Download - HEROES K-8 ACADEMY...Located in an older neighborhood in the heart of Pueblo, Heroes K-8 Academy is home to 566 students and 45 certified staff. Six years ago, Somerlid Elementary

HEROES K-8 ACADEMY

MANAGEMENT PARTNERSHIP PLAN

CHARLOTTE MACALUSO, SUPERINTENDENT 315 W. 11TH STREET, PUEBLO, CO 81003

719-549-7148

CONTACT: SUZANNE MOREY, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF

TEACHING AND LEARNING SERVICES

720-334-5862

[email protected]

JUNE 2017

Pueblo City Schools ♦ Heroes K-8 Academy Management Plan ♦ June 2017 |

mailto:[email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ……………………………………………… 3

MANAGEMENT PLAN OVERVIEW ……………………………………………… 4

NEED FOR MANAGEMENT PARTNER ……………………………………………… 4

MISSION AND VISION ……………………………………………… 12

DISTRICT SYSTEMS ……………………………………………… 14

SCHOOL DESIGN PLAN ……………………………………………… 15

ACADEMIC SYSTEMS ……………………………………………… 15

TIME ……………………………………………… 15

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION …..…………………………………………. 18

ASSESSMENT AND DATA ……………………………………………… 27

SPECIAL POPULATIONS ……………………………………………… 29

CULTURE OF PERFORMANCE ……………………………………………… 31

SYSTEMS TO PROMOTE HIGH EXPECTATIONS ………………………………….. 31

CODE OF CONDUCT & DISCIPLINE .……………………………………. 33

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ………………………………………………. 34

TALENT MANAGEMENT ……………………………………………… 36

RECRUITMENT AND HIRING ……………………………………………… 36

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ……………..……………………………….. 38

EVALUATION ……………………………………………… 48

RETENTION ……………………………………………… 48

MANAGEMENT PARTNER ……………………………………………… 48

SELECTION OF PARTNER ……………………………………………… 48

SCOPE OF WORK ……………………………………………… 52

PERFORMANCE CONTRACT/MOU ……………………………………………… 62

COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES ……………………………………………… 62

RESPONSIBILITIES/RIGHTS ……………………………………………… 62

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ……………….……………… 63

SUMMARY ……………………………………………… 67

ATTACHMENTS

1. ANET LETTER OF SUPPORT …….………..…………………….… 68

2. ANET SYSTEM PARTNER FRAMEWORK …….………………………..…….… 69

2. PRINCIPAL MANAGER ACTIVITIES/CALENDAR ….…………..…….…………..…… 71

3. DRAFT CONTRACT ………….………….……….……… 77


Executive Summary

Heroes K-8 Academy intends to initiate an Innovation Plan during the 2017-2018 school year, joining other

elementary and middle schools as part of Pueblo City Schools’ Innovation Zone. The plan is founded on 15

months of preliminary improvements to align school culture, academic expectations, and instructional talent.

Innovation strategies incorporate research- and evidence-based programs focused on rigorous instructional

strategies, proven assessment cycles, student leadership opportunities, schoolwide AVID implementation, and

restorative justice practices.

Located in an older neighborhood in the heart of Pueblo, Heroes K-8 Academy is home to 566 students and 45

certified staff. Six years ago, Somerlid Elementary School and Freed Middle School were combined to create

Heroes K-8 Academy in an attempt to stem their downward spiral in academics and climate. Efforts were

ineffective, leadership transient, and change stagnant. Ratings place the elementary grades on Year 2 and

middle school grades on Year 6 of the Accountability Clock (for Priority Improvement or Turnaround). New

leadership in October 2015 combined with 50% staff turnover and significant community engagement has put

the school on the path to improvement. Heroes Academy 6-8 increased its rating to Priority Improvement –

the first upward movement in over six years. School wide, referrals are down 43.9% since 2013 and out of

school suspensions have decreased 46.2%.

Heroes K-8 Academy has developed an outcome-specific vision and mission:

Vision

Students will leave Heroes K-8 Academy prepared for high school, college, and beyond without remediation.

Mission

At Heroes Academy, we are committed to providing a positive and safe environment where the focus is on

student achievement and everyone is held accountable for their actions. Three strategic goals focus our

efforts:

1) improving student academic achievement and growth, specifically in language arts and math;

2) developing a culture of performance and achievement for students and adults alike; and

3) fostering a positive, safe student culture.

The community surrounding Heroes Academy experiences significant violence and gang activity which

influences the poor school climate, spotlighting the need to provide students with tangible character-building

skills. Our plan, therefore, reconfigures professional learning and instructional scheduling to incorporate AVID

strategy development at all grade levels. Title I funds will be used to hire an Innovation Programs/AVID

Coordinator to oversee program implementation, including enrichment and leadership academies. Our AVID

coordinator will coach teachers in school-wide AVID implementation practices to support our underachieving


students. In addition, a Restorative Justice Coordinator will be hired to oversee the integration of restorative

practices throughout the building, including conflict resolution and alternatives to suspension.

Innovation denotes change for improvement, taking a leap forward using non-traditional methods for

academic reform. Our goal is to significantly strengthen teacher confidence and competence in the

implementation of differentiated, data-driven instruction. We will focus on establishing teaching and learning

cycles that include unpacking standards, writing intentional lesson plans, administering rigorous assessments,

and understanding data. General funds will be used to hire an additional Assistant Principal to help build

instructional capacity and academic systems through the use of the observation/feedback model and weekly

data meetings. A middle school math instructional coach will be hired to work directly with teachers in

classrooms to strengthen instructional practices aligned to standards. A Title I-funded K-5 Reading

Interventionist will provide support for students with Significant Reading Deficiencies.

To accomplish our ambitious academic goals of accelerating student achievement, Heroes will need and is committed to a robust management partnership with the Achievement Network (ANet). The Achievement Network (ANet) in collaboration with school and district administration will provide the structure, coaching, and accountability for these reforms. Actions will include job-embedded instructional coaching and implementation of data-driven professional learning communities, school-wide professional development to broaden teachers’ “toolbox” of standards-aligned teaching strategies, interim student assessments to drive instructional planning and delivery, and leadership development for both school and district administration to ensure school systems are fully developed to support innovation initiatives. Both the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and the Executive Director of Continuous Learning and Innovation have extensive background in turnaround and will work hand-in-hand with ANet coaches to provide accountability and weekly coaching support to the Heroes principal and the Heroes leadership team throughout the year.

To enact innovation, Heroes K-8 Academy requests waivers for: teacher and administrator work schedules;

extended school year/school day; employee recruitment, hiring, compensation, stipends, evaluation;

Professional Learning Communities and professional development scheduling; non-traditional staffing for

non-core subject areas include the utilization of community experts and volunteers; assessment scheduling;

and the use of assessment tools and methods beyond those required by CDE or Pueblo City School District 60.

Rationale for waivers reflect the need for autonomy and flexibility to meet the school’s unique needs and our

willingness to actively partner with and learn from fellow Innovation Zone schools.

Management Plan Overview

Need for Management Partner

Background

Located in an older neighborhood in the heart of Pueblo, Heroes K-8 Academy is home to 566 students and 45


instructional staff. In August 2012, Pueblo School District 60 (PSD 60) students from Somerlid Elementary

School and Freed Middle School were combined, and Heroes Academy was born. Combining the two schools

did not immediately establish a cohesive K-8 environment and success-oriented educational philosophy.

Between 2012 and 2014, Heroes had three different principals; both school climate and academic outcomes

declined.

Heroes has experienced positive change, with added stability during the 2016-17 school year. Half of the staff

has been replaced with highly qualified, enthusiastic teachers. Less effective practices are being eliminated to

be replaced with evidence-based strategies. The 2016-2017 school year has focused on laying the foundation

for innovation, readying staff, students, parents and the community to envision education as key to individual

and community success. Foundational elements include improving student academic achievement and

growth, specifically in language arts and math, developing a culture of performance and achievement for

students and adults alike, and fostering a positive, safe student culture.

Demographics

Currently there are 283 students in K-5 and 283 students in grades 6-8. The following tables outline the

school’s demographics:

Somerlid

Elementary

K-5

Yearly

Attendance

Free or

Reduced

Lunch Eligible

Students

Students

with Special

Needs

Gifted &

Talented

Students

ELL

Students

Minority

Students

School Mobility

Rate (District

Mobility Rate)

2011-2012 95.6% 77.4% 13.6% 1.7% 6.6% 66% 42.3% (20.1%)

Heroes Academy Grades K-5 formed

2012-2013 93.0% 89.3% 13.8% 1.0% 8.6% 69.3% 28.7% (22.3%)

2013-2014 89.0% 81.0% 17.0% 1.0% 9.3% 69.5% 16.0% (12.9%)

2014-2015 88.8% 87.2% 13.4% 0.3% 7.5% 73.4% 18.0% (14.7%)

Heroes K-8 Academy Leadership Stabilized

2015-2016 90.1% 79.9% 13.4% 0.0% 7.1% 76.3% 27.9% (15.0%)

2016-2017 90.95%

(4/10/17)

88.2% (10/2016)

18.79% (4/10/17)

0.0% (as of

4/10/17)

5.3% (4/10/17)

73.05% (4/10/17)

unavailable


Freed Middle

School

Grades 6-8

Yearly

Attendance

Free or

Reduced

Lunch Eligible

Students

Students

with Special

Needs

Gifted &

Talented

Students

ELL

Student

s

Minority

Students

School Mobility

Rate (District

Mobility Rate)

2011-2012 88.51% 77.87% 18.3% 5.4% 8% 68% 33.3% (25.7%)

Heroes Academy Grades 6-8 formed

2012-2013 89.07% 76.29% 21.6% 7.2% 7.9% 70% 20% (12.9%)

2013-2014 88.14% 77.42% 22.9% 3.8% 8.3% 69% 21.3% (12.8%)

2014-2015 84.91% 80.68% 30% 5.4% 12.5% 67% 25.6% (15.0%)

Heroes K-8 Academy Leadership Stabilized

2015-2016 87.45% 78.9% 23% 4.5% 13% 70.18% 25.5% (15.0%)

2016-2017 88.11% 85.30% 19% 2.87% 10.04% 74.91% unavailable

Since Heroes Academy was formed, mobility rates have increased and remain significantly higher than the

district mean of 17%. The percent of minority students has increased. While fewer elementary students are

eligible for free/reduced lunch rates, the middle school percentage has increased. The school houses four

center-based Special Education programs: two (2) for students with Significant Emotional Disabilities, one (1)

for students with Autism, and one (1) for students with Intellectual Disability. Together, special needs students

comprise nearly one-fifth of the student body.

Academic Achievement and Growth

During the 2015-2016 school year, Heroes Academy partnered with Colorado Department of Education’s

Turnaround Network to provide more targeted support to the school and its new leadership. A model of

continuous improvement is used, as the Turnaround Support Network Manager meets with the school

leadership team at least once per quarter, and leadership attends professional development specific to school

reform. Improvement is monitored using an online Progress Monitoring Tool that details the school’s major

improvement strategies, action steps, and implementation benchmarks. The effort is leading to both

academic and school climate change. Yet, there is much more to accomplish. The school received its

accreditation ratings for the 2015-2016 school year in October 2016. Heroes Academy K-5 dropped its rating

to Turnaround. However, Heroes Academy 6-8 increased its rating to Priority Improvement – the first upward

movement in over six years. Ratings place the elementary grades on Year 2 and middle school grades on Year

6 of the Accountability Clock (for Priority Improvement or Turnaround). A longitudinal view of student

performance conveys strengths, progress and challenges.

Strengths (TCAP): ● Students in grades 3-8 made adequate growth in math in years 2012, 2013 and 2014.


● Minority and Free and Reduced lunch students in grades 3-8 made adequate growth in math and writing for 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Challenges (TCAP):

● The school did not meet the median adequate growth percentile in reading or writing for 2012, 2013, 2014 (with the exception of grades 3-5 in writing which made adequate growth in 2014

. Strengths (PARCC):

● The middle school grades are approaching Median Growth Percentile (MGP) in ELA in 2016, including that for FRL-eligible students (41st percentile), minority students (39th percentile), and students with disabilities (39th percentile).

● The middle school grades are approaching MGP in Math at the 40th percentile in 2016 for FRL-eligible students.

● 3rd grade, 5th grade, 7th grade and 8th grade increased the percentage of students who met expectations for proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) between 2015 and 2016.

● 8th grade increased the percentage of students who met expectations for proficiency in Math between 2015 and 2016.

● ELA: In 2016, 6th grade MGP was 52.0, above the district and state percentile. Females’ MGP was at the 53rd percentile, outscoring the district. Non-minority students MGP was at the 53rd percentile, outscoring the district and state.

● Math: In 2016, non-minority students made MGP at the 52nd percentile, outscoring the district. Challenges (PARCC):

● Neither the elementary or middle school grades met the state expectation for academic achievement for 2016.

● K-5 students did not meet growth expectations in any content or subgroup in 2016. ● The lowest growth areas continue to be English Language Learners, minority students, and students

with disabilities, according to the 2016 School Performance Framework. Strengths (DIBELS Next)

● The number of students at benchmark continues to increase from 47% of students in 2014 to 65% of students in 2016.

● The number of students requiring intensive support continues to decrease 01634% of students in 2014 to 19% of students in 2016.

● The number of K-3 students with a significant reading deficiency (SRD) has decreased from 35% in 2014 to 18% in 2016.

English Language Arts (ELA) and Math have been selected as primary targets for improvement. Because the

school serves over 70% minority students, achievement and growth must be demonstrated by all students,

not just non-minorities. Academic success is challenging for the school's English Language Learners, many of

whom do not demonstrate grade level mastery or state expectations. Additionally, with a large percentage of

students on IEPs, focus needs to be placed on increasing their achievement and growth. If the school closes

the achievement gaps for those students, the majority of the students will demonstrate growth toward


meeting the state expectations on the standards. Realigning the expectations and competencies of staff and

students requires innovative solutions in differentiated instruction, embedded professional development, use

of data, student engagement, and linking education to future skills and postsecondary success.

