SCHOOL QUALITY REVIEW REPORT FOR

ELMHURST COMMUNITY PREP 1800 98th Ave., Oakland, CA 94603 Oakland Unified School District Principal: Kilian Betlach 2012-2013 School Quality Review (SQR) Team Members Olga Pineda, Quality Community School Development Office Ray Bermudez, Family, Schools, & Community Partnerships Office Sarah Breed, Literacy, Curriculum, and Instruction Department Theresa Clincy, Attendance and Discipline Support Services Department Jennielyn Dino-Rossi, Workforce and Economic Development | College and Career Readiness Office

CONTENTS OF THE REPORT INTRODUCTION: Background to the School Quality Review Work PART 1: THE SCHOOL CONTEXT Overview Data Current Initiatives PART 2: FINDINGS Sources of Data Narrative Summary of Quality Indicators Summary of Rubric Ratings Rationale for Rubric Ratings Rubrics APPENDICES School Data Profile School Self-Reflection

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BACKGROUND TO THE SCHOOL QUALITY REVIEW WORK During 2010-2011, fourteen task forces were formed with representation from a variety of stakeholders ranging from students and parents, to teachers, administrators, and community partners throughout Oakland. The Quality Community Schools Development Task Force was formed to define and set out a work plan to move the community toward a common vision of quality in Oakland’s schools. The Quality Community Schools Development Task Force created a set of School Quality Standards, comprised of six Quality Indicators delineating sixty-one Quality Standards. This work incorporates findings from other task forces (Teaching Effectiveness, Effective Leadership, Full Service Community Schools, Experience and Achievement, and African American Male Achievement) that were also addressing elements of quality in schools. At the end of the year, the School Quality Standards and the School Quality Review (SQR) process were incorporated into the District Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the OUSD Board of Education in May 2011. The 2011-2012 school year was year 1 of School Quality Review implementation. The goal of the Quality Community Schools Development office for year 1 was “to implement a successful pilot of 15 schools for School Quality Reviews across 3 regions in grades K-8.” In this “pilot” year, with its emphasis on design and capacity building, the School Quality Review Office, with counsel from the Executive Officers and other district leadership, made a few strategic decisions about the content and process of the reviews. Furthermore, School Quality Review was instrumental in making district-wide changes to the school’s site plans (CSSSP) by aligning it to the Quality Standards used during SQR visits. This work is presently extending to the high schools to ensure that their work is aligned to their WASC accreditation process. The plan during the 2012-2013 school year is to review 22 schools (twelve elementary, five middle and five high schools). During this second year of implementation, the SQR personnel adjusted the rubrics, and continued with the strategic decisions to focus on select, “high leverage” school quality standards, and not every standard. The report is broken down into several areas: History/School Context, Summary of Findings by Quality Indicator, Rubrics with very specific details about each Standard, and a one page summary of rubric ratings. We have also included the School’s Self-Reflection and their Data Profile at the end of the report. This report does not offer recommendations; it does offer strengths and challenges. The goal of the School Quality Review is for schools to celebrate what is being done well at the site and to reflect on what should be the next steps to continue to improve the quality of services it provides students and families. These next steps need to be carefully identified and prioritized Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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by the various stakeholders of the school and incorporated into the Community Schools Strategic Site Plan (CSSSP). With the start of the second year, the School Quality reviews are published documents accessible to all school wide community. This rationale supports the overarching purposes of School Quality Review to act as a Window, Mirror, and Data Base for both the school and the district.

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PART 1: THE SCHOOL CONTEXT OVERVIEW Elmhurst Community Prep (ECP) is located in East Oakland and shares the campus with Alliance Academy, another middle school. The school’s main entrance is on 98th Avenue, a very busy street and hardly anyone uses this entrance. Students and staff enter on Plymouth Avenue where there is a small parking lot and quick access to the cafeteria. The street gets crowded in the morning and afternoon as cars stop in front of the entrance gates and car doors open to drop-off/pick-up students. Students who walked were observed doing so with a partner or in groups. Student classrooms are located in a two story building with 8th grade classrooms being on the first floor and 7th grade classrooms on the second floor. There is an additional annex next to the parking lot designated for the 6th grade and the SDC classroom. The main office is located at the very end of the first floor, before the school becomes Alliance Middle School. The building is old and the outside ground area, where students spend their lunch, has many cracks and can use some resurfacing. The halls and classrooms are clean; the halls are brightly painted with the school colors and the outside walls of the building are decorated with many murals, although the building and furniture can use extra attention. This is supported by a parent’s comment that the school “appears old, almost like an abandoned building”. The school has a large gymnasium and a music room that is shared with Alliance, following a pre-arranged schedule. There is also a large green area where students were observed playing soccer during lunch and in the after school program. The school services approximately 365 students in 6th - 8th grades. The student population is predominantly Hispanic (58%), with African American (37%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4%) and White (1%). Thirty percent (n=110) of the students are English Learners with Spanish speakers making up the largest language subgroup. English Learners are taught through the regular program with additional support via the school’s RiseUp intervention program and their acceleration class which provides small class cohorts for their lowest achieving students and uses Read 180, System 44 and Achieve 3000 as academic supports. Additionally, the school has thirteen percent of its students (n= 47) receiving Special Education services in the Special Day Class, the Resource Specialist Program and Speech. These students receive both push-in as well as pull-out services to meet their IEP goals. Kilian Betlach is in his first year as principal at Elmhurst Community Prep. He was previously the Assistant Principal at ECP for three years under Laura Robell, the former principal. He worked with Robell side by side “almost as co-principals,” and chose to apply for this position because of his history and experience to continue the work of engaging ECP staff in academic improvement. Betlach began as a teacher in 2002 in the Teach for America program. He also worked in East San Jose as an English Language Development Instructor with Latino and Asian Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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students for an additional 6 years. His work with EdTrust—West in partnering with districts around crafting an A-G for-all policy revealed in him the desire to go into administration and leadership. Presently, Mr. Betlach works very closely with his Instructional Leadership Team and a coach from the National Equity Project to improve the quality of teaching and learning experiences to all ECP students. He is very well aware of what lies ahead for him and his staff: “We need to knowledge-capture the SIG initiatives and work done by our coaches, and make a smooth fiscal transition away from grant-dependent work. At the same time, we must continue to build our capacity to support the socio-emotional needs of our young people”. (School SelfReflection, pg. 3) Elmhurst Community Prep employs fifteen teachers. Additionally, the school employs a Reading Specialist, a Literacy Coach, a Math Coach, two deans and an assistant principal who support the principal and are part of the administrative team. All certificated and administrative personnel teach part of the time even if it’s just advisory and/or some sort of intervention class. This teaching staff can be described as a fairly new staff with the majority of teachers being in the district and at ECP for less than three years and 73% (16) in their first or second year at the school. Only four staff members have been at the school for more than five years. Citizens School (CS) run a large portion of the Extended Learning time at Elmhurst Community Prep and services most students. Eighth grade students have an opportunity to participate in Citizens School or in a variety of other enrichment/sports sponsored by other community partnerships (basketball, baseball, soccer, boxing, and wrestling, Girls Inc., music, drama, and dance). Students in the CS program spend three hours, four days per week in three types of activities: AIM, Enrichment, and Aprenticeship. AIM is a 60 minute time frame in which students work on their homework, reading, or intervention. Enrichment is a 60 minute time frame in which students choose music, drama, dance, art or a sport. The Apprenticeship part of the program is a 90 minute block once per week in which students learn from community members about a variety of career oriented options. Students have the opportunity to participate in two apprenticeships per semester. At the end of each semester, the program holds “WOW events” in which students present what they learned in their apprenticeship to their parents. ECP has undergone various transformations in the last ten years. The first transformation started in 2002 when the school was still Elmhurst Middle School and a new principal was hired with the charge of transforming it. Under his leadership, the school began to change beginning with the school culture and continued with academics by following a strategy of teachers getting to know their students, addressing their needs and a constant recognition of students’ accomplishments (Freadleander and Montgomery, School Redesign Network at Stanford University, 2009).

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The second transformation, under the same leadership, occurred a few years later (2006-2007) after two years of incubation when the school divided into two smaller schools, ECP and Alliance Academy, as part of the Oakland Unified small school reform. At this time, ECP was restructured around four defining principles: • Collaboration -ECP works hard to ensure consistent teacher and student collaboration. • Consistent High Expectations -Professional Development centers around looking at grade level student work and its relation to expected standards. Teachers work together to implement grade level assessments and to reflect on data from those assessments. • Parent and Community Involvement -Parents receive progress reports every week from the school to ensure constant communication. Students take their parents through Student Led Conferences where they exhibit a portfolio of their work three times per year, culminating in a year-end school-wide exhibition. • Positive School Culture -Students and teachers show compassion and support in order for ECP students to dream, prepare and achieve their goals. The last transformation began in spring 2010, when the California Department of Education (CDE) created a list of “persistently low-performing schools.” In the formula the CDE used to identify those schools, only two years of data were taken into account. The CDE required 50 points of Annual Performance Index growth in five years, and ECP had grown 39 points in two years, landing ECP on the state’s list. The prospect of receiving significant additional funds (three million dollars over three years) to improve academic performance galvanized the school community to apply for a School Improvement Grant (SIG). This grant was awarded for immediate implementation during the 2010-11 school year. Since ECP had just entered into partnership with the National Equity Project during that year, they retained their services and fulfilled SIG requirements. When Oakland Unified School District applied for the School Improvement Grant (SIG), it chose the “Transformation Model” for Elmhurst Community Prep. This plan was to be implemented immediately during the 2010-2011 school year although funds did not become available until November 2010. SIG funding ends at the closing of the 2012-2013 school year, therefore the school must determine how to continue to fund the people it hired with these funds. Under SIG’s transformation model, ECP was required to implement all four of the following strategies, which were very similar to the school’s original principles when established as a small school four years earlier: 1) Developing teacher and school leader effectiveness. A. Use evaluations based on student growth to improve teachers’ and school leaders’ performance; B. Identify and reward school leaders, teachers, and other staff who improve student achievement outcomes and identify and remove those who do not; C. Replace the principal who led the school prior to commencement of the transformation model [if in this position for more than three years]; Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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D. Provide relevant, ongoing, high-quality professional development E. Implement strategies designed to recruit, place, and retain high-quality staff. 2) Comprehensive instructional reform strategies. A. Use data to identify and implement comprehensive, research-based, instructional programs that are vertically aligned from one grade to the next as well as aligned with State academic standards; and B. Differentiate instruction to meet students’ needs. 3) Extending learning time and creating community-oriented schools. A. Provide more time for students to learn core academic content by expanding the school day, the school week, or the school year, and increasing instructional time for core academic subjects during the school day; B. Provide more time for teachers to collaborate, C. Provide more time for enrichment activities for students D. Provide ongoing mechanisms for family and community engagement. 4) Providing operating flexibility and sustained support. A. Give the school sufficient operating flexibility (including in staffing, calendars/time, and budgeting) to implement fully a comprehensive approach to substantially improve student achievement outcomes; and B. Ensure that the school receives ongoing, intensive technical assistance and related support from the LEA, the SEA, or a designated external lead partner organization. The supervision of ECP by the district has also undergone several modifications during the past four years. Four years ago, ECP was member of the Middle School Network; in the first year of SIG, ECP was directed by a Region Executive Officer; during the second year of SIG, ECP was supported by the Office of School Transformation and staff from this office; and this year, in its third year of SIG, the school is back in a Region and supported by an Executive Officer.

DATA Academically, Elmhurst Community Prep increased three points in the 2012 Academic Performance Index (API) with a total score of 684, but did not reach the expected growth target of six points. The school surpassed the expected API point growth in two subgroups (Hispanic/Latino +15 and English Learners +14). ECP has increased 90 points in API since it became Elmhurst Community Prep in 2007 and has remained constant in the low 680 range for the past three years (See data profile-accountability section).

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The school met 2012 AYP academic achievement in English Language Arts via Safe Harbor (moving upward by 10%) in three subgroups (schoolwide, Hispanic/Latino, and English Learners). The school did not meet AYP academic achievement in Mathematics in any of its subgroups. The school continues to make small steady progress, although not at the rate necessary to meet state and federal requirements or to close achievement gaps. This slow progress is partially attributed to the constant turn-over in staff and the constant change of programs as indicated by staff at the school. The school’s self-reflection also mentions, “In successive years, our school’s journey has been characterized by a shift from generation-1 to generation-2. Only four educators from ECP’s first year remain on staff (music, P.E., RSP, 6th grade dean), and most were hired in the last three years” (pg. 1). Furthermore, the school recognizes that another challenge involves “the trap of continuously shifting instructional focus leaves us knowing a lot about a lot, but being masters of little. Recent high turnover forces us to take on these challenges with a new and relatively inexperienced staff” (Pg. 6).

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Elmhurst Community Prep has developed and implemented systems to address discipline supported by Restorative Justice and Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) practices. Last year, the school suspended 39 students (11%) one or more times, 25 of these suspensions (65%) were African American Students and 13 (33%) were Latino, a percentage that does not match the ratio of the student population. The school, per the self-reflection, is committed to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment and has created structures to address this reality. Such structures include: having point persons per grade level (two deans and an assistant principal) to support students and teachers in addressing behaviors, building a flow-chart of working with student behavior and a matrix of expected student behavior on the acronym PREP (Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional), using Response to Intervention (RTI) to support students’ social emotional behaviors, committing to changing maladaptive behaviors and not just punishing students when addressing student referrals, and offering Advisory classes four times per week to all students. (See data profile-section 2A: School Culture).

CURRENT INITIATIVES ECP has a number of significant, critical initiatives, some of which have been site-determined, and some SIG-mandated:

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1) SpringBoard (District): This pre-AP curriculum is being implemented this year in all English and math classes as the core curriculum; the strategies are to be implemented in all history and science classes as well. The school piloted the curriculum last year in 8th grade English, and saw a level of success and instructional rigor uncommon to first year teachers, and hopes to see the same again this year. 2) Extended Learning Time (SIG): One hundred percent of students participate in Extended Learning Time (ELT), blending enrichment activities with additional homework support run by Citizen Schools. Students self-report satisfaction with the program, and despite the longer school day, more parents choose ECP during the options process because of this program. 3) Blended Learning: Currently this program is in a pilot year with four classroom teachers, and all of the Citizen Schools homework teachers. The school is working with the district to ensure the technology it has is compatible with the computer programs it has. 4) Teaching Effectiveness Pilot (SIG): Through the Teaching Effectiveness Pilot (TEP), teachers set individual goals, work directly with site-based coaches, and participate in as many as six observation cycles with coaches and/or administrators. While turn-over has made long-term success difficult to assess, the goal is to measure success by: a) rapid individual teacher growth on selected indicators, and b) the development of a common language around effective instruction. 5) Leadership Task Force (SIG): This is a new initiative driven by SIG. The principal attends monthly meetings and participates in critical friend discourse to improve leadership outcomes. 6) Advisory: The advisory curriculum has long been a part of our school community with a commitment to Socio Emotional Learning. The school seeks to foster: a) a community of readers, b) an adult advocate that students could reach out to for support, and c) a student community that would learn positive and adaptive behaviors. 7) RiseUp: This is a series of acceleration courses designed to fill gaps at the top, bottom, and throughout the instructional program. All students participate in these six week cycles 4 times per week, 30-60 minute per session, in homogeneously grouped courses.

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PART 2: FINDINGS Sources of Data The School Quality Review team spent three days (October 29, 30, and 31, 2012) observing classrooms, school-wide activities, and various parts of the campus inside and outside the building. The team carried a variety of interviews (individually and in groups) with students, parents, teachers, classified staff, administrators, and community partners. The team also reviewed the school’s materials, data binder, and budget. The information below represents such findings. Narrative Summary of Strengths and Challenges Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students The SQR team gathered substantial evidence to determine that the school offers some quality learning experiences for students. This is a standard that will benefit from further reflection and improvement from the school’s staff, administration and leadership team. When Elmhurst Community Prep received School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds in 2010, the school had finished the first year of partnership with the National Equity Project (previously BAYCES) and decided to maintain this partnership to help them advance academically, especially since the school had seen growth of over 44 API points that year. The National Equity Project’s methodology endorsed beginning small with improving the learning experiences of a selected group of students and fanning out to ultimately improving the quality of teaching and learning school wide. The school identified a focus group of students that year who received extra support from the reading specialist and literacy coach. The school extended support to students via the English Department where teachers received coaching in using best practices. This year, the school adopted SpringBoard in English and Mathematics to align to common core curriculum and increase rigor in these subjects. Two coaches supported teachers in these departments to make a smooth transition. The school has high hopes that the implementation of the SpringBoard curriculum will result in quality learning experiences for their students. ECP implemented school-wide practices such as Do Now activities and the use of academic vocabulary and expository writing to explain students’ thinking and express that thinking in written format. The school has more work ahead in order to continue to improve the rigor of student learning, especially as it refers to students applying their learning to questions or problems connected to their interests, goals and experiences; to students communicating their thinking, supported by teachers/peers, using the language and reasoning of the discipline; and where the curriculum reflects an academic push, to have all students progress far and attain high levels of mastery. One challenge the school identified related to the fact that many Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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teachers have less than three years of teaching experience and there is a pattern of constant teacher turn-over. This reality has made it difficult for the school to implement effective learning practices that translate into quality learning experiences, when teachers leave after 2-3 years and need to be replaced with inexperienced teachers. In the area of Active and Different Ways of Learning, the SQR team found that the school did not provide its students active and different ways of learning consistently. Although the team observed computer stations, a Document camera available for teacher use, Smart Boards in some classes, there was a lack of consistency in this area as evidenced by the following information: • In 17 of 28 (61%) classroom observations, 85% or more students were actively involved in the content. In 5 of 28 (14%) classroom observations 50 – 84% of the students were actively involved in the content. In 2 of 28 (14%) classroom observations, 25-49% of the students were actively involved in the content. In 4 of 28 (14%) classroom observations, less than 25% of the students were actively engaged in the content of the day. In these later cases, much of the class was spent on addressing students’ misbehavior and refocusing the class or students were just copying notes without any interaction with learning. • In 7 of 28 (25%) classroom observations, students were observed working together (group work) and their collaboration facilitated deep learning. In many instances the lesson was not designed to include group work with teachers lecturing for long periods of time or students working individually. In other instances, even when classroom desks were set in group or in partners, students did not speak to those students sitting close to them or when teachers intentionally asked students to work with their partner, the conversation was about the correct answer and not about the sharing of ideas or about the metacognitive analysis that facilitates deep learning. • In 14 of 28 (50%) classroom observations, students learned using various learning modalities and/or multiple intelligences. In these instances, students were working in centers, using the computer, lesson with multiple activities (worksheet, poster, use of whiteboards), use of group and individual learning activities to reinforce learning, use of graphic organizers, kinesthetic activities, and students quizzing each other using their notes. • In 3 of 28 (11%) classroom observations, students used language support scaffolds (sentence frames, graphic organizers, etc.) to engage in learning. In these instances, students used graphic organizers, bar graphs, and number lines. Although sometimes teachers used sentence frames to facilitate conversations, they were not used to facilitate academic language. • In 8 of 28 (29%) classroom observations, students engaged in the developing of questions, posed problems, made connections, reflected on multiple perspectives, and/or actively constructed knowledge. Examples of instances when this took place include: Students developed their own dialogues as they practiced with quotation marks, students constructed knowledge using pictorial representations in the form of Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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• •

•

graphs, students developed survey questions, and students made connections between math and the religion of Islam. In 3 of 28 (11%) classroom observations students were able to explain and revise their thinking and evaluate the thinking of others. In 10 of 28 (36%) classroom observations the pacing of learning reflected an academic push to have all students complete learning activities and reach expected high levels of mastery. In these classrooms the lesson kept moving (starter, direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, and independent practice) at a good paced and every minute was used efficiently. In 10 of 28 (36%) classroom observations, the SQR team observed various technologies being used to make learning active and to meet the learning needs of students. In these classrooms, smart boards, doc cameras, computers, computer programs (Read 180, Achieve 3000) and math white boards were used. Doc cameras and smart boards were sometimes used as a tool to transmit information and not to display students’ work or to compare pieces of student writing or to display the students’ thinking during a math problem.

