Board of Education of Wicomico County
101 Long Avenue
P.O. Box 1538
Salisbury, MD 21802-1538
410-677-4400
FAX 410-677-4444
www.wcboe.org
Success - Every Student, Every Day
School Improvement Plan
2017-2018
Revised June 15, 2017
It is the policy of the Wicomico County Board of Education to provide equal educational and employment
opportunities regardless of age, gender, race, color, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.
CHOICES ACADEMY
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
2017-2018
Mission Statement:
Choices Academy will embrace student’s Academic, Cultural, Emotional and Social (ACES) needs in order to empower students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens.
Action Statements:
· Provide a variety of pathways for diverse learners
· Promote self-advocacy
· Utilize mindfulness techniques to promote self-awareness
· Build relationships with consideration for possible trauma and/or attachment disorders
· Enhance effective communication
· Foster a student centered academic environment
· Utilize a multi-team approach to problem solve
· Cultivate a positive school climate acknowledging needs of self and others
· Embrace relationships with the community
· Partner with students’ families and other support systems
· Provide consistency in regard to school expectations
Expected Results
· Reduce time spent outside of classroom
· Student success at their home
· Lower recidivism rates
· Lower referral rates
· Higher attendance rates
· Elevated grade scores
· More parent involvement/ attendance at activities
· Less school crisis/ disturbances
· Increased graduation rate
· Meeting Student Support Plan goals
Belief Statements:
· Students are entitled to a safe, caring environment that promotes learning.
· Students need a variety of instructional approaches and strategies in order to learn.
· Students thrive in a positive environment, fostered by building healthy relationships with peers and staff.
· Students are responsible and accountable for their own behavior.
· Students’ resilience is strengthened through education, motivation, discipline and responsibility.
· Students have strengths that can be channeled into positive directions.
· Parental/guardian involvement is foremost in students’ education.
· Community partnerships promote responsible citizens.
Vision:
Choices Academy changing the community one student at a time.
ILT Structure for 2017-2018
The goal of the ILT team is to have a chair, 4 staff members, parents, students, principal and board representative as needed.
Student Behavior (Please report data as shown in Aspen at the end of March):
2013-14 ReferralsGrade / BL / WH / HI / Mult / Other / All Races
Total Ref / 689 / 94 / 27 / 72 / 7 / 889
Grade 6 / 70 / 24 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 99
Grade 7 / 49 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 49
Grade 8 / 116 / 5 / 22 / 40 / 0 / 183
Grade 9 / 299 / 41 / 0 / 12 / 7 / 359
Grade 10 / 67 / 8 / 0 / 20 / 0 / 95
Grade 11 / 65 / 16 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 81
Grade 12 / 23 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 23
/
2014-15 Referrals
Grade / BL / WH / HI / Mult / Other / All Races
Total Ref / 933 / 65 / 75 / 103 / 21 / 1197
Grade 6 / 21 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 21
Grade 7 / 155 / 18 / 11 / 0 / 0 / 184
Grade 8 / 101 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 104
Grade 9 / 547 / 39 / 64 / 60 / 0 / 710
Grade 10 / 71 / 5 / 0 / 32 / 21 / 129
Grade 11 / 33 / 0 / 0 / 11 / 0 / 44
Grade 12 / 5 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 5
2015-16 Referrals
Grade / BL / WH / HI / Mult / Other / All Races
Total Ref / 713 / 42 / 27 / 26 / 0 / 808
Grade 6 / 7 / 4 / 11 / 0 / 0 / 22
Grade 7 / 124 / 2 / 3 / 8 / 0 / 137
Grade 8 / 130 / 0 / 9 / 0 / 0 / 139
Grade 9 / 256 / 26 / 3 / 13 / 0 / 289
Grade 10 / 114 / 2 / 0 / 5 / 0 / 121
Grade 11 / 62 / 8 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 71
Grade 12 / 20 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 20
Strengths: Referrals were down from the previous.
