Outcome

Status Update

Benchmarks

Refine K – 12 student performance targets - conclude the work on the alignment of benchmarks for learning as they relate to new learning results, and other internal and external standards; and work to assure the vertical alignment of curriculum.

Each subject area has created a plan and process to update and revise the standards and benchmarks to reflect the new learning results and GLEs where appropriate. Plans for each subject area
and grade span are available by request.

NWEA

Analyze NWEA to identify the information that reflects our curriculum – Provide protocols for conversations about and use of NWEA testing data to inform teaching and learning

Fall testing has been completed. We are working on the protocols.

LAS

Review District Assessment Collections and identify those assessments that are A) aligned with revised benchmarks, B) reflect vertical, system priorities and C) inform learning and teaching

Each subject area team (including leadership for K-5, 6-8, 9-12) has worked together to create a plan and process to review the LAS assessment collections.

Assessment / Data uses

Develop assessment and data literacy
regarding uses of assessments and ethical
uses of data

Discussions regarding the appropriate uses of a variety of types of data at the administrative level have occurred. Administrators have applied their understandings at the school level in their work with individual teachers, teams and departments; data is being used to set goals, engage in discussions regarding instruction during late-starts, team meetings and staff development days.

Data Analysis Tool

Provide training in use of data tool for administrators and teachers to enhance conversations about goal setting and action planning and strategy implementation for student success

Collections of data have been inspected and prepared for access and use. Conventions for teacher and student groupings have been developed and are being implemented. The data analysis tool is being tested and will be made available with training.

Intervention Systems

Support the development of systems of intervention at each school

Administrators have been working together to explore strategies for improving the collections of interventions available in each school to become more explicit and systematic. The high school authored a pyramid of intervention model this summer and is implementing it school-wide this year. The middle school is using the community enrichment period to enhance its system of interventions. Our administrators are assessing their present approaches, needs and resources.

Reporting System

Finalize District Reporting system for parents and students (including report cards, conferences, informational meetings)

We defined the reporting system (K-8) purposes: to inform parents and students of current status of achievement; to inform goal setting and improvement. We established a timeline for report card development and a plan to consult parents, teachers and students to learn of their needs.

Outcome

Status Update

Differentiation

Provide professional development on
instructional practices that address student differences

Administrators have begun discussions regarding differentiation. They are developing a framework so that we use common terms in our conversations with teachers. Classroom teachers are being provided professional development time with colleagues to discuss strategies and to work as teams when addressing student needs through differentiation.

Technology

Provide and support the technology that fosters personalized learning

Using current research cited by the State's MLTI project, administrators have been learning together regarding promising programs and web resources.

MVR 10 Report

Develop and implement strategies to respond to task force recommendations

The first meeting to address last year's MVR 10 report is scheduled for November 14.

High school faculty and department heads are scheduling visits to MVR 10.

Programs

Read 180, Aiming for Excellence, Title I Literacy, Leadership and Resiliency Program– Support
the implementation efforts of new programs that
target specific student needs.

READ 180 and Newfeld math are being implemented at the middle school.

READ 180 is being implemented in 3 of our Title 1 schools. This is a collaborative effort for Title 1 teachers and special educators.

Citizenship Education

Support existing efforts and implementation
efforts of programs that contextualize learning
and relate learning to role as citizen– Junior Achievement, Service Learning, Field Studies, Citizenship Ed Task Force

A District team of eight, including two high school students, attended a two-day citizenship education retreat.

Service Learning grants for both the District and the high school began in September.

Twenty high school teachers attended an initial service learning training. Two high school faculty have attended a full-day training.

We are hiring a ½ time service learning coordinator with grant funds.

Each school has staff members being supported to include Junior Achievement, field studies and other practices that connect the learning goals with real-life issues in our community.

Outcome

Status Update

Advisory

Support the continued development of student advisory programs at Middle Level and
High School

The advisory programs at the middle and high school are being implemented. This year the curriculum focus is on career planning at the middle school and post-secondary education at the high school.

Post-Secondary Planning

• Define Post-Secondary
• Post-secondary planning efforts will
  become more systemic, reaching into the elementary grades and more students will take advantage of Early College Opportunities
• Include senior year alternatives

Our MELMAC grant plan for this year is underway. It will get students to college campuses sooner in their school career.

Contextualized Learning

Support existing efforts to contextualize learning
as it relates to student relevancy, personalization, and preparation for the future

Our service learning initiatives are providing an instructional model that makes learning more relevant and meaningful to students.

