Identify the school-based RtI Leadership Team.

Kathy Quelland, Principal: Provides a common vision for the use of data-based decision-making, ensures that the school-based team is implementing RtI, conducts assessment of RtI skills of school staff, ensures implementation of intervention support and documentation, ensures adequate professional development to support RtI implementation, and communicates with parents regarding school-based RtI plans and activities.
Don Maier, Asst. Principal of Discipline: Participates in student data collection; Provide intervention with individual students. He will make parent contact and counseling to assist students in correcting their behavior. He will also facilitate the SAT meetings.
Select General Education Teachers (Secondary): Provides information about core instruction, participates in student data collection, delivers Tier 1 instruction/intervention, collaborates with SAT team to implement Tier 2 interventions, and integrates Tier 1 materials/instruction with Tier 2/3 activities.
Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Teachers: Participates in student data collection, integrates core instructional activities/materials into Tier 3 instruction, and collaborates with general education teachers through such activities as co-teaching. Teachers include: Karen Mackey, Thomas Luther, David Waters, Lawanna Howell, Colleen Blackburn, Raeanna Kramer, and Robert Panitzke.
Support facilitators: Develops, leads, and evaluates school core content standards/ programs; identifies and analyzes existing literature on scientifically based curriculum/behavior assessment and intervention approaches. Teachers include: Mary White, Connie Lightfoot, Kim Panitzke, Thomas Mitsunaga, Tara Diamond, Nikisha Augustine,
Identifies systematic patterns of student need while working with district personnel to identify appropriate, evidence-based intervention strategies; assists with whole school screening programs that provide early intervening services for children to be considered “at risk;” assists in the design and implementation for progress monitoring, data collection, and data analysis; participates in the design and delivery of professional development; and provides support for assessment and implementation monitoring.
Reading Instructional Specialist: Though this person is a district person, they Provide guidance on K-12 reading plan; assists in data analysis; provides professional development and technical assistance to teachers regarding data-based instructional planning for reading teachers and CAR-PD teachers.
School Psychologist-Stacy Heck: Participates in collection, interpretation, and analysis of data; facilitates development of intervention plans; provides support for intervention fidelity and documentation; provides professional development and technical assistance for problem-solving activities including data collection, data analysis, intervention planning, and program evaluation; facilitates data-based decision making activities.
Dean of students/ISS Teacher: Provide intervention with individual students. They will make parent contact and counseling to assist students in correcting their behavior.
Guidance Department: Assist individual students as per grade level assigned in changing behavior through counseling and academic assistance. They will also assist in parent contact and/or conferences.

Describe how the school-based RtI Leadership Team functions (e.g. meeting processes and roles/functions).

The Leadership Team will focus meetings around one question: How do we develop and maintain a problem-solving system to bring out the best in our schools, our teachers, and in our students?

The team meets once a week to engage in the following activities:
Step 1: Problem Identification – identify and define the target problem
Step 2: Problem Analysis – attempt to determine why the problem is occurring
Step 3: Intervention Design - decide what is going to be done about the problem
Step 4: Response to Intervention –Monitor progress and determine “ Is it working?”
The implementation of SAT is a well defined process which begins with the completion of the SAT Request (STS # 35). The Marion County Student Assistance Team Packet steps the team through the process.

Describe the role of the school-based RtI Leadership Team in the development and implementation of the school improvement plan

The RtI Leadership Team met with the School Advisory Council (SAC) and principal to help develop the SIP. The team provided data on: Tier 1, 2, and 3 targets; academic and social/emotional areas that needed to be addressed; helped set clear expectations for instruction (Rigor, Relevance, Relationship); facilitated the development of a systemic approach to teaching (Gradual Release, Essential Questions, Activating Strategies, Teaching Strategies, Extending, Refining, and Summarizing); and aligned processes and procedures.

Describe the data management system used to summarize tiered data.

