Windham Middle School
Millennium Project
Final Evaluation Report
Windham Public Schools
Submitted by Jane Cook
EASTCONN Literacy and Technology Coach and
WMS Millennium Project Grant Coordinator
9/29/11
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................. 1
Project Context ......................................................................................................................................... 1
Target Population ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Technology Leader Team for the Millennium Project Grant ................................................................ 3
Personnel Responsible for Implementation ............................................................................................. 3
Key Collaborators and Partners ................................................................................................................ 4
PROJECT STRATEGIES .................................................................................................................................... 6
Size and Scope of Project Activities .......................................................................................................... 6
Program Strategy 1: Access.................................................................................................................. 6
Access to Computers......................................................................................................................... 6
Access to Software ............................................................................................................................ 6
Access to Mini-Labs in Interdisciplinary Teams ................................................................................ 9
Access to Peripheral Devices ............................................................................................................ 9
Access to Schedules to Sign Out Technology .................................................................................... 9
Access to the WMS Writing and Technology Center ........................................................................ 9
Program Strategy 2: Professional Development .................................................................................. 9
Summary of Professional Development Activities .......................................................................... 10
Data Collection Processes ....................................................................................................................... 17
Reflections on the Successes and Challenges of the Project’s Strategies - What Worked, What Didn’t,
and Why .................................................................................................................................................. 17
PROJECT OUTCOMES .................................................................................................................................. 18
Project Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 18
Objectives for Goal 1 (Technology Integration) ................................................................................. 18
Objectives for Goal 2 (Student Technology Literacy) and Goal 3 (Student Achievement) ................ 18
Data Sources and instruments ................................................................................................................ 18
How Data Was Analyzed and Results of the Analyses ............................................................................ 19
Limitations of the Data Collection Processes.......................................................................................... 21
What Does the Data Mean? (explicitly interpret and tie data to one or more of your project’s
objectives) ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Comparison of Actual Outcomes Against Intended Outcomes (were project targets met)................... 21
Unexpected or Unintended (positive or negative) outcomes. ............................................................... 21
CONCLUSIONS, LESSONS LEARNED & RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... 22
Discuss lessons learned that may have applicability and usefulness in a comparable context; ............ 22
Describe any concrete plans to expand or sustain the project beyond the life of the grant; and ......... 22
i
Propose useable recommendations for the CSDE or other schools or districts considering similar
grants or initiatives. ................................................................................................................................ 22
APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Appendix A: Data collection instruments .................................................................................................... 1
Appendix B: Additional Data Tables ............................................................................................................. 1
Appendix C: Other Project or Evaluation Artifacts....................................................................................... 1
Letter of Support from Dr. Tom Deans, UConn Writing Center ............................................................... 1
Letter of Support from Dr. Jason Courtmanche, Connecticut Writing Project ......................................... 1
ii
INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
Project Context
The Millennium Project was designed to bring students and teachers into a new era by transforming
Windham Middle School (WMS) into a model 21st Century school. The main purpose of the Millennium
Project was to teach the teachers how to use technology as a tool to support teaching and learning to
create 21st Century learners who can use technology effectively and productively to achieve at a high
level, think critically, solve problems, communicate, collaborate, and produce products and projects that
represent their learning.
Windham Middle School is a high needs school, the only middle school in Windham which serves all
students in grades 5, 6, 7, and 8. Windham is one of the “top 15” priority districts which are defined by
the Connecticut State Department of Education as those districts with the lowest achieving students in
the State of Connecticut. In their 6th year of not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the
federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, Windham Middle School is under the state’s microscope
and the staff is working hard to implement research-based strategies to enhance student motivation,
engagement and performance.
The Millennium Project was shaped after the 90/90/90 research which was conducted by Dr.
Douglas Reeves and his colleagues in the Center for Leadership and Learning, internationally recognized
authorities on professional development services, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions for
school improvement efforts. The 90/90/90 research studied highly effective schools in which 90% of the
students were eligible for free or reduced lunch, 90% of the students were from ethnic minorities and
90% of the students met or achieved high academic standards. The researchers found that:
“Techniques used by the 90/90/90 Schools are consistent. These schools are not lurching from one fad to
another. While they differ in some respects with regard to implementation, they are consistent with regard
to the following areas of emphasis:
1. Writing - students write frequently in a variety of subjects
2. Performance Assessment - the predominant method of assessment is performance assessment.
3. Collaboration - teachers routinely collaborate, using real student work as the focus of their
discussion
4. Focus - teachers in these schools do not try to “do it all” but are highly focused on learning”
-Dr. Douglas Reeves, Accountability in Action: A Blueprint for Learning
At the time the Millennium Project proposal was written, WMS was a 71/70/30 school based on
their Strategic School Profile data for the 2007-08 school year. No one at WMS was satisfied with having
an average of only 30% of the students achieve at or above the Proficient level on the Connecticut
Mastery Test, the high stakes test used to report student achievement under the federal No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) legislation.
The Millennium Project was designed to reinforce the basics of the old 3 R’s – Reading, ‘Riting and
‘Rithmetic - while teaching students the new 3 R’s – Rigor, Relevance and Relationships. “The
destination for education has to be rigor, relevance and relationships if we want to prepare students for
college, work and life in the 21st century. Getting to that destination requires school staff to work
collaboratively toward common goals through analyzing data, adopting best practices, taking risks and
embracing change.” (Source: Tips for Using Rigor, Relevance and Relationships to Improve Student
Achievement, by Raymond J. McNulty and Russell J. Quaglia, American Association of School
Administrators, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Rigor_Relevance/, retrieved
February 8, 2010)
The Millennium Project strove to accomplish these goals in the following ways:
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 1
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90/90/90 Study Focus Area 1 (Writing): Computers as a specials class was transformed into the
WMS Writing and Technology Center in which students focused on writing across the curriculum
and using technology tools to support their learning in all content areas.
