THURGOOD MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL
School Improvement Plan
2015-2016
Communication Goal:
Enrollment (May 2015)
Free/Reduced Lunch (May 2015)
Special Services (May 2015)
Unexcused Absence Rate (2014-15)
Transitional Bilingual (May 2015)
390
39.5%
16.2%
1.0%
1.8%
Thurgood Marshall staff will connect with all parents/guardians in a personal and positive way during the school year using a variety of
strategies:
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Emails, texts, phone calls, and/or written notes home
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Returning phone messages and replying to emails within 24 hours
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Curriculum Night in September so parents can meet all the teachers
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Positive office referrals that include parent/guardian contact
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Updated school website managed by the teacher-librarian
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Administrator’s school Twitter feeds regarding school events
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School reader board (installed by December)
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Use of Skyward Message Center, automated phone system, and/or teacher websites/newsletters
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Monthly parent/guardian meetings (MCC and CSI Marshall)
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Parent/guardian volunteers and participation in programs
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Student-led, teacher-assisted conferences during October Conference Week
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Public performances/presentations
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Submissions to district newsletter, local newspapers, and organizations
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Quarterly Mustang Awards
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6th grade Math Parent Night
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Many teachers are using Remind.com – a web-based program that enables teachers to text messages to parents
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Weekly planner pages with all assignments from all 6th grade teachers e-mailed to parents.
Achievement Goals:
Reading:
Thurgood Marshall Middle School students will exceed the Washington State average of students that meet the standard on the spring
2016 English Language Arts SBA in Reading by five percentage points across all grade levels (6, 7, 8). In addition students will show five
percentage points worth of growth on the spring 2016 SBAC when considering cohort data.
Strategies:
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Teach academic and domain-specific vocabulary across the curriculum
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Teach critical thinking and reading skills aligned with the Common Core State Standards across the curriculum
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Implement informational reading strategies across the curriculum
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Promote through MMS Time, library programming, and classroom structures, a culture of reading at Thurgood Marshall Middle
School
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Implement Dylan Wiliams’ “Embedding Formative Assessment” strategies to increase engagement and critical thinking
Writing:
Thurgood Marshall Middle School students will exceed the Washington State average of students that meet the standard on the spring
2016 English Language Arts SBA in Writing by five percentage points across all grade levels (6, 7, 8). In addition students will show five
percentage points worth of growth on the spring 2016 SBAC when considering cohort data.
Strategies:
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Horizontally align academic vocabulary based on Common Core State Standards for literacy in all core subjects.
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Vertically align instruction based on the Common Core State Standards for Writing and Language
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Incorporate Smarter Balanced Writing rubrics for Argumentative, Informative/Explanatory and Narrative prompts
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Consistently integrate technology into ELA instruction and evaluation
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Implement Dylan Wiliams’ “Embedding Formative Assessment” strategies to increase engagement, critical thinking and
achievement
Marshall Middle School
Olympia School District
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Math:
On the spring 2016 Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) for mathematics, all grade levels will have 60% of their students achieve the
growth goal from fall 2015 - spring 2016.
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Continue utilizing Aleks.com and KEMS program for students with IEPs/in math support classes
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Continue to use MMS Time to assist student gains
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Implement an after-school Math Tutorial for 6th graders that meets twice per week
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Develop a “Peer Mentoring” program to meet twice per week after school in which students will help each other in Math.
