school improvement plan 2020-2023

Archdiocese of Indianapolis

Our Lady of the Greenwood School

Greenwood, Indiana

Corporation #9200

School #B535

School Improvement Plan

2020-2023

Our Lady of the Greenwood School, B535, Greenwood

Mission Statement Serving Greenwood and the surrounding areas, Our Lady of the Greenwood School is a Catholic school that is proactive in developing a Christian educational environment that:

● Models the teachings of Christ ● Challenges each student’s academic potential ● Encourages creative, healthy, well-rounded individuals ● Fosters caring, competent decision makers

Vision Statement All students who have been members of the Our Lady of the Greenwood Catholic School community will continue to grow in their faith, will be prepared for the challenges of the next educational level, and will have the foundation to become positive contributors to their community.

© 2020 Archdiocese of Indianapolis

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Table of Contents

Contents Page

Mission Statement 1

Vision Statement 1

Table of Contents 2

Approval Signatures 3

School Improvement Team 4

Goal Planning (SMART Goals)

Mission & Catholic Identity Goal # 1 Academic Excellence Goal #2 Academic Excellence Goal #3 Operational Vitality Goal #4

5 - 14

Appendix

NSBECS Self-Assessment 15 - 20

NSBECS Analysis 21

Annual Performance Data 22 - 35

Analysis of Annual Performance Data 36

Satisfaction Surveys + Analysis 37 - 38


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School Improvement Plan - Archdiocese of Indianapolis

School Name: Our Lady of the Greenwood School Address: 399 South Meridian St. City/State/Zip: Greenwood, IN 46143 Phone: 317-881-1300 Corporation: # 9200 School: #B535 Grades: Pre-K to 8th grade Enrollment: 305 (as of Sept. 2020)

School Improvement Plan 2020-2023 Approval

Gina Kuntz Fleming, Superintendent of Catholic Schools Date


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School Improvement Team

Name of Team Member Role of Team Member

Kent Clady School Principal

Valerie Moss Director of Advancement

Fr. Vinny Gilmore Associate Pastor

Angie Samuelson Catholic Identity Committee Chair

Megan Hillstrom Reading Committee Chair

Mari Prior Math Committee Chair

Jan Sexton Leadership Team

Kristen Rode Leadership Team

Aileen Jackson Leadership Team

Linda Dickey Leadership Team

*The OLG Teaching staff worked on the SIP together by breaking into the various Domain/Committee groups and every teacher on staff had a role to play in designing, organizing, and editing the SIP


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Mission and Catholic Identity Goal # 1 Planning

GOAL: Increase opportunities for students to grow their own personal relationship with God and the Church. NSBECS Standard 3: An excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides opportunities outside the classroom for student faith formation, participation in liturgical and communal prayer, and action in service of social justice. Benchmark 3.2: Every student is offered timely, regular, and age appropriate opportunities to reflect on their life experiences and faith through retreats and other spiritual experiences.

Data: Data Sources:

1. IFG: ACRE (Assessment of Child/Youth Religious Education) 2. Surveys 3. Self-Assessment of NSBECS

Analysis: Based on our self-assessment of NSBECS, many stakeholders feel that while Catholic Identity plays a big role at OLG and is visible throughout the school, one area of need is consistent religious formation and opportunities throughout the school and beyond to help strengthen students’ relationship with God. Our ACRE Scores for both level 1 and level 2 also identify this as an area of need. Identified areas of need include scripture in daily classwork, grade-level appropriate retreats, outside opportunities for actions in service, and a strong collaboration between the school and the church.

Benchmark: - IFG: ACRE Scores: ACRE Scores will meet or exceed the National Average as well as the

School National Average. We also will see an increase in the domains of Prayer, Communal Life and Missionary Spirit.

- Site Evidence: Increase in spirituality, as well as church and parish involvement. Each

grade-level also will have planned, executed, and participated in a retreat-like experience.

- Other assessments: Verbal, visual, and/or written reflection of retreat-like experience

(examples: discussion, artistic piece, slide show, written piece).

