Building TAG Plan Page 1
Due to the PPS TAG Office and your Regional Administrator on Monday, January 4, 2016
Winterhaven School
Mark Sandilands Principal
Dave Huckaba TAG Coordinator
FOCUS: Acknowledgement of TAG Identified StudentsAction / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
Method used to ensure all teachers know TAG students enrolled in their class(es):
- Teachers print out from Synergy the “Program assignments” report for each class
- Teachers record appropriate TAG Identification designation in their grade book
- Teachers know the names and TAG designation of each student by name
- Student names appear on lesson plans as teachers differentiate instruction / TAG binders in classroom and in main office / September and January of each year
FOCUS: Identification of Students who Perform in the 97th Percentile or Demonstrate the Potential to Perform
Action / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
School has a discussion about school data and the identification of under-represented and underserved students and develops a plan to identify students, recognize leadership ability and develop talents.
- A plan is in place to identify under-represented and underachieving students based on the committee work
- Data Teams compare data from screening assessments
- Dashboard data comparing general population with ethnicity of school and identified TAG students / Committee minutes / Ongoing
The principal will ensure teachers are nominating students from underrepresented populations in the following manner:
- Using and teaching the characteristics of gifted to notice a student who should be nominated
- Leading staff (including ESL and Special Ed. Staff) through process to examine underrepresented populations, at staff mtgs. to nominate students
- Reviewing the list of nominated students
- Examining school population student by student by ability
- Examine 2nd grade intellectual screening scores of all students (especially ELL, SPED, and minorities), nominate those students, recommend further testing as appropriate / Staff meeting minutes / Ongoing
Our school will use the following observation tools and/or data in the TAG identification process:
- Each teacher uses an observation tool for the first weeks of school or attendance for assessing giftedness
- Screening assessments include
o Attributes of Talented and Gifted English Learners checklist (Talented and Gifted English Learner form)
o Characteristics of Giftedness (doc)
o KOI: Students from Poverty and/or Divers Cultures (doc)
o Possible Problems that may be associated with strengths of gifted children (doc)
o Myths and Truths about gifted students (doc) / TAG binder / September 30, 2015
The building will use the following procedures throughout the ID process:
- Form a school assessment committee: TAG coordinator, ESL, SPED, Counselor, Gen. Ed
- Send Parent/Student Surveys home for all TAG students as identified
- Parent/Teacher Nominations (IDPFs) made available
- Collecting Work Samples that reflect State Scoring Guides, test history and teacher advocacy
- Checking Cum files against TAG list sent by TAG Office / TAG binder / Ongoing
FOCUS: TAG Services
Action / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
Differentiation strategies:
Evidence of the following can regularly be observed in the classroom:
1) Flexible Grouping (walk to read, etc.) within classroom, grade levels, or school
2) Instruction using Rigor and Relevance Framework and Quad D experiences
3) Mathematical Practices (CCSS)
4) Instructional Shifts in Literacy: Text Complexity, Text-based Questions (CCSS)
5) Compacting curriculum
6) Other grouping (ability, interest) within classroom, grade levels, or school
7) Tiering lessons
8) Higher Level Questioning Strategies
9) Independent Project Work
10) Acceleration (single subject, within classroom or school)
11) Cluster Grouping of TAG students
12) Enrichment options
13) Use of mentors
14) Depth and Complexity system with Icons
Describe how the following strategies are used in all classrooms to meet the rate and level of students.
a. Flexible Grouping
b. Pre-Assessments
c. System of on-going or formative assessments that inform instruction
d. Quad D instructional experiences
Staff uses all of these types of strategies to meet the rate and level of all students. They use them in different ways to ensure that students are engaged and challenged.
What are the school-wide structures that provide for rigorous and relevant coursework at the appropriate rate and level? Data Teams use data from formative assessments for problem solving around instruction which may include:
- Pre-assessments for units or course of study
- Observation
- Pre-Assessment Strategies on “Educator Resources” page on TAG website http://www.tag.pps.k12.or.us/.docs/pg/10645
- Frequency and intent for assessments given evident
Determining if acceleration is needed:
Formative and Summative assessment are used by all teachers for flexible grouping every 2-7 weeks
Pre-assessments
Post-assessments
Work Samples / TAG binder, classroom binder / Ongoing
We determine whether a student needs acceleration in the following way: Assessments; parent/student/teacher feedback. / TAG binder / Ongoing
Our process for using data to measure the growth of our TAG students is:
Data Teams use data from formative assessments for problem solving and action research around instruction during weekly common planning time.
Team meetings are devoted to developing common TAG strategies/lessons for use with the high level learners- consistency within the grade levels. / TAG binder / Ongoing
The following options for acceleration are available at our school: Regardless of grade level, we can move students to a higher grade level for a single subject (in math if it is beyond Compacted Math Year 2, students have to go to the high school or take a class on line or through independent study). We can also provide subject acceleration in the classroom using higher grade materials, and also provide credit by exam or online courses.
Students access these options in the following manner: Parents drive them to high school or they take a bus. We provide a computer for online work if the curriculum that needs to be taught is beyond what we offer in our school. / TAG binder / Ongoing
If a student requires a course beyond what is typically available for that grade or subject area, that student can access this course or experience in the following ways:
Online course work or transportation to the local high school. Staff works together with each student to determine best fit. / TAG binder / Ongoing
Additional services available for TAG students include:
- Saturday Academy classes at school site
- Clubs (Lego robotics club, chess club, Neogeography club, Scrabble club, etc.)
