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SPMS 2014-2015
Washington County Public Schools
School-Wide Improvement Plan 2014-2015


Page (s)
Section I
Foundation 2
Section II
Current Reality 3-4
Section III
Action Plan 5 20
Section IV
Professional Development Matrix 21-22

SPRINGFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Mrs. Jennifer Ruppenthal, Principal
Mr. Dave Hanks, SIT Facilitator

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SPMS 2014-2015
Section I
Foundation
School-Wide Achievement Plan
Washington County Public Schools
SPRINGFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL
All students have the ability to grow and
learn.
B
E
L
I
E
F
S
Create student-centered classrooms
Encourage independence and self-
awareness
Actively engage students in 21
st
century
learning with hands-on-learning
opportunities
Promote student collaboration and
cooperation
Provide a safe and inviting classroom
environment
Support technology, foreign language,
AVID, and STEM immersion
Create a community of learners that value
academics

VISION
Excellence for All

MISSION
At Springfield Middle School, we foster the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical
growth of our students while preparing them to be successful learners in the 21
st
century.


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SPMS 2014-2015
Section II
Current Reality
Supporting Data for Area of Focus/Goals
SPRINGFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL
List only the data used and write a rationale for developing the schools primary improvement goal.
Outcome 1: Deepen teachers content knowledge and skills to provide effective instruction and assess student progress. (MD PD standard 1.a, 1.b,)
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: Information from school-led walk-throughs, review of SIM unit organizers, and evaluation of unit / lesson plans implemented.

Outcome 2: Support teachers understanding and use of student learning data to identify gaps between student learning and student standards of proficiency.
(MD PD standard 7.d).
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: MAP data, Teacher-created formal and informal assessments, Data analysis to inform further instruction and reflect on teaching
strategies

Outcome 3: Enhance Classroom-Focused Improvement Process (CFIP) to differentiate learning opportunities to support professional goals .
(MD PD Standard 1.c)
IMPLEMENTATION INDICATOR: CFIP agendas and meeting notes align to school and individual FFT goals. Teachers achieve distinguished / or proficient status
for their SLO.

Outcome 4: Ensure that teachers are able to create safe, secure, and supportive learning environments for all students (MD PD Standard 5.a and 5.b)
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: School-wide benchmark indicators for PBIS demonstrate growth on all indicators, Student Achievement Meeting agendas and
meeting notes reflect steps to address concerns (OLWEUS) Teachers will be proficient and confident in Safety initiatives(Safety committee, safety drills, etc.)

Outcome 5: Support teachers understanding of behavior indicators, including attendance and disciplinary referrals and OSS, to enhance classroom
management practices (MD PD Standard 7.e).
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: Decrease in disciplinary referrals and Out of School Suspensions with monthly updates of PBIS data and increase teacher use of
best practices for students of poverty (New teacher classroom management session; Accessibility Strategies; New Teacher Seminar 2014/2015).

Outcome 6: Ensure that teachers have the knowledge skills, and dispositions to involve families as active partners in their childrens education. (MD PD
standard 6.a and 6.b). See Section H and I for additional data sources.
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR: PTA newsletter, Letters home about MAP results, homework hotline, Synergy, My Big Campus, eHomework update, Alert Now,
Updates to school website with input from teachers, Parent interviews to reflect level of parent satisfaction. New Teacher Seminar Community tour.




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SPMS 2014-2015

Goal 1: By June 2015, Springfield Middle School will increase the number of students meeting the academic achievement standards as
measured by the Maryland State Assessments and the Measure of Academic Progress and deepen teachers content knowledge and skills to
provide a smooth transition to Common Core State Curriculum.
Measurable Objectives: The Measureable objectives 1, 2, and 3 are based on the 2014 MSA results and Fall MAP results.
1. Informational text/Vocab SLO goals
Math ELL 35.7% to 92.8% (12 out of 14 students) 5 proficient in 2013
Math Hispanic 70.3% to 91.8% (34 out of 37 students) 26 proficient in 2013
Reading ELL 71.4% to 92.8% (13 out of 14 students) 10 proficient in 2013
Reading Hispanic 86.5% to 94.5% (35 out of 37 students) 32 proficient in 2013

2. Continue implementation of the CFIP ELL team to focus decisions on data and improve MAP Reading and Math scores for 100% of ELL and Hispanic
students quarterly.
Goal 2: Springfield Middle School will maintain parent and community involvement through various strategies.
Measurable Objectives: The Measurable objectives are based on input and data collected during the 2013-2014 SY.
1. Increase the number of parent volunteer hours from 582 hours to 700.
2. Increase the number of parent/family involvement nights from previous year.
3. Run a Parent Academy once a month.