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Implement Dylan Wiliams’ “Embedding Formative Assessment” strategies to increase engagement, critical thinking and
achievement
Science:
The percentage of students meeting standard on the Science MSP as 5th graders will continue to increase by 5% as 8th graders, as
measured by the MSP. To achieve this goal, we will:
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Meet with district grade level science team after each unit of study
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Launch the Citizen Science Institute to help students connect Civics with Science and Service Learning
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Provide project-based science opportunities
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Implement Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) into current curriculum
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Provide field investigation opportunities for all grade levels in order to make science relevant and meaningful for all students
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Collaborate with community resources to connect students to real-life scientists
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Design, administer, and analyze a common assessment aligned to CCS and NGSS
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Design, administer and analyze pre/post assessment to gauge student understanding
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Connect students to STEM technologies and careers
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Provide scientific support during MMS time
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Implement Dylan Wiliams’ “Embedding Formative Assessment” strategies to increase engagement, critical thinking and
achievement
Professional Growth Goal:
Faculty will learn proven research strategies for improving formative assessment and standards-based assessment and will form monthly
personal action plans to help document their growth. All 21 hours of Early Release time, 7 hours of our October 16th In-Service Day, and
various components of our monthly staff meetings will be devoted to studying and applying research-based strategies for successful
formative assessment practice in the classroom. Teachers will use the Keeping Learning on Track (KLT) professional development pack,
developed by assessment expert Dylan Wiliams, which outlines what formative assessment is and isn’t as well as lesson plans for 18
different sessions to be led with teachers over a two-year period. Teachers will form Teaching Learning Teams (PLCs) in which they will
partner with a colleague to make monthly commitments (My Personal Action Plan) and conduct monthly Peer Lesson Observations
focused on the implementation of instructional techniques based on the five strategies.
One of the preeminent researchers on assessment in the world, Dylan Wiliams has culled 35 years of research into five strategies that he
believes (and research supports) are core to successful formative assessment practice in the classroom:
1. Clarifying, sharing, and understanding learning intentions and criteria for success – getting the students to really understand
what their classroom experience will be and how their success will be measured.
2. Engineering effective classroom discussions, activities, and learning tasks that elicit evidence of learning – developing
effective classroom instructional strategies that allow for the measurement of success.
3. Providing feedback that moves learning forward - -working with students to provide them the information they need to better
understand problems and solutions.
4. Activating learners as instructional resources for one another – getting students involved with each other in discussions and
working groups can help improve student learning.
5. Activating learners as owners of their own learning – getting students to reflect on their own learning as well as to assess their
own work and learning.
Teachers will meet in Teacher Learning Teams (PLCs) monthly to deepen their understanding of the five strategies and to discuss
implementation of the strategies and plan regular peer observations. They will keep data on the success of these strategies through
notetaking and conferencing with partner teachers.
Additionally, all teachers read and participated in a Socratic Seminar on the book Rethinking Grading: Meaningful Assessment for
Standards-Based Learning by Cathy Vatterott at the October 16th in-service. Through the study of the book and multiple grading
activities (including an exploration of second semester 2015 grades as compared to standardized test results), teachers will explore their
level of understanding and implementation of standards-based grading as well as how it fits within Skyward.
This exploration of standards-based assessment nests perfectly within Wiliams’ five strategies for formative assessment, and we believe
one cannot be deeply studied or understood without the other. Thus, our exploration will necessitate a two-year study wherein we delve
deeply into concepts through the practical application of them. Wiliams’ says that for years, we have been trying to change what
teachers do by changing what they think (with no results), and it’s time to change what teachers think by changing what they do. That
is exactly what his professional development pack, Keeping Learning on Track, does – it puts teachers in each other’s classrooms to
watch the implementation of proven, specific techniques. We are very excited to travel this road together as a staff and have
expectations that it will yield exceptionally high results for our students.
Marshall Middle School
Olympia School District
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Safety Goal:
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MMS staff will maintain high safety standards and procedures to ensure safety of staff and students by routinely evaluating our
building Level 1 and level 2 safety protocols.
All staff and visitors will continue to wear identification badges while in our building.
All exterior doors except the front door and those used by students to move between buildings will remain locked throughout the
day. We will install a convex mirror at entry. Existing security cameras will be replaced with higher resolution and refresh rates
(Spring 2016).
MMS will conduct monthly security drills for fire, earthquake, and lockdown (including intruder at various and unexpected times
throughout the day).
We will continue to revise, develop and implement our outside egress and reunification protocol. This is in response to an active
shooter/intruder “Lockdown, Duck-Assess-Run Protocols.”