90/90/90 Study Focus Areas 2 (Performance Assessment) & 3 (Collaboration): Interdisciplinary
Teacher Learning Teams were formed to work collaboratively at each grade level, designing
curriculum units with performance-based assessments to determine student mastery of
concepts and skills using the nationally recognized curriculum development model known as
Understanding by Design (UbD). The School-wide Data Team worked collaboratively to support
the Millennium Project with a cross grade level “Big Picture” perspective.
90/90/90 Study Focus Areas 1 (Writing) & 3 (Collaboration): The University of Connecticut
Writing Center and the Connecticut Writing Project joined as collaborative partners in the WMS
Millennium Project (See Appendix C). These collaborative partners provided expertise in writing
instruction as well as support from graduate assistants who helped train peer tutors and worked
collaboratively with WMS staff and students to ensure the success of the project.
90/90/90 Study Focus Areas 2 (Performance Assessment), 3 (Collaboration), & 4 (Focus on
Learning): Each Teacher Learning Team had five common planning periods per week which were
used for collaborative meetings, including two Grade Level Data Team meetings per week.
During Grade Level Data Team meetings teachers focused on implementing the district’s Data
Driven Decision Making (DDDM)/Data Team model which involves a 5-step process of 1)
collecting and charting data, 2) analyzing strengths and obstacles, 3) developing SMART goals, 4)
selecting effective instructional strategies to achieve SMART goals, and 5) determining results
indicators. During this process, Data Teams developed performance assessments to
demonstrate mastery of concepts and skills, develop Common Formative Assessments to gather
pre and post-instruction and analyzed student work to determine what students were learning.
90/90/90 Study Focus Area 4 (Focus on Learning): All staff and all students participated in the
Millennium Project. The focus was on teaching and learning using technology as an embedded
tool to support curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Target Population
Windham Middle School is the participating school in the Millennium Project grant. WMS is a
large middle school in a small urban city in northeastern Connecticut with three administrators and
approximately 85 certified staff, 20 Instructional Assistants and 1,000 students. All WMS teachers and
students participated in the Millennium Project grant.
WMS is organized into interdisciplinary teams at all grade levels. At the beginning of the
Millennium Project grant, an invitation went out to all staff asking for a representative from each team
to become Technology Leaders who would receive training so they could support their colleagues in
integrating technology across the curriculum. A total of 18 WMS teachers volunteered to become
Technology Leaders, approximately 21% of the teaching staff. Those teachers represented all of the
core academic content areas and all grade levels. All grade level interdisciplinary teams were
represented at all four grades. In addition, there were representatives from the multi-grade teams – the
Companeros Team (the dual language program in grades 5 and 6), the Purple Team (the sheltered
instruction program in grades 7 and 8 for English Language Learners and new arrivals to the United States), the
Green Team (an alternative program in grades 7 and 8 for students with behavioral issues), as well as the
Special Education Team and the Specials Team. The table below shows The Technology Leader Team for
the Millennium Project grant with their grade levels and content areas during the 2010-11 school year.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 2
Technology Leader Team for the Millennium Project Grant
Content Area
Grade Level for
2010-11
Team
E-mail Address
Suzanne Krach
All
5-8
Special Ed
skrach@windham.k12.ct.us
Kristine
MacDonald
Speech/Language 5-8
Special Ed
kmacdonald@windham.k12.ct.us
Sydney Gilbey
Computers/All
5-8
Specials
sgilbey@windham.k12.ct.us
Emily Hebert
LA Challenge
5-6
Reading/LA
ehebert@windham.k12.ct.us
Janice Nye
Spanish
5-8
Specials
jnye@windham.k12.ct.us
Tom Collins
Social Studies
Grade 5
Maroon Team
tcollins@windham.k12.ct.us
Cyd Weldon
English/LA
Grade 5
Blue Team
cweldon@windham.k12.ct.us
Amy York
Math
Grade 6
Gold Team
ayork@windham.k12.ct.us
Lisa Jurovaty
English/LA
Grade 6
Teal Team
ljurovaty@windham.k12.ct.us
Linda Lemkin
Science
Grade 7
Teal Team
llemkin@windham.k12.ct.us
Cindy Rollins
Science
Grade 7
Gold Team
crollins@windham.k12.ct.us
Maroon Team
jhaddad@windham.k12.ct.us
Blue Team
blanier@windham.k12.ct.us
Max Echevarria LA/Social Studies Grade 5/6
Companeros
(Dual Language
Program)
mechevarria@windham.k12.ct.us
Yusomil Bonet
Literacy
Grade 7/8
Purple Team
ybonet@windham.k12.ct.us
(Sheltered Instruction
queen24b@yahoo.com
Team )
Chris Sheehan
All
Grade 7/8
Green Team
(Alternative Team)
csheehan@windham.k12.ct.us
Paula Erickson
All
Grade 7/8
Chrysalis Team
perickson@windham.k12.ct.us
Grade 7/8
Sheltered Instruction
Team
rnavarro@windham.k12.ct.us
Name
Grades 5-8
Grade 5
Grade 6 Team
Grade 7 Team
Grade 8 Team
Joanne Haddad English/LA
Bev Lanier
Science
Grade 8
Multi-Grade Teams
Rolando
Navarro
Personnel Responsible for Implementation
The personnel responsible for implementing the Millennium Project consisted of the Millennium
Project Team which included:
 Project Director: Dr. Ana Maria Olezza, Windham Director of Grants and Bilingual Programs, The Project Director was responsible for overseeing the grant activities and providing Central
Office support to ensure the success of the Millennium grant project.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 3
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Project Co-Coordinator: Jane Cook, EASTCONN Literacy and Technology Coach provided training
and on-site coaching support to the WMS Teacher Learning Teams. In addition, she provided
demonstration lessons, planned with teachers, and assisted with data collection and analysis.
