Cascade Ridge Elementary

School Improvement Plan, 2022-23

A School Improvement Plan (SIP) ...

Is developed according to the Washington Administrative Code 180-16-220
Is annually approved by the school board
Is a product of collective inquiry, led by the principal with school staff and in collaboration with district staff:

Collective

Inquiry

1 Examination
What does the data and our collective experience tell us about trends, issues and opportunities?
Product: Summary of a problem of practice

2 Goal Setting
What specifically would progress look like in terms of student outcomes and teacher actions?
Product: Goals, Theory of Action

3 Learning/Planning
What strategies might capitalize on the opportunity to impact the issues?
Product: Action Plan

4 Implementing
What do I need in order to implement and assess the planned strategies?
Product: Evidence

5 Monitoring
What does the evidence tell us about our implementation and the efficacy of the selected strategies?
Product: Feedback

Adapted from DuFour & Eaker and Lipton & Wellman
Recognizes the impact of non-academic factors on student learning and wellbeing
Addresses disproportionality as identified in the Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF)
Has action plans that are based on best practice as identified by quality research
Is a continuous process that requires ongoing monitoring and adjusting
Addresses the use of technology to facilitate instruction
Addresses parent, family and community involvement
Integrates the OSPI-identified 9 characteristics of successful schools:

clear and shared focus
high standards and expectations for all students
effective school leadership
high levels of collaboration and communication
curriculum, instruction, and assessments aligned with state standards
frequent monitoring of learning and teaching
focused professional development
supportive learning environment
high levels of family and community involvement

Staff certification and demographic information is available for each school at the OSPI School Report Card Home

Reflection on Previous Year School Improvement Plan

In this section reflect briefly (1-2 pages) on your prior School Improvement Plan and implementation.

Guiding Questions

What actions were successfully implemented?
What impact was observed (or not)? What evidence did you use to determine impact?
How did actions impact disproportionality and/or engagement with families of disproportionally impacted population?
What actions would you continue? What actions would you change? Why?

The Cascade Ridge 2021-22 School Improvement Plan focused on ongoing strategies and interventions to ensure student academic success and addressed concerns regarding the social-emotional health of our community. As we transitioned back to in-person learning, there were many actions in both areas that were successfully implemented.

First, academically, a strict focus was placed on implementing reading foundational skills using the district adopted curriculum and Success Block planning. Our school team benefited from ongoing professional development, collaboration at grade levels, and accessing/analyzing data for individual students. The Tier 2 team regularly looked at academic data and made recommendations for increased interventions in coordination with the instructional coach and LAP teacher. The impact of these actions can be directly measured in our Smarter Balanced proficiency rate from 2021-2022. The overall rate improved from 87% to 89.6%, coming close to meeting our overall SIP goal for 90% proficiency. In our ELL and LRC1 populations, the i-Ready typical growth for spring 2022 was positive, with both groups over 70%, which is higher than the district average.

Next, the Cascade Ridge team took great care in providing extensive support in the social/emotional areas. Our school-wide Coyote Code of Be Safe, Be Kind, Do Your Job was taught explicitly throughout the school year by staff and students. An action that had tremendous impact was utilizing fifth grade peer models to re-teach the Coyote Code when school resumed after scheduled breaks. Staff also placed high value on student relationships, positive recognition and proactive visibility. This all had impact on student behavior and fostered a strong sense of belonging. Our partnership with the PTSA and equity work also contributed to the social/emotional development of our school population. We partnered with the PTSA to hold events and meetings as best we could, and sought out families via social media channels who are typically unrepresented. In the spring of 2022, we held a Parent Panel, which enabled staff to learn more about the diverse community. Through this panel, staff created parent surveys that solicited valuable information as we continue to broaden our knowledge of the families we serve.

The impact and success of the actions presented in the 2021-22 School Improvement Plan were successful. The Cascade Ridge team will continue to focus on providing the foundational curriculum, engage in professional development and discussions regarding unique student needs. We are invested and committed to the success of all students in our community.