School Climate

The school serves a unique community with students who are afraid to fail and, therefore, do not make the

effort needed to be successful. During the 2015-2016 school year, the school staff focused on improving

student and staff culture realizing that until they improved the overall school climate, it would be unlikely they

would see a dramatic improvement in student achievement.

The school staff recognized it had to

establish a more positive, safer culture

and climate where every student felt

like he/she had an adult who cared for

them. The school staff also had to

address the high number of disciplinary

issues which took students away from

learning. The school also believed that

changing school climate would help

improve student attendance. This focus

has continued during the 2016-2017

school year while beginning to focus on adding rigor to academic expectations and instructional strategies.

Out of school suspensions have decreased in the

past three years from 437 (2012-13) to 300

(2013-14) to 272 (2014-15). Out of school

suspensions continued to decrease in 2016 to

235 and the school met its goal of decreasing

the number of office discipline referrals.

Restorative Justice practices were introduced

during the 2016-17 school year as a positive

alternative to detentions or suspensions. Heroes

Academy plans to grow this program significantly during innovation implementation.

Elementary grades attendance has remained relatively stable over the last three years with a rate of 93%.

Middle school grades attendance remained stable from 2013 to 2014 at 88% then experienced a temporary

decline to 85% in 2015 but rebounded to previous levels this year. Overall attendance is still not where

leadership would like it to be, but progress has definitely been made.


How Management Partnership Will Result in Greater Student Learning

Although the school’s improvement plan has focused on increasing student achievement and improving

student and staff culture, barriers to systemic improvement still remain. Our school’s innovation plan

addresses those barriers, as detailed in the table below.

Major

Improvement

Categories

Barriers to successful

implementation of the current

school improvement plan

requiring innovation status

How the innovation process will address the barriers

Student

Achievement

● Because students have not

received training in

personal efficacy, the

student culture lacks an

academic growth mindset. ● Current middle school

programming lacks

sufficient accountability for

students to demonstrate

mastery of grade-level

standards. ● Instructional practice lacks

consistent systematic Tier I

pedagogy and knowledge

and delivery of a variety of

instructional best practices.

● Purposeful teaching and learning strategies through

AVID and enrichment/leadership academies offer

meaningful, high-interest and engaging learning

opportunities, leading to students invested in their

own learning. ● The innovation plan provides a safety net for students

who have not demonstrated mastery of grade-level

standards. Consistent with district policy, the plan

allows the school time and resources to offer unit

recovery in ELA and Math during enrichment

academies. ● Teacher leaders and administrators will provide

needs-based professional development and 1:1

coaching in ELA and math focused on: unpacking the

standards, standards-aligned lesson planning, Teaching

and Learning Cycle, guided reading strategies, and

instructional strategies in mathematical conceptual

understandings. ● Using AVID and ANet resources and coaching, the

school will develop a common lesson plan template

which includes standards-aligned objectives, whole

group instructional best practices, differentiated

instruction, checks for understanding, exit tickets, and

other monitoring of learning strategies and quality

feedback.


Student Culture ● Because students have not

received training in personal

efficacy, students lack social

intelligence to feel empathy

for the school community

and their peers.

● The additional resources provided by the plan allow

the school to implement Restorative Justice and full

implementation of Thriving Learning Communities

(character education), bolstering students’ sense of

self and others.

Staff Culture

● The current school district

calendar and staffing

formula limit the amount of

collective meeting

opportunities. Staff

currently only meets as a

collective group for monthly

professional development.

Grade level PLCs are limited

to 40 minutes one time per

week during the school day..

● Leadership capacity within

the building is narrowed

because of limited staff

positions due to school

budget constrictions. This

has led to just a few people

leading change and reform,

with few opportunities to

build leadership capacity

within the school.

● Staff was not consistently

and fully invested in

previous school reform

efforts.

● The innovation plan provides time for and staff to

facilitate weekly vertical (subject area) and horizontal

(grade level) articulation PLCs through an extended

workday for teachers. Middle school teachers will

meet with their peers in PLCs at least two times per

week with focused topics. In addition, staff will receive

weekly professional development.

● Additional leadership positions will allow shared

leadership opportunities to facilitate ongoing staff

communication and transparency, ensure fidelity in

Focused Teaching and Learning and support

implementation of the Innovation Plan.

● Peer coaching and mentoring, additional professional

development days, and the autonomy to develop

enrichment/leadership courses for students will result

in increased teacher and leadership capacity,

connection with peers, and a sense of belonging.

● The innovation plan is a teacher-led effort. Designed by

teachers in collaboration with the principal, a collective

voice is evident in the plan. Innovation allows staff to

commit to a common vision and inclusion in an

Innovation Zone allows staff to collaborate on a greater

scale with like-minded peers who understand the sense

of urgency to improve their schools.

The key to accelerating instructional capacity is two-fold: focus on the most pressing issues and provide the

Heroes teachers and leaders with intense and direct support, coaching, and professional development

needed to successfully address those issues.

Going into the 2017-18 school year, Heroes will focus on the following pressing issues:

1. Consistent, systemic Tier 1 focused instructional practices and standards-aligned lesson planning

grounded in use of data

2. Increasing teacher understandings of a variety of instructional strategies that will both engage


student learners as well as meet their differentiated academic and social-emotional needs.

3. Incremental, prioritized and targeted professional development related to student needs,

teacher competencies and job-embedded classroom feedback.

4. Creating a risk-free, positive school culture in which students experience success, including

school-wide AVID and restorative justice practices.

Pueblo City Schools has been strategic in the selection of The Achievement Network (ANet) to support the

implementation of Heroes’ Innovation Plan. The Achievement Network, in collaboration with school and

district administration, will be able to accelerate the school’s development by providing the structure,

coaching, and accountability for these reforms. (Details regarding the ANet partnership and ANet’s

background can be found in various sections throughout this document, including: “Assessment and Data,”

“Professional Development,” and “Management Partnership.”) ANet will support the school in training

instructional coaches and administration to provide job-embedded instructional coaching to teachers and

implementation of data-driven professional learning communities, school-wide professional development to

establish consistency across grade levels, interim student assessments to drive instructional planning and

delivery, and leadership development for both school and district administration to ensure school and district

systems are fully developed to support innovation initiatives.

The strength of the ANet instructional tools and coaching will enhance Heroes’ capacity to support strong

instructional practices. They will also help us to develop and facilitate professional learning aligned to our

needs and provide online instructional resources aligned to the standards. Through this intensive

management partnership, ANet will help Heroes’ leadership to build school level systems of support needed

to fully implement our innovation plan. ANet’s model of support is grounded in the following four

components:

1. Job-embedded instructional coaching and professional learning;

2. Access to the ANet network and group learning events;

3. Instructional tools and resources; and

4. Interim assessments.

ANet, our selected management partner, will use three key metrics to progress monitor the goals and

objectives collaboratively set at Heroes during August, 2017: 1. School Leader Practice Tracking: ANet’s experience and results analysis has shown that schools

meeting practice goals is a key driver of school-wide improvement and student success. ANet

partners will assist Heroes with setting annual practice goals on ANet’s research-based Leader

Levers rubric. The ANet coach will monitor progress toward those goals using their practice

tracking app and will review quarterly progress on the corresponding practice tracking

dashboard. ANet’s Leader Levers rubric will guide ANet’s coaching and help Heroes make

concrete improvements over time.


2. School Classroom Instructional Practice: The ANet team will use the Student Achievement

Partners’ (SAP) Core Actions to ensure teachers and school leaders are able to identify Key

Shifts in instruction. This tool will be used while examining the quality and rigor alignment of

lesson plans and when conducting classroom observations. By explicitly looking for evidence of

high quality instruction that is based on the Common Core and other rigorous standards, the

ANet coach will be able to help deepen teachers’ and school leaders’ understanding of the

standards and support them in translating standards knowledge into standards-aligned

instruction.

3. Student Achievement: Ultimately, ANet’s work is about improving student learning. As such,

ANet will be accountable to helping Heroes outperform the state on average student

achievement gains in ELA and math, based on year-end summative exams including the PARCC

assessment. ANet’s Organizational Effectiveness team will assess student performance growth

over the previous year and compare average student outcomes in ANet schools with those

realized by the state.

Both our newly hired Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and the Executive Director of

Continuous Learning and Innovation have extensive background in turnaround and will work alongside ANet

consultants in providing hands-on accountability and weekly coaching support to the Heroes principal and

senior staff throughout the year.

Mission and Vision

HEROES = Honor •Excellence •Respect •Organized •Eager to Succeed

The school’s previous mission and vision were too generalized and lacked a clear focus. They could not be

articulated by stakeholders and did not drive school improvement efforts. Leadership changes have inhibited

the school’s momentum toward a single vision steeped in a culture of performance and achievement. In

2016-17, staff and community focused on creating the school’s new mission and vision which generated three

strategic goals: 1) improving student academic achievement and growth, specifically in language arts and

math; 2) developing a culture of performance and achievement for students and adults alike; and 3) fostering

a positive, safe student culture.

Mission

At Heroes Academy,

we are committed to providing a positive and safe environment

where the focus is on student achievement

and everyone is held accountable for their actions.

Vision

Students will leave Heroes K-8 Academy prepared for


high school, college, and beyond without remediation.

The school will achieve its vision through:

● High quality, student-centered, data-driven instruction;

● High achievement expectations for all students;

● Engaging learning experiences;

● Positive, caring and nurturing relationships;

● A safe, respectful and positive learning environment;

● Opportunities for student creativity, critical thinking and problem solving;

● Productive partnerships between parents, students, staff and community; and ● The belief that all students can succeed.

The innovation plan was developed around the school’s mission and vision. Focusing on an improved student

culture will lead to a more positive and safe environment. Motivating learning experiences coupled with

purposeful teaching strategies will increase student achievement. Heroes detailed innovation plan, Pueblo

Innovation Zone requirements, and collaboration with ANet as Heroes managing partner, will continue to

provide the needed resources and training we have begun to implement during this past year and will hold

both students and staff accountable for adhering to the plan’s high expectations.

Student Learning Outcomes

Reading/Writing

● Through its external management partnership with Achievement Network, Heroes students in grades

2-8 will meet or exceed the network on 80% of overall performance on standards, as measured by the

A3 cycle data meeting report in March 2018.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for ELA overall on the

spring 2018 PARCC.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above on the spring 2018

PARCC for all disaggregated groups.

● Grades K-5 will decrease the percentage of students reading Well Below Benchmark level, making Well

Above Average Progress, as measured by the Amplify Progress Planning Tool.

Math

● Through its external management partnership with Achievement Network, Heroes students in grades

2-8 will meet or exceed the network on 80% of overall performance on standards, as measured by the

A3 cycle data meeting report in March 2018.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for Math overall on

the spring 2018 PARCC.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for Math on the


spring 2018 PARCC for all disaggregated groups.

Student Culture

● Decrease number of failures in all core classes in 2018 to less than 10% of 2017 numbers. (Baseline 3rd

quarter in 2017 shows 20% of students failing in ELA; 42% of students failing in Math; 40% of students

failing in Science; and 21% of student failing in Social Studies.)

● Increased student daily attendance from 88% in 2017 to 93% or better in 2018.

● Decrease discipline referrals from 894 (baseline May 2017) K-8 to less than 500 in 2018.

● Decrease out-of-school suspensions from 297 (baseline May 2017) K-8 to less than 100 in 2018.

District Systems

Accountability and Supervision

The schools in the Pueblo Innovation Zone believe that the implementation of innovations will be stronger with increased, consistent district support. Each zone principal is coached and evaluated by the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. Weekly ½ day coaching sessions of the principal will provide direct observation/feedback of the real work including: coaching of teachers, classroom walkthroughs (instructional rounds), facilitation of data driven PLCs, facilitation of whole staff professional development, and facilitation of Instructional Leadership Team Meetings. Particular attention will be given to monitoring and supporting leadership voice and effective implementation of identified change initiatives and “next steps” identified in monthly walkthroughs. (This process is outlined in the next paragraph.) The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation will be coached in at least one of our three management partnership schools weekly by the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and will work alongside ANet coaches in support of the school and principal development. Again, time spent in the building by the Assistant Superintendent will be engaged in observation of the real work, not just spent in discussion about the work. The Assistant Superintendent, Executive Director, ANet coach, and Heroes Principal will work collaboratively to ensure that innovations described in this plan are implemented and evaluated for effectiveness. The Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services, Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation, ANet Executive Director, and Principal will conduct monthly building walkthroughs to monitor overall progress towards innovation plan implementation and management partnership plan implementation at both the district and school levels. Course corrections will be collaboratively determined based upon data collected, and monthly targets and school/district next steps set. Implementation of these next steps will be monitored through weekly coaching outlined in the previous paragraph. A quarterly written report will be created by this team to be shared with the Pueblo City Schools Superintendent, Pueblo City Schools Board of Education, and CDE Turnaround partners. All Innovation Zone principals, including the Heroes principal, will meet monthly under the direction of the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation, in addition to monthly K-12 principal professional development sessions. The instructional leadership topics for the 2017-18 school year will be focused on the following three areas: observation/feedback practices, data-driven instructional practices at the school, grade, and classroom levels, and building a positive school culture. These topics will be aligned to build upon Relay Graduate School protocols. The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and


Innovation is a Relay graduate and the Assistant Superintendent has foundational Relay training and will be attending year-long Relay training in 2017-18. ANet partners assigned to Heroes and the district are also trained in Relay practices which again, will support a cohesive approach to leadership and the school’s development. Other mandated and important operational topics relevant to the principalship will also be provided as appropriate. The role of the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation is, by design, founded in advocacy. This role is crucial in advancing the district system toward a differentiated, flexible, equitable approach for supporting the highest need schools. He/she meets regularly one-on-one with each principal for coaching and school planning. The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement evaluates all principals in the Innovation Zone and, as needed, will be involved in the principal selection and will utilize the Turnaround Leader Competencies in the process. Additionally, the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation serves as a liaison between district departments.

