Building and Recognizing Exemplary Middle Schools

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The New York State Essential Elements Schools to
Watch Program

• Building and RecognizingExemplary Middle Schools

Marybeth Casey Associate- Middle Level
Education New York State Dept. of Education 89
Washington Ave. Room 320 EB Albany, NY
12234 mcasey2_at_mail.nysed.gov
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History

• July 2003
• Regents Policy Statement on Middle Level
  Education
• outlines
• 7 Essential Elements
• of Standards Focused Middle Level School Programs

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The Elements

• A philosophy and mission that reflect the
  intellectual and developmental needs and
  characteristics of young adolescents (youth 10-14
  years of age).
• An educational program that is comprehensive,
  challenging, purposeful, integrated, relevant,
  and standards-based.
• An organization and structure that support both
  academic excellence and personal development.
• Classroom instruction appropriate to the needs
  and characteristics of young adolescents provided
  by skilled and knowledgeable teachers.
• Strong educational leadership and a building
  administration that encourage, facilitate, and
  sustain involvement, participation, and
  partnerships.
• A network of academic and personal support
  available for all students.
• Professional learning and staff development for
  all staff that are ongoing, planned, purposeful,
  and collaboratively developed.

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2003-2005

• NYSED in collaboration with the field through
  the Statewide Network of Middle Level Liaisons
  develops guidance documents to aid middle schools
  in the implementation of the Essential Elements

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Guidance Documents Included

• Protocols for using the Elements including
• Awareness Protocol
• Needs Assessment Protocol
• School Improvement Protocol
• Essential Elements Rubric
• Essential Elements Rating Scale

http//www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/ee.html
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Promotion of the Implementation of the Essential
Elements

• NYSED
• Electronic Publications
• Web Presence
• Public Engagement and Technical Assistance
• Professional Associations and Organizations
• New York State Middle School Association (NYSMSA)
• Conference Presentations
• Professional Development Academies
• Printed Publications
• Leadership Institutes
• New York State Middle Level Liaisons (SNMLL)
• Statewide Communication Networks
• Other Professional Associations
• Essential Elements Schools to Watch Recognition
  Program
• Partnership NYSMSA, SNMLL, NYSED, NYSUT et.al

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What is a National School to Watch (STW) ?

• A National School to Watch (STW) is a school
  containing Middle Grades that shows evidence of
  excellence in
• 4 Domains
• Academic Excellence
• Developmental Responsiveness
• Social Equity
• Organization and Structure
• 37 Recognized Criteria

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What is an Essential Elements School to Watch
(EESTW) ?

• An EESTW is a New York school with middle grades
  that shows evidence of excellence in

4 Domains
37 Criteria
7 Essential Elements
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What is the Essential Elements
Schools-to-Watch  (EE STW) program?

• An opportunity for self-study and targeted school
  improvement.
• A program to identify and publicize effective
  middle schools that are committed to continuous
  improvement .
• An opportunity for mentoring
• An opportunity for networking about good
  practices
• A national campaign to educate professionals and
  the public about criteria and indicators for
  high-performing middle schools

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Why Schools to Watch?

• National Schools to Watch (STW) Criteria align
  perfectly with the Essential Elements.
• Schools to Watch criteria go beyond State
  Assessment performance.
• EESTW offers State and National recognition
  (incentive) to schools endeavoring to improve
  their programs by implementing the Essential
  Elements
• The program is a vehicle for School Improvement
• EESTW values and recognizes a sustained
  trajectory of improvement

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How does EESTW align with STW?

• The Criteria..

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Academic Excellence
The school is academically excellent. It
challenges all students to use their minds well

• All students are expected to meet high academic
  standards. EE 2.2, 2.8, 4.18, 7.4
• Curriculum, instruction, assessment and
  appropriate academic interventions are aligned
  with high standards. EE 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.10,
  4.2, 4.13
• The curriculum emphasizes deep understanding of
  important concepts and the development of
  essential skills. EE 2.4, 4.10, 4.11
• Instructional strategies include a variety of
  challenging and engaging activities that are
  clearly related to the grade level standards,
  concepts and skills being taught. EE 1.6, 4.8
• AND

