DARTMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Dartmouth Middle School
School Improvement Plan
2015-2016
School Profile
Leadership:
Administrative Staff:
Darren Doane - Principal
Carl Robidoux - Assistant Principal
Peter Rossi – Assistant Principal
Sarah Decas – Dean of Students
School Teams:
Leadership Team
School Council
PBIS Team
Staff Profile:
Student Demographics:
(2014-2015)
Faculty: 80
(Source – June 2015 SIMS Data)
Enrollment: 991
Administration: 4
Male: 523
Office Staff: 5
Female: 468
Counseling/Nurse: 4 / 1.5
Black/African-American: 14
Paraprofessionals: 18
Asian:31
Custodial Staff: 4
Hawaiian/Pacific:
Average Class Size: 24
Hispanic:
Indian/Native American: 3
White: 926
Multi-race: 17
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
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Leadership Team Members:
School Council Members:
Darren Doane
Sarah Decas
Peter Rossi
Carl Robidoux
Anne Brown
Karen Babbitt
Laura Gardner
Doug Doane
Derek Texeira
Darren Doane – Principal
Al Tavares - Parent
Carlin Maroney - Parent
Jamie Duarte - Parent
Amber Ashton - Parent
Mark Harrington – Community Member
Jessica Bouchard - Teacher
Carolyn Wingate - Teacher
PBIS Team Members:
Supervisor - Peter Rossi
Coaches- Richard Blair and Susan Tullson
Lori Pettengill
Doug Doane
Jeremy McDonald
Claudia Lazaro
Amy Guile
Tony Martin
Sam Madden
Josh Silva
Carlos Oliviera
Lisa Katz-Turgeon
Chris Tullson
Diane Massari
Maureen Sullivan-Boyle
Jess Bouchard
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
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District Mission:
The mission of the Dartmouth Public Schools is to provide a quality education for all learners.
District Vision:
The Dartmouth Public School District, in partnership with parents and the community, will deliver challenging, standards-based
instruction for all students that fosters academic, physical, social and emotional development. Utilizing data analysis to drive
instruction, we will implement specific strategies to support every student to think critically, solve problems and become a
responsible, contributing citizen. Our high school graduates will possess the required skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in
their academic and vocational ambitions.
District Core Values and Beliefs:
Exhibit ‘Dartmouth Pride’ in all we do by:
 Demonstrating personal and social responsibility through respecting others, our surroundings, and ourselves.
 Developing a work ethic of perseverance, tenacity, and resiliency that encourages academic excellence to meet or exceed high
standards of performance.
 Discovering and broadening our individual talents.
 Embracing the knowledge society with current instructional methods and tools.
 Engaging in open communication with each other and our community to support student academic achievement and social and
emotional growth.
District Theory of Action:
If we instruct each student with clear learning targets, assess achievement, and adjust instruction according to need; if we are
continually collaborative, reflective, and purposeful; and if we engage families and the community in student learning, then student
achievement will improve.
Core Areas of Focus:
Instructional Core
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
Cultural Core
Resource Core
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2014-2015 SUMMARY: Key Strategies, Improvement Objectives, and Action Plans
INSTRUCTIONAL CORE
Key Strategy 1: Utilize a variety of instructional strategies that are research based and focused on higher level thinking strategies to build
comprehension in all curriculum areas.
Key Strategy 2: Use summative (interim) assessments to measure student achievement of the standards and ensure instructional alignment.
Key Strategy 3: Utilize formative (on the spot) assessments to give students feedback and monitor progress through the sharing of strategies
and student work.
Key Strategy 4: Use data to align safety nets and tier instruction in order to meet the targeted learning needs of students.
Action Steps
Outcome/ Evidence

Use collaborative curriculum time
to look at student work with a
focus on higher order thinking to
challenge students.
Expand use of close reading
strategies in all content areas with
all types of texts to increase
comprehension.





Use close reading strategies to
make logical inferences from text.


Clarify the differences between
formative (on the spot) and
summative (interim) assessment.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016


Staff supplied evidence in their evaluation binders and samples of student
work during CPT that represented higher order thinking.
Staff analyzed benchmark results to assess student understanding of standards
Rubrics and checklist were reviewed or created to set high expectations on
project based learning assignments.
Staff attended the PD workshops on Close Reading Strategies held during
three of the monthly Curriculum Meetings.
All content area staff worked with the literacy coach during CPT to calibrate
writing scores on common informational text based assignments.
Staff developed common before, during, and after reading strategies in all
content areas.
Samples of student work demonstrated common annotation skills in all
content areas.
Staff supplied evidence of various forms of formative and summative
assignments in their evidence binders.
Staff created DDM assessments for the 2015-16 school year.
Common “on the spot: assessments were observed during teacher
evaluations.
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Share student work in collaborative
planning teams to improve future
instruction

CPT agendas indicate the analysis of student work, creation of lesson
planners and common assessments, and updating of curriculum maps.
Implement pilot program of peer
instructional walks focused on the
use of formative assessment.

A volunteer program was created and several staff used this to observe coteaching lessons.

An Integrated Scope and Sequence was created and posted on the DMS
Website.
Curriculum maps were reviewed and updated throughout the school year.
Utilize Integrated Scope and
Sequence and Curriculum Maps to
ensure instructional alignment.
Analyze assessments to measure
student progress toward
achievement of the standards.
RTI/Data team will analyze multiple
data points for placement in small
group instruction.


Staff members analyzed benchmark test and common assessments throughout
the school year.

RTI and Data Teams met monthly to review student data in order to place or
exit students in Tier 2 or Tier 3 interventions.
RTI and Data Team worked together to place students in tier 2 and 3
interventions for the 2015-16 school year.


