Exemplary Middle SchoolsExemplary Middle Schools

The New York State Essential The New York State Essential Elements: Schools to Watch Elements: Schools to Watch

Program – Can It Work For Your Program – Can It Work For Your School?School?

Dr. David PaytonDirector, Schools to Watch, NYSMSANYS Supervisor of Middle-LevelEducation, SED, retired

Dr. Jeannette SternPresident, New York State Middle School AssociationPrincipal, Wantagh Middle School

What is an Exemplary What is an Exemplary Middle School?Middle School?

National Forum to Accelerate National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades ReformMiddle Grades Reform

High-performing schools that serve High-performing schools that serve students in the middle-grades are students in the middle-grades are those that exhibit:those that exhibit:

– Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence – Developmental ResponsivenessDevelopmental Responsiveness – Social EquitySocial Equity – Organizational Structures and ProcessesOrganizational Structures and Processes

Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence

All students are expected to meet high academic standards.

Curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned with high standards.

The curriculum emphasizes deep understanding of important concepts, development of essential skills, and the ability to apply what one has learned to real-world problems.

Instructional strategies include a variety of challenging and engaging activities that are clearly related to the concepts and skills being taught.

AND…

Academic ExcellenceAcademic Excellence

Teachers use a variety of methods to assess student performance.

The school provides students time to meet rigorous academic standards.

Students have the supports they need to meet rigorous academic standards.

The adults in the school have opportunities to plan, select, and engage in professional development aligned with nationally recognized standards.

Developmental ResponsivenessDevelopmental Responsiveness

The school creates a personalized environment that supports each student's intellectual, ethical, social, and physical development.

The school provides access to comprehensive services to foster healthy physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.

Teachers use a wide variety of instructional strategies to foster curiosity, exploration, creativity, and the development of social skills.

The curriculum is both socially significant and relevant to the personal interests of young adolescents.

Teachers make connections across disciplines to help reinforce important concepts and address real-world problems.

Developmental ResponsivenessDevelopmental Responsiveness

The school provides multiple opportunities for students to explore a rich variety of topics and interests in order to develop their identity, discover and demonstrate their own competence, and plan for their future.

Students have opportunities for voice—posing questions, reflecting on experiences, developing rubrics, and participating in decisions.

The school develops alliances with families to enhance and support the well-being of their children.

The school provides students with opportunities to develop citizenship skills, uses the community as a classroom, and engages the community in providing resources and support.

The school provides age-appropriate co-curricular activities.

Social EquitySocial Equity

Faculty and administrators expect high-quality work from all students and are committed to helping each student produce it.

Students may use many and varied approaches to achieve and demonstrate competence and mastery of standards.

The school continually adapts curriculum, instruction, assessment, and scheduling to meet its students' diverse and changing needs.

All students have equal access to valued knowledge in all school classes and activities.

Students have on-going opportunities to learn about and appreciate their own and others' cultures.

AND…

Social EquitySocial Equity

Each child's voice is heard, acknowledged, and respected.

The school welcomes and encourages the active participation of all its families.

The school's reward system demonstrates that it values diversity, civility, service, and democratic citizenship.

The faculty is culturally and linguistically diverse.

The school's suspension rate is low and in proportion to the student population.

Organizational Structures and Processes

A shared vision of what a high-performing school is and does drives every facet of school change.

Someone in the school has the responsibility and authority to hold the school-improvement enterprise together, including day-to-day know-how, coordination, strategic planning, and communication.

The school is a community of practice in which learning, experimentation, and reflection are the norm.

The school devotes resources to content-rich professional development, which is connected to reaching and sustaining the school vision.

AND…

Organizational Structures and Processes

The school is not an island unto itself. It draws upon others' experience, research, and wisdom; it enters into relationships such as networks and community partnerships that benefit students' and teachers' development and learning.

The school holds itself accountable for its students' success rather than blaming others for its shortcomings.

Key people possess and cultivate the collective will to persevere and overcome barriers, believing it is their business to produce increased achievement and enhanced development for all students.

