Approved by State Board of Education 8/9/12 Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioners Network Turnaround Plan Application 2012

- 2013 COVER PAGE

Name of District: Norwich Public Schools Name of School: Stanton Elementary School

Name of Turnaround Plan Contact Person: Abby I. Dolliver, Superintendent Phone: Fax: 860-823-4245 860-823-1880

Email: adolliver@norwichpublicschools.org Address of Turnaround Plan Contact Person: 90 Town Street, Norwich CT 06360 Name of Superintendent: Abby I. Dolliver Signature of Superintendent: Name of Board Chair: Dr. Yvette Jacaruso Date:

Signature of Board Chair:

Date:

Part Three. Commissioners Network Turnaround Plan

Please complete sections I through VIII and respond to all subsections. Please use the same numbering for all responses to all sections and subsections. Responses must be formatted as single-spaced pages with normal margin sizes, and Times New Roman size 12 font.

Section I: Notice of Intent Please indicate the authorization you have received from the CSDE regarding this application (check one): X On the basis of an initial selection by the CSDE, this application presents a Turnaround Plan for consideration by the CSDE for implementation in 2012-2013 school year. -or On the basis of an invitation to apply for a planning grant, this application describes planning activities that will support the development of a fully responsive Turnaround Plan for future consideration by the CSDE.

Section II: Executive Summary

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1. John B. Stanton Elementary School in Norwich is a Pre K grade 5 school of approximately 418 students. At least 300 students (75%) are eligible for free/reduced price meals. About 80 students (20%) are not fluent in English and approximately 45 students (11%) are identified as having special needs. Compared to a state average of 987 hours, the school provides 956 hours of instruction during the school year. Class sizes in the primary grades are similar to the state average; however, class sizes in the upper grades exceed the state average. Many students in the lower grades are children who are economically disadvantaged and/or not-fluent in English. The time students spend in English/Language Arts (546 hours) exceeds the state average, however, time spent in Mathematics, Science and Social Studies is considerably less than the state average. In 2011-2012, Stanton had 162 new student entries, 69 student withdrawals and 318 students continued from the previous year. Teachers at Stanton have fewer years teaching experience (11.6) and fewer have their Masters Degree (66.7%) compared to a state average of 80.8%. In this turnaround plan just over 50% of the staff have been reassigned and replaced.

The Stanton School community is committed to supporting the familys role in the education of its students. The school has formed a School Governance Council (SGC) and there is a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at Stanton. However, parent and family involvement has been limited due in part to parent work schedules, transportation and language barriers.

2. The Stanton School Turnaround Team is comprised of the following representatives: William Linski (teacher), Thomas St. George (teacher), Elizabeth Hanlon (parent), Jerry Browning (parent), Alexandria Lazzari (administrator), Steven Adamowski, Commissioner's Representative (exofficio), and Abby Dolliver, Superintendent of Schools (ex-officio). This team represents many years of experience and expertise and a commitment to school improvement. The team members biographies and resumes are attached.

3. The Stanton School turnaround plan is a two-year process. Year one of the plan provides for both a structural development of focused, immediate interventions to improve student achievement and intensive review and planning for implementation of a whole school redesign model in Years 2 and 3 in partnership with the School Governance Council (SGC). Year 1 includes the following implementation: fidelity to Positive Behavior Supports, additional instructional time, piloting Singapore Math, piloting a core and Tier II intervention reading program, strengthening the effectiveness of the data teams to include literacy, math, and behavior, and hiring a new administrative literacy specialist. During year 1 the Norwich Turnaround Committee (NTC) will create a whole school redesign that builds upon and strengthens the structural foundation created with a full implementation in year 2. The redesign will include a pedagogical or content themebased school of choice and a differentiated talent strategy.
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The Turnaround Committee will use the following processes to determine the school-wide theme during Year 1: Engage the School Governance Council in parent surveys and parent research. Engage local community partners in research. The turnaround Committee will research effective theme-based schools of choice to meet the needs of Stanton School students. Engage the lead partner in the process. The factors included in the decision-making will be student need, community involvement, parent interests and teacher expertise. The theme chosen will effectively close the achievement gap. The ultimate goal is for Stanton School to be the highest performing school in the district and fully enrolled by creating a sustainable, replicable plan that ensures student achievement and preparedness through the alignment of district curriculum with the Common Core Standards, differentiation of instruction and programming for vertical scale movement of all students, improvement of teacher practice, and promotion of authentic family and community involvement.

Stanton School will strengthen family and community connections by: hiring a parent-family liaison to conduct outreach; hiring para-educators who speak Haitian/Creole, Chinese, and Spanish; establishing a satellite office in the Greeneville and other neighborhoods; providing transportation to parents, and; actively engaging the School Governance Council.

Stanton School will strengthen its focus on improving the school environment through the implementation of the Positive Behavioral Intervention Support (PBIS) with fidelity in Year I. All teachers will be trained in PBIS. A PBIS Tier II/III specialist will be engaged for Year I. A preand post-audit of school climate will be conducted by the School Governance Council.

The role of the principal will shift more toward educational instructional leadership and school improvement. The principal will work closely with teachers and data teams to focus on student academic growth. An Administrative Literacy Specialist with a strong background in instruction and effective teaching strategies will be added to the leadership team of the school. A standardsbased teacher and administrator evaluation system will be developed. Professional development opportunities for teachers will be expanded, with a focus on academic and social growth and use of data-driven decision-making. An executive coach will be assigned to assist the principal. Stanton School will increase instructional time for all students during and after-school beginning at the start of the second trimester (approximately November 30, 2012). Teachers at Stanton School will be engaged in professional development for an hour per day beginning August 29, 2012 through the end of October 2012. The total number of additional hours by Year 3 is 300. Additional instructional time will include all Stanton students.
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 Year 1 123 hours: includes one hour per day for all students from November to June with no additional instructional time on early release and vacation days. Year 2 211.5 hours: includes 171.5 additional hours between September and June (including one extra 7.5 hour day) and 40 hours of summer instructional time. Year 3 300 hours: to include additional school year and summer instructional hours and days. Stanton School staff is committed to increasing student achievement by increasing parent engagement, achieving fidelity to the PBIS program, improving classroom instruction, implementing tiered instructional supports, and effectively analyzing data to inform instruction. Teacher and administrator capacity to achieve goals as outlined in the turnaround domains will be strengthened by an intensive embedded professional development model. The turnaround committee will monitor, review, and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and revise as necessary to ensure continued progress towards improved student achievement. Section III: School Description Norwich Public Schools Vision The Next Generation Norwich Education System is a fully integrated community educational environment for all our citizens throughout their lives in any facet they desire. John B. Stanton Network School Mission Statement Our mission statement for Norwich Public Schools states we will provide each student with a rigorous, effective teaching and learning environment where equity is the norm, excellence is the goal, student health and safety is assured and achievement cannot be predicted by race or other demographics. In an environment rich in academic rigor, culturally relevant practices, and with strong adult/student relationships, John B. Stanton School will focus on building effective home-school collaborations that will ensure high expectations and elevated achievement for all students in order to close the achievement gap. This collaboration will build strong, respectful relationships between our school and families, developing a strong sense of community and shared responsibility for decision-making within the school while we monitor and adjust to meet the changing needs of our students and their families to achieve student success.
1. According to the Commissioners Network Instructional Audit conducted at Stanton School on

July 10 11, 2012, the reviewers noted that school performance on the CMT indicates a high number of students who require intervention in literacy and mathematics. This observation is substantiated by the following CMT test results for the school: 2012 CMT results: Grade 3 Math: 54.5% at or above proficiency
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Reading: 47.3% at or above proficiency Writing: 55.2% at or above proficiency Grade 4: Math: 55.6% at or above proficiency Reading: 43.1% at or above proficiency Writing: 53.9% at or above proficiency Grade 5: Math: 71.4% at or above proficiency Reading: 62.9% at or above proficiency Writing: 76.4% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 3 Math Black/African American: 51.6% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 66% at or above proficiency White: 76.1% at or above proficiency Asian: 82.9% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 3 Reading Black/African American: 50% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 52% at or above proficiency White: 60.3% at or above proficiency Asian: 65.7% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 4 Math Black/African American: 48.7% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 52.9% at or above proficiency White: 80.7% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 4 Reading Black/African American: 43.4% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 50% at or above proficiency White: 73.8% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 5 Math Black/African American: 45.9% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 56.9% at or above proficiency White: 87.1% at or above proficiency Asian: 100% at or above proficiency Ethnicity Grade 5 Reading Black/African American: 44.3% at or above proficiency Hispanic/Latino: 62.1% at or above proficiency White: 76.7% at or above proficiency Asian: 87% at or above proficient
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ELL Grade 3 Math: 45.5% at or above proficiency ELL Grade 3 Reading: 24.4% at or above proficiency ELL Grade 4 Math: 32.4% at or above proficiency ELL Grade 4 Reading: 18.9% at or above proficiency ELL Grade 5 Math: 33.3% at or above proficiency ELL Grade 5 Reading: 27.3% at or above proficiency The School Performance Index (SPI) for 2011- 2012 as reported by the State Department of Education is 55.4. The SPI target for 2012-2013 is 56.9.

While the school has developed a schedule that includes a 90 minute literacy block plus a 40minute enrichment period for literacy intervention, observers stated in the Network audit that the teachers do not demonstrate the level of literacy understanding to effectively intervene and that the model does not effectively meet the needs of struggling learners and lacks sufficient time for small group instruction. The audit further states: During the intervention block, paraprofessionals and tutors support the lowest performing students. It was stated by staff that typically a tier II student remains in tier II for the entire year. This is not the outcome of the Scientifically Research-Based Interventions (SRBI) model that is desired. Staff indicates a lack of resources and training as a major inhibitor to implementing SRBI. There is no SRBI in mathematics or behavior as indicated by all stakeholders. In order for ongoing improvement, a high quality core curriculum and SRBI must be implemented with fidelity to improve student achievement.

2. Stanton School has been involved in a number of reform efforts that have included a

commitment of time and resources through an active professional development program. We have initiated the following programs and strategies:
The development and implementation of well-balanced literacy instruction and math

instruction programs. We recognize that there has been some lack of understanding on the part of some staff of the components of well-balanced literacy instruction/math instruction. The transition of Grade Level Equivalencies to Common Core State Standards. Fluency: Teachers and support staff have provided instruction, practice, and progress monitoring for students on a daily basis for those students who did not meet the Oral Reading Fluency district benchmark. SRBI has been implemented at all grade levels. The School Governance Council has been formed

Obstacles to success:

 Once student assessments were analyzed staff did not have enough support and

knowledge on what specific needs were for each grade level or sub-group.

Staff did not have enough support and knowledge on what specific interventions would

meet the identified needs of students nor the professional development for those interventions to ensure that they could be administered with fidelity. Inconsistencies arose with interventions and there was a lack of follow-through with interventions/progress monitoring. There was a lack of programs and services for English Language Learners. Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) strategies were used inconsistently. More professional development was required to effectively differentiate instruction. There was a lack of formalized protocol in the areas of student attendance and truancy. There was a lack of follow-through with district-wide protocol. There was a lack of incremental benchmarks to determine literacy proficiency to inform instruction.

