County school officials listed a number of special programs and initiatives that have been launched at the five IZone Schools.
The state has indicated it will take over the schools - either in a "partnership" with the county schools with their own school board or as Achievement District Schools, where the state would bring in a new set of school leaders and teachers.
County school officials said, "The supports below are current and plans are in place to continue them during the 2017-2018 School Year.
"Supports that are typical of every school are not listed, but those supports are also in place at our Priority and iZone Schools."
Elementary Literacy
• Guided Reading Specialist placed at all Priority and iZone Elementary Schools to provide intensive intervention for below grade level readers.
• Monthly Grade level coaching for Orchard Knob Elementary teachers.
• Coach or Director met twice a month with a designated grade level to provide a Literacy Lab as well as intensive coaching.
• Supported both principals of iZone schools with focused literacy observations and feedback sessions.
• All priority schools received additional support from the district coaches. The additional support took place at least one time per month. The supports consisted of Literacy Labs, new teacher support, grade level planning, model lessons, teacher observations/coaching, etc.
• During 1 st semester new teachers had monthly support sessions on a literacy topic and each grade level planned with a coach.
• Monthly training for all reading interventionists. • Monthly visit by the Chief Academic Officer.
• Jan Richardson's guided reading book purchased as a resource for all teachers.
Secondary Literacy
• Dalewood MS, Orchard Knob MS, and other priority middle schools have a Guided Reading Specialist to provide intensive interventions.
• All English teachers have a mentor teacher at another school and they were able to observe them for a day in September or October.
• Two teachers were a part of the English Leadership Council
- identifying teacher leaders in the building.
• District Literacy Coordinator supported the hiring of English teachers for the upcoming year at Brainerd HS.
• District Literacy Coordinator taught model lessons for English teachers at Brainerd HS
• All received additional support from the district coaches. The additional support took place at least one time per month. The supports consisted of Literacy Labs, new teacher support, grade level planning, model lessons, teacher observations/coaching, etc.
• Pathways Literacy Curriculum piloted at Brainerd High School with intensive support from the 9-12 Literacy Coordinator. Currently exploring options for possible expansion to Tyner High School and Howard (pending available funds).
Elementary Math & Science
• iZone and priority schools received priority status for participating in Science Sparks and Cue the Artists. Funding has been requested for additional Pilot Programs and again they will have first priority.
• Second semester District coaches provided a cohort math training ( one each month) for five schools - Donaldson, Clifton Hills, OKE, Woodmore, and East Lake.
• In October-May, Instructional Directors did bi-weekly learning walks at Clifton Hills to support the administration in leading the instructional focus for the building and directing the work of the coaches
• At Woodmore, Instructional Directors conducted many of the observations on the math and science teachers, so administration could focus on literacy. This support will continue to be available.
• At East Lake, district coaches supported the school bi-weekly in the form of residencies and by facilitating math learning labs.
• Donaldson's math coach was trained to facilitate her own math labs in the building through the Math Department's sustainability seminar. This work will be on-going.
• Conducted building math walks with each of the principals in the priority schools to help determine goals for teachers.
• At OKE did a math walk with the coach to help her determine next steps with teachers and evidence of her work with teachers.
• The district math coach provided an additional layer of coaching support for the math coach at Woodmore. This support will be available to other priority and iZone schools next year.
Secondary Math & Science
• Orchard Knob MS, Dalewood MS, and Brainerd are all a part of the District's Teachers Development Group Sustainability project. Dalewood and Brainerd's math coaches are being trained to facilitate both Learning Labs and Best Practices 1 (How Math Teaching Matters). Orchard Knob's Learning Labs for next year will be done by district math director or coaches.
• Secondary Math Director will be at all three campuses to do Learning Walks and/or Coobservations with the principals in math and/or science. Also, he will continue to work with each of the math coaches in all three buildings to support coaching cycles.
• District Math Coach supported collaboration between the Brainerd and Dalewood coaches to facilitate their first in-house facilitated Math Learning Lab at Dalewood. This work will continue into the next school year.
Special Programs
• Truancy Officer in place at all 5 iZone Schools.
• Additional ACT Prep support for Brainerd, Howard and Tyner
• Cornerstone Counselors are at every Priority and iZone School in the District.
• All Priority and iZone Schools received priority job postings and hiring cycles in 2017. This will continue into next school year.
• Exceptional Education's Gifted Child Find is in Priority Schools. This is a proactive strategy to identify and ensure that gifted students receive appropriate services in Priority Schools. • Added Behavioral and Literacy support in place through Exceptional Education.
• Mentoring program- We provided 20 first or second year teachers in these schools with a mentor beginning this January. Mentoring support for these teachers will continue through the fall.
• Orchard Knob Elementary was included in the inaugural STEM Elementary Cohort focused on developing a vision and plan around STEAM at the elementary level. This work began in January continues through next school year.
• 1:1 Technology- East Lake Academy of Fine Arts and The Howard School have been a part of the I: 1 technology pilot for the last four years. Every student in the school has access to a device, and there are also supports for internet access at home. Problem/project-based learning have been central to the work which will continue. • Wraparound supports- Telemedicine was introduced to several priority schools this year and will continue next year.
• In January a Lead Behavior Specialist was added to focus on iZone and Priority Schools. The specialist focused on behavior intervention and de-escalation strategies with faculty and staff.