Areas of Need: Though referrals were down there was an increase in suspensions. The number one reason for referral was inciting/participating in a disturbance. Those referral numbers seem to coincide with the escalation in the more intense student behavior
Attendance (Please report data as shown in Aspen at the end of March):
We will increase (maintain) the percentage of student attendance to (at or above) 94%.)Student Group: / 2013-14 / 2014-15
All Students
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic/Latino of any race
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Other
FARMS
Special Education
Limited English Proficient
Strengths: *We have an office secretary who focus on attendance. Each time a student misses three days in a row or if there is reason for a concern, a phone call is made to the home. Good working relationship with the PPW who will make visits to the homes as needed.
Areas of Need: **Need to identify the best ways to work in collaboration with the home school on helping students increase student attendance.
Pathway Enrollment Data as of June 30th
Pathway / 2015-2016 / 2016-2017 / 2017-2018 / 2018-2019APR / 104/*115 / 113
Riser / 18 / 19
Alpha / 11 / 14 (8 – Middle School/ 6 –High School)
Online Learning Lab / 23 / 28
Volunteer / 16 / 16
Assignment / 59 / 42
Connections / 9
*Some students came through APR more than once. Some students also come back under a different pathway.
Strengths: * We have added new pathways for the 2015-2016 school year. The new pathways were the Alpha and Online Learning Lab. We are also now able to keep track of these pathways in X2.
Areas of Need: ** Need to continue to identify ways to be proactive for students and homeschools.
Enrollment by Month
Month / 2015-2016 / 2016-2017August / 32 / 65
September / 32 / 12
October / 11 / 18
November / 12 / 20
December / 10 / 7
January / 29 / 19
February / 40 / 37
March / 13 / 29
April / 23 / 25
May / 27 / 14
June / 2 / 0
Enrollment Data
Enrollment # 2013-2014 189 (6/16/15) SPED 33/189 Enrollment # 2014-2015 153 (5/31/15) SPED 24/153
Transition Data:
2013-2014 / #1st Quarter / 19
2nd Quarter / 18
3rd Quarter / 15
4th Quarter / 68
2014-2015 / #
1st Quarter / 28
2nd Quarter / 32
3rd Quarter / 12
4th Quarter / 46
Enrollment #2015-2016 205 (6/14/16) SPED 34/205 Enrollment #2016-2017 SPED
2015-2016 / #1st Quarter
2nd Quarter
3rd Quarter
4th Quarter
Transition Data
2015-2016 / #1st Quarter / 25
2nd Quarter / 25
3rd Quarter / 36
4th Quarter / *31
Transition Data
*As of June 30th some students were still being transitioned so number is subjected to change.
Strengths: *Were able to support more students over the course of the school year.
Areas of Need: **We had large influx of students December through January and it was difficult for student and staff to adjust.
Staff Wellness:
Wellness Goal / Actual 2013-2014 / Actual 2014-2015 / Actual 2015-2016 / Actual 2017-2018# of Staff / % of Staff / # of Staff / % of Staff / # of Staff / % of Staff / # of Staff / % of Staff
Participation in Walking Works program / 10/23 / 43% / 10/27 / 37%
Note: WCBOE Goal is 30%
Parent Involvement: (See Priority D) Parent Involvement will be measured by; PTA membership, PTA meeting attendance, and parent attendance at school sponsored events.
2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017
Month / Parents / Students / Staff / Parents / Students / Staff / Parents / Students / StaffAugust / 5 / 10 / 4 / 4 / N/A
September / 12 / 5 / 10 / 5 / 4 / 1 / 9
October / 13 / 4 / 10 / 4 / 2 / 2 / 6
November / 5 / 7 / 13 / 4 / Not Scheduled
December / 7 / 5 / 4 / 5 / 11 / N/A / N/A
January / 3 / 5 / N/A / Cancelled
February / 2 / 8 / 8 / 6 / 8 / 7 / 16
March / 5 / 5 / 10 / 6 / 13 / 6 / 7
April / 21 / 14 / 11 / 7 / 5 / Cancelled
May / 9 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 7 / 3 / 2 / 18
Strengths: *Parent involvement has continued to be a focus over the last two years. Many of the same parents are retuning each month for parent group.