Jane facilitated the development and implementation of the curriculum units, was the primary
author of the Tier II Literacy Writing Module, and wrote the two Millennium Project Progress
Reports and the Final Evaluation Report.
Project Co-Coordinator: Sydney Gilbey, Windham Technology Teacher, served as the
Coordinator of the WMS Writing and Technology Center. She supervised the University of
Connecticut Graduate Interns as they supported both the literacy development of WMS
students as well as assisted with the effective integration of technology tools across all content
areas. In addition, Sydney worked with her colleagues as a Technology Integration Specialist as
they developed and implemented technology tools across the curriculum.
WMS Teacher Learning Teams: The WMS Teacher Learning Teams consisted of interdisciplinary
academic teams that represented grades 5-8. These Teacher Learning Teams were responsible
for developing and implementing curriculum units, collecting and analyzing data and student
work samples, and revising curriculum as needed based on the data.
Key Collaborators and Partners
Windham Public Schools has an ongoing relationship with EASTCONN, the Regional Educational
Service Center that serves the 36 school districts in the northeastern corner of Connecticut. Windham is
the largest district in the EASTCONN service area. This partnership has included:
 Windham schools have participated in numerous EASTCONN interdistrict grants for as many
years as interdistrict grants have been in existence.
 Several EASTCONN staff members have provided professional development for Windham
Public Schools on an ongoing basis.
 One EASTCONN staff member has been serving as the part-time Instructional
Consultant/Literacy and Technology Coach at Windham Middle School since the 2005-06
school year.
Five years ago, the Instructional Consultant retired from Windham Middle School and her position
was eliminated due to lack of funding. At that time, the Windham Director of Grants and Bilingual
Programs met with EASTCONN to determine the best way to fill that enormous gap. The decision was
made to provide one EASTCONN staff member to serve as the part-time Instructional Consultant at
Windham Middle School. For the past five years Jane Cook has served in that position working as their
Literacy and Technology Coach at Windham Middle School.
This partnership has benefitted Windham Public Schools in a variety of ways:
 Jane has written and coordinated three successful literacy and technology grants for WMS
which have given staff and students access and expertise in using technology tools that were not
available through local funding.
 Jane has provided instructional coaching support through demonstration lessons, assistance
with planning, mentoring to beginning teachers, help with action research projects and teaching
portfolios, supervision of university graduate interns, facilitation of data teams and the Early
Intervention Program (EIP) Team.
 Jane has designed and delivered nearly every professional development session at WMS for the
past five years.
 Jane has provided networking opportunities so that Windham staff could participate in grant
activities with Bloomfield, Mansfield and Stafford.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 4

During the 2009-10 school year, Jane facilitated a partnership between Windham Public
Schools and the University of Connecticut Writing Center. A partnership was formed
through the WMS Online Writing Laboratory grant with the following partners:
o Connecticut Writing Project at the University of Connecticut-Storrs
o University of Connecticut Writing Center
This was a productive partnership which assisted Windham Middle School in creating one
of the first middle school writing centers in the entire country.
The Millennium Project expanded Windham’s partnership with the University of Connecticut
Writing Center and the Connecticut Writing Project. It brought their higher education expertise in
implementing the National Writing Project Writing Center Model and in the teaching of writing to the
middle school level. This partnership has included training and support for peer tutors from University
of Connecticut graduate interns and assistance from the Connecticut Writing Project with training and
publication of student writing. See Appendix C for letters of support from Dr. Jason Courtmanche,
Director of the Connecticut Writing Project at UConn-Storrs, and Dr. Tom Deans, Director of the
University of Connecticut Writing Center.
This is partnership is continuing during the 2011-12 school year. Two new UConn Graduate Interns
are serving in the WMS Writing and Technology Center, providing support to the WMS peer tutors and
assisting Sydney Gilbey in training and outreach efforts.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 5
PROJECT STRATEGIES
Size and Scope of Project Activities
The Millennium Project activities focused primarily on the two Connecticut Enhancing Education
Through Technology (CT-EETT) program strategies in a variety of ways. Each strategy is outlined below with their
related Millennium Project activities.
Program Strategy 1: Access
Program Strategy 1 is related to access. The goal is that students and teachers participating in
CT-EETT funded activities will have increased and/or enhanced access to instructional technology. The
Millennium Project addressed Program Strategy 1 in a variety of ways.
Access to Computers
Since class sizes are so large at WMS (average 28-30 students per class), laptops and carts were
purchased and added to the two existing laptop carts so that the each grade level has a cart with 30
laptops in each which was shared by the teachers teaching that grade level.
