Bud Carson Middle School

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Bud Carson Middle School

• Where We Embrace the Challenge!

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Message from the Principal

• At Bud Carson Middle School, we embrace the
  challenge that has been put forth by No Child
  Left Behind. We are focused on student
  achievement. We have on-going conversations
  regarding curriculum, instruction, and effective
  strategies. We consistently self reflect to
  better meet the needs of all students.

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Who Are We
We are a middle school with grades 6-8
We serve approximately 929 students
We are 55 Hispanic and 37 African American
We have 40.6 English Learners
We have 38 teachers 97.1 fully credentialed
We have six 1st Year" Teachers We have five 2nd
Year Teachers
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Where Were we
The Past Six Years?
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2008-2009 AYP Target 46.0
AYP Target 35.2
AYP Target 24.4
AYP Target 13.6
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2008-2009 AYP Target 47.5
AYP Target 37.0
AYP Target 26.5
AYP Target 16.0
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2003
What We Decided To DO
Program Improvement Year 1
We decided to tackle the problem of only 5.8 of
our students reaching the proficient target in
mathematics. Our first step was going to a 7
period day. We added a TAS period, an
additional math class for all students.
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Targeted Academic Support (TAS)

• All students receive an additional support
  mathematics class. These classes are leveled
  according to scaled CST scores. TAS teachers use
  the California Key Concepts book and Accelerated
  Math to support the core math program. The math
  standards used in Accelerated Math have been
  aligned and objectives have been reordered
  according to the grade level curriculum to
  reinforce concepts. Grade level math leaders
  analyze data to develop re-teaching lessons and
  instructional strategies for TAS teachers to use
  to address student needs.

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Program Improvement Year 2
2004

• We decided to tackle the problem of only 12
  of our students reaching the proficient target in
  Language Arts. We implemented a leveled Language
  Arts program, we started a culture of data driven
  collaboration, and we implemented pacing
  schedules for Language Arts and Mathematics.

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Leveled Language Arts Program

• We offer a leveled Language Arts program
  honors, benchmark, strategic, and intervention.
  Students who are in the strategic and
  intervention classes receive an extra period of
  language arts each day.

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Collaboration

• Collaboration

Collaboration is Part of the Schools Culture
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Calendar

• BCMS uses a calendar with collaboration days
• built in to make things happen

Before the start of each year leadership
representatives meet to select collaboration
dates and times for the up coming year
Over the years the extra collaboration days have
followed the same pattern on the calendar. This
helps teachers to plan their year and to be
available for grade level/department collaboration
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Accountability

• To ensure accountability, the
  responsibilities of the leadership
  representatives are clear

The Leadership Team meets monthly
Each grade level/department representative is
responsible for the following
- Planning and facilitating all grade
level/department collaboration meetings
- Math Leaders are responsible for planning and
facilitating TAS collaboration
- Preparing data for analysis
- Completing and submitting Team Agendas and
Minutes
- Presenting a grade level/department report at
each Leadership Meeting
- Representing the school on District Level
Committees
- Elected Leaders also serve as members of SSC or
ELAC
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Data is the Key to Meaningful Collaboration
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Monitoring

• The collaboration process is closely
  monitored to sustain successful on-going
  collaboration

School Administration takes several steps to
monitor this essential process. The steps we
take include
Meeting with leaders prior to grade
level/department meetings to discuss focus areas
Giving positive feedback to the Leadership Group
after meetings - highlighting the successful
strategies used during collaboration. This
encourages all Leaders to use those successful
strategies in the future
Participating in all collaboration meetings and
actively engaging and participating when
appropriate
Assigning Special Projects teachers to
participate in select grade level/department
meetings. Special Projects teachers may help
facilitate meetings
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Pacing Schedules

• The Hawthorne School District provides
  pacing guides for the district Language Arts and
  Mathematics core adoptions. These guides were
  developed with the input of teachers and are
  reviewed yearly to better meet the needs of both
  teachers and students. Bud Carson
  Middle School fully implements the HSD pacing
  guides. The support classes help the teachers to
  keep up with the rigorous pace without leaving
  students behind.

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2005
Program Improvement Year 3

• We were on the right track and had improved
  to 24.6 of our students meeting the proficient
  target in Language Arts and 29.4 in Mathematics.
  We decided to continue to improve upon our
  instructional programs to reach at risk students.
  We implemented a Prevention Intervention Program
  and established a Program Monitoring Team.

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Prevention and Intervention
The Prevention/Intervention program is designed
to provide a safety net for students who are
at-risk academically and/or behaviorally
A fully credentialed teacher oversees the
Intervention Room and works with the Prevention
Intervention Aide and two support teachers to
provide students with direct instruction and
guided practice one-on-one or in a small group

• Students who have received failing
  grades or who have missed class time due to
  behavior issues or prolonged absence may receive
  intensive support in the Intervention Room

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Prevention and Intervention
Each grading period we identify students who are
at-risk and provide additional support to those
students 2-3 periods per week in the Intervention
Room

• Students who have received failing marks or
  who are in danger of receiving failing marks are
  given the opportunity to complete assignments in
  the Intervention Room

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Prevention and Intervention
Students who miss class due to suspension or
other disciplinary actions are provided with the
opportunity to complete missed assignments in the
Intervention Room

• The Intervention Teacher works closely with
  students on study skills and behavior
  modifications to enable students to gain skills
  necessary to be successful in school

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Program Monitoring and Support
The BCMS Program Monitoring Team is made up of
special projects teachers, the school counselor,
and the site administration
This team regularly analyzes student assessment
results to determine if students are in the
correct placement
The team moves students as needed to make sure
that students are not "stuck" in lower level
classes
Students who show growth and perform at a higher
level than initially placed are moved into a
higher level class
Students who are struggling and need
interventions may be placed into a class that
provides more support
Students are placed into the appropriate program
using a variety of measures. Scaled CST scores,
The Prentice Hall Placement test, Language!
encoding, fluency and grammar tests are all used
to determine placement
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Frozen Program Improvement Year 3

• 2006

Finally we made all of our targets! We
continued to implement all of our strategies and
programs. The Hawthorne School District Language!
Implementation Handbook was published. We fully
implemented the handbook and used it as a guide
for all students not scoring proficient or
advanced in Reading/Language Arts.
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Language Implementation Handbook
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2007

• Exited Program Improvement

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Where We Are Now
We are still facing the challenge of No Child
Left Behind
We failed to meet all of our targets for the
2007-2008 school year. (Math scores are being
edited)
With the jump next year all of our sub Groups
must grow

• Our English Learner subgroup is of a
  particular concern

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Where We Go From Here
Providing additional support to English Learners
Closely monitoring sub group progress in Data
Director
Providing after school classes
Implementing a new math adoption

• Implementing a new TAS plan

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What Weve Learned
The challenge isnt easy
We cant do it alone
Growth doesnt happen in a straight line
Data driven collaboration get results
We must continue to closely monitor our programs
and make adjustments when necessary
Teachers make the difference
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Closing Message

• At BCMS we provide a positive academic and
  professional climate where ideas grow and
  solutions are found. We develop leaders. Teachers
  have true input concerning program implementation
  and school-wide policies. We implement policies
  that are progressive, consistent and fair. We
  share an attitude of trust and patience.