Examining the Data

This section of the School Improvement Plan describes the use and study of student achievement data to inform SIP goals and to set learning targets to address systemic disproportionality.

The Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF) is provided by the state as part of the OSPI School Report Card to inform and guide school improvement goals and action plans. School SIP teams use additional data sources to inform their planning. Progress toward school improvement in overall achievement and disproportionality is monitored using state and district measures using a common School Improvement Data Dashboard, aligned to the WSIF.

Link to ISD Elementary School Improvement Data Dashboard

Describe your SIP team process for studying the SIP data dashboard and other available data and selecting SIP goals.

The Cascade Ridge Leadership Team meets monthly and is the primary group that studies the SIP dashboard and other available data. Grade level teams have been provided the materials and time during professional development sessions and team meetings to analyze their individual student data.

Describe your observations regarding overall achievement and disproportionality that informed your SIP goal(s) and actions.

Root causes examined by the SIP team include causes within and outside of the school’s control. Over the course of the past SIP cycle there have been many impacts, including the COVID-19 closure, professional development focus, population diversity changes and student stamina.

Some causes outside of the school’s control were related to COVID closure and subsequent impacts. There was an increase/shift in absenteeism during the 19-20 and 20-21 school years due to required compliance with the Department of Health’s symptom flowchart and quarantine guidance. Cascade Ridge encountered staffing challenges during the return to in-person learning that resulted in conditions such as occasional classes splitting in half to join other classes, inconsistent substitutes and paraeducator support when some openings were left unfilled. Student mental health needs also increased during these school years, which shifted staff attention and support.

Professional development was a root cause that was within the school’s control. Math achievement disproportionality may have been caused by less targeted training on explicit math instruction over the past two years due to a focus on implementation of foundational reading strategies. An additional cause of a performance gap could be language barriers of our ELL students. Barriers related to text comprehension may be key in explaining differences between ELL and non-ELL students. Finally, academic stamina levels in elementary students are lagging in comparison to stamina growth in pre-pandemic years. Prior to the pandemic, observational data suggested that stamina levels predictably increased in grades 1, 2, and 3 which meant that content skills practice could increase in time from year to year. Staff observations of student stamina during the 21-22 school year indicated that the progress of skills was lower due to the fact that students needed more time acclimating to the culture and routine of school as well as practicing social skills more frequently in the areas of turn-taking, flexibility and problem-solving.

Goal Setting

This section of the School Improvement Plan describes the setting of a specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented and timely (SMART) school-wide achievement goal(s)

School-Wide Achievement Goal(s)

By spring 2024, student achievement for all students in the area of math will increase from 87.1% meeting standard to 90% meeting standard as measured by the Smarter Balanced Assessment.

Disproportionality Goal(s)

By spring 2024, students not meeting standard in math as measured by i-Ready will experience accelerated growth, with 75% meeting or exceeding typical growth and 60% meeting or exceeding stretch growth.

District-Wide Action Plan

District-Wide Action Plan

What systemic (district-wide) research-based strategies will be implemented in support of achievement and disproportionality goals?

Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) is a proactive framework to improve outcomes for each and every student through a comprehensive continuum of evidence-based supports for academic and social/emotional learning in order to provide equitable opportunities applied at the individual, classroom, school and district level.

MTSS employs a team-driven, data-based, problem-solving approach; components of which include early interventions, a comprehensive assessment system, and common assurances around the highest leverage instructional, intervention, and assessment practices.

MTSS Theory of Action: In order to result in ALL holding a sense of belonging and to effectively foster equitable outcomes for students, we will articulate a clear vision and implement with fidelity a strategic plan for a comprehensive MTSS framework that provides an environment in which to thrive that is consistent, predictable, and inclusive of the strengths and needs of all, by supporting adults with resources, training and leadership.