Access to Software
All laptops at WMS were configured with the following software to provide easy access to a
number of technology tools to students and teachers:
Software
Adobe
Reader
Audacity
and
LAME
Encode
Drivers
for
Printers
and
Scanners
at WMS
Flip Video
Software
MIST
State
Benchma
rks
shortcut
Purpose
Used to open and
read PDF files
Used to record audio
files and export them
in MP3 format
Where Available/Links to Download
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
Cost
Free
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/Audacity
Free
Allows users to print
and scan from all
laptops
Software stored in WMS IT Office
Comes with
printers and
scanners
Used to download
videos developed by
students and teachers
Used to have students
complete benchmark
assessments required
by the CT State
Department of
Education (CSDE)
Stored on Flip Video camera
Comes with
Flip Video
camera
Free
Available through CSDE
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 6
Software
Purpose
MS Office
2007
MS
Photostory
MS Shared
View
Real Player
Scratch
SRI/Lexile
Virtual
Magnifier
Web
Browsers:
- Internet
Explorer
- Firefox
Web Browser
plug-ins
including
Java, Flash,
and Delicious
buttons
Windows
Media Player
Where Available/Links to Download
Cost
This was purchased with Millennium Project
grant funds and came with a CD-ROM to use
for the install and licenses for all of the
laptops. During the summer of 2011, all
laptops were upgraded to MS Office 2010;
the Ribbon Hero tutorial software was
installed so that staff and students could
learn how to use this upgraded productivity
software.
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/Photostory
$67/each +
$50 for
install CDROM
http://connect.microsoft.com/site94
Free
Used to play audio files
Used in the WMS
Writing and Technology
Center to teach students
how to program
Used to do Lexile testing
to determine readability
level that for students
grade level at which
students are reading
http://www.real.com/
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Scratch_1.4_Dow
nload
Free
Free
Go to: http://www.lexile.com/ for
information
Used to magnify items
displayed on computer
screen; useful for
training and
demonstrating, and
helpful for visually
impaired individuals
Used to access the Web
and do research on the
Internet
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/Magnifier
Purchased
by district
(not
Millennium
Project
grant)
Free
Firefox:
Internet Explorer:
Free
Used by Web browsers
to display certain
content and to tag Web
sites using Delicious
Flash:
Java:
Delicious for Firefox:
http://www.delicious.com/help/installff
Delicious for Internet Explorer:
http://www.delicious.com/help/installie
http://windows.microsoft.com/enUS/windows/downloads/windows-mediaplayer
Free
Used to create digital
stories
Used to share screens
Used on PCs to view
video files
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 7
Free
Free
Software
Windows
Movie Maker
Purpose
Used on PCs to create
movies from still photos
and video clips
Where Available/Links to Download
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/dow
nloads/updates/moviemaker2.mspx
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 8
Cost
Free
[Type text]
Access to Mini-Labs in Interdisciplinary Teams
Mini-labs of four laptops each were deployed to all interdisciplinary teams. Each team was given
the freedom to choose how to use their mini-lab. Some teams kept all four laptops together in one
teacher’s classroom and students used them for center-based work, e.g., research, math virtual
manipulative practice, writing practice, etc. Some teams moved their mini-labs between the four
classrooms and used them for small group project work.
Access to Peripheral Devices
Ten data projectors were purchased using grant funds and are housed on the two floors in
WMS. They are shared across Grade Level Teams and available for all staff to use. Still digital cameras
and digital video cameras are also available to be used by all teachers. These peripheral devices can be
signed out through the online calendar at: http://www.my.calendars.net/wmsperipherals. At the
bottom of the Peripherals calendar are the locations around the building where data projectors, digital
cameras, and video cameras are housed. If there is no one listed on the schedule to borrow the
equipment, it is being used by the teacher who volunteered to house it.
Access to Schedules to Sign Out Technology
Online calendars were developed so WMS teachers could easily sign out the grade level carts,
the stationary computer labs, and peripheral devices available in the building. There’s an easy link to
the online calendars for the carts and the stationary computer labs located on the grant Wiki at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/Schedule. Links to the specific calendars are:
 Access to Grade Level Carts and Stationary Computer Labs: Go to:
http://www.my.calendars.net/teamsgrant.
 Access to Stationary Computer Labs: Go to: http://www.my.calendars.net/gilbeyslab
 Access to Peripheral Devices: Go to: http://www.my.calendars.net/wmsperipherals.
Access to the WMS Writing and Technology Center
Twelve laptops were purchased to be housed in the WMS OWL Writing and Technology Center.
They continue to be used on a daily basis by the Center’s peer tutors and their tutees as they research
on the Internet and use software to assist with their writing and develop such projects as text-to-movie
videos.
The WMS Writing & Technology Center is located in the back of Room B020 and was open daily
from 8:40 AM to 10:20 AM & from 11:20 AM to 1:00 PM during the 2010-11 school year. Peer tutors
provided help to other students through all steps of the writing process from pre-writing to final
publication. The Center is limited to six students at a time so that students can receive one-on-one
support. Teachers can schedule time to send their students for help at the Center using the online
calendar at: http://www.my.calendars.net/wmsowl.
Program Strategy 2: Professional Development
Program Strategy 2 is related to professional development (PD). The goal is that teachers
participating in CT-EETT funded activities will participate in high-quality technology-related professional
development and coaching. The Millennium Project addressed Program Strategy 2 in a variety of ways.
