Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
Pottsgrove School District
Continuous Improvement For Results
CONTINUOUS DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN
2015 - 2016
DEPARTMENT: Pupil Services
DEPARTMENT LEADER: Maura Roberts
DATE: 10-22-15
PGSD Continuous Improvement 2015-16
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
TEAM MEMBERS
Department Improvement Team:
Position/Role:
Maura Roberts
Kate Pacitto
Daniel Vorhis
Director of Pupil Services
Supervisor of Special Education
Director of Education and Assessment
Thom Stecher
Alex Fizz
James Dugan
Stacey King
Nancy Miller
Community Member
Community Member
SPE Department Head
SPE Department Head
Nurse/Wellness Coordinator
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
P
Department Improvement Plan
PLAN: Identify the gap and the approach
Do I have a data source? If so, what is it? If not, what data do I need?
There is some data available to support goal three but it is not systemically linked to building procedures in a manner that improves department operations.
Data Analysis. Answer the data analysis questions.
1. What are the key strengths and data to support it?
Some data is available but it does not provide
information on fidelity of implementation, or the
development of strength-based GIEPs
2. What are the key opportunities for Improvement
and the data to support it?
Professional development, additional data sources
and assessment plan for teacher access.
PGSD Continuous Improvement 2015-16
3. What information/data is needed that we do not have?
National Assessments for SWPBIS
Diagnostic and formatives assessment data for SPE and GIEP
teachers.
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
Systemic Challenges relate to systems within a department that have been identified by the Continuous Improvement Team as
areas that, if strengthened, will have the greatest impact your department and the district as a whole. Systemic Challenges are
translated into yearly GOALS and incorporated into the Continuous Improvement Plan. Research-based STRATEGIES are
then selected by the Continuous Improvement Team as means to reach the yearly GOALS. Finally, ACTION STEPS are the
sequential milestones needed to effectively reach the yearly GOAL.
Systemic Challenges
SWPBIS program is not consistently implemented across the district and there is the absence of data used when guiding the development
of the program. Interventions for each tier need to be articulated along with referral process for each tier.
The health, wellness, social and emotional needs of many students within the district are not always met based on building based request
to the pupil services office. Therefore there is a need to expand the capacity of building based staff to provide support to students.
The pupil services department has undergone personnel changes over the past few years. Therefore there is a need to standardize
procedures for the following programs: special education, alternative education, 504 plans, gifted, and paraprofessional requests/training.
The gifted program quality review program has not been fully implemented due to the personnel transitions in the district. Teachers and
LEA representatives at the building level are often not in attendance at GIEP meetings. All district staff need to development a better
understanding of how to support gifted students in the general education setting. Moreover the district screening and identification
procedures are not aligned to best practices
D
GOAL
3
3
3
3
DO: Develop and Implement Deployment Plan
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Department Improvement Plan
Goal #3 Action Plan Worksheet
Goal #3
Establish a district system that fully ensures students who are academically at-risk are identified early and are supported by a
process that provides interventions based upon students needs and includes procedures for monitoring effectiveness.
Indicators of Effectiveness
Data Source
Include dates of implementation
Power school for attendance, suspensions,
expulsions and in-school suspensions, office
discipline referrals, Performance Tracker,
Benchmarks of Quality, Benchmarks of Advanced
Tiers, Self Assessment Survey, behavioral
intervention plans created by BCBA, Social skills
instruction implemented by teachers, development
of performance tracker
Power school for attendance, suspensions,
expulsions and in-school suspensions, office
discipline referrals, Performance Tracker
Development of resiliency action plan for each
building,
Attendance at professional development trainings,
procedures for screening and identification of gifted
students, teacher and LRE participation at gifted
meetings
Department policy and procedures manuals for the
department
Specific targets that will indicate the action plan is having a positive impact.
Student increases in attendance, reduction in suspensions,
reduction in expulsions and reduction in number of in-school
suspensions, reduction of office discipline referrals,
Benchmarks of Quality, Tiered Fidelitly Inventory (TFI), Self
Assessment Survey, behavioral intervention plans created by
BCBA, Social skills instruction implemented by teachers,
development of performance tracker
Is the Indicator summative or
formative?
Both
Power school for attendance, suspensions, expulsions and inschool suspensions, office discipline referrals, Performance
Tracker Development of resiliency action plan for each
building,
Both
Attendance at professional development trainings, procedures
for screening and identification of gifted students, teacher and
LRE participation at gifted meetings
Both
Department policy and procedures manuals for the department
Summative
Strategies
Name, describe and provide the rationale for each strategy selected to address the goal. (Min. of 1)
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
Strategy 2:
Develop an integrated SWPBIS K-12 model for Tiered Intervention Support (MTSS= SWPBIS +RTI)
Continue to expand the health, wellness, social and emotional supports with the district.
