The Holmes Way Supporting Students

1
The Holmes WaySupporting Students

• Holmes International Middle School
• A 2007 Taking Center Stage - School to Watch
• Title I Achievement Award 2006 2007
• A California Distinguished School
• March 1, 2008

Presented by Valerie Turner, Principal
Felicia Drew, Asst. Principal
2
Holmes International Middle SchoolHolmes
International Humanities Magnet
3
At Holmes, we believe that all students are
capable of learning. As a path to learning we
have

• The Holmes Way
• Holmes is a caring community where adults and
  students treat each other with courtesy and
  kindness.
• Holmes students have high standards of
  appropriate behavior.
• Holmes is a safe school where we settle conflicts
  in a non-violent manner.
• Holmes students receive the highest level of
  academic instruction.
• Holmes students and staff recognize the value of
  a healthy mind and body.
• Holmes students, staff and parents share in the
  educational decision-making process.

4
District Data

• 704,417 students in LAUSD
• 74 middle schools and 43 middle school
  magnet centers
• Divided into 8 local districts
• Holmes is part of District One
• 108,381 students
• 15 middle schools and 9 middle school magnet
  centers

5
Our Students

• Total of 1,504 students
• 1104 in our traditional program
• 400 in our magnet
• Grades 6 - 8
• School wide Title I
• 59.5 Socio-economically Disadvantaged
• 18 English Language Learners
• 12 Receive special education services
• 28 GATE

6
Demographic Information

• 80 minority
• 8 African American
• 8 Asian
• 6 Filipino
• 58 Hispanic
• 20 White (not of Hispanic origin)

7
Holmes Milestones
800 2008!
School to Watch- Taking Center Stage Model School
2007
Title I Academic Achievement Award 2006 2007
781API 2007
Up 170 points in 7 years!
795API 2006
780 API 2005
710 API 2003
California Distinguished School 2005
738 API 2004
658 API 2002
611 API 2000
II/USP 2000
666 API 2001
Title I School 2001
8
Student Academic Achievement Data
9
ELA scoring at proficient advanced Need
24.4
MATH scoring at proficient advanced Need
26.5
10
ELA Data by Subgroup - Need 24.4
11
Math Data by Subgroup - Need 26.5
12
English Language Learners
High Point Program

• EL Reclassification

13

• 2006 Statewide Rank
• 8 out of 10
• 2006 Similar Schools Rank
• 10 out of 10

14
Professional Caring StaffMaking a Difference

• Teaching Staff
• 61 Credentialed Teachers

• Support Staff
• 3 Assistant Principals
• 4 Counselors
• 1 Dean
• 1 Psychologist
• 1 Nurse

15
(No Transcript)
16
Effective Communication Collaboration is one of
the keys to success
Leadership Team

• Made up of principal, assistant principals,
  department chairs, literacy coach, math coach,
  coordinators
• Focus
• Enhancement of instructional practices
• Effective utilization of resources
• Collaboration
• Professional development
• Grants
• Supplemental Resources
• Staff Concerns
• Communication back to teams and departments

17
Students Scheduled for Success
18
Master Schedule Sample 6th
Cored
Resource teacher shares same conference period
Co-teaching ELL
19
Advisory Period

• Asset Building
• Small Learning Communities

20
Teams
Teams
6th Grade 1 English History Teacher 1 Science
Math Teacher Australopithecus Athenians Egyptians
Spartans Titans
8th Grade Students shares the same Math,
Science, English History teachers Patriots R
ebels Generals
7th Grade Students shares the same Math,
Science, English History teachers Jaguars Li
ons Pride Knights
21
Advisory Period at the beginning of each day

• Team building/small learning community
• Check student planners
• Review homework assignments
• Information to go home is
• given in Holmes to Home folder
• Extra guidance and encouragement
• given to at risk students
• Silent reading time
• Address student concerns
• Channel One
• Set Goals

22
Goal Sheets
Student is aware of CST score
Student sets goal
23

• Students set
• 3 goals and
• 3 action steps
• for home
• and school

Reminder to clear fails
Reminder of 3 Year Culmination Policy
24
Weekly Department /Team MeetingsProfessional
Development
Tuesday Early Dismissal for Students
25
Team Meetings

• Identify students at risk
• Discuss common planning and interdisciplinary
  activities
• Discuss student progress
• Discuss discipline issues
• Plan field trips and culminating activities
• Collaborate with PE, Special Ed, resource
  teachers, counselors

26
Department Mtgs.

• Monitor student progress
• Share best practices
• Emphasize standards that need to be mastered at
  each grade level
• Identify and select necessary resources
• Analyze periodic assessments
• Evaluate instructional practices
• Strategize for re-teaching opportunities

27
Data Data - Data
Analysis of periodic assessments
CST analysis by class roster
CST analysis by subject strand
CST analysis by grade level
CST analysis by subgroups
CST analysis school-wide
28
Early Intervention