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Academic Excellence

• Teachers use a variety of methods to assess and
  monitor the progress of student learning. EE
  2.11, 4.14, 4.15
• The faculty and master schedule provide students
  time to meet rigorous academic standards. EE 3.3
• Students have the supports they need to meet
  rigorous academic standards. EE 2.14, 3.8
• The adults in the school are provided time and
  frequent opportunities to enhance student
  achievement by working with colleagues to deepen
  their knowledge and to improve their standards
  based practice. EE 3.1, 3.2, 4.17

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Developmental Responsiveness
The school is sensitive to the unique
developmental challenges of early adolescence

• The staff creates a personalized environment that
  supports each student's intellectual, ethical,
  social, and physical development. EE 1.1, 2.1,
  3.6
• The school provides access to comprehensive
  services to foster healthy physical, social,
  emotional, and intellectual development. EE 3.15,
  6.4, 6.7
• Teachers foster curiosity, creativity, and the
  development of social skills in a structured and
  supportive environment.
• EE 4.4, 4.6, 4.7
• The curriculum is both socially significant and
  relevant to the personal and career interests of
  young adolescents. EE 2.12
• Teachers use an interdisciplinary approach to
  reinforce important concepts, skills and address
  real-world problems. EE 2.7

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Developmental Responsiveness

• Students are provided multiple opportunities to
  explore a rich variety of topics and interests in
  order to develop their identity, learn about
  their strengths, discover and demonstrate their
  own competence, and plan for their future. EE
  3.12, 6.3
• Students have opportunities for voiceposing
  questions, reflecting on experiences and
  participating in decisions and leadership
  activities. EE 5.11
• The school staff members develop alliances with
  families to enhance and support the well-being of
  the children. EE 3.11, 4.19, 6.5
• Staff members provide all students with
  opportunities to develop citizenship skills, to
  use the community as a classroom, and to engage
  the community in providing resources and support.
  EE 3.10
• The school provides age-appropriate co-curricular
  activities to foster social skills and character,
  and to develop interests beyond the classroom
  environment. EE 3.9

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Social Equity
The school is socially equitable, democratic and
fair. It provides every student with
high-quality teachers, resources, learning
opportunities and supports. It keeps positive
options open for all students

• To the fullest extent possible, all students,
  including English learners, students with
  disabilities, gifted and honors students,
  participate in heterogeneous classes with high
  academic and behavioral expectations. EE 3.8,
  3.13, 3.14
• Students are provided with the opportunity to use
  many and varied approaches to achieve and
  demonstrate competence and mastery of standards.
  EE 4.6, 4.9
• Teachers continually adapt curriculum,
  instruction, assessment, and scheduling to meet
  their students' diverse and changing needs. EE
  7.10
• All students have equal access to valued
  knowledge in all school classes and activities.
  EE 3.8, 3.13, 3.14
• AND

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Social Equity

• Students have on-going opportunities to learn
  about and appreciate their own and others'
  cultures. EE 3.7, 6.2
• The school community knows every student well.
  EE 1.4, 1.5
• The faculty welcomes and encourages the active
  participation of all its families and makes sure
  that all its families are an integral part of the
  school. EE 2.15
• The school's reward system is designed to value
  diversity, civility, service, and democratic
  citizenship.
• EE 6.1
• Staff members understand and support the family
  backgrounds and values of its students. EE 3.7
• The school rules are clear, fair and consistently
  applied. EE Conclusion

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Organizational Structures and Processes.
The school is a learning organization that
establishes norms, structures, and organizational
arrangements to support and sustain their
trajectory towards excellence.

• A shared vision of what a high-performing school
  is and does drives every facet of school change.
  EE 7.2, 7.3
• The principal has the responsibility and
  authority to hold the school-improvement
  enterprise together, including day-to-day
  know-how, coordination, strategic planning, and
  communication. EE 5.6, 5.13
• The school is a community of practice in which
  learning, experimentation, and time and
  opportunity for reflection are the norm. EE 4.20,
  7.9
• The school and district devote resources to
  content-rich professional development, which is
  connected to reaching and sustaining the school
  vision and increasing student achievement. EE
  5.10, 7.1, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8
• AND

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Organizational Structures and Processes