Areas of Need: *Need a better process of gathering feedback from parents in order to enhance the program. April Workshop was held in May and was not all well attended. Needs to be moved back to an earlier month.
2014-2015 Graduates who previously attended Choices/Choices Academy – 36
Student data by grade
2013-2014 / 2014-2015 / 2015-2016 / 2016-20176th grade / 18 / 16 / 10 / 20
7th grade / 22 / 22 / 27 / 10
8th grade / 28 / 19 / 31 / 30
9th grade / 76 / 55 / 60 / 72
10th grade / 27 / 27 / 33 / 40
11th grade / 16 / 13 / 28 / 32
12grade / 2 / 3 / 16 / 12
Strength – 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 show less 9th graders attended Choices Academy than during the 2013-2014 school year. It would appear the implementation of the 9th grade Riser group was a proactive step in address needs of 9th graders. We had a large jump in upper classman numbers as a result of the online learning lab and the ability to offer more electives.
Areas of grow – Continue to identify pathways that allow for proactive intervention rather than reactive.
Referral Data
School Year / # of Students / Total Referrals2013-2014 / 189 / 1693
2014-2015 / 153 / 1779
2015-2016 / 205 / 1483
Riser Data
School Year / Total # of Students / # of Sped Students2014-2015 / 19 / 4
2015-2016 / 18 / 4 (plus one 504 plan)
2016-2017 / 19
School Improvement Priorities
EXEMPLARY PRACTICE 1.0: VISION AND MISSION /Action Step / Time Line / Person(s) Responsible
(Use titles, not names.) /
1.1 The vision clearly articulates goals to stakeholders.
· Will be reviewed twice a year with stakeholders / September & April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.2 The mission is documented, published and visible to students, parents/guardians, staff, and the community stakeholders.
· Review with parents and students at In-take.
· Review at “Back to School” PD in September
· Banners with mission placed in hallway and in the office. / September and throughout the school year / Guidance
Principal & ILT Chair
Principal & ILT Chair
1.3 All stakeholders are involved in developing the vision, mission, goals and projected outcomes for the school.
· Reviewed during ILT and with stakeholders annually / April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.4 The mission includes the identification of the student population for whom the nontraditional or alternative education school is designed to serve.
· Review wording yearly as program changes and expands, etc. / April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.5 The vision and mission of the school has unifying theme that evokes high levels of student and stakeholder support
· Review wording yearly as program changes and expands, etc. / April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.6 The driving vision and mission of the nontraditional or alternative school is consistent with the districts strategic goals while aligning with specific state standards.
· Review Quarterly at ILT Meetings / September, November, January, April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.7 Student success is central to the vision and mission of the school, which includes the development of effective and affective skills, social competencies, and career readiness skills.
· Review wording yearly as program changes and expands, etc. / April / Principal & ILT Chair1.8 The vision and mission of the school promotes a safe and secure environment while developing the emotional and physical wellness of all students.
· Review wording yearly as program changes and expands, etc. / April / Principal & ILT Chair
1.9 The development of school culture and student ownership of their school is facilitated through the use of symbols, ceremonies, celebrations and the development of traditions.
· Review school culture and student ownership quarterly
· Display Choices Academy Symbol
· Midterm Incentives
· Spirit Week / Quarterly
Ongoing
Each Mid-term
2x’s Year / Principal & ILT Chair
Principal
PBIS Lead
Student Forum
1.10 Resources are sought and obtained to support the implementation of the vision and mission.
· Review supports or implementation of vision and mission quarterly / September, November, January, April / Principal
1.11 Barriers to achieving the vision and mission are identified, clarified and addressed through the schools strategic plan.
· Survey stakeholders in January to identify barriers to vision and mission and adjust plan by the end of April. / January