- Other before or after school activities (MUSE band, Kids Like Languages, etc.)
The students access these services in the following manner: Sign ups are at our beginning of the school year Orientation meeting. Students can also sign up for clubs/classes during the year.
Students have opportunities to socialize and work with like ability on like interest work
- During group work in the classroom, during productions for classes, and on projects created for classes. / TAG binder / Ongoing
The administrator(s) ensures the use of differentiated strategies, rigorous and relevant course work, and instruction provided at the appropriate rate and level in the following ways:
- Walk-throughs to see that TAG strategies are being implemented into the classroom and share data with staff or as a part of the evaluation cycle.
- Provide staff with TAG Professional Development opportunities that are aligned to the school’s overall PD Plan and/or school improvement plan. / TAG binder / Ongoing
FOCUS: Responsibilities of TAG Coordinator
Action / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
The administrator ensures the TAG Coordinator is trained and familiar with the requirements of the TAG Coordinator Job Description, which include mandatory attendance at TAG sponsored PD and coordinating the ID process in the school, in the following manner:
- Select staff member to be paid for the TAG Coordinator position.
- Ensure the TAG Coordinator Checklist is followed and Teacher Checklist given to teachers.
- Check calendar for TAG Coordinator training.
- Administrator meets with TAG Coordinator after each TAG Coordinator meeting to review data/information/PD.
- Ensure that the school’s TAG Coordinator is actively engage in the implementation of the school’s Equity Team Strategies within their own classroom and throughout the school community. / TAG binder / Ongoing
FOCUS: Professional Development
Action / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
A quarterly PD schedule is provided that demonstrates when each of the following is included in the school’s professional development plan: flexible grouping, Rigor and Relevance in the classroom.
These strategies will be integrated into our school professional development plan or school improvement plan in the following ways: CCSS Implementation and Equity Work / TAG binder
Staff meeting agendas / Quarterly
PD will be presented at monthly staff meetings
Administrator(s)//Teachers will use their staff meetings, collaborative planning times, or team planning times to integrate these strategies into their instruction in the following manner:
School calendar work plan shows agenda for integrating TAG strategies including:
-Dates of staff meetings for whole group PD or discussion.
-Monthly team meetings used for developing strategies such as writing tiered lessons for grade level teams.
-Common planning time for grade level teams.
Principal actively participates in planning and implementing PD during work day and encourages non-workday staff development with grants, endowments and general funds. / TAG binder / Monthly
FOCUS: Communication
Action / Documentation / Expected Completion Date or Check Point
Teachers communicate the differentiation strategies they’re implementing in their classrooms in the following ways:
- Periodically send home information about content, instruction strategies.
- Teachers encourage back and forth dialog with parents and/or students regarding rate and level of instruction.
- At BTSN parents are informed about the differentiated instructional strategies they’ll use to meet rate and level.
- Newsletters sent home monthly telling families what they’re doing to meet rate and level and how they’ve pre-assessed.
- MS and HS class syllabi. / TAG binder, classroom binder / Monthly
The administrator uses their school newsletter to communicate with families about TAG in the following ways:
- Actively engages in and pursues communication with TAG families to inform, describe and evaluate TAG services
- Writes about what s/he sees teachers doing in classrooms to meet rate and level
- Cites specific examples of services made available for TAG students
- Cites Building TAG Plan and how it guides programming for TAG students and how Plan is being implemented
- Parent TAG meeting(s)
- PTSA meetings / TAG binder / Monthly
TAG Bulletin Board will be available for parents to read on the first day of school and will remain posted throughout the year. It will include a copy of the Building TAG Plan, current ID Process forms and other relevant information in languages represented in the school community when available. The TAG Bulletin Board will be maintained by:
Students, teachers, staff maintain interactive BB display of TAG news, process and options. / Bulletin Board / Ongoing
A Fall TAG parent meeting will be held before 11/15/2015. Details include:
Information regarding identification, building TAG plan, opportunities for TAG students. / TAG binder / By 11/15/15
Parent/teacher will sign a form at Parent-Teacher Conferences that indicates parents have had the opportunity to offer input into and review the school’s plan for meeting a student’s rate and level. If your school is non-exempt, parents will be provided an opportunity to offer input into and review the student’s individual TAG plan for meeting a student’s rate and level. A copy of the individual plan will be placed in the student’s salmon folder. / Teacher binder, TAG binder / By 11/30/15
Our families will have the following opportunity(ies) to evaluate our TAG services:
- Develop a parent survey that asks for parent feedback on TAG services
- Parent input will be sought for development of Building TAG Plan
- We will hold a TAG parent mtg. mid-year / TAG binder / By 6/1/16
If parents have concerns about their child’s TAG services they will have the following opportunities (process) to inform the school:
-- School offers parents help with concerns in writing, by email, on web, by phone and/or in person. / TAG binder / Ongoing
Submitted ______Received ______Approved ______
Portland Public Schools: Building TAG Plan
Revised on 1/20/2016