Stanton has a number of strengths that can be built upon, including the following:
School-Wide Data Teams: Strong grade-level instructional data team leaders were able

to dissect building needs but had difficulty implementing everything at one time.

Grade Level Instructional Data Teams: Data team cycles were strong in discussing

effective teaching strategies and monitoring student progress. The continued implementation of SRBI from previous year was successful. Strong leadership and follow-through with district expectations. An instructional and administrative staff committed to change. Section IV: The Turnaround Team and Stakeholder Engagement

The mission of the Stanton Turnaround Committee, in collaboration with the Commissioner of Education, Stanton School Governance Council, families, staff and community, is to monitor and support the robust turnaround plan that is iterative and meets the changing needs of all students, so that they may grow and progress, while at the same time closing the achievement gap. The Stanton Turnaround Team is comprised of the following representatives: William Linski (teacher), Thomas St. George (teacher), Elizabeth Hanlon (parent), Jerry Browning (parent), Alexandria Lazzari (administrator), Steven Adamowski, Commissioner's Representative (exofficio), and Abby Dolliver, Superintendent of Schools (ex-officio). This team represents many years of experience and expertise and they are highly committed to school improvement. Bios and resumes are attached. Partner organizations and technical assistance providers will address shortcomings identified in the Network Audit, in the following manner: Family and Community Connections: The audit stated that family and community connection at Stanton was poor. Staff reported limited professional development on implementing PBIS and expressed some interest in implementing the Responsive Classroom model. Furthermore, it needs
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to be acknowledged that while the student population at Stanton is ethnically diverse, some staff is in need of professional development in cultural awareness and diversity. Consultants affiliated with the University of Connecticut, Neag School of Education and Eastern Connecticut State University will provide support and technical assistance in areas related to parent engagement, school climate, cultural competence, teacher evaluation re-design and school environment.

Expansion of the role of the School-based Health Center, as described elsewhere in this application, will also address needs related to family and community connections and school climate issues.

School Leadership: While the Network audit found that there is a high level of confidence in the principal at Stanton, reservations were expressed regarding her ability to implement the Turnaround Plan without additional administrative support. The principal has strong skills and a commitment to the use of data to inform instructional decisions. The Turnaround Plan calls for the hiring of an Administrative Literacy Specialist to enhance the instructional leadership in the building and increase the capacity of literacy instruction of teachers. In addition, the district will hire an executive coach to assist the administration in implementing the Turnaround Plan.

LEARN will provide facilitation, consultation, report writing, support for Superintendent and the Turnaround Committee.

Teachers and Support Staff: The Network Audit pointed out that teachers have expressed concern with a lack of focused professional development in any one discipline, such as literacy or math instruction. The teachers also expressed the desire for further training in PBIS along with a need for additional in-class assistance from highly-qualified interventionists. While class sizes have increased, the teachers ability to deliver high quality small group instruction and SRBI-tiered interventions remains compromised.

A consultant will be employed to assist staff in implementing PBIS with fidelity in Year 1. The Turnaround Team will evaluate the effectiveness in creating a positive school climate.

Curriculum and Instruction: The Network Audit concluded that Norwich Public Schools have a comprehensive curriculum aligned with state standards. The greatest needs evidenced in the interviews were instructional leadership, focused ongoing professional development, resources and
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training to implement SRBI with fidelity and updated literacy materials. The Turnaround Committee will research and investigate curriculum and materials for purchase in order to create a comprehensive, more effective common-core based reading and math program. Additional tiered interventions will be researched and implemented. As part of the process of building a robust reading/language arts and mathematics curriculum, there will be a focus on improvement in tieredinterventions. Stanton School will pilot Singapore Math, a core and tier II reading program during the fall of year 1. In order to align district curricula with Stanton School initiatives the Director of Curriculum & Instruction will be involved with the research and selection of materials. The core curriculum and tiered interventions will be selected based on how well they align with the Common Core and support vertical alignment with the middle grades. A curriculum consultant, from a local university will be employed to assist the school in creating the strongest possible foundation for reading/language arts and math instruction during Year 1. Teachers will engage in professional development in instruction and curriculum implementation during the additional hour added to the school day from September until the start of the second trimester (approximately November 30, 2012). Research clearly demonstrates that additional time without effective instruction and programming has little or no correlation to improved student achievement. Students will benefit exponentially as a result of additional effective instructional time and clearly articulated curriculum in November of year 1. The consultant will also assist the administration and faculty in maximizing the use of the additional instructional time that will be added to the school schedule in Year 1. Additional instructional time will be added to the school day in Year 2 to support the value-added curriculum and design model. Appropriate professional development and support will be provided to teachers, support staff and administration.

Use of Data: At Stanton School there are data teams at all grade levels and each grade level has a team leader. While the school has a strong emphasis on the use of data to inform decisions, staff have not had the resources or training to adequately meet the student needs identified in the data. As was pointed out in the Network audit, the district does not utilize any academic database to support performance analysis, leading to inefficient use of instructional time by the principal and teachers.

Stanton School staff will use Northwest Education Association MAPS (NWEA MAPS) as benchmark assessments during the school year to monitor student performance. The use of a computer aided assessment model will assist teachers in analyzing data and informing instruction to achieve vertical scale movement for all students. Stanton School staff will use a blended assessment model of MAPS and CMT data as summative data to create instructional plans for year 2 of the Turnaround plan.

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The administrative team comprised of the newly hired Administrative Literacy Specialist (092 and Reading certification) and principal will model effective data driven decision making strategies through the monitoring and evaluating of grade level data team meetings. The team will provide specific feedback to teachers in order to create an effective DDDM process for improved instruction and subsequent improved student achievement.

1. The Turnaround Team, including ex-officio members Abby Dolliver and Dr. Steven

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Adamowski, and Alexandria Lazzari, Principal of Teachers Memorial Middle School have had extensive experience in school reform and improvement. William Linski and Tom St. George, our teacher representatives, have participated in a number of school improvement practices and they possess a clear vision and understanding of teaching & learning. Our parent representatives, Beth Hanlon and Jerry Browning bring a strong commitment to change to the committee. The team as a whole works well together and they are committed to the mission of the Norwich Turnaround Committee (NTC.) They are anxious to implement the plan and to do so with fidelity. The Turnaround Committee members biographies and resumes are attached. Consultants and partner organizations have been and will be carefully selected based on their specific expertise and experience in the areas of need and components of the Turnaround Plan, specifically, their experience in the areas of family and community connections, school climate, school leadership, teacher training, curriculum and instruction and data-based decision making. Resumes of the individuals who will be responsible for implementation of the Turnaround Plan, including Abby Dolliver, Superintendent of Schools and Christie Gilluly, Principal of Stanton Elementary School are attached. The new Administrative Literacy Specialists resume will be forwarded upon receipt. Resumes and biographies of Turnaround Committee members are attached. Requests for curriculum vitae (CV) of other individuals associated with the planning and implementation of the Turnaround Plan have been requested and will be forwarded to Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) upon receipt by the Superintendent. A description of consultations with relevant stakeholders in the development of the plan, including meetings and phone conferences with recommended potential partners by the Superintendent and key stakeholders have occurred in order to find the best match and services available to meet the needs of Stanton School. These consultations have included; Connecticut Education Association(CEA), MASS Insights, UCONN, Susan Leddick of PKR, Inc.; Norwich Board of Education, LEARN, Dr. Steven Adamowski, Michelle Rosado at CSDE, State Education Resource Center (SERC), Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), McCrel and UCLA CENTER X Office of Policy and Management. Letters of support from a number of the stakeholders are attached.

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Stanton Turnaround Plan Year 1 Outline

Family Engagement + Positive Climate + Excellence in the Learning Environment = Student Success
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Section V: Goals and Objectives:

1. Quality and Effectiveness of Family and Community Connection to School Goal: Using

Joyce Epstein research as a framework, Stanton School will increase the quality and effectiveness of the family and community connection to the school through the creation of a meaningful, welcoming, accessible environment, through the engagement of parents and the community in the educational process, and through the enhanced communication with parents and families. Objectives: Create a welcoming and accessible and meaningful school environment that becomes a part of the community as measured by a 50% increase in welcoming indicators. Gain commitment from and engage parents and community in the education of their children as measured by 100% of families committing to the Parent Compact, 100% of families completing the welcoming indicators survey, and 100% of families participating in their childs education. Increase communication with parents and community as measured by 50% increase on parent satisfaction surveys and type of community involvement in the school. Teachers engage five parents monthly based on inventory data. Years 2 and 3 objectives will reflect improved baseline levels and progressive growth indicators. 2. Quality and Effectiveness of School Environment Goal: Stanton School will increase the quality and effectiveness of the school environment by fully and consistently implementing a shared set of student expectations and consequences, by making the school environment a welcoming and safe environment for students, parents, teachers, and staff, by promoting student and family ownership of environment, and by increasing student attendance and punctuality. Objective: Stanton School staff will establish and implement a shared set of student and adult expectations through thorough implementation of research-based and evidence-based systems as measured by a 75% decrease in student referrals. Stanton School staff will make the school a welcoming and safe environment as evidenced in a 50% increase in welcoming indicators. Stanton School will increase student and parent ownership of the school environment indicating success through students growth on academic and social effort rubrics, 100% decrease in tardiness measured by baseline data, and 80% decrease in absenteeism (following newly regulated CSDE guidelines). Years 2 and 3 objectives will reflect improved baseline levels and progressive growth indicators. 3. Quality and Effectiveness of Schools Leadership Goal: Stanton School will increase the quality and effectiveness of leadership within the school by adding an Administrative Literacy Specialist to the administrative team and expanding their roles as instructional leaders, engaging staff in leadership and accountability practices, and engaging families and community in the participation in and leadership of the school. Objectives: Teacher instruction will improve due to administrative monitoring and subsequent specific feedback given based upon the following observable teacher actions: classroom instruction (walkthroughs and formal evaluations), data team meetings (observations and review of data team meetings), lesson and unit plans review, assessment administration, and subsequent data analysis reports. (Year 1) The principal at Stanton School will engage teachers, families, and community in the turnaround efforts and accountability as measured by leadership training for SGC and PTO. The administrative team with teachers will create a learning walk protocol and schedule (to include peer observation) for full implementation in Years 2 and 3. The Principal of Stanton School will be a 12 month Principal beginning in Year 1.
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4. Quality and Effectiveness of the Schools Teachers and Support Staff Goal: Stanton will