Baseline data: Progress Monitoring and Reporting Network (PMRN), FAIR data, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)
Progress Monitoring: Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR), SRI, FCAs, FCAT Simulation
Midyear: Benchmark Assessment, Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading (FAIR)
End of year: FAIR, FCAT
Frequency of Data Days: once a month for data analysis

Describe the plan to train staff on RtI.

The staff will be trained during early release days or the first staff development day on the calendar.

Data Disaggregation 2008-2009 FCAT Data

What strengths and weaknesses were identified in the 2009 data by grade level, subject area, and clusters/strands?

Strengths
Writing: Tenth Grade is performing above district average for the percentage 9of level 3.5 and above.
Science: Eleventh graders are performing at state and district average in Life and Environmental Sciences.
Math: Ninth grade is performing at the state and district average for number sense, geometry, algebraic thinking, and data analysis. Tenth grade is performing at the state and district average for number sense.
Reading: Ninth grade is performing at the state and district average for words/phrases and comparisons.
Weaknesses
Science: Improvement is needed in physical and chemical sciences, earth and space sciences, and scientific thinking.
Math: Overall math scores are good, but improvement in each strand is needed to put us above the state and district average for both ninth and tenth grade. In tenth grade, geometry and measurement are particularly low.
Reading: Tenth grade reading scores dropped drastically over last year in all content areas.
We need to concentrate on our lowest quartile making the learning gains in both reading and math.

Instructional Calendar Development

What is the process for developing, implementing, and monitoring an Instructional Focus Calendar for reading, writing, mathematics, and science?

The IFCs were revised in July 2009. The IFC will be updated in July 2010 as determined by disaggregated data results from the September previous year. The 2009 FCAT results were utilized to develop the IFCs.

Teachers will be responsible for determining the instructional focus of whole group lessons, and small group/differentiated instruction.

Benchmarks were selected as indicated by students’ strengths and weaknesses, which were measured by progress on class work assignments, assessments, and data results.

The duration of instruction for each Benchmark was determined by the amount of time allotted in the IFC to ensure that students are exposed to all Benchmarks prior to FCAT testing. Within the amount of time allotted in the IFC, teachers will provide instruction on each Benchmark, allow the students an opportunity to practice, assess the students’ knowledge, and then re-teach the Benchmark as indicated by student progress, either in a whole group or small group setting.

Administration will implement a continuous cycle of making classroom visitations, evaluating lesson plans, monitoring teacher data, and conducting data planning sessions with teachers to ensure that the IFC is being utilized and implemented effectively. Mentor teachers will also be assigned to teachers who are demonstrating signs of struggling with IFC implementation.

Teachers who are struggling with implementing the IFC will be provided additional opportunities to attend professional development sessions, have a mentor assigned to them, and participate in the process of observing other teachers who are successful. The department chairperson will provide additional assistance to the teacher. The teacher will utilize the support of their colleagues during monthly team meetings.

Which instructional Benchmarks will be given priority focus, based on need, for each content area (reading, writing, mathematics, and science)?

Science: Emphasis will be placed on all areas of science by grade level teachers. Most 11th grade students are enrolled in physical science or chemistry, but there may need to be an intensive review of earth/space science and scientific research by those teachers.
Math: For ninth grade students, number sense and measurement need the most work. Tenth grade students need more work on geometry and algebraic thinking as those are the areas of the test most heavily weighted.
Reading: Ninth grade will need to concentrate most on main idea/purpose and reference/research. Tenth grade will need to concentrate on words/phrases and main idea/purpose.

What is the process to ensure instruction is based on individual students’ needs, as opposed to the master schedule?

In analyzing the data, we have determined the teachers who have made the most learning gains with their students and have adjusted the master schedule as needed.

How does the school incorporate applied and integrated courses to help students see the relationships between subjects and relevance to their future?

The school offers students elective courses in art, business, technology, and career study. Many of these courses focus on job skills and offer students internships.

Teachers focus on 7 questions daily: What am I teaching? Why am I teaching this? How am I teaching? Why am I teaching that way? How are my students doing? How do I know how they are doing? What am I doing about the ones who aren’t doing well?