Goal 3: Springfield Middle School will provide students with a pleasant, conducive, learning environment for students and teachers. Teachers
will utilize the PBIS behavior referral process.
Measurable Objectives: These measurable objectives 1, 2, 3 and 4 are based on the total student population unless noted otherwise.
1. Promote and reinforce positive behaviors of students through the PBIS program and parent/student contact and decrease referrals from 830 to 780.
2. By June 2015, decrease the number of suspensions from 20 to 18
3. By June 2015, decrease the number of AISI served from 253 to 228 (as a result of referrals).
4. By June 2015, decrease the number of AISI visits from 820 to 738.
5. Identify all students missing 15 or more days in 2013-2014 and strategically assign mentors that will hold regular meetings with students to establish and
review goals to reduce the total from 62 to 31.


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SPMS 2014-2015

Section III
Action Plan
Priority Actions for Improvement
Area
School-Wide Strategies for Improvement: Peak Performance for Students and
Staff
Instructional Practices that
Support Student
Achievement
Collaborative teacher teams will identify research-based instructional and assessment strategies to
increase student achievement.
Action Steps Person Responsible Project Completion Date Resources Needed
I.A.1 Utilize well organized
curriculum documents to guide
decision making on teaching and
learning of CC standards,
objectives, and assessment limits

All Teachers Daily
Pacing Guides/Scope and Sequence
Unit Organizers
Math Practices/NGSS/C3/Capacities
Activities Aligned with the Md College
& Career Readiness Standards
I.A.2 Participate in CFIP
meetings and planning to
collaboratively determine weak
objectives aligned with scope and
sequence and students identified
needs

All Teachers Minimum once per marking period

Item Analysis Reports
Unit Test Data
MAP data
Checkpoints/Benchmarks/Tasks
I.A.3 Monitor curriculum
understanding and implementation
through CFIP meetings, review of
lesson plans, walkthroughs noting
posted mastery objectives, and
observation/feedback on
classroom instruction with a focus
on disciplinary literacy, AVID
strategies, STEM lessons and rigor

Academic Leadership Team Monthly Walk-Throughs
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I.B.1 Data analysis will determine
the interventions/enrichments
occurring as pullout, TIE, or after
school tutoring programs.

Content Area Teachers, BLT Daily
Benchmarks, checkpoints
MAP Scores
I.B.2 Houses will develop
individual success plans for
students facing challenges with
meeting academic goals

House Members, Asst. Principals,
Counselors
Weekly
MP Failure Report
SAM documents
I.B.3 Full implementation of the
unit organizers- a research based
instructional delivery approach
(SIM) to assist students in meeting
academic goals

All Teachers Bi-Weekly
SIM Unit Organizers
Curriculum Documents
I.B.4 Through CFIP and
weekly/house collaborative
meetings identify appropriate
instructional strategies that result
in a high degree of student
engagement and student mastery
of learning objectives ensuring a
focus on interdisciplinary
connections, 21
st
Century skills,
and technology integration.

All Teachers Weekly
Curriculum resources (PARCC,
CCSS, STEM)
WICOR-AVID Strategies
I.B.5 Provide special education
students/at risk students
opportunities for small group pre-
teaching, direct instruction, and
guided practice

Special Education Case Manager
Content Teachers
Paraprofessionals

Weekly
Pre-Assessment results
Informal and Formal assessment
MAP data
I.C.1 Familiarize students with
annual assessment formats
(Science MSA, and PARCC),
procedures and practices

Content Area Teachers On-going
Online practice assessments
Ipad keyboards
Teacher Created Assessments
Content Benchmarks
LA Tasks, Checkpoints
I.C.2 Review data of all students
to determine reading and math
interventions

IFIP Team, SEC, BLT Weekly
Meeting Notes, MAP Scores, Lexiles,
LA Tasks, Checkpoints
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I.C.3 Implementation of common
assessment strategies through
collaboration meetings.

