evaluation data, recommendations for refinement of programs.
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Implement an Intensive Reading and Written Language Program at the middle school.
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FY14
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with MS Principal
Resources: Grant Funding / General Fund
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Documented program enrollment, OOD cost avoidance, documentation of student progress.
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Assess counseling and guidance programming and needs at the middle/high school.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
- Principals
- Director of Guidance
Resources: NA
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Documented program and FTE recommendations.
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Implement and refine RTI programs at the elementary level.
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FY13
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with
- Director of Student Services
- Principals
Resources: Parker Consulting /Entitlement Grants/General Fund
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Documented student RTI referral and progress data; special education referral data.
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Implement Positive Behavior Intervention Supports at the elementary and middle school.
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FY14
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
- Principals
- Director of Curriculum & Technology
Resources: Parker Consulting /Entitlement Grants/General Fund
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Documented student RTI referral and progress data; special education referral data; discipline data.
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Improve and standardize pre-referral team procedures at all levels.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
- Director of Curriculum & Technology
- Principals
With support from
- Department Chairs
- Team Chairs
Resources: NA
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Established handbook of forms and procedures, common title for all teams.
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Create supplemental opportunities for gifted students.
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FY14
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Director of Curriculum & Technology in collaboration with Principals
Resources: NA
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Established list of opportunities and resources
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Develop an ELL Program plan for the District.
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FY13
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
Director of Curriculum & Technology
Resources: DESE ELL Regulations
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Established structured guidelines for student assessment and service delivery.
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Expand capacity for providing ABA to students with autism in the PK and SWING programs.
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FY13-14
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Director of Student Services in collaboration with
Principals
Resources: IDEA & Entitlement Grants / General Fund
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Provide CABA-Tech training for selected TAs; hire a BCBA for EES SWING program.
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