A S I M P L E G U I D E TO

CONTINUOUS
SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT
2015-2016 School Year

S C H O O L I M P R OV E M E N T F O R T H E R E S T O F U S

CONTENTS
Whats Included

An explanation of the updated

Program Evaluation Reflection
Showcase
A timeline with deadlines for all
School Improvement compliance
activities
Directions to complete the Self
Assessment
Directions to complete the
Program Evaluation Profile for the
current school year
An overview of the Internal Review
Process
An outline of how to complete the
School Improvement Plan for the
2015-2016 school year.

DCSISC Purpose & Members

Page 1
Timeline Checklist
Page 2
District Mission, Vision, Values
Page 3
District Goals
Page 4
Program Evaluation Reflection Showcase
Page 5
Schoology & Advanc-Ed Login
Page 6-7
Self Assessment
Page 8
Internal Review
Pages 9-10
School Improvement Plan
Page 11
Program Evaluation
Pages 12-16
Glossary
Pages 17-18

DISTRICT CONTINUOUS SCHOOL

IMPROVEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE
MEMBERS
THE PURPOSE OF THE DISTRICT CONTINUOUS SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT STEERING COMMITTEE (DCSISC) IS TO SUPPORT
ALL SCHOOLS IN TROY BY FOCUSING THE DIRECTION OF THE
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS TO DEEPEN LEARNING AND
CULTIVATE A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE.
Jessica Ashley Curriculum and Instruction Specialist
Amy Buchanon Smith Middle School Assistant Principal
Mike Cottone Bemis Elementary School Teacher
Melissa Curth Troy High School Assistant Principal
Tammy DiPonio Costello Elementary School Principal
Mark Dziatczak Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
Jennifer Gottlieb Director of Student Growth, Equity and Accountability
Steve Gottlieb Athens High School Teacher
Kristine Griffor Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Instruction
Jennifer Martus Costello Elementary Secretary
Stephanie Miller Morse Elementary School Principal
Christin Silagy Director of ELD, Federal Grants and State Assessments
Alicia Wahls Smith Middle School Teacher

1.

TIMELINE CHECKLIST
10-15 Program Evaluation Paperwork Due (Strategy/Program/Initiative)
10-20 Program Evaluation Reflection Showcase
11-24 Program Evaluation Paperwork Due (Readiness)
1-15 Program Evaluation Paperwork Due (Knowledge & Skills)
3-1 Program Evaluation Paperwork Due (Opportunity)

3-31 February/March Buildings complete and submit Self Assessment: The Self
Assessment is required of every school in the State by the Michigan Department of
Education.
This needs assessment is designed to help schools assess their progress towards
meeting their school improvement goals. SAs are to be completed by teacher
teams with principal. Each teacher will be provided 4 hours of curriculum rate.
(Elementary- 3 teachers, Middle- 4 teachers, High- 5 teachers)
4-21 to 4-28 Internal Review Visits: All buildings will host an internal review
visit between April 18th and April 28th. Individual building dates will be determined
between the school and the District Internal Review Committee. Buildings must
submit a copy of the Internal Review Visit results within 1 week of the review.
4-15 Program Evaluation Paperwork Due (Implementation with Fidelity)
5-6 All buildings will complete the School Improvement Action Plan. Please email
Jennifer Gottlieb when it is completed.
6-17 All Program Evaluation sections need to be completed and submitted. Please
email Jennifer Gottlieb when it is completed.
SIPs and Program Evaluation are to be completed by teacher teams with the
building principal. Each teacher will be provided 12 hours of curriculum rate.
(Elementary- 3teachers, Middle- 4 teachers, High- 5 teachers)
***At this time the DCSISC is waiting clarification from MDE on what aspects of
the Program Evaluation Tool need to be completed.***

2.

DISTRICT MISSION, VISION & VALUES

The Mission

The purpose of the Troy School District is to ensure learning for all members of
the school community.
The Vision
The Troy School District will be a world-class learning institution.
We will achieve our vision by living our values which are
Deepening Learning, Focusing Direction and Cultivating a Collaborative Culture.

3.

DISTRICT GOALS
The Goals
Literacy: All students will be on track to be college/career ready in
literacy.
Mathematics: All students will be on track to be college/career ready in
mathematics.
Science: All students will be on track to be college/career ready in science.
Social Studies: All students will be on track to be college/career ready in
social studies.

4.

PROGRAM EVALUATION REFLECTION SHOWCASE

OCTOBER 20TH

5.

SCHOOLOGY
Schoology will be used to house all District Continuous School Improvement
Documents.
Open the app on an iPad or login on a desktop computer.
Click Groups
Click the +
Enter the following access code.

3M7TH-2RWHW

6.

ADVANC-ED LOGIN
ASSIST Login General Instructions
The following are the step-by-step instructions for accessing ASSIST.
To access ASSIST:
Open Advanc-ED using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox - Go to http://www.advanced.org/partnership/mde. The link to Advanc-Ed is also on the teacher landing site when
you open Internet Explorer
Click Login in the upper right corner of the home page.
Remember, when logging on that your password is not your access code.
Go to the ASSIST site.

7.

ED YES! SELF ASSESSMENT

DUE: MARCH 14TH
The Self-Assessment (SA) is designed to serve as a valuable tool to assist schools in
reflecting upon their effectiveness.
Is required by the Michigan Department of Education as part of your reporting
responsibilities for EDYes!
The SA has been designed to engage the school community in an in-depth evaluation
of each of the seven Advanc-ED Standards.

A school identifies the evidence, data, information, and documented results that
validate the rating of each standard.
Staff involvement is critical in the completion of the assessment. For example the
work can be completed with the leadership team and/or using data collected from an
informal staff survey.
No release days will be provided
Teachers will be provided with 4 hours of curriculum rate pay
Elementary-3 Teachers, Middle-4 Teachers, High-5 Teachers

8.