The table below outlines the Professional Development activities completed during the Millennium
Project grant.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 9
[Type text]
Summary of Professional Development Activities
Type of Activity
Online Learning
through
Millennium
Project
Wikispace
On-site and
Virtual Coaching
Support
Description of PD
Dates
Outcomes
Jane Cook created a
virtual learning
environment for WMS
teachers so they could
have access to materials
and resources whenever
they need them. For the
homepage of this Wiki, go
to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces
.com/. To visit specific
pages on the Wiki, click
on the links in the righthand menu.
Jane Cook provided onsite and virtual
professional development
resources and support
including:
 Build Millennium
Project Wikispace
 Coach teachers in
classrooms
 Model and present
demonstration
lessons
 Co-teach
 Provide planning
support
 Offer feedback to
teachers on lesson
plans and curriculum
units
 Bring resources from
UConn Writing Center
Conference
 Assist with WMS
Writing and
Technology Center
Ongoing through
entire project;
continuing after
grant funding
ends to sustain
efforts
Teachers have 24/7 access to
virtual resources including training
materials and links to Web-based
resources related to curriculum,
instruction and assessment as well
as technology tools to support
teaching and learning.
2010:
Aug: 8/16
Sept: 9/1, 9/13,
9/20
Oct: 10/8
Nov: 11/10,
11/22, 11/23,
11/29
Dec: 12/1,
12/10, 12/15,
12/20, 12/29/10
2011:
Jan: 1/3, 1/14,
1/27
Feb: 2/16, 2/25
March: 3/10,
3/16, 3/25, 3/29
Apr: 4/1, 4/18,
4/26
May: 5/2, 5/19,
5/24
June: 6/6, 6/21
Aug: 8/5, 8/0,
8/10, 8/25,
8/26/11
Teachers and students received
high quality coaching support to
use technology tools to create 21st
Century learners at WMS who
achieve at a high level
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 10
Type of Activity
Description of PD
Dates
Outcomes

Millennium
Project Summer
Institute 2010
Online Writing
Tools to Support
Writing and
Learning
Non-Fiction
Writing Across
the Curriculum
Anti-Bullying
Help configure
equipment and
troubleshoot
technology issues
Represent WMS
Millennium Project at
state evaluation
meeting
 Collect and analyze
data
 Correspond with
teachers,
administrators, and
state evaluator
Write grant evaluation
reports
Jane Cook provided three
days of intensive training
to the Millennium Project
Technology Leaders.
Training included how to
use a variety of
technology tools for
teaching and learning,
how to integrate
technology across the
curriculum, and how to
use the Understanding by
Design (UbD) model to
develop curriculum units
All WMS staff
participated in a high
quality PD session to
learn how to use MY
Access to support writing
development.
All WMS staff, except
Math teachers,
participated in a high
quality PD session to
learn how to integrate
non-fiction writing across
the curriculum.
All WMS staff
participated in a high
quality PD session on
building a positive school
8/24, 8/25,
8/26/10
For agendas and resources from
each day of training, click on the
links below:
Summer Institute 2010
- SI Day 1 – 8/24/10
- SI Day 2 - 8/25/10
- SI Day 3 - 8/26/10
For evaluation surveys with
feedback from participants for each
day, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/MP
Surveys
9/22/10
(half-day PD)
For the online Anticipation Guide
and resources provided to teachers
during this training, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/W
MSTechPDSept2010
10/12/10
(full day PD)
For agenda, video clip and
resources provided to teachers
during this training, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/W
MSWritingPD10-12-10
10/27/10
(half-day PD)
For agenda and resources provided
to teachers during this training, go
to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/anti
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 11
Type of Activity
Understanding
by Design (UbD):
Designing
Interdisciplinary
Curriculum to
Engage 21st
Century Learners
Millennium
Project AfterSchool Just-inTime Training
Session
Getting Smart
with SMART
Boards
Description of PD
climate and preventing
bullying
All WMS staff
participated in a high
quality PD session on
designing curriculum
units using the UbD a
positive school climate
and preventing bullying
This is one of the
winter/spring after school
series which was open to
all WMS teachers. Each
session in the series was a
customized training
session designed to meet
the needs of the teachers
who attended. This
session focused on:
 Designing curriculum
using the UbD
curriculum
development model
 Creating Xtranormal
text-to-speech
movies
 Searching and
researching on the
Web
This was one of a series of
Connecticut Writing
Project (CWP)/EASTCONN
Saturday and Twiliight
Seminars that was
opened to all WMS
teachers at no charge.
The focus was on using
SMART Boards to
promote collaboration
and higher order thinking
as well as transform
teaching and learning.
This session was
presented by Pam Skelly
and facilitated by Jane
Cook of EASTCONN and
was held at EASTCONN’s
Dates
Outcomes
bullying
11/2/10
(full day PD)
For agenda, video clip, and
resources provided to teachers
during this training, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/ubd
PD11-2-10
3/9/11
(after school PD)
For teachers in attendance and
their areas of focus, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/3-911
For examples of work developed by
WMS students using Xtranormal, go
to:
http://wmsteachersresources.wikis
paces.com/XtraNormals+for+CMT%
27s
4/9/11
(9 AM-12 Noon)
One WMS teacher attended and
learned how to use a SMART Board
and SMART Notebook software to
create engaging lessons for
students.
