Elementary Education Five-Year Vision Aligned with the HCPS Strategic Plan
August 6, 2012 DRAFT
HCPS Vision:Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) will be the premier school division in the United States.
HCPS Mission:HCPS, an innovative leader in educational excellence, will actively engage our students in diverse learning experiences that inspire and empower them to become contributing citizens.
Elementary Education- Overarching themes to meet the vision:
- All students will be achieving on grade level in reading and math by grade three and remain on grade level through grade five.
- In order to ensure student success throughout their school years there must be a laser focus on building the foundation in the primary level through solid primary instruction and effective targeted intervention if needed.
- Students will be most successful in school if they enter Kindergarten well prepared to learn.
- True success is not measured by the SOL tests alone but by the student’s ability to apply, synthesize, and demonstrate their learning on projects and tasks. In order to do this, students must understand the core content and be able to think critically and creatively, collaborate and communicate, and find and synthesize information using 21st century tools.
Strategic Goal 1:All students will graduate upon completion of the Henrico County Public School’s curriculum that exceeds state and national standards.
Objective 1.1We will recruit, hire, train and evaluate personnel to ensure they are effective and accountable
Action Plan: EE
- Teachers will receive content-specific staff development on a monthly basis through the use of early-release time. The staff development model will utilize peer collaboration across schools, virtual resources, and pertinent pedagogical topics that will reinforce HCPS vision and mission.
Objective 1.4:We will maintain an ongoing review and development process of curriculum, programs and instructional initiatives.
Action Plans: Elem Ed.
- Each core specialist will do a needs assessment of their area curriculum to determine the status specific to the following structures:
- Alignment to the state standards
- Alignment to the TIP-C
- Activities and lessons that address multiple intelligences, interest and learning modalities.
- Activities that show real life application of the learning
- Opportunities for actual and virtual fieldtrips, and guest speakers.
- Opportunities for project-based learning
- Opportunities for balanced assessment of learning including standardized task-based assessments.
- A curriculum review/development calendar will be applied based on the results of the needs assessment.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: Baseline rubric scores for each of the core content area curricula will be recorded in year one with and targeted improvement goals set for the next two years.
Objective 1.5: We will maintain an ongoing review of the instructional technology initiative.
Action Plans- EE
- Continue evaluation of the use of iPads in the primary levels.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: Improved usage statistics over the baseline on the end of the year evaluation survey will be used to determine efficacy of the technology.
Objective 1.6:We will streamline instructional processes to increase efficiency.
Action Plans-EE
- Fully commit to, fund, and implement RtI for math, reading, and behavior at all elementary schools over the next three years.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: The following indicators will be used to determine the efficacy of the RtI model:
- Reduction in discipline referrals and suspensions for RtI schools
- Growth on MAPS testing where available
- Reduction in the number of special education referrals
- Increases in the number of students reading on grade level by third and fifth grade
- Decreases in the number of students requiring tier II interventions
- Increases in the number of students moving from tier II to tier I interventions
Objective 1.7:We will support evaluation and analytical processes to ensure student progress.
Action Plans- EE
- Identify an online testing solution to for elementary schools to allow for the quick return of assessment results for instructional decision-making.
- Continue training teachers in use of MAPs data at the elementary level to facilitate individualization of the learning program.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: Increased understanding of the MAPS test and use of the data with students will ensure increases in numbers of students meeting their MAPS target.
Strategic Goal 2:All students will achieve at the highest possible level of the Henrico County Public Schools Curriculum.
Objective 2.1:We will identify achievement gaps at the division and school level that may be preventing groups of students from meeting their academic potential.
Action Plans-EE
- All schools will identify achievement gaps in their school improvement plan and address it through goals, objective s and action plans.
- Ensure that all students are reading on grade level by third and fifth grade by ensuring a strong tier I classroom reading program in all classrooms.
- Fully implement the RtI program and focus on the primary level to ensure strong foundational skills.
- Expand the pre-school program to eliminate the waiting list of eligible students.
- Create a transition program at the primary level to ensure students have adequate time to build foundational reading and math skills without repeating an entire academic year’s content.
- Each school will commit to a school-wide writing program.
- Continue with the implementation of the update math curriculum and provide training and support for implementation.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: The following indicators will be used to track progress on these action plans:
- Increases in the number/percent of students reading on grade level in third and fifth grade
- Decreases in the number of students on the preschool waiting list
- Improved SOL writing test scores
- Improved SOL math test scores
- Increases in the percent and number of students making their MAPS target.
Objective 2.2:We will engage the school community in discussions about the achievement gap in order to identify barriers to student success in high level courses.
Action Plans-EE
- Each elementary school will hold a Community Priorities Workshop with one topic being the achievement gap in their school.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: There will be an increase in the percent of schools showing improved perception survey results in target areas.
Objective 2.3:We will provide cultural awareness and other appropriate training for staff to address identified barriers to student success in high level courses.
Action Plans-EE
- We will continue implementation of the Coalition of Equitable and Inclusive Schools to provide training in cultural awareness.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: There will be an increase in parent involvement in the school as measured by PTA attendance, parent/teacher conferences and meetings, and survey results. In addition, the resulting development of and inclusive school culture will result in the following:
- Increases in the number/percent of students reading on grade level in third and fifth grade
- Decreases in the number of students on the preschool waiting list
- Improved SOL writing test scores
- Improved SOL math test scores
- Increases in the percent and number of students making their MAPS target.
Objective 2.4:We will ensure equitable access and set high expectations for student participation in the highest possible levels of the curriculum.
Action Plans-EE
- Each elementary school will identify the number of students prepared to participate in the advanced and honors curriculum at the middle school level and set a target for increasing this number. The target students must include students from the identified achievement gap group for the school.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: The percent of students participating in advanced courses moving from fifth to sixth grade will increase.
Strategic Goal 3:All students will learn in an environment that efficiently and effectively supports the instructional program.
Strategic Goal 4:All students will develop life skills for individual success and total well-being.
Objective 4.4.:We will provide opportunities for all students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Action Plan- EE.
- Implementation of Reflective Friends and Henrico21 will focus teaching and learning on critical thinking and problem-solving.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans:
- There will be an increase in the number and ratings of Henrico21 submissions.
- There will be an increase in the school’s reflective friends overall score
Strategic Goal 5:All students will graduate prepared to be self-sustaining and competitive as they pursue personal aspirations.
Objective 5.2:We will partner with our community organizations, business leaders and families to create opportunities to ensure post-graduation success.
Action Plans- EE
- We will pilot the use of Parent Involvement Facilitators in ten schools to increase parent involvement and student success.
- We will develop a plan to reach out to community partners to develop a comprehensive birth through pre-school family engagement program to ensure all students have opportunities that prepare them to enter kindergarten ready to learn.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans: The following indicators will be tracked:
- Parent attendance at PTA and other school meetings
- Improved perception survey results
- Improved target student attendance
- Improved target student achievement
- Improved target student discipline
** Please note: Indicators of success for the comprehensive birth through pre-school program will be selected upon development of the program.
Strategic Goal 6:All students will practice civic responsibility and good stewardship of resources in their communities.
Strategic Goal 7:All students will become responsible and effective users of technology.
Objective 7.2:Infuse the curriculum with technology to enhance the development of 21st century skills.
Action Plans-EE
- Continue the implementation of the Reflective Friends model as well as Henrico 21.
Supporting Indicators for Action Plans:
- There will be an increase in the number and ratings of Henrico21 submissions.
- There will be an increase in the school’s reflective friends overall score