• Classroom first !!!
• Teachers at their doors greeting students
• Use of planners in every class
• Teachers in during nutrition and lunch
• for students who need help
• Differentiated instruction

29
Early Intervention

• Parent-Teacher Conference
• Review students strengths and areas for
  improvement
• Identify reasons for performance/behavior of
  student
• Develop an action plan to improve student
  performance in school
• Student Success Team
• Following parent teacher conferences and
  classroom interventions, teachers, counselor,
  school psychologist, nurse and parents discuss
  the whole child and come up with a plan
• After 5 weeks we reevaluate and determine if
  further assessment is needed

30
Early Intervention

• Language Appraisal Team
• Team of bilingual coordinator, counselor,
  administrator and parents investigate reasons
  why a child is not succeeding and develop an plan
• After 5 weeks we reevaluate and determine if
  further assessment is needed
• DRW
• Serve the needs of our struggling readers
• Students are initially identified for screening
  if they score below the 30ile on the CAT/6
  reading total reading score
• Students are then given a diagnostic test and
  then if appropriate placed in a DRW class
• Language! is a systematic directed teaching
  program.

31
Early Intervention

• Math Skills Classes
• Developed for students that are far below or
  below basic on the previous years CST
• Strategic English Elective Class for 7th Grade
• Students work in small groups with differentiated
  instruction to strengthen skills

32
Extended Learning Opportunities

• Before and After School Tutoring
• Homework Center (all subjects)
• Math Tutoring
• DRW
• High Point
• After School Extended Learning Program
• English utilizing new Voyager program
• Math utilizing new Compass Learning program
• Saturday School
• English
• Math

Late Buses Provided on Mondays Wednesdays and
Thursdays
33
Summer Bridge Program

• Transitioning 5th Grade Students
• 4 Weeks During the Summer
• 4 Hours a Day
• 2 hours of Math
• 2 hours of English
• Introduction to Holmes Culture

34
Professional Development

Institute for Learning
Sharing Best Practices
Research Based Instructional Strategies
AVID Strategies
Asset Development
PowerPoint
Differentiation
DATA
Technology
SDAIE Strategies
35
Professional Development

• Academic Rigor
• Increase academic knowledge and develop rigorous
  standards-based lesson plans CST Scores
• Effective Use of Data
• CAT/6 Scores
• Periodic Assessments
• Performance Assessments
• Grades
• Research Based
• Instructional Strategies

36
Strategies That Affect Student Achievement
37

Professional Development

• INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING
• Clear expectations
• Standards posted and explained in student
  friendly language
• Accountable Talk
• Criteria Charts
• Rubrics

Academic Rigor Increase academic knowledge
develop rigorous standards-based
lessons
38
Professional Development on SDAIE Strategies

• Teachers
• use manipulative, realia and hands-on activities
• use LCD projectors, overheads using multiple
  colors, posters and charts
• provide background experience and personalize
  lessons to enable students to connect and
  understand new concepts
• use cooperative learning groups

39
Developing a College-going Culture
2 Year GEAR UP GRANT2004-2006 Family-Neighborhood
-School Supports
40
College Going Culture

• Prepare all students for high school and
  post-secondary education
• High quality professional development including
  pre-AP workshops, AVID training, CLMS
• Increase family-neighborhood school supports
• Create awareness and feasibility

41
AVID Advancement Via Individual Determination

• The mission of AVID is to ensure that all
  students, and most especially the least served
  students in the middle are capable of completing
  a college preparatory path.
• Professional development on AVID methodologies on
  campus for all teachers
• Providing a Rigorous Curriculum

42
College Going Activities

• College T-Shirt Day
• Homerooms Adopt A College
• Scholarships
• College Discovery Road Trip
• College Making It Happen Folders

• Im Going to College Poster Contest
• College Trivia Contest
• Career Day
• Teacher Participation
• Parent Participation
• Homerooms select speakers
• Students listen to 4 speakers

43
Co-TeachingCollaborative Model

• Achieving Success with Our Special Needs Students

English Math Social Studies Science
44
Special Ed Program

• Grades 6-8
• 1,504 students
• Scheduled on teams
• 194 students served through special education
  program
• 40 Special Ed Assistants

• 10 special education teachers
• 4 RSP
• 5 SDP
• 1 AUT
• 1MR
• 3 LD

45
Least Restrictive Environment

• LRE Grant awarded in 2003-2004 by district
• Partnership with Cal State Northridge for
  professional development
• Change in school culture
• Equitable access to the core curriculum
• Integration of students with disabilities
• Collaborative environments
• Co-Teaching Model
• Shared responsibilities for all students
• Monitoring and accountability as part of
• the improvement process