ensure that teachers and support staff are effective through the use of performance evaluations, and job-embedded professional development informed by the teacher evaluation plan. 50% of all certified staff at Stanton School will be new for the 2012-2013 school year. Objectives: Teachers must demonstrate that they meet the Connecticut State Standards, use effective teaching strategies, and that students are learning as evidenced by achieving the SPI targets in Years I, II, III as provided by CSDE. Implement a standardsbased teacher evaluation system in Year 2 aligned with state guidelines. Embedded professional development will be on-going to increase teacher capacity in instructional strategies that result in improved student achievement. Teacher lesson plans will include implementation of learned strategies from professional development 100% of the time as evidenced by a positive administrative lesson plan review. 5. Effective Use of Time Goal: Students at Stanton School will experience an increase of instructional time, during which high quality, standards-based instruction aligned with common core standards and students needs is provided. Objectives: Stanton School will increase the time in high quality instruction by increasing the instructional day for each student by 1.0 hour per day beginning at the start of the second trimester (approximately Nov 30, 2012) for a total of approximately 123 hours of increased instructional time for students. Instructional time will increase by adding afterschool classes and summer school classes in order to promote the vertical scale movement of all students as measured by a blend of CMT assessments and district benchmark assessments (MAPS). Additional instructional time will be added in years 2 and 3 for total aggregate growth of 300 hours. 6. Quality and Effectiveness of Schools Curriculum and Instructional Program Goal: Student scores in language arts and math will increase as a result of curriculum/instructional alignment, professional development, coaching, creation and implementation of student success profiles, alignment of extended-day programs with daily classroom instruction, shared lesson plans, and teacher collaboration. Vertical scale movement for all students will be completed over three years. Objectives: Student achievement will increase in language arts as evidenced by the DRP scores and Oral Fluency Scores and progress on individual student MAPS assessment as reviewed 4 times per year. Administration and teachers will develop a common lesson and unit plan template. Grade level data team meetings will occur during the school day to ensure teacher collaboration. All Literacy and Numeracy curricula and the effective teaching strategies will be assessed by November1, 2012. Appropriate core and tiered reading/math curriculum will be obtained and/or created by December 2012. Selected piloting of programs will commence in January 2013. An Accelerated Academy will be researched in Year 1 to meet the needs of students at or above goal. A pilot program will be implemented during the after school program in world language acquisition. Summer school will include world language programs. Full implementation of Accelerated Academy will occur in Year 2. By the start of the second trimester (November 2012) the turnaround Committee will revise the plan to include whole school redesign model for implementation in Years 2 and 3. 7. Effective Use of Data to Inform Decision-making Goal: Teachers will effectively analyze data to inform instruction and create student achievement goals. Objectives: District benchmark assessments will be created from NWEA MAPS. Teachers professional objectives within the teacher evaluation protocol will be in SMART goal format and reflect student baseline data and projected student growth goals. Teachers will submit lesson
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plans that reflect instructional interventions based upon data analysis and student success profiles. Teachers will engage in pedagogical discourse at data team meetings as evidenced by data team minutes.

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Section VI: The Turnaround Plan 1. The Family and Community Connection Goal: Stanton School will increase the quality and effectiveness of the family and community connection to the school through the creation of a meaningful, welcoming, accessible environment, through the engaging of parents and the community in the educational process, and through enhanced communication with parents and families. Current Status: Stanton School hosts monthly PTO meetings and family activities. When students are involved, attendance is about 60 -80 families; at other times, the attendance is 6-8 families. 47% of our students are enrolled in our School-Based Health Center; 30% of our students attend the afterschool BRIDGES 21st CCLC program which promotes parent connection through events, talent shows, and pot-luck suppers. Attendance rates at these events range from 20-35 families. The Principal contacts families biweekly via School Messenger informing families of upcoming events and PTO meetings. 100% of parent/guardians come when invited to an individual parent/ teacher meeting, 90% of families come to parent-teacher conferences in the spring. Stanton Parent/School Compact has a Parent/Guardian Pledge of Volunteering at school if it is possible for them. To enhance communication with families, we will use our current technology based student information system to its fullest capacity along with full implementation of the parent portal in place. Our chosen system will ensure portals for families to access their student information such as attendance and achievement, standards-based report cards, and teacher classroom web pages including common lesson plans. This goal clearly will address the Use of Data (section 7) to inform instruction to identify specific needs of individual students and groups and (section 6) Curriculum and Instructional Program as it drives instruction. The school will make its web pages more accessible to parent by adding sections in Chinese, Haitian-Creole and Spanish. Teachers will create biweekly webpages monitored by the administration which provide information on what is happening in class and how parents can support their childs education at home and at school. To make the school more accessible, Norwich will provide services at a satellite office in the Greeneville and other neighborhoods as appropriate. The Satellite Office will be piloted in a specific neighborhood Year I for 2 hours per week in order to better facilitate the school to home connection. Growth to additional neighborhoods in subsequent years will be determined in January of Year I. Here is where we can also show families how to use the parent access center from the satellite office base as well as answer parent or family concerns about their childs progress. The principal and other support staff will be there to help answer questions in an effort to ensure positive student achievement. There will be an available computer so that at other times parents will be able to access student information, their email system, and the Norwich Public Schools website or to communicate with their students teacher any time the Adult Education facility is open. Not only can parents communicate with their teacher, but they can also reach the School Nurse, Student Based Health Center, and BRIDGES (Afterschool Extended Learning Program).
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The district will provide transportation from a variety of neighborhoods to Stanton School on a predictable regular basis. The environment will become more welcoming through a process of engaging parents in auditing what currently exists. By engaging the School Governance Council in the Welcoming Walkthroughs model, parents will assess the welcoming-ness of the school as well as make recommendations about how this can be improved (year 1). It is anticipated that parents will take a major role in this process. Stanton will engage parents and the community in a student mentorship program, a research-based strategy identified by researcher, Robert Marzano (years 2/3). In an effort to increase parent engagement an interest inventory survey will be administered to assess the collective resource pool of all parents/families and adults associated with a school community as well as the assets and traits of the community itself. The purpose of the inventory is to create the opportunity for meaningful and purposeful contributions by parents, families and the community in the schools curricular and extra-curricular activities. The inventory assesses six resource factors: assets, skills, professions, interests, relationships and the environment and aligns them to the schools programs and needs. A family liaison will be hired to provide support, services, and advocacy for families. The liaison will assist families in accessing the school staff and programs and help families overcome obstacles to their childs achievement. The liaison will make actual home visits, and help facilitate communication between home and school and serve as the support staff at the Satellite Office. Monthly parent events will be coordinated and implemented by the family liaison. Due to family constraints regarding transportation and phone availability, the family liaison and satellite office will serve as a strong connection between staff and families.

Objective and Strategies Indicators of Progress/Success YEAR 1 In order to create a welcoming, accessible, and meaningful school environment that becomes a part of the community through the following actions, the district will: Hire a parent-family liaison to provide services Liaison is added to the schools staff and and develop programming for families program descriptions are published via newsletter and through schools web site Ensure that all documents and signs are 100% of documents are translated maintained translated into multiple languages digitally for future revisions Conduct a minimum of two parent-teacher 100% improved attendance of parents based conference nights in neighborhood across the on baseline data city including Greeneville Create a satellite office in Greeneville and other Parent use of the satellite program; 2 - 4 neighborhoods for 2 hours per week. (Year I, II, parents will attend each week III)
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Objective and Strategies YEAR 1 Create a welcome program for new families, including registration and follow-up visits Engage parents and families in decision-making, including needs assessment for parent classes or workshops, school-based resources, PTO, SGC, and Turnaround Plan Provide transportation for parents to school for events, family dinners, volunteering or other opportunities Create summer immersion programs for HaitianCreole and Spanish students Survey parents on their time, talents, and interests in supporting the school and their child Create a system, using Epsteins six pillars, to measure and expand parent and family participation Administer a parent inventory to assess their interests and skills Use the parent inventory data to engage parents in meaningful and purposeful ways

Indicators of Progress/Success 100% improved parent attendance based on baseline data 100% improved parent attendance at school activities based on baseline data Printed transportation schedule for parents 100 % students attend Year 2 Parent survey on environment. Post survey will find a 50% increase from baseline data in welcoming indicators Parent involvement template created and monitored 100% of parents complete survey as administered by classroom teachers 100% of volunteer parents apply their own strengths

In order to gain commitment from parents and community and engage them in the education of their children, the district will: Create a School/Family Compact through the Principals report to the School Governance School Governance Council to encourage Committee parents to make a vital promise of cooperation, volunteerism, and support of students (Judy Decision-making roles of parents clarified Carson, SDE) Implement School/Family Compact Pledge 100% of parents complete compacts where each family will volunteer at the school for 10 hours a year, assist children with Teachers engage 5 parents monthly based on homework activities, attend parent conferences inventory data and events Develop a community/business mentor program Maintain names/number of community and engage community in tutoring and members; Establish baseline and set target for homework programs at the school via year 3 BRIDGES program (Year 2 Implementation) Engage the professional community to share 50 students tutored by community members work and experiences with students Year 2 Use the national model, The First Day Back at Improved student attendance by 100% as School, to increase excitement and energy about based on baseline data attendance
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Objective and Strategies YEAR 1 Use books and materials that relate to families cultures and experiences, in coordination with ELL Center. Provide parent workshops and home materials which support classroom instruction (Milken Foundation Reading Research Program)

Indicators of Progress/Success Review analysis of present literature usedReport created Workshop brochure created

In order to increase communication with parents and community, the district will: Use a parent portal within the student Parent access (hits) parent portal-improved information system that allows access to student 100% based on baseline data progress Create teacher websites for each classroom that 100% of teachers will create and update will be monitored and updated by an additional classroom web pages media support (also supports the library with reshelving and circulation), additional tech support to help with scanning in homework weekly, updating forms and letters Ensure that web pages and linked documents Web Page completion are accessible in a variety of languages Translate monthly grade level newsletters into Grade Level Newsletters completed Spanish, Chinese, and Haitian-Creole Parent Survey administrated three times per year 100% complete; Improved parent satisfaction through hard copy and electronic means based on baseline data

2. The School Environment Goal: Stanton School staff and administration will increase the quality and effectiveness of the school environment by fully and consistently implementing a shared set of student expectations and consequences, by making the school environment a welcoming and safe environment for students, parents, and teachers, by promoting student and parent ownership of environment, and by increasing student attendance and punctuality. Current Status: Stanton staff has participated in Positive Behavior Intervention Supports training (PBIS). In May 2012, results from the principal, 10 teachers and 15 students on the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET) suggest that expectations are clearly defined and that the system of rewards is being fully implemented (100%). Responses are somewhat lower with 88 90% reporting that expectations are taught and data are used to make discipline decisions. While these responses are admirable and represent 45% of the teachers, the principal finds that verbal reports from teachers do not coincide with the reported data. Data on truancy, absenteeism, and tardiness is alarming. Some 60/410 or 15% of students are chronically absent, missing between 16 and 36 days of school each year. There is no data on tardiness. The data indicate that there are 240 School-Wide
22

Information System (SWIS) office referrals for disrespect. Forty-seven truancy meetings were held in 2011-2012. The audit reports based on principal input that there is a public perception that the school is not welcoming, with some parents reporting poor staff attitudes toward students and parents. Stanton School staff has implemented Positive Behavior Intervention Supports, a research-based strategy for creating a common set of expectations and consequences for those students who do not meet those expectations. Staff reported that although PBIS was implemented in the school year 2009-2010, fidelity to the process has not been consistent school-wide. In the first year, the PBIS school team will revisit the agreements with staff and develop methods to ensure that every staff member implements the strategies. One concern is that, in this model, students are not exposed to a social skills curriculum. The turnaround Committee will evaluate the effectiveness of PBIS. In addition, an effort rubric (Robert Marzano) will become part of each students weekly self assessment. The environment of Stanton School will be audited by parents and members of the School Governance Council, using the Welcoming Walkthrough Model. Parents will make recommendations using that model which will be implemented. Welcome signs in Haitian-Creole, Spanish and Chinese will be posted as well as other welcoming indicators. A family liaison will be hired to assist families in overcoming obstacles that hinder student success. The family liaison will address attendance, tardy and truancy issues and create and implement proactive interventions for families and students to increase attendance and decrease tardiness. There are no governance or legal issues to overcome for this goal.