District Systems Each district department including, Human Resources, Learning Services, and Finance has identified a point person who works collaboratively with the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation to achieve the following goals.

● Increase awareness and understanding of the Innovation Plan and implement waivers specific to the department.

● Identify and work to resolve potential barriers to implementation. ● Develop processes and procedures to ensure compliance and adherence with the

Innovation Plan. ● Identify areas, processes, practices that can be widely disseminated to benefit the

entire PSD 60 organization. ● Foster and support growth towards a continuous improvement model.

This point person will be versed in the needs of each innovation school and each innovation school plan. Their role is to ensure that whenever possible, District practices are able to fully support the flexibilities of each innovation school. For example, one of our innovation schools has recently created a new job description which necessitates rethinking how we might post and compensate this role. HR is working to ensure we figure out how to accommodate this school specific request. It is also important to note that additional monies have been allocated by the district to fully fund this intensive management partnership plan and Heroes’ school specific innovation plan. In addition to the regularly allocated PPA district formula funding and grant monies received by the school, the district has allocated more than $300,000 to support Heroes’ turnaround needs for the 2017-18 school year. These monies will fully pay for the ANet management partnership agreement. They will also enable the hiring of additional staff including an assistant principal and instructional coach; and teacher and leader compensation including 5 additional professional development days and pay for performance incentives aligned to other schools in the district’s Innovation Zone. These items are included each year in the five year projected budget for the school.

School Design Plan

Academic Systems


Time The current school district calendar and staffing formula limit the amount of collective meeting opportunities.

Staff currently only meets as a group for monthly professional development. Grade level PLCs are limited to

40 minutes one time per week, with frequent interruptions. Students attend school 8:25 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and from 8:25 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. on Fridays. Middle school students take four (4)

content area classes and have three (3) electives. Monday through Thursday allows classes of 49 minutes

each, while Friday’s shortened schedule allows classes of a mere 39 minutes each.

In the Innovation Plan, students will attend from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from

8:30 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. on Fridays. Core instruction will take place from 9:10 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. The Eagle Hour

advisory period (40 minutes daily between 8:30 and 9:10 a.m.) will be used to teach intentional AVID

strategies, to teach bully prevention and character education curriculums, and to build positive

student-teacher and student peer-to-peer bonds. Monday through Thursday between 2:35 and 3:30 p.m. will

be used for enrichment and leadership academies.

Innovation allows us to differentiate the teacher’s workday to allow for more PLC and professional

development opportunities, not limited by contract-defined schedules and district staffing limitations. We

seek to apply the Innovation Zone waivers to flexibly create a calendar and daily schedule that includes

Professional Learning Community (PLC) time for specific groups of teachers, collaboration, data and

instructional days.

Elementary, special education, and elective teachers will attend PLC’s/PD per the following schedule: One (1)

PD weekly, one (1) grade level PLC every two weeks and one (1) subject-area PLC monthly. Elementary,

special education, and elective teachers work from 7:40 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on PLC/PD Days and from 8:15 a.m.

to 3:45 p.m. on non-PLC/PD Days and 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Fridays. They will work an equal number of

hours as the middle school teachers.

Middle School teachers work from 7:40 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:15 a.m. to

2:45 p.m. on Fridays. PLC’s/PD will run 7:40 to 8:10 a.m. Monday through Thursday. They will have one

9-week period off during the academy time (2:35-3:45) to make up for the additional contract hours. They will

work an equal number of hours as the elementary school teachers.

PLC’s will consist of vertical articulation, horizontal articulation, and data dialogue meetings with middle

school meeting four days per week and elementary meeting one to three days per week according to the

schedule outlined above.

Innovation status will allow teachers to work outside of the district contract. Teachers will work a mandatory

additional five (5) days at the beginning of the school year to participate in professional development and

data-related meetings. Data analysis will involve PARCC, CMAS, Achievement Network interim assessment

results, previous year’s i-Ready end of year diagnostic assessment results, and end of year DIBELS results.


Teachers will receive a stipend consistent with other innovation schools for additional work days. Professional

development topics are outlined after this section.

Proposed Daily Schedule for Elementary Classroom Teachers,

ES/MS Electives Teachers, ESS Teachers

Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7:40-8:20

40 minutes

Teacher PLCs: 1 every other week for grade

level data analysis + 1 every month for content

area

Teacher PD

Every week

8:30-9:10

40 minutes

EAGLE HOUR: Advisory—all teachers teach AVID strategies & Character

Education

9:10-3:30

(M-Th)

9:10-2:35 (F)

ES students will have a normal day. Academies may be phased in when staff is

ready.

Proposed Daily Schedule for MS Academic Core Teachers

Times Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7:40-8:20

40 minutes

TEACHER PLCs: Content area PLC, grade level PLC, data

analysis PLC

Teacher PD

8:30-9:10

40 minutes

EAGLE HOUR: Advisory—all teachers teach AVID strategies & Character Education


9:10-2:35 ES students will have a normal day.

MS students will have 4 core content classes and 1 elective. Periods approximately 57

minutes long.

2:35-3:30

55 minutes

Academy 1 Academy 2 Academy 1 Academy 2 Early Release

Friday

Curriculum and Instruction At Heroes K-8 Academy, curriculum is an important aspect of focused teaching and learning. The core

curriculum is aligned to PSD 60’s curriculum maps and Achievement Network’s Schedule of Assessed

Standards and is augmented through various resources to enhance inquiry-based discovery, critical thinking,

and problem-solving instruction.

English Language Arts

The English Language Arts (ELA) program at Heroes K-8 will be a reading and writing program that integrates

speaking and listening. It will be informed and guided by Common Core and Colorado Academic Standards for

ELA and is integrated into all content areas throughout the day. Students will be taught reading to become

fluent readers in a print-rich environment. A multi-faceted approach will incorporate the study of phonics,

structural analysis, and word work are essential components of decoding instruction. Skills and strategies will

be taught in a meaningful context using authentic texts. Students will receive direct instruction in

comprehension skills such as finding the main idea, retelling, comparing, inferring, and summarizing.

Students will be taught to convey their ideas by using a specific writing process. While reading, they will

discover the features of different genres, as well as the techniques used by authors. During the writing

process, students will collect and develop related ideas, draft and revise their writing pieces, testing out

various possible alternatives modeled by teachers, edit their work, which involves the correction of grammar

and conventions; publish a final draft; and celebrate by sharing their work with an audience that may include

peers, parents, teachers, and/or administrators.

Our approach engages children in a variety of reading and writing experiences that model powerful examples

of effective literacy practices using fiction and nonfiction texts. Students will learn in a supportive environment

where lessons are designed with appropriate scaffolding to meet the needs of all. A gradual and anticipated

release of responsibility from teacher to student will move learners along a planned continuum on their

journey toward independence. Literacy elements feature read alouds, shared reading, guided reading,

independent reading, word work, shared and interactive writing, writing workshop, and independent writing.


Our ELA curriculum and resources are outlined below:

Grade Level ELA Scope and Sequence/Curriculum Resources Used

K PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map HMH Journeys; Step Up to Writing

1 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map HMH Journeys; Step Up to Writing

2 Achievement Network Schedule of

Assessed Standards

HMH Journeys; Step Up to Writing


Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards

HMH Journeys; Document Based Questions (DBQ)


Assessed Standards

HMH Collections; Document Based Questions (DBQ)


Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards


Mathematics

Heroes K-8 Academy will incorporate a dynamic approach to mathematics. By using Common Core and

Colorado State Standards to guide classroom instruction, mathematics will be taught using an integrative

approach which grounds students in applying math skills to relatable problems. By teaching fundamental skills

using a real-world approach, students will be both exposed to skills and learn them in a meaningful context.

Our mathematics approach is truly a student-centered approach which will be continually adapted to the

student. Allowing students to make mistakes and correct those mistakes within the classroom creates a

learning environment in which students can grow and learn.

Our Math curriculum and resources are outlined below:


Grade Level Mathematics Scope and

Sequence/Curriculum

Resources Used

K PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map HMH Math Expressions

1 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map HMH Math Expressions


Assessed Standards

HMH Math Expressions


Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards



Assessed Standards

Glencoe Course 1


Assessed Standards

Glencoe Course 2


Assessed Standards

Glencoe Course 3

Social Studies

Heroes Academy will take the opportunity, within the context of social studies curriculum, to develop school

culture and citizenship for all students. Pueblo is known as the “Home of Heroes” for having the greatest

number of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients per capita of any city in the United States. Heroes

Academy students will embrace its namesake to develop school culture and a sense of “Duty” and “Honor”

among its students. Part of the shift will be accomplished through the development of social studies

curriculum with attention to the Colorado State Standards with special attention to Civics and Historical

figures in orienting the mindset of students toward success and strong work ethic.

Heroes K-8 Academy will follow the 2017-18 Social Studies scope and sequence as organized by PSD 60 and be

supplemented with blended, online learning resources, project-based learning applications, document based

question resources for Civics, U.S. History, World History, and extended social studies offerings in enrichment

classes. In addition, Heroes’ students will be presented with a civics-enriched curriculum. Students across all

middle school grade levels will engage in two document based question (DBQ) units on Civics in addition to


the use of DBQ curriculum. The reading, writing, and research process will engage students in learning social

studies through critical thinking.

Our Social Studies curriculum and resources are outlined below:

Grade Level Social Studies Scope and

Sequence/Curriculum

Topics Covered

K PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Neighborhoods, Local Geography

1 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Neighborhoods, Local Geography

2 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Neighborhoods, Local Geography

3 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Local Communities and Regions

4 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Colorado History

5 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map US. History/ Civics/ U.S. Geography/ Explorers, U.S.

Colonies, Revolutionary War, U.S. Constitution

6 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map World Geography/ Civics/ Western Hemisphere:

History, Culture, Economics and Personal Finance

7 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map Eastern Hemisphere Geography/ Civics/World

History: Economics, Culture and Current Events

8 PCSD 60’s Curriculum Map U.S. history from the U.S. Constitution through

Reconstruction and focus on the Colorado Model

Standards for History, Economics, and Civics

Science Science at Heroes K-8 Academy will be inquiry-based with a focus on experiential learning and critical thinking. In anticipation of ever-changing vocational requirements, Heroes’ culture of exploration and discovery will provide a rich environment for idea collaboration. Teaching our students how to process and question information is both central and seminal to Heroes’ approach. Specific emphasis will focus on collecting, organizing, interpreting, and communicating data from real-world experiences. Science experiences will empower our students and provide them with lifelong skills, no matter what career path they ultimately follow. This approach to science instruction will require the school to seek additional resources from grants and community support. Colorado Science Standards and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) will be used. The K-8 science focus is based on NGSS curriculum approaches, as listed below:


Grade

Level

Science Scope and

Sequence/Curriculum

Topics Covered

K Colorado Science Standards and

Next Generation Science Standards

Investigations, Plants and Animals, Motion, Weather,

Waves/Sound, Topography

1 Colorado Science Standards and










Classification of Organisms, Ecosystems, Patterns of

Change



Light, Morphology, Energy/Fuels, Magnetism, Waves,

Weathering/Erosion



Matter, Particles, Plant Growth, Geosphere, Biosphere,

Atmosphere, Hydrosphere Interactions, Seasons,

Astronomy



Natural Resources, Thermal Energy, Chemical Reactions,

Mass and Its Interactions, Ecosystems, Weathering/

Erosion



Human Body Systems, Cellular Functions, Homeostasis,

Plate Tectonics, Change Over Time



Astronomy, Genetics, Newton’s Laws, Waves/Motion,

Energy, Earth’s History

Currently, Heroes Academy utilizes the curricular resources (FOSS Kits--elementary; Pearson Science

Explorer--middle school grades) provided by the district. Pursuant to grant funding, Heroes would like to

purchase curricular resources and provide professional development for the following:

● Pearson Interactive Science for K-5

o Pearson Interactive Science provides a strong foundation for supporting a K-8 infrastructure for science learning. The three-sided approach to science through literacy, inquiry, and digital resources are the perfect bridge to the middle school science approach and will provided the necessary foundation for success in experiential learning and issues-based inquiry. Research has shown that K-5 students taught through the Pearson interactive approach score “18 percentile points higher” on “developed science tests” than those students in the control group. With a focus on student


achievement and a desire to create learning focused classrooms rich in inquiry and using a hands-on approach, Pearson Interactive will help teachers provide the necessary inquiry skills and hands-on experiences for increased learning and success.

● SEPUP for Colorado Modules Middle School

o SEPUP science curriculum, supported by the hands-on Lab Aids Experiencing Science 6-8 materials,

is key in supporting student success at Heroes Academy. The SEPUP approach helps students tackle

real-world concerns through an issues-oriented approach to scientific investigation. This has multiple

benefits. While the hands-on approach and emphasis on experiential learning is highly beneficial in

closing the experience gap often found for students in low socioeconomic schools, it also has a social

emotional benefit. Issues-oriented science encourages students to look at issues objectively, consider

the evidence and focus on the impact of the issue, thus building empathy and critical thinking in

tandem.

Schoolwide AVID Heroes Academy is in its second year of implementing AVID organizational skills in grades 5-8. During

2017-2018, Heroes will initiate a three-year plan to expand AVID schoolwide (K-8) using all five AVID domains:

writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, and reading. Teachers will use Eagle Hour to teach and reinforce

AVID strategies. The Purposeful Teaching and Learning matrix (see page 44) will ensure that teachers

understand, are knowledgeable, and well supported in developing the use of AVID instructional strategies.