The school works with colleges and universities to recruit, prepare, and mentor novice and experienced teachers.

The school includes families and community members in setting and supporting the school's trajectory toward high performance.

New York State Middle-New York State Middle-Level Essential ElementsLevel Essential Elements

A philosophy and mission that reflect the intellectual and developmental needs and characteristics of young adolescents (youth 10-14 years of age).

An educational program that is comprehensive, challenging, purposeful, integrated, relevant, and standards-based.

An organization and structure that support both academic excellence and personal development.

Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs and characteristics of young adolescents provided by skilled and knowledgeable teachers.

Strong educational leadership and a building administration that encourage, facilitate, and sustain involvement, participation, and partnerships.

A network of academic and personal support available for all students.

Professional learning and staff development for all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful, and collaboratively developed.

Both agree on the need Both agree on the need for…for…

Academic program with high standardsAcademic program with high standards Personal development Personal development Classroom instructional strategies to Classroom instructional strategies to

ensure success for allensure success for all Knowledgeable building leadership who Knowledgeable building leadership who

foster partnershipsfoster partnerships Academic and personal support Academic and personal support

availableavailable Ongoing professional development Ongoing professional development

How Can I Evaluate What Is How Can I Evaluate What Is In My District?In My District?

By utilizing the resources that are By utilizing the resources that are part of the NYS Essential part of the NYS Essential Elements: Schools to Watch Elements: Schools to Watch Program, a school (and district) Program, a school (and district) can evaluate where it is and find can evaluate where it is and find the direction in which to go.the direction in which to go.

What is the What is the Essential Elements: Essential Elements: Schools-to-WatchSchools-to-Watch  (EE: STW)   (EE: STW) recognition program?recognition program? A program to identify and publicize

effective middle schools that are committed to continuous improvement

A campaign to educate professionals and the public about criteria and indicators for high-performing middle schools

An opportunity for mentoring An opportunity for self-study An opportunity for networking about good

practices

Who Is Behind This Program?Who Is Behind This Program?

Partnership Organizations include:Partnership Organizations include: New York State Education Department State Education Department New York State Middle School AssociationNew York State Middle School Association New York State United TeachersNew York State United Teachers New York State Association of Teacher EducatorsNew York State Association of Teacher Educators New York Association of Colleges of Teacher New York Association of Colleges of Teacher

EducationEducation New York City Forum to Accelerate Middle-New York City Forum to Accelerate Middle-

Grades Reform Grades Reform in collaboration with in collaboration with

The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform Reform

Benefits to participating schools and Benefits to participating schools and districts that elect to complete and submit districts that elect to complete and submit

an application include…an application include…

A thorough, research-based, review of the middle-level school and its programs consistent with the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education, the State Education Department’s Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs, and Commissioner’s Regulations related to the middle grades.

Engagement of the educational community in a constructive school improvement activity.

Identification of school/program strengths as well as areas in need of improvement.

AND…

Benefits to participating schools and Benefits to participating schools and districts that elect to complete and submit districts that elect to complete and submit an application include…an application include…

Development of a research-based continuous improvement plan for the school.

Collection of research-based, baseline data to substantiate requests to the State Education Department to implement innovative programs and practices (as per Commissioner’s Regulations).

Complimentary registration for a site team at the New York State Middle School Association’s Annual Conference.

Site visit by team of middle-level educators with follow-up provided when requested.

Additional BenefitsAdditional Benefits

National and state recognition for the district, National and state recognition for the district, school, and staff.school, and staff.

Membership in a small, select pantheon of Membership in a small, select pantheon of nationally recognized middle-level schools.nationally recognized middle-level schools.

Priority recipients of targeted grants for Priority recipients of targeted grants for research and special projects.research and special projects.

Professional development opportunities and Professional development opportunities and networking through complimentary Institutional networking through complimentary Institutional Membership to the New York State Middle Membership to the New York State Middle School Association.School Association.

Coaching towards continued success.Coaching towards continued success.