First stages of systemic implementation of MTSS at the Elementary School are summarized in the following areas:

Installation of Tier 1 High Leverage Practices
Implementation of targeted supports and intensive interventions
Continued installation of a Tiered Team structure and data-based decision-making

Installation of Tier 1 High Leverage Practices

Tier 1 High Leverage Practices are the evidence-based practices that have been proven, when used with integrity, to increase academic achievement and social-emotional learning competencies. Clearly articulating High Leverage Practices and integrating the practices into all instructional systems, including new instructional material selections, professional development and accountability, is a foundational component of an MTSS framework.

At the elementary level, implementation of High Leverage Practices focuses on integration with existing curriculum and explicit articulation of the High Leverage Practices in curriculum maps. Teacher professional development focused on strategies and resources for strengthening instruction and intervention using existing instructional materials and the High Leverage Practices. From spring 2020 through the fall of 2022, several factors affected the implementation of Tier 1 curriculum including:

Shifts in modality of instruction from in-person to remote to hybrid and back to in-person
Introduction of supplementary instructional tools such as i-Ready, Learning Ally
Varied adjustments made to address the need for recovery learning
Limited capacity for professional development due to constraints on substitute release availability and need for training on COVID-19 mitigation
Significant staff changes causing the reconstitution of many grade level teams

As a result, the focus of strengthening Tier 1 instruction for the 2022-23 school year includes the following:

Integrity of instruction. Re-enforce the consistent alignment of instruction to the ISD elementary Scope & Sequence, with explicit integration of the High Leverage Practices.
Instruction Matching. Focus on training on core curriculum structures, standards and materials for differentiation/universal design to meet the continuum of learning needs.

Together, this focus seeks to build the capacity of and consistency of the strategic, intentional use of research-based practices, applied with the professional judgement of teachers, to meet the needs of students as determined through both observation and validated assessments.

Based on analysis of assessment results, program strengths included strong growth in reading comprehension when fluency and strong foundational skills are established. Students experiencing gaps often demonstrated weaknesses in foundational skills. A similar pattern may be emerging in math. Therefore, recovery learning and strengthening Tier 1 instruction, as well as interventions, focuses first on Reading Fluency/Foundational Skills in literacy and Numbers and Operations in math.

Note on literacy and math focus school SIPs

ISD department staff and school teams will collaborate to develop systems, structures and professional development that eventually can be scaled up to all schools. During this SIP cycle, 8 elementary schools will have math-focused improvement plans and 8 elementary schools will have literacy-focused improvement plans. The district-wide action plans below describe actions in both literacy and math, with the understanding that some actions will apply to all schools and some actions will apply initially to schools based on the focus area of their improvement plan with the intention of scaling actions to all schools in the long term.

Action: Integration of High Leverage Practices

Reviewing, adjusting and training on current curricular and teacher support materials to ensure High Leverage Practices are effectively integrated and explicitly linked to class structures and instructional routines promotes a clear and consistent implementation of our instructional program while empowering teachers to use their professional judgement in applying evidence-based practices to strengthen teaching and learning.

Implementation

2022-23

Scope & Sequence alignment
- Re-alignment of Scope & Sequence to integrate High Leverage Practices
- Introduction and training on new common curriculum map
- Development of reading learning progressions (success criteria, developed in collaboration with the Literacy Adoption Committee)
Introductory professional development High Leverage Practices for Tier 1, including:
- Additional sessions on Trauma Informed Practices
- PD days with Rosetta Lee on Culturally Responsive Practices
- District-provided menu of PD through
- i-Ready, Canvas modules, & department staff
Content professional development focus on deepening the use of instructional approaches and materials to meet the continuum of student learning needs, including the following:
- Blending Eureka, Zearn and i-Ready to identify and address learning needs in math
- Integration of Reading Foundational Skills strategies and materials, i-Ready scaffolds for reading comprehension, core curriculum, guided reading and reading/writing workshop

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Re-establishing integrity of the ISD Scope & Sequence with explicit and intentional integration of High Leverage Practices will increase overall achievement in literacy and math as evidenced by i-Ready and SBA scores.