Counseling and Advocacy

It is important that students make a positive connection with an adult. Consequently, every middle school

student will be assigned to an advisory class. The advisory class (Eagle Hour) will meet at the beginning of

every day and include breakfast and morning announcements. During this period, the teacher will take

attendance, teach AVID instructional strategies following the developed yearly outline, and address bully

prevention (using the No Bully program and Second Step lessons) and character strength development (using

the Thriving Learning Communities curriculum). The teacher will monitor student academic, emotional, and

behavioral progress, and facilitate discussions among students to foster bonding and to help them develop

positive relationship skills. The goal is to build a small community of grade-level peers with one teacher for the

entire school year, creating a learning family.

Advisory teachers will attend Response to Intervention meetings for their advisory students, acting in the role

of advocate.

Enrichment and Leadership Academies

Enrichment and Leadership Academies will have a major impact on the transition of Heroes Academy as a

school of innovation, allowing student choice in unique electives typically not found in school but of great

interest to students. In addition, enrichment academies will allow Heroes to tap into a vast number of

community resources available. Academies will begin for students in grades 6-8 in school year 2017-2018 and

will be explored for upper elementary students during the spring semester (2017-2018) through a


collaborative teacher-led process.

Academy Design: Two summits (Community Summit and Student Summit) were held during 2016-2017 to

gather input on community resources and students’ interests. The following enrichment ideas were identified

during the Student Summit: gaming design, sewing, cooking, self-defense, child care, money management,

home economics, drama, fashion design, sign language, dance, language classes, pre-teaching, yoga, sci-fi

class, field trips, history class, crochet/knitting, hip hop, and jazz. Many of the student suggestions were driven

by their need to become proficient caregivers at home, managing younger siblings, cooking meals, and earning

a wage/managing money. Students will be surveyed twice a year to align offerings with student needs. Input

from feeder schools and existing community programs were also considered. Academy components outlined

on the following pages are the direct result of student and community direction.

Initial community partners: El Pueblo History Museum, Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Colorado State

University-Pueblo, and Centennial High School have already committed to providing instruction during the

school day. The school is seeking additional resources.

Academy class sizes: Available facility space and staff size will accommodate between 25-40 offerings and

anticipated staff will allow class sizes to remain at around 15, except for classes in which large numbers are

necessary (e.g., drama production).

Facility Space: A study of the facility has been conducted. School leadership found our facility is more than adequate to accommodate the addition of enrichment and leadership academies at Heroes K-8 Academy.

Enrichment and Leadership Academy offerings are designed to appeal to a

diverse audience, peak student interest, facilitate inquiry, promote thinking

and provide success-building, challenging learning experiences for all types of

learners. Academy offerings will change based upon student interests and

community resource availability. Two different Academies will be held each

quarter – Enrichment and Leadership.

● Academic Intervention: Academic intervention will include both a

Reading/Writing intervention and a Math intervention. These interventions

will be targeted to students who are not on grade level with reading, writing,

or math. These interventions will be specifically offered to students with the

largest achievement gaps.

● Unit Recovery: Using APEX as a resource, students will have the opportunity to recover credits accrued

from failing courses or to recover failed units through a blended learning experience. Students will be

referred to this enrichment based on their failed courses and/or units.

● Foreign Language: Students will be offered foreign language courses.


● English Language Arts Focus: Enrichments offered in the English Language Arts focus will range from book

studies to creative writing. ● Robotics: Robotics is a technology focused program incorporating iPads and a focused Robotics

curriculum. ● The Arts: Arts classes will be offered from comic book writing to advanced drawing to science fiction

exploration. Music classes would allow anything from guitar to piano and jazz to performance choir. ● Athletics: Students will have the option to take traditional and non- traditional athletic related

enrichments such as basketball, weight lifting, yoga, athletics for health living, and other courses that

encourage physical activity.

Every middle school student will take at least one leadership course per semester. Initial offerings are outlined below.

● JROTC: Students will participate in the J2 ROTC program facilitated

by the JROTC instructors from Centennial High School, our feeder high

school, and the Heroes Academy elementary and middle school

counselors.

● Workforce Readiness: Enrichment opportunities will focus on workforce preparation and workforce entry

skills including CPR, babysitting, mechanics, culinary arts, job shadowing and other courses.

● Life Skills: Enrichment activities initially will focus on building life skills including health, financial literacy,

home economics, nutrition, job skills and interviewing, and public speaking.

● Restorative Practices Leadership: Leadership development is an all-encompassing endeavor for Heroes

Academy. The Restorative Justice Coordinator will provide professional development, coaching, and support

for all teachers and students in the use of restorative practices school wide, in addition to facilitating the

Restorative Justice Leadership Academy classes. Restorative Justice is the foundation for student leadership

development. An overview is presented here. Additional detail is provided in the Culture and Climate section.

○ Level One: School Wide Character Development: As an approach to teach students how to

better handle conflict and interpersonal relationships, we will have school wide adoption of a character

development program. Thriving Learning Communities provides character development using a

strengths-based approach. The PBIS system will recognize students who demonstrate character

strengths throughout the school day.

○ Level Two: School Wide Peer Mediation/Arbitration: The Heroes peer mediation program will

be established as a council of trained peer mediators and a council of trained peer arbitrators. Peer

mediators will be trained and supervised by a core Restorative Justice Committee (will be phased in as

students learn the language of Restorative Practices).


○ Level Three: Focused Character Development: Focused character development will target

students who receive a high number of referrals or have a high number of school related conflicts. This

includes students who are monitored by teachers and administrators because they are struggling to fit

in the appropriate student role.

○ Level Four: Focused Response Regulation: Response regulation (sometimes called anger

management) is an approach to help students learn to manage their emotions from sadness to anger

to frustration and to find a regulated way to respond to their feelings. At Heroes, Focused Response

Regulation will be offered in lieu of (or in addition to) suspension for students who show difficulty with

emotional responses.

○ Level Five: Focused Restorative Circles/Restorative Re-Integration: At Heroes, focused restorative

circles will be used in the case of relationship breakdown between teachers and students, teachers and

teachers, teachers and administrators, and students with other students. Restorative circles will also

be used as a re-integration tool following suspension.

Instruction Although lesson plans have been routinely submitted with required elements, prior to now a common

template was not used and did not address use of formative assessment and differentiation. Teachers

understood what standards were being assessed by the interim assessments; however, data analysis did not

encourage or enable re-teaching of low-performing standards. A multi-year professional development

implementation plan will be developed in conjunction with our ANet partner and implemented through the

addition of an instructional coach in the 2017-18 school year. The implementation plan will support all

teachers in all grades, teachers who are novice and those who are more advanced in their application of

instructional best practices.

Heroes K-8 Academy will pursue academics through purposeful and intentional planning to promote learning

at the highest and most competitive levels. This will be achieved through a commitment to instruction that

emphasizes the importance of critical thinking in the learning process. We assert that mastery and

automaticity of foundational learning is a key element to conceptual learning and problem solving. We will

achieve the highest academic levels through purposeful teaching that utilizes research-based best practices

delivered by highly effective teachers who have honed their craft through a commitment to improving their

practice.

As an intensive support ANet school, teachers will be coached and supported in the following areas: use of

data driven decision making to plan for differentiated instruction and planning for effective use of a variety of

instructional best practices to meet the needs of learners, and effective, standards-aligned lesson planning.

Across the school, in accordance with the Innovation Zone waivers, during the collaborative PLC and

professional development times allowed during the teachers’ extended workday, teachers will plan with “the

end in mind” using a backwards planning method (using exemplars, rubrics, and knowledge of assessments)

that starts with the demonstration of learning (assessment) as a start for planning. Teachers will then create


objectives that align to Common Core State Standards and Colorado Academic Standards. Finally, each lesson

objective and demonstration of learning will then be aligned to the unit plan and the assessment. This will

integrate standards-based lesson planning into the school. Additionally, teachers will employ proven teaching

techniques such as multiple response and AVID strategies they will learn during professional development into

every lesson to increase engagement and achievement. Components will be rigorously monitored in the

classroom through ongoing observation/feedback sessions and lesson plan reviews by administrators, the

instructional coach, the AVID Coordinator, and the Innovation Coordinator. Administrators and instructional

coaches will be supported and coached by our ANet partner as they become increasingly skilled in their

implementation of observation feedback cycles of support.

The AVID WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) framework will standardize core

instruction, supporting a seamless K-8 curriculum. Critical thinking and problem solving are key WICOR

components which are honed through writing, inquiry, and collaboration. By standardizing instructional

strategies through the Purposeful Teaching and Learning matrix (see page 44) and ANet PD Cycle documents,

Heroes can establish a school wide systematic approach which develops teachers and creates consistency for

students. This minimizes issues associated with transition particularly in the move from elementary to middle

school.

Instructional strategies will be focused to increase student engagement skills. In addition to AVID, we will use

total participation strategies and multiple response strategies such as think-pair-share, quick writes, whip

arounds, choral response, turn and talks, partner work, and group collaboration. We will use a prescribed

lesson plan template, which will be created collaboratively with our ANet partner, to design engaging lessons

that both activate student interest and assess student understanding and application of standards. These

strategies are research-based to increase student engagement. Additionally, restorative classroom

management practices give teachers a cadre of tools to build student relationships, address disruption

through minimally invasive classroom practices, and allow students to learn in a safe place.

Instruction is further discussed in the Professional Development section. Assessment and Data Heroes Academy is committed to data-driven instruction and decision making. In addition to participating in

district- and state-required assessments, Heroes Academy will implement formative and ANet interim

assessments in reading, writing and mathematics. Other informal assessments, such as student work samples,

performance assessments, portfolios and self-assessments will be used to analyze student achievement and

growth.

During the 2016-2017 school year, Achievement Network (ANet) became an external partner for the work in

academic systems for Heroes Academy. In our partnership with ANet, teachers and leaders have begun to

build expertise about standards and instruction. Educators investigate trends in and draw conclusions from

student data. Through defined expectations and systems for planning and instruction, teachers identify


priority standards and complex texts for intentional lesson planning. Leadership capacity has been

strengthened through regular reflection and action planning meetings with an ANet coach. Overall, ANet’s

presence in the building has positively influenced a staff culture focused on school instructional priorities and

learning.

We are excited to build upon our initial foundational successes as we increase the opportunities and supports

which ANet will provide as our new managing partner. Partnering with The Achievement Network (ANet) will

be critical to Heroes’ ability to ensure that ALL teachers form solid understandings around the use of formative

assessment data to guide planning for differentiated instruction. Heroes educators will analyze their own

students’ work and performance as compared to exemplar student work samples. Through defined

expectations and systems for planning and instruction, teachers will not only know the priority standards, but

will be able to strategically choose lesson materials and instructional approaches, for more differentiated

lesson planning. Administration will work alongside ANet and other instructional coaches to ensure that they

too are deepening their understandings across content areas and in all grade levels.

Kindergarten through 5th grade teachers will closely monitor their students’ academic development through

three ANet interim assessments (grades 2-5), district supported interim assessments such as DIBELS

benchmarking and progress monitoring, and other classroom assessments and observations. Their efforts set

the foundation to decrease the number of students with Significant Reading Deficiencies. Dedication to solid

reading competency is supported with BURST reading intervention groups which meet Monday through

Thursday for students in kindergarten through 4th grade.

Students at Heroes Academy in grades 6-8 will be expected to demonstrate proficiency in English Language

Arts and Math classes by achieving, at a minimum, a passing grade or demonstrating proficiency on a state

achievement test at their current grade level. Those who do not will be placed in a unit recovery class during

the enrichment academy time at the end of the day. The class will utilize Apex Learning, in which students

utilize an internet-based program in a blended learning environment to access online curriculum aligned to

the district’s curricular offerings.

Moving forward, teachers will use rigorous interim assessments from Achievement Network that result in meaningful data during Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). As per the Innovation Zone waivers, Measures of Student Learning (MSL) growth metrics and performance levels will be determined collaboratively for each curricular area by the Innovation Zone schools’ leadership and teacher representatives. In addition, Innovation Zone schools evaluate teachers on appropriate subgroups of students they teach. This ensures that the bar for growth and performance status remains high and aligns to the school improvement plan. Factors such as “newness” of the assessment and baseline data will be taken into consideration when determining appropriate MSLs that are rigorous yet fair and equitable. During weekly data meetings, teachers, administrators and instructional coaches will examine assessment results to identify where students performed well and where they struggled. Through an ongoing cycle of planning, formative assessment, data analysis, and re-teaching, students will achieve at greater levels.


Formative Assessment: Formative assessment begins with regular “checking for understanding”. Teachers plan these periodic checks throughout their lessons to identify where student misunderstandings or misconceptions lie. Using ANet resources, teachers will engage in more formal formative assessment throughout each unit. This data will be used to re-teach specific curricula or skills and to guide future teaching strategies. ANet resources enable teachers to find ELA passages and math questions that are much like those students will experience during PARCC testing. They then choose questions from the ANet platform to determine student progress on standards. When students do not master a standard, data inform the reteaching and reassessment plan. Additionally, teachers will collect “exit ticket” data for the weekly data meetings during Professional Learning Communities. Student work will also be used as a formative assessment to gauge student understanding and progress over time.

Student Use of Feedback: Students will use feedback during their advisory period to track grades and assignments. In addition, students will conference with teachers to set goals and evaluate progress. Students will also learn their ANet scores, set ANy goals, and evaluate their ANet progress. During implementation year two, students will keep portfolios as part of the progress monitoring system.

Special Populations Currently, for the 2016-2017 school year, the school houses four center-based Special Education programs:

two (2) for elementary students with Significant Emotional Disabilities, one (1) for middle school students with

Autism, and one (1) for middle school students with Intellectual Disability.

Students with Disabilities


Heroes K-8 Academy will continue to offer a full continuum of services to meet the needs of students with

disabilities in receiving a free and appropriate education. Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will

receive education that supports their IEP academic, social and behavioral goals. The innovation schedule

allows students with disabilities to participate in the enrichment and leadership academies in accordance with

their IEPs, supported by special education teachers and support staff. Specialized instruction and interventions

will be provided. Students participating in the four (4) center-based programs are included in academic

electives, enrichment, and heterogeneously grouped core academic classes to the maximum extent possible in

accordance with their IEPs.