The SQR team found substantial evidence that Elmhurst Community Prep provides safe and nurturing learning environments where adults and students care for each other. Four times per week advisory classes support students to build relationships with their teacher and fellow students. During this time, an “accepting” environment in which the contributions, culture, and language of each student is validated, valued, and respected. Good behavior is reinforced with “Dream, Prepare and Achieve (DPA) bucks”. The use of a school uniform further supports a positive environment inside and outside of the classroom. An area in which the SQR team observed low development of safe and nurturing learning experiences was around students managing their emotions to persist through difficult academic work. The SQR team found that the curriculum was easy or it was a review that did not require students to persist. Students were observed finishing and remaining quiet until the teacher determined it was time to move to the next activity/assignment in several classes. Furthermore, new teachers were struggling with classroom management, especially when administrators were not in the classroom. These classrooms were loud and much of the learning time was wasted with personal conversations, although the teachers were attempting to refocus students. The SQR team found substantial evidence that Elmhurst Community Prep identified and offered strong intervention supports to address the needs of their non-proficient students. For example, the school had an established system to diagnose students who were in need of interventions based on data from multiple sources (SRI diagnostic, district benchmarks, and CST scores). In addition, the school created and scheduled students into homogeneous “acceleration classes” with “highest need students” scheduled into very small cohorts (20 students or less), and more advanced students scheduled into larger classes of 32 students. Smaller classes provided modified curriculum for the same objective but added vocabulary and alternative abridged class notes. Teachers spent more time with each student to determine Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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what additional extra help was needed. This class moved at a slower pace and was extremely scaffolded and differentiated with demonstrations. As a result, teachers were also able to differentiate for the more advanced students. In addition, with the support of coaches and blended learning (computer programs such as Read 180, System 44, and Achieve 3000 that support reading), the school created an additional intervention course called RiseUp where students receive more targeted support. This course lasts 12 weeks or more and students take pre-post tests to measure improvement. These intervention programs need ongoing evaluation to determine their effectiveness. In the area of college-going culture and resources, the SQR team observed classrooms named after colleges and groupings of students named after college mascots. Students also received “college curriculum” through the after school program. The school acknowledged that they needed to do more than just name classrooms and student groups after colleges and that they need closer communication between the day and night program to be on the same page.” Few students interviewed (9 of 65 or 14%) could connect what they were learning in the classroom with skills necessary to attend college or for a future career. Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive & Healthy Learning Environment The SQR team gathered substantial evidence that Elmhurst Community Prep is a safe, supportive and healthy learning community and has several systems to support their students in reducing discipline issues and in creating a positive learning culture at the site. The school had developed structures to support students in having positive experiences. This started with students wearing a school uniform composed of a light blue ECP shirt or hoodie and jeans or pants. Students were also divided into grade level areas with a dean or Assistant Principal located on the floor of each grade level. The deans and Assistant Principal used the Restorative Justice model to address the behaviors of students referred to them. This model included: conferencing, Student Support Team meetings, conflict mediation, public apologies, contracts, and reflection. Furthermore, teacher leaders, in collaboration with Seneca Center created a Positive Action Behavior Support team and met over summer 2012 to create a positive behavior management system that articulated clear behavioral expectations on a “P.R.E.P. Matrix” (Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional). This matrix was explicitly shared with students at the beginning of this school year during the advisory period. (Read Self-Reflection-Question #8 for details). The school used the RTI model to support students with respect to both academics and socialemotional development with very clear tier strategies (See QI 2: Standard 5). This work was supported by the Coordination of Services Team (COST) that met weekly to review and discuss student referrals and to determine best appropriate intervention services on/off campus. The school also had counselors from Seneca and Alameda Health Alliance (three clinicians) that Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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supported approximately 40 students. There was also a Health Center on campus which served many students needing health support on a daily basis. The after school program, Citizen Group, provided students with opportunities to college and career information through the apprenticeship program and the district’s high school options process. The major challenges in this standard included a building that was in need of a “face lift”, a need to review the present master schedule to determine if there is a way to provide teachers with a preparation period during the day, instead of all teachers working through without a break until 6th period. Also, although the school presently employs two deans and an AP and they are located within close proximity of the grade level they oversee, there isn’t consistency in dealing with discipline among them. Furthermore, the SQR team heard several times that the capacity of the school to support all students in need of services is higher than their resources. The SQR team heard, “[The school] reaches in mental health services in the first four months, by December”. Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement The SQR team found evidence that the school engages in Professional Development and Professional Learning Communities (PLC). This practice is just beginning to focus around teaching and learning practices using data to inform teachers’ practice. As part of SIG, the school applied and received from the teachers’ union an amendment to extend collaboration by one hour per week and to implement a second school-wide retreat. Each Wednesday, the staff meets for 2.5 hours to address professional development opportunities that improve teaching practices and is supported by a coach from the National Equity Project-Impact 2012. The Impact 2012 program seeks to build teacher capacity to balance the demands of teaching the California Content Standards along with the instructional needs of students who are well below grade level. The program facilitates the creation of multidisciplinary teams of teachers and administrators – Inquiry Teams -- that work to enhance teachers’ use of formative assessment to inform instructional practice to better meet the needs of a small group of learners i.e., focal students. This year’s focus was to implement cycles of inquiry around “students outside the circle of success” by grade level. The plan was to allow teachers to do the following: • Keep focused overtime on key equity challenges and generate deeper learning about how to address these challenges; • Help educators make informed changes in practices and policies; • Provoke changes in relationships between teachers, teachers and students, and between the school and its larger community; and • Help get concrete and more equitable results for students by stating clear goals and checking on progress toward these goals.

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Though in its fourth year of implementation, this process remains in its beginning stages because the Administrative Team, ILT, and English Department have been the only staff members involved in cycles of inquiry and support to underperforming students until this year, when it was introduced to the entire staff. In addition, it has been impacted by the constant teacher turn-over. SQR team members observed a session where teachers were involved in discussions on students and their needs, but heard behavior issues being addressed and not academics. Elmhurst Community Prep staff met in Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in grade level and department teams. While in grade level teams, most discussions were around students and grade level activities/events. While in department teams, collaboration was around the implementation of SpringBoard, lesson planning and design and to reflect on their practice of using data to drive instruction. English language arts and mathematics teachers were supported by coaches during this collaboration time. There were inconsistencies in meeting times and frequency depending on the grade level and the department. The school recognized, through the self-reflection that there was “still some work to do utilizing student work for coaching conversations because there was not a culture of rigorously looking at student work. There was no common language, practices, structures among staff” and because the staff had yet to engage in discussing the meaning of “quality in student learning”. Also, while staff had enough data available about their students and had engaged in developing some rubrics (especially around projects presented during Student Led Conferences), behavior rather than student work continued to be the main focus of discussion among them. Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships The SQR Team found evidence that the school has some school wide systems to engage students, families, and the community in partnership with the school, but needs more work to involve parents in more meaningful ways. Family Involvement was a theory of action designed from the beginning of ECP and it remained a core part of the school’s work. The school took a decentralized approach that includes: •

Progress Reports: Teachers create weekly progress reports that students take home on Fridays. These communicate information that supports the P.R.E.P. matrix: homework completion (prepared), positive behavior (respect), classwork completion (engaged), and on-time arrival w/ supplies (professional). These scores are recorded and are the basis for reward and/or intervention as needed. A weekly newsletter and student of the week shout-out is printed on the back of each progress report as well.

•

Advisors/ A.I.M. teachers: Advisors and AIM teachers (part of the Citizen Schools program) have the expectation of communicating with the families they work with each

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month and in providing other school wide events such as pot-lucks, WOW (apprenticeship) events, student led conferences and movie nights. Phone calls are the primary means of communication to invite parents. These events are well attended. •

Main office: The office staff is a school strength. The fully Spanish bilingual and wellinformed staff is the first connection for many families. Furthermore, the bilingual clerk communicates regularly with families of absent and tardy students, and also makes academic or behavior update phone calls for non-Spanish speaking members of staff. In addition, the office programs numerous auto-dialer updates throughout the school year to keep families informed.

•

New communication: As the Blended Learning pilot continues to evolve, the school plans to give families log-in access to online grade books and student progress data so that parents may track the progress of their children.

Back to school Night, Honor Roll banquets, and parent phone calls from the deans, are additional opportunities to communicate with parents. These structures fostered a positive school culture and they represented great areas of strength in welcoming and engaging parents. The school also involved parents in mandated groups such as School Site Council and English Language Advisory Committee. These groups were evenly represented by parents that made up the population of the school, although its membership was minimal as required by the funding sources. Challenges in this standard included: Parents not observed on the campus volunteering, receiving trainings, or participating in activities to further understand the school system and what their children were learning on a daily basis. The SQR team heard from the principal and parents interviewed that there was a parent coordinator position, funded through SIG, still open at the time of the SQR visit. The plan is to fill this position with a Bilingual Spanish person. Without a family engagement component, parents do not receive training as to how to interpret report cards and progress reports. Communication between the school and the home was mentioned as a need to improve by the parents interviewed. The main form of communication the school used was recorded phone calls and notes. Parents also shared that although they valued the weekly progress reports, these reports do not address the academic grade or how parents can support their students to improve their grades. Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management The SQR team found evidence of some effective school leadership and resource management at Elmhurst Community Prep.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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ECP developed their vision as part of the small school initiative and this vision continues to be the driver for the school regardless of the transition of principals and staff since 2006. Per the self-reflection, “this vision has distilled into the mission statement: Grounded in our four theories of action—high expectations, collaboration, positive school culture, and family involvement—and a commitment to Social Justice, we work to ensure that all students promote from ECP on a positive life trajectory and P.R.E.P.ed from A-G coursework”. The School-Wide Advising Group (SWAG) held the vision around ensuring students are promoted on a positive life trajectory; The Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) held the vision around ensuring students were prepared for A-G coursework in high school. The structures, practices, support programs, and systems were developed around the school vision. Leadership groups consistently acted on core beliefs as they developed and implemented programs at the school. The new and current principal learned his job by working close to the previous principal. ECP administrators and Instructional Leadership Team were effective in guiding and supporting the development of quality instruction and using their available resources effectively in support of the vision. This was supported by the fact that the school has two coaches supporting ELA and math department. Coaches work 100% of their time supporting teachers, developing curriculum for intervention classes and teaching students in these intervention courses. Furthermore, although all students take Math 8 during the school day, the math coach taught the only Algebra class available to students in the after-school program to prepare a cohort of students to take Geometry as 9th graders. The teaching staff also embraced the new Teaching Effectiveness Pilot (TEP) which increases the nature and frequency of classroom observations for the purpose of teacher evaluation as a means to foster a culture of mutual accountability. Challenges in this standard include: • The school does not involve students in decision making and presently does not have the structures in place to request their input. • Aside from the mandated groups, there are no additional groups of parents to share decision making at the school. “Although parents are invited to participate, few parents attend”. • Although the school has made tremendous work in creating a vision, the vision remains in the hands of the administrative and leadership team. • The school has not yet seen the product of their intensive work. This may be due to the fact that there is constant transition in the teaching staff. • The school has not established and/or shared clear improvement goals in department or school wide with students and stakeholders. Because of this fact, there is not a clear system of accountability. • SIG funds expire at the end of this academic year. The school will have to rely on the capacity it has built and look for resources to maintain those projects/services that have proven best results.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013—Final

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Quality Indicator 1 1 1 1

Focus Standard 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.7

1

1.8

1 1 2 2

1.10 1.11 2.1 2.2

2 2 3 3 3 4 4

2.5 2.6 3.1 3.2 3.4 4.2 4.5

4

4.6

4 5

4.7 5.2

5 5 5

5.4 5.5 5.6

5 5

5.9 5.10

Focus Standard Meaningful and Challenging Curriculum Safe and Nurturing Learning Experiences Active & Different Types of Learning Students Know What They are Learning, Why, and How it can be Applied Academic Intervention & Enrichment Support Equitable Access to Curriculum College-going Culture & Resources Safe & Healthy Center of Community Coordinated & Integrated System of Academic Learning Support Services Identifies At-Risk Students & Intervenes Inclusive, Welcoming & Caring Community Collaboration Data Development & Analysis Professional Learning Activities Working Together in Partnership Student/Family Engagement on Student Progress Family Engagement on Academic Expectations & Opportunities Standards of Meaningful Engagement Partners with Students and Families in Decision Making Vision Driven Focused on Equity Supports the Development of Quality Instruction Culture of Mutual Accountability Organizational Management

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

Rubric Placement Beginning Developing Beginning Beginning

Undeveloped

Beginning X X X

Developing

Sustaining Developing Developing Developing Sustaining Developing Developing

Refining

X

Sustaining Developing Developing Developing Developing

Sustaining

X X X X X X X X X X

Developing

X

Developing Developing

X X

Developing Developing Developing

X X X

Developing Developing

X X

X

X

21

Focus Standard 1.1

Focus Standard Meaningful and Challenging Curriculum

Rubric Placement Beginning

1.2

Safe and Nurturing Learning Experiences

Developing

1.4

Active & Different Types of Learning

Beginning

1.7

Students Know What They are Learning, Why, and How it can be Applied

Beginning

1.8

Academic Intervention & Enrichment Support

Sustaining

1.10

Equitable Access to Curriculum

Developing

1.11

College-going Culture & Resources

Developing

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

Explanation of Ratings • Implementation of SpringBoard in Math and English Language Arts departments is in its beginning stages and shows potential to increase rigor and high level of engagement experiences for students. • Teacher turn-over has made it difficult to implement curriculum because school is always training new teachers. • Many of the structures of support for teachers are funded by SIG, a grant that ends at the end of this school year. • Good behavior is reinforced with system of “Dream, Prepare, and Achieve” expectations. • The use of uniforms supported a positive environment in/out of the classroom. • Advisory provided a safe environment for students to share their thought and ideas without any worry about bullying or intimidation in most classrooms. • There are inconsistencies in the manner in which active and different ways of learning is provided among all classrooms. • The use of technologies to make learning active and to meet the learning needs of students varies among classroom. Most classrooms have access to smart boards, doc cameras, computer stations, computer programs (Read 180, Achieve 3000) and math white boards. • Most students interviewed had an answer to “What are you learning?” although their answers ranged from the activity they were doing to the objective of the day. • Fewer students had an answer for why they were learning specific information or how this learning connected to long term outcomes • School continues to adjust the intervention and enrichment programs. This year, RiseUp was implemented to address differentiation support to all students (below grade level as well as above grade level). Blended Learning is infused in the RiseUp classes. • Highest need readers work with Reading Specialist in programs such as Words Their Way, System 44, and Achieve 3000. • Students are grouped into cohorts based on their academic level to be able to accelerate their learning by differentiating the curriculum. As a result, students who need more support are scheduled into smaller classes. The school does not yet have quantitative or qualitative data as to the effectiveness of this system. • A group of students receives Algebra through the Extended Learning Program. • Students who are not at grade level have access to Physical Education and Enrichment through Extended Learning. • Citizens Group, ECP’s main Extended Learning provider, offers students opportunities to learn about college and career options through their workshops and appreticeships. 22

2.1

Safe & Healthy Center of Community

Developing

2.2

Coordinated & Integrated System of Academic Learning Support Services

Developing

2.5

Identifies At-Risk Students & Intervenes

Sustaining

2.6

Inclusive, Welcoming & Caring Community

Developing

3.1

Collaboration

Developing

3.2

Data Development & Analysis

Developing

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

• The school’s staff recognizes that they need to do more than just name classrooms and classroom groups after colleges and college mascots. • Few students interviewed could not connect what they were learning in class to college or careers after school. • The fact that all teachers take their prep period during 6th period represented both strength and challenge. • The school had established supervision schedules for breakfast, lunch, and dismissal time with adequate personnel. • The school has developed structures to support students have positive experiences while at Elmhurst Community Prep that have relied on SIG funds that end at the end of this school year. • The Positive Action Behavior Support team created a positive management system that articulated clear behavioral expectations on a “PREP Matrix” (Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional behavior). • The school uses the Restorative Justice model for behavior management including: conferencing, Student Support Teams, conflict mediations, public apologies, and reflection. • The school uses the RTI model to support students with respect to both academics and social/emotional development with clear activities under each Tier of the program. • Coordination of Services Team (COST) meets weekly to review students’ referrals and to determine best appropriate intervention services on/off campus for all referrals. • ECP has personnel that offer a variety of socio-emotional and health services to their students. • The school uses bilingual staff in the office to support families who do not speak English. • The school uses its resources to engage in communication with parents (deans, advisory, CS Extended Learning program. • Few parents were observed on campus. • The work of Inquiry done by the ILT (administrators and coaches PLC) is beginning to filter down to the rest of the teaching staff at ECP. • Coaches and ILT members strategically respond to staff needs while simultaneously understanding the implications of the transition to Common Core Standards through the implementation of SpringBoard. • There is “still some work to do- utilizing student work for coaching conversations because there is not a culture of rigorously looking at student work. There is no common language, practices, structures among all staff”. • Data is gathered and used by the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) to schedule students into homogeneous cohorts (called accelerated classes by ECP staff) and into RiseUp (differentiated) classes. 23

