
The WMISD focus this
past year was on assisting schools to improve student performance. To do this,
the board set three comprehensive goals. The first goal was to, within three to
five years, insure that all children within the WMISD service area will enter
kindergarten with skills that will allow them to meet the needs of the new Grade
Level Content Expectations. In this regard we printed content expectation
booklets to be distributed at all kindergarten round-ups, early on meetings, and
in various other community and parent meetings. Professional development was
provided to teachers and an early childhood institute is scheduled
for all area providers.
The second goal was to
within three to five years insure that all Middle and High School Buildings will
be aligned and implementing the new High School Content Expectations and
graduation requirements. Once again, we printed and distributed booklets to all
schools and stakeholders on the new graduation requirements. We worked with
other northern Michigan schools to provide textbook alignment, content alignment
and assessment data related to the
requirements. We worked
to compare ACT WorkKeys assessment with Key-Train scores for CTE students.
Earlier grades worked to implement an intervention team strategy that caught the
lowest performers and provided assistant to bring them up to grade level.
Extensive professional development was offered at all levels to teachers on
assessment, content expectations and instructional strategies were provided to
help meet the expectations.
The third goal was to
within three to five years insure that WMISD will develop a systemic process for
planning based on student needs. A template was developed to work with groups
that outlined process and documentation steps. Surveys were developed for local
administrators and data posters will be visible and referenced in district
administrative and board meetings. When needs are contemplated, the plan will
reference the desired and actual impact on student learning.
This ISD is focusing on
improving student performance and we are assessing our level of achievement
based on data. The closer we get to looking at each individual student and
meeting their needs, the more successful we become as an organization. During
the past year we made significant progress toward achieving our goals but much
is still left to be accomplished.
Scott Crosby
August 2007