Student progress will be monitored weekly by special education teachers, classroom teachers and support

staff. Weekly progress monitoring data will be used to adjust instruction to meet student learning needs.

Quarterly student progress will be reported to the student, classroom teacher, and parent/guardian through

the use of Progress Monitoring Reports.

A re-evaluation is conducted every three years to determine if the student continues to require special

education services to access and make progress in the general education curriculum. A student who exits

from special education services will continue to be monitored through the RtI or Section 504 process.

Instructional observations, progress monitoring of IEP goal attainment, formative/interim assessments,

summative assessments, and state assessments (PARCC) will be used to determine program and teacher

effectiveness.

English Language Learners/Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

A Home Language Questionnaire is completed as part of the registration process for all students and identifies

those whose primary language is that other than English. Students who indicate that they: 1) speak a

language other than English; and/or 2) a language other than English is regularly used by parents/guardians

may be eligible for English Language Learner (ELL) services.

ELL students new to the district take a World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) placement

test within 10 days of starting school. The WIDA Access test will be administered to ELLS in January to monitor

English language proficiency. When an ELL plan is developed for a student, services are provided and parents

notified about the student’s placement in an English Language Development Program within 30 days of their

enrollment.

English Language Learners who are not yet proficient in English will receive instruction and support from a

teacher certified in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE). The CLDE teacher, in conjunction

with the school administration, oversees placement and progress of ELL students using data from weekly

curriculum-embedded assessments, benchmark and progress monitoring DIBELS Next data, ANet interim

assessment data, and annual progress on state assessments. The innovation schedule will allow Culturally and

Linguistically Diverse students to participate in the Enrichment and Leadership Academies in accordance with

their English Language Learner (ELL) plans, supported by certified teachers and support staff.


Parent and community communications are available in English and Spanish. Translation services for other

languages will be offered so parents are informed about school activities and classroom instruction.

Gifted and Talented Students

Parents and teachers are informed of the characteristics of gifted and talented (GT) students at the beginning

of each school year and are encouraged to refer students who exhibit some or all of these characteristics to

the school’s GT coordinator for evaluation. Students participate in GT testing in accordance with district and

state guidelines.

Students identified as GT or Talent Pool will have Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs). These plans guide

instructional decisions about materials, programming options and accommodations for gifted students based

upon their strengths, interests, and needs. The ALP describes the differentiation methods to be used for

acceleration, curriculum compacting, depth and complexity, content extensions, and alternative methods of

instruction and/or assessment. Identified GT and Talent Pool students will have opportunities to participate in

accelerated and challenging academic enrichment and leadership academies. This expansion of opportunities

for all students will provide learning experiences not typically available during the school day for GT and Talent

Pool students.

Student progress toward meeting ALP goals will be monitored quarterly by the Assistant Principal, in

consultation with the classroom teacher. Progress will be reported to the student and parent/guardian. The

ALP may be changed as needed to ensure that GT learners are making academic progress and are adequately

challenged. The innovation schedule will allow GT students to participate in the enrichment and leadership

academies in accordance with their ALL plans, supported by certified teachers and support staff.

Culture of Performance

Systems to Promote High Expectations Restorative practices will be an integral part of leadership development and reshaping the culture of

the school. At Heroes, we will take a multi-tiered approach to restorative practices built on both

developing foundation character skills and addressing restorative justice school wide. Braithwaite

(2016) cites that restorative justice school programs work best when used in conjunction with

response regulation programs. This leads to the conclusion that a restorative practices school program

should use both character development and response regulation components.


Character development is a vital part of educating elementary and middle school students. As an approach to

teaching students improved conflict management and interpersonal relationships, we will adopt a character

development program school wide, Thriving Learning Communities, which uses a strengths-based approach.

During our advisory period, called “Eagle Hour,” students will study dynamic real world heroes from diverse

backgrounds and time periods through the lens of Thriving Learning Communities (TLC) and the 24 Character

Strengths found in the TLC curriculum. In addition, students will be recognized for exhibiting character

strengths using the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) system. This integrated, deliberate, and

focused approach to character development lays the foundation for restorative practices in the school.

After learning the foundational character skills, students will have the opportunity to resolve their own

conflicts. The Heroes peer mediation program will feature a council of trained peer mediators and a council of

trained peer arbitrators. Peer mediators will be trained and supervised by a core, adult Restorative Justice

Committee. Students can request that student issues go to the peer mediation or peer arbitration council.

Disputes such as pencil stealing, paper throwing, friend disagreements, etc. are eligible to first go to a peer

mediation session. If the conflict is not resolved, students then agree to see the “peer arbitration council” and

abide by their decision. This motivates students to settle disputes in mediation. It also teaches students the

language of dispute resolution.

The National Crime Prevention Council cites peer mediation as a tool to reduce suspensions, violence between

peers, substance abuse, and youth admittance into the criminal justice system. This tier of restorative practices

will be available to all students. It is designed to intervene in “drama” issues that could potentially lead to more


severe conflicts. Peer mediation/arbitration often results in restitution or some type of accountability taking

measure by the parties and is an excellent step for students to discover the relationship between conflict,

restitution, and accountability.

[The following three levels target individual students who need a higher level of restorative practices intervention based on their referral rate and school related conflict rates.]

Peterson (2005) says there are many alternatives to suspension and one is developing a student’s character and social skills. Focused character development will target students who receive a high number of referrals or have a high number of school related conflicts. This includes students who are monitored by teachers and administrators because they are struggling to fit in the appropriate student role.

Focused character development will be offered as an enrichment class. Students will engage in a book study (7

Habits of Highly Effective Teens and Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul) of character development and

intensive journal writing to build interpersonal skills and develop tools for self-reflection. The aim of this

restorative practices intervention is to give students the skills they need to be both successful and self-aware.

This will lead to a reduction in conflicts in the school environment and an increase in individual achievement.

Morrison (2006) reports that bullying and habitual suspensions are the result of social and emotional

disconnect at school. Response regulation (sometimes called anger management) is an approach to help

students learn to manage their emotions from sadness to anger to frustration and to find a regulated way to

respond to their feelings. Tatter (2015) describes anger management as one technique to help students

deescalate conflict in and out of the classroom.

At Heroes, Focused Response Regulation will be offered in lieu of (or in addition to) suspension for students

who show difficulty with emotional responses. This will be offered as an enrichment for one quarter. During

this program students will learn the underlying skills necessary for having a regulated response to emotional

stimuli and for developing social and emotional connections at school. This program also helps students start

taking accountability for their actions and their role in conflict.


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Restorative circles are perhaps the best-known practice in restorative practices. However, they should be the last step in a restorative practices toolbox. At Heroes, focused restorative circles will be used for relationship breakdowns between teachers and students, teachers and teachers, teachers and administrators, and students with other students. Restorative circles will also be used as a re-integration tool following suspension. When a relationship breaks down and results in conflict, the restorative circle can help restore the relationship and allow the parties involved to move on from the conflict through empathy, restitution, and understanding. In this tier, restitution will be an important component of restorative justice and will include alternative restitutions developed between offenders and victims to rebuild relationships.

Code of Conduct & Discipline

Because our district has experienced success with the Innovation Zone and the schools themselves are seeing their reform efforts pay off, Heroes staff are excited to join the Pueblo City Schools’ Innovation Zone. Heroes K-8 Academy staff commit to the school willingly through a Staff Commitment Form that explicitly details the school and Innovation Zone expectations for adult behaviors, attendance, and dress code. In addition, Innovation Zone schools operate with non-negotiable Core Values which guide teachers’ work with children. Stakeholder Engagement Stakeholders at all levels have been actively involved in innovation planning for more than nine months. The core planning team coordinates all input, aligning it with evidence-based practices, state and local educational standards and expectations, and a vision for neighborhood and community success.

Heroes K-8 Academy Innovation Planning Team

● Marne Autobee, Principal, has spent 27 years serving high-minority, low-income populations in Brighton

and Pueblo, Colorado, public schools. A former high school English teacher and K-8 school counselor, Marne

has spent the past 13 years as a principal in K-8 schools at low- and high-performing schools and as PCSD 60’s

Administrator for Educator Effectiveness. Her previous school earned the John Irwin Schools of Excellence

Award three times and the Commissioner’s Cup Award for Educational Excellence. Marne also was a state

trainer for the Colorado State Model Evaluation System and served as a Master Scorer for CDE’s Inter-Rater

Agreement Project.

● Tia Fields, Dean of Students, has been in education for 18 years. She has spent her career teaching in the

elementary and middle school grades. She has her Master’s Degree in Linguistically Diverse Education and has

completed the Principal Licensure program. In 2015, Tia began her administrative career as a Dean of Students

at Heroes Academy.

● Tracey Girard, 7th Grade Science and Robotics Teacher, has three years teaching experience in both

middle and high school science. She spent her early career in health research studying cancer, cell biology, and

HIV. During graduate school in microbiology, immunology, and parasitology, she trained dental, nursing, and

medical students. While working in cardiac surgical research, she created standard operating procedures for

the FDA trials of the artificial human heart, bridging the efforts of scientists, surgeons, and engineers from

academia as well as private corporations. Tracey has also worked as an environmental educator and a


pharmacy technician.

● Jennifer Martinez, 5th Grade Teacher, has been in education for 14 years within Pueblo City Schools. She

has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Reading and Mathematics. Additional experience includes teaching

grades 1-5, middle and high school math, and high school biology.

● Julie Shue, 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher, has 18 years teaching experience in grades K-8, served as a

PCSD 60 AVID District Leader and District International Baccalaureate Specialist for DP, MYP, and PYP

programs. She served as an IB magnet school building principal for eight years before returning to the

classroom to work with low-income special populations. In 2006, Julie was awarded a Daniels Fund Excellence

in Teaching Award, and in 2013, Julie was named the Regional Magnet School Principal of the Year. She was a

member of the IB Educator Network and is an active board member of the Colorado Association of Middle

Level Educators (CAMEL).

● Mark Sims, a veteran teacher of 27 years, has worked as an elementary science specialist and taught

fourth and fifth grades. Currently a 5th grade teacher, Mark is a master curriculum developer with a Bachelor’s

of Science degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. He has also

worked as a national sales director for an Internet product created by Houghton-Mifflin. Mark has authored

multiple textbooks in mathematics and language and is a National Document Based Questions trainer.

● Lynette Webster, 7th Grade English Language Arts teacher, has been teaching 18 years, all spent in

middle school grades in Pueblo City Schools. Lyn has also served as an adjunct professor of Composition at

Pueblo Community College for the past 15 years.

● Heather Wellman, 6th Grade Social Studies and Science Teacher, has a PhD in Conflict Analysis and

Resolution. She has spent her career working in international conflict resolution and teaching/training

graduate level learners. She served on an ACE team in Dallas, TX, designed to turn schools around in a short

period of time. She has taught both Social Studies and Science for grade 6.

Student Summit

On January 27, 2017, a Student Summit was held to inform innovation planning. A representative sample of

15 Heroes Academy students from grades 4-8 participated. Innovation process background information was

provided. Students then gave feedback into the leadership and enrichment academies aspects of the

proposed innovation plan. They were asked to brainstorm on topics such as: “If you were given a million

dollars to spend at Heroes, what would you use the money for?”; “What types of enrichment courses would

be engaging for you?”; “What types of leadership experiences would be meaningful for you?” The results

were both affirming and enlightening and it was clear that they appreciated being included in the planning

process. Students were both inquisitive and reflective with their suggestions, sharing insights into themselves.

They hope the Leadership and Enrichment Academies will provide opportunity to better themselves and their

personal situations. The many issues our students face as students of poverty were reflected in their requests

(e.g., cooking so they can prepare the family meals; child care/child development information to better

support younger siblings).

Community Summit


On February 3, 2017, Heroes K-8 Academy held a community summit to gather input and establish

partnerships with community groups and individuals to further develop the school innovation plan. More than

20 different agencies were represented in a three-hour event which included a celebration of our current

community partners, a brief presentation on the innovation process, and a student panel with student

ambassadors who answered questions and shared their experiences from the student summit. Adults then

participated in a World Café-style brainstorming activity and asked for insights on what community members

want to see in our school. Attendees also identified community resources and additional enrichment options

that might be advantageous for Heroes Academy students. El Pueblo History Museum, Boys and Girls Club,

Boy Scouts, Colorado State University-Pueblo, and Centennial High School have committed to providing

instruction and support for enrichment and leadership academies.

Increasing Enrollment

Families will be informed about the changes to the school through regular communication during the

implementation process. In addition, Heroes will host an open house for potential new parents and students

prior to the school choice deadline. Invitations will be sent out to our students and those at all other local

elementary schools. The open house will provide a forum for educating current and potential families on

innovation plans, rationale, and school of choice process. A video of our student life will be shown and

augmented by a community spokesperson. Teachers will provide a summary of their programs and curriculum.

Talent Management

Recruitment and Hiring The school experienced a large staff turnover (20 new teacher hires) for the 2015-2016 school year. Although

difficult, the remaining staff regarded the change as positive for improving student and staff culture. In the

2015-2016 school year, the elementary grades consisted of 13 classroom teachers, one reading

interventionist, and one math interventionist. Middle school included 11 classroom teachers, one ELA

Interventionist, and one Math Interventionist.

For the 2016-2017 school year, staffing stabilized with the school replacing only 7 teachers: one each at 3rd

through 8th grades and one counselor. The elementary grades now consist of two kindergarten teachers, two

first grade teachers, two second grade teachers, three third grade teachers, two fourth grade teachers, two

fifth grade teachers, one counselor, and one literacy interventionist. Middle school grades consist of 11

classroom teachers, one counselor, one ELA interventionist, and one math interventionist. The administrative

team in 2016-17 consisted of the principal and one assistant principal; however in 2017-18 a second assistant

principal will be added to the team.