3.4

Professional Learning Activities

Sustaining

4.2

Working Together in Partnership

Developing

4.5

Student/Family Engagement on Student Progress Family Engagement on Academic Expectations and Opportunities

Developing

4.7

Standards of Meaningful Engagement

Developing

5.2

Partners with Students and Families in Decision Making

Developing

5.4

Vision Driven

Developing

4.6

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

Developing

• ELA and Math teachers refer to the SpringBoard’s (a new curriculum this year) formative end assessments as “Embedded Assessments” and refer to them often throughout their daily lessons. Students make sense of the rubrics at the beginning of each unit and know expectations clearly. • A culture of looking at student work does not exist yet at the school. • The ILT meets biweekly for two hours, and plans weekly PD for staff. This PD planning includes: collecting and reviewing feedback from staff (surveys, exit slips, etc.), reviewing teacher goals, reflecting on small-group facilitation, and backwards planning keeping the school’s goals in mind. • Teacher turn-over slows down the impact of professional development because trainings need to be repeated. Furthermore, PD is presently informally differentiated through the work between teachers and their coaches. Coaches are funded through SIG, a source that ends this school year. • The school uses school-wide systems and structures to involve parents such as: Advisory Pot Lucks, Back to School Night, Honor Roll Banquet, Student Led Conferences, movie nights, communication with parents carried by deans. • The school has experienced the challenge of bringing in parents without a community coordinator, a position that became vacant last year and has not been filled. • Parents receive weekly progress reports. Weekly progress reports don’t address the academic grade or how parents can support their students’ academic success. • Citizens School plays a strong role in communicating with parents. • Families at ECP have substantial involvement in three main activities: Student Led Conferences (SLCs), Extended Learning Time (ELT) expositions called WOWs, and the high school options process. • There does not seem to be established ongoing activities for teachers and parents to engage regularly about what students learn at each grade level. • The school carries home visits at the beginning of the school year to make connection with parents. • Parents and staff agreed that the school needs to do more to involve parents as true advocates for their students. • The school shares decision making with parents through the mandated School Site Council and English Language Advisory Committee. Aside from the mandated groups, there are no additional groups of parents to share decision making at the school. “Although parents are invited to participate, few parents attend”, shared a parent. • The school does not involve students in decision making and presently does not have the structures in place to request their input. • ECP developed their vision as part of the small school initiative and this vision continues to be the same under SIG. • The structures, practices, support programs, and systems have been developed around the school vision and although “Staff is aware of the vision, a full shared ownership among all stakeholders is 24

5.5

Focused on Equity

Developing

• • • •

5.6

Supports the Development of Quality Instruction

Developing

•

•

5.9

Culture of Mutual Accountability

Developing

• •

5.10

Organizational Management

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

Developing

• •

as of yet unrealized”. The school has identified “focal students”; collected data around their needs; provided academic and socio-emotional support as necessary and collected data to see the results of this intervention. Presently, the school is beginning to expand their work of the previous two years (Impact 2012) to the entire staff through the professional development Wednesday time. The school’s referral process is restorative and progressive The school, although it has the capacity to engage in conversations around equity due to their work with the National Equity Project (previously BAYCES), has not included the entire staff until this year. The school employs two coaches (English Language Arts and Mathematics). They work 100% of their time at ECP supporting all teachers in their respective departments. They support teachers, develop curriculum for intervention classes and teach these courses. The school has not yet seen the product of their intensive work because of constant transition in the teaching staff. The school staff has embraced the Teacher Effectiveness Pilot (TEP). This process “dramatically increases the nature and frequency of observations for the evaluation of teachers”. Administration and teachers engage in cycles of conversations about observations (6 in total per teacher). The school has not established and/or shared clear improvement goals in department or school wide with students and stakeholders. School funds are allocated in staff and programs that support students. School’s SIG funds that pay for many support staff (deans, coaches, extended learning program, etc.) expire at the end of this academic year. The school will have to rely on the capacity it has built and look for resources to maintain those projects/services that have proven best results.

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students The Oakland Unified School District is committed to supporting high levels of learning for every student, ensuring that students are prepared for success in college, in their careers, and as citizens. Central to this commitment is the creation of quality learning experiences for all students. “Quality Learning Experiences for All Students” happen when every child is engaged and learns to high standards. The quality school makes sure that the school curriculum is challenging and connects to the needs, interests, and cultures of its students. It ensures that students learn in different ways inside and outside the classroom, including having opportunities to work with their peers, to investigate and challenge what they are taught, and to develop knowledge and skills that have value beyond the school. The quality school supports students to take risks and intervenes when they struggle. It inspires students to see how current learning helps them achieve future goals. In a quality school, each child’s learning is regularly assessed in different ways. This assessment information is used to plan their learning, to provide strategic support, and to empower the students and their families to manage their academic progress and prepare for various college and career opportunities. The following rubrics enable key school stakeholders to assess the development of a school toward the “quality learning experiences” standards, based on evidence from a range of sources. In addition, school leaders, central office personnel, and coaches will use these rubrics to design improvement strategies and support schools’ ongoing development. The unit of analysis for these rubrics is the school, not individuals within the school. These rubrics will not be used for the evaluation of school leaders, teachers, or other school personnel.

Undeveloped

There was little evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard.

Beginning

There was some evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard.

Developing

There was substantial evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard.

Sustaining Refining

There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard, and the school has implemented systems to review evidence of these practices/conditions. And improve these practices and conditions

Definitions Learning experiences: Structured learning experiences found in the classroom during the day; in on-campus academic intervention and enrichment opportunities before, during, and after the school day; in mentoring, internship, and work-based learning opportunities organized by the school.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard Standard 1: Meaningful and Challenging Curriculum A quality school provides students with curriculum that is meaningful and challenging to them. Such curriculum is shaped by student input, targets their assessed learning needs, and takes advantage of their strengths and experiences. It educates them about their history and culture, and that of others. It shows how what is learned in school can help students to solve real problems in their lives.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning experiences that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Learning builds on students’ prior knowledge/ skills/ experiences. b. Students apply learning to questions or problems connected to their interests, goals, experiences, and communities. c. Students communicate their thinking, supported by teacher/peers, using the language and reasoning of the discipline. d. Curriculum reflects an academic push, from the teacher, to have all students’ progress far and attain high levels of mastery.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these practices to ensure that all students experience meaningful and challenging curriculum across the day and across the campus.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Beginning in this standard. Strengths 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

SpringBoard was adopted by the school in English and Mathematic to align to common core curriculum and increase rigor in these two subjects. Teachers receive training and support to maintain the rigor of the curriculum, to modify lessons and meet the needs of all their students. This includes, but is not limited to, creating additional graphic organizers, video examples, or other visual models. The school hired, through School Improvement Grant (SIG) funds, English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics coaches to support teachers. ELA and Math coaches are exclusive to Elmhurst and work with all teachers in the ELA and Math department. They also support teachers with the RiseUp curriculum and assessments. Student work provided in data binder, of what seemed to be projects used during the Student Led conferences, was graded based on clear rubrics. The SQR team determined that students at ECP have good opportunities to build their learning based on prior knowledge, skills, and/or experiences. In 15 of 28 classroom observations (54%), students connected information learned in previous lessons with present learning; the “Do Now” activity reviewed work from the previous day; students reviewed information from previous lessons before moving on to new information. Two common practices that students experience in all grade levels and in all content areas include: academic vocabulary and expository writing. Although teachers are pulling from different curricula, these common threads are in every classroom. “Whether in math, science, or ELA, students are asked to explain their thinking using academic vocabulary and eventually record it in a standardized written format”, per the self-reflection. Students experience the same graphic organizers when introduced new vocabulary terms and word walls are common in all classrooms.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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•

•

“In Math, teachers use word walls and encourage students to use specific academic vocabulary when explaining their thinking. Because of ECP’s move towards SpringBoard and Common Core, academic discourse is emphasized in each class every day. Students are expected to discuss their thinking with their peers so that they can construct their own interpretation of the grade level standards. To do this well, all students are expected to explain their thinking using a high level of mathematical vocabulary”. “In ELA, teachers use Socratic seminar and reciprocal teaching as ways to engage students in challenging texts using academic discourse and cooperative learning. Similarly, teachers have students annotate texts they read using metacognitive markers to connect to and summarize what they have read”.

Challenges 1.

2.

3. 4.

Based on classroom observations, the SQR team determined that Teaching and Learning is low in many classrooms. Rigor is missing in the area of learning experiences offered to all students. • In 8 of 28 (29%) classroom observations, students applied their learning to questions or problems connected to their interests, goals, experiences, and communities. When this was implemented well, the SQR team observed the use of cartoons that students could relate to in the writing of dialogue and the use of quotation marks; teacher used a nerf ball to keep the question-answer activity alive; students applied their knowledge in the diagram of mathematical expressions or in solving word problems; students were observed engaged in writing activities using SpringBoard about themselves, “Changes in Me” • In 11 of 28 (39%) classroom observations, students communicated their thinking, supported by teachers/peers, using the language and reasoning of the discipline. Examples in which this element was observed included: When a student gave a wrong answer during a math class, the teacher asked to share the thinking behind the answer and was able to identify the confusion; another teacher had students practice and correct each other’s work before they shared with the entire class; several classrooms engaged in SpringBoard math and ELA work were following programs guidelines that involved students talking to each other and sharing each other their procedures in solving a problem or answering a specific activity. • In 10 of 28 (35%) classroom observations, the curriculum reflected an academic push, from the teacher, to have all students progress far and attain high levels of mastery. Examples found representing this element being in place included: teachers were observed modeling and sharing personal experiences; use of posters and whiteboard to practice; the use of a variety of activities; use of the SQ4R technique to improve comprehension; use of graphic organizers to record conversations and group work. Administration recognizes the school’s challenges in this area, especially with many teachers with less than three year of teaching experience, and is hopeful that the use of coaching and SpringBoard curriculum will change this reality as teachers get the support they need to grow into experienced teachers: “We need to get better in making sure teachers provide students with challenging and meaningful content. If we implement Springboard with fidelity it will increase rigor. Coaches meet monthly to focus on planning with teachers….Some RiseUp classes are taught by Citizen School teachers who hold intern credentials”. The school has not seen the expected academic growth with their students. Many of the structures of support for teachers are funded by SIG, a grant that ends at the end of this school year.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard

Standard 2: Safe and Nurturing Learning Experiences** A quality school provides safe and nurturing learning environments where adults and students care for each other, feel trust, and have relationships that fully engage students in their learning and inspire them to work hard and push toward higher levels of achievement.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning experiences that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Students are safe and learn free from intimidation, bullying, and/or discrimination. b. Routines & structures support students to build positive relationships across different individual and cultural “lines”, so that they can effectively work and learn together. c. The classroom is an “accepting” environment in which the contributions, culture and language of each student is validated, valued, and respected. d. All students manage their emotions to persist through difficult academic work. e. The physical environment of the classroom is clean and organized to be safe and supportive of learning.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these conditions to ensure that all students experience safe and nurturing learning experiences across the day and across the campus.

**Note that this standard is focused on conditions in the classroom (or locations where the core activities of teaching and learning are happening). Broader, school-wide conditions of safety and nurture are addressed in Quality Indicator 2.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

In analyzing the quality of “safe and nurturing learning experiences” at Elmhurst Community Prep, the SQR team found: • In 20 of 28 (71%) classroom observations, students were safe and learned free from intimidation, bullying, and/or discrimination. In these instances, students felt safe to share in a whole group and even when answers were wrong, the teacher made sure that students understood that “we always learn from our errors”; classroom expectations and routines were visible and used- “Silent Hand” “PREP” Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional; teachers modeled expected behavior; students interacted respectfully with teacher and one another”. • In 14 of 28 (50%) classroom observations, routines and structures supported students to build positive relationships across different individual and cultural “lines” so that students can work and learn together. In these classrooms, the SQR team observed: students were sitting with a partner and some students took advantage of this setting when they needed support; the routines and expectations were reviewed with the class; students shared in their native language (Spanish) and the teacher translated to the entire class; students received “scholar recognition” when answered correctly; teacher used classroom points to focus and re-focus students.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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•

2. 3. 4. 5.

In 14 of 28 (50%) classroom observations, the classroom was an “accepting” environment in which the contributions, culture, and language of each student are validated, valued, and respected. Examples of this being in place include: students questions were heard and answered; students felt free to use their native language knowing that the teacher would translate for the rest of the class. • In 12 of 28 (57%) classroom observations, the physical environment of the classroom was clean and organized to be safe and supportive of learning. In the instances when this was observed, the classrooms were inviting. We saw, a reading area and clearly designed centers. Multiple academic posters decorated the walls. Design of the classroom allowed for students to move and be able to work in groups. Grade level teams discuss students that need extra academic support. They determine how to provide this support via their RiseUp classes. Good behavior is reinforced with “Dream, Prepare, and Achieve” (DPA) bucks. Students earn bucks for good behavior and they can be used to buy school merchandise or go to the front of the lunch line. The use of this practice was explained during Advisory. The use of uniforms supported a positive environment in/out of the classroom. Advisory provided a safe environment for students to share their thought and ideas without any worry about students laughing or not accepting their words. Teachers encouraged students to talk and valued their ideas.

Challenges 1.

2.

An area in which the SQR team observed low development of safe and nurturing learning experiences was in the area of students managing their emotions to persist through difficult academic work. Classroom observations data shows 7 of 28 (24%) classroom observations involved students consistently in this practice. In these instances, the aide worked 1:1 with a student to complete the assignment; teacher would speak to student outside of the classroom; students followed the reading with their finger and a think-pair-share was included before sharing out to the entire group; and students worked with a partner effectively. When evidence of this standard was not observed, it was due to the fact that in many classrooms the curriculum was easy or it was a review that did not require students to persist. Students were observed finishing and remaining quiet until the teacher determined it was time to move to the next activity/assignment. Some newer teachers were struggling with classroom management, especially when administrators were not in the classroom. These classrooms were loud and much of the learning time was wasted with personal conversations, although the teachers were trying to refocus the students.

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard

Standard 4: Active and Different Ways of Learning A quality school uses instructional strategies that make learning active for students, that provide them with different ways to learn, and that respond to their different learning needs (including language and literacy needs). Instruction is geared toward the construction of meaning, disciplined inquiry and the production of writing and problem-solving that has value beyond the school.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning experiences that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Students actively “work”—reasoning, reading, writing, and/or speaking the language of the discipline. b. Students “work” together in the discipline, and their collaboration facilitate deep learning. c. Students learn using various learning modalities and/or multiple intelligences. d. Students use language support scaffolds (sentence frames, multiple choice oral responses, diagrams and other representations) to engage in learning. e. Students develop questions, pose problems, make connections, reflect on multiple perspectives, and/or actively construct knowledge. f. Students explain and revise their thinking and build on and evaluate the thinking of others. g. The pacing of learning reflects an academic push to have all students complete learning activities and reach expected high levels of mastery. (“Every minute is used well.”) h. Various technologies are used to make learning active and to meet the learning needs of students.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these strategies to ensure that all students experience active and different ways of learning.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Beginning in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

All classrooms are equipped with a computer station and a doc camera to use in class. Some classrooms have smart boards. An area in which Elmhurst rated higher was in engaging 85% or more of their students in reasoning, reading, writing, and/or speaking the language of the discipline as follows: • In 17 of 28 (61%) classroom observations, 85% or more students were actively involved in the content. • In 5 of 28 (14%) classroom observations 50 – 84% of the students were actively involved in the content. • In 2 of 28 (14%) classroom observations, 25-49% of the students were actively involved in the content. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final 31

•

In 4 of 28 (14%) classroom observations, less than 25% of the students were actively engaged in the content of the day. In these later cases, much of the class was spent on addressing students’ misbehavior and re-focusing the class or students were just copying notes without any interaction with learning.

Challenges 1.

The SQR team determined that many Elmhurst classrooms do not provide active and different ways of learning and is an area that can benefit from discussion. • In 7 of 28 (25%) classroom observations, students were observed working together (group work) and their collaboration facilitated deep learning. In many instances the lesson was not designed to include group work with teachers lecturing for long periods of time or working. In other instances, even when classroom desks were set in group or in partners, students did not speak to those students sitting close to them. In other cases, when teachers intentionally asked students to work with their partner, the conversation was about the correct answer and not about the sharing of ideas or about the metacognitive analysis that facilitates deep learning. • In 14 of 28 (50%) classroom observations, students learned using various learning modalities and/or multiple intelligences. In these instances, students were working in centers, using the computer, lesson with multiple activities (worksheet, poster, use of whiteboards), use of group and individual learning activities to reinforce learning, use of graphic organizers, kinesthetic activities, and students quizzing each other using their notes. • In 3 of 28 (11%) classroom observations, students used language support scaffolds (sentence frames, graphic organizers, etc.) to engage in learning. In these instances, students used graphic organizers, bar graphs, and number lines. Although sometimes teachers used sentence frames to facilitate conversations, they were not used to facilitate academic language. • In 8 of 28 (29%) classroom observations, students engaged in the developing of questions, posed problems, made connections, reflected on multiple perspectives, and/or actively constructed knowledge. Examples of instances when this took place include: Students developed their own dialogues as they practiced with quotation marks, students constructed knowledge using pictorial representations in the form of graphs, students developed survey questions, and students made connections between math and the religion of Islam. • In 3 of 28 (11%) classroom observations students were able to explain and revise their thinking and evaluate the thinking of others. • In 10 of 28 (36%) classroom observations the pacing of learning reflected an academic push to have all students complete learning activities and reach expected high levels of mastery. In these classrooms the lesson kept moving (starter, direct instruction, modeling, guided practice, and independent practice) at a good paced and every minute was used efficiently. 2. In 10 of 28 (36%) classroom observations, the SQR team observed various technologies being used to make learning active and to meet the learning needs of students. In these classrooms, smart boards, doc cameras, computers, computer programs (Read 180, Achieve 3000) and math white boards were used. Doc cameras and smart boards were sometimes used as a tool to transmit information and not to display students’ work or to compare pieces of student writing or to display the students’ thinking during a math problem.