Strategy 3:
Develop a plan to implement the recommendations in the gifted program quality review report
Strategy 4:
Develop a K-12 Model for Pupil Services Department.
Strategy 1:
Implementation Plan—Action Steps
Document the action steps that will be taken to implement the strategies in accomplishing the Goal:
Strategy 1: Develop an integrated SWPBIS K-12 model for Tiered Intervention Support (MTSS= SWPBIS +RTI)
Description:
Tier I, Tier II and Tier III training and technical assistance by PaTTAN and MCIU.
Action Step 1:
Implementation Start Date: August 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts along with building based teams
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Attendance at meetings and training sessions
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Building teams require teacher participation, which might result in the need for substitutes coverage or
Optional Identification of
payment.
Anticipated Costs
Buildings will analyze and summarize the Self Assessment Survey and Benchmarks of Quality data
Description:
Action Step 2:
to guide to SWPBIS implementation at the building level.
Implementation Start Date:
August 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Dr. Roberts along with Building based teams
Obtain a baseline score for the building based on the Benchmarks of
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
Quality. Self Assessment Survey will be summarized to determine the
Step has been implemented.
items that are in place, partially in place or not in place at all along with
the number of participants.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Department Improvement Plan
Substitute or teacher costs
Analyze the PBIS Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) (formally referred to as Benchmarks for
Advanced Tiers) data for each building to determine the extent of tier implementation.
Implementation Start Date: August 2016
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Dr. Roberts along with building based teams
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Results of the BAT data by building will indicate degree of
Step has been implemented.
implementation.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Substitutes or teacher costs
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Develop a High School SWPBIS program
Action Step 4:
Implementation Start Date:
August 2016
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Dr. Roberts along with building based teams
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Formation of a HS team, development of program, lesson plans, and
Step has been implemented.
recognition system for Tier I/Universal supports for use in 2016
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Substitute or teacher costs
Anticipated Costs
Analyze the annual staff self-assessment survey (SAS) to assist with the implementation of
Description:
Action Step 5:
building based action plans.
Implementation Start Date:
August 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Dr. Roberts along with building teams
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Result of the SAS for each building regarding implementation.
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Action Step 3:
Description:
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
Compare the frequency of monthly office discipline and in-school suspension and suspension rates
for each building.
Implementation Start Date:
August 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Dr. Roberts summarize building reports received from principals in order to
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
monitor this data over the next few years.
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Creation of a district database with building level data.
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Description:
Performance Tracker set up
Action Step 7:
Implementation Start Date:
August 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Dr. Roberts along with building teams
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Populate the interventions form each tier so teams can track the success
Step has been implemented.
of interventions
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Action Step 6:
Description:
Strategy 2: Build the capacity of a student’s social, emotional and behavioral supports and expand district health and wellness programming to create
active teams in all building with a focus on stress reduction for staff and resiliency for students.
Action Step 1:
Description:
Training for a cohort of teachers who teach special education and gifted students.
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Training materials, meeting notes, and attendance sheets
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Substitutes for teachers if necessary
Anticipated Costs
Training provided to special education teacher and paraprofessional regarding de-escalation
Description:
Action Step 2:
techniques.
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2015
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Attendance sheets and training materials
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Training to special education paraprofessionals regarding mental health strategies.
Action Step 3:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2015
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Attendance Sheets, PowerPoint’s for training
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Implement and manage Pottsgrove Health and Wellness Grant.
Action Step 4:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
July 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Department Improvement Plan

Establish resiliency teams in each building, provide professional
development to team on resiliency, building plans for resiliency for
2016-2017 school year, minutes of meetings, building action plans
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Substitutes for building team meetings/training
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Resiliency training for building based teams.
Action Step 5:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Building based action plans
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Possibly substitutes for teachers to attend training.
Anticipated Costs
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
Step has been implemented.
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Department Improvement Plan
Strategy 3: Review and implement the recommendation form the gifted program quality review report.
Description:
Provide professional development for K-12 gifted teacher regarding best practices.
Action Step 1:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2015
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Attendance at trainings, meeting notes
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Develop a mission statement and philosophy of the district program.
Action Step 2:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Mission statement and program philosophy incorporated into handbook
Step has been implemented.
and website.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Description:
Provide district employees with training regarding characteristics of gifted students and education.
Action Step 3:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Attendance at training
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Costs for trainer covered by Title II.