For a description of the
CWP/EASTCONN Saturday and
Twilight Seminar series, go to:
http://www.cwp.uconn.edu/teache
rs/technology/shifthappens.php
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 12
Type of Activity
Millennium
Project AfterSchool Just-inTime Training
Session
Millennium
Project AfterSchool Just-inTime Training
Session
Millennium
Project AfterSchool Just-inTime Training
Session
Description of PD
Windham Mills 3rd Floor
Computer Lab.
This is one of the
winter/spring after school
series which was open to
all WMS teachers. Each
session in the series was a
customized training
session designed to meet
the needs of the teachers
who attended. This
session focused on:
 Designing curriculum
using the
Understanding by
Design curriculum
development model
 Designing Wikispaces
to provide virtual
learning spaces for
students
 Locating and posting
Web-based resources
on a Wiki page for
student use
This is one of the
winter/spring after school
series which was open to
all WMS teachers. Each
session in the series was a
customized training
session designed to meet
the needs of the teachers
who attended. This
session focused on:
 Designing Wikispaces
 Researching
Standards-based IEPs
 Analyzing WMS OWL
Writing & Technology
Center data
This is one of the
winter/spring after school
series which was open to
all WMS teachers. Each
session in the series was a
customized training
Dates
4/12/11
(after school PD)
Outcomes


For teachers in attendance and
their areas of focus, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
4-12-11
To view an example of a WMS
Wikispace created as a virtual
learning environment for
students, go to:
http://companeros.wikispaces.
com/home
6/8/11
(after school PD)
For teachers in attendance and
their areas of focus, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/6-811
6/14/11
(after school PD)
For teachers in attendance and
their areas of focus, go to:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/614-11
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 13
Type of Activity
Millennium
Project
Weeklong
Curriculum
Development of
Tier II Literacy
Modules
Description of PD
session designed to meet
the needs of the teachers
who attended. This
session focused on:
 Designing Wikispaces
 Standards-based IEPs,
research and practice
 Exploring writing &
technology tools
 Using MY Access
Online Writing Tools
Jane Cook facilitated a
team of five WMS
teachers in using the UbD
curriculum development
model to design literacy
and math modules that
could be delivered by any
WMS teacher during the
Enrichment block which
was begun for the 201112 school year.
Dates
Outcomes
7/25, 7/26, 7/27,
7/28, 7/29/11
Two Tier II Literacy Modules were
completed:
1. Understanding Genres aligned
with Strand B.2 (Developing an
Interpretation) of the
Connecticut Mastery Test
(CMT) – This module is in full
implementation. A Word
document containing all
materials in this module is
located online on the WMS
Wiki at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
file/detail/WMS_Tier_II_Literac
y_Intervention_Module__Genres_revised_9-1-11.doc
2. Writing as a Process - aligned
with the Holistic Writing
section of the CMT - This
module is in full
implementation. A Word
document containing all
materials in this module is
located online on the WMS
Wiki at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
file/detail/WMS_Tier_II_Literac
y_Intervention_Module__Writing_revised_9-1-11.doc
One Math Tier II Math Module was
developed and aligned with the
Math strands on the CMT. That
module is in full implementation
but is only available in hard copy
format because it uses the WMS
Math series textbook materials.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 14
Type of Activity
CWP/EASTCONN
Tech Summer
Institute
Description of PD
This was a three day
summer institute cosponsored by the
Connecticut Writing
Project (CWP) and
EASTCONN that was held
at WMS and opened to all
WMS teachers at no
charge.
The focus was:
 Day 1: Build a Wiki in
a Day: Creating 24/7
Virtual Learning
Environments
 Day 2: Write On!
Tech Tools to Support
Literacy Development
Dates
8/16, 8/17,
8/18/11
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 15
Outcomes
Two more Tier II Literacy Modules
were begun:
1. Understanding Text Structures
aligned with Reading
Comprehension Strand B.1
(Developing an Interpretation)
on the Connecticut Mastery
Test (CMT) – The current
version of this module can be
found at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
file/detail/WMS_Tier_II_Literac
y_Intervention_Module__Text_Structures_revised_9-2111.doc. This module will be
completed by the end of
October and will be posted
online at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
TierIIModules
2. Understanding Text
Structure/Purpose, Evidence
and Conclusions aligned with
Reading Comprehension
Strands B.1 & B.3 (Developing
an Interpretation) on the
Connecticut Mastery Test
(CMT). A draft of this module
is available online at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/
ModulePlanningMaterials
A total of 19 slots across the 3 days
were filled by WMS teachers:
Day 1: 6 WMS teachers
Day 2: 6 WMS teachers
Day 3: 7 WMS teachers
Participants received high quality
PD which included demonstration
and “hands on” time so they could
apply their learning in a meaningful
context by preparing materials to
use with their students.
Type of Activity
Description of PD

Dates
Day 3: Get
Productive! Tips &
Tricks to Get the
Most Out of Word
and Excel
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 16
Outcomes
Data Collection Processes
Reflections on the Successes and Challenges of the Project’s Strategies - What
Worked, What Didn’t, and Why
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 17
PROJECT OUTCOMES
Project Objectives
The Millennium Project objectives are aligned with the three CT-EETT goals:
Goal 1: Further integrate technology into teaching and learning.
Goal 2: Improve student technology literacy.
Goal 3: Increase student academic achievement.