Objective and Strategies

Year

Indicators of Progress/Success

During PBIS training and implementation, Stanton School staff will establish a shared set of student and adult expectations by: Reviewing expectations and 1 100% of staff will implement expectations and consequences and monitoring the consequences implementation of them Providing to staff ongoing data on 1 Increase in positive responses by 100% to climate referrals and engaging them in survey based on baseline data designing and implementing interventions Strengthening the implementation 1 PBS indicators improved as evidenced on baseline of PBIS with fidelity data in SWIS Using the Turnaround Committee to evaluate the effectiveness of PBIS in creating a positive school 1 Completed Program Evaluation Report with appropriate data
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Objective and Strategies climate and improved student achievement

Year

Indicators of Progress/Success

Stanton School staff will make the school a welcoming and safe environment by: Training and implementing an audit of the current climate by the School Governance Council; the welcoming walkthroughs model will be used Promoting feedback from parents and community through parent liaison, Family Resource Center, and School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Increasing the percentage of students enrolled in the SBHC and receiving both mental and physical health services 1 Decrease in unexcused absenteeism to 2%, truancy rates to 0%, and unexcused tardiness to 0% Welcoming Walkthrough Report-Positive Responses improve 100% based on baseline data The reading and math achievement rates of truant, absent, and tardy subgroups will increase by 15% over 3 years; Improved student achievement based upon baseline data obtained from MAPS assessment Attendance of parents at school activities will be maintained and improved based on baseline data by 100%

Stanton School will increase student and parent ownership of the school environment by: Communicating with parents the 2 Increase in effort among students key elements of this curriculum and engaging them in the process Developing a student effort rubric 1 Establish baseline data as part of instruction (Marzano)

3. Effective Leadership Goal: Stanton School will increase the quality and effectiveness of leadership within the school through expanding the administrative teams roles as instructional leaders, engaging staff in leadership and accountability practices, and engaging families and community in the participation and leadership of the school. Current Status: Current practice in this school of 410 students finds the principal spending significant time engaged in issues of urgency rather than significance. She is responsible for bus and transportation, after-school building coverage, data entry and management, discipline, and all reporting. Some support exists. For example, school team teacher leadership is strong. Teachers are doing what is expected, but, for students to achieve, teacher leadership roles need to be expanded with higher expectations, greater commitment, and increased rigor set. Currently the
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principal spends about 1.5 hours of the 6-hour instructional day in supporting student achievement and about 2 hours in supporting discipline. Findings in the external audit reveal a need to balance instructional leadership and school management. There is a need for instructional expertise to lead change and implement an effective and robust SRBI plan. Currently, there is a teaching Assistant Principal at Stanton School. And as identified in the audit, this model is deficient for the needs of Stanton School. As a result and as identified in the audit, the first goal is for the principal to increase her role as an instructional leader. Additional staff will be hired to assume the day-to-day management tasks as well as the tasks that require focus, time and specific expertise. This will include an Administrative Literacy Specialist with a strong background in curriculum and instruction, additional literacy and math instructional coaches, and a Family Liaison staff member. Currently the principal calculates data regarding student achievement manually and individually. The data-entry time involved reduces her ability to provide meaningful, timely and disaggregated data to teachers on a monthly basis. The purchase of a technology-based, data collection and assessment system and the addition of a data management staff member will enable the principal to have meaningful data available quickly and work with data teams and teachers to address student concerns.

To ensure consistent, high quality instruction in every classroom Stanton School staff anticipates peer observations in order to share effective teaching techniques and feedback for all staff. The instructional teams will implement a common unit and lesson template with grade level lesson plans. With the collaboration necessary to develop these plans, data team facilitators will ensure that teachers share effective strategies. Teachers, administrators and coaches will be expected to model and demonstrate lessons for their peers, thus expanding the collaboration and shared leadership for large-scale improvement and student success. Teachers will create, monitor, and evaluate student success plans that will include the appropriate tiered interventions for vertical scale movement of all students. This leadership role will be supported by the employment of five additional interns (the district currently supplies one) and 8 Tier II Residents to provide instructional support in every classroom. Qualifications for the teaching resident responsible for Tier II interventions are: Minimum Bachelors Degree Aspiring teacher Completed district professional development

The enhanced role of family and community in school participation and leadership will begin in Year 1 through detailed reports of the initiatives going to the School Governance Council for their input. The goal of increased student achievement will be promoted through the increased family and community involvement and a shared common language describing success in school. The guidance from this group will inform the efforts of the proposed school-community liaison, the leadership team, the data team facilitators and the school-safety monitor. In Year 2, the recommendations of the SGC will be reviewed and considered. In Year 2, the strategies for expanding the PTO leadership board will be increased.
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The primary constraint in engaging teachers in turnaround efforts and accountability is the additional time, effort, and tasking required. Much of this can be addressed through hiring of an intern for each grade level, freeing up teachers to increase data team time, act as student case managers of instruction, and coordinate learning among and between afterschool and summer opportunities. Research indicates that additional instructional support in each classroom increases student achievement. Staff and union representatives were engaged in discussions on June 26, July 5, 9, 10, 12th to further process the needs and understandings necessary to turn the school around. A memorandum of understanding has to be negotiated with the Norwich Teachers League and Norwich Schools Administrators Association. These agreements will be negotiated after the acceptance of the plan by the Commissioner. The district legal representation has been involved in the process to date. The teacher and administrator representation have been present at meetings also. The turnaround committee will ensure that the identified partners will work in a cohesive way to support the principal and her development by: Providing additional professional development for administrative team. Adding additional planning time. Engaging executive coach in full implementation of process. Securing lead partner and coordinating transformation reform initiatives. Adding additional administrative resource by hiring administrative literacy specialist. The Turnaround Committee will determine benchmarks that will indicate successful acquisition of instructional leadership skills; monitoring of these benchmarks will occur quarterly and adjustments to the parameters/goals for the Executive Coach will be made to ensure appropriate professional development for the Principal. Furthermore, decisions will be made in February of 2013 regarding the progress towards the ultimate leadership capacity needed to attain and sustain necessary appropriate student achievement and authentic turnaround implementation. Furthermore there will be weekly leadership team meetings at the school to ensure smooth communication and tracking of benchmarks, goals, tasks, and needed adjustments. Objective and Strategies Year Indicators of Progress/Success

Stanton School will increase instructional leadership time and focus and skills by the administrative team. The administrative team will: Meet with school data team leaders 1 Student achievement will increase to 1 hour per grade level per week achieving SPI targets in year 1, 2 and 3 as provided by the CSDE. Improved student achievement based upon baseline data obtained from MAPS assessment Data team minutes collected Common Formative Assessment data documented and reviewed by administrative team
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Objective and Strategies Observe the 22 teachers, including 4 specials, at least one time per month and provide instructional feedback Meet with Executive Coach Implement a standards-based teacher evaluation system which monitors practices at Stanton School as required by CT statute

Year 1

Indicators of Progress/Success Provides descriptive feedback to teachers of data team minutes/lesson plans/observations/walkthroughs Executive Coach for Principal on board Common lesson Plan template Review lesson and unit plans from teachers-Administrator to provide feedback to teachers Observation/Walkthrough templates completed

1 1

The Principal will be employed as a 12-month administrator The District will secure a highly experienced consultant who will support the principal weekly in her instructional leadership professional development The district will secure an Administrative Literacy Specialist responsible for overseeing interventions designed for students

1 1

Contract to be negotiated 10 collaborative units per grade level will be developed each year

Administrative Literacy Specialist hiredAugust 27, 2012

The principal at Stanton School will engage teachers in the turnaround efforts and accountability by: Developing a common lesson plan template and lesson plans per grade level to ensure quality content aligned with standards Increasing the amount of common planning time with the instructional data team leader taking the leadership role Instituting a program with instructional coach and teachers to model lessons and give feedback for each other 1 Data team minutes

All students will have an individual learning plan; each week, at least 10 students will have an updated case review by a teacher with subsequent actions Data team minutes

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Objective and Strategies Having teachers assume roles as student case managers through the hiring of additional Tier II Teaching Residents (Tier II Instructional Specialists, Interns/Tutors) to support classroom instruction Expanding the decision-making participation of the school data team, also called the leadership team to all members

Year 1

Indicators of Progress/Success School leadership team will set biweekly goals for teacher implementation. All students will have an individual learning plan; each week, at least 10 students will have an updated case review by a teacher with subsequent actions

Data team meeting minutes-alignment of curriculum/instruction with district and state standards (common core)

4. Effective Teachers and Support Staff Goal: The administrative team will ensure that teachers and support staff are effective through the use of performance evaluations, the reassignment of staff, and job-embedded professional development informed by the teacher evaluation plan. The redesign for Year 2 will include a differentiated Talent Strategy with a tiered professional model of accomplished (master) teachers mentoring associate teachers within the classroom. Current Status: During the 2011-2012 school year staff at Stanton consisted of 22.5 teachers; 16.5 of these are core classroom teachers and they are supported by 4 special subject teachers and 2 special education teachers. All teachers are evaluated yearly, using the district teacher evaluation plan. In anticipation of turnaround work, three teachers have transferred. The current teacher student ratio (2102-2011) is 22 in the lower grades and 24 in grades 3 - 5; there are 6 paraeducators assigned to the schools and one ELL para-educator speaks Spanish. Fifty percent (50%) of all certified staff at Stanton School will be new for the 2012-2013 school year. This new teaching staff for Stanton School was selected through an interview process. The recent audit revealed a need for a teacher evaluation system that focused on teacher behavior that will result in student achievement. Tier II interventions were not being done successfully by a certified teacher. Furthermore the interventions were not being delivered with fidelity. There is a need for professional development related to parent engagement, cultural competence, and effective teaching strategies. Being mindful of the stresses associated with change and the need to keep teachers/staff engaged in the turnaround process to benefit students, the plan addresses teacher/staff overload by providing additional supports such as: Additional professional development prior to the implementation of additional instructional time and any other determined strategies; Increased planning time (individual/common) during school hours;
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The creation of a blog for professional discourse for staff; Time during the school day to observe other teachers; The creation of a professional learning community for collaboration and support; Clearly defined goals, objectives and implementation scope and sequence for transformation process; Two professional development opportunities outside the scheduled teacher year (as is sited in the Norwich Teachers League Contract for years II and III); and Monetary incentives through the Talent Strategy to be determined in Year II.

