Falls Church City Public Schools

Division Plan, 2006 - 2012

Presentation to the Falls Church Community

June 6, 2006

Purpose of the Plan

FCCPS tradition of strategic planning Virginia SOQ requirement for division planning Will guide all activities of FCCPS for next 6

years

Plan Development Process

Invite stakeholder input (January-March, 2006)Student, staff & community focus groupsStaff & community questionnaires

School Board planning meetings (April-May)Consider input receivedDevelop mission & values statementsWrite plan goals & objectives

Plan Adoption

Town hall meeting – June 6 Public hearing – June 13 Plan adoption – June 27

Focus Groups

Participants 6-8 per group on average Total: approximately 175

15 Internal Groups 10 External “Community” Groups

School-Affiliated Organizations Elementary, Middle School & High School

Students and Parents Business Community Former School Board Members & Superintendents ESOL Parents

Questionnaires

Two versions – staff & community Broad questions Comment section to probe specific concerns 246 (of 355) staff responses 382 community responses

Summary of the Data

Focus GroupsQuestionnaires

FCCPS Most Positive Attributes:Staff Perspective

A focus on meeting the needs of the individual child

A high-quality teaching staff – experienced, creative, and dedicated

Teamwork, collegiality & collaboration among the staff

Other Positive Attributes: Staff Perspective

Availability of resources (staff, equipment, supplies, programs & technology)

Small class size & student-teacher ratios A variety of strong academic programs Community support – general & financial A high level of student achievement Opportunities for professional growth Innovative teaching strategies & creative freedom Parent support & involvement Staff involvement in decision making

FCCPS Most Positive Attributes:The Community Perspective

Small class size & student-teacher ratios (74%) A high-quality teaching staff – experienced,

creative & dedicated (71%)

Other Positive Attributes: The Community Perspective

Parent support & involvement (69% strongly agreeing) Falls Church community support for schools (65%) A high quality education & academic rigor (58%) A sense of community in the schools (57%) Advanced high school academic programs (56%) FCCPS reputation for excellence – local & national

(55%) Preparation of students for college (52%)

Primary Issues to Address: The Staff Perspective

Meeting the needs of all students We meet the needs of college-bound, gifted &

special education students well We need to improve how we meet the needs of

“Kids in the middle” Underachieving / at-risk students ESOL students

Primary Issues: Staff Perspective

The Curriculum Challenges students (76/6%) We need a K-12 written curriculum that

Is aligned with SOLs Includes a continuum of learning Utilizes FCCPS teacher expertise

Primary Issues: Staff Perspective

“Time to get the job done” Report managing to “wear many hats well”

(83/13%) However, also report feeling pulled in many

directions Need planning time / time for collaboration Need to streamline committees & meetings

Primary Issues: Staff Perspective

Administrative issues to address Develop better communication from central

office & between schools Better articulate staff roles & responsibilities Develop clear & transparent written standard

operating procedures

Other Issues: Staff Perspective

Better transitioning of students from school to school Need to use data effectively to inform instruction Need for challenging courses to fill gap between IB/AP

& CP classes Review of CIRT program Long-range planning for facilities maintenance &

improvement Staff development program changes Tangible and intangible compensation

Primary Issues to Address: Community Perspective

Meeting the needs of students We meet the needs of college-bound, gifted & special

education well or very well We need to improve how we meet the needs of

“Kids in the middle” Underachieving / at-risk students

2/3 survey respondents believe that students are being challenged well or very well

1/3 believe that students are challenged “sometimes but not always”

Community Issues:Additional Academic Issues

IB strong for humanities / not for science and math / need for more AP courses

Gap between IB & CP courses Need more instructional differentiation Need to look at impact of testing on learning Review of the TAAP program Need for a written curriculum / lack of continuity Improve art and music programs

Community Issues:Foreign Language Classes

Add more languages to the GMHS curriculum? Very important – 39% Somewhat important – 39% Latin, Chinese, Arabic most frequently suggested

Offer a language choice at MEHMS? Very important – 42% Somewhat important – 39%

Community Issues: Counseling Program

The school counseling program meets the needs of students well/very well (38%); sometimes, but not always (39%); not well/not at all (23%)

Develop a comprehensive counseling program Grades 8-12 Academic, personal & vocational

Review the college counseling program Continue & improve the anti-bullying program