Evidence of Implementation:

Identification of High Leverage Practices in Scope & Sequences for Tier 1 instruction
Professional Development implementation and feedback

Research indicates that the effective use of assessment to inform instruction (teacher analysis and use with students to set learning goals) has a high impact on learning, as would be evidenced by increases in cohort achievement scores and in the targeted domains, particularly in students receiving interventions.

Action: Comprehensive Assessment Planning

The use of screeners, progress monitoring and benchmark assessments, along with strengthening our use of curriculum embedded formative and summative assessments empowers teachers to identify specific learning needs and match instructional approaches and materials to the needs of groups and individual students and empowers data-based decision-making.

Implementation

2022-23

Scope & Sequence alignment
- Re-alignment of Scope & Sequence to integrate High Leverage Practices
- Introduction and training on new common curriculum map
- Development of reading learning progressions (success criteria, developed in collaboration with the Literacy Adoption Committee)
Introductory professional development High Leverage Practices for Tier 1, including:
- Additional sessions on Trauma Informed Practices
- PD days with Rosetta Lee on Culturally Responsive Practices
- District-provided menu of PD through
- i-Ready, Canvas modules, & department staff
Content professional development focus on deepening the use of instructional approaches and materials to meet the continuum of student learning needs, including the following:
- Blending Eureka, Zearn and i-Ready to identify and address learning needs in math
- Integration of Reading Foundational Skills strategies and materials, i-Ready scaffolds for reading comprehension, core curriculum, guided reading and reading/writing workshop

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Re-establishing integrity of the ISD Scope & Sequence with explicit and intentional integration of High Leverage Practices will increase overall achievement in literacy and math as evidenced by i-Ready and SBA scores.

Evidence of Implementation:

Identification of High Leverage Practices in Scope & Sequences for Tier 1 instruction
Professional Development implementation and feedback

Research indicates that the effective use of assessment to inform instruction (teacher analysis and use with students to set learning goals) has a high impact on learning, as would be evidenced by increases in cohort achievement scores and in the targeted domains, particularly in students receiving interventions.

Action: Technology Integration

Tech integration provides equitable opportunities to learn critical technology skills and tools while enhancing learning as students access, engage with, create, and produce using technological tools.

Implementation

Allocation and IT support of levy funded technology
Distributed leadership and coaching through Ed Tech TOSAs and demonstration classrooms
Identification and promotion of high leverage uses of technology and the ISTE Standards
Professional development
- August ½ day PD launch
- Cycles of PD, implementation and reflection throughout the year

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Implementation & Impact:

Tech integration with the installation of a 1:1 system will be monitored through engagement/surveys of staff, students and families to determine the following:

Student use of technology to manage learning
Student use of technology appropriate to purpose
Student knowledge of and application of safe-use strategies
Student opportunities to support, extend, or deepen learning through use of technology

Implementation of Targeted Supports and Intensive Interventions

Action: Reading Foundational Skills (RFS) Success Block

A 20 to 30-minute instructional block at each grade level using assessment data for re-grouping across grade levels to provide targeted instruction and intervention in Reading Foundational Skills.

Rationale

K-4 ELA Menu of Best Practices for MTSS and the CC ELA standards emphasizes the importance of strong early literacy development organized around six building blocks of literacy, starting with a structured, differentiated approach to foundational skills.

Implementation

2020-21: Exploration and selection of instructional model including:

Adoption of RFS instructional materials
Selection of early literacy screener (i-Ready)

2021-22: Installation of Success Block and Initial Implementation

Success block integrated in master schedule
Screener/Diagnostic assessments to identify student learning needs
Really Great Reading (RGR) teacher training

Summer 2022

Use of RFS and i-Ready materials to strengthen summer school programs

2022-23: Initial to Full Implementation of the RFS model of Success Blocks

Data-based decision protocol and staff training
Developing Progress Monitoring tools, training
RELATED: Use of summer school and RFS materials to strengthen after school intervention programs focused on reading.
Technology Integration: i-Ready, 1^st grade RGR Playground (targeted), Words Their Way digital tools.