Objectives for Goal 1 (Technology Integration)
As a result of participating in the Millennium Project, Windham Middle School Teachers will:
o Use the UbD curriculum development model to develop and implement interdisciplinary
curriculum units in their collaborative Teacher Learning Teams.
o Know how to use a such technology tools as: Wikispaces for creating online learning
environments; Curriculum Framer for developing collaborative UbD curriculum units;
iConn.org for accessing online databases, newspapers and magazines/journals;
Discovery Education Middle School Science video and instructional resources;
Professional Productivity tools including word processing, spreadsheets and multi-media
presentations; and other Web 2.0 tools such as Webspiration for developing online webs,
outlines and concept maps; VoiceThread for creating collaborative online multi-media
presentations; Scratch for teaching basic programming knowledge; Blogs for creating
online journals and literature circle discussions; Delicious for social bookmarking,
Xtranormal for creating scripted online movies with avatars; etc.
o Increase their level of comfort and degree of expertise with instructional innovations
focused on digital-age learning, Effective Teaching Strategies and 21st Century skills as
evidenced by pre and post survey data as well as the content of the curriculum units
developed
Objectives for Goal 2 (Student Technology Literacy) and Goal 3 (Student Achievement)
As a result of participating in the Millennium Project, Windham Middle School students will:
o Improve their writing as evidenced by the number of revisions and increased scores on
writing assignments using MY Access online writing tools.
o Apply 21st Century skills using digital tools and resources.
o Increase their mastery of content standards as evidenced by the pre and post assessments
from the interdisciplinary curriculum units, Common Formative Assessments and other
local and state assessment scores.
o Be able to use technology tools to support and demonstrate their learning through projectbased learning and performance assessments.
Data Sources and instruments
The following data will be collected and analyzed to ensure that the project objectives (see Project
Summary section for objectives) are being attained:
 Online teacher surveys will be utilized to gather evaluation data for the project. The
participating teachers’ level of comfort and degree of expertise with instructional innovations
focused on digital-age learning will be assessed at the beginning and at the end of the project to
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 18
determine teachers’ growth in the utilization of technology resources and the provision of
student centered environments that meet the individual, diverse learning needs of all students.
 Feedback will be collected from professional development sessions to use for determining the
effectiveness of the training and to assist in planning for future professional development
needs.
 Further information will be obtained from the data collected and analyzed by the Teacher
Learning Teams which will include examining scores on assessments developed in the UbD
curriculum units as well as looking at student work samples. The Teacher Learning Teams will
provide grade level data on the implementation of the interdisciplinary units and the results of
the performance assessments in order to gauge student achievement and inform planning and
necessary revisions to the curriculum units.
 The School-wide Data Team, which consists of the three WMS administrators as well as grade
level and vertical team Data Facilitators, will monitor the “Big Picture” of student achievement
for the entire school, examining and analyzing school-wide data from both high stakes and local
assessments. This team meets on a bi-monthly basis and serves as a site-based management
team, helping inform the direction of the school.
 An online calendar will be maintained to track the schedule for usage of the Writing and
Technology Center to ensure equity and access for WMS students.
 Logs will be kept by peer tutors and the graduate assistants to record and track the degree of
utilization of the Writing and Technology Center. It is anticipated that teacher, student and
community use of the center will increase dramatically the opportunities for the school and
community to access digital tools and resources.
 Each Teacher Learning Team will keep a log of how their mini- and maxi-computer labs are
being used on a weekly basis as they are piloting the use of the technology tools and
implementing their interdisciplinary curriculum units.
 Each Teacher Learning Team will document the discussions and activities during each of the
meetings held. Agendas will also be drafted to sketch the next steps to be addressed at their
next TLT meeting.
The above data will be collected throughout the Millennium Project. These different types of data
will be analyzed by the Teacher Learning Teams, the School-wide Data Team and the Millennium Project
Team and used as formative data to measure the effectiveness of the grant activities so that course
corrections can be made throughout the project.
In addition, mid-year and end-of-year grant reports will be submitted based on the timelines
specified by the Connecticut State Department of Education. These report timelines will provide
benchmarks for analyzing data at key points throughout the grant period and serve as summative
assessments for the project.
How Data Was Analyzed and Results of the Analyses
Expected
Changes
Teachers will
integrate
technology
into teaching
and learning
on a daily basis



Data Being Collected to
Measure Changes
Online calendars tracking usage of
technology equipment located at:
http://ctteams.wikispaces.com/Sche
dule
Data from Learning Walks
Anecdotal data from e-mails,
conversations and observations

WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 19
Progress/Evidence of Change
to Date
When comparing usage of the laptop
carts from the beginning of the school
year to the present time:
o There were 3 school days in
September of 2010 when 0 carts
were scheduled (only 2 carts were
in rotation in September)
o There were 0 school days in April
of 2011 when 0 carts were
scheduled
Due to delays in purchasing and
configuring equipment for all four laptop
carts to be in full use, December was the
first full month that all four laptop carts
were in the rotation. All grade levels have
increased their usage of the laptops except
Grade 8 between December of 2010 and
April of 2011 as evidenced by the data
below:
Grade
Level
# of Days
Scheduled
in
December
2010
8
15
11
10
# of
School
Days in
December
2010
17
17
17
17
Grade
Level
# of Days
Scheduled
in April
2011
5
6
7
8
16
15
14
9
# of
School
Days in
April
2011
16
16
16
16
5
6
7
8
% of
Time
Used
47%
88%
65%
59%
% of
Time
Used
100%
94%
88%
56%
The table below shows the change in the
number of percentage points by grade
level between December and April:
Grade
Level
5
6
7
8

WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 20
Percentage
Points
Change
from
December
to April
53%
6%
23%
-3%
Learning Walks data shows that
teacher usage of technology to
support teaching and learning
increased from 23% in October to
33% in April.
