1
MMUHS ACTION PLAN 2011-2012
All grades writing, all grades reading
SCHOOL:
MMU
DEPARTMENTS: English, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Science,
SCHOOL YEAR: 2011-2012
TEAM MEMBERS: ALL GRADES WRITING/ ALL GRADES READING
DISTRICT GOAL: We will increase student achievement and close the achievement gap in reading and writing in our school.
Reading and Writing
MEASURABLE ALTERNATIVE
WRITING --CURRENT REALITY:
 62% of incoming
Freshmen of low SES are
not proficient in writing
according to NECAP test
results
GOAL: Improve writing
proficiency of all incoming
freshmen, particularly those of
low SES.
STRATEGIES
 Reinforce “professional”
paragraph and essay
models in social studies
and in science curricula
 Students will learn and
practice research writing
skills and research
technology skills in grade 9
English, followed by a
second project in grade 9
social studies
 Grammar connections to
English reinforced in
Foreign Language classes
TIMELINE
INDICATORS
 All 9th grade teachers
English teachers will
provide instruction in and
continue assessing writing
in VCAT Common
Assessments
English teachers will
introduce research paper
structure at end of quarter
2 or beginning of quarter 3
each year
 Social Studies teachers will
require structured writing
(complete sentences) in
some short answers and
will require a complete
“professional” paragraph
in at least one short
answer per unit.
 Environmental Earth
Science teachers will
require “professional”
paragraphs in local
assessment and reinforce
the writing strategy
 Student performance on
common assessments in
VCAT for Grades 9 in Units
on language and writing.
 Student performance in
writing assessments in
history in grades 9
 Student performance in
select units in Earth
Science , notably, in Unit 3,
which requires structured
writing
 Student performance on
Foreign Language Common
Assessments in Latin 1,
Spanish 1 and French 2




PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
English teachers will meet
during common
planning/professional time
or after school to share
best practices in writing
instruction and review
assessments in writing for
DOK levels and students’
scores from previous years
9th English teachers will
share desired learning
outcomes and strategies
for writing with Science
and Social Studies teachers
during co-op meetings
English and Social Studies
teachers will examine
student work in order to
calibrate, refine, and
create benchmarks for
common assessments and
exam scores
Foreign Language Teachers
will meet during common
planning time to address
grammar issues
2
ALL GRADES: WRITING
MEASURABLE ALTERNATIVE
Writing--CURRENT REALITY:
 88% of current 11th grade
students of low SES are
not proficient in writing
GOAL: Improve proficiency in
writing in grades 10-12
particularly those of low SES.
STRATEGIES
All grades
 All English teachers provide
direct instruction to
students in writing and
English grammar.
 Science and social studies
will assess students in
conventions and structures
in their local assessments
________________________
 English department to
review writing structures
and Conventions
curriculum for each grade,
paying particular attention
to classes with high
percentage of low SES
students (10ELA)
TIMELINE
All grades
 On going 2011-2012 School
Year
 Provide more
opportunities for real-life
writing for low- achieving
students through
differentiation
 Begin process in 20112012 curricular
meeting s while discussing
assessments and student
work—continue following
year as we move towards
Common Core Standards
 Begin inclusion of technical
writing instruction
assignments in specific
courses in Grade11
 Provide instruction in
technical writing.
 On going 2011-2012 School
Year
INDICATORS
All grades
 Local Assessments will
include measurement of
grammar, usage,
mechanics and writing
structures
_________________________
 Student results on VCAT
assessments where writing
structures and conventions
are measured
 Assessments that include
writing in English, social
studies and science
reviewed and revised to
ensure required writing
includes “student interest,”
a DI model, in some local
assessments in each
curricular area
 Draft of technical writing
unit (s) for English 11for
Career and College / 11
Technical English
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
 While reviewing common
assessments and student
work in curricular
meetings, teachers will
note student achievement
in writing as measured on
the local assessment
rubrics
 Professional Days or
inservice for some teachers
in grammar instruction and
support staff on
differentiation
 Two members of English,
Social Studies, and Science
departments should
participate in district
curriculum committee
meetings
 Curricular meetings where
student work is examined
will include discussion of
writing instruction and
how to include the
“student interest” aspect
of DI in local assessments
 Teacher will begin to
develop technical writing
units in technical English
classes
3
ALL GRADES READING
MEASURABLE ALTERNATIVE
STRATEGIES
Reading--CURRENT REALITY:
 27% of incoming 9th
grade students of low SES
are not proficient in
reading
 44% of current 11th grade
students of low SES are
not proficient in reading
GOAL: Improve proficiency of
all students in reading,
particularly those of low SES.