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard Standard 7: Students Know What They are Learning, Why, and How it can be Applied A quality school ensures that students know what they're learning, why they're learning it and how it can be applied. It ensures that students understand what it looks like to know, perform, and interact “well” (i.e. with quality). It makes sure that students play an active role in managing and shaping their learning and in developing an individualized learning plan for improvement.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning experiences that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Students know the learning objectives for the lesson. b. Students recognize the connection between today’s learning and long-term outcomes. c. All students have their learning checked with immediate feedback regarding their progress toward the day’s learning objectives. d. Students make “real world” connections about how their learning can be applied. e. Students understand what it looks like to know or perform “well”. f. Students can accurately assess how close they are to mastering expected learning outcomes.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these strategies to ensure that all students know what they are learning, why they are learning it, and how that learning can be applied.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Beginning in this standard. Strengths 1.

Overall the SQR Team observed many classes in which students interviewed had a clear understanding of what they were learning. • 62 of 65 (95%) students interviewed knew their learning objective or the work they were expected to finish during that class period. • The majority of classrooms at Elmhurst had an area designated for the objective and/or agenda and homework for the day.

Challenges 1.

31 of 65 (48%) students interviewed connected the learning objective to long term outcomes. The top three answers were related to college and careers (9), for their future (7), and for a test or quiz they were going to be given (5). Although students know that the skills they are learning now will be of benefit in their near or far future, they are not making a connection as to how learning builds on previous learning or why it is very important that they master the standards they are presented on a daily basis.

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2. 3.

In 5 of 28 (18%) classroom observations, students had their learning checked with immediate feedback regarding their progress toward the day’s learning objective. The form in which teachers effectively checked for understanding was done through the use of white boards. Many teachers only called on students that raised their hands and checked the learning of those few students. In 6 of 28 (21%) classroom observations, teachers were explicit in making the connection with their students that the skills learned in the classroom prepared them to be successful in college and careers.

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard

Standard 8: Academic Intervention and Enrichment Supports** A quality school provides resources and programs before, during, and after school that ensure that all students have the academic intervention and broader enrichment supports they need to be academically successful and engaged as a whole person.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence that the school provides: a. Classroom strategies and school-wide systems identify which students are struggling and need academic support and which students are mastering targets and need academic enrichment. b. Classroom strategies and school-wide systems identify specifically why students are struggling to reach expected learning targets. c. School-wide systems efficiently refer students to needed academic supports, monitor their effectiveness, and adjust—ensuring that students “get in and get out” as progress occurs. d. Patterns of shared student characteristics are considered when identifying student academic needs and providing supports. e. Classroom and school-wide strategies—before, during, and after school—provide a variety of:  “Universal” academic supports (e.g., classroom & on-line resources, teacher “office” hours, ASP homework help, advisory class);  “Targeted” academic supports (e.g., classroom push-in or pull-out homogeneous grouping, specific EL supports, ELD or intervention class, 504 accommodations, Saturday or summer programs);  “Intensive” academic supports (Small-group intervention class, assigned tutor or mentor, Special Ed IEP and class) f. Classroom and school-wide strategies—before, during, and after school—provide a variety of academic enrichment opportunities for identified students (e.g., “elective” or ASP academic content; leadership; technology; media).

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these supports to ensure that all students experience needed academic intervention and enrichment.

**This standard and rubric describe how a school provides a coordinated and integrated system of academic supports and enrichment that promote quality learning experiences for all students. In Quality Indicator 2, Standard 2, the standard and rubric describe how the school provides a coordinated and integrated system of other supports and enrichment—specifically health, safety, social-emotional, and youth development services—that are necessary to promote quality learning experiences for all students.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Sustaining in this standard. Strengths Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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1. 2.

3.

4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The school uses a variety of data (CST, SRI scores, benchmark assessments, CELDT, etc.) to identify students that need additional academic supports. Elmhurst Community Prep has effective academic strategies and systems to support “high risk students”. Supports include : • School uses Read 180 program at the 6th grade level for 15-20 most struggling readers. The 6th grade teacher delivers the Read 180 program with great fidelity. • System 44 is used with English Learners and with students who can benefit from a beginning phonics program. • A sheltered ELA course that uses Kate Kinsella’s 3D English to build literacy and academic vocabulary is available for low skills and limited English proficiency students is offered. • Struggling math students are offered an internally created curriculum that draws from several different sources. By using diverse materials from sources such as John Van de Walle’s Elementary and Middle School Mathematics and the Hands on Equations Learning System, the school is able to target not just ability level, but the particular skill gaps of each student. • During the first six weeks of the school year all content teachers delivered a writing program in RiseUp classes called Step Up To Writing. From that point, all subject area teachers refer to the Step Up to Writing structure in the classroom for writing assignments whether it’s a lab report in science or an analysis of a poem. RiseUp is a 30-60 minute course developed to address the differentiated needs of all students at Elmhurst. This course is offered at all grade levels, four days a week, and homogeneously groups students based on their literacy or math skill level. Depending on the skill level, students may be working on targeted mathematical concepts, phonics, fluency, literary analysis or reading comprehension. RiseUp courses typically switch every 6-12 weeks. Most students will spend half of their year in literacy-focused classes and the other half in math. At the 7th and 8th grade the school divided their students according to academic level. There is one smaller cohort that travels together throughout the day and consists of the school’s lowest skilled readers, CELDT level 3s, and/or students with IEPs. These cohorts are purposefully small in order to meet the needs of students who are two or more years below grade level. The goal of the course is for students to fully prepare them to meet A-G college requirements in high school. The use of weekly progress reports, academic grades, and grade level teacher meeting support identifying patterns and possible issues that need intervention. The school monitors student attendance and behavior through office referrals and the AERIES system. Coordination Of Supports Team (COST) is used to discuss students in need of additional resources such as counseling, tutoring, and other interventions. The Blended Learning is being infused in the RiseUp classes. Many students work independently in RiseUp. The highest need readers are doing the more intensive Words Their Way with the reading specialist. System 44 and Achieve 3000 are used to support “at risk” students.

Challenges 1.

The school has not established a good system to determine the effectiveness of their intervention programs. This information can be useful in future years.

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard

Undeveloped

Beginning

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

Standard 10: Equitable Access to Curriculum A quality school provides curriculum and courses (including A-G and AP courses at the high school level) that prepare students for college, and it ensures equitable access to such curriculum and courses, for all students, through academic interventions that catch and support students to complete a college preparatory course work.

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence that the school provides the following: a. Diverse groups of students are proportionally represented in the academic programs. b. The school offers academic interventions that identify and support specific learners who experience ongoing discrimination or who are part of historically lower-achieving groups, which gives them access to challenging curriculum and enables them to achieve high standards. c. These specific students are fully integrated into a challenging core curriculum with appropriately trained teachers. d. All teachers and staff in key gatekeeping roles (e.g., counselors) have received training about access and equity issues, and operate with clear guidelines for ensuring full access.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these supports to ensure that all students have equitable access to curriculum.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

The school groups students based on their academic level to be able to accelerate their learning by differentiating the curriculum. As a result, students who need more support are scheduled into smaller classes so that teachers have more time to teach and support them in building the skills they need to be academically successful. 2. RiseUp classes and curriculum, developed by coaches, supports students in accessing subject matter curriculum at their level (some students receive basic skills while others receive more advanced curriculum). 3. The afterschool staff is also incorporated in different parts of the school day (as classroom support, in RiseUp & advisory classes, as conflict managers and extra academic & enrichment support after school). Their apprenticeship program on Tuesdays further provides students with enrichment opportunities (baking, dance, robotics, and social justice). Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final 37

4.

The school has a cohort of students receiving Algebra during the after school program. These students were identified based on CST and benchmark assessments.

Challenges 1. 2.

3.

Students don’t really have access to the Library. “There is not a library culture here. One of my personal missions is to push the teachers with teaching research. If we could have someone in the library, we could teach research skills”, per a staff interview. English Learners do not have access to SpringBoard. “The students are tracked all day and for three years. The classes have been experimenting with English 3D. One says it is going great- others said it is not- it is hard to track growth in 8 weeks. I want those kids to try out one unit of SpringBoard”, and “Many members of the ILT are pushing for the Sheltered Cohort to be an Inquiry focus this year. The students are double tracked because they are in the Cohort together and in their Intervention class together”, per staff interviews. Some students do not receive Physical Education during the school day. Most of them, do receive some sort of physical activities or sports through the after school program.

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Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students Standard

Undeveloped

Standard 11: College-going Culture and Resources A quality school has a collegegoing culture with staff and teachers who provide college preparedness resources to inform students and families about the importance of college, their college options, the entrance requirements, and the supports needed to successfully complete college.

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning experiences that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Students connect how their learning in class prepares them for future college and/ or career opportunities. b. Teachers are explicit that certain skills and dispositions (e.g., peer collaboration, study/organizational habits) particularly prepare students to be successful in college and careers. c. School staff helps students develop concrete plans for the future and counsels them about college and career options. d. Students use a variety of resources to understand the importance of college, their college options, the entrance requirements, and the supports needed to complete college. e. Families use a variety of resources to understand the importance of college, their college options, the entrance requirements, and the supports needed to complete college.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems, including student input, to review evidence of these conditions to ensure that a college-going culture and resources are experienced by all students.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

The school maintains a college going culture by assigning college mascot names. Students learn the college chants and write to the colleges for gear, as well as build some baseline familiarity with different colleges. Students receive “college curriculum” through the after school program.

Challenges 1.

The school’s staff recognizes that they need to do more than just name classrooms after colleges. “We need more than just naming our classes after colleges. When is college entrance/options brought into curriculum? This comment sheds light on the information-gap that currently exists between our ‘first shift’ and ‘second shift’ teachers. Namely, ECP teachers do not have ample information regarding our partner program, Citizen Schools, and the college preparation initiatives that currently implement with our students. Collecting this data from staff allowed us to realize the need and share that knowledge so that teachers are aware of the work that

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Citizen Schools folks does with our students. Ultimately, the points that were raised by staff reflect a need to have a more cohesive understanding and vision of how colleges are connected to our students’ experience at ECP”, per the self-reflection. 2.

9 of 65 (14%) of students interviewed shared that what they were learning was preparing them for college.

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Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments

The Oakland Unified School District is committed to supporting high levels of learning for every student, ensuring that students are prepared for success in college, in their careers, and as citizens. Central to this commitment is the creation of learning environments that are safe, supportive, and healthy for all students. “Safe, Supportive, and Healthy Learning Environments” recognize that all members of the school community thrive when there is a broad, coordinated approach to identifying and meeting the needs of all members. The quality school is a safe, healthy center of its community. Its students, their families, the community, and school staff feel safe because school relationships, routines, and programs build respect, value individual and cultural differences, and restore justice—in the classrooms, hallways, and surrounding neighborhood. Its members are healthy and ready to learn, work, and parent because they have access to services—before, during, and after the school day—that address their academic, emotional, social, and physical needs. In such a quality school, the adults in the community coordinate their support so that students plan for and are prepared for future success. The following rubrics enable key school stakeholders to assess the development of a school toward the “Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning” standards, based on evidence from a range of sources. In addition, school leaders, central office personnel, and coaches will use these rubrics to design improvement strategies and support schools’ ongoing development. The unit of analysis for these rubrics is the school, not programs or individuals within the school. These rubrics will not be used for the evaluation of school leaders, teachers, or other school personnel. Undeveloped Beginning Developing Sustaining Refining

There was little evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was some evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was substantial evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard, and the school has implemented systems to review evidence of these practices/conditions.

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Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments Standard Standard 1: Safe and Healthy Center of Community A quality school is safe and a healthy center of the community. Safety procedures are in place to maintain order and keep all members safe. It is an open, fun and attractive space for the community to use before, during, and after the school day.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning environments that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The campus (inside and out) is well maintained and attractive. Adults and students contribute to keep the facilities this way. b. Safety procedures are in place and evident (emergency plan, supervision schedules, responses to safety concerns, custodial schedules, drills, etc.); they are known and followed by respective stakeholders. c. Mechanisms are in place to communicate about and manage district/school staff/families/ community partners regarding emergencies/incidents affecting the site in a timely way. d. Systems are in place for community to access facilities before, during, and after the school day and to ensure space is taken care of. e. The school is utilized by parents, students and community before, during, and after the school day.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school monitors, reviews, and adjusts these practices with input from the various stakeholders of the school, including students, in order to ensure that the school functions as a safe and healthy center of the community.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

2. 3. 4.

The school has an established supervision schedules for breakfast, lunch, and dismissal time as follows: • The cafeteria is well supervised during breakfast and lunch. Breakfast supervision includes the custodian and the security officer. Lunch supervision includes staff from Citizen School’s after school program. Students know and understand the expectations and procedures and follow them. “Kids are good about cleaning up after themselves in the cafeteria” was a constant comment we heard from staff. • Administrators have posted locations to supervise during transitions from one class to another as well as during lunch and dismissal. The principal and one dean were observed supervising the open areas during lunch. • Citizen school staff was observed supervising class transitions, lunch, and dismissal from the after school program. Cafeteria staff follows district’s menus and has in place procedures to ensure safety: “To feel safe, I make sure [students] line up, no running, don’t speak too loudly. To be healthy, I make sure the students get more fruit or vegetables, and milk. I follow the district’s lunch menu.” The after school program as well as several agencies that provide enrichment and sport activities use the school during and after school. th The school’s master schedule with all teachers having prep during 6 period and the use of no bells has both strengths and challenges. Strengths include: • Since students don’t have a passing time and since classes are near each other, less time is wasted in moving from one class to another.

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•

5.

The after-school program starts an hour earlier (2:00pm instead of 3:00pm) and students can go home while there’s still light outside, especially during the winter months. • Because there are two schools on the campus, bells do not disturb each other. • “There is less opportunity for students to get in trouble”. The school shares two Security Officers with Alliance. Elmhurst only pays for .6 FTE of these two positions and assigns them the cafeteria and outside of the school areas that are difficult to supervise by administrators.

Challenges 1.

2.

3.

Campus observations by the SQR team, staff and parent interview comments indicate that the school is in need of a “face lift”: • Outside school walls, although decorated with murals, are dirty. There was graffiti tagging on the outside of a cafeteria wall. • Outside blacktop has many cracks and it’s uneven. This is a district, and not a school, responsibility. • Interviews reflected the following statements on this topic: o “School needs a face lift…paint, new desks, change carpets. There’s a lot of old furniture…the school looks like an abandoned building”. o “The campus would be a lot cleaner if the custodians did their job”. “There’s a lot of extra old furniture in classrooms”. o “The school needs a cleaner school and surrounding areas, it would be nice to get help from the city with people dumping behind the school”. th The school’s master schedule with all teachers having prep during 6 period and the use of no bells has both strengths and challenges. Challenges include: • Teachers do not have time to use the bathroom between periods without leaving their students unattended. Some classes were observed left outside longer than others while teachers arrived and let students into the classroom. • Many of the classrooms were used by the after school program, which make meeting in their classrooms difficult. • Students were observed taking up to ten minutes to get to class after lunch, although administrators use whistles to let students know it is time to go back to class. Parents were not observed in the building supervising, volunteering or attending meetings/trainings.

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Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments Standard

Standard 2: Coordinated and Integrated System of Support Services A quality school provides 1) health and social-emotional services and 2) a youth and community development component to help students acquire the attitudes, competencies, values, and social skills they need to facilitate academic learning.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining The school provides learning environments that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. A broad menu of on-site strategies, services and partnerships respond to student/family needs. b. Students are provided healthy food and health-focused physical activity. c. Health education is integrated into classrooms, programs, and services. d. The school has a youth development component (citizen/values programs, advisory, leadership class, student council, internships, etc.) to help students acquire the attitudes, competencies, values, and social skills they need to facilitate academic learning. e. Strategies and/or organizational structures (e.g., houses, academies, etc.) provide social and instrumental supports for all students. Staff can modify these strategies/ structures to meet student needs. f. All services at the school are coordinated efficiently and effectively to support student learning.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school monitors, reviews, and adjusts these practices with input from the various stakeholders of the school, including students, in order to ensure that the school provides a coordinated and integrated system of academic and learning support services.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

The school has developed structures to support students have positive experiences while at Elmhurst Community Prep. They include: th th • Students are structured by grade level into geographic areas of campus (6 -annex, 7 -upstairs, and 8th-downstairs). • There is an assistant principal or dean assigned to each grade level to be the primary point person on managing student behavior. These grade level leads support teachers in building and maintaining common procedures, applying the school’s PBIS-derived approach to building expectations, and utilizing a progressive discipline system. This structure allows grade level leads to build close and detailed relationships with students and families, and to communicate these learnings to the next grade level. 2. In collaboration with the Seneca center and teacher leaders at the site, ECP created a Positive Action Behavior Support team. This team met over the summer of 2012 in order to create a positive behavior management system that articulated clear behavioral expectations on a “PREP Matrix” (Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional behavior). 3. The school uses the Restorative Justice model for behavior management including: conferencing, Student Support Teams, conflict mediations, public apologies, and reflection. During a parent interview, a parent shared, “The school uses a behavioral progress report with my son, he has to get it signed by his peers according to how he did, and I believe that makes him responsible about his actions in class”. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final 44

4.

All students participate in Advisory four days per week during the last period of the day. This structure support students in building a relationship with their Advisor that is supportive and inclusive. The Advisory class utilizes a social emotional learning curriculum called Peace Works, selected by an Advisory Work Group who completed an extensive curriculum review, 180 Degrees Program is used with 30 students headed by a community member –a pastor; staff has created units such as “the 2012 Elections” which the SQR team observed during its visit.

Challenges 1. 2.

The SQR team did not hear of health education being offered to Elmhurst students. The SQR team, through interviews, heard that the social emotional needs are greater than the services the school has accessible to them.