• The school is not an island unto itself. It is
  part of a larger educational system, i.e. ,
  districts, networks and community partnerships.
  EE 1.7, 2.9, 3.17
• The school holds itself accountable for its
  students' success. EE 5.7
• District and school staff possess and cultivate
  the collective will to persevere, believing it is
  their business to produce increased achievement
  and enhanced development for all students. EE
  4.21, 5.12
• The school and district staffs work with colleges
  and universities to recruit, prepare, and mentor
  novice and experienced teachers. EE 5
• The school includes families and community
  members in setting and supporting the school's
  trajectory toward high performance. EE 5.14

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A Good Place to Start

• Self Study and Rating Rubric
• http//www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/eestw/eestw_nat_
  self_study_rating_rubric.doc

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Schools to Watch and EESTWboth agree on the need
for

• Academic program with high standards
• Personal development
• Classroom instructional strategies to ensure
  success for all
• Knowledgeable building leadership who foster
  partnerships
• Academic and personal support available
• Ongoing professional development

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The Process

• Applications are due in July.
• Applications are checked for completeness and
  eligibility.
• Applications are read by trained middle-level
  experts around the state and evaluated against
  common criteria.
• Site visits are arranged for schools where the
  written applications warrant.
• Site visits are evaluated against written
  applications and established criteria.
• Feedback is provided for all schools regardless
  of the outcome.

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Minimum Eligibility

• Schools must be either public or Charter schools
  within New York State
• Schools must have at least TWO of the following
  grades grade six, grade seven, grade eight
• Schools must be in compliance with all
  Commissioners Regulations
• Applicant schools may not be classified as having
  any of the following accountability status
  Phase/Category designations
• Improvement/Focused,
• Improvement/Comprehensive
• Corrective Action
• Restructuring
• School Under Registration Review (SURR)
• Persistently Low Achieving (PLA).
• (Note Applications from schools designated as
  Improvement-Basic will be accepted
• however must include evidence as to how the
  school is addressing the sub group of
• students identified as not meeting the state
  standards.)

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Benefits to participating schools and districts
that elect to complete and submit an application
include

• A thorough, research-based, review of the
  middle-level school and its programs consistent
  with the Regents Policy Statement on Middle-Level
  Education, the State Education Departments
  Essential Elements of Standards-Focused
  Middle-Level Schools and Programs, and
  Commissioners Regulations related to the middle
  grades.
• Engagement of the educational community in a
  constructive school improvement activity.
• Identification of school/program strengths as
  well as areas in need of improvement.
• Development of a research-based continuous
  improvement plan for the school.
• AND

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Benefits to participating schools and districts
that elect to complete and submit an application
and earn a site visitation include

• Site visit by team of middle-level educators with
  follow-up resulting in a full report addressing
  all criteria
• Possible national and state recognition for the
  district, school, and staff.
• Possible membership in a select group of
  nationally recognized middle-level schools.
• Professional development opportunities and
  networking
• Coaching towards continued success.

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Schools to Watch States 2013
Number of STW States 19 Number of Schools to
Watch as of 2012 326
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New Yorks Essential Elements Schools to Watch
Total Number of NY Schools to Watch as of 2013
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Current NYS EE Schools to Watch
A.A. Kingston MS Pittsford M.S. Calkins Rd
Bay Trail Middle School Pittsford M.S Barker Rd
Carrie Palmer Weber MS Sayville M.S.
Garden City MS Twelve Corners M.S.
Glens Falls MS Victor Junior High School
Hugo Newman College Prep. PS/IS 180 Martha Brown Middle School
Jericho MS Indian Lake
Lakeland Copper Beach MS Oceanside Middle School
Merton Williams MS Pleasantville Middle School
Moravia M.S. Van Wyck Junior High School
North Salem MS Longwood JHS
Oliver Winch MS Farnsworth MS
Pioneer MS
Johanna Perrin MS (2013) Honeoye Falls-Lima MS (2013)
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For Further Information

• Visit the following websites
• NYSED Middle Level Webpage
• http//www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mle/eestw/
• New York State Middle School Association Webpage
• www.nysmsa.org
• National Forum STW Website
• www.schoolstowatch.org

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Upcoming Reviewer Trainings

• April 11-12 Bay Trail Middle School
  Penfield, NY
• May (TBD) Longwood Middle School
• Middle Island, NY
• July 24-25- NYSED
• Albany, NY
• If you are interested in participating in any of
  the above trainings see Marybeth for a
  Registration Form

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Questions?