The Turnaround Committee is developing a vision for a talent strategy for Year II, which includes the following objectives: To prepare teachers better, hire the best, and incentivize them to work where they are needed most. To support teachers so they can succeed, and develop them throughout their careers so that they, and their students, keep improving. To use data to accurately assess and evaluate teacher performance. To align talent strategy with TEAM modules. To create triad configurations of grade level teams at Stanton School (as a result of the Network School opportunity) where at least one veteran teacher is teaching with at least one new/less veteran teacher. Also there will be collaboration among the preschool and kindergarten classes/teachers allowing for veteran teachers to work with newer teachers. To create a strong foundation in teachers in year 1 by forming the accomplished (master) staff from the present Stanton staff through the transformation process. To collaborate with the SDE and consultants to define the standards for master teachers. To create a collaborative learning community for teaching professionals to share standard effective practices To create a recognition/reward system where master teachers share expertise. A goal of the plan is to have 100% of Stanton teachers be proficient as evidenced by the teacher evaluation plan. The Turnaround Committee plans to reach the 100% goal by: Providing adequate professional development. Aligning the teacher evaluation plan with the State model. Engaging in a collaborative coaching culture with staggered implementation of initiatives. Appropriate benchmarks for implementation and improvement as needed. Increasing administrative support through the hiring of ALS. Using the teacher evaluation process give intensive assistance according to State of CT regulations, to teachers consistently performing below standard. Working with the Lead Partner Entity to guide the teacher evaluation committee at Stanton and elsewhere throughout the district. The Year 1 (2012-2013 academic year) interview process for Stanton School included input from a hiring committee composed of: rising master teachers who already work at Stanton School, the Stanton School Principal, and a Literacy Coach. Once high-quality candidates were identified for Stanton School by the hiring committee, the Turnaround Committee identified a representative to
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meet with prospective candidates along with the Superintendent to confirm the high-quality candidates commitment to, understanding of, and general fit for the Stanton Turnaround model. Based on that interview, hiring decisions will now be made for Stanton. All candidates for vacant teaching positions at Stanton, including external candidates and within-district transfers, will undergo the same interviewing process in Years 2 and 3, including the interview by a representative from the Turnaround Committee and the Superintendent on the high-quality candidates willingness, ability and enthusiasm for working at Stanton as it undergoes Turnaround. Objective and Strategies Year Indicators of Progress/Success

Student achievement will be measured by achieving the SPI targets in Years I, II, III as provided by CSDE: Demonstrate that they meet the 1, 2, 3 Improved student achievement based upon Connecticut State Standards, use baseline data obtained from MAPS effective teaching strategies, and assessment that students are learning 100% Teacher proficiency as evidenced by newly drafted teacher evaluation plan Assist consultants and administration in the implementation of a standardsbased teacher evaluation system which monitors practices at Stanton School as required by CT statute; working with local universities to facilitate the process Plan and implement a Talent Strategy Plan inclusive of criteria Engage in professional development opportunities based on data derived from teacher evaluation plans, NWEA MAPS, classroom observations, and professional development based on individual teacher needs 1 Revised teacher evaluation plan based upon CSDE guidelines and templates.

1,2 1, 2, 3

Talent Strategy Plan defined Professional development plan implemented that includes, but not limited to: PBIS, Effective Teaching Strategies, Use of MAPS assessment and data to drive instructional practices, Parent Engagement (Joyce Epstein) Lesson Plan (aligned with current district initiatives)to reflect implementation professional development activities; Template in place by January 2013

5. Effective Use of Time Goal: Instructional time will increase at Stanton School. Teachers at Stanton School will participate in one additional Professional Development day. The additional instructional time will
30

provide for the implementation of appropriate interventions to ensure vertical scale movement of all students. Current Status: According to the latest Strategic School Profile (SSP) for Stanton School, students receive 956 hours of instruction per year compared to a state average of 987. This includes 181 hours of instruction per year in Mathematics compared to 198 for the state; 45 hours of instruction in Science compared to 95 for the state; and 45 hours of instruction in Social Studies compared to 86 for the state. There is an obvious need to increase instructional hours for students at Stanton School. Reading and writing across the curriculum, especially in social studies and the integration of math with science instruction could be better addressed if hours are increased in these subject areas. The net result of the current status of hours of instruction is that students are performing below their peers within the district as well as within the state. After analyzing the percentage of students meeting state goals in grades 3, 4, and 5 at Stanton School on last years CMT, the following is evident: Grade 3 25.4% of Stanton School students met state goals in reading compared to 37.2% for the district and 58.4% for the state. 23% of Stanton students met state goals in writing compared to 37.5% for the district and 61.1% for the state. 39.7% of Stanton students met state goals in mathematics compared to 46.2% for the district and 63% for the state. Grade 4 33.8% of Stanton students met state goals in reading compared to 40.8% for the district and 62.5% for the state. 23.9% of Stanton students met state goals in writing compared to 39.4% for the district and 65.5% for the state. 35.2% of Stanton students met state goals in mathematics compared to 44.1% for the district and 67% for the state. Grade 5 32.8% of Stanton students met state goals in reading compared to 41.4% for the district and 61.4% for the state. 37.8% of Stanton students met state goals in writing compared to 46.4% for the district and 66.8% for the state. 37.7% of Stanton students met state goals in mathematics compared to 49.5% for the district and 72.5% for the state. 29.3% of Stanton student met state goals in science compared to 31.9% for the district and 59.9% for the state. These results clearly indicate that Stanton students are under-performing in core academic areas compared to other students in Norwich and throughout the state of Connecticut. The turnaround process will close the achievement gap. Presently, the NTC is reviewing three time usage models; Differentiated, Focused Area of Need, and a Balanced Schedule. A time schedule will be determined by the final approval of this plan, anticipated to be August 9, 2012. Generally speaking, the total number of additional hours by Year 3 is 300. Additional instructional time will include all Stanton students. Year 1 123 hours: includes one hour per day for all students from November to June with no additional instructional time on early release and vacation days.) Year 2 211.5 hours: includes 171.5 additional hours between September June (including one extra 7.5 hour day) and 40 hours of summer instructional time
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Year 3 300 hours: to include additional school year and summer time instructional hours and days. Year Indicators of Progress/Success

Objective and Strategies

Stanton School will increase the time of high quality instruction by increasing the instructional day for students and staff. Stanton School staff will: Increase the time in high quality instruction 1 Students will be achieving SPI targets in by increasing the instructional day for each Years I, II, III as provided by the CSDE. student by 1.0 hours per day beginning in Improved student achievement based upon November 2012 baseline data obtained from MAPS assessment Added instructional time utilized to promote vertical scale movement for all students (intervention/enrichment) Increase the instructional time by auditing the in-class activities and programs and extracting activities which do not effectively support student learning Increase opportunities for learning in the summer and afterschool by adding additional classes which are aligned with Norwich curriculum, are based on student need, and also support student learning Participate in one additional professional development day and five hours a week for the first trimester-core reading/math curriculum development/training-PBIS, data driven decision making, student success plan creation-student case manager training 1 Hours of instruction at Stanton will be more closely aligned with state hours. Currently Math, Science and Social Studies hours are well below state averages Number of summer and after school opportunities will increase

1 2 (Summer 2013) 1

Attendance at professional development will be 100% Lesson plan template Teacher Observations Data Team Minutes

6. An Effective Curriculum and Instructional Program Goals: Student achievement will increase as evidenced by the DRP scores and progress on individual student district assessment benchmarks (MAPS) as a result of curriculum alignment, improved instruction, embedded professional development, and student success profile coordination by teachers, alignment of extended-day programs and curriculum, shared lesson plans, and teacher collaboration. A core and Tier II reading program will be piloted and acquired during Year 1. Current Status: School CMT scores in language arts and math have been flat and low from 2008-2011. In 2011-2012, the data showed that, as a whole school (grades 3, 4, and 5), grades 3
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and 4 showed a slight decrease in math (about 7%) with grade five showing a minimal 5.2% increase; grades 3 and 4 remained about the same in reading scores, but grade five showed a dramatic 15% increase. Writing scores increase in grades 3 and 5. Stanton School has been selected as a 'focus" school because of the black subgroup scores. In 2011-2012, Grade 3 black subgroup scores increased in reading (6.3%) and in writing (5.6%). Grades 4 and 5 showed dramatic gains in math (13.7% and 16.5%), in reading (19.9% and 19.8%) and in writing (12.1% and 9.8%). Most vertical scale scores and matched cohort comparisons showed growth in math, reading, and writing. The exceptions to this were: Grade 3 to Grade 4 in math and writing; Grade 3 to 4 Black in writing; Grade 4 to 5 Black in math; Grade 5 Special Ed. in math. It should be noted that 38% of students in Grade 3 scored Below Basic on either math and/or reading. One Grade 3 class had 74% of students score Below Basic on either math and/or reading. This accounted for 60% of all Below Basic scores in either math and/or reading in Grade 3. 47% of students in Grade 4 scored Below Basic on either math and/or reading. One Grade 4 class had 54% of students score Below Basic on either math and or reading. This accounted for 36% of all Below Basic scores in either math and/or reading in Grade 4. 31% of students in Grade 5 scored Below Basic on either math and/or reading. Presently Stanton School does not have a program for students at or above goal. Furthermore, Norwich Public Schools does not have a Gifted/Talented program for any students. Student achievement will increase in language arts as evidenced by the DRP scores and progress on individual student MAPS assessment as reviewed 4 times per year. Administration and teachers will develop a common lesson and unit plan template. Grade level data team meetings will occur during the school day to ensure teacher collaboration. All Literacy and Numeracy curricula and the effective teaching strategies will be assessed by November 1, 2012. Appropriate core and tiered reading/math curriculum will be obtained and/or created by December 2012. Math and literacy interventionists will be hired to assist teachers in the implementation of core and tiered curriculum/assessment as well as embedded coaching. District curriculum will be fully aligned with common core standards. Selected piloting of programs will commence in January 2013. An Accelerated Academy will be researched in Year 1 to meet the needs of students at or above goal. A pilot program will be implemented during the after school program in world language acquisition. Summer school will include world language programs; full implementation of Accelerated Academy in Year 2. The increased instructional and professional development time as well the additional classroom support of the Tier II Teaching Residents (Tier II Instructional Specialists, Interns/Tutors), will allow for teachers to collaborate in authentic, data-driven, instructionally-based discourse for improved teacher self-efficacy and capacity, and subsequent improved student achievement. The Turnaround Committee will address the needs of the lower performing subgroups through: Collaborating with the district Bi-lingual ELL coordinator. Analysis of LAS links assessment data to inform instruction. The creation of Individual Learning Plans which will include appropriate intervention strategies.
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 Professional development activities for teachers in SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol). Utilizing additional resources from the Bi-lingual ELL implementation. Locating one of the district bi-lingual centers, with its additional resources, in Stanton School. Adding .5 certified special education teacher to complement the current 1.5 special education teachers allowing for smaller group-size instruction. Student support service staff will also have additional time to serve students and engage in professional development. The appropriate integration of technology in each classroom is a strategy included in the plan. Research demonstrates (Robert Marzano) that interactive white boards significantly improved student achievement with proper teacher professional development and full fidelity and implementation. Staff will be trained during the summer of 2013 and the program will reach full implementation by the end of Year II. Specifically, this technology will be used to: Motivate and engage students. Provide appropriate instructional interventions. Assist in the delivery of effective teaching strategies and new curriculum. Staff will be trained as follows: Summer Professional Development. Full implementation and installation complete by the end of Year 2. The paramount goal is for Stanton School to be the highest performing school in the district and fully enrolled by creating a sustainable, replicable plan that ensures student achievement and preparedness through the alignment of district curriculum with the Common Core Standards, differentiation of instruction and programming for vertical scale movement of all students, improvement of teacher practice, and promotion of authentic family and community involvement.