Through innovation planning, the school is balancing the instructional and cultural shifts to be made in its

restructuring. These shifts require the district’s support, however. Therefore, in alignment with other district


Innovation schools’ allocations, the following positions will be established and supported by the district

general funds:

From Innovation Funds

An additional Assistant Principal will help build instructional capacity and academic systems through the use of

the observation/feedback model and weekly data meetings.

One 6-8 Math Instructional Coach will work directly with teachers to ensure effective delivery of instructional

strategies in math by ensuring the fidelity of the math workshop model in all classrooms and establishing a

systemic approach to teaching math, from the analysis of standards to approaching misconceptions in math.

The 6-8 Math Instructional Coach will ensure that teachers are balancing procedural, conceptual and

application knowledge in math instruction.

From Title I Funds

An Innovation/AVID Programs Coordinator will oversee the implementation of Innovation programs including

Academy implementation; will direct the enrichment and leadership academies and will oversee all aspects,

including funding, contracts, scheduling, supervising providers, and evaluating academy effectiveness; will

promote school wide implementation of the AVID instructional program by acting as the AVID program’s

liaison with the principal, counselor, and other faculty members as well as with district AVID coordinator and

AVID Center; will lead the AVID site team; will coach others by sharing techniques and materials to work with

underachieving students; will facilitate AVID parent involvement activities and assist with student data

collection and AVID certification. The Innovation/AVID Programs Coordinator will establish weekly plans for

AVID strategies to be taught during the advisory period.

A Restorative Justice Coordinator will establish a five-tiered approach to restorative practices in the school.

Ongoing coaching will be provided to teachers to empower them to establish positive restorative classroom

management practices to support the social mindsets we want for our students. The RJ Coordinator will work

directly with teachers and students to establish restorative practices, an RJ Student Court/Panel, and

restorative classroom management.

Title I funds will also be used to hire a K-5 Reading Interventionist who will work directly with students in order

to support teachers responsible for meeting the needs of students with a Significant Reading Deficiency.

All leadership positions will be trained in the use of the observation feedback model and will participate in

coaching training. They will liaise between teachers and administration and support the PLC process to ensure

quality implementation of the Innovation plan in spirit and in practice.

Through a hiring process that may include early recruiting of candidates, a videotaped lesson review, rigorous

interview questions, and an examination of previous evaluation reports, Heroes K-8 Academy will seek to hire


and retain teachers, leaders, and support staff who are committed to the mission, vision, and goals of the

school and the innovation plan. Incentives in the form of sign-on/stay-on bonuses and performance pay

consistent with the Innovation Zone waivers will be offered. Heroes Academy will encourage our district’s

Human Resources Office to allow early recruiting and hiring for turnaround and priority improvement schools.

Direct placement of teachers, leaders, and staff will not be accepted from the district. Heroes K-8 Academy

will seek waivers from district and union requirements related to employee recruiting, hiring, salary, stipends,

and evaluation constraints. The Heroes Academy Innovation Plan will include school policies and procedures

to ensure that the school is staffed by effective teachers, instructional support staff, and leaders who share

the vision of Heroes K-8 Academy. The district and school work collaboratively to ensure that all teachers

recruited and retained for employment are highly qualified in core areas by reviewing employee transcripts,

Colorado Department of Education-issued licenses, and additional credentials prior to hire. Innovation staff

commit to the school willingly through a Staff Commitment Form that explicitly details the Innovation Zone

expectations for adult behaviors, attendance, and dress code. In addition, the Innovation Zone operates with

non-negotiable Core Values which guide teachers’ work with children. Because our district has experienced

success with the Innovation Zone and the schools themselves are seeing their reform efforts pay off, we are

asking for permission to join the Pueblo City Schools’ Innovation Zone.

Professional Development In 2015-2016, the school’s main goals were to improve student and staff culture. In 2016-2017, Heroes

Academy maintained its partnership with the Turnaround Network and added Achievement Network as an

additional support. In its work with these external partners, Heroes Academy’s leadership and staff have

developed a stronger understanding of standards-based instruction and data analysis. They have also begun

developing explicit and rigorous lesson plans rooted in the standards. At the conclusion of last year’s work

with ANet, the leadership team identified the following next steps for their continued collaborative work into

next year:

● Co-develop a recommended instructional focus with ANet coach

● Co-develop an instructional focus development plan for teacher and the instructional leadership team

that includes but not limited to an observation/feedback cycle, individual teacher goals and aligned

professional development

● Leadership continues to attend all Learning Events provided by ANet to deepen understanding of the

ELA and Math standards

● Conduct instructional focus walks with ANet coach bi-monthly to deepen understanding of the

standards and teacher’s implementation of standards aligned curriculum.

Professional Development is a cornerstone of implementing a successful innovation plan. Adult teachers and

adult learners, while similar to students, have specific needs as adults. Heroes Academy will support adult

learners in their learning through instructional best practices otherwise known as andragogy. Andragogy

incorporates five assumptions about the characteristics that impact adult learning: self-concept; adult learner

experience; readiness to learn; orientation to learning; and motivation to learn. In addition, Heroes Academy


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recognizes that 1) adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction; 2) experience

(including mistakes) provides the basis for the learning activities; 3) adults are most interested in learning

subjects that have immediate relevance and impact to their job or personal life; and 4) adult learning is

problem-centered rather than content-oriented. As a result, Heroes K-8 Academy has developed a

multi-faceted professional development model which will be fully implemented by 2020.

Heroes K-8 Academy: Professional Development Model

Year One: School Wide Professional Development:

In collaboration with our ANet partner, we will establish a set of instructional strategies and understandings

which will be considered “foundational,” core/basic level strategies expected of all teachers. (Cornell notes,

using student organizational binders, and call and response strategies are examples of strategies in the first

level of the Purposeful Teaching and Learning Matrix.) Matrix-based instructional strategies (including ANet

PD Cycle indicators as well as the Purposeful Teaching and Learning PD Matrix indicators) will be taught in

whole group professional development (PD), then regularly coached by administration, instructional coaches

and AVID Coordinator. When a teacher is identified with expertise or mastery in a particular skill, he or she

will move on to the next level of identified instructional strategies, with continued support from

administration and/or instructional coaches/coordinator. When a teacher is moving fluidly in the delivery and

use of a strategy he or she will be afforded opportunities to serve as a critical friend, peer coach, or staff


developer for these strategies. Achievement Network, as our External Management Partner, will work with

the school to help establish common language and foundational practices school wide to be used in whole

group professional development, professional learning communities, grade level specific work and coaching.

Year Two: Differentiated Instructional Coaching and Professional Development

Instructional coaching will be provided to all K-8 staff beginning in 2017-18 based on the instructional

strategies listed in the ANet PD Cycle documents and Purposeful Teaching and Learning Matrix and a long

term professional development plan developed by ANet, instructional coaches, coordinators and school

administration. After the first year, each teacher will self-identify a set of strategies from the matrix to work

on with and his or her coach(es). After common foundational practices are in place, teachers will have a voice

in the strategies they need.

Year Three: Peer Coaching and Teacher-Led Professional Development

When a teacher has demonstrated mastery and comfort with the strategies within the matrix, he or she will

be encouraged to establish deep skills beyond the matrix with the support of ANet coaches (partnership with

ANet in year three has not been finalized), building administration, instructional coaches, peers, and other

master teachers. Teachers who demonstrate capacity will be trained to serve as peer coaches, lead PLCs, lead

professional development opportunities, and support the refinement of the instructional strategies matrix

over time.

The Achievement Network PD Cycle Matrixes are provided on the following pages:


A sample Year One of the Purposeful Teaching and Learning Matrix is provided below:


Teacher Personalized PD Plan: As part of the leadership component of our Innovation Vision, teachers, as well

as students, will have opportunities for development as leaders. Each teacher will have core learning in

common with their peers, as well as individual items that each teacher identifies for him or herself. The plan

will include four core AVID strategies at the appropriate (ES or MS) level, two Restorative Justice classroom

management coaching points, and two self-directed strategies. Each teacher will identify and then be

supported in these strategies in partnership with instructional and/or peer coaches.

Weekly professional development reinforced with the teachers’ extended workday, supported by Innovation

Zone waivers, will allow time for deep analysis of data and corresponding planning to support student

achievement, teacher retention, and data driven instruction. With five additional mandatory professional

development days, teachers will have time prior to the beginning of the school year to establish critical

routines and practice their implementation with the opportunity for feedback. High quality professional

development sparks excitement in teachers and ultimately success in students, resulting in an improved

school culture and higher teacher retention rates.


Evaluation and Retention In accordance with the Innovation Zone waivers, teachers will be provided a sign-on/stay-on bonus,

opportunities to earn pay for performance, and access to an Instructional Coach and program coaches and

coordinators with whom to work collaboratively toward their success.

The Colorado teacher evaluation policy requires that 50% of a teacher’s evaluation be determined by student

achievement data. Each district determines the measures and metrics for this 50%. PCSD 60 currently allows

teachers to determine, from a district provided list of assessments, the assessment parameters and the

individual growth and/or performance status goals for their evaluations. The school will continue the district’s

implementation of the Colorado Performance Management System (CPMS) using the RANDA, Inc., system. In

accordance with the Innovation Zone waivers, non-probationary teachers, who receive a Partially Effective or

Ineffective rating in the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position which may result in an

administrative transfer. Probationary teachers are subject to state/district non-renewal processes.

An observation feedback cycle is used based on the work of Paul Bambrick-Santoyo and is highlighted in his

book, Leverage Leadership. In this model, an administrator, instructional coach, or teacher leader observes

teachers’ instructional practices on a weekly basis. Observation is followed with a one-on-one coaching

session that hones specific elements of the teacher’s instructional management and rigor. The teacher and

coach work to develop and practice an “action step” that supports the teacher in quickly improving that

aspect of his or her teaching. This cycle continues throughout the year allowing for timely and effective

improvements that immediately impact student outcomes. The Assistant Principals, the 6-8 Math

Instructional Coach, the Restorative Justice Coordinator, and the innovation Program/AVID Coordinator will

also receive training in using the observation feedback coaching model. This model will be linked directly with

ongoing coaching sessions.

Compensation

Heroes K-8 Academy will use the same formula as other Innovation Zone schools for additional pay for

professional development and teaching. We also request that the district provide the monetary means for

schools in the zone to provide pay for performance and sign-on, stay-on bonuses for certified staff teachers

and administrators and allow the school to determine pay for performance and sign-on/stay-on criteria.

Management Partner

Selection of Partner

Based upon Heroes’ above outlined barriers and solutions, as well as CDE’s explicit recommendations, it was

determined that Heroes would need a management partner to provide support and accountability to most

effectively address the following priority areas:










Pueblo City Schools’ leadership has been strategic in their selection of the Achievement Network (ANet) as

Heroes’ proposed Management Partner (see ANet Letter of Support - Attachment 1). ANet has been working

successfully with several of our district schools both in and out of our Innovation Zone, (including Heroes this

past year) during the past two years. Many of these schools have seen notable gains in student achievement

and attribute much of this success to the availability of the online Common Core standards-aligned ANet tools,

job-embedded coaching, increased focus on data driven instructional strategies, and use of the ANet interim

assessments to drive reteach planning and reassessment. During the 2017-18 school year, ANet will continue

to provide support to previously identified “Pueblo Partnership Schools” as well as three newly identified

“Pueblo High Intensity Partnership Schools, “including Heroes. The selection of the Achievement Network will

allow Pueblo to build upon strengths which are already in place as well as relationships which have already

been established both at the school and district level. Three out of four of the above mentioned priority areas

lie squarely in ANet's areas of expertise. It should also be noted that the newly hired Assistant Superintendent

of Teaching and Learning Services has partnered with the Achievement Network in previous districts and has

successfully worked with the ANet Executive Director and Director of New Partnerships assigned to Heroes.

About ANet

For over ten years, Achievement Network (ANet) has worked to ensure equitable opportunities for all children

by supporting teaching and learning that is grounded in standards, data, and the practices of great educators.

They do so by providing comprehensive partnerships with schools including interim assessments in ELA and

math for students in grades 2-8, aligned instructional resources, and coaching for school leaders to build their

skills and content knowledge so that they can support great instruction. ANet works alongside school and

system leadership teams to strengthen their school- and system-wide practice and culture of using learning

standards and data to get breakthrough results for underserved students.

ANet’s tools and support help partner schools build a culture of continuous improvement, where every

educator in the building deeply understands the Common Core standards and is regularly using data to adapt

and target instruction to meet the unique learning needs of each student. Working with over 700 schools and

50 systems across 15 states gives ANet on-the-ground insight into how schools and systems are successfully

transitioning to new practices leading to school-wide improvement. ANet has seen there is no “quick fix” that

can be applied to improving student outcomes. Instead, student achievement comes as a result of school

improvement and system-wide coherence. ANet’s experience and success working with educators across the


country to improve struggling schools, uniquely positions them to be a strong external partner for Heroes

Academy and Pueblo City Schools.

ANet’s Quality

Student Achievement Partners (SAP), an organization founded by the lead writers of the Common Core State

Standards, recently performed a multi-day audit of ANnet's 2015-16 assessments. According to the findings,

“it was fabulous to see such thought and careful consideration of the factors in the qualitative materials. This

has clearly been an area of focus for ANet and will be beneficial for teachers and students.” In English literacy,

SAP noted that ANet's assessments expose students to a variety of item types based on appropriately rigorous

texts and that they reflect a strong call for the use of evidence and text-based reasoning. In the words of our

auditors from SAP, “The audit revealed that ANet's developers understand the shifts required by the CCSS and

are … creating materials that demonstrate those shifts.” In math, they noted that ANet's assessments meet

high expectations for a focus on the major work of the grade, that items have strong alignment to the CCSS

and respect the coherence of the Standards, and that ANet's items assess procedural skill, conceptual

understanding, and fluency effectively. In their words: “ANet assessments show a strong understanding of

focus and growth toward a coherent set of assessments that balance the elements of rigor… ANet has

prioritized focus on the major work of the grade … [and] items align well to the indicated standards.”