Minimum EligibilityMinimum Eligibility

Schools must have at least TWO of the Schools must have at least TWO of the following grades: grade six, grade seven, following grades: grade six, grade seven, grade eight grade eight

ANDAND Schools may satisfy the minimum student Schools may satisfy the minimum student

performance eligibility requirements in one performance eligibility requirements in one of two ways:of two ways:

– Possess a 2005-06 Performance Index of 155 or Possess a 2005-06 Performance Index of 155 or higher ORhigher OR

– With a 2005-06 Performance Index of less than 155, With a 2005-06 Performance Index of less than 155, have met all Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) have met all Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) growth targets for both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 growth targets for both the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years.school years.

Application InformationApplication Information

basic school informationbasic school information demographic informationdemographic information suspension informationsuspension information master schedulemaster schedule Academic Intervention ServicesAcademic Intervention Services school awards, grants, projectsschool awards, grants, projects achievement dataachievement data narrativenarrative self-evaluation using EE: STW rubricsself-evaluation using EE: STW rubrics assurances and permission formassurances and permission form

It’s More Than the DataIt’s More Than the Data

The Essential Elements: Schools-to-Watch Self-Study rating and the EE: STW application process should be a collaborative process involving the entire school community. Write a paragraph describing the process used at your school, noting specifically the level of involvement of teachers, counselors, administrators, the school shared decision-making committee and any others (if necessary, attach a separate sheet following page nine of this application).

AND…

It’s More Than the DataIt’s More Than the Data

For each of the four EE: STW Self-Study criteria (Academic Excellence; Developmental Responsiveness; Social Equity; and Organizational Structure and Processes), write a 1-to-2 page narrative substantiating your school’s ratings for the aspects of the self-rating scale. Give as much detail as possible within the space limitations. If the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level Education and/or the State Education Department’s Essential Elements of Standards-Focused Middle-Level Schools and Programs document have influenced or support the practices at your school, please reference what and how. Providing evidence is the key!!

It’s More Than the DataIt’s More Than the Data

Write an additional 1-to-2 page narrative on the school’s plans Write an additional 1-to-2 page narrative on the school’s plans for the future – specifically address any areas of weakness for the future – specifically address any areas of weakness identified through doing the EE: STW Self-Studyidentified through doing the EE: STW Self-Study. How will . How will your school become a high-quality, standards-based, state-of-your school become a high-quality, standards-based, state-of-the-art learning environment for young adolescents and the the-art learning environment for young adolescents and the adults who educate them?adults who educate them?

The Self-StudyThe Self-Study

For each of the four areas, there are questions to be rated:

(4) Our school has a high level of implementation or implementation of high quality for the aspects described in the criteria.

(3) Our school has a medium level of implementation or implementation of mixed quality for the aspects described in the criteria.

(2) Our school has a low level of implementation or implementation of low quality for the aspects described in the criteria.

(1) Our school has not implemented the aspects described in the criteria.

And EVIDENCE needs to be provided for each answer

The ProcessThe Process

Applications are due in mid-October. Applications are checked for completeness. Applications are read by trained middle-level

experts around the state and evaluated against common criteria.

Site visits are arranged for schools where the written applications warrant.

Site visits are evaluated against written applications and common criteria.

Feedback is provided for all schools.

Current NYS EE: Schools Current NYS EE: Schools to Watchto Watch

Barker Road Middle School, Pittsford Barker Road Middle School, Pittsford Calkins Road Middle School, PittsfordCalkins Road Middle School, Pittsford Oliver Winch Middle School, South Oliver Winch Middle School, South

Glens FallsGlens Falls Sayville Middle School, SayvilleSayville Middle School, Sayville Twelve Corners Middle School, BrightonTwelve Corners Middle School, Brighton Victor Jr./Sr. High School, VictorVictor Jr./Sr. High School, Victor Moravia Middle School, MoraviaMoravia Middle School, Moravia

How to Begin?How to Begin?

Applications and self-study are Applications and self-study are available atavailable at

www.nysmsa.orgwww.nysmsa.org

For Handouts and For Handouts and further information…further information…

stern@nysmsa.orgstern@nysmsa.org 516-679-6307 Jeannette516-679-6307 Jeannette

Questions?Questions?