46
Master Schedule Sample 7th 8th
47
Co-Teaching in Action

• Structure is personalized
• for each team
• Share common planning time daily
• Lesson plan assess together
• Pulls strengths from both
• teachers
• Content
• Strategies
• Integration of our autistic students into
  general ed classrooms

48
Benefits

• Increased academic performance for ALL students
• Self-esteem
• Self confidence
• Improved delivery of instruction
• Differentiated instruction
• Fewer discipline issues

49
Recognition Programs
50
Student Recognition(Traditional)

• 6th, 7th 8th Grade Award Assemblies
• Academic Excellence
• Most Improved
• Attendance
• Citizenship
• Service
• Pin and Ribbon
• 8th Grade Culmination

51
Student Recognition

• ACE Awards
• Holmes Hurrahs
• Monthly Attendance Awards/ Ice Cream Rewards
• Birthday Cards to all students
• Excellence in PE patches
• Eligibility Cards
• Testing Recognition

52
Exploratory Elective Programs

• Equal Access

53
Exploratory Programs
6th Grade Exploratories 10 Week Wheels Cultural
Art Ethics Music Appreciation Creative
Expressions Ex. Global Food Ex. Global
World Drama Computers Art
8th Grade Electives German Yearbook A.V.I.D. Lead
ership Leadership Dev. Teen Living Journalism Teac
her Assistant Tutoring

• 7th Grade Exploratories
• Semester
• Music Appreciation/Chorus
• Art
• A.V.I.D.
• Intro. to Computers
• Our Global World

54
Co-curricular Activities
Supports students social and physical
development
Wide range of interests
Personalized environment
Service Opportunities
Foster curiosity
Students of all skill levels
55
Co-Curricular Activities Clubs

• Champions
• Drama
• Chorus
• Collembola
• Chess
• Yearbook
• Lego-Robotics
• Model United Nations
• Honors Society
• Leadership

56
Supplemental Opportunities

• Field Trips
• Inside Out Camp
• Model UN Conference
• Student to Student program at Camp Griffo
• Getty Museum
• Cal State Northridge
• Maya Mobile
• Port of LA
• CA Science Museum
• Hollywood Bowl

• Universal Studios Ed Program
• UCLA
• Cal State LA performances
• Museum of Tolerance
• Aquarium of the Pacific
• Shakespeare Plays
• Japanese Gardens
• Natural History Museum
• Zoo
• Olvera Street

Everyone Participates!
57
Family ExperiencesCulminating Activities

• Cultural Exchange
• Ancient Egypt Festival
• Ancient Greece Festival
• Evening of Creative
• Fun with African Folktales (skits)
• Literacy Night
• College Information Night
• Bingo Night
• Magic Show
• All school track meet
• Math Night
• Multi-cultural Dance Performance

58
Technology at Holmes

• Providing the Tools to Meet the Needs of Our
  Students

59
Technology Tools

• Supporting Content
• Vantage/GoMyAccess
• Bridge to Algebra
• Digital Video cameras
• Multimedia presentations
• Document Cameras
• Resource Labs
• SmartBoards
• AlphaSmarts/Danas
• United Streaming
• Technology Access
• Library Media Center
• Elective PC Lab
• Action Lab
• PC Checkout Lab
• 2 PC carts
• 5 ibook carts
• Classrooms 1-5 computers in each classroom

60
Progressive Discipline
61
Progressive Discipline
Clear Expectations
Set climate to support students
Students take pride in the Holmes Way
Asset Building
Character Counts
Wise Lives
Uniforms
62
Team Effort

• Traditional Strategies
• Dean Assemblies Through P.E.
• A.P./Dean Collaborate on a Daily Basis
• Counselors Involved
• Focus on Choices

63
Character Development

• Principal Holds Monthly Character Assemblies
• Focus on Pillars of Character
• Through P. E. Class
• Small Group
• Personalized Oprah Format
• Grade Level Administrators Counselors Lead a
  Discussion
• Link to Current Events/Issues on Campus
• Focus on Choices

64
Character Assembly

• Principal Introduces Topic and Links it to The
  Holmes Way
• Set Norms for Behavior
• Administrator/Counselor Introduces Video Clip
• Group Discussion
• Advisory One Day a Week is Dedicated to
  Character

65
Student Voice

• Lunch with the principal
• Participate on SBM and School Site Council
• Leadership
• Open Door Policy

66
Diversity is Celebrated
67
Celebrating Diversity
Read Aloud in the Library
Flag Court
Displays
Multi-Cultural Assemblies
Author Visits
68
International Diversity Day

• Passport
• All School Track Meet
• Music Center Performances
• Guest Speakers
• High school students
• College students
• Parents
• Teachers and Assistants
• Cultural Activities
• Art
• Scavenger Hunt
• Poetry

69
Future Plans
Reach 800!
Development of a New Parent Center
Increase Articulation between Feeder Schools
Continue our process of reflection and growth