Content Area Teachers Weekly Assessment Documents
I.E.1 Conduct monthly SIT
meetings to monitor the
implementation of the School
Improvement Plan

SIT Facilitator Monthly
Survey Results
Teacher Data
I.E.2 Conduct Instructional
Leadership Team meetings
(Admin, Department Leaders,
Special Education Case Manager)
to monitor subgroup performance
and school climate indicators

Principal Monthly
SIT Survey Responses
School Progress Index
I.E.3 Conduct informal
classroom walk-throughs to
monitor quality classroom
instruction

Administrators, Instructional
Leaders
Monthly
Walk Through Documents
Teachscape Walkthrough
I.E.4 Conduct weekly IFIP
(Literacy) Team meetings

Admin, BLT, SEC, Sp. Ed dept.
leader, Reading Specialist

Weekly RITS Spreadsheet


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SPMS 2014-2015

Section III
Action Plan
Priority Actions for Improvement
Area
School-Wide Strategies for Improvement: Peak Performance for Students and
Staff Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction
Parent/Community
Involvement
Increase parent and community involvement through strategies outlined in the National Network for
Partnership Schools Action Plan.
Action Steps Person Responsible Project Completion Date Resources Needed
III.A.1 Host grade
level/departmental parent forums
through Back to School Night,
Spring Celebration, Celebration
Ceremony (grade 8)
Administration
All teachers

June August

Schedule Alert Now Reminders
School Website
Media
III.A.2 Encourage and provide
two-way family communications
through PTA newsletter (email),
PTA membership, phone calls
home for absent students,
Homework Hotline, Synergy,
School Web Site, eHomework line,
and AlertNOW messages
Administration and staff
On-going

Newsletter
Letters
Web Site

III.A.3 Increase PTA attendance
by making personal phone calls
requesting attendance and
ensuring that teachers and/or
administration attend each meeting
PTA President Monthly
PTA Calendar
PTA Officers Phone List
III.A.4 Encourage parent
participation in Student Support
Team meetings
Administration Weekly
Parent Invitations
Administration & PPW Letters
Home Visits
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SPMS 2014-2015
III.A.5 Encourage parents to assist
by volunteering
School-based sports teams, Destination
Imagination Team, Green School, Book
Fairs (FALL and SPRING), Field Trips,
Office Support, Band Activities, Food
Pantry, and Spring Celebration
Principal and staff On-going
Calendar of Events
Email Addresses
Volunteer Coordinator

III.B.1 Increase school image in
the community through activities:
Music Performances (Riversong,
Orchestra, Band, Jazz Band)
Drama Productions
Spring Celebration
Sixth Grade
PBIS Carnival
PBIS Cougar Cup
Transition Night
Book Fairs
Student Government
Drives(Food, Hat Day, SPCA,
Toys for Tots, Pennies for
Patients, Breast Cancer
Awareness, etc.)
Back To School Nights
Orientation for incoming parents
and students
Springfield Middle Volleyball
League
Clubs: LEO club, National Junior
Honor Society
River Rat Cross Country Run
Field Trips
STARS celebration
Read Across America
Recycling Drives
Food Pantry
Principal and staff On-going
Calendar of Events
Event Posters
Alert Now Reminders
Press Releases to Local Media
III.B.2 Encourage teacher
presence in the community
through AVID, Band & PTA
restaurant fundraising events and
local student events.
Activity Organizer On-going Flyers, Newsletters, New Webpage


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SPMS 2014-2015

Section III
Action Plan
Priority Actions for Improvement
Area School-Wide Strategies for Improvement: Customer and Stakeholder Satisfaction
School Climate
Implement research based school-wide programs and strategies to address student discipline, increase
student attendance, and reduce suspensions and student drop-outs.
Action Steps Person Responsible Project Completion Date Resources Needed
STUDENT ATTENDANCE

II.A.1 Utilize incentive program to
encourage and reward increased
student attendance
Record Cougar Cash at each
marking period for perfect
attendance
Hold drawings for gift cards every
marking period for perfect
attendance

Houses and Homerooms End of Marking Period
Attendance Data
Cougar Bank
II.A.2 Utilize Student Intervention
Specialists and Pupil Personnel
Worker to perform home visits of
identified students through SST

Student Support Team Weekly
Attendance Data
Referral Data
II.A.3 Increase student attendance
and opportunity to learn by
providing alternative programs to
Out of School Suspensions (OSS)

Assistant Principals Daily
Attendance Data
Referral Data
II.A.4 Utilize a variety of strategies
to decrease the number of tardies
to school (SST team to decide)

Assistant Principals Daily Attendance Data
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STUDENT BEHAVIOR
II.B.1 Conduct Success Through
Academic Recognition of Students
(STARS) Assembly to reward
student achievement and conduct

