In this blog site, I discuss a variety of timely issues and provide information that I hope will be helpful to BVSD staff, parents, students, and community members. Your comments are welcomed!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Priority Action Teams working on The Success Effect

Over 75 teachers, administrators, staff, parents and community members are developing implementation plans for the BVSD strategic plan - The Success Effect - organized into six teams, each of which has been tasked with one of the priorities for The Success Effect. The participants are developing key activities, implementation metrics and outcomes for each of the priority action areas. The action planning teams are clarifying the work that needs to be completed in order to achieve the short term outcomes, 2-3 years. Following are the six priority areas embedded in the three organizing principles of The Success Effect:

Learning
Systems of Support
Literacy & Early Learning
Successful, Curious, Lifelong Learners

Talent
Educator Pipeline
Educator Growth & Development

Partnerships
Parent & Family Partnerships
Education Northwest - Northwest Regional Education Laboratory out of Portland, Oregon, continues to provide consultation with the strategic planning process. Education Northwest works with state and local education agencies utilizing evidence based decisions that foster efficient, effective, and equitable educational systems. The Education Northwest team helped BVSD identify key actions most likely to achieve the district goals. Key actions for each team will guide the development of the implementation plans.  

Learning: Systems of Support - Key Actions
  1. Data System: Create an Assessment Advisory Team
    1. Review current data-collection systems
    2. Design/develop a comprehensive data-collection system
  2. Establish a district Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Leadership Team and provide professional development (PD) across the district as identified in the CDE District Systems Self-Assessment
  3. Create a Safe and Healthy Schools Coordinating Team
    1. Review all related data to establish attendance, behavior, and safety baselines
    2. Design and implement a comprehensive building security plan.
  4. Provide increased translation and interpretation to schools and BVSD departments.

Learning: Literacy & Early Learning - Key Actions
  1. Identify and implement common assessments PK-12 to develop a common understanding of student mastery of standards and to differentiate instruction
  2. Establish a committee to review English language arts (ELA) and English language development (ELD) materials:
    1. Adopt resources to meet Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) Literacy Instructional Framework and Curriculum
    2. Identify high-leverage strategies in literacy, scaffolds for language development, and purposeful technology integration
  3. Align instruction, curriculum, and assessment—horizontally and vertically—for grades PK-3
  4. Develop an evaluation cycle that enables continuous improvement in program strategies, professional development, interventions, and assessments

Learning: Successful, Curious Lifelong Learners - Key Actions
  1. Develop BVSD Success Skills, new graduation requirements, and expectations for postsecondary and career readiness
  2. Implement individual career and academic plans (ICAPs) for all students, beginning with grades 9-12, followed by PK-8
  3. Integrate BVSD Success Skills and principles into school design, curriculum and instruction, and teacher professional development and evaluation, beginning with grades 9-12, followed by PK-8
  4. Use the BVSD Success Skills Framework as a guide to increase student-led learning experiences and instruction in and across secondary classrooms

Talent: Educator Pipeline - Key Actions
  1. Evaluate the effectiveness of BVSD current hiring, retention, and development practices for teachers and building administrators
  2. Determine the key attributes and skill sets that contribute to candidate success. Refine current hiring and recruiting process to select for these attributes and skills. Develop assessment procedures that enable candidates to demonstrate the desired skills and attributes
  3. Develop a comprehensive marketing plan to attract and recruit qualified candidates locally and nationally, based on findings that emerge out of work on priorities 1 and 2
  4. Build systems to induct and retain outstanding BVSD professionals through recognition and professional development opportunities and other incentives. Create pathways for exemplary teachers to become building administrators, instructional coaches, or mentor teachers
Talent: Educator Growth & Development - Key Actions
  1. Combine professional learning team and educator evaluation committee
  2. Build a job-embedded, customized, educator-directed professional learning model based on research and best practices. Analyze how current structures must change to accommodate new model, including allocation of professional learning hours and days, technology and data system requirements, and training needed to implement new system
  3. Budget to implement and sustain the new professional learning model. Ensure that the model is sustainable with anticipated funding
Partnerships: Parent & Family - Key Actions
  1. Develop a district wide definition of meaningful family engagement
    1. Align district efforts with new Colorado Department of Education (CDE) parent engagement regulations
  2. Recruit and hire a bilingual, culturally competent, full-time Family Partnerships Coordinator
  3. Identify strategies to increase parent and family engagement
    1. Hold parent/guardian focus groups
    2. Develop strategies based on feedback and research
Launch of The Success Effect priority action plans will occur in the fall semester 2015 through school improvement plans and district unified improvement plan.