RTI Team will collaborate on at-risk
students to create classroom
interventions.


Enhance collaboration between
special education and regular
education teachers to increase
student achievement.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016

RTI Team added two teachers to the team to get better input on the
effectiveness of intervention plans.
RTI Team met weekly to develop behavior plans and intervention plans
based upon discipline referrals that were individualized and targeted.
Special education teachers joined the math CPT meetings and created
common assessments and assisted regular education staff in differentiating
weekly lessons.
Special education teachers met each cycle with the literacy coach to review
lesson planners created by regular education staff.
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2014-2015 SUMMARY: Key Strategies, Improvement Objectives, and Action Plans
CULTURE CORE
Key Strategy 5: Use data to align behavioral interventions in order to meet the social/emotional needs of students.
Action Steps
PBIS team will analyze multiple data
points to provide students with
social/emotional supports.
Create and use common language in
teaching behavioral expectations.
Outcome/ Evidence




SWIS data was shared with staff throughout the school year.
PBIS meetings were held monthly throughout the school year.
96% of students have one or less referrals.
63% of our referrals are created by tier 2 and 3 students.

Administration presented the major / minor referral process to
students.
The referral process was reviewed and updated with staff throughout
the school year.
The staff was surveyed at the end of the year on the RTI. And PBIS
Programs.


Support PBIS/RARE initiatives
throughout the school year to recognize
and acknowledge positive behavior and
academic achievement.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016


Family Night and Career Day events were added this school year.
Participation criteria was reviewed and updated for RARE events.
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Dartmouth Middle School
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
2015-2016 GOALS
CURRICULUM, PLANNING, AND ASSESSMENT
Key Strategy 1: Collect, calibrate, and analyze data in order to adjust instruction in a timely manner.
Improvement
Objective
Teachers will give
feedback to students
to promote studentcentered learning.
Action Steps



Teachers will
collect, organize,
and analyze data
on common
assessments.
Students will
complete content
specific error logs.
Teachers will
create lessons
based upon the
data collected.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
Completion
Date
May, 2016
Person(s)
Responsible
Administrators,
Coaches,
Teachers
Resources Needed





Professional
development
plan
Common
assessments
DDMs
Aspen
CPT minutes
Outcome/ Evidence





Calibrated data from DDMs
Team reflection from data
analysis on common
assessments
50 percentile growth on
PARCC/ MCAS data
One year grade equivalent
growth on STAR data
Attendance at professional
development sessions
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TEACHING ALL STUDENTS
Key Strategy 2: Improve the quality of work and effort by providing feedback that lead increased student engagement and achievement.
Key Strategy 3: Use tiered lessons to adjust practice to meet students’ diverse needs.
Improvement
Objective
Action Steps
Teachers will use
strategies to
promote student
engagement and
achievement.

Special education
teacher will create
common tiered
assessments in Math
and ELA.
 Common
assessments will be
created during CPT.
Teachers will
provide
opportunities for
students to selfassess and reflect
on learning
throughout the
year.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
Completion
Date
Person(s)
Responsible
Ongoing
Administrators,
coaches,
teachers

Administrators,
coaches,
teachers,
ELL/Sped and
Speech
teachers

Ongoing
Resources Needed



Professional
development
CPT time
Student work
Professional
development
Literacy
materials on
different Lexile
levels for each
content area.
Outcome/ Evidence










Common language for types of
errors document
Conferencing
Error logs
student reflections
Agendas from the PD days
CPT minutes
Agendas from professional
development sessions
Student work
One year grade equivalent
growth on STAR data.
“Met progress” on DDMs.
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FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Key Strategy 4: Strengthen community, family, school connections to create strong partnerships for student learning.
Improvement
Objective
DMS will continue to
provide opportunities
for staff and
community members
to connect and share
resources.
Action Steps



Teachers will be
provided training
in online
resources.
Parents will be
provided a variety
of school events
to attend.
We will utilize
community
resources to
enhance our
curriculum.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
Completion
Date
Ongoing
Person(s)
Responsible
Administrators,
families,
teachers.
Resources Needed



Technology tools
for
communication
and feedback
Community
stakeholders
Opportunities for
families to
participate.
Outcome/ Evidence





Increase number of Parent
/Community Events
(Literacy Night, Family Night,
Career Day, High School Night,
concerts, plays, after school
programs, Talent Show, NJHS
induction).
Volunteer logs
Student attendance
UMass Dartmouth intern logs
Staff training in online
technologies – Aspen, Google,
School Fusion.
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PROFESSIONAL CULTURE
Key Strategy 5: Develop and utilize instructional strategies for tier 2 (PBIS/RTI) students to improve classroom participation and
preparation.
Improvement
Objective
Staff will use and
analyze data to create
and revise our
behavior and
intervention plans.
Staff will monitor our
SWIS data for
repeated offenses.
Action Steps



Behavior plans
will be monitored
and created
during block
meetings.
SWIS data will be
shared with staff
throughout the
school year.
Staff and students
will be surveyed
regarding the
school climate.
School Improvement Plan 2015-2016
Completion
Date
Ongoing
Person(s)
Responsible
Administrators,
teachers,
guidance
counselors,
school
psychologist,
STEP UP
coordinator
Resources Needed









CICO system
PBIS team
RTI team
District PBIS
team
SWIS data
Behavior plans
Professional
development
RTI support
room
Planning room
Outcome/ Evidence








SWIS data analysis
Staff survey
Teacher driven behavior plans
Agendas from professional
development
Revised CICO documentation
RTI intervention plans
PBIS /RTI meeting minutes
and agendas
Reduction in (10 plus day)
attendance plans
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