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Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments Standard

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

Sustaining Refining The school provides learning environments that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: There is strong and a. Systems are in place to identify which students are consistent evidence of the Standard 5: struggling and why they are struggling and to support standard as described in the Identifies At-Risk Students their health/social emotional issues. “Sustaining” column. and Intervenes* There is little There is some There is b. Systems are in place to refer students to the supports In addition, the school A quality school identifies evidence of evidence of substantial that address their need(s) following the RTI model. monitors, reviews, and at-risk students and the standard the standard evidence of the c. Systems are in place to identify service gaps and seek adjusts these practices with intervenes early, to help as described as described standard as resources to fill them. input from the various students develop concrete in the in the described in the d. Teachers are part of these strategies/services and stakeholders of the school, plans for the future to “Sustaining” “Sustaining” “Sustaining” provide/work closely with these services to ensure including students, in order counsel them about college column. column. column. student needs are met. to ensure that the school and career options, and to e. Parents/families are engaged as partners with the school provides a coordinated and engage parents in this in supporting their students and know how their children integrated system of advising. are being supported. academic and learning f. At-risk students receive the necessary support to ensure support services. that they have access to college and career options. * This standard complements QI-1.8 (systems of academic support services to promote student learning). This standard focuses on health, safety, and social-emotional services to support at-risk students in accessing student leaning, including access to college and career options.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Sustaining in this standard. Strengths 1.

2.

The school uses the RTI model to support students with respect to both academics and social/emotional development. • Tier 1 strategies include: School-wide positive behavior program, conflict mediation program, Restorative Justice Interventions, and grade level meetings. • Tier 2 strategies include: Behavior plans/contracts, group therapy, Student Support Team meetings, parent support groups and academic/behavior supports. • Tier 3 strategies include: Individual and Family therapy, intensive case management, and Crisis Intervention and Risk assessment. Coordination of Services Team (COST) meets weekly to review and discuss students’ referrals and to determine best appropriate intervention services on/off campus. • The Community School Manager (CSM) screens referred students for insurance. The CSM then presents new cases during their regularly scheduled COST meetings. The team then determines which program or person is best suited to serve the student’s needs. • There are two primary mental health providers, one is Seneca and one is Alameda Health Alliance for a total of three clinicians; each clinician carries an average of 13 students each. There’s also a Health Center that sees as many students they need to on a daily basis. • Several measures are used to identify students who are struggling, including behavior referrals, attendance, grades, class participation, and teacher and parent request. Another structure for identifying struggling students that exists at ECP is grade-level teams.

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•

3.

Each grade level meets once a week and discusses students who are outside the “sphere of success”, and the team creates an action plan for how to respond to particular students’ needs or refers them to COST. th Citizen Group after school program, through their apprenticeship program, offers their students with opportunities to college and career information, especially to 8 grade students through the district’s high school options process.

Challenges 1.

The identified needs of students is greater than the capacity of the school to support all students that need services. The SQR team heard, “they do reach capacity in the first four months, by December”.

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Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments Standard

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

Sustaining The school provides learning environments that show strong and consistent evidence of the following: Standard 6: a. Students and parents feel safe and free from threat, Inclusive, Welcoming, and bullying, and/or discrimination. Caring Community* b. Students and parents trust staff. A quality school creates an c. Students and their families are “known” by school staff. inclusive, welcoming, safe, d. Procedures and practices support new students and their caring and nurturing families to quickly feel like members of the school community which: 1. Fosters There is little There is some There is community. respectful communication evidence of evidence of substantial e. Staff, students, and their families intentionally build among students, families, the standard the standard evidence of the caring and supportive relationships across different staff, and community. 2. as described as described standard as individual and cultural “lines”. Values individual and cultural in the in the described in the f. Interactions are characterized by caring communication. differences. 3. Engages and “Sustaining” “Sustaining” “Sustaining” g. Procedures and practices support students to resolve partners with students, column. column. column. and heal conflicts and “restore justice” to the school families, and community. 4. community. Creates a positive school h. Structures and activities before/during/and after school climate that includes behavior create a safe and inclusive environment for students management as well as (main office, playground, hallways, cafeteria, etc.) structures that recognize i. The school has effective behavior management schoolimprovement, achievement, wide that creates a positive school climate (rewards, and growth. progressive discipline plan, celebrations to recognize improvement/ achievement, daily routines that reinforce culture of the school, etc.) *This standard addresses systems and practices outside of the classroom and it complements QI 1.2

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school monitors, reviews, and adjusts these practices with input from the various stakeholders of the school, including students, in order to ensure that students and their families experience an inclusive, welcoming, safe, caring and nurturing community.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

The school promotes students wearing a school uniform. The uniform includes wearing a light blue ECP shirt or hoodie and jeans or pants. The school does not provide “loaner uniforms” and students are warned that they will be sent home if they do not have appropriate clothing in the students’ policies & procedures. The SQR team did not see or heard of any issues with not wearing the school uniform.

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2.

3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

The school has recently streamlined their behavior system. During the summer, a group of staff met and built a flow-chart addressing student behavior, and a matrix of expected student behavior based on the acronym PREP (Prepared Respectful Engaged Professional). This information has been shared openly with students during Advisory. Furthermore, students who violate class rules are first given a yellow reflection form. If behavior doesn't improve, a red form (office referral) is given to student and that referral comes to the grade level dean. Extended Learning Time (ELT) program, sponsored by Citizen School serves all students and follows the Core Academic and positive culture systems of the school. The school is staffed with three conflict mediators who are supported by Seneca All-In Clinician. ECP also participates in restorative justice practices for students who have damaged the school “Family” in some way. This latter approach has been part of the school’s DNA for some time, but this year the principal explicitly stated the commitment to changing maladaptive behavior rather than merely punishing it. Although ECP’s suspension and DHP data do not demonstrate the disparate harm of others, the school is aware that there is substantial room for growth and improvement, and believes that restorative service, in-house suspensions, and public accountability practices will help bring about change in this area. Citizens School supports students by: “We try to be alert when we see possible bullying and we discourage play fighting. In the classroom, students are supervised and students that fall out of line are reminded to the rule of the contract they signed. During transitions, staff is positioned strategically to ensure safety”. Office staff is bilingual Spanish. They are essential in dealing with parents that only speak Spanish. They are also very knowledgeable of the events and activities taking place at the school (picture day, field trips, behavior issues, etc.). The school shares two School Security Officers that are posted at key locations where administration cannot easily supervise.

Challenges 1. 2. 3.

Through parent interviews, the SQR team heard of bullying still taking place, especially at times when no adults were around. The SQR team observed cars driving through the students’ public area during lunch due to the fact that the Elmhurst gate is open and unsupervised during this time. Three cars were observed passing to the other school on the same lot due to the fact that the other school locks their gates. The SQR team could not assess the degree to which parents feel welcomed and included due to the fact that few parents were interviewed.

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Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement

The Oakland Unified School District is committed to supporting high levels of learning for every student, ensuring that students are prepared for success in college, in their careers, and as citizens. We believe that thriving schools consistently endeavor to develop as robust learning communities. A “Learning Community Focused on Continuous Improvement” describes a school that consistently and collaboratively works to improve the school and to produce higher and more equitable outcomes by students. The school staff – in collaboration with students, families and the broader community – study, reflect, and learn together to strengthen their individual and collective efforts. They consistently look at data, plan, monitor, and evaluate their work. Through these efforts, they share decision-making, responsibility, and accountability. OUSD’s approach to learning communities is rooted in the literature on Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) developed by Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, and Robert Eaker. They define a PLC as “characterized by a set of core beliefs and practices: a commitment to the learning of each student and structures that support teachers’ focus on student learning. When a school functions as a PLC, adults within the school embrace high levels of learning for each student as both the reason the school exists and the fundamental responsibility of those who work within it.” This Learning Communities rubric focuses on the members of the community whose primary responsibility is student learning: teachers and those that support teachers. This group of individuals is not de facto a learning community; however, they develop into a learning community as they collaborate, build trust, challenge one another, and support one another – in service of student learning. This rubric enables schools to self-assess against the quality school learning community standards, based on evidence from a range of sources. In addition, the Quality Community School Development office, other central office personnel, and coaches will interact around this rubric to develop growth plans and support schools’ ongoing development. The unit of analysis for this rubric is the school, not individuals or teams within the school.

Undeveloped Beginning Developing Sustaining Refining

There was little evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was some evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was substantial evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard, and the school has implemented systems to review and improve these practices/conditions.

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Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement Standard

Standard 1: Professional Learning Communities A quality school makes sure that teachers work together in professional learning communities (PLC) focused on student progress

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. Most teachers meet in Professional Learning Communities at least once a month for collaborative planning and inquiry focused on student learning. b. Teachers use PLC time to map curriculum backwards from high leverage, important learning goals/outcomes/standards; collaboratively make curricular choices; and plan instruction and assessments. c. Teachers in PLCs regularly look at evidence of student learning (formative and summative assessment data or student work) to understand students’ level of mastery of the learning objectives. d. Based on this evidence of student learning, teachers in PLCs share best practices, trouble shoot dilemmas, and plan re-teaching and extension activities. e. All teachers take responsibility for creating and maintaining a quality PLC by participating fully, supporting a clear agenda, recording notes and decisions, and following-up with assigned tasks.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure effective Professional Learning Communities focused on student progress.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2. 3.

Teachers at ECP meet in Grade Level Teams weekly to discuss common instructional strategies, make plans for struggling students (and students who are just right outside the sphere of success), and share best practices. Teachers have indicated that this time is instrumental in forming a cohesive team, sharing common expectations, and building relational trust grade level teams. Teachers are assigned an instructional coach, with whom they meet bimonthly to set professional development goals for themselves, goals for students, reflect on their practice, and plan using data to drive instruction. Each instructional coach has worked closely with their teacher to set goals, observe classroom practices, and give meaningful feedback to their teachers. Another portion of PD time on Wednesdays is designated to Department Time, which is organized and facilitated by instructional coaches in content teams. The ILT collected data at the end of last year, and teachers shared that Department Time is an invaluable space to share best practices, align resources, and vertically plan.

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1. 2. 3.

The biggest challenge that coaches and ILT members face this year is strategically responding to staff needs while simultaneously understanding the implications of the transition to Common Core Standards through the implementation of SpringBoard. Although, systems to understand the quality of student learning has been developed through PD and PLC opportunities, there is “still some work to do- utilizing student work for coaching conversations because there is not a culture of rigorously looking at student work. There is no common language, practices, structures among all staff”. A focus on “What is the quality of student learning?” is not a current ethos. The work of Inquiry done by the ILT (administrators and coaches PLC) on behalf of this school has not filter out to the rest of the school. Departments that have not participated have little knowledge of the learning from the inquiry.

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Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement Standard

Standard 2: Data Collection and Analysis A quality school ensures that staff members regularly analyze multiple kinds of data about student performance and their experience of learning and then employ this analysis to improve student learning.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: Individually and collectively, staff members frequently – a. Collect multiple kinds of data about student performance and their experience of learning. b. Use their data analysis to identify specific needs for reteaching, intervention, and extension for individual students. c. Use their data analysis to identify trends and patterns among groups of students to inform programmatic decisions, personnel deployment, curricular choices, and instructional strategies.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure effective data collection and analysis.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

3.

4. 5.

6.

English and Math coaches develop diagnostic assessments for each of the RiseUp intervention modules. Data is gathered and used by the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) to schedule students into homogeneous cohorts (called accelerated classes by ECP staff) and into RiseUp (differentiated) classes: “We start with data per classroom. They do data analysis and use SRI to screen groups. Cohorts of students are created in which teachers can differentiate and address students’ needs. RiseUp is differentiated for students’ levels; RiseUp helps with closing the skills gap”. ILT has also looked at CST data in their meetings. Struggling students are identified using quantitative and qualitative data (academic performance and behavior). Grade level teams meet to identify students and review data. Supports for students are identified and students are grouped. RiseUp intervention consists of 6-30 students depending on their level with students needing the most support in very small groups and taught by two adults (two teachers, a teacher and a coach, a teacher and a Citizens School staff in the teaching credentialing program). The lowest performing students (22) may be in core classes together but get mixed with other students in PE/Electives. Weekly progress reports include data results on major benchmark tests (SRI, district benchmark, school assessments such as writing). ELA RiseUp teachers review data every 6 weeks. RiseUp math every 2 weeks. Core teachers review benchmark data. They use a protocol that allows for reflection, analysis, and next steps. All teachers refer to the SpringBoard formative end assessments as “Embedded Assessments” and refer to them often throughout their daily lessons. Students make sense of the rubrics at the beginning of each unit and know expectations clearly.

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Challenges 1. 2. 3. 4.

Although staff has enough data available about their students, behavior rather than student work continues to be the focus for them. The ILT team is beginning to use professional development time to infuse the concept of cycles of inquiry and data with the entire staff. Although diagnostic assessments exist for RiseUp intervention modules and data is collected by coaches, close monitoring of results have not been taking place, “we have been [collecting data] for the last two years, but it has not been monitored. We need to look more closely about the impact”. PLC teams do not have a culture of discussing outcomes and sharing next steps after benchmark assessments.

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Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement Standard

Standard 4: Professional Learning Activities A quality school has professional learning activities that are embedded in practice, promote teacher leadership, and support teachers to evaluate and revise their classroom practices.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence that high quality professional learning activities help teachers improve student learning. Professional Learning Activities at the school are: a. Embedded in practice. They are useful to teacher practice with students, and model effective instructional strategies. b. Aligned to the vision and mission of the school. c. Targeted towards and responsive to the current needs of students and teachers. d. Developmental and differentiated to meet the needs of all teachers at the school. Professional Learning Activities at the school: e. Promote teacher leadership. f. Support teachers to evaluate and improve their classroom practices. g. May include: • Whole staff learning opportunities • Individual or small group coaching • Supervision • Peer Coaching • Peer observations • Lesson study • Training in a specific item • PLCs • Participating in protocols such as “Looking at Student Work”, “Tuning”, Etc. • Study groups or book studies

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure high quality professional learning activities for teachers.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Sustaining in this standard. Strengths Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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1. 2.

4. 5.

6.

The school is engaged in partnership with The National Equity Project – Impact 2012 to provide coaching support to administrators and the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) in implementing cycles of inquiry and weekly professional development for staff. “The PD for coaches is meant to add more tools to their coaching toolkit, and provide a space to collaborate, strategically reflect on their practice, and share best practices as well”. Cycles of Inquiry have been focused on English Language Arts for the past three years concentrating on focus students during six week cycles in which intervention support is provided and data is collected. The goal is to extend lessons learned during the cycles of inquiry (conditions, process, data, and outcomes) into the entire school. Presently, all teaching staff have chosen a focus student during the first six-week cycle and have collected data, set goals, and created an action plan to address their student’s identified needs. The ILT will review this data during a fall retreat in order to set goals for the year. The ILT meets biweekly for two hours, and plans weekly PD for staff. This PD planning includes: collecting and reviewing feedback from staff (surveys, exit slips, etc.), reviewing teacher goals, reflecting on small-group facilitation, and backwards planning keeping the school’s goals in mind. The school’s PD is Organized in an Inquiry cycle to allow teachers to do the following: • Keep focused over time on key equity challenges and generate deeper learning about how to address these challenges; • Help educators make informed changes in practices and policies; • Provoke changes in relationships between teachers, teachers and students, and between the school and its larger community; • Help get concrete and more equitable results for students by stating clear goals and checking on progress towards these goals. The Teacher Evaluation Process serves as a professional development for the teaching staff because it provides feedback about their practice and supports them through coaching.

Challenges 1. 2.

Teacher turn-over slows down the impact of professional development because trainings need to be repeated. Furthermore, PD is presently informally differentiated through the work between teachers and their coaches. Coaches are funded through SIG, a source that ends at the end of the 2012-2013 school year.

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Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships

The Oakland Unified School District is committed to supporting high levels of learning for every student, ensuring that students are prepared for success in college, in their careers, and as citizens. Central to this commitment is meaningfully engaging students, families, and communities as key partners in this work. “Meaningful Student, Family, and Community Engagement/Partnerships” result when the school staff ensures that students, families and the community are partners in creating quality learning experiences for all students and a “full-service” school for the community. A quality school draws on the strengths and knowledge of the students, their families, and the community to become a center of support to the community and to meet the needs of all its members. Students, families, and community groups are “at the table”—giving voice to their concerns and perspectives; looking at data; planning, monitoring, evaluating the quality of the school; and participating in key decisions. The following rubrics enable key school stakeholders to assess the development of a school toward the “Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships” standards, based on evidence from a range of sources. In addition, school leaders, central office personnel, and coaches will use these rubrics to design improvement strategies and support schools’ ongoing development. The unit of analysis for these rubrics is the school, not programs or individuals within the school. These rubrics will not be used for the evaluation of school leaders, teachers, or other school personnel. Undeveloped Beginning Developing Sustaining Refining

There was little evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was some evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was substantial evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard. There was strong & consistent evidence found that the school implemented the practice(s) and/or built the conditions described in the standard, and the school has implemented systems to review evidence of these practices/conditions.

Definitions Leaders: Principals are the primary leaders of their schools; some schools have assistant principals, coaches, and/or teachers who also have formal roles as leaders. In addition, every member of a school community has opportunities to function as a leader, depending on the school’s needs and the individual’s specific skills. School Staff: Staff includes the principal, other administrators, and teachers (certificated), as well as other adults who work in the school (classified). School Community: The community includes school staff, students, students’ families, individuals from the neighborhood, community-based organizations, and support providers who are associated with the school. Leadership Groups: Schools have a variety of groups that provide guidance for and make decisions regarding the school. All schools have school site councils (SSCs) that are responsible for strategic planning, and many schools have additional structures, such as an Instructional Leadership Team, which guide and support the ongoing work of the school.

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Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships Standard Standard 2: Working together in Partnership A quality school creates the structures and mechanisms to work in partnership with students, families and community; as part of working together, they share information, influence, and support the creation of policies, practices, and programs that affect students, thus becoming agents of change.

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school has high-quality activities and strategies which build the capacity of students, families, and community to work together in partnership. b. The school creates structures and mechanisms to bring families of all racial, ethnic, socio-economic backgrounds which are representative of the student body as volunteers into the school. c. The school creates structures and mechanisms which continuously engage families, including those who are less involved to get their ideas, input, and involvement. d. Student, family, and community groups (Coordination of Services Team, After School programs, community agencies, etc.), in partnership with the school, set clear and measurable goals that are aligned with the school wide vision and goals.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to monitor the effectiveness of these practices to ensure that a school works together in partnership.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2. 3. 4.