ANet’s assessments were also recently recognized for excellence in an independent study by the Louisiana

Department of Education (LDOE). The LDOE has been conducting a rigorous review of instructional materials,

including assessments, to empower districts to make informed choices. The LDOE recently reviewed ANet's

math and ELA interim assessments and classified them both as Tier 1—“Exemplifies quality: Meets all

non-negotiable criteria and scored the best possible on all indicators of superior quality.” The LDOE has

received national praise for its rigorous review process, which uses a highly detailed rubric to judge each

assessment’s usefulness to teachers. Due to the high rubric standards, some of the most widely used

assessments rank in the bottom tier and more than half of those reviewed were placed in Tier 3. Only one

other organization received a Tier 1 rating for ELA assessments and no other organization has received a Tier 1

rating in math.

ANet’s Results

ANet’s national results for the 2014-15 school year are indicative of the results they have had over the last

several years: across the country, our school partners reported over an 85% satisfaction rate. At the same

time, roughly two-thirds of ANet school partners were able to achieve the ambitious practice improvement

goals they set out with their ANet coach. When considering new schools that received the targeted 20

coaching visits, 87% achieved their practice improvement goals. These improvements in practice led to

important outcomes for students based on analysis of end-of-year summative data. Results from the 2014-15


school year, for example, show:

● On average, schools that made the multi-year commitment to achieve practice level 2 on our

rubrics gained 12 percentile points relative to other schools in the state in math and 6 percentile points

in ELA.

● That means they got greater gains than 7 out of ten schools in their state in ELA and 8 out of ten

in math.

Over the last four years, ANet’s work alongside district and school leaders in Springfield, MA has seen six

schools move out of turnaround and then move into Level 1. ANet’s tools are used by all Springfield Public

Schools serving grades 2-8. ANet is a true instructional partner in SPS, helping the district to identify and act

on opportunities to strengthen instruction and build content expertise.

Revere Public Schools is another example of how ANet has successfully supported school improvement

efforts. ANet was a close partner of Revere Public Schools for seven years, where they helped bring focus and

coherence to support system priorities. For example, they helped district leaders to define what their priority

on “rigor” would actually look like in classrooms. Revere is now the top performing urban district in

Massachusetts: in 2015-16, Revere became the first urban district in the Commonwealth to reach the Level 2

designation.

Third-party investigations confirm ANet’s tools and services are effective. In 2015, ANet shared the results of

a randomized control trial of the ANet program support conducted by Harvard University’s Center for

Education Policy Research (CEPR). This trial was funded through a prestigious Investing in Innovation (i3) grant

and showed that schools that had the right basic conditions in place (such as common planning time) and

partnered with ANet significantly outperformed control schools. This outperformance translated to roughly six

months of additional learning for students in ANet partner schools over the two-year study period compared

to students in control schools.

The study also showed that educators recognized ANet tools and support to be of a higher quality than the

control materials and support. Partnership with ANet led to statistically significant improvements in

instructional practice, including:

● Teacher collaboration happened more regularly and more productively at ANet schools than at control schools.

● Leaders set up routines that facilitated strong teacher development and built their own skill in how to leverage time effectively.

● Teachers developed critical skills of analysis and planning


Scope of Work

ANet will begin with a foundational assessment of Heroes’ staff capacity and capabilities, classroom

instruction, professional development needs and school leadership systems. ANet’s experience in providing

schools and systems with high quality instructional coaching and professional learning directly overlaps with

areas of need in Heroes’ Innovation Plan. The strength of the ANet instructional tools and coaching ensures

that school leadership teams develop the capacity to support strong instructional practices, which are

reinforced by professional learning and instructional resources. Through this comprehensive service model,

ANet will support Heroes to realize significant practice improvement and achieve strong student outcomes by

implementing the following four components of ANet’s Core Model:

1. Job-embedded instructional coaching and professional learning;

2. Access to the ANet network and group learning events;

3. Instructional tools and resources; and

4. Interim assessments.

1. Job-embedded instructional coaching and professional learning. Heroes will receive a dedicated

coach who works closely with the leadership team to build strong leadership practices and create a

coherent arc of yearlong support for teachers and leaders. The Anet coach will assist in the

development of an effective school leadership team according to the ANet research-based, proprietary

leadership rubric, the Leader Levers. The Leader Levers rubric will serve as a framework for developing

the school leadership team and as an instrument for ANet coach(s) to assess the effectiveness of the

supports they provide Heroes. The ANet coach will help plan and deliver professional learning to

deepen Heroes teachers’ and leaders’ understanding of the standards, improve planning, and

strengthen the adult culture of learning. The coach will also support high-quality instruction based on

planning from standards, drawing practical insights from analyzing student work and data, and strong

collaboration.

School leaders will meet with the ANet coach(s) according to a timeline that aligns to a quarterly cycle

of inquiry, called the Teaching and Learning Cycle. Coaching interactions will include consultations with

leaders, analysis of the Purpose Teaching and Learning matrix to align strategies found therein with

ANet PD Cycle strategies, reflection and data meetings, classroom observations, co-planning sessions

with teachers - whatever it takes to move the school forward. Reflection meetings will allow the school

leadership team to step back and consider how well program and innovation implementation is

unfolding at their school and any adjustments they should make. Additionally, the ANet coach will also

have mid-year and end-of-year meetings to reflect on the ANet partnership directly, review progress

toward practice goals on ANet’s Leader Levers rubric, and review broad trends in student learning

data. Providing the space for both school and district leaders to carefully consider the ANet partnership

and their role in the successful implementation of their innovation plan will help to develop buy-in at

the school and district level and highlight ways for ANet, the school, and the district to adjust course

for continued improvement.


ANet coaching will help the school leadership team to develop strong instructional practices based on

several research-driven key competency areas. Heroes will work with their ANet coach early in the

school year to prioritize their practice improvement efforts based on the school’s starting level and

individualized goals for teachers and students. The Leader Levers rubric will guide ANet coaching to

help the school make concrete improvements in practice over time. These improvements will ensure

that Heroes has consistent systems in place to build leader and teacher capacity in order to meet the

individual learning needs of all students. Achievement of practice goals are measured against the

Leader Levers rubric, designed to develop school leadership teams and their ability to:

● Build expertise, conceptual understandings,and attitudes about standards and instruction;

● Build expertise, conceptual understandings, and attitudes about use of data;

● Pursue a limited number of school-wide academic priorities through high quality use of time and

structures;

● Develop teachers to strengthen instruction and adult culture; and

● Develop leadership teams to deepen impact across the school.

The Leader Levers rubric is anchored in research on best practices for providing standards and data

driven instructional leadership. ANet also grounds instructional guidance in Student Achievement

Partners’ (SAP) Core Actions to ensure teachers and school leaders are able to identify Key Shifts in

instruction while examining the quality and rigor alignment of lesson plans and conducting classroom

observations. By explicitly looking for evidence of high quality instruction that is based on the Common

Core and other rigorous standards, the ANet coach will be able to help deepen Heroes teachers’ and

leaders’ understanding of the standards and support them in translating their standards knowledge

into standards-aligned lesson plans and instruction, including building their “toolbox” of differentiation

strategies.

2. Access to our network and group learning events. In addition to the direct coaching Heroes will

receive, ANet will also provide the school with in-person professional learning events so educators can

collaborate with and learn from their peers. These sessions will be grounded in the Common Core and

leadership best practices from schools and leaders across the country and align to the specific needs

identified in Heroes’ Innovation Plan.

ANet’s professional learning model reflects current best practices for adult learning:

● Coaching and professional learning will be on-site, embedded in existing school structures,

job-embedded (including being alongside instructional coaches during 1:1 coaching of teachers) and

directly influenced by student learning data;

● ANet will leverage Heroes’ professional learning communities (PLCs), incorporate peer

feedback, and reflect on practice.


3. Interim assessments. Heroes teachers will use ANet’s online ELA and math interim assessments

for grades 2-8, administered in 8-week intervals over the course of the school year. Results from ANet

interim assessments will be analyzed in PLCs and used to inform reteach cycles and to refine upcoming

units of study, interventions, and lesson planning.

4. Tools and instructional resources. ANet will offer Heroes’ teachers and leaders a deep store of

resources to support school improvement and instructional change in the classroom and at the school

level. Combined with aligned professional learning, ANet resources will help Heroes teachers to

understand the content of the standards, anticipate common student mistakes in learning the

standards, and plan lessons that address those mistakes. For example, ANet has developed guides that

help teachers understand and break down the Common Core standards and planning templates that

help teachers develop rigorous lessons aligned to the standards.

The four components of ANet’s Support Model work together to create seamless support for schools. With the

practices and tools that ANet’s Core Model will help the school put into action, Heroes leaders will be better

able to support their teachers, and teachers will be better able to differentiate instruction in their classrooms.

ANet will conduct an extensive foundational review of Heroes to identify the areas of focus and co-develop

the partnership implementation plan with the principal and Executive Director of Continuous Improvement

and Innovation. A draft of the plan will be shared with the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

Services for feedback. The initial review will focus on determining:

● The instructional focus for teacher development to ensure that classroom instruction at all

grades is paced and provided at the level necessary to show students are meeting the state standards,

with a focus on literacy and math instruction.

● The systems and structures that need to be established to prioritize strong instructional

leadership and data driven instructional practices, including regular progress-monitoring, throughout the

school at all grade levels, with a focus on literacy and math instruction.

● The structures and professional development needed to develop a dedicated, knowledgeable

and skilled instructional leadership team, including content and instructional expertise of the principal.

Based on the review, ANet will design specific coaching and leadership development activities for Heroes staff

(principal, assistant principal, instructional coaches, and teachers) as well as the supports needed to develop

the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. Per the PSD 60-ANet MOU, ANet will be

accountable for instructional strategies and pedagogy, assessments, and professional development systems.

Intensive professional development and leadership activities will include:

● Approximately 30 interactions with a dedicated ANet coach. Heroes’ ANet coach will learn about the

school’s strengths and needs, then work alongside the leadership team to support rigorous instruction that

is grounded in a deep knowledge of the standards, shaped by data, and built on strong practices of great

educators across the country.


● Formative interim assessments that Heroes teachers will use three times per year to gauge student

mastery of grade level content and to identify actions to help students where they are struggling. The rigor

and quality of ANet’s interim assessments have been endorsed by the leading experts on rigorous

standards from across the country: Student Achievement Partners did not name any areas where ANet

assessments could be improved in a recent audit and ANet’s assessments received a Tier 1 rating - one of

only two assessments to receive this rating in ELA and the only one to receive this rating in math- by the

Louisiana Department of Education.

● An online platform that provides educators with easy-to-understand data and instructional lesson, unit

and assessment resources in math and ELA, including video of best practice. These resources will enable

teachers to plan rigorous, standards-aligned lessons and adjust instruction based on student

understanding. These resources will also be used during co-planning sessions when ANet coaches work

alongside teachers to plan for upcoming daily lessons and/or units of study.

● Access to the best practices of our network of partner schools delivered through regular professional

development convenings throughout the school year.

Coaching support will be tailored to the specific context, strengths, and needs of Heroes but focused on the

Leader Levers. ANet has found that schools that successfully build strong practice across these five levers – or,

in our words, reach “Level 2” on each lever – achieve greater gains in student achievement than 70% of the

schools in their state in ELA and math, on average. In ANet’s experience, it takes three to four years of Full

Partnership to achieve Level 2. The first year of partnership focuses on building foundational strength across

all five of these levers, while subsequent years typically prioritize individual levers based on a school’s context,

strength, and needs.

ANet’s Leader Levers document follows:


The specific content of the ANet coaching will be based on the individual needs of the Heroes staff and

existing school systems. However, we anticipate that the 30 coaching interactions will focus on some or all of

the following:

On Site Support & Service Purpose

Set Instructional Priorities and

Goals for the School Year

● Set focus and priorities for the year; map out overall

approach for coaching interactions

Teacher Orientation and MyANet

Platform Training

● Orient teachers and leaders around partnership,

instructional purpose of assessments, and tools

Teacher Planning Support with

school leader and Instructional

Leadership team (ILT)

● Help ILT ensure that teachers are planning lessons

that reflect the rigor expected by new standards

● Ensure the ILT is providing consistent and robust

feedback to teachers on their lesson plans

● Help build a deeper knowledge alignment around

the expectations of the standards across the school

Data Analysis Support with school

leader and Instructional

Leadership team (ILT)

● Help ILT ensure that teachers are analyzing and

acting on interim assessment data effectively

● Help ILT set and focus on academic priorities that

reflect the needs revealed by examination of

student work

● Support the ILT in creating data-based professional

learning for educators

Observations of instruction with

school leadership

● Help ILT understand the extent to which classroom

instruction reflects the expectations of the

standards

● Help ILT plan professional learning and use

common planning time to strengthen classroom

instruction

ANet District Leadership Supports

ANet has partnered with systems across the country to boost changes in teacher practice and student

learning, including Springfield and Revere Public Schools in Massachusetts, DC, KIPP DC, and the Academy of

Urban School Leadership in Chicago. In the 2015-16 year, schools we coached saw greater performance gains

in math and ELA and were 15% more likely to meet their practice goals when both school and system

leaders partnered directly with ANet. Thus, ANet will align the school level support with direct systems

level support. ANet has identified the most important practices of an effective system (District) and have

found that schools in a system are better set up for success when the system:


● Defines a limited set of system-wide instructional priorities for the year and a strategy for monitoring

progress on them;

● Is very strategic about how they use assessments, including defining a clear purpose for each and

providing structures/support to help teachers and leaders use them effectively;

● Ensures schools have high-quality, standards aligned instructional materials/curricula and

structures/support to implement them well; and

● Provides for meaningful, coherent teacher and leader professional learning driven by data and

standards.