Community Issues: Athletic Program

The GMHS sports program meets the needs of high school athletes well (67%)

Concerns Amount of travel & practice time / impact on

academics Need for a policy on the shared gym & fields Consider a swim team

Community Issues: After-School Programs

The FCCPS after-school programs meet the needs of students well or very well (54%)

Daycare program a real plus Concerns

MEH needs more school clubs and athletics Add national clubs to high school Consider math, science, and art clubs

Community Issues:Teacher to Parent Communication

Questionnaire: Communication is good Focus groups: Communication needs improvement

(5/5 parent groups) Want a communication policy More proactive communication More information on school & classroom activities More comment on report cards

School to home / FCCPS to community communication are good

Community Issues:FCCPS Website

Questionnaire: Website quality and effectiveness are good.

Focus groups: Website needs improvement (3/5 parent groups) Make more user-friendly & interactive Keep up-to-date Information function: classroom & school activities Education function: post assignments & grades, e-mail

correspondence with teachers Teacher accountability is critical

Community Issues: Facilities

Strongly agree that buildings and grounds are well-maintained

Strongly agree that school buildings are kept safe and secure

Need for short and long term facilities planning

Community Perspectives

Replacement / renovation program Very important – 22% Somewhat important – 41%

Competitive teacher salaries Very important – 64% Somewhat important – 27%

Pay more taxes for schools Very willing – 19% Willing – 41%

FCCPS Mission & Values

Mission Statement

The Falls Church City Public Schools, in partnership with our families and community, educates and challenges every student to succeed and become a responsible and contributing member of the global community.

We Value Our Students

All decisions of the FCCPS must be based on the needs of students

Students learn best in a secure environment that includes a rigorous and challenging curriculum and a climate of high expectations and academic excellence

Measurable and achievable student goals must guide teaching and learning

Schools that value diversity and promote lifelong learning and responsible citizenship provide students with the foundation for success in a global community

We Value Our Staff

A highly-skilled, experienced and dedicated staff is key to effective learning

Collegiality, collaboration and teamwork are essential

We Value Our Public Education System

Small classes and small schools are the foundation for academic excellence

Data must be used for continuous improvement in teaching and learning

The necessary resources must be provided to support student achievement

We Value Our Partnership with the Community

Our schools must be responsive and accountable to the community

Community involvement strengthens our schools

Plan Goals & Objectives

Student Goals

1. The FCCPS will educate, challenge, and support every student to succeed and become a responsible and contributing member of the global community.

2. The FCCPS will sustain a culture that values diversity and promotes positive and constructive student behavior.

3. The FCCPS will provide a well-rounded education that includes extra and co-curricular activities and sports.

Staff Goals

1. The FCCPS will attract, retain and develop a highly-skilled, experienced and dedicated teaching, administrative and support staff in a culture of continuous growth.

2. The FCCPS will create and sustain a culture characterized by teamwork, collegiality and collaborative decision-making.

3. The FCCPS expects administrators to provide effective leadership and management.

Environmental Goals

1. The FCCPS buildings will be safe, healthy and comfortable environments for students, staff and the community.

2. The FCCPS will be prepared to respond to emergency situations.

Community Goals

1. The FCCPS will actively involve families as partners in their children's education.

2. The FCCPS will actively involve the Falls Church community as a partner in the education of the city’s children.

Division-Wide Goals

1. The FCCPS will design and deliver programs that address wellness and foster resiliency.

2. The Falls Church City School Board will be a responsible steward of the community’s resources and an advocate for the FCCPS mission.

3. The FCCPS will ensure that the division operates efficiently and effectively.

Operationalizing the Plan

1. The FCCPS will educate, challenge, and support every student to succeed and become a responsible and contributing member of the global community.

Adding Strategies & Work Tasks

Objective 1.1: To provide a written, integrated K-12 curriculum that is relevant, rigorous, differentiated and aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs).

Strategy 1.1.1: To continue to conduct curriculum studies of core and elective subject areas according to the established FCCPS cycle.

Work Task 1: Form committees to study each curricular area.

Work Task 2: Use revised/most current SOLs to inform curriculum studies.

Work Task 3: Use most current SOLs and curriculum study data to inform text book selection/adoption.

Next Steps

Summer: Staff work on strategies & work tasks

September: School Board adoption of full plan Annually: School Board strategic plan

development based on the division plan