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Review and revise the gifted identification procedures.
Action Step 4:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
September 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Procedures
Step has been implemented.
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Department Improvement Plan
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
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NO
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Department Improvement Plan
Strategy 4: Develop a K-12 Model for the Pupil Service Department
Description:
Develop, disseminate and provide training on K-12 Special Education Manual.
Action Step 1:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Manuals, meeting minutes, attendance sheets
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Facilitate yearlong Indicator 13 Training for secondary teachers in coordination with Intermediate
Description:
Action Step 2:
Unit
Implementation Start Date:
October 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Manuals, meeting minuets, attendance sheets
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Identification of an information management system that appropriately rosters students, maintains
Description:
current state forms, runs reports and increases efficiency and accountability from current three
Action Step 3:
systems
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
December 2015
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step July
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
2015
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Meeting minutes, attendance sheets, final recommendation
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
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Department Improvement Plan
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Department Improvement Plan
Description:
Review contracts and budget for related services to ensure fiscal responsiveness
Action Step 4:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step July
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
2015
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Contract review, evidence of review of service delivery, competitor
Step has been implemented.
quotes
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Provision of ongoing support and resources for teachers and staff
Action Step 5:
Implementation Start Date:
September 2015
Target Completion Date:
June 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step July
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
2015
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Department meeting agendas, resource artifacts, attendance sheets,
Step has been implemented.
professional development
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Discussion, training, and development of consistent procedures in 504 eligibility determinations
Action Step 6:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
August 2016
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step July
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
2015
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Meeting minutes, attendance sheets, development of board approved
Step has been implemented.
policy, development of procedures, final recommendation
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
YES
(YES or NO)
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Department Improvement Plan
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
Description:
Establishment of clear procedures for ESY eligibility determinations
Action Step 7:
Implementation Start Date:
July 2015
Target Completion Date:
December 2015
Person Responsible for Managing and Monitoring the Action Step July
Maura Roberts and Kate Pacitto
2015
Indicator of Implementation: Evidence that will indicate the Action
 Meeting agendas, procedure artifacts, implementation evidence
Step has been implemented.
Is this Action Step a professional development activity or initiative? If yes, complete the professional development worksheet.
NO
(YES or NO)
Optional Identification of
Anticipated Costs
See district professional development plan
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATIONS PLAN
Every building and department must have a communications (PR) plan. Articulate below your building communications plan using the following as a guideline.
Communication Plan Elements
Provider
By whom?
Date/Frequency
When?
Communication Description
Expectations for Staff Communications and Involvement
Parent Communications (e.g. hotlines, good news calls, etc.)
Special Workshops and Discussion Groups (e.g. math nights, drug awareness,
HW help, etc.).
Principal Communications (e.g. speaking opportunities, newsletters, Twitter,
Facebook, orientation meetings, coffees,
School Visitation Programs
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Pottsgrove School District 2015-16
Communication Plan Elements
Department Improvement Plan
Provider
By whom?
Date/Frequency
When?
Communication Description
Key School Communicators/PR Advisory (Identify people in the system who
know what’s going on and can assist and put them to work on your team.
Utilize as advisors and to provide feedback on your communications efforts).
Connections to Media & Community Groups
Training for Staff (e.g. communication expectations review, updates to keep
staff aware of activities and understand their critical role in building public
confidence as representatives of the school in the community).
Other Methods for Increasing – Pride in Our Schools Campaign (e.g. involve
students, staff and parents in a campaign to increase positive publicity for the
school district),
S
STUDY: Monitor progress to determine if your plan is working.
WHY: Monitoring determines the movement toward attainment of the department’s goals and uses feedback to determine needed midcourse corrections. Monitoring should provide
a window into the current improvement efforts and offer feedback to teams about the quality of their implementation efforts.
WHEN: The Continuous Improvement Plan should have regularly scheduled monitoring to ensure effectiveness (at least 5-10 times annually).
HOW: The continuous improvement team should develop a monitoring plan to review the indicators of implementation (step 5 of action sequence) and indicators of effectiveness in
order to analyze progress, provide feedback and make midcourse corrections as needed. The department leader should be prepared to report out progress during regularly
scheduled cabinet meetings.
A
Act: Analyze evidence of effectiveness and make adjustments.
Directions: Evaluation is the process of making meaning of the entire effort by comparing planned and actual outcomes and then making decisions about what is working and what
is not. For an evaluation process to be quality, it must examine the impact of the continuous improvement effort on the department’s capacity to introduce, establish, and sustain
needed changes in practice. Evaluation occurs at the end of each cycle (3 times annually) at the cycle review conference.
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