Workstreams Purpose Structures

Priorities and

Vision Setting

● Define vision and priorities for ANet and

PSC partnership

● Ensure alignment between ANet

partnership and system-level priorities

Two meetings following

partnership kick-off with the

Superintendent, Assistant

Superintendent and the

Executive Director

Progress

Monitoring &

Implementation

Support (See

Appendix 2 for

year-long

schedule)

● Monitor practice implementation and

performance progress at the system and

school levels

● Co-observe instruction across schools to

align on trends in instructional practice and

leadership

● Identify actions ANet coaches and system

leaders can take to accelerate progress

Approximately 18 additional

interactions; common

approaches include:

Twice-monthly meetings or

learning walks with Executive

Director (some will include

Assistant Superintendent of

Teaching and Learning

Services)

Two important documents found in the attachments provide additional detail to the scope of work,

partnership, and accountability between Pueblo City Schools and Achievement Network:

● ANet System Partnership Framework (Attachment 2)

This document outlines focus areas for school and ANet collaborative work in the following key areas:

○ Priorities and Progress Monitoring

○ Strategic Use of Assessments

○ High-quality Standards-aligned Materials

○ Meaningful Professional Learning Driven by Data and Standards

● The Principal Manager Activities/Calendar (Attachment 3)


This document outlines the recommended year-long weekly focus areas and key activities for the

Executive DIrector of Continuous Improvement and Innovation to monitor when coaching and

supervising the Heroes Principal and development of the School Leadership Team. The Assistant

Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services will use this calendar as a guide for reflection and

accountability when coaching and supporting the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and

Innovation.

Shared Decision-making Agreements

It is the intention of Pueblo City Schools and the Achievement Network to work collaboratively when making

all decisions, as applicable to both parties, related to the implementation of Heroes’ innovation plan. To this

end, we have drafted a Decision-Making/Responsibility Matrix which outlines the primary decision-maker

across different areas of responsibility. ANet and the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

Services will be drafting descriptive statements for each “shared” (X’s in both columns) area of responsibility

to further outline the intended role of ANet in that area of work. These statements will be used for future

reference as questions arise regarding intent of role and scope of work.

Management Partnership Decision-Making/Responsibility Matrix

RESPONSIBILITY ANet Pueblo City

District/School

Academic Systems

Curriculum Selection X

Instructional Strategies – Unit/Lesson Planning Expectations X X

Instructional Strategies and Pedagogy - Implementation X X

Assessment

Selection X

Timeline and Calendar X

Facilitation and Preparation of Staff X X

Data Analysis Processes (training, protocols/tools, action planning) X

Data-driven school assessment systems and practices – progress

monitoring

X

UIP – Development, Revision, and Progress Monitoring X X

Other compliance reporting X


Talent Management and Professional Development

Professional Development Systems

School Professional Development Plan Development X X

School Professional Development Facilitation and Implementation X X

Building Leadership Team Membership X X

Development and Facilitation of Building (Instructional) Leadership

Team

X X

Principal Leadership Professional Development Plan Development

(Innovation Zone Principals)

X X

Principal Leadership Professional Development Facilitation and

Implementation (Innovation Zone Principals)

X X

Teachers

Hiring of Teachers (starting 2017-18 school year) X

Hiring Practices X X

Defining Roles and Responsibilities (Teachers, Staff) X X

Coaching of Teachers X

Supervision of Teachers X

Instructional Coaches

Hiring of Instructional Coaches (starting 2017-18 school year) X X

Development, Training and Coaching of Instructional Coaches X X

Supervision of Instructional Coaches X

Principal and Assistant Principal

Hiring of Principal X X

Hiring of Assistant Principal X X

Coaching of School Leaders (Principal, AP) X X

Supervision of School Leaders (Principal, AP) X


Culture

Mission and Vision X

MTSS Systems and Monitoring X X

Social – Emotional Interventions and Supports X

Behavior Management (ie. Restorative Justice) X

Family and Community Engagement X

Communications, Media Relations, Branding X

Emergency Procedures X

Celebrations of Success and Culture of High Expectations X X

School Operations

School calendar and schedule X X

Budget and Finance X

Facilities and Maintenance X

Coordination of Services with District Departments/Central Office X X

Technology and IT X

Partnership Accountability

Program Evaluations X X

Contract Management X X

Progress reporting and Accountability (written quarterly report to

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and

Pueblo City Schools Board of Education)

X

Potential additional partnerships identification X


In the event that agreement cannot be reached regarding a decision, final decision-making authority will be as

follows:

● If responsibility area has only one X, that entity will have final say

● If responsibility area has two X’s (one in each column), final say will be given to the Assistant

Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services in collaboration with the Superintendent of Pueblo

City Schools

● If responsibility area does not appear in the matrix, final say will be given to the school/district

Performance Contract/MOU

A draft of the Contract/MOU between Pueblo City Schools and ANet is included as Attachment 4. Key

components align to the responsibilities listed in the Partnership Matrix above. The contract includes

information related to comprehensive services, fees for service, and responsibilities/rights, including:

● Length of contract: 1 year

● ANet Resources

● ANet Platform information

● ANet Assessment Materials

● Analysis, Logistics and Reports

● Training and Coaching

● System Support and Training

● Network Professional Learning “Events”

● Member Responsibilities

● Member Data Release/Access Agreements

● Terms and Termination Agreements

● Fees for Service

An anticipated two year projected fees for service is listed below.


Accountability for Student Achievement

Heroes Academy has established specific academic goals as follows:

Reading/Writing

● Students in grades 2-8 will meet or exceed the network on 80% of overall performance on standards,

as measured by the A3 cycle data meeting report in March 2018.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for ELA overall on the

spring 2018 PARCC.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above on the spring 2018

PARCC for all disaggregated groups.

● Grades K-5 will decrease the percentage of students reading Well Below Benchmark level, making Well

Above Average Progress, as measured by the Amplify Progress Planning Tool.


Math

● Students in grades 2-8 will meet or exceed the network on 80% of overall performance on standards,

as measured by the A3 cycle data meeting report in March 2018.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for Math overall on

the spring 2018 PARCC.

● Heroes K-8 Academy will increase median growth to the 60th percentile or above for Math on the

spring 2018 PARCC for all disaggregated groups.

Pueblo City Schools’ partnership with ANet is ultimately about improving student learning. In support of the

above goals, ANet will be accountable to helping Heroes outperform the state on average student

achievement gains in ELA and math, based on year-end summative exams, including the PARCC assessment.

ANet’s Organizational Effectiveness team will additionally assess student performance growth over the

previous year and compare average student outcomes in ANet schools with those realized by the state.

Leadership Description of Supports and Bios

Research on school reform verifies the importance of providing strong leadership in order to significantly

improve student achievement, especially in turnaround initiatives. Pueblo City Schools is fortunate to have

the following leadership on board to support Heroes’ successful implementation of their innovation plan.

DISTRICT

Name/Role Biography

Suzanne Morey, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services Suzanne will provide weekly coaching and direct supervision of the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. She will conduct building walkthroughs, minimally monthly, alongside the principal and Executive Director to progress monitor and ensure successful implementation of the Innovation Plan. She will participate in the quarterly implementation reviews and will support facilitation of leadership training for the principals and assistant principals in Pueblo’s Innovation Zone.

Suzanne is the newly hired Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services for Pueblo City Schools. She has previous experience directly coaching school leaders and providing leadership development for principals, Deans of Instruction, instructional coaches, and teachers. Prior to joining PSD 60, Suzanne was a principal at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Denver Public Schools and Aurora Public Schools and served as the Executive Director of Strategic School Support in DPS. She has extensive experience in turnaround and innovation schools, leading schools out of “corrective” action and priority improvement status. Suzanne has participated in Relay leadership training focused on building data-driven instructional systems and observation feedback cycles of support. She will be enrolled in the year-long Relay Graduate School’s National Academy Fellowship Program during the 2017-18 school year. Suzanne has a BFA in musical theater from Syracuse University, a MA in Elementary Education from Columbia University Teachers’ College, and received her


principal license from Denver University.

Theodore Johnson, Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation The Executive Director will provide weekly coaching and direct supervision of the principal. This will include regular building walkthroughs, observation of PLCs, Instructional Leadership Team meetings, and school-wide PDs. The Executive Director will plan and facilitate monthly leadership training for the principals and assistant principals in Pueblo’s Innovation Zone and will participate in the quarterly implementation reviews. The Executive Director will serve as the primary liaison between the school and district departments in ensuring that district systems support the successful implementation of the innovation plan.

Ted is the newly hired Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation for Pueblo City Schools. He has over 20 years of experience as a teacher and school leader at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Ted began his teaching career at the Colegio Americano de Puebla in Puebla, Mexico. He returned to Colorado and taught Bilingual and English as a Second Language Classes in Fort Lupton, Colorado before moving to Pueblo. For the last seven years, he served as principal of Irving Elementary, successfully leading the school out of turnaround. Ted was a participant in Relay Graduate School’s second National Academy Fellowship Program (NPAF) and was a member of their Principal and National Alumni Councils. In May, he received an Alumni Leadership Award from Relay. Ted has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado.

SCHOOL

Name/Role Biography

TBD, Principal The principal is the school leader responsible for setting a collaborative school vision for success and leading the school leadership team in the successful implementation and progress monitoring of the school innovation plan. The principal will have coaching and supervision responsibilities in support of the assistant principal and instructional coaches, and will also provide 1:1 coaching and direct supervision to teachers. The principal may facilitate a PLC and/or lead whole staff professional learning as part of her ongoing instructional leadership role.

TBD

ACHIEVEMENT NETWORK

Name/Role Biography

Kathryn Dieck, ANet Executive Director Kathryn Dieck will be coordinating with Laura Brinkman to provide

Kathryn Dieck is Colorado’s Executive Director. Kathryn has been with ANet for three years as a founding member of the ANet Colorado team. In that time, she has directly coached and led embedded professional development for school and systems leaders across


leadership coaching to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation as well as the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services. Kathryn will be overseeing the direct support to schools provided by Julie Puzon and Meredith Stolte, and will coordinate and participate in the School Site visits and the quarterly implementation reviews.

Colorado. Additionally, she develops and leads the ANet CO team. The Colorado Network is the fastest growing network in the Achievement Network partnering with over 100 schools. She came to ANet with 20 years of experience serving as a district leader, school leader and a teacher serving K-12 grades. She has a BA in Liberal Studies/History from California State University, East Bay and a MA in Educational Leadership from Regis University.

Laura Brinkman, ANet Director of New Partnerships Laura will be coordinating with Kathryn Dieck to provide leadership coaching to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation as well as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services. Laura will be leading the alignment of Data Driven Instructional Supervision from the perspective of the Principal Manager/Executive Director of Continuous Improvements across schools, and will also be part of the School Diagnostics and Implementation Review Quarterly visits.

Laura Brinkman is ANet Director of New Partnerships for the Central West Region. She has extensive experience directly coaching school leaders and principal managers and leading embedded professional development for school and systems leaders across Colorado. Prior to joining the ANet team, she spent 30 years in public education as a principal manager supporting turnaround schools, principals, and teachers across the Denver metro area. Laura was a participant in Relay Graduate School’s first National Academy Fellowship Program (NPAF) and was selected to be part of the founding Leverage Leadership Institute cohort. She continues to serve as an adjunct faculty member at Relay as a coach and advisor to current NPAF participants. Laura has a BA in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado, a MA in Special Education Learning Disabilities from University of Northern Colorado and a Type D Principal License from Denver University.

Julie Puzon, Director of School Support Julie Puzon will be working directly with Heroes and Risley leadership teams. Julie will provide the school leadership coaching, PD design and assessment cycle implementation. Julie will participate in the quarterly implementation reviews.

Julie Puzon is a Director of School Support for ANet. Prior to joining the Colorado team, she worked in education for 15 years. She helped to open two South Chicago campuses. There she worked as a teacher, an instructional coach, and a principal. Julie has been through and is a trainer of several Teach Like A Champion workshops from Uncommon Schools. Julie earned her BS.Ed from Illinois State University. She earned her MA in Curriculum and Instruction from Olivet University and an MA in Math Education and Leadership from Illinois Institute of Technology. She also has her Administrative Type 75 from DePaul University.

Chad Cookinham, Director of District Partnerships Chad Cookinham will serve as the district technical support liaison.

Chad Cookinham is the Director of District Partnerships for ANet. In his 14 years in education, Chad worked to support college and career exploration in Colorado schools, ran a student support program at the University of Michigan, and served as a high school teacher for 8 years in Connecticut and Quito, Ecuador. Chad helped


Chad will coordinate with district staff on assessment implementation and provide district and school support in the data. Chad will coordinate and participate in the School Site visits and the quarterly implementation reviews.

open and support an innovation school as part of a turnaround effort on the West High School Campus previous to coming to ANet. Chad earned his BA in Economics and Psychology from Dartmouth College and has a Master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan.

Summary

Heroes Academy must accelerate student achievement growth measures (MGP), making more than a year’s growth in a year’s time, in order to, over time, significantly increase the percentage of students who are proficient and advanced in both literacy and math. Going into the 2017-18 school year, Heroes will focus on the following pressing issues:









The Achievement Network (ANet) in collaboration with school and district administration will provide the

structure, coaching, and accountability for these reforms. We look forward to a robust partnership with ANet in support of successful implementation of Heroes’ Innovation Plan.


ATTACHMENT 1: ANet Letter of Support


ATTACHMENT 2: ANet System Partnership Framework


ATTACHMENT 3: Principal Manager Activities/Calendar


ATTACHMENT 4: DRAFT Contract

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Download - HEROES K-8 ACADEMY...Located in an older neighborhood in the heart of Pueblo, Heroes K-8 Academy is home to 566 students and 45 certified staff. Six years ago, Somerlid Elementary

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