Preparation for the Future

Define the future world of work and the
preparation necessary to be successful as they relate to the use of technology, communication
and math skills, critical thinking, and citizenship
as determinates for student outcomes.

The study of our students' future is beginning tonight with the Board of Directors workshop on Future Trends.

Data

Set up a system to stay in contact with graduates and to receive information from them.

The high school has signed onto a data-gathering tool that will track students after they leave high school.

Outcome

Status update

Communication to Parents

Communicate goals for year and curriculum to parents at the school year's outset. Use school parent groups as forums about goals specific to school and District goals

Individual schools have communicated goals to parents at their open houses.

Parent compacts

Refine Parent Compacts to improve their usefulness for teachers and parents (Compacts are between teachers and parents; not the school and the parents)

Parent compacts were created in each of our elementary schools. The compacts included an invitation to develop goals for learning; this goal-setting process involved families and their classroom teachers.

Technology

Define and develop web-based reporting that provides clear, purposeful communication to
parents and the larger community.

All schools have at least some staff members who have been trained to use this system. Three schools have received school-wide training as of this date. All schools will be supporting staff to use this tool this year.

Reporting System

Finalize District reporting system
for parents and students (including report cards, conferences, informational meetings)

We defined the reporting system (K-8) purposes: to inform parents and students of current status of achievement; to inform goal setting and improvement. We have defined reporting system elements. We have established a timeline for report card development. We have created a plan to consult parents, teachers and students to learn of their needs.

Maine Readiness Campaign

Create a community compact to
help drive the District Mission

The Maine Readiness Task Force, a group of teachers, administrators and community members, is focused on career exploration and planning.

The Maine Readiness Task Force has been meeting bi-weekly throughout the fall. It is moving toward a Career Pathways model as part of the high school advisory.

501C3

Establish an Education Foundation
for the District

The first meeting of this nonprofit's board will be Friday, November 3 rd .

Mentoring

Continue to grow the mentoring opportunities for students

Our mentor program is growing through work of Merrymeeting Bay Mentoring Coalition. Mentors are placed from Bowdoin College , Big Brothers/Big Sisters and from our school communities.

As of October 30 Bowdoin College has placed:

45 mentors at Bowdoinham Community School

20 mentors at Bowdoin Central (Girls and Boys Rugby teams)

12 mentors at West Harpswell School

20 mentors at Mt. Ararat Middle School

As of October 30 Big Brothers/Big Sisters has placed:

8 mentors at Williams-Cone

18 mentors at Mt. Ararat Middle School

Woodside and Harpswell Islands will be placing both Big Brothers and Big Sisters and Bowdoin College mentors this fall. In addition. Harpswell Islands matches mentors from community members as well.

High school juniors and seniors are being trained as mentors through Big Brothers/Big Sisters and they serve our middle school students.

Outcome

Status update

Citizenship Education

Support the planning / development work of:

•  Citizenship Education Task Force,

•  Maine Readiness Campaign,

•  Service Learning Initiatives

•  Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence

Develop an understanding of how these various initiatives serve to: motivate students and provide authentic learning experiences that develop creative contributors to our society

All four initiatives are active this fall.

•  Citizenship Education Task Force

State-level retreat on September 25 th and 26 th

administrator meeting November 13 th

District level task force to be created this fall

•  Maine Readiness Campaign,

team of teachers, administrators and community members have been meeting bi-weekly

the focus for the campaign: career exploration and planning.

•  Service Learning Initiatives

High school service learning grant is underway

District service learning grant is holding its first meeting of the District-wide leadership team for service learning on November 14th

•  Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence

Through this project, the middle school provided professional development to all staff members on October 6.

As we implement, we are sharing our experiences and learning together.

Study existing programs such as the Healthy Learners program, Responsive Classroom, the Healthy Maine Partnership to increase understanding as to how they relate to ethical and responsible behavior and citizenship.

Support the implementation of
Sports Done Right,

The study of ethical and responsible behavior and citizenship began this summer at the administrator retreat.

Sports Done Right will report to the Board in December with its recommendations to adopt the Sports Done Right Principles.

Develop a plan to address the change from Camp Kiev for 6 th graders to other alternatives designed to meet the goals of the program.

We have begun to review options for Kieve.

Anti bullying policy implemented by June 2007.

Anti-Bullying Policy is in place and the Second Step Bullying-prevention curriculum is being implemented in several elementary school classrooms. We will be evaluating this program for further implementation.