INTERNAL REVIEW
APRIL 21 ST- APRIL 28TH
Provides support, ideas, and alternative perspectives to the school improvement
process.
Allows a school to share accomplishments with the Troy community.
Establishes a vehicle for self-reflection.
Creates an opportunity for growth.
Validates the continuous improvement efforts of a school.
Ensures that we are all striving to meet shared goals. The Internal Review Process
gives schools the opportunity to reflect on their progress towards continuous
improvement.

9.

INTERNAL REVIEW
APRIL 21 ST- APRIL 28TH
Responsibilities of Building Team Coordinator
Before visit:
Send Internal Review Paperwork to Visiting Team Coordinator one week prior to visit.
Confirm location of presentation with Visiting Team Coordinator.
Make copies of Tuning Protocol for both teams (found on Schoology).
Plan presentation with building team.

During visit:
Follow Tuning Protocol.
Collect the Internal Review Paperwork.
After visit:
Within one week of visit, create an electronic copy of Internal Review Paperwork
(including completed rubric and warm and cool feedback).

Forward completed paperwork and Building Internal Review Reflection Sheet to the
District School Improvement Coordinator (Jennifer Gottlieb) by June 2, 2016.

10.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

DUE: JUNE 1ST
All building plans must be completed in ASSIST by May 6, 2016.
It is expected that all schools will complete their School Improvement Plan for
submission to the MDE/Advanc-ED by the last day of the school year.
After submitting the plan, buildings must notify the District Continuous School
Improvement Coordinator (Jennifer Gottlieb) of its completion.
Completed plans will be reviewed and then transmitted to the MDE/Advanc-ED.
The information from the District School Improvement Action Plan can be transferred
to the corresponding sections of the MDE/Advanc-ED template.
SIPs and Program Evaluation are to be completed by teacher teams with principal. No
release time will be provided.
Each teacher will be provided 12 hours of curriculum rate.
Elementary- 3teachers, Middle- 4 teachers, High- 5 teachers.

11.

PROGRAM EVALUATION
STRATEGY/PROGRAM/INITIATIVE: JUNE 1ST

12.

PROGRAM EVALUATION
READINESS DUE: JUNE 1ST

13.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS DUE: JUNE 1ST

14.

PROGRAM EVALUATION
OPPORTUNITY DUE: JUNE 1ST

15.

PROGRAM EVALUATION
IMPLEMENTATION WITH FIDELITY DUE: JUNE 1ST

16.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS (C-M)

Comprehensive Needs Assessment Michigans Comprehensive Needs
Assessment (CNA) process is the first step in developing a school or district
improvement plan. Improvement teams gather and study multiple sources of data
and information. Through the Michigan CNA process, thoughtful conclusions are
drawn about what is going well (strengths) and what needs improvement
(challenges). These conclusions drive the development/refinement of goals,
measurable objectives, strategies and activities.
Continuous Improvement A process by which staff engages in collaborative
inquiry, focused on implementing, assessing, monitoring, adjusting, and evaluating
to increase student achievement.
Culture - An organizations values, vision, habits, norms, and beliefs.
Data Analysis Process The process of studying data, including looking for
patterns and trends, for the purpose of making decisions.
Data Driven Culture The processes and decisions within a building or
district are driven and supported by data.
District Improvement Plan A document that enables districts to develop
and manage improvement goals across all schools and multiple areas.
District Leadership Leaders at central office, including but not limited to,
superintendents, assistant superintendents, business directors, special education
directors, curriculum directors, intervention coordinators, and parent/community
coordinators, who provide support across schools in a district; also includes
school level leaders who are assigned district responsibilities as described above.
Fidelity The accurate and consistent provision or delivery of instruction in the
manner in which it was designed or prescribed according to research findings
and/ or developers' specifications. Five common aspects of fidelity include:
adherence, exposure, program differentiation, student responsiveness, and quality
of delivery.
Learning Targets Student-friendly statements of what we expect students to
learn.
Michigan Department of Education Program Evaluation Tool A
process designed by the Michigan Department of Education through which
educators reflect on the impact of their teaching as well as on possible causes for
the results.
Mission A statement declaring an organizations purpose.

17.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS (P-V)

Perception Data Information collected that reflects opinions and views of
stakeholders.
School Culture and Climate School culture and climate refers to the
sum of the values, cultures, safety practices, and organizational structures
within a school that cause it to function and react in particular ways.
School Improvement A continuous, collaborative process through which
staff/stakeholders identify strengths and weaknesses of the entire school
program and use the information as a basis for making deliberate, positive,
cohesive and observable changes in measureable student outcomes.
School Improvement Framework A set of strands, standards, and
indicators that describe a high performing school.
School Improvement Plan A tool for creating and managing change. This
written plan identifies student performance goals based on data, measurable
objectives, instructional strategies and the activities needed for readiness,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the strategies.
School & District Improvement Glossary
School Improvement Team A team comprised of a representative group
of people from the school and community whose focus is to develop,
implement, monitor and evaluate the schools improvement plan.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals/Objectives Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Resultsfocused, and Time-bound.
System An interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a
way that achieves something. A system must consist of three kinds of things:
elements, interconnections and a function or purpose.
Systematic Things that are arranged or dealt with according to some
system or organized method. Systemic Something that affects all parts of a
system (i.e., school, district, or organization).
Triangulation Comparison of multiple data sources to determine
strengths and weaknesses of a schools performance. Triangulation ensures
that school improvement decisions will not be made from a single data source.
Vision A shared, articulated notion of an organizations preferred future
state.

18.

"We must balance

compliance (the reports and
paperwork) with meaningful
initiatives (the real work of
supporting teaching and
learning)."