In addition, teachers use bell ringers to enforce the IFCs. Vocabulary is a large part of the lessons in all subject areas and grade levels.

How does the school incorporate students’ academic and career planning, as well as promote student course selections, so that students’ course of study is personally meaningful?

The College and Career Center is the place to coordinate all College and Career activities for the high school. Each Center has a College and Career Specialist that facilitates the activities for the Center. It is recommended that every student visit the Center at least once each year. The suggested list of activities to accomplish each year is as follows:

The CHOICES Planner Portfolio that each student begins during the middle school assessment will be updated each year at the student’s high school College & Career Center. Each high school has developed a plan to facilitate when students re-visit the lab to update their Plan and to participate in other career development activities: resume writing, post-secondary opportunities, College Placement (CPT) Test, Ready To Work Certification, career research, scholarships, and additional assessments.

The recommended second visit to the Center will incorporate Guidance to assist students in registration for the next grade level. Students will begin to incorporate their Electronic Personal Education Plan (ePEP) through FACTS.org and their CHOICES Planner Portfolio. With both of these resources students should have the information needed for easy registration to the next grade.

Every year, after FCAT testing, students and parents participate in Northside Night which exposes them to next year’s curriculum to inform their course selection.

During or after the Northside night, students and parents decide on the courses that best meet their needs. In some cases, students and/or parents may set a meeting with a counselor to decide what classes will be taken. Final course selection is sent home for parent’s signature.

Direct the Instructional Focus

How are lesson plans and instructional delivery aligned across grade levels and subject areas?

Grade level teachers and subject area teachers meet monthly to determine the areas of students’ strengths and weaknesses as demonstrated by class work assignments and assessment results. Lesson plans will be created for differentiated instruction, which provides lessons for all levels of students, below mastery, at mastery, and above mastery.

Best practices are shared at each of these meetings.

How are instructional focus lessons developed and delivered?

Focus lessons are determined teacher by teacher from the information gained in the monthly subject area and grade level meetings. Teachers will use best practices to help implement the focus lessons. All teachers are required to implement the lessons using their class content.

How will instructional focus lessons be revised and monitored?

Student mastery based on FCAs (focus calendar assessments) will determine if the lessons are mastered or need to be re-taught. Data from these FCAs will be analyzed by administration and teachers on a monthly basis.

Assessment

Describe the types of ongoing formative assessments to be used during the school year to measure student progress in core, supplemental, and intensive instruction/intervention.

Formative assessments for all students across the district include FAIR for reading and Focus Calendar Assessments for reading, math, and science. The FAIR assessment screen students three times a year. Students will be assessed with FCAs monthly. Four times a year students will be assessed in writing with Demand writing prompts provided by the district.

How are assessments used to identify students reaching mastery and those not reaching mastery?

The data from the FCAs are put into Pearson Benchmark. The teachers have access to see the data and will determine the focus lessons based on this data.

Maintenance

How is ongoing assessment and maintenance of Benchmark mastery for each grade level and content area built into the Instructional Focus Calendar?

Students at and above mastery level will receive opportunities to enhance or enrich current skills by participating in project activities, hands-on activities, or other supplemental lessons which will reinforce the skill and maintain the level of mastery/proficiency.

Describe the process and schedule for teams to review progress monitoring data (summative and mini assessments) to identify the required instructional modifications that are needed to increase student achievement.

Administrative staff will be in charge of a subject area and will facilitate the meetings. Grade level teachers and subject area teachers meet monthly (at different times) to determine the areas of students’ strengths and weaknesses as demonstrated by class work assignments and assessment results. Lesson plans will be created for differentiated instruction, which provides lessons for all levels of students, below mastery, at mastery, and above mastery.

Monitoring

Describe the Principal’s and Leadership Team’s roles as instructional leaders and how they will be continuously involved in the teaching and learning process.