Leslie Arnold has been appointed Assistant Superintendent for Strategic Initiatives. Ms. Arnold most recently served as Assistant Superintendent in the Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada where she led the district’s assessment, accountability, research and school improvement departments. Ms. Arnold’s primary responsibility in BVSD is to lead the implementation of The Success Effect.


Learn more about The Success Effect.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Educational and Enrichment Summer Offerings in BVSD

During the 12 weeks between the last day of school in May and the first day of school in August, many students participate in extended learning and enrichment programs offered by BVSD and its community partners.

Extended Learning
Some of these programs are designed for students who need additional instructional support, such as the K-8 Literacy Focused Programs and the Site-Sponsored Programs. The K-8 literacy programs target students below grade level reading who qualify as either English Language Learners, living in poverty (as established by federal guidelines), or meeting Special Education requirements for Extended School Year services. The site-sponsored programs also focus on academic core areas, often literacy and/or math, and include other activities. More information is available on the Summer School website.

Summer extended learning programming is provided by BVSD to support students for various reasons:
  • To build on learning and skills developed during the preceding academic year, particularly in language development and literacy;
  • To prevent summer regression (or also known as “summer slide”) of skills and knowledge, providing students strong preparation for the upcoming school year;
  • To meet appropriate expectations for students who qualify for Extended School Year (ESY) services; and
  • To provide opportunities for high school students to catch up on graduation credit requirements.
The BVSD Family Literacy Department also provides adult learning and family literacy support. All BVSD-directed extended learning programs have evaluation components to track effectiveness.

Enrichment
Other opportunities provided by the district are primarily for enrichment. BVSD Kids and Teens Lifelong Learning program offers hundreds of highly popular summer camps at local BVSD schools and offsite locations. Enrollment in Lifelong Learning camps has increased 30 percent this summer. The types of camps offered through Lifelong Learning include cutting-edge technology, science, engineering, sports, art, theatre, cooking, horsemanship, legos, handwriting, chess, and more. Additionally, many teens are taking the opportunity to complete Lifelong Learning’s Driver's Ed, ACT Prep, and SAT Prep courses. Summer is a perfect time to finish these important courses quickly and conveniently. Visit the Lifelong Learning website for details. 

Partner Summer Programs
BVSD and several county agencies also provide various academic and enrichment activities for students, including the following:

  • Summer Shuffle – A reading program coordinated with BVSD, IMPACT on Education (Foundation for BVSD), and Boulder Housing Partners
  • Lifelong Learning/YMCA tuition-based literacy and enrichment classes/camps
  • Ready Kindergarten—Boulder Community Foundation
  • “Catch” Camp—program funded by 21st Century Grant/YMCA
  • I Have A Dream summer programming at Columbine Elementary School and Casey Middle School
  • “Tell your story”—tuition-based program at CU-Boulder
  • Charter School Summer Programs (at Boulder Prep, Justice High and Horizons K-8)

In addition, many organizations hold their summer camps at BVSD schools:

YMCA Fun in the Sun Camp at
    Eisenhower
    Superior
    Kohl
    Bear Creek
    Foothill
    Louisville Elementary
    Manhattan

Rocky Mountain Day Camp at
    Centennial
    Eldorado K-8

Avid4 Adventure Camp at High Peaks/BCSIS

City and County of Broomfield Summer Camp at Aspen Creek K- 8

City of Lafayette Summer Camp at Pioneer Elementary

Game On! Summer Sports Camp at Douglass Elementary

Information about these and other resources is available in Community Connections, an online guide produced by BVSD that lists programs and services for youth and families in the Boulder Valley community.