Effective Interventions: - Friday Adventures: Every Friday from 2:15 - 2:50 we have scheduled religious


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enrichment time. This includes Family Fridays, wherein we meet in our school families and work on religious-based community building activities. It also includes Homeroom Fridays, wherein we work together as a home class on strengthening our social skills and focus on the virtue of the month.

- “Disciple of Christ: Education in Virtue” Curriculum - Faith-Filled Fridays

Activities or strategies:

- Plan, organize and offer a retreat or retreat-like experience for each grade - Examples: Rosary walks, Adoration, Destination Retreats, Service-Project

Retreat Opportunities - Track grade-level participation of retreat and church opportunities - Share photos of activities to our parents and community to help evangelize and

market the school - Add Scripture in daily classwork assignments - Provide outside school service opportunities - Students/grades lead Faith-Filled Fridays: Students will be engaged in picking the

cause, planning the project, executing it, and then reporting back on it to the parish community

- Strengthen Parish-School relationship - Continue Friday Adventures and the Disciple of Christ Virtue studies

Accountability: School teachers, as well as School Administration and Parish staff members, will be responsible in helping OLG achieve this goal.

Research: The Church has a long standing spiritual tradition that emphasizes the importance of retreats and the strengthening of one’s personal relationship with God. The Catholic Encyclopedia gives a good history and development of this, from Jesus to the Desert Fathers, to many of the saints throughout the ages: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12795b.htm. Also, the Scriptures themselves show a lot of concrete examples of how Moses, the Prophets, John the Baptist, and Jesus himself prioritized withdrawing for prayer and retreat time.

Professional Development: - Staff based PD aimed at sharing, organizing and coordinating grade-level

retreat/retreat experiences

Resources: - Location and religious resources such as the church, church grounds, scripture,

rosaries, etc.


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https://golepress.com/what-are-the-virtues/

https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12795b.htm


- Funds and/or fundraisers for destination retreats, such as Rancho Framasa, St. Mary of the Woods, Bradford Woods, etc.

- Support from the Church and Pastor - A strong Religion Curriculum

Parent Communication: OLG will inform parents of religious opportunities through classroom communications, the Eagle Flyer (school-wide communication), and the Parish Bulletin. Parents can also see progress of this goal on official school Social Media platforms and the official school website. Spanish communication will also be made available.

Timeline: We will begin in Fall of 2020 and continue until Spring of 2023. We will review our progress annually and make any changes at that time.


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Academic Excellence Goal # 2 Planning

GOAL: Over the course of three years, 85% of students will be able to read and comprehend text at or above grade-level using Spring NWEA Reading Assessment, Star Literacy Reports, and ILEARN Reading data.

Data: Data Sources:

1. ILEARN (when applicable) 2. NWEA 3. Star Literacy (AR) 4. Lexile Levels

Analysis: With a growing population of ELL students, an area of concern identified on formative assessments such as NWEA, ILEARN, and AR suggests that many students are not reading content at grade-level or growing in their ability to read (staying at grade level). Teacher input also suggests reading grade-level material is a struggle for many students, as is understanding grade-level content such as vocabulary. Additionally, Lexile Levels as determined by NWEA and ILEARN 2018-2019 suggests that students’ Lexile Levels are higher than classroom performance suggests.

Benchmark: ILEARN Scores: 85% of students will score at or above proficiency on ILEARN Language Arts Assessment NWEA: 85% of students will meet or exceed grade-level norm score on the Spring NWEA Reading Assessment

Star Literacy (AR): By the end of the year, 85% of students will be reading AR books at or above grade-level

Evidence-Based Interventions: - Focus on Vocabulary and Context Clues by following some of the recommendations of

Dr. Marzano’s Vocabulary for the Common Core Activities or strategies:

- Increase vocabulary exposure in all subjects across all grade-levels - Grades 3 and up focus on CONTEXT CLUES (lowest identified area) - Word of the Week: Choose a school-wide “Word of the Week” that is shared on


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https://www.marzanoresources.com/vocabulary-common-core


morning announcements and encouraged in class - Use IDOE Teacher Toolkit and other resources put out by the IDOE - Use Reading-Support websites such as ReadWorks, Readtheory, NEWSELA,

CommonLit, Time for Kids, and Scholastic Magazine

Accountability: School teachers who support reading will be the main staff members accountable for implementing the above reading strategies. School support staff such as the school librarian/reading specialist, the ELL teacher, and content-area teachers (Social Studies, Science, etc.) will also be responsible in helping achieve this goal.