The school uses school-wide systems and structures to involve parents such as: Advisory Pot Lucks, Back to School Night, Honor Roll Banquet, Student Led Conferences, movie nights, communication with parents carried by deans. These school-wide structures for parent engagement foster a positive school culture, and they represent great areas of strengths in welcoming and engaging parents. The school has bilingual Spanish speaker staff in the office that are well informed of the school’s activities, who answer parent questions, and who make parent phone calls as necessary (inviting to parent events, translating for Spanish only parents when behavior or attendance concerns surface, etc.). Principal wants families to be connected to each other and that’s what a family director will do once hired…and the school has to be responsible to keep up with this role when funds go away. The school has a partnership with the Oakland Police Department, via the COPS grant, which started during summer 2012. Two police officers come to the school as mentors

Challenges

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1. 2.

Challenge has been bringing in parents without a community coordinator, a position that became vacant last year and has not been filled. This position is funded by SIG funds which end this school year. Parents expressed that the only way they hear about meetings is through automated phone calls a day before an event or when students bring home notes. Sometimes people are not home or notes never arrive home.

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Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships Standard Standard 5: Student/Family Engagement on Student Progress A quality school communicates with families effectively so they know how the student is progressing and how they participate in the school community. It allows clear two-way channels for communication. The school uses strategies that help families overcome the language, cultural, economic, and physical barriers that can limit their full participation.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

Sustaining

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school has multiple high-quality activities and strategies which engage students and their family in knowing how the student is progressing academically and engaging in the school community. b. Families and school staff have trusting relationships and engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student progress. c. These activities and strategies are designed to minimize language, cultural, economic, and physical barriers that can limit students and their families’ full participation. d. The school has created and implemented policies that encourage all teachers to communicate frequently with families about student academic progress and student engagement in the school community. These policies are well communicated with staff and families.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review evidence of the effectiveness of these practices to ensure effective student/family engagement on student progress.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

Family Involvement was a theory of action designed from the beginning of ECP and it remains a core part of the school’s work. The school takes a decentralized approach that includes: • Progress Reports: Teachers create weekly progress reports that students take home on Fridays. These communicate information on readiness to learn factors: homework completion (prepared), positive behavior (respect), classwork completion (engaged), and on-time arrival w/ supplies (professional). These scores are recorded and are the basis for reward and/or intervention as needed. A weekly newsletter and student of the week shout-out is printed on the back of each progress report as well. • Advisors/ A.I.M. teachers: Advisors and AIM teachers (part of the Citizen Schools program) have the expectation of communicating with the families they work with each month. Phone calls are the primary means of communication.

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•

2.

3.

Main office: Our office staff represents a strength of the school. Fully bilingual and well-informed staff are first connection for many families. Furthermore, the bilingual clerk communicates regularly with families of absent and tardy students, and also makes academic or behavior update phone calls for nonSpanish speaking members of staff. In addition, the office programs numerous auto-dialer updates throughout the school year to keep families informed. • New communication: As Blended Learning pilot continues to evolve, the school plans to give families log-in access to online grade books and student progress data so that parents may track the progress of their children. Citizens School play a strong role in communicating with parents: • Family Engagement-team leaders call parents every two weeks to discuss progress and share information of school events. Communications with the parents, all parents receive a call from their leaders often which helps to build rapport. • The after school program sponsors “WOW” events and invites parents to potlucks to see what students worked on/learned during apprenticeship twice per year. These events give students an opportunity to showcase what they have been working on. Parents interviewed shared they “like being able to receive progress reports on a weekly basis. Parents can’t say that they didn’t know how their children are doing because it has information about what [students] have done and if they are ‘P.R.E.P.ed’.” The SQR team also heard, “the school uses a behavioral progress report with my son, he has to get it signed by his peers according to how he did, and I believe that makes him responsible about his actions in class”.

Challenges 1. 2.

Weekly progress reports don’t address the academic grade or how parents can support their students’ academic success. Without a family engagement component, parents do not receive training as to how to interpret report cards and progress reports.

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Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships Standard Standard 6: Family Engagement on Academic Expectations and Opportunities A quality school provides opportunities for families to understand what their child is learning (grade level standards); why they are learning it; what it looks like to know, perform, and interact “well” (i.e. with quality); and what potential career/college pathways are before them.

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school engages with families, not only about how their child is progressing academically and socially, but about the what, why, and “so what” of the academic program. That includes the overall academic vision and mission, what it looks like to do well academically and socially, and to map out toward what goals this quality of work is taking a student. b. These strategies help each student and their families overcome the language, cultural, economic, and physical barriers that can limit full understanding.

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review evidence of these practices to ensure effective family engagement on student learning.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

Families at ECP have substantial involvement in three main activities: Student Led Conferences (SLCs), Extended Learning Time (ELT) expositions called WOWs, and the high school options process. 100 percent of 8th graders complete the options form by the initial district deadline, as well as 100 percent of 8th graders completing at least one high school visit. Parents shared that they know what their children are learning through the homework and the weekly progress reports.

Challenges 1. 2.

There does not seem to be established ongoing activities for teachers and parents to engage regularly about what students learn at each grade level. Few parents were observed at the school and the SQR team heard that parents do not show up to trainings, only to social events that involve food.

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Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family and Community Engagement/Partnerships Standard

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Standard 7: Standards of Meaningful Engagement A quality school builds effective student, family, and community partnerships by implementing standards of meaningful student and family/ community engagement, which are developed and approved by these local key stakeholders.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school has developed/adopted and implemented standards of meaningful engagement (either school or district approved) to build effective student, family, and community partnerships. b. The school sets goals and plans activities annually to bring students, families and community into the school and become authentic co-owners of the school and share responsibility for students’ learning. c. The school has programs and activities in place to support student engagement around events and decisions that affect them at school and in the community. d. The school has programs and activities in place to build student leadership and voice and teach children to become their own advocates in education.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review evidence of these practices to insure standards of meaningful engagement.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

The school carries home visits at the beginning of the school year to make connection with parents. The SQR team heard from staff that at ECP: “Before school started this year, we took teams of staff to do home visit with families and distribute backpacks, we do get involved with the community and parents”. WOW events (sponsored by the after school program) are well attended by parents.

Challenges 1. 2.

The school has not filled the parent coordinator position. Parents and staff agreed that the school needs to do more to involve parents as true advocates for their students. This is evidenced by their comments: • “We need to have more parent involvement in a form of workshops along with translation devices, we also should have childcare services for parents and more opportunities to involve parents in positive ways”. • “I am kept informed with the schools activities because I’m a member of the SSC…. I feel that if I wasn’t proactive in being involved, I would not be informed of what’s going on at the school”. • “The ability to hear information is not within the regular curriculum, but in the after school program”.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management The Oakland Unified School District is committed to supporting high levels of learning for every student, ensuring that students are prepared for success in college, in their careers, and as citizens. We believe that the leaders of a school play a critical role in this success: supporting students, nurturing and guiding teachers, and empowering families and the community – thriving together as a full service community school. “Effective School Leadership & Resource Management” happens when school leaders work together to build a vision of quality and equity, guiding the efforts of the school community to make this vision a reality. Leaders focus the school community on instruction, enabling positive academic and social-emotional outcomes for every student. Leaders guide the professional development of teachers and create the conditions within which teachers and the rest of the community engage in ongoing learning. These leaders manage people, funding, time, technology, and other materials effectively to promote thriving students and build robust, sustainable community schools. This rubric enables schools to self-assess against the quality school leadership standards, based on evidence from a range of sources. In addition, the Quality Community School Development office, other central office personnel, and coaches will interact around this rubric to develop growth plans and support schools’ ongoing development. The unit of analysis for this rubric is the school, not individuals within the school. A separate tool guides the development of individual leaders, based upon OUSD’s Leadership Dimensions. This rubric will not be used for the evaluation of school leaders. Undeveloped Beginning Developing Sustaining Refining

There was little evidence found that the school has implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was some evidence found that the school has implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was substantial evidence found that the school has implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was strong and consistent evidence found that the school has implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard. There was strong and consistent evidence found that the school has implemented the practice(s) and/or build the conditions described in the standard, and the school has implemented systems to review and improve these practices/conditions.

Definitions Leaders: Principals are the primary leaders of their schools; some schools have assistant principals, coaches, and/or teachers who also have formal roles as leaders. In addition, every member of a school community has opportunities to function as a leader, depending on the school’s needs and the individual’s specific skills. School Staff: Staff includes the principal, other administrators, and teachers (certificated), as well as other adults who work in the school (classified). School Community: The community includes school staff, students, students’ families, individuals from the neighborhood, community-based organizations, and support providers who are associated with the school. Leadership Groups: Schools have a variety of groups that provide guidance for and make decisions regarding the school. All schools have school site councils (SSCs) that are responsible for strategic planning, and many schools have additional structures, such as an Instructional Leadership Team, which guide and support the ongoing work of the school.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management Standard Standard 2: Partners with Students and Families in Decision Making A quality school has leadership that shares school improvement and decisionmaking with students and their families when together they look at data, develop key school plans (e.g., the master schedule, the school’s code of conduct, restorative justice strategies), monitor programs, and participate in hiring and evaluating staff. Students and their families share leadership through mandated representative bodies (e.g., School Site Council, English Language Advisory Council) and through other collaborative strategies as well.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column.

Developing

Sustaining

There is substantial evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is strong and consistent evidence that: a. Students and their families are involved, through various leadership structures, in monitoring results of school programs and creating/revising improvement plans. b. Students and their families participate in key school planning decisions in support of student outcomes. c. Students and their families provide input in hiring and evaluation processes. d. Students and their families participate in both mandated representative bodies (SSC, ELAC, etc.) and other collaborative structures.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure that there is shared reflection and decisionmaking with students and families.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2.

3.

The school shares decision making with parents through the mandated School Site Council and English Language Advisory Committee. These meetings are held once per month with an attendance of 10-12 parents representing both Latino and African American students. The school principal, a vice principal, teachers and a representative from the after school program represent the school. Two additional leadership groups share decision making at the school: • The Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) is another decision making group at the school with teachers, administrators, coaches, and deans. This group plans and implements the weekly professional development and engages initiatives to further the development of the instructional program at ECP. • The School-Wide Advising Group (SWAG) promotes positive school wide climate decisions around dances, competitions, and student of the week. The after school program receives feedback from parents via annual surveys. This information is used to further refine the program they offer to students.

Challenges

1. The school does not involve students in decision making and presently does not have the structures in place to request their input. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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2. Aside from the mandated groups, there are no additional groups of parents to share decision making at the school. “Although parents are invited to participate, few parents attend”, shared a parent.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management Standard

Undeveloped

Beginning

Developing

Standard 4: Vision Driven A quality school has leadership which ensures that the school’s shared vision is focused on student learning, grounded in high expectations for all students, and guides all aspects of school life.

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining

There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school’s vision is focused on student learning and high expectations for all students. b. The school’s vision guides all aspects of the school’s programs and activities. c. The school’s leadership engages all constituents in aligning their efforts to the vision. d. Members of the school community are knowledgeable about and committed to the vision. e. School leaders consistently act on core beliefs which reflect the vision and mission.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure that all aspects of the school are guided by the shared vision, focused on student learning and high expectations for all.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

2. 3.

ECP developed their vision as part of the small school initiative. Per the self-reflection, “this vision is distilled into the mission statement: Grounded in our four theories of action—high expectations, collaboration, positive school culture, and family involvement—and a commitment to Social Justice, we work to ensure that all students promote from ECP on a positive life trajectory and P.R.E.P.ed from A-G coursework”. The School-Wide Advising Group (SWAG) holds the vision around ensuring students promote on a positive life trajectory; The Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) holds the vision around ensuring students are prepared for A-G coursework in high school. The structures, practices, support programs, and systems have been developed around the school vision. Leadership groups consistently act on core beliefs as they develop and implement programs at the school. The new principal was fully prepared for this job from the previous principal. He understands well the school’s vision and keeps it alive at every opportunity.

Challenges

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1. 2.

Although administration shares that the vision has upheld well over the years, they also share that “more teachers were invested at the inception but due to turnover is has been reduced. “Staff is aware of the vision, but a full shared ownership among all stakeholders is as of yet unrealized. Families want the best for their kids, and increasingly trust our schools to help them realize their dreams, but do not always have the knowledge and skill to do so, and have not found that kind of partnership with the larger school community”.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management Standard

Standard 5: Focused on Equity A quality school has leadership that creates and sustains equitable conditions for learning and advocates for interrupting patterns of historical inequities.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence of the following: a. The school leadership consistently articulates the need to interrupt patterns of inequities. b. School leadership guides the development and quality of services that support all students to have equal access to learning (including academic, social-emotional, health, family well-being, adult attitudes, etc). c. The school staff consistently engages in practices that interrupt patterns of inequity. d. The school staff frequently collects and analyzes learning data by subgroup in order to monitor and adjust practices designed to interrupt patterns of inequity. e. The school staff has implemented programs to address specific subgroup needs based on their learning data. f. Resources are used to meet the needs of all students equitably: staffing, technology, materials, space, etc. g. School leadership fosters an ongoing dialogue among school and community constituents across race, class, age, and school and community to engage in bold change to achieve equitable school results. h. Acts in concert with allies to systematically address inequities; help others navigate the system and remove or circumvent institutional barriers to student opportunity and achievement.

Refining

There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure that the leadership is focused on equity.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

In regards to issues of equity, ECP administrative team, coaches, deans, and few English teachers have engaged in inquiry cycles through their partnership with the National Equity Project (previously BAYCES) and their participation in Impact 2012. Through this work, the school identified “focus students”; collected data around their needs; provided academic and socio-emotional support as necessary and collected data to see the results of this intervention. 2. Presently, the school is beginning to expand their work of the previous two years (Impact 2012) to the entire staff through the professional development Wednesday time. 3. The school’s referral process is restorative and progressive. It was developed over summer 2012 and shared with students through the advisory period. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final 69

4.

Coaches at the school have participated in QTEL training over the summer and promote this information with teachers they support, especially those who work with this population

Challenges 1. 2.

The school, although it has the capacity to engage in conversations around equity due to their work with the National Equity Project (previously BAYCES), has not included the entire staff until this year. Staff turn-over has placed an extra strain on the work of the school: “Two years ago, we got 9 new teachers out of 14. This year, we have 5 new teachers. Last year, th we lost 3 teachers in 7 grade”.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management Standard

Standard 6: Supports the Development of Quality Instruction A quality school has leadership that guides and supports the development of quality instruction across the school to ensure student learning.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence that the leadership of the school (principal, specialists, ILT, etc.): a. Guides, monitors, and supports curricular choices and interventions based on expected student learning outcomes and the school vision. b. Guides, monitors, and supports instructional practices that engage all students in high quality learning, are aligned with the school vision. c. Ensures that there is adequate professional learning, coaching, and supervision to develop quality instruction across the school.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices that ensure the development of quality instruction across the school to ensure student learning.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1. 2. 3.

The school is supported by two coaches (English Language Arts and Mathematics). They work 100% of their time at ECP supporting all teachers in their respective departments. They support teachers, develop curriculum for intervention classes and teach students in this course. The school has implemented an intervention program (RiseUp) that supports all students because these classes are homogeneous and curriculum is differentiated to meet their needs. th The math coach teaches an Algebra course during the after school program to prepare a cohort of students to take Geometry as 9 graders.

Challenges 2.

The school has not yet seen the product of their intensive work. This may be due to the fact that there is constant transition in the teaching staff.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management Standard

Standard 9: Culture of Mutual Accountability: Collaboratively develops outcomes & monitors progress A quality school has leadership which collaboratively develops outcomes, monitors progress, and fosters a culture of mutual accountability.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

Sustaining

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

There is strong and consistent evidence that: a. The school staff has developed clear student outcomes and goals for learning and behavior b. The school staff has developed clear professional expectations and goals for staff c. The school staff monitors students’ progress d. The school staff monitors staff expectations e. The school staff follows clear processes and procedures to hold themselves accountable to one another and the goals and expectations f. There is a culture of mutual accountability within the staff – staff members have productive difficult conversations that continually improve their collaboration and work with students and families.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school has implemented systems to review and improve the practices to collaboratively develop outcomes, monitor progress and have a culture of mutual accountability.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

2.

The school staff has voted to embrace the new Teacher Effectiveness Pilot (TEP). Coaches, deans, and administrators engage in observing classroom instruction, providing feedback, setting goals and measuring how teachers are improving their practice. This process “dramatically increases the nature and frequency of observations for the evaluation of teachers”. Administration and teachers engage in cycles of conversations about observations (6 in total per teacher). Using this process, it broadens the scope of evidence adding students’ surveys about what they learn from the teacher and peer surveys (similar to college evaluations) and these surveys are extensive (76 questions) about several areas of teaching and learning. Student achievement is another indicator to be included in a teacher evaluation. Under this process, students’ performance is observed through time….where they were at the beginning of the year and where they end at the end of that year. The data is moving toward comparing teachers’ students’ improvement to a larger sample group and compare to a middle score. The teachers are evaluated as to how good of a job they did with their students. The principal is responsible to evaluate coaches. He shares, “I use data to set goals for the year- short observations, long observations, always coming back to those goals- academic discourse”.

Challenges

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1.

The school has not established and/or shared clear improvement goals in department or school wide with students and stakeholders. Because of this fact, there is not a clear system of accountability.

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Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership and Resource Management STANDARD

Standard 10: Organizational Management A quality school has leadership which develops systems and allocates resources (time, human, financial, and material) in service of the school’s vision.

Undeveloped

There is little evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Beginning

There is some evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Developing

There is substantial evidence of the standard as described in the “Sustaining” column.

Sustaining There is strong and consistent evidence that: a. The school’s resources are allocated in service of the school vision b. The school’s resources are maximized in service of the vision c. The school leadership effectively leverages district and community resources, grants and partnerships in service of the school vision d. The school leadership effectively uses the district’s budgeting systems (RBB, IFAS, etc.) to maximize use of state and federal funds in service of the school vision e. The assignment and use of TSAs, coaches, etc. are appropriate, effective, and focused in service of the school vision f. The school leadership seeks out additional resources to meet identified student needs and aligned to the school vision.