The Principal and Leadership Team will meet with teachers either during weekly meetings, or one-on-one to discuss assessment results and student progress. During these meetings, lesson plans, data binders, and student portfolios will be utilized to provide evidence of instruction, assessment, and differentiation to address individual student needs. Progress Monitoring logs will also be utilized to document the process of teaching, assessing, re-teaching, and re-assessing.

Supplemental and Intensive Instruction/Interventions

Identify the core, supplemental, and intensive instruction and interventions.

North Marion High School offers a comprehensive curriculum which includes college preparatory, and general diploma studies. A specialized program in biotechnology, one of the few offered in the state of Florida is also offered here. We also have a team of tenth grade students who are part of the Power Standards group. This group of teachers uses hands-on performance type of assessments instead of the traditional paper and pencil assessments. In addition, a variety of career preparation programs are available to serve the needs of all students. Colts on Character Program provides students with character education as a character word is highlighted each month. Students write about the character traits and incorporate this in to each day. NMHS is the designated magnet school in Marion County for AICE Curriculum.
AICE: The top academic students at North Marion High School participate in the Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program in the 11th and 12th grade years, with Pre-AICE (IGCSE) classes offered in the 9th and 10th grade years. Administered and examined by the University of Cambridge, England, students are required to sit for six exams with at least one exam in each of the three subject areas: Mathematics and Sciences, Languages, Arts and Humanities. Students choose three or more additional examinations from among all courses offered. The General Certificate of Education (GCE) courses are tested at both the Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) Levels. Courses are identified by AICE. The 2007-2008 school year was the inception year for NMHS as a Cambridge International Center. Current courses offered in AICE include Mathematics, Biology, English Language, Thinking Skills, English Language, Literature and U.S. History. Passing grades range from “a” to “e”, with “a” being the highest.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are offered in correlation with the AICE program. Examinations offered are Economics and American Government.
Dual Enrollment (DE) is offered through a cooperative program with Central Florida Community College in which students earn both high school and college credits. These courses are designated by college course numbers consisting of alpha-numeric designations.
Honors classe/Pre AICE classes are offered in Pre AICE English Language, Pre AICE English Literature, English III Honors, English IV Honors, Pre AICE Math 1-III, Algebra II honors, Trig and Analytic Geometry, Pre AICE Biology, Pre AICE Chemistry, Pre AICE World History, Anatomy and Physiology honors, American Government honors and Economics honors. These courses are identified by the letters “HON” or “Pre-AICE” and flagged on the transcript.
Intensive classes: We offer a variety of intensive reading and math classes to fit the needs of our students.

How are supplemental and intensive instruction/interventions and tutorials structured to re-teach non-mastered target areas?

Resources from the state adopted materials which are designed for intensive instruction will be utilized. Technology will be utilized (ASCEND math program, FCAT explorer, etc.). Teachers will use best practices discussed in PLC to provide different methods of reaching non-mastery students. Those students who are consistently not mastering areas may be required to participate in after school tutoring sessions.

How does the school identify staff’s professional development needs to improve their instructional strategies?

Classroom Walkthroughs, formal observations, teacher input, and student performance/data analysis will determine the need for professional development sessions.

Which students will be targeted for supplemental and intensive instruction/interventions?

Students who score a level 1 or 2 on the FCAT or students not making gains as determined by FCAs and progress monitoring will be targeted for intensive instruction in reading and math. Students may be offered after school tutoring sessions if the budget allows.

How will the effectiveness of the interventions be measured throughout the year?

Effectiveness will be determined by the FCA and Benchmark data, FAIR data, and results on classroom assessments. Students and parents will be given the information to do FCAT explorer on line.

Enrichment

Describe alternative instructional delivery methods to support acceleration and enrichment activities.

Students who typically exceed mastery levels participate in the school’s AICE or Pre-AICE program. Students also elect to enroll in foreign language and career/college prep electives.

Describe how students are identified for enrichment strategies.

Teacher recommendation, FCAT scores, GPA, student interest all play a part in the identification process. Parents are free to set meetings with the guidance office and /or administration to determine what is best for the student.