Objective and Strategies

Year

Indicators of Progress/Success

Student achievement will increase, achieving SPI targets in Years I, II, III as provided by the CSDE. Stanton School staff will: Provide quality instruction through the 1-3 Student achievement improved implementation of a core and tiered literacy/math program Develop a common lesson plan template 1-3 DRP scores will reflect improved with shared lesson planning across grade academic growth equal to or greater
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Objective and Strategies levels; Monitoring will be done through the review of lesson plans, data team minutes, walkthroughs, observations Improve instructional practices by adding an instructional-literacy coach who will train teachers and assist the Administrative Literacy Specialist in the following: data analysis practices, implementation of Tier II interventions, guidance to teachers to create Individual Learning Plans, professional development to strengthen core instruction, conduct peer observation and feedback, support data team sessions and provide assistance and oversight with assessment of Tier II reading students. Math and literacy coaches will meet with parents to provide them with materials for home and create athome learning materials. Will meet the needs of specific students by having teachers take on the role of case manager for student learning for each and every student in their classes; A student success profile will be created and updated regularly, increasing the number of students over the first three years

Year

Indicators of Progress/Success than state averages by the end of Year 3

1-3

Data team minutes Lesson Plan review Hire full time literacy coach-create schedule Assessment Data including Oral Reading Fluency, DRP

1-3

The school administration, through their revised teacher evaluation reports and walk-through reports, will provide documented evidence of improved instructional skills Student success plans reviewed Case reviews monitored

Utilize data for instructional decisionmaking; data will be managed by a proposed data manager using a technologybased, data management and assessment system; 10 Tier II Teaching Residents (Tier II Instructional Specialists, Interns/Tutors) will support teachers in this process; A paraprofessional who is proficient in Haitian-Creole will provide language-based support to students and communication with families

1-3

Student profiles will be created and reviewed in light of improved academic performance Hire Data Manager Hire Tier II Teaching Residents (Tier II Instructional Specialists, Interns/Tutors) District to purchase student information system to support data warehouse-and parent portal Results of data analyses will be discussed by teachers at team meetings and these data will be used to inform
35

Support an increase in student instructional time 1-3 (summer school and after-school programs) by developing a mentor-instructor relationship with

Objective and Strategies

Year

Indicators of Progress/Success instructional plans for individuals and groups of students Data Team Minutes Lesson plan review Improved academic performance will be documented Lesson plan-integration CMT math scores will improve to achieving the SPI targets in years 1, 2, and 3 as provided by CSDE Workshop evaluations and feedback to the administration will indicate teacher satisfaction with the results of PD

program teachers and by aligning instruction with, and being responsive to, daily school instruction and student needs Will increase math instruction knowledge and 1-3 practices as a result of coaching and professional development provided by a math coach Teachers will integrate various subjects as they 1-3 create interdisciplinary content aligned with standards Engage in ongoing professional development in the following areas: literacy, numeracy, areas identified through teacher evaluation, shared lesson and unit planning, data team work, instructional and curriculum practices to align to Common Core, student assessment, and reflective practice The turnaround committee in collaboration with the school team will use the months of Sept., Oct., and Nov. 2012 to collect data from the MAPS, Data Team Meetings, and Instructional Observations to determine what additional or new reading and math instructional models are needed to ensure the improvement of student achievement. Specifically, research-based models (Core and Tier II reading and math programs) such as: Literacy How, ImagineIt, Reading Street, and Singapore Math will be piloted An Accelerated Academy will be researched in Year 1 to meet the needs of students at or above goal Summer school will include world language offerings 1-3

1 2 Summer 2012

Report created to document research on core math and literacy curriculum. Purchase, implement within timeline. Appropriate core and tiered reading/math curriculum will be obtained and/or created by December 2012; Selected piloting of programs will commence in January 2013; The Turnaround Committee will analyze the results of the MAPS and Data Team meetings, consult with curriculum experts and determine the need for additional instructional strategies A pilot program will be implemented during the after school program in world language acquisition Hire appropriate staff for world language offering

Full implementation of Accelerated Academy in Year 2

Accelerated Academy model researched and evaluated; Attendance at the after-school Academy will correlate with the number of at or above goal students
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Objective and Strategies Stanton School will be a fully enrolled (Year 1) school of choice (Year 2) Create (Year 1) and implement (Year 2) redesign to reflect appropriate researchbased models (pedagogy or content theme based or combination)

Year 1,2 1,2

Indicators of Progress/Success Enrollment reports indicate 100% enrollment capacity Fully articulated and implemented redesign

7. Effective Use of Data to Inform Decision-Making and for Continuous Improvement Goal: Stanton School staff will increase their capacity to analyze data to inform instruction and ensure the vertical scale movement for all students. The management of data will improve through the purchase of a new data system. Current Status: Stanton School staff has implemented the use of data-driven decision-making teams, which meet on a weekly basis. Data team leaders, for the most part, are committed and capable, according to the principal. What is missing are (1) assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards and (2) a teachers and principals ability to quickly and efficiently assess students, input data, and disaggregate and analyze the data. Teachers ability to act upon the analyzed data varies. New guidelines require professional development to be designed and provided to teachers based on data from the teacher evaluation system. Currently teachers and administrators use multiple Excel spreadsheets to manage data. As reported in the audit, this is a cumbersome method and does not allow for easy analysis or integration. A technology-based system will need to be acquired to track (1) student data for instructional decision-making and (2) teacher evaluation data for designing professional development. Objective and Strategies Year Indicators of Progress/Success

Student achievement will improved due to effective use of data to inform instruction. Stanton School staff will: Utilize a blend of CMT assessments and 1-3 Student achievement will increase by data from a technology-based, Common achieving SPI targets in years 1, 2, and Core-aligned system to analyze and inform 3 as provided by the CSDE; Improved student achievement; Stanton School will student achievement as evidenced by implement the NWEA MAPS baseline MAPS data; Data team data/assessment system; All data teams will minutes be effective in analyzing literacy, math, and behavioral data Create Specific, Measureable, Attainable, 1-3 Professional objectives to include Reasonable, Timely (SMART) goals for reflect student baseline data and professional objectives. projected student achievement goals. Create/Utilize lesson plan template 1-3 Lesson plans reflect instruction to improve student learning and tiered
37

Objective and Strategies Participate in embedded professional development on data-driven, decision-making skills and effective data team processes Review professional development activities based upon teacher evaluation process Engage in pedagogical discourse at data team meetings

Year 1-3

Indicators of Progress/Success interventions based on student data Professional development feedback evaluation; Attendance at all professional development opportunities Professional Development calendar Data team minutes

1-3 1-3

Provide time for teachers to collaborate during 1-3 the school day Review whole school walkthrough data to 1-3 observe trends in instruction for improvement or replication Provide data to the Turnaround Committee for 1-3 review Assist Turnaround Committee in identifying 1 additional action and research on effective whole school turnaround models for possible planning and implementation school year 2014

Administrative team to implement time schedule from turnaround plan Walkthrough review sessions Data manager to create data system for evaluation Create action plan for whole school turnaround process

Section VII: Budget The NTC, SGC, and Superintendent will work closely with city officials and community engagement to demonstrate the need, based on data, for additional budget dollars to support extended learning/instruction. It is anticipated that, as in most education budgets, the highest cost will be for the extended instructional time. As described in Norwichs NEXTT (redesign/strategic plan), the community recognizes that the current economic model for education in Norwich needs to be addressed; therefore work has been ongoing resulting in increased funding for this fiscal year. The Norwich Public Schools will look to incorporate systemic strategies that impact the entire district, such as the student data collection software and student information portals, in the general budget for Year II- following the initial investment in Year I. The Norwich Public Schools general operating budget and all appropriate local, state, federal, and grant dollars currently designated to educate students at Stanton School will continue to be directed to Stanton School. The dollars allocated for this Network Application are designed to be supplemental. They are intended to be directed to additional strategies and activities pinpointed for the Turnaround Plan.

38

The Stanton School Turnaround Plan is focused on structural change and capacity building. These strategies are specifically designed to reduce the need for ongoing consulting services. The cost for increasing the instructional time is approximately $45.57 per hour for each teacher involved. With approximately 22 teachers working an additional 170 days in year 1, the annual total of $170,432 per year will be approximately 18% of the total budget dedicated to additional instructional/professional development time. This total cost will likely increase in year 2 and year 3 as additional instructional hours are added. In the past four years, Norwich Public Schools budgets have been inadequate and city dollars have been flat funded. The current fiscal year has seen greater city support. Furthermore, the schools have received Title I, Priority School District dollars and are fortunate to have received 21st Century Community Learning Center, Extended School Hours, Family Resource Center, IDEA, and School Readiness allocations. The afterschool program dollars, Title, IDEA, and School Readiness dollars will continue to support Stanton School. The Norwich Public Schools Education Foundation will continue to support teachers in funding research based enrichment opportunities. Additionally, the continued support from local foundations and businesses for/with money and technology will be instrumental for Stanton School Success. Norwich Public Utilities has been and will continue to be a strong community partner with the district. This partnership has resulted in for instance, fiber optic availability for the schools and electricity cost savings.

Section VIII: Monitoring and Oversight The mission of the Stanton Turnaround Committee, in collaboration with the Commissioner of Education, Stanton School Governance Council, families, staff and community, is to monitor and support the robust turnaround plan that is iterative and meets the changing needs of all students, so that they may grow and progress, while at the same time closing the achievement gap. The Stanton Turnaround Team is comprised of the following representatives: William Linski (teacher), Thomas St. George (teacher), Elizabeth Hanlon (parent), Jerry Browning (parent), Alexandria Lazzari (administrator), Steven Adamowski, Commissioner's Representative (exofficio), and Abby Dolliver, Superintendent of Schools (ex-officio). This team represents many years of experience and expertise and they are highly committed to school improvement. Bios and resumes are attached. The Turnaround Committee, in consultation with the school governance council for the school, will: Assist the CSDE in conducting the operations and instructional audit of the turnaround school in accordance with applicable requirements and timelines. The initial audit was conducted at Stanton on July 10 11, 2012; Develop an effective Turnaround Plan for the Commissioners Network school in accordance with the relevant provisions of Public Act 12-116, guidelines issued by the Commissioner, available research regarding effective school turnaround, and procedures
39

established by the Commissioner. The Turnaround Committee has met several times as a group between 7/11/2012 and 7/25/2012. The Turnaround Committee has also met jointly with a larger advisory group with significant representation from Stanton staff. The Superintendent has acted to facilitate the sharing of information and ideas throughout the process. A consultant from LEARN has assisted in facilitating meetings and gathering data and research to support this application; Submit the Turnaround Plan for review and approval in accordance with the procedures and timelines established by the Commissioner. The plan will be submitted electronically and in hard copy to CSDE on 7/26/2012. Respond to inquiries by the Commissioner or State Board of Education during the review and approval process, including requests to explain or clarify plan elements and/or provide supportive information or documentation.