Refining There is strong and consistent evidence of this standard as described in the “Sustaining”" column. In addition, the school staff regularly reflects on their approach to resource allocation, and has adjusted their approach and systems to better allocate resources in service of the school’s vision.

Elmhurst Community Prep is rated Developing in this standard. Strengths 1.

2. 3.

SIG funds are allocated towards: Full-time literacy coach, reading specialist, classroom libraries, Blended learning program (computers, computer programs, and staff to oversee program), after school program sponsored by Citizen Schools, deans, retreats and professional development time for certificated and administrative staff for extended collaboration, Contract with National Equity Project to support work with Focal 15, support effective coaching practices, and support leadership development, Partner with Oakland Schools Foundation to hire a Family Resource Center Director, and a contract with Seneca's All-In program to support Response to Intervention systems. Title 1 funds and EIA/SCE funds pay for Read 180 program, ELD RiseUp classes, and leveled books for classroom libraries. Additional agencies provide staff and services for after school enrichment opportunities to students (sports, clubs, classes, etc.)

Challenges 1.

SIG funds expire at the end of this academic year. The school will have to rely on the capacity it has built and look for resources to maintain those projects/services that have proven best results.

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Elmhurst Community Prep Data Profile

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SCHOOL QUALITY REVIEW School Self-Reflection Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School October 15, 2012

2012-2013 School Year

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1

What is the school’s “story”?

Consider the following: When you tell someone about your school, what do you say? How did your school come to be? What’s the “journey” your school has been on over the last several years? What are 3 “internal” strengths & challenges that impact that journey? What are 3 “external” strengths & challenges that impact your school’s journey? Where do you see your school headed? Elmhurst Community Prep was founded in 2006 as part of OUSD’s small autonomous schools movement. Located in deep East Oakland, ECP serves over 350 Latino, African-American, and Pacific Islander students each year, and share the Elmhurst Campus with another small school, Alliance Academy. The core model of the school was the product of the original design team and many of the chief characteristics remain in place today: advisory, town hall, student led conferences, morning academics with a gradual release to enrichment in the afternoon. Since its founding, ECP has improved in ways both qualitative and quantitative, growing nearly 150 points on the API and dramatically improving the safety and positivity of campus culture. That first generation of ECP staff did what we’ve come to understand as turn-around work, focusing on the work of recreating a positive campus environment as a foundation for future academic success. In successive years, our school’s journey has been characterized by a shift from generation-1 to generation-2. Only four educators from ECP’s first year remain on staff (music, P.E., RSP, 6th grade dean), and most were hired in the last three years. With this turnover comes the challenge of locking in past growth, while at the same time working to bring about a higher level of academic achievement to our students and community. Internal strengths: 1) mission-aligned educators 2) SIG-paid, site-based coaches 3) systems and structures Internal challenges: 1) alignment of different initiatives 2) inexperience of teaching staff 3) SIG-expiration External strengths: 1) strong families 2) wide array of partnerships External challenges: 1) neighborhood poverty, violence, and crime 2) lack of clearly delineated feeder schools Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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3) old physical plant On paper, ECP’s student achievement has plateaued in recent years, and there has been a great deal of both turnover and the creation (through SIG) of new positions. These are important indicators, but often obscure the ever-increasing quality of the instructional program, and tend to be driven by one or two classrooms that completely fell apart. What’s next for ECP is to eliminate those classrooms, while continuing to drive improvements in instruction. To make this happen, we’ll need to knowledge-capture the SIG initiatives and work done by our coaches, and make a smooth fiscal transition away from grantdependent work. At the same time, we must continue to build our capacity to support the socio-emotional needs of our young people. The Atlantic published a report on the percentage of young people disconnected from either work or school, and our neighborhood was identified as the most disconnected in the Bay Area. That’s no joke. As a middle school, we see ourselves as a powerful tool in changing those numbers, but to do so, we need to be better connected to our community and better leverage the existing assets.

2

School Vision

What is your school’s vision of a quality school? We believe that a quality school in deep East Oakland must commit to supporting students both emotionally and academically, and do both well. We seek to engage students in rigorous academics and high-quality enrichment activities that are tied to college and career. Moreover, we believe that the responsibility for holding and making good on that vision is the responsibility of all stakeholders, and must not merely be the province of an administration team. How is that vision defined and shared with all staff, students, and families? Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Our vision is distilled into the mission statement: Grounded in our four theories of action—high expectations, collaboration, positive school culture, and family involvement—and a commitment to Social Justice, we work to ensure that all students promote from ECP on a positive life trajectory and P.R.E.P.ed from A-G coursework. Staff is aware of the vision, but a full shared ownership among all stakeholders is as of yet unrealized. Families want the best for their kids, and increasingly trust our school to help them realize their dreams, but do not always have the knowledge and skill to do so, and have not found that kind of partnership with the larger school community. Who are the people on campus who “hold” that vision? There are two deliverables outlined in the mission statement. The School-Wide Advising Group (SWAG) holds the vision around ensuring students promote on a positive life trajectory; The Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) holds the vision around ensuring students are prepared for A-G coursework in high school. Teachers who do not serve on either leadership group have reported feeling disconnected or unsure of how that vision is communicated or operationalized on a day-to-day level.

3

What are the school’s current improvement initiatives?

Please describe current initiatives. 

How and why was each initiative chosen?



How successful has it been thus far, and what are the indicators of success?



What is the strategic focus for your school?

ECP has a number of significant, critical initiatives, some of which have been site-determined, some SIGmandated. 1) SpringBoard (SIG): This pre-AP curriculum is being implemented this year in all English and Math classes as the core curriculum; the strategies will be implemented in all History and Science classes as well. We piloted the curriculum last year in 8th grade English, and saw a level of success and instructional rigor uncommon to first year teachers, and hope to see the same again this year. Moreover, we hope that this curriculum functions as a bridge to the CCSS. 2) Extended Learning Time (SIG): One hundred percent of our students participate in Extended Learning Time (ELT), blending enrichment activities with additional HW support. Our main partner is Citizen Schools, which serves 230 students for 12 additional hours, four days a week. The extent of success is measured in our ability to sustain a campus learning environment for these additional hours, and bring Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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additional services to campus. Students self-report satisfaction with the program, and despite the longer school day, more parents choose ECP during the options process than in any year previous. 3) Blended Learning: After seeing the success of nearby Korematsu, ECP admin approached a number of teachers and our ELT partners with the plan to bring Blended Learning models to ECP. Currently, our pilot includes four classroom teachers, and all of our Citizen Schools homework teachers. We expect to see an increase in the effectiveness of our math program, as measured by CST and upcoming CCSSaligned assessments. 4) Teaching Effectiveness Pilot (SIG): Through the Teaching Effectiveness Pilot (TEP), teachers set individual goals, work directly with site-based coaches, and participate in as many as six observation cycles with coaches and/or admin. While turn-over has made long-term success difficult to assess, we would measure success by a) rapid individual teacher growth on selected indicators b) the development of a common language around effective instruction. 5) Leadership Task Force (SIG): This is new initiative driven by SIG. The principal attends monthly meetings and participates in critical friend discourse to improve leadership outcomes. 6) Advisory: The advisory curriculum has long been a part of our school community and our commitment to Socio Emotional Learning. We seek to foster a) a community of readers; b) an adult advocate students could reach out to for support; c) a student community that would learn positive and adaptive behaviors. 7) RiseUp: This is a series of acceleration courses designed to fill gaps at the top, bottom, and throughout the instructional program. All students participate in these 4x weekly 30-minute, homogeneously grouped courses. Each RiseUp course—there are roughly 50 over the course of the year—have their own individualized outcomes and we measure success first in terms of whether those goals were met, and later, how success in these courses affected students’ ability to access core content. Clearly, there are numerous initiatives at play at ECP and our challenge is to integrate these programs into a cohesive focus.

4

What are the school’s quality outcomes?

Please describe the overall strengths and challenges in the outcomes of your school. 

How are students achieving/progressing toward defined academic and social-emotional goals?



Describe any patterns of achievement/progress that you are aware of? What do you believe accounts for these patterns?

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

Does your school have a strategic focus on any specific group(s) of students? How and why? What actions are being taken to address their needs?

ECP demonstrated significant gains in 2007, and again in 2010, but in between has flat lined. Like many schools, we find ourselves caught in the tyranny of thirds, where a third of our students perform at grade level, a third are below, and a third are significantly below. We have not yet developed and implemented the instructional program capable of disrupting these patterns. To be sure, there are individual teachers who have made impressive and substantial gains, but we have not yet been successful at bringing their successes to scale. There are numerous underlying causes for these patterns. Prevailing enrollment patterns cause our school to welcome a non-representative sample of east Oakland students. The trap of continuously shifting instructional focus leaves us knowing a lot about a lot, but being masters of little. Recent high turnover forces us to take on these challenges with a new, and relatively inexperienced staff. Like many flatland schools, our strategic subgroups are our school. African-American males represent nearly 20 percent of our community, English Language Learners nearly 40 percent, and 100 percent of our student qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch. As such, we try not to split hairs in devising and implementing strategies designed to bring about the type of globally universal results we so clearly need. Instead, we seek to design an entire school response around our most at-need students and groups of students, believing that if we create environments where they are supported and challenged, comfortable and successful; we will naturally have succeeded for those students and groups of students who do not fall into pre-identified groups of focus. That said, we have spent a great deal of time working to acculturate new 8th graders. Every year, we enroll anywhere from 10-20 8th grade students who are new to our school, many of whom have not previously demonstrated scholastic success. These students are dramatically over-represented in referrals, suspensions, and DHPs. This year, we made home visits to every family of a new 8th grade student to welcome them to the ECP community and talk about the kind of supports they would need. Additionally, we scheduled all students into a common advisory course for the first marking period, and targeted that work to bringing them into the ECP Family, and setting goals for 8th grade. To date, these efforts have borne fruit, as suspensions and referrals for this student group are far below where they were last year, and the qualitative experience of working with these new students has been far more pleasant. Quality Indicator 1: Quality Learning Experiences for All Students 5

Describe the quality of curriculum and instruction at your school. 4

Evaluation:

Excellent

3

2 X

1 Unsatisfactory

Briefly describe the curricula you use in each subject area. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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 

Are there specific “programs” in use? Do you create or amend adopted curriculum in anyway? How is your curriculum structured across the day or week? Any common curricular themes across a grade or between grades? Any intervention structures (push in or pull out)?

In mainstream ELA we currently use the College Board sponsored SpringBoard curriculum grades 6th, 7th and 8th. In the core ELA classes, teachers adapt and build extra scaffolds to support their ELL, low EO students and those with IEPs. Teachers share their best practices with one another in bi-monthly department meetings. We use the Read 180 program at the 6th grade level for our 15-20 most struggling readers. The 6th grade teacher delivers the Read 180 program with great fidelity though she has added Systems 44 for students in which the Read 180 program is too high. At the 7th and 8th grade level, there is a sheltered ELA course that currently uses Kate Kinsella’s 3D English as the foundation of the course. This course focuses on building literacy amongst students and as well as their academic vocabulary. At ECP we also use the College Board sponsored Springboard curriculum in all grade levels. While teachers maintain the rigor of the curriculum, teachers modify lessons to meet the needs of all their students. This includes, but is not limited to, creating additional graphic organizers, video examples, or other visual models. The math department meets as a team one each week to share how they are using Spring Board, what alterations they are making, and how this curriculum aligns to the CCSS and CST. Our struggling math students are offered an internally created curriculum that draws from several different sources. By using diverse materials from sources such as John Van de Walle’s Elementary and Middle School Mathematics and the Hands on Equations Learning System, we are able to target not just ability level, but the particular skill gaps of each student. How is your curriculum structured across the day or week? Any common curricular themes across a grade or between grades? Any intervention structures (push in or pull out)? At ECP, we have two common practices that students experience in all grade levels and in all content areas: academic vocabulary and expository writing. Although teachers are pulling from different curricula, these common threads are in every classroom. Whether in math, science, or ELA, students are asked to explain their thinking using academic vocabulary and eventually record it in a standardized written format. Students experience the same graphic organizers when introduced new vocabulary terms and word walls are common in all classrooms. During the first six weeks of the school year all content teachers deliver a writing program in RiseUp called Step Up To Writing. By the end of the sixth week students possess a common understanding of how to craft a paragraph using various topic sentence structures and supporting evidence. From that point on all subject area teachers refer to the Step Up to Writing structure in the classroom for writing assignments be it a lab report in science or an analysis of a poem. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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There are two main intervention programs we offer at ECP that address our students’ needs. One is a 30 minute intervention course called RiseUp. This course is offered at all grade levels, four days a week, and homogeneously groups students based on their literacy or math skill level. Depending on the skill level, students may be working on targeted mathematical concepts, phonics, fluency, literary analysis or reading comprehension. RiseUp courses typically switch every 6-12 weeks. Most students will spend half of their year in literacy-focused classes and the other half in math. At the 7th and 8th grade we have one smaller cohort that travels together throughout the day and consists of our lowest skilled readers, CELDT level 3s, and/or students with IEPs. These cohorts are purposefully small in order to meet the needs of students who are two or more years below grade level. The goal of the course is for students in this class are to fully prepare them to meet A-G college requirements in high school. Briefly describe any common instructional strategies, language, procedures, etc. we should expect to see across teachers, content areas, or grade levels? In ELA, teachers use Socratic seminar and reciprocal teaching as ways to engage students in challenging texts using academic discourse and cooperative learning. Similarly, teachers have students annotate texts they read using metacognitive markers to connect to and summarize what they have read. Since we have adopted Springboard, all teachers refer to formative end assessments as “Embedded Assessments” and refer to them often throughout their daily lessons. Students make sense of the rubrics at the beginning of each unit and know expectations clearly. In Math, teachers all use word walls and encourage students to use specific academic vocabulary when explaining their thinking. Because of ECP’s move towards SpringBoard and Common Core, academic discourse is emphasized in each class every day. Students are expected to discuss their thinking with their peers so that they can construct their own interpretation of the grade level standards. To do this well, all students are expected to explain their thinking using a high level of mathematical vocabulary. Which of these elements of your curriculum and instruction, described above, are particular strengths? What evidence tells you this? Step Up To Writing, the instructional strategy aforementioned, which has been adopted and widely enforced at ECP, is an element of our instruction that demonstrates a clear strength. 100% of our students experience six weeks of expository instruction the first marking period of the school year. Our CST writing scores have dramatically improved, as has performance on individual writing standards on District Benchmarks. Additionally, we are able to see high quality of writing across content areas—not just the English classes, which is also provides evidence that Step Up To Writing is making a difference. Our teachers are strong in executing the lesson cycle and using direct-instruction pedagogy. To that end, our growing strengths are differentiating to meet the needs of English Learners and varied learning styles, group-work, and increased academic discourse amongst students. Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Which of these elements are particular challenges? What evidence tells you this? This year we find ourselves at an instructional cross-road. We are doing our best to manage the transition to Common Core Standards while still being held accountable for CST scores and California State Standards simultaneously. This is the first year all English and math teachers are delivering the Springboard curriculum. While they are delivering it with great integrity, our learning curve is high in terms of how to help our diverse body of learners be successful with it. Considering we are shifting to the common core standards we are experimenting with what of our curriculum we can keep and what of our past curriculum we should let go of. Additionally, given a staff turnover, we are faced with the challenge of adapting to these curricular changes and “building the plane while we’re flying it” instructionally—meeting these demands and also addressing the needs of new staff. Also, due to the Middle School Student Options process, we consistently inherent a non-representative sample of 6th graders and have consistently failed to fully implement an instructional program that fully disrupts the current student achievement gaps that exist. Lastly, our ongoing challenge is balancing all of the different demands that are at hand, both that demanded by the district (SpringBoard, TEP, etc.) and those chosen by us (RiseUp, Acceleration Cohort, etc.), so that we meet the needs of both students and staff.

6

Describe the quality of the school’s strategies and resources (before, during, and after school) to ensure that all students are academically successful. 4

Evaluation:

Excellent

3 X

2

1 Unsatisfactory

How does your school  identify students who are struggling to meet expected learning targets (please note specific assessment strategies),  identify why students are struggling,  refer struggling students to supports that address their need(s), and  provide supports (before, during, and after school) to struggling students? We use a myriad of strategies and resources for ensuring students’ academic success. To identify students in need, teachers track student learning through the use of many checks for understandings, as well as through formative and summative assessment. Also, as a school, we use weekly progress reports, academic grades, and grade level teacher meeting to look for patterns and possible issues. We also monitor student attendance and behavior through office referrals and our AERIES system. Additionally, we use COST to discuss students in need of additional resources such as counseling, tutoring, and other interventions. To support our students at ECP, we use a RTI model with respect to both academics and social/emotional development. For low skills and limited English proficiency, we offer them a class size of approximately 20, increased differentiation, and English 3D curriculum. Another academic Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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intervention we use is our RISEUP classes which have been outlined in a previous section. Another effective support we use at ECP is our Extended Learning Time (ELT) program. This program serves all students in our school and directly follows our Core Academic program. ELT includes tutoring for all students with trained group leaders. Additionally, we have a partnership with Citizen Schools, a program which supports 230 students in HW and additional math instruction (through Blended Learning) and recruits volunteers to teach Apprenticeships that are aligned to college and career.

7

Describe the quality of the school’s efforts to create a college-going culture with students and their families. 4

Evaluation:

3

2

Excellent

1 X

Unsatisfactory

What strategies, programs, and/or resources support students and their families to plan for college?  Which are the strongest features, and why? Which most needs improvement? What strategies, programs, and/or resources support students to connect how the knowledge, skills and dispositions they are learning prepare them to succeed in college?  Which are the strongest features, and why? Which most needs improvement? All of our students are assigned to a college cohort, which is a group with whom our students travel to/from all their academic classes on a daily basis. They learn the college chants and write to the colleges for gear, as well as build some baseline familiarity with different colleges. One comment from our staff was: “we need more than just naming our classes after colleges. When is college entrance/options brought into curriculum?” This comment sheds light on the information-gap that currently exists between our “first shift” and “second shift” teachers. Namely, ECP teachers do not have ample information regarding our partner program, Citizen Schools, and the college preparation initiatives that currently implement with our students. Collecting this data from staff allowed us to realize the need and share that knowledge so that teachers are aware of the work that Citizen Schools folks does with our students. Ultimately, the points that were raised by staff reflect a need to have a more cohesive understanding and vision of how colleges are connected to our students’ experience at ECP.