Grade level teams/ teams End of Marking Period
Team Representative
Student Write-Ups
Donuts and Coffee
II.B.2 Increase the consistency of
teacher use of Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

PBIS Committee Daily
Staff Meeting Reinforcement
Email Reminders
Walk-throughs
II.B.3 Engage students in
activities to support character
development including Character
Counts and NBA Zone

PBIS Committee
NBA Zone Committee
Weekly
Teacher Lesson Schedule
Lesson Plans
Book Study
I.F.6 Employ the Where
Everybody Belongs (WEB) Program
to provide opportunities for student
leadership and to ensure smooth
student transition to middle school
including Summer Orientation
Meetings and Monthly WEB Follow-
up Activities

WEB Leaders Weekly
Calendar of Events
Sixth Grade Lesson Schedule
I.F.7 Hold articulation meetings in
the spring with feeder schools for
incoming SWD sixth graders and
literacy screenings

Special Education Case Manager
Reading Specialist

Spring
Elementary Case Manager Names
5
th
grade SWD Testing
Accommodations
I.F.8 Establish standardized
communication with feeder schools
Sixth grade teacher visits/meetings
with incoming elementary students
Counselors to Counselor meetings
with elementary students
Student Intervention Specialists for at-
risk students moving to high school
High School course explanations and
scheduling
AVID program in conjunction with high
school
Counseling Department
Grade Level SIS
AVID Coordinator

Monthly
Communication Documents
SIS Documents
Team Collaboration
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I.F.9 Create master schedule by
March 2015 based on students
academic needs, interventions and
enrichment opportunities

Instructional Leadership Spring
Projected Enrollment
Staffing
Programs Offered
I.F.10 Ease transitions within
the school by establishing
visitation between teachers and
students in upcoming grade
levels Invite 5
th
graders to Summer
School program
Counseling Department
NBA Zone Group Leaders
Summer School Coordinator

Spring NBA Calendar of Events
I.F.11 Conduct Vertical Teaming
Meetings with feeder elementary
magnet program teachers to share
instructional ideas.
Magnet Coordinator Spring Calendar of Events




STUDENT LEADERSHIP
II.C.1 Organize student produced
morning announcements
Sponsor Teacher Daily Recommended Students
II.C.2 Provide opportunities for
students to participate in career
awareness programs including Day
on the Job, visitation to Tech
High/Barbara Ingram/Colleges,
STEM, guest speakers
SIS
AVID Coordinator
Counselors
Yearly
Calendar of Events
Permission Slips
Teacher, Guidance, and Admin
Recommendations
II.C.3 Recognize outstanding
student achievement by:
Recognizing Honor Roll and
Distinguished Honor Roll each
marking period
Presidential Award for
Excellence in 8
th
Grade (yearly)
National Jr. Honor Society
Identified Teachers End of Marking Period
Certificates
Grade Level Spreadsheet
II.C.4 Administration will meet
with Student Government
Association to allow student
representatives to share concerns
and offer suggestions for school
Administration
SGA Advisors and Officers

Quarterly

Meeting, Agendas, and Notes
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improvement to promote literacy,
and college/career readiness.
Attend county level SGA meetings.
II.C.5 Design lessons for NBA
Zone to encourage WEB leaders to
take leadership roles
NBA Committee/ WEB Committee Monthly
Calendar of Events
Lesson Ideas













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SPMS 2014-2015

Section III
Action Plan
Priority Actions for Improvement
Area School-Wide Strategies for Improvement: Peak Performance for Students and Staff
Transition to Common Core
Curriculum & Assessments
Attach Educator Effectiveness Academy plan if applicable.
















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Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6 Column 7 Column 8

Professional Development Activity

Workshop
Pay

____hours x
$25 =

Additional
Pay
(other than
workshop)


Substitutes


($108.00/day)

Professional
Development
Materials
(books, journals,
etc. for adult
learners)


Travel
(Registration,
Lodging,
Transportation,
&
Subscriptions)

Consultant



Total
$4567.00

1. PBIS/NBAZone/AVID Team Planning and
Implementation
36 hours x
$25 =
$900



$900.00
2. Collaboration/Problem Solving
Workshop/Shadowing Days

20 hours x
$25 =
$500

2 X $108.13
= $216.26


$716.26
3.AVID registration




$699.00
$699.00
4. DI Workshop 20 hours X
$25 =
$500
$500.00
5. Brain-based Learning Study Group

20 hours X
$25 =
$500
$500.00
6.TBD $1251.40 1251.40