MMS staff will maintain safe learning environments where students feel free to ask questions and make mistakes as they move
along their learning journey through an emphasis on the growth mindset.
We will continue to gather safety related feedback from students at the beginning and end of each school year to include a
Harassment Intimidation and Bullying Survey so staff can make informed safety data related decisions. We will inform students,
families, and staff of anonymous online reporting system.
Counselor/Administrators/Monday Mentor Groups deliver classroom instruction around all school safety (online and electronic)
issues.
Access district threat assessment team when needed.
Participate in Roosevelt level 2 drill in November. Hold level 2 threat drill with staff in March.
Provide level 1 and level 2 protocols in all substitute folders.
Safety Team will be trained by Thurston County’s Safety Outreach Education Program.
STATE TEST SCORES:
(data from OSPI)
Marshall Middle School
Olympia School District
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STRENGTHS:
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Spring SBAC scores exceeded state averages in all areas except 8th grade Math.
Despite scoring lower than the state average in 8th grade math on the SBAC, 8th grade Math students met their projected growth
goal on the MAP as measured from Fall 2014 to Spring 2015. They had been a historically low-scoring group, but their growth
trend is positive.
8th grade students met their projected growth goal on the MAP Reading test as measured from Fall 2014 to Spring 2015.
Alignment in social studies, language arts and math departments: common language, activities/lessons, assessments and rubrics.
A staff that recognizes students’ basic needs must be met in order to effectively learn – critical in a school with 39.5% Free and
Reduced Lunch. Staff constantly refer kids to counselor and administration to assist in meeting basic needs.
Strong community connections (Fern Street Apartments) and strong Thanksgiving and Holiday support for needy families.
School staff and faculty embrace the philosophy of teaching the whole child, not simply “teaching to the test.” Thus, they have
been very receptive to the expansion of specific electives, such as Drama, Robotics and Science-based electives (Horticulture
and Natural Resources) as well as to field trip opportunities that get our students into the community to apply what they are
learning.
An alternative program that has changed significantly (from MAP) to include a greater focus on academics and “real-life”
science through the Citizen Scientist Framework.
Active and supportive parent group, Marshall Community Council (MCC)
Low incidents of student discipline referrals – strong PBIS system, classroom management, and well-behaved students!
Staff offers remediation opportunities, chances for re-takes, and enrichment opportunities during MMS time, currently offered two
to three times per week. Staff will emphasize support of students who need targeted help in core subject areas.
In addition to MMS time, we offer an after-school Homework Club twice per week, an after-school Math Tutorial twice per week,
and a new Peer Tutoring Program where students help students during MMS time and after school.
Monthly “Students of Concern” grade-level team meetings where teachers meet to brainstorm interventions for struggling
students (Tier 2 and 3 interventions).
Staff that is open to professional development opportunities and change. They have embraced the Dylan Wiliams’ professional
development plan and are excited to move forward.
CHALLENGES:
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Standardized test scores are still the lowest of the four middle schools in the district at every grade level and every test. We have
the highest percentage of free/reduced lunch and the most diverse student population – both of which are challenges in trying
to close the achievement gap.
Of the top 25% of 6th graders coming from our feeder schools (as measured by combined 4th and 5th grade Math and Reading
MAP and 4th grade MSP scores), only 5 of 12 (40%) came from McLane and 6 of 17 (35%) came from Hansen. In other words, we
are losing 60-65% of our top students to JAMS and NOVA. This complicates our ability to close the achievement gap in a variety
of ways, including losing many of our exemplars and role models.
Transient population and a large percentage (39.5%) of students on free and reduced lunch.
Constraints on master schedule (due to alternative program, small school and part-time music teachers) force lopsided class
sizes and lack of flexibility for students and staff.
Finding time to “teach” non-ELA colleagues common academic vocabulary
Getting everybody to commit to using common academic vocabulary every day
Working with all students, grades 6-8, to increase their typing abilities in preparation for the SBAC
Closing the achievement gaps for our Special Education and Low Income populations continue to be our biggest challenges
Marshall Middle School
Olympia School District
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