Quality Indicator 2: Safe, Supportive, & Healthy Learning Environments 8

Describe the quality of the school’s strategies to be a safe, supportive and healthy learning environment for students and families.

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4 Evaluation:

Excellent

3

2

1

X

Unsatisfactory

What strategies does the school use to be a safe, supportive, and healthy learning environment for students and families—before, during, and after school? Consider strategies that  Keep students focused and ready to learn;  Keep students safe from physical/emotional threat or bullying;  Keep families informed of and involved in efforts to support their child;  Provide healthy food, health-focused physical activity, and health education to students and their families. Which are the strongest strategies, and why? Which most needs improvement ECP uses its small school structures and a commitment to building relationships as our over-arching approach to creating and maintaining safe and healthy environments. Students are structured by grade level into geographic areas of campus (6th-annex, 7th-upstairs, 8th-downstairs), and there is an assistant principal or dean assigned to each grade level to be the primary point person on managing student behavior. These grade level leads support teachers in building and maintaining common procedures, applying the school’s PBIS-derived approach to building expectations, and utilizing a progressive discipline system. This structure allows grade level leads to build close and detailed relationships with students and families, and to communicate these learnings to the next grade level. It also allows us to be one school in terms of common expectations and practices, while at the same time allowing for specific, age-appropriate initiatives such as the 6th grade trips to Vida Verde for culture-building and the 8th grade mini-courses and high school options work.

CAFÉTERIA

OUTSIDE

HALLWAY

CLASS

PREPARED Bring assignments and all materials Have a pass and use lockers at right time Have a plan

Go directly to the lunch line

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

RESPECT Be kind Help classmates Listen to others Keep to your personal space (hands to self) Play safe and include others Throw away garbage Clean up

ENGAGED Complete work Ask questions when you don’t know

PROFESSIONAL Use academic language

Go where you need to be

Voice Zone 1

Execute your plan

Voice Zone 2

Eat your lunch

Please and thank you Voice Zone 2

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AUDITORIUM ALWAYS

Bring only yourself and store belongings in lockers or classrooms Be in the right place at the right time

Sit with feet on floor

Leave your space better than you found it

Listen actively

Applaud at the end (Voice Zone 4)

Above 96% attendance: No more than 4 absences

Know the right Voice Zone

We have spent a considerable amount of time recently streamlining the systems and processes involved in working with kids. We built out a flow-chart of working with student behavior, and a matrix of expected student behavior based on the acronym PREP (Prepared Respectful Engaged Professional). We feel like these efforts have demystified expectations and functioning for kids, teachers, and families, and also allowed us a starting point for further self-reflection and –analysis. As indicated below in section #9, we utilize a Response To Intervention approach to support students’ academic and social learning. In particular, every student is assigned to an advisory class, which meets four times weekly, and is a vehicle for teaching positive behaviors, study skills, and school values. Students will loop with the same advisor in 6th and 7th grade and then take three mini-courses in 8th grade through advisory. In addition to advisory, we utilize conflict mediation to support students in building the skills to solve problems themselves, as well as a final re-integration stage for students returning from a scenario where they received a traditional consequence. We have three conflict adult conflict mediators who are supported by our Seneca All-In Clinician. We also participate in restorative justice practices for students who have damaged our Family in some way. This latter approach has been part of the school’s DNA for some time, but this year the principal explicitly stated the commitment to changing maladaptive behavior rather than merely punishing it. Although ECP’s suspension and DHP data do not demonstrate the disparate harm of others, we are aware that there is substantial room for growth and improvement, and believe that restorative service, in-house suspensions, and public accountability practices will help bring about change in this area.

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Family Involvement was a theory of action named by ECP’s design team, and it remains a core part of this work. Rather than rely on a single family engagement director or parent liaison, we take a decentralized approach: 1) Progress Reports: Teachers create weekly progress reports that students take home on Fridays. These communicate information on readiness to learn factors: homework completion (prepared), positive behavior (respect), classwork completion (engaged), and on-time arrival w/ supplies (professional). These scores are recorded and are the basis for reward and/or intervention as needed. A weekly newsletter and student of the week shout-out is printed on the back of each progress report as well. 2) Advisors/ A.I.M. teachers: Advisors and AIM teachers (part of the Citizen Schools program) have the expectation of communicating with the families they work with each month. Phone calls are the primary means of communication. 3) Main office: Our office staff represents a strength of our school. Fully bilingual and well-informed, our Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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office staff are a touch-point for many families, who feel welcomed and well-served by our staff. Our bilingual clerk communicates regularly with families of absent and tardy students, and also makes academic or behavior update phone calls for non-Spanish speaking members of staff. In addition, the office programs numerous auto-dialer updates throughout the school year to keep families informed. 4) New communication: As our Blended Learning pilot continues to evolve, we look forward to giving families log-in access to online grade books and student progress data so that they may track in real-time and on their own time, the progress of their children. As in many areas, ECP has a lot going for it in this area. At the same time, we’re up against a lot. It often feel like the constant demands posed by the 5-10 percent of our student population who are incredibly far outside the sphere of success impairs our ability to hold the majority of our students to the highest level of expectations. Things slip. Do all students wear the uniform appropriately? Do all students carry a book and other supplies? Do all students consistently arrive on time? What is the school’s response when they do not? We’ve gotten good at triaging the emergencies, but still need to build skill and expertise at long-term preventative care.

9 Describe the quality of the strategies and services (before, during, and after school) to support the emotional and social needs of students? 4 Evaluation:

Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

Excellent

3 X

2

1 Unsatisfactory

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection Evaluation: How does your school  identify students who are struggling for social-emotional reasons,  identify why students are struggling,  refer struggling students to supports that address their social-emotional need(s), and provide supports (before, during, and after school) to these struggling students? Social/emotional interventions happen throughout the school day. Above is a list of social/emotional interventions within an RTI framework. All students who are in need of academic and social/emotional interventions are referred to the COS Team (Coordination of Services Team). Student needs are discussed and students and families are referred to the appropriate intervention services on and/or off campus. Several measures are used to identify students who are struggling, including behavior referrals, attendance, grades, class participation, and teacher and parent request. Another structure for identifying struggling students that exists at ECP is grade-level teams. Each grade level meets once a week and discusses students who are outside the sphere of success, and the team creates an action plan for how to respond to particular students’ needs. What strategies does your school use to create an inclusive, welcoming and caring community? Which are the most effective strategies, and why? Which most needs improvement? We have an active School Site Council (SSC) and English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) parent groups that meet monthly. These two school-wide structures are venues for parents to share their perspectives and collaborate with teachers and administration in order to improve our school. We also have other school-wide systems and structures that involve parents, such as: Advisory Pot Lucks, Back to School Night, Honor Roll Banquet, and Student Led Conferences. These school-wide structures for parent engagement foster a positive school culture, and they represent great areas of strengths in welcoming and engaging parents. In collaboration with the Seneca center and teacher leaders at our site, ECP created a Positive Action Behavior Support team. This team met over the summer of 2012 in order to create a positive behavior management system that articulates clear behavioral expectations on a “PREP Matrix” (Prepared, Respectful, Engaged, Professional behavior). This matrix identifies behaviors that demonstrate scholarly behavior, and this allows for teachers to target and reward behaviors as well as allowing for students to have a better understanding of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. We refer to this school-wide matrix and celebrate positive “P.R.E.P.ed” behavior school-wide as well as grade level halls and whole school town hall assemblies. In general, at ECP, we use a Restorative Justice model for our behavior management including: conferencing, Student Support Teams, conflict mediations, public apologies, and reflection. Lastly, to support many of our students with their social emotional development, we have an Advisory course that every student is assigned to, four days per week. This is a school-wide structure that represents one of our greatest strengths, because students are able to form a unique relationship with their Advisor that is supportive and inclusive. The Advisory class utilizes a social emotional learning Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection curriculum called Peace Works, selected by an Advisory Work Group who completed an extensive curriculum review. Another social emotional intervention offered through our Advisories is delivered by the 180 Degrees Program, another Social Emotional Curriculum and framework designed to be integrated into our school day. Quality Indicator 3: Learning Communities Focused on Continuous Improvement 10

Describe the quality of professional learning at the school. 4

Evaluation:

Excellent

3 X

2

1 Unsatisfactory

How do teachers collaborate together to focus on student progress, reflect on their practice, and to learn and plan more effective curriculum and instruction?  What collaboration has been most effective, and why? What has been least effective, and why?  Any patterns to its effectiveness—by content area, by grade level, by specific support, etc.? How do teachers collaborate together to focus on student progress, reflect on their practice, and to learn and plan more effective curriculum and instruction?  What collaboration has been most effective, and why? What has been least effective, and why?  Any patterns to its effectiveness—by content area, by grade level, by specific support, etc.? What professional development activities have staff participated in this year (whole staff, groups, individuals)?  Which have been the most effective activities, and why? Which activities need improvement, and why? What supports exist to organize, facilitate, and/or reflect on the effectiveness of professional learning (TSA, coach, central resource, professional network, etc.)? Teachers at ECP collaborate in multiple ways. We have an Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) that consists of teacher-leaders, instructional coaches, and administrators, that is charged with planning our weekly Professional Development (PD) time. The ILT meets biweekly for two hours, and puts countless hours into planning the best PD possible for our staff. This PD planning includes: collecting and reviewing feedback from staff (surveys, exit slips, etc.), reviewing teacher goals, reflecting on small-group facilitation, and backwards planning keeping our goals in mind. Teacher Professional Development time is on Wednesdays, from 1:30-4:00, and that time is strategically structured (by the ILT) to be collaborative in nature. This year, teachers are collaborating in Inquiry Teams, and teachers have selected focal students for whom they will analyze data, set goals, and create an action plan. Organizing our Professional Development in an Inquiry cycle such as this allows teachers to do the following: • Keep focused over time on key equity challenges and generate deeper learning about how to address these challenges; • Help educators make informed changes in practices and policies; • Provoke changes in relationships between teachers, teachers and students, and between the Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection •

school and its larger community; Help get concrete and more equitable results for students by stating clear goals and checking on progress towards these goals.

Another portion of PD time on Wednesdays is designated to Department Time, which is organized and facilitated by our instructional coaches in content teams. The ILT collected data at the end of last year, and teachers shared that Department Time is an invaluable space to share best practices, align resources, and vertically plan. Teachers at ECP also meet in Grade Level Teams weekly to discuss common instructional strategies, make plans for struggling students (and students who are just right outside the sphere of success), and share best practices. Our teachers have indicated that this time is instrumental in forming a cohesive team, sharing common expectations, and building relational trust grade level teams. In addition, each of our teachers is assigned an instructional coach, with whom they meet bimonthly to set professional development goals for themselves, goals for students, reflect on their practice, and plan using data to drive instruction. Each instructional coach has worked closely with their teacher to set goals, observe classroom practices, and give meaningful feedback to their teachers. Instructional Coaches at ECP also participate in biweekly Coach Professional Development (PD), facilitated by a contractor from the National Equity Project, Mark Salinas. This PD for coaches is meant to add more tools to their coaching toolkit, and provide a space to collaborate, strategically reflect on their practice, and share best practices as well. The biggest challenge that coaches and ILT members face this year in particular is strategically responding to staff needs while simultaneously understanding the implications of our transition to Common Core Standards. As mentioned in section 5, this is the first year all English and math teachers are delivering the Springboard curriculum. Thus, given the challenges of adopting a new curriculum and the myriad demands already on teachers, the ILT is working tirelessly to understand the new curriculum and prioritize our Professional Development goals. Ultimately the ILT’s goal is to prioritize and align our PD goals with our school-wide goals and teacher professional goals. That way, we will be able to make strategic decisions, collect data, and provide targeted support for our teachers. Quality Indicator 4: Meaningful Student, Family, and Community Engagement 11

Describe the quality of the school’s engagement with students, parents & community. 4

Evaluation:

Excellent

3

2

1 X

Unsatisfactory

How often do teachers communicate with parents? What kinds of information do they communicate? What methods do they use to communicate with parents/guardians?  Which are the most effective strategies, and why? Which most needs improvement? How often does the school (school and volunteer leaders, specific staff, etc.) communicate with parents? What kinds of information do they communicate? What methods do they use to communicate with parents/guardians? Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection 

Which are the most effective strategies, and why? Which most needs improvement?

The questions pertaining to communication were generally addressed in section #8. How are families actively involved as school leaders, support providers, and/or audiences at the school (or in other locations) to support students and school programs?  Which is the most effective involvement, and why? Which most needs improvement? How are families engaged by the school to be knowledgeable of and involved with their children’s learning?  Which is the most effective engagement, and why? Which most needs improvement? How does the school share decision-making with students, their families, and the community?  Which is the most effective, and why? Which most needs improvement? Our families have substantial involvement in three main activities: Student Led Conferences (SLCs), our Extended Learning Time (ELT) expositions called WOWs, and the high school options process. On those events, which happen a total of five times per year, we see tremendous parent turn-out, and an extremely positive experience for all. Additionally, we have made tremendous efforts to fully educate parents and families about the logistics of the high school options process, and to make sure that students and families are making informed choices about this critical transition. For many years in a row we have met our goal of 100 percent of 8th graders completing the options form by the initial district deadline, as well as 100 percent of 8th graders completing at least one high school visit. This year, we plan on doubling the number of high school visits 8th graders take: before the options deadline and one once their initial assignments have been made. Those events represent our high water mark, and apart from them, this is an area where we need to grow substantially. Some of this is driven by a need to proactively define what family involvement looks like at the middle school level. What is a developmentally appropriate way for families to be involved? W What does that look like on campus? At home? In the in-between spaces? Moving forward, we are particularly interested in developing ways to help parents gain the knowledge and skill necessary to fully advocate for their children. This means holding seminars on the assessment measures of the state of California: CST, CELDT, CAHSEE, PSAT, etc. It means educating families on the AG requirements, and how to tell if their students are getting access to courses once they are in high school. It means also educating families on the habits of mind of college and career ready students, and working with them to foster those mindsets while students are still middle school age. To date, we have struggled to find the right family engagement person to lead this work, having hired three in the past two years, all of whom ultimately failed to align with this vision of family engagement. We will continue to interview and look for the right person to help spearhead these efforts. How does the school coordinate resources and services for families, students, and the school with businesses, agencies, and other groups, and provide services to the community?  Which is the most effective, and why? Which most needs improvement? Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection This is also a place of new growth and development for our school. In accordance with the Full Service Community Schools strategic plan, we have worked with Alliance Academy to hire and onboard a FSCS manager. This position will bring cohesion to the many efforts currently in place at school, complete an asset analysis of community, and work to align available services to the needs expressed by our family and community. We are working toward much greater focus in our work, and away from a throwingjelly-to-the-wall approach. To date, these efforts are underway, but are in the most initial stages.

Quality Indicator 5: Effective School Leadership & Resource Management 12

Describe the quality of the school’s leadership and management of the school. 4

Evaluation:

Excellent

3 X

2

1 Unsatisfactory

Describe how leadership is organized at this school. Who makes what kinds of decisions about what parts of the school? Like all organizations, there are open decisions, narrow, and close decision-making. We use open decision making most frequently at grade levels, where teachers are able to weigh-in and make decisions about the logistical functioning of their teams: bathroom policy, how DPA bucks will be used, etc. The staff as a whole has recently been empowered to make larger scale decisions in a democratic oneperson, one-vote sense. Staff voted to adopt the Teaching Effectiveness Pilot as the official OEA evaluation system, extend PD by one hour (for one hour of per diem) and continue scheduling students using a homogeneously grouped accelerated cohort model. Other decisions are narrow, made by either a leadership group, or by admin after consulting with others. The main place this occurs is with the ILT, which creates and facilitates PD, and engages initiatives to further the development of the instructional program at ECP. Other examples of narrow decision making are staff recommendations for scheduling and grouping—both annually, and with regard to the rotating RiseUp courses. Closed decision-making occurs principally with regard to budgetary and employee-management decisions. That said, as SIG expires, we are looking to broaden the scope of who weighs in on prioritizing spending and the like. Describe how school leadership guides and supports the development of quality curriculum & instruction. PD: Through the ILT, admin sets a path and a vision toward effective instruction, and then works with the ILT to realize this vision. Coaches: The high rate of coaches to teachers at ECP (1:3) allows for an increased rate of improvement among a relatively inexperienced teaching staff. To realize this goal, leadership works with a consultant Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School School Quality Review 2012-2013 –Final

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Elmhurst Community Prep Middle School: Self-Reflection from NEP to create coach PD and then meets with all coaches to support them on their individual coaching goals, as well as in how to move teacher practice. Coaches and admin participate in coobservations and walk-throughs to align their visions. Data: ECP admin are the lead data-guides on campus, both promoting the use of data-based decisionmaking and pushing staff to collect, record, and analyze more and more forms of data. Which are the strongest features of leadership and management, and why? The administration is seen as committed, hard-working, and strong advocates of teachers and kids. Staff feels connected to both administration and each other, and connected as well to the equity lens through which we view this work together. Administration was consistently raised the expectations for the kind of teaching required as well as the level of quality, and staff has felt connected and bought in to the general vision behind these changes and initiatives. What aspects of leadership and management most need improvement? Administration needs to take the general vision and direction of the school and drill down to specific indicators and goals. Staff needs to feel more informed and sure of the direction our school is heading. There are additional communication-based aspects of the work that need improvement. 13

Describe the fiscal, human, and in-kind resources the school uses beyond those resources presented in the district data systems (IFAS, AERIES, etc.).

What are these resources? How did the school come to have them? Who manages them and how?  Which resources are most effective, and why? Which most need improvement? While ECP has a number of grants, these are all present in district data systems. We do not have much by way of non-direct resources. 14

Describe the steps the school took to complete this SQR Self-Reflection.

The Instructional Leadership Team identified areas where we sought whole-staff reflection. These were presented at PD, and staff both ranked and commented on the individual area. The ILT then assigned rough draft responsibilities to different individuals/ leadership groups on campus—ILT members, SWAG, COST members, SSC, etc. Those drafts were sent to the Principal and Assistant Principal, who produced the final draft version. For the latter two questions of section 12, staff completed an anonymous survey, both ranking leadership and providing comments on strengths and areas of improvement.

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