Sparks Middle School

Performance Plan

School

MATH/ELA/SCIENCE

CLIMATE AND
CULTURE

Our goal is to ensure strong student

achievement for all students by
focusing on core instructional practices
in implementing NVACS

Through focused professional development, the

core instruction will incorporate effective or
highly effective questioning and discussion
techniques (as measured through administrator
observations by the Danielson 3b components)
in more than 75% of lessons by March 2016.
Due to constraints of the changing assessment
system, we will utilize grade level MAP data to
provide support for all sub-groups. In 2015/16,
our objective is to decrease the number of
students in the low and low average
performance groups by 20%.

Climate and engagement: Sparks Middle School will

achieve student engagement and academic success
through a focus on creating a healthy learning
climate where students and staff are aware of
behavioral expectations, feel safe, and promote
social and emotional learning.

The number of staff agree that there is a strong culture of

respect and fairness at the school site will increase from 67% to
80% as measured by the teacher/staff climate survey for Sparks
Middle School.
Increase the number of families completing the climate survey12% to 40%- as measured by yearly Climate Survey for Sparks
Middle School.
Increase the number of students who agree that they are
academically engaged in their coursework from 59% to 75%.

Decrease the number of major discipline referrals from 941 to 475.

ACTION PLAN
1. Professional Learning: Whole staff development, PLCs, and individualized support

Focus is on NVACs and students doing

the heavy lifting.

Monthly strategic instruction on Understanding

By Design (UBD) provided by RPDP trainers
Nicolette Smith and Kristen Campbell.
Training on the work by John Hattie with Dr.
Sakalaris on high leverage instructional
strategies - questioning and discussion
techniques.
Developed whole school lesson plan template
aligned with the Danielson evaluation rubric

Focus on Fundamental Four Climate and Engagement

Implementation of meaningful school wide expectations - BEAR
Power.
Creation of a unique advisory tracker designed by students,
tailored to fit the needs as decided by the students.
PBL training to support the role of teachers as facilitators and
students thinking critically about reality based issues/problem
solving.
Home Visit program training - 36 faculty members trained
Mandated weekly team PLC meetings focused on student data,
building relationships, and school to home communication.
Bullying instruction on State/District preventative curriculum

Sparks Middle School

Performance Plan

(questioning and discussion techniques).

Book Club focus on Classroom Management
and Student Centered Coaching (Diane
Sweeny).
Weekly PLC meetings with additional support
from Master Teacher and ELL Coach to identify
differentiation strategies.
Mentor Teachers assigned to provide
individualized support for novice teachers.
Weekly Novice Teacher seminar meetings
focused on NVACs and intentional and strategic
instruction on questioning and discussion
techniques.
Master/Mentor teachers modeling best
practices and co-teaching using
questioning/discussion techniques.

School
Professional learning on cultural responsive practices.

2. Family Engagement: Bilingual support for parent advocacy and academic understanding
School-wide events
Community Partnership events
Family & student achievement nights (where families learn about student
performance trends)
Rotational outreach events at our elementary feeder schools focused on
transitions

3. Curriculum/Instruction/Assessment: Correlated with the Teacher Performance Standards and

21st Century Learning.
Curricular Practices
Instructional Strategies
Student Practices
1. Content Collaboration (PLC work)
2. Standards (NVACS & NGSS)
3. Essential Understanding

1. Roles
2. Engaging Students in
Learning
3. Questioning and Discussion

4.
5.
6.
7.

4.
5.
6.
7.

Scope and Sequence

Texts/Materials
Vocabulary
High Expectations

Formative Assessment
Authentic Feedback
Progress Monitoring
Data-based Decision Making

1. Collaboration
2. Project Based Learning
3. Real-World Problem
Solving & Innovation
4. Self-Regulation
5. Grit
6. Skilled Communication
7. Self-Monitoring of
Progress