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Impact:

Increased reading fluency with comprehension as evidenced by:

Progress monitoring data from Really Great Reading and Words Their Way spelling inventories
K-3 phonics scores on i-Ready (3x/year)
Spring 3^rd-5^th grade SBA ELA & i-Ready reading scores
All assessments reported for:
- All schools, all students
- Groups experiencing disproportionality
- Students receiving interventions

Mathematics Tiers of Support & Intervention

Articulating and developing resources for strengthening the use of math learning materials for core instruction (Tier 1), targeted supports and interventions.

Rationale

Though students in elementary returned to levels of achievement near those seen prior to the pandemic, persistent achievement gaps and the continuum of needs demonstrated in math screener and benchmark data indicate the need for more diagnostic use of math resources and tiers of supports for learners.

Implementation

2019-20: Pilot of i-Ready resources for:

Screener-Benchmark assessment
Targeted supports and extended learning

2020-22: District-wide development of tiered supports

Mapping the uses for Eureka, Zearn and i-Ready materials as determined by assessed need
Selection team to explore, identify and pilot additional intervention materials

Summer 2022:

Use of i-Ready materials (digital and paper-pencil) to strengthen Summer School and ASAP programs.

2022-23 Installation and Implementation

Develop Tier 1 Training targets and plans for staff including:
- Creating a math community
- Establishing math practices
- Targeted Supports (addressing the continuum of learning needs)
Structuring Tier 1 Eureka Modules
Piloting Equip; a Eureka-aligned targeted support program (this is being applied in partnership with Clark Elementary focusing on groups with greater needs).
Implementing/Expanding Title I math interventions centered on Bridges math curriculum.

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Impact:

Increase in math achievement scores based on…

i-Ready Number and Operations
i-Ready Overall Math
SBA Math

All assessments reported for:

All schools, all students
Groups experiencing disproportionality
Students receiving interventions

Positive Behavior Social Emotional Support (PBSES)/Behavioral Supports and Interventions

PBSES is the application of research-based practices on prevention and intervention in the social-emotional and behavioral domains. 2022 marked the transition from a coaching-centered model to a building managed PBSES system.

4 Core components

Proactive Classroom Management
PBIS Behavior Expectations and Acknowledgements
SEL / Second Step
Positive Relationships

Implementation

Training:

Trauma Informed Practice
Implementation and Calibration of School-Wide Information System (SWIS) (2019-20 installed)
Behavioral interventions
Continued training to use strategies in classroom and intervention

Support focused on teams, based on building needs

Consulting with principals,
Providing a padlet of resources

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Impact:

Decrease in behavioral incidence for identified individuals and their development of self-management skills as monitored through:

BEISY
SWIS
Discipline Data
Behavior GT referrals

Evidence of Implementation:

Early identification of risk-factors
Tiered Teams minutes/notes / files
- Culturally Responsive Tiered Fidelity Inventory (CR-TFI) action plans

Additional Program Supports:

Continued support for targeted support and intervention programs support school implementation of MTSS.

Implementation

Programs providing additional support for specifically identified students and families:

ELL/MLL (Multi-Lingual Learners) Program. In 2022-24, continuing implementation/transition to WIDA, a more inclusive approach to MLL service, which includes a parent advisory
Special Services Programs (LRC 1&2, Early Learning programs)
Family Partnership Liaisons

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Implementation:

Family engagement records, advisory records

Continued Installation of Tiered Teams and Data-based Decision-making

Tiered Team Structure
Data-Based Decision-Making

Tiered Team Structure

Tiered Teams provide a structure for data-based decision-making to guide program decisions and the determination of interventions for individual students.

