Excellence is the
Standard
One District’s Story: Reflecting for
Continuous Improvement
Maria Pitre-Martin, PhD
Superintendent
Thomasville City Schools
Mission Statement
It is our mission in Thomasville City Schools
to partner with parents, community, and staff to
nurture and prepare our students for success in
the 21st Century. Educating the whole child and
providing them with the tools needed for success
in life is paramount. Expectations for a positive
learning environment along with rigor, relevance,
and relationship building will ensure success for all
students.
Excellence is the Standard
Thomasville City Schools’ Past
• Priority Schools/RttT Lowest Achieving
District
• State mandated test performance was
below the state average
• Graduation rate was below the state
average
Excellence is the Standard
Thomasville City Schools’ Present
• We have a laser-like focus on classroom
instruction.
• We do fewer things well and at a higher level of
execution.
• We involve more stakeholders in the work.
• We monitor our work for continuous improvement.
• We exhibit “first-rate” professional behaviors.
Excellence is the
Standard
Having a laser-like focus on classroom instruction:
What does it look like:
• Instructional Excellence Inventories
– 4 times per year (All to be completed before May)
– Each Inventory includes a data dive, several classroom
walk-throughs, a teacher focus group, and a student
focus group.
Excellence is the Standard
– Each inventory focuses on:
• High Expectations for Staff and Students
• Curriculum and Instructional Alignment
• Data Analysis and Instructional Planning
– Each inventory is modeled after NC DPIs
Comprehensive Needs Assessment, which was
based on the Cambridge Education School Quality
Review Process
Excellence is the Standard
Having a laser-like focus on classroom instruction:
What does it look like:
• Instructional Focus Calendars (for the entire year)
from each school for math, ELA, Science and Social
Studies instruction
• Fall and Spring Alignment meetings with K-5, 6-8,
and 9-12 teachers to review the resources being
used to teach each content standard (NCSCOS)
Excellence is the Standard
Having a laser-like focus on classroom instruction:
What does it look like:
• Reinstituting Common Formative Assessments (CFA)
and Benchmark Assessments to determine if
students are learning the content.
• Including central office staff and school based staff in
the discussion of CFA and benchmark data.
• Remediating students on content standards not
mastered is expected and scheduled. Then students
are assessed again after remediation for additional
support.
Excellence is the Standard
Having a laser-like focus on classroom instruction:
What does it look like:
• Training on the Common Core 5 Domains of Literacy for all
content area teachers
• Training on formative assessment practices
• Training on the leading indicators of Instructional Excellence,
such as :
o
o
o
Has the school implemented a plan that communicates clear goals with
instructional strategies aligned to the NCSCOS?
Does the school frequently provide opportunities for collaboration among
teachers to align instruction and assessment to the NCSCOS?
Do teachers consistently administer and use ongoing formative assessment
to align and inform instruction?
Excellence is the Standard
7 critical questions that all schools should
answer regularly:
• What content standards (NC SCOS) are being
taught?
• When are the content standards being taught?
• How are the content standards being assessed?
• When are the content standards being assessed?
• What remediation is being done for students not
mastering the standards?
• Once remediation has occurred, which students still
have not mastered the content standards?
• What is the plan to support those students?
Excellence is the Standard
How do we know it is working:
• Teachers know the content standards that
students are mastering.
• Student remediation is now based on data
regarding content standard mastery.
• Student mastery of content standards is
improving after remediation.
Excellence is the Standard
How do we know it is working:
• TCS has been named to the College
Board’s 5th Annual AP® District Honor
Roll for increasing AP participation,
while increasing student success on AP
exams. TCS is 1 of 4 districts in NC.
• TCS has seen increases in state
mandated tests and the graduation
rate.
Excellence is the Standard
How do we know it is working:
• All TCS schools met or exceeded growth.
• 91% of TCS teachers met or exceeded
growth.
• TCS met 95 % participation rate in all but
three areas.
• Increased attendance rate
• TCS students increased college scholarships
from $2.4 million to over $3.5 million.
Growth from 2013 Levels 3 and 4 to 2014
Levels 3,4,5 (GLP)
5 % or more
Gain
10% or more
Gain
15% or more
Gain
English II
3-8 Reading
Composite
3rd Math
4th Reading
3-8 Math
Composite
3rd Reading
5th Reading
5 and 8 Science 5th Math
Composite
8th Math
4th Math
6th Math
7th Math
8th Reading
8th Science
5th Science
7th Reading
20% or more
Gain
Math I
Growth from 2013 Levels 3 and 4
to 2014 Levels 4 and 5 (CCR)
5% or More Gain
5th Math
6th Math
7th Math
10% or more Gain
Math I
What do I want students to learn during this lesson?
State Specific outcomes and objectives that relate to the curriculum
Required:
 List specific standard(s) in abbreviated form with objective number (*3a,
3b, 4b)
 “I can” statement (*3a)
 Academic Vocabulary (*4a, 4g)
How will I check for understanding?
Assessment and evaluation
Required:
 What will I have students do to
demonstrate that they are following the
lesson? Quick formatives? (*1a, 4a, 4b,
4h)
*Teacher Evaluation Instrument Correlation
What teaching activities will you see and hear?
Activities and instructional strategies
Required:
 How will the topic be introduced and explained? (*3a, 4g)
 What activity will be used to illustrate the topic and engage students in
the learning activity? (*3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4f, 5c)
 How will the 5 Domains be incorporated into the lesson? (*3a, 4f, 4g)
o Reading
o Writing
o Speaking
o Listening
o Language
Suggested Timeframe Considerations:
• Estimate how much time each of the activities
will take and then plan extra time for each.
• When preparing the lesson, indicate next to
each activity how much time each is expected
to take.
• Plan time at the end of class to answer any
remaining questions and to sum up key points.
• Plan an extra activity or discussion question in
case there is time remaining.
• Be flexible…be ready to adjust the lesson plan to
meet students’ needs and focus on additional
areas to support student understanding of the
content.
Thomasville City
Schools’ Future
• We will be above the state average on school
accountability measures for all grade levels, content
areas, and student groups.
• We will be above the state average for our graduation
rate.
• We will increase our ACT scores.
• We will increase stakeholder engagement.
Excellence is the Standard
Perfection is not attainable, but if
we chase perfection we can
catch excellence.
Vince Lombardi