The Turnaround Committee, in consultation with the Stanton School Governance Council will: Monitor the implementation of the approved Turnaround Plan and ensure that the approved plan is implemented with integrity; Individual members of the committee will visit the school monthly, based on their areas of interest and expertise, to observe climate and learning and to broadly assess implementation of the turnaround plan according to performance indicators; Participate in facilitated monthly meetings to discuss implementation of the turnaround plan; Establish a two-way system of communication between the School Governance Council and the Turnaround Committee; Collaborate with partners to facilitate the monitoring and evaluation process through the review of data. Work cooperatively with the CSDE team overseeing the implementation of the Turnaround Plan, including but not limited to, timely provision of requested information and cooperation with fiscal and programmatic compliance reviews; Report to the Commissioner and/or State Board of Education, as may be required, on plan implementation and effectiveness, including annual progress reports against goals in a format to be established by the CSDE; Annually review, update, and revise the Turnaround Plan, if necessary and on the basis of implementation activities and in consultation with and pursuant to approval from the CSDE. The Turnaround Committee agrees to work with the CSDE, cooperate with fiscal and programmatic compliance reviews, provide any information requested in a timely manner and report annual progress against goals in an annual report format to be established by the CSDE. Turnaround Plans may be modified from time to time on the basis of changed conditions or strategies with the approval of the Turnaround Committee, including the Commissioners designee. In the course of the schools participation in the Commissioners Network, the Commissioner or his designee may review the progress of the school. In the event that the Commissioner or his designee determines that the school is not making sufficient progress
40

or identifies other issues, the Commissioner or his designee may, on the basis of such review, convene the Turnaround Committee to consider and enact changes to the Turnaround Plan, utilizing the processes described in Section 20 et seq. of Public Act 12116, as amended by Public Act 12-1. If the Turnaround Committee is unable to reach consensus, does not develop a revised Turnaround Plan, or develops a revised Turnaround Plan that the Commissioner determines is deficient, the Commissioner may exercise other options, including but not limited to the Commissioner developing a revised Turnaround Plan, utilizing the processes described in Section 20 et seq. of Public Act 12-116, as amended by Public Act 12-1.

Section: IX Partner Entity Responsibilities and Agreements The NTC has decided to utilize a staggered implementation process in its approach to Turnaround. Year I is a focus on structural change including additional hours for students and professional development for teachers along with curriculum design revisions. The following table demonstrates the phase in of consultants: Consultant SBHC LEARN Role Wrap around services Technical Assistance for NTC/Superintendent PBS Tier II consultant Space available for satellite; in-kind clerical support Parent/Caregiver Engagement/Parent Compact Date Year II, Year III Year I, Year II, Year III Professional Development None for Teachers Tier II behavior interventions; September 2012 additional hour for teachers per day None Parent/Caregiver Engagement

Norwich Regional Adult Education Dr. Michele Femc-Bagwell

Year I, Year II, Year III Year I

Lead Partner Entity (potentially McREL- Success in Sight) whose responsibilities would include: building capacity, developing system goals, creating a purposeful community, bringing organizational change, facilitating the decisions regarding models of curriculum and instruction (Work with NTC and School personnel to research Reading/Math Program-Core/Tier II; determine theme based instructional model) would be engaged in Year I through Year III.

Child and Family Agency/School Based Health Clinic: The School Environment:
41

Stanton Elementary School has had a School Based Health Center (SBHC) offering physical and behavioral health services to all students enrolled by their parents. The center was renovated by Child and Family Agency, who holds the state-funded grant through the Department of Public Health, to include a receptionist and waiting area, two offices for the nurse practitioner and mental health clinician, an exam room, and a small group meeting space. The SBHC was licensed by the CT Department of Public Health as an Outpatient Clinic in December 2010. The SBHC services are available to all children at the school regardless of insurance status. There are no out-of-pocket fees. By the end of the 2011-12 school year, 46% of Stanton students were enrolled. The utilization of the clinic was robust for the medical services, but much less so for the behavioral health component. Given that a core belief is that Healthy Children Make Better Learners, several new strategies will be put into place to increase enrollment and utilization of both the medical and behavioral health services leading to increased student achievement. These strategies are outlined below. SBHC enrollment forms will become part of the enrollment packet for all new/transferring Stanton students. This will make it clear to parents that the SBHC is an integrated part of the school program and fully endorsed by the school administration. Enrollment will also be offered to students not previously enrolled in the program through parent notification, attendance by SBHC staff at parent/community events, various outreach efforts by staff. Fund a Community Outreach Worker position and subcontract it to Child and Family Agency. This worker would be bi/multi-lingual and assist parents with completing enrollment forms, both for the SBHC and for any entitlement programs that would assist families in obtaining the resources that they need. An example of this would be the states H.U.S.K.Y. program. (Given the number of students whose parents work at area casinos and do not have health insurance for the first several months of their employment this would be critical, especially for those children who need medications.) Child and Family Agency will be designated as a Qualified Entity by the CT Department of Social Services. With this designation, the staff person enrolling the family in H.U.S.K.Y. is able to determine Presumptive Eligibility for the childs insurance, thus giving them immediate access to prescription, laboratory, and referral services to other providers. The community outreach worker would be responsible for completing this detailed application with the parent(s) and then follow-up with the family to ensure continued coverage in the program as well as helping the family to access any other support services they may need. Note: this Community Outreach Worker would be accessible to other schools in the Norwich District to do the same work. The Mental Health Clinician will offer not only individual/family therapy, but also groups that would be deemed helpful by the school turnaround team. An example of this would be a group for parents of children with ADHD or for those whose children are having a difficult time with transitioning to a new community/school/family. The Nurse Practitioner will offer a Parent/Child Nutrition program for those who are obese and at risk for Type II diabetes. This would be an after-school/evening program lasting 8-10 weeks and modeled on other similar, successful programs. There would be no cost to the family. After the
42

initial program with children and their parents, the nurse practitioner will provide regular followup during the regular school-day hours. These strategies represent a significant improvement over past operational procedures. The most important one is that previous enrollment was not well orchestrated and may have only been offered by a letter of interest brochure. Parents may not have understood the benefits of the program and that this program offered barrier-free access to physical and mental health for their child. With these new school-connected strategies, parents will feel more comfortable enrolling their children knowing that it has the full support of the school. This will also facilitate communication between the school administration/support services and the SBHC staff, as all work toward the same goal of supporting children and their families so that the children can be ready to learn every day. School Based Health Centers are located in 2,000 schools across the country, giving millions of children barrier-free access to physical and mental health care. Child and Family Agency operates 18 of the 72 SBHCs in Connecticut, including three in the Norwich School District (Kelly Middle, Teachers Memorial Middle, and Stanton). There is also a SBHC at Norwich Free Academy which serves as Norwichs public high school. Child and Family Agency began operating SBHCs in 1989 and enrolls over 7,000 children in Norwich, New London, Groton, and at The Friendship School in Waterford. Child and Family Agency is a member of the New London County Health Collaborative and works closely with Backus Hospital, United Community and Family Services, and Uncas Health District. Several nurse practitioners in the Norwich SBHCs are active members of Norwichs Child First Norwich and School Readiness Council and the Norwich School Districts Wellness Committees. Norwich Regional Adult Education Cooperative The Norwich Adult Education Cooperative includes Norwich and 13 surrounding towns. They provide state mandated academic programs and provide classes for adults that will improve basic skills, teach the English language, or assist in earning a high school diploma. The Adult Education Center is located in Greeneville, a small neighborhood in Norwich. More than 100 students at Stanton School live in the Greeneville neighborhood. This center will be used for parent outreach, parent meetings and scheduled office hours for Stanton School administrators, faculty and staff will be held there. In addition, staff at the Adult Education Center will assist Greeneville and other neighborhoods parents in registering their students for school or in answering any school related questions or concerns. The Adult Education Staff will also provide resources for families that are interested in continuing their education. Since the Norwich Public Schools is the lead in this cooperative, there will be no need for a formal contract or for any charges for these services Dr. Michele Femc-Bagwell Dr. Michele Femc-Bagwell is a Director of the Urban Institute in the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of Connecticuts Neag School of Education. A former public school
43

educator and middle school principal, Dr. Femc-Bagwell is on the executive board of the Connecticut Association of School Principals Center. She completed her dissertation research focused on first year urban school principals and the cultivation of trust with teachers. Dr. FemcBagwell will work with the Stanton Network School on developing parent/caregiver engagement goals as well as the development and implementation of the parent compact. Dr. Femc-Bagwell is the Director of UConn's CommPACT, and is in charge of "transforming" Bassick School in Bridgeport through Federal School Improvement Grants. Her work at Bassick marks the first time CommPACT is working with a high school. CommPACT has worked with six elementary schools in the state, including Barnum and Longfellow in Bridgeport. The contract with Dr. Femc-Bagwell is being negotiated as of the writing of this application. McREL McREL is a private, 501 (c)(3) education research and development corporation. The organization is made up of a committed staff of research and education experts working every day to help educators change the odds for success for all students. Their Mission is to make a difference in the quality of education and learning for all through excellence in applied research, product development, and service. McREL has been engaged in educational research since 1966, when the Mid-continent Regional Educational Laboratory was founded as a nonprofit, nonpartisan education research laboratory where knowledge about what works in education would be turned into practical guidance for educators. Over the years, McREL has grown into an organization with more than 110 employees and a wide array of clients and contracts in nearly 50 states and around the world. Today, inside McRELs headquarters in Denver, Colorado, and McREL's Pacific Center for Changing the Odds in Honolulu, Hawaii, experienced researchers and education consultants work together to provide educators with research-based, practical guidance on the issues and challenges facing K16 education. The staff creates and delivers:

Sophisticated data analyses Rigorous scientific studies High-quality, field-tested products and services Insightful reports, articles, books, and tools

LEARN: LEARN initiates, supports and provides a wide range of programs and services that expand opportunities and improve the quality of learning in the educational community. Through their Development Department, they will provide collaboration and facilitation for the Network School Application plan as well as organizational support for the Turnaround Committee. This will include, but is not limited to, organizational management and support for the Committee. The Professional and Career Services Department will assist The Network School Faculty and Staff in planning and providing professional development in key areas such as teacher evaluation. LEARN will assist the Network School initiating and implementing the school improvement efforts designed in the Turnaround Plan. Services will include technical assistance and support to
44

the Network Turnaround Committee and the Superintendent. The fees for these services will be an average of $500.00 per day depending on the support provided. The contract for these services can be terminated within 30 days for any of the services.

Copies of partner agreements are attached and located in the appendix.

