Kaitlyn Smith

School Improvement Plan Review

Student Teaching
Spring 2015

School Improvement Plan Review

New London Academy is a school that fully carries out its mission on a daily
basis. The schools mission to foster learning, caring, and character truly helps learners
become successful and contributing citizens in the community through the
development of academic, physical, and social skills. The faculty, staff, and
administration work hard on a daily basis to better the lives and enhance the success of
the students at New London. I enjoy the welcoming, close-knit atmosphere of the New
London Academy community when I walk through the doors every day.
It is my understanding that the principal and members of the Bedford County
Education office as well as members of the State Department of the Education meet to
develop this plan. However, the grade level teams, leadership teams, and curriculum
committees carry out this plan. These teams and committees include classroom teachers,
a reading specialist, special education teachers, the guidance counselor, and the schools
principal. To assure participation in this plan, teachers must tier their lesson plans, a type
of differentiation and identification of student learning level, in their math and reading
lesson plans.
Goals and objectives are listed in Bedford Countys new objective format: Today
I will.. So that I can.. Ill know I have it when.. The goals are listed as well as the status
of each goal and the indicator of how it will be met. An indicator that states how the goal
will look when it is fully met is also listed, along with a percentage of implementation so
far and a target date for completion of each of the two goals. The timeline for the goals is
on a yearly basis. However, after a discussion with the principal, I learned that she meets
with her team of faculty at the school on a monthly basis and her team in the county
every three months to monitor progress and adapt the plan and goals to suit the school.

The goals and objectives set for New London Academy are related to their status
as a school of improvement in the subjects of math and reading due to failing SOL testing
in these subjects. Both of the goals set by the principal that are undergoing
implementation at this point are related to grouping students based on their learning and
ability level in these two subjects. There are three tiers that are very flexible and are
changed on a monthly basis based on
Small group instruction, collaborative teaching, and specialist intervention are
some of the suggestions that the plan lists to help the school improve its test scores and
help teachers improve their teaching strategies to in return help students. Reading and
math periods have been extended in length to allow for further intervention and more
time for instruction and review to improve retention of material and allow for better
understanding. Another way that the plan will be measured is by formative and
summative assessment data. Both classroom teachers along with admiration staff will
more closely monitor student progress and set classroom goals in order to better measure
student and school success and growth.
The measurement of the goals and objectives will be assessed through monthly
meetings and evaluation of data taken by teachers of student progress. Other
paraprofessionals, reading specialists, special education teachers, and various other staff
members will contribute to this data collection and monitor student progress as well. The
part about this improvement plan that I find very admirable and extremely important is
flexible and constantly changing grouping of student tiers.
The improvement plan does not mention any professional development necessary.
I do know, however, that some training within the staff of the school was required at the

beginning of the school year to explain and describe the tier groupings and data collecting
process. Additional resources needed include extensive lesson planning, which is required
by the Virginia State Department of Education due to the plan of improvement at New
London Academy. Other resources include assistance from professionals and staff within
the school other than teachers that can help with small group work, data collection, and
monitoring of student progress.
I am very impressed with the plan of improvement at New London Academy.
Even before reading the plan for this assignment, I noticed implementation of the plan
and how dedicated the faculty and staff were to following it without knowing what it
completely entailed. I am also impressed with the principal and how dedicated she is to
following the plan and doing everything that she can to help her staff fully implement the
plan.