Limitations of the Data Collection Processes
***teachers didn’t sign out equipment when they were using it
What Does the Data Mean? (explicitly interpret and tie data to one or more of
your project’s objectives)
Comparison of Actual Outcomes Against Intended Outcomes (were project
targets met)
Unexpected or Unintended (positive or negative) outcomes.
***the more access teachers had, the more they wanted – we more than doubled the number of laptops in the
school and found that this was still not nearly enough since 30 laptops in a cart needed to be shared with
approximately 250 students per grade level
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 21
CONCLUSIONS, LESSONS LEARNED & RECOMMENDATIONS
Discuss lessons learned that may have applicability and usefulness in a
comparable context;
Describe any concrete plans to expand or sustain the project beyond the life of
the grant; and
Propose useable recommendations for the CSDE or other schools or districts
considering similar grants or initiatives.
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 22
APPENDICES
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 23
Appendix A: Data collection instruments
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 1
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Page 2
Appendix B: Additional Data Tables
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Appendix B- 1
Appendix C: Other Project or Evaluation Artifacts
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Appendix C- 1
University of Connecticut
Department of English
Letter of Support from Dr.
Tom Deans, UConn Writing
Center
College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
February 5, 2010
Dr. Doreen Fuller
Superintendent of Schools
Windham Public Schools
Willimantic, CT 06226
Dear Dr. Fuller:
I am writing to express my support for the Writing Center at Windham Middle School and in particular
for its enhancement and expansion through the Windham Middle School Millennium Project grant
proposal that is being submitted to the CT State Department of Education under their 2009-11 Title II,
Part D Enhancing Education through Technology, authorized under the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) 21st Century Learning Environments Request for Proposals. The Millennium
Project would transform the current Writing Center at Windham Middle School into a Writing and
Technology Center as well as create interdisciplinary curriculum with embedded technology tools to
support teaching and learning from grades 5-8. UConn’s Writing Center, in partnership with the
Connecticut Writing Project, has been actively involved in helping Connecticut schools launch their own
writing centers. Our efforts partnering with Windham Middle School this year have been promising, and
the project is poised for growth, including through expanded uses of technology and greater integration
with the academic curriculum.
The writing center model has long found success on college and university campuses, but it is relatively
new to middle and high schools (though a few exemplary secondary schools nationwide have stepped up
and discovered its power for their students). Our approach here at UConn has been to work intensively
with one or two Connecticut schools each year to support them as they start their own centers, mainly
by delivering training and mentoring. We piloted this approach last year, supporting E.O. Smith and East
Hartford High Schools with weekly visits from our experienced undergraduate and graduate UConn
tutors, who mentored the emerging high school tutors. This year we are working with Bolton High School
and Windham Middle School in similar (and similarly successful) ways.
Some of the important benefits of a well-run writing center might be worth highlighting here:

Writing centers support what the consensus of current research tells us about writing: that most
successful writers engage in a recursive process of planning, drafting, revising and editing; that
writing is as much a social process as a textual process; and that students grow as writers
through frequent authentic opportunities to write, discuss their writing with others, and revise.
These principles and practices are affirmed by the National Council of Teachers of English and
the National Writing Project.

Because writing is integral to departments and disciplines beyond English, writing centers
support writing across the curriculum (WAC). Such support for WAC tends to be valued by
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Appendix C- 1
University of Connecticut
Department of English
College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
accreditors, not least because writing centers can provide faculty from all departments a greater
incentive to assign more writing, as they know that students can seek individualized assistance at
the center.

Writing centers are not about remedial education. Instead, they are designed to serve all
students and to encourage a culture where writing is valued, even celebrated.

Writing centers not only support the general study body but also provide the peer tutors with
special avenues for leadership, intellectual growth, and preparation for high school and college.
Students have opportunities to develop as leaders through sports and clubs, certainly; writing
centers offer that too, but with the added bonus of connecting student leadership to the core
academic mission of the school.
Of course, writing centers are not a magic bullet, but they can be a vital part of a school’s curriculum.
They are places where students learn skills, build confidence, and pick up habits of life-long learning.
The University Writing Center and the Connecticut Writing Project at UConn are engaged in outreach
because we believe in writing centers. We are willing to invest time and resources in two schools each
year, and when we tally our contributions in this project—organizing a full-day October conference at
the Storrs campus for participating schools, assigning a paid graduate student to coordinate the
program, and recruiting, training, and compensating UConn undergraduate tutor mentors for their
weekly visits—our investment amounts to more than $15,000 for each middle or high school involved in
a given year. But the project only works if participating schools likewise make investments of funding,
time, and talent.
We plan to continue our partnership with Windham Middle School in the 2010-11 academic year and are
eager to support Windham’s efforts to sustain and enhance this project with internal and external
funding.
Sincerely,
Thomas Deans
Associate Professor of English and Director, University Writing Center
Cc: Jason Courtmanche, Director, Connecticut Writing Project
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Appendix C- 2
University of Connecticut
Department of English
College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences
WMS Millennium Project Final Evaluation Report – Appendix C- 3
Letter of Support from Dr.
Jason Courtmanche,
Connecticut Writing Project