References

1. Overview of the School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET): A Tool for Measuring Implementation and Fidelity of School-wide Discipline, Todd, A.W., Lewis-Palmer, T., Irvin, L.K, Sugai, G. and Boland, J.B., A research instrument for assessing school behavior support. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 6(1), 3 12. 2. Responsive Classroom Efficacy Study (RCES), Risman-Kaufman, S., University of Virginia, Charlotville, VA., 2011. 3. State Standards and Student Growth, Why State Standards dont Matter as Much as we Thought, Cronin, J., Dahlin, M., Durant, S., and Xiang, Y., Kingsburg Center at NWEA, February 1, 2010. 4. Epsteins Framework of Six Types of Involvement, Epstein, I., Center for the Social Organization of Schools, undated. 5. School, Family and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools, Epstein, I., Boulder, CO., Western Press, 2001. 6. Classroom Management That Works: Research-based Strategies for Every Teacher, Marzano, R., Marzano, I., and Pickering, D.J., October, 2003. 7. A Handbook for Classroom Management that Works, Marzano, Rl, Gaddy, B., and Faseid, M., ASCD, May 18. 2008. 8. SDE: Scientific Research-based Interventions (SRBI), May 21, 2012, at www.sde.ct.gov/sde/SRBI. 9. PBIS and the Responsive Classroom Approach, Northeast Foundation for Children, 2009. 10. Literacy How, at www.litereacyhow.com 11. ImagineIt, at www.imaginitereading.com 12. Reading Street Common Core 2013 at www.pearsonschool.com 13. Singapore Math, at www.singaporemath.com 14. Singapore Math Curriculum Math in Focus, at www.hmheducation.com 15. Singapore Math Adopted in More U.S. Schools, NY Times, at www.nytimes.com/2010/10/1/educatiion/01math.html 16. Facilitators Guide to Participatory Decision-Making, Kaner,S., 2007. 17. Successful Site-Based Management: A Practical Guide, Reynolds, L.J., 1997.

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Appendix A: Budget and Budget Narratives District: Town Code: Norwich Public Schools 104 School:Stanton Elementary

ED114 DISTRICT SUMMARY BUDGET WORKSHEET COMMISSIONERS NETWORK Note: If applying for a planning grant, only FY2013 figures are required for the following tables. FUND 11000 FUND 11000 FUND 11000 SPID 12457 SPID 12457 SPID 12457 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 (School Year (School Year (School Year 2014CODE OBJECT 2012-13) 2013-14) 15) Program: (TBD) Program: (TBD) Program: (TBD) Chartfield 1: Chartfield 1: (TBD) Chartfield 1: (TBD) (TBD)

100 200 300

Personal Services/ Salaries Personal Services/ Employee Benefits Purchased Professional & Technical Services Purchased Property Services Other Purchased Services Supplies Property

$950,000

$909,000

$1,415,402

$175,000

$151,000

$325,000

$275,000

$325,000

$464,200

400 500 600 700

$100,000 $20,000

$15,000 $100,000

$21,500 $108,100 46

890

Other Objects
TOTALS

$1,500,000

$1,500,000

$2,334,202

47

DISTRICT SUMMARY GRANT BUDGET NARRATIVE

COMMISSIONERS NETWORK

DISTRICT: Norwich Public Schools SCHOOL: Stanton Elementary OBJECT CODE 100

TOWN CODE: FY: 2013

104
Amount $950,000

PERSONAL SERVICES SALARIES. Amounts paid to both permanent and temporary grantee employees including personnel substituting for those in permanent positions. This includes gross salary for personal services rendered while on the payroll of the grantees. (.4) Library Media Specialist; (6) School Data Team Leader Stipends; (1.5) Instructional Coaches; (1) Administrative Literacy Specialist; Additional Days For School Principal; (.5) Support Staff; Additional Teacher time ($45.57/hr x 22 teachers x 170 days = $170,432 for first year); Summer Planning Time; (.5) Special Education Teacher; Subs For PD; (1) Parent/Family Liaison; (1) Network And Data Assistant/Technician; (1) Library Assistant Para-Educator; (.5) Secretary; (8) SRBI Interventionists; (.5) Nurse; (1) ELL Para-Educator/Translator PERSONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. Amounts paid by the grantee on behalf of employees; these amounts are not included in the gross salary, but are in addition to that amount. Such payments are fringe benefit payments and, while not paid directly to employees, nevertheless are parts of the cost of personal services.

Impact Bargaining Costs

200

$175,000

Benefits For All Additional Full Time Positions

300

PURCHASED PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. Services, which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. Included are the services of architects, engineers, auditors, dentists, medical doctors, lawyers, consultants, teachers, accountants, technical assistance support organizations, school management partners, etc.

$175,000

(4) Tutors; Stipends For Parents On Network Turnaround Committee; Welcoming Walkthrough Training and Audit; NWEA Assessment (MAPS) and SIS Portals; Translation Services And Communications; Staff And Admin PD Training; Lead Partner Entity; PBIS Consultant; Cultural Awareness Consultant; Parent Engagement Consultant; TA Management Consultant; Executive Coach For Principal; Transportation To Events For Parents
400 PURCHASED PROPERTY SERVICES. Services purchased to operate, repair, maintain, and rent property owned or used by the grantee. Persons other than grantee employees perform these services. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. $

48

CODE

OBJECT

Amount

500

OTHER PURCHASED SERVICES. Amounts paid for services rendered by organizations or personnel not on the payroll of the grantee (separate from Professional and Technical Services or Property Services). While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided.

600

SUPPLIES. Amounts paid for items that are consumed, worn out, or deteriorated through use; or items that lose their identity through fabrication or incorporation into different or more complex units or substances.

$100,000

Instructional Materials/Core Curriculum; Parent Engagement Materials/Supplies;

700 PROPERTY. Expenditures for acquiring fixed assets, including land or existing buildings, improvements of grounds, initial equipment, additional equipment, and replacement of equipment. $20,000

Wireless Connectivity Throughout Building

890

OTHER OBJECTS. (Miscellaneous Expenditures) Expenditures for goods or services not properly classified in one of the above objects. Included in the category could be expenditures for dues and fees, judgments against a grantee that are not covered by liability insurance, and interest payments on bonds and notes.

TOTAL

$1,500,0 00

49

DISTRICT SUMMARY GRANT BUDGET NARRATIVE

COMMISSIONERS NETWORK

DISTRICT:

Norwich Public Schools

TOWN CODE: FY: 2014

104

SCHOOL: Stanton Elementary OBJECT CODE 100

Amount $909,000

PERSONAL SERVICES SALARIES. Amounts paid to both permanent and temporary grantee employees including personnel substituting for those in permanent positions. This includes gross salary for personal services rendered while on the payroll of the grantees.

The personal services positions will include all aspects of the Talent Strategy rollout. Some positions, as appropriate, from year one will move to the Norwich Public Schools general operating budget. The amount noted here is based on current positions and negotiated increases for the 2013-2014 school year.
200 PERSONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. Amounts paid by the grantee on behalf of employees; these amounts are not included in the gross salary, but are in addition to that amount. Such payments are fringe benefit payments and, while not paid directly to employees, nevertheless are parts of the cost of personal services. $151,000

Benefits For All Additional Full Time Positions

300

PURCHASED PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. Services, which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. Included are the services of architects, engineers, auditors, dentists, medical doctors, lawyers, consultants, teachers, accountants, technical assistance support organizations, school management partners, etc.

$325,000

Stipends For Parents On Network Turnaround Committee; Greeneville and other neighborhoods Satellite Services; Translation Services And Communications; Staff And Admin PD Training; SBHC/CFA Consultants; Parent Engagement Consultant; TA Management Consultant; Lead Partner Entity; Transportation To Events For Parents; Summer School Busses
400 PURCHASED PROPERTY SERVICES. Services purchased to operate, repair, maintain, and rent property owned or used by the grantee. Persons other than grantee employees perform these services. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. $

50

CODE

OBJECT

Amount

500

OTHER PURCHASED SERVICES. Amounts paid for services rendered by organizations or personnel not on the payroll of the grantee (separate from Professional and Technical Services or Property Services). While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided.

600

SUPPLIES. Amounts paid for items that are consumed, worn out, or deteriorated through use; or items that lose their identity through fabrication or incorporation into different or more complex units or substances.

$15,000

Instructional Materials/Core Curriculum; Parent Engagement Materials/Supplies

700

PROPERTY. Expenditures for acquiring fixed assets, including land or existing buildings, improvements of grounds, initial equipment, additional equipment, and replacement of equipment.

$100,000

Document cameras; Staff Laptops; Interactive Whiteboard Technology

890

OTHER OBJECTS. (Miscellaneous Expenditures) Expenditures for goods or services not properly classified in one of the above objects. Included in the category could be expenditures for dues and fees, judgments against a grantee that are not covered by liability insurance, and interest payments on bonds and notes.

TOTAL

$1,500,0 0

DISTRICT SUMMARY GRANT BUDGET NARRATIVE

51

COMMISSIONERS NETWORK

DISTRICT: Norwich Public Schools SCHOOL: Stanton Elementary CODE OBJECT 100

TOWN CODE: FY: 2015

104
Amount $1,415,40 2

PERSONAL SERVICES SALARIES. Amounts paid to both permanent and temporary grantee employees including personnel substituting for those in permanent positions. This includes gross salary for personal services rendered while on the payroll of the grantees. Based on Talent Strategy

200

PERSONAL SERVICES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. Amounts paid by the grantee on behalf of employees; these amounts are not included in the gross salary, but are in addition to that amount. Such payments are fringe benefit payments and, while not paid directly to employees, nevertheless are parts of the cost of personal services.

$325,000

Benefits For All Additional Full Time Positions

300

PURCHASED PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICES. Services, which by their nature can be performed only by persons or firms with specialized skills and knowledge. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. Included are the services of architects, engineers, auditors, dentists, medical doctors, lawyers, consultants, teachers, accountants, technical assistance support organizations, school management partners, etc.

$464,200

Stipends For Parents On Network Turnaround Committee; Staff And Admin PD Training; SBHC/CFA Consultants; TA Management Consultant; Transportation To Events For Parents; Summer School Busses; Lead Partner Entity
400 PURCHASED PROPERTY SERVICES. Services purchased to operate, repair, maintain, and rent property owned or used by the grantee. Persons other than grantee employees perform these services. While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided. $

52

CODE
500

OBJECT OTHER PURCHASED SERVICES. Amounts paid for services rendered by organizations or personnel not on the payroll of the grantee (separate from Professional and Technical Services or Property Services). While a product may or may not result from the transaction, the primary reason for the purchase is the service provided.

Amount

600

SUPPLIES. Amounts paid for items that are consumed, worn out, or deteriorated through use; or items that lose their identity through fabrication or incorporation into different or more complex units or substances.

$21,500

Instructional Materials/Core Curriculum; Parent Engagement Materials/Supplies

700

PROPERTY. Expenditures for acquiring fixed assets, including land or existing buildings, improvements of grounds, initial equipment, additional equipment, and replacement of equipment.

$108,100

Video Cameras; Mobile Cart Of iPads; Mobile Carts Of Laptops

890

OTHER OBJECTS. (Miscellaneous Expenditures) Expenditures for goods or services not properly classified in one of the above objects. Included in the category could be expenditures for dues and fees, judgments against a grantee that are not covered by liability insurance, and interest payments on bonds and notes.

TOTAL

$2,334,2 02

53