Implementation

Pre-2022-23

Tiered Teams for PBSES
Piloting training at Clark, IVE and Sunset elementary through disproportionality plan

2022-23

Training for Tier 1 & 2 Teams focused on integrating PBSES and academic decision-making and problem-solving
Calibrating SWIS data collection
Baseline CR-TFI (all schools)

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Implementation & Impact

Increase equitable outcomes in academics, discipline, special education referrals. Data monitored includes:

Baseline TFI Data
SWIS data, disaggregated
Academic data, disaggregated
Special Education referrals, disaggregated

Data-Based Decision-Making

Data-based decision-making includes the use of data protocols for teams to review screener and progress- monitoring data.

Implementation

2022-23

Screener assessments:
- i-Ready Reading & Math
- BEISY (possible re-evaluation of social-emotional screener assessments)
Initial implementation of data protocols for tiered teams
Initial implementation of data protocols for academic and behaviors data at teacher and school instructional teams
- October NSD use of data protocol with literacy data
Exploration of data systems and tools to make use of data more accessible to all users

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of Implementation:

Tier 1: Feedback on the use of the data protocol to use data from district assessments to inform instruction.
Tier 2: Tiered teams’ records of the data used to make decisions about interventions

School-Based Action Plan

School-Based Action Plan

What additional or specific research-based strategies will be the focus of implementation to achieve school-wide goals? Or describe how your school is implementing systemic action listed above. Indicate elements targeted (not school-wide) to address disproportionality.

Action: Intermediate (4^th/5^th) Intervention group

Implementation

Utilizing i-Ready materials; focus on students who did not pass 2022 spring SBA and are not meeting standard on i-Ready overall math for fall 2022.

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Two sessions of four-to-six-week cycles scheduled January – June
Increase in math achievement scores based on math module assessments, exit tickets & spring 2023 i-Ready scores.

Action: K-5 Building Mathematical Community and Mindset

Implementation

Professional Development sessions with Discovery and Sunny Hills staff.

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Feedback provided by teachers, evidence of implementation in classroom observation cycles.

Action: K-5 Instructional Practices and Planning

Implementation

Professional Development sessions focusing on workshop model in math & differentiation for student learning needs

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Feedback provided by teachers, evidence of implementation in classroom observation cycles.

Action: Community Connection

Implementation

Parent Panel December 2022

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Feedback from community/PTSA regarding role of parent, school communication & strengthening family partnerships.

Action: Community Connection

Implementation

Math/SEL Family Night – How to help support your child, understanding growth mindset, learning to appreciate the joy of processes in problem solving, risk taking, etc.

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Feedback from community/PTSA

Action: Community Connection/PTSA engagement

Implementation

Monthly math challenge for students offered via PTSA website

Impact: Evidence / Monitoring

Evidence of participation will include reward at conclusion of program.

SIP Team & Final Review

Principal: Jennifer Sehlin
Site Council/PTSA Review Date: January 9, 2023
Supervisor Review: Melinda Reynvaan
School Board Review Date: February 15, 2023

Leadership Team:

Jennifer Sehlin, Principal
Kate McConnell, Dean of Students
Angela Schubbe, Kindergarten Teacher
Tara Schloetter, First Grade Teacher
Kari Perkin, Second Grade Teacher
Marilyn Jochim, Third Grade Teacher
Lynette Springborn Fourth Grade Teacher
Erin Foster, Fifth Grade Teacher; Zana Moore, Librarian
Carla Geraci; School Counselor

Checklist

Action plan includes use of educational technology.
Action plan includes strategies for family engagement.
Action plan includes strategies for engaging students and/or addressing the social, emotional and/or mental health needs of students and barriers to learning.
Action plan includes a school-based action to implement one (or more) of Culturally Responsive Practices, Universal Design for Learning, Trauma Informed Practices, &/or the 4 High Leverage Instructional Practices.