Research: - Is Vocabulary a Strong Variable Predicting Reading Comprehension and Does the Prediction

Degree of Vocabulary Vary According to Text Types: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ936333.pdf

- Masters of Ed research project by student:

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e20e/ce6f6ac28982f326172a160cdd5e066a8fce.pdf - Yu-han Ma, Wen-ying Lin, "A Study on the Relationship between English Reading Comprehension

and English Vocabulary Knowledge", Education Research International, vol. 2015, Article ID 209154, 14 pages, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/209154 https://www.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2015/209154/#abstract

- The role of vocabulary in reading comprehension: The case of secondary school students learning

English in Singapore: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249768964_The_role_of_vocabulary_in_reading_comprehension_The_case_of_secondary_school_students_learning_English_in_Singapore

- Investigating Vocabulary and Reading Strategies with Middle Grades English Language Learners:

A Research Synthesis: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ989796.pdf - Published in “Insights on Learning Disabilities” 2(1) 33-45, 2005 Effective Vocabulary Instruction

By Joan Sedita: https://keystoliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/effective-vocabulary-instruction.pdf

Professional Development: - Book Study: Vocabulary for the Common Core by Dr. Marzano - Smekens Reading PD - Star Literacy (AR) and Renaissance PD: Focus on how to use Star Literacy Data and

the Renaissance platform - NWEA Reading Assessment Data PD


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https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ936333.pdf

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e20e/ce6f6ac28982f326172a160cdd5e066a8fce.pdf

https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/209154

https://www.hindawi.com/journals/edri/2015/209154/#abstract

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249768964_The_role_of_vocabulary_in_reading_comprehension_The_case_of_secondary_school_students_learning_English_in_Singapore

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249768964_The_role_of_vocabulary_in_reading_comprehension_The_case_of_secondary_school_students_learning_English_in_Singapore

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ989796.pdf

https://keystoliteracy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/effective-vocabulary-instruction.pdf


Resources: - PLC exploration of websites (Readworks, NewsELA, Star Literacy, etc) - Print resources for teachers focusing on Vocab instruction (**ELL learners) with book

study to share ideas with each other - Vocab/Word of the week program - Vocabulary for the Common Core by Dr. Marzano

Parent Communication: Parents will be informed on progress toward students’ reading levels via parent-teacher conferences. NWEA, AR, and ILEARN reports will be sent home to help parents track student progress. Additionally, parents are provided with login information to connect with the AR program online to check how their child is doing on AR testing. Parents also can meet with school teachers and the school librarian to discuss students’ individual reading levels and goals. Word of the week words shared in our Eagle Flyer (school communication) for parents to view as well. Information will be offered in Spanish, when applicable.



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Academic Excellence Goal # 3 Planning

GOAL: By the end of each school year, 75% or more of all students will meet or exceed the grade level norm score on the Spring NWEA Math Assessment.

Analysis of Data: Data Sources:

1. NWEA 2. ILEARN (when scores are applicable) 3. Classroom formative assessments based on mathematical content areas

Analysis: Utilizing NWEA Math Assessments and ILEARN state testing data, we have found that many of our students are not performing to the predicted grade-level norms. Classroom data through formative assessments also shows that students are not performing consistently on grade level in all mathematical content areas.

Benchmark: ILEARN Scores: 75% of students will be ranked at or above proficiency on the ILEARN Mathematics assessment. NWEA Scores + Growth Charts: 75% of students will meet or exceed the normative score set by each grade-level on the Spring NWEA Math Assessment.