 Focus curricular meetings
in English and Social
studies on local and
NECAP assessment data to
determine where students
are not meeting
proficiency
____________________
 Context course for 9th
grade will include direct
instruction of reading
strategies and “Wide
Reading” techniques
 Context course will use
instructional strategies for
building academic
vocabulary
 Evaluate data on SDRT
reading assessment for
students in Context and a
group of students not in
context in a quasi
experiment to determine if
Context students have
greater reading gains.
 English departments to
standardize vocabulary
study in each COURSE.
TIMELINE
All grades
 2011-2012 teachers will
review local and NECAP
assessment data, evaluate
Depth of Knowledge in all
local assessments and
review student work
 For Context study, school
year 2011-2012. Students
will be tested in fall and
spring
_____________________
 2011-2012, Semester 2,
English Courses choose
vocabulary units to teach
and methods for
instruction. (To be done as
each unit is started.)
 2012-2013 Academic
Vocabulary in Science and
Social studies
standardization begins
INDICATORS
All grades
 Teachers will identify areas
of strength and weakness
in the data and student
work and revise
instructional strategies on
VCAT to meet learner’s
needs
 Compare student growth
in reading in context to
student growth in reading
in two other ninth grade
classes
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Focus in all curricular
meetings on Step 4 of
Curriculum Development
cycle—data and assessment
evaluation for improvement
 PD around data-based
school improvement so that
teachers can make
curricular improvements as
they observe local
assessment data.
 PD time to review SDRT
results from quasi
experiment

Vocabulary words and
strategies included in
VCAT by August 2012
_______________________
 PD time during Inservice or
in summer to standardize
vocabulary words
4
MMUHS ACTION PLAN
SCHOOL:
MMU
DEPARTMENT: Math
SCHOOL YEAR: 2011-2012
TEAM MEMBERS: Math Department
MMU DISTRICT GOAL: We will increase student achievement and close the achievement gap in math at MMU.
MEASURABLE ALTERNATIVE
CURRENT REALITY:
 60% of our incoming 9th
grades from low SES are
not proficient in Math
compared with 25 % of
non-low SES population*
 76% of current 11th grade
students from a low SES
are not proficient in
Math, vs 44% of non-low
SES population*
GOAL: Improve math
proficiency rate among all our
students, especially of low SES
students.
* NECAP data (2010)
CURRENT REALITY:
Some students are not prealgebra or algebra ready when
they get to high school.
GOAL: Improve math
readiness of incoming ninth
graders.
*Identify students who are
not pre-algebra and algebra
ready, support sending
schools to ensure student
readiness, and provide
support to identified students
at MMU.
STRATEGIES
 Math teachers will have
daily assignments posted
on web
 Change the schedule so
that most students get one
hour of math instruction
and tutoring every day.
 Use common assessment
and classroom data to
drive improvements in
current and new math
classes (Accelerated Math
and Bridges to Algebra)
 Rework and update
curricula to include new
technology and textbooks
 Update curriculum to
reflect the Common Core
Standards for Mathematics
 Use the Math Lab, after
school tutoring, and
supplemental skill work to
improve student’s skills
 Work with sending schools
and provide clear guidance
in placing incoming
students
 Review data collected,
including NECAP, ShawHiele and semester grade
to help determine student
readiness and support
needs
 Parent contact and
communication to support
student work habits
TIMELINE
 All math homework posted
on the web – Fall 2011
 Schedule one hour of math
for most students for 20112012
 Common assessments
created and entered for all
math classes by spring
2012.
 Ongoing placement and
“drop-in” help for math
INDICATORS
 Common assessments and
assessment data on VCAT
for all classes
 Measure progress through
student performance on
common assessments in
math courses
 Measure progress through
standardized testing
(NECAP math test)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Common Core Standards in
Mathematics
 Professional development in
best practices for providing
math support
 Training on curriculum and
common assessment
development
 Training on using common
assessment data to inform
curriculum and instruction
development/improvement
 Satisfactory grades, C or
higher, in entry math
courses.
 At least 80% of 9th graders
taking Algebra 1
 Department meet with K-8
math teacher leader and two
members should participate
in district curriculum
committee meetings
 Middle and high school
teachers of common courses
(ie: Pre-algebra and Algebra
1) meet to improve
consistency of curriculum
 PD around data-based school
improvement
 Learn about and look at the
Common Core Standards for
Mathematics - Ongoing
 Evaluate support system’s
effectiveness, implement
necessary changes – fall
2011
 Identify and support
identified students ongoing
 Review placement
guidelines each fall
 Meet with middle school
teachers in Jan/Feb each
year to discuss math
placements, course
alignment and readiness
needs.