Evidence-Based Interventions: - NWEA RIT scores for individual math growth categories - IXL Case-Studies: https://www.ixl.com/resources/case-studies - Math Lab intervention- small group, targeted math instruction

Activities or strategies:

- IDOE Teacher Toolkit and other resources put out by the IDOE - Resources provided by NWEA - Institute a Math Lab elective in grades 6 - 8 - Institute grade-level appropriate interventions for students below average - Grades 3 - 5 will use IXL for intervention along with a Math Lab - 1st grade will continue to use Splash Math - K - 2 will follow the Number Talks program, Calendar-math, enrichment and small

group-leveling Accountability: School teachers who support mathematics will be the main staff


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https://www.ixl.com/resources/case-studies


members accountable for implementing the above mathematics strategies. The math lab/coach also will help support this goal.

Research: - NWEA Norms Research: https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/normsResearchStudy.pdf - IXL Case-Studies: https://www.ixl.com/resources/case-studies - Math Lab, Small Group Targeted Instruction:

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Report1.pdf-jyMu86p317Z2Eyr8MvfJ/view?ts=5f5b97fe

Professional Development: - Math Content PD provided by the curriculum vendor and the state - PD also on social economic students and mathematics - NWEA PD - IXL PD

Resources: - Intervention time - IXL and other computer-based math practice programs - Computers and/or computer lab time - NWEA Data + Growth charts

Parent Communication: Parents will be informed on progress towards students’ mathematics progress via parent-teacher conferences. NWEA and ILEARN reports also will be sent home to help parents understand students’ mathematics levels. Parents also can meet with school teachers to discuss students’ individual mathematics scores. Information will be offered in Spanish, when applicable.



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https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/normsResearchStudy.pdf

https://www.ixl.com/resources/case-studies

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Report1.pdf

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Report1.pdf



Operational Vitality Goal # 4 Planning

GOAL: Each year, OLG will increase enrollment by 10% by focusing on marketing endeavors in the community and creating a strong marketing plan. NSBECS Standard 13: An excellent Catholic school enacts a comprehensive plan, based on a compelling mission, for institutional advancement through communications, marketing, enrollment management, and development. Benchmark 13.1 The communications/marketing plan requires a school leader/leadership team and staff person(s) to insure the implementation of contemporary, multiple information technologies to reach targeted audiences, and to establish reliable and secure databases and accountability to stakeholders. Benchmark 13.2 The enrollment management plan requires the governing body to review and the school leader/leadership team to supervise annual and continuous measurement and analysis of both enrollment and retention patterns for all student groups.

Data Sources: 1. Self-Assessment of NSBECS 2. Strategic Plan Evaluations, 2019 - 2020 3. School Site Visit Report, August 2019 4. Data Trends on student enrollment, retention, etc.

Analysis: The decline of enrollment, as well as the NSBECS Self-Assessment and the School Site Visit Report, suggests a large school marketing gap. The creation of a new Director of Advancement position will help aid in addressing this issue as will the creation and implementation of a new marketing plan that will aim to increase enrollment and visibility throughout the community.

Benchmark: - Increase in the number of new enrollments (above 310) - An average of 36 students per grade level - Visible community partnerships - Increase visibility on Social Media - Level of involvement of Roncalli High School (local Catholic HS - our feeder school)

Effective Interventions: - Create a strong marketing plan - Use various platforms, like Social Media, to market the school - Strengthen school and community partnerships


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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ARfsnMBn_6M14JaoujWgtEHYvAozSLV4Poz6kw90XBA/edit


Activities/Strategies: - Creation and maintaining of the Director of Advancement position - Partnering with local daycares to target Pre-K enrollment - Yard signs for current school families - Partner with local community organizations like KinderCare, YMCA, Greenwood Parks

& Rec, etc. - Add OLG as an option on GreatSchools.com and make connections with local Realtors - Partner with Roncalli to support us with recruitment and retaining of students - Uploading and adding teacher activities, posts and pictures weekly to Social Media

platforms - Get involved in INSPIRE Johnson County to help make community connections and

network Accountability: The Director of Advancement, School Principal, leadership team and School Commission will be responsible for helping to achieve this goal. School teachers and families also can aid in promoting OLG School.

Research:

- Larkin, P. (2013). Tweeting the Good News—and Other Ways to Use Social Media. Educational Leadership, 70(7), 70-72. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr13/vol70/num07/Tweeting-the-Good-News%E2%80%94and-Other-Ways-to-Use-Social-Media.aspx

- Schwanke, J. (2020): A Community Outreach Plan for Principals. Principal Success Strategies, 15(9). http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol15/num09/a-community-outreach-plan-for-principals.aspx

Resources: - Marketing budget - Support from local community organizations - Support from Roncalli and Community stakeholders to help promote OLG - Data Trend Reports + Analysis

Parent Communication: Parents will be informed on our progress towards this goal via Social Media posts and the Eagle Flyer (school communication). Spanish communication will also be made available.



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http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr13/vol70/num07/Tweeting-the-Good-News%E2%80%94and-Other-Ways-to-Use-Social-Media.aspx

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr13/vol70/num07/Tweeting-the-Good-News%E2%80%94and-Other-Ways-to-Use-Social-Media.aspx

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol15/num09/a-community-outreach-plan-for-principals.aspx

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol15/num09/a-community-outreach-plan-for-principals.aspx


Appendix

NSBECS Self-Assessment

School Name: Our Lady of the Greenwood School School Location: Greenwood, IN

Name of Principal: Kent Clady Date Completed: 9/4/2020

Rating Scale: 4= Exceeds the Benchmark/ 3= Fully Meets the Benchmark/ 2= Partially Meets the Benchmark/ 1= Does Not Meet the Benchmark

National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools DOMAIN 1: MISSION AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY Standard 1: An excellent Catholic school is guided and driven by a clearly communicated mission that embraces a Catholic Identity rooted in Gospel values, centered on the Eucharist, and committed to faith formation, academic excellence and service.

Ratings (1-4)

2.7

Benchmarks: 1.1 The governing body and the leader/leadership team ensure that the mission statement includes the commitment to Catholic identity.

3.5

1.2 The governing body and the leader/leadership team use the mission statement as the foundation and normative reference for all planning.

3

1.3 The school leader/leadership team regularly calls together the school’s various constituencies (including but not limited to faculty and staff, parents, students, alumni(ae) to clarify, review and renew the school’s mission statement.

2.3

1.4 The mission statement is visible in public places and contained in official documents. 2.8

1.5 All constituents know and understand the mission. 2.2

Standard 2: An excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides a rigorous academic program for religious studies and catechesis in the Catholic faith set within a total academic curriculum that integrates faith culture and life.

3.5

Benchmarks: 2.1 Religious education curriculum and instruction meets the religious education requirements and standards of the (arch)diocese.

4

2.2 Religion classes are an integral part of the academic program in the assignment of teachers, amount of class time and the selection of texts and other curricular materials.

3.5

2.3 Faculty who teach religion meet (arch)diocesan requirements for academic and catechetical preparation and certification to provide effective religion curriculum and instruction.

3.5

2.4 The school’s Catholic identity requires excellence in academic and intellectual formation in all subjects including religious education.

3


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2.5 Faculty use the lenses of Scripture and the Catholic intellectual tradition in all subjects to help students think critically and ethically about the world around them.

2.75

2.6 Catholic culture and faith are expressed in the school through multiple and diverse forms of visual and performing arts, music and architecture.

3.8

2.7 The theory and practice of the Church’s social teachings are essential elements of the curriculum. 3.3

Standard 3: An excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides opportunities outside the classroom for student faith formation, participation in liturgical and communal prayer, and action in service of social justice.

3.3

Benchmarks: 3.1 Every student is offered timely and regular opportunities to learn about and experience the nature and importance of prayer, the Eucharist, and liturgy.

3.6

3.2 Every student is offered timely, regular, and age appropriate opportunities to reflect on their life experiences and faith through retreats and other spiritual experiences.

3

3.3 Every student participates in Christian service programs to promote the lived reality of action in service of social justice.

3.2

3.4 Every student experiences role models of faith and service for social justice among the administrators, faculty and staff.

3.4

Standard 4: An excellent Catholic school adhering to mission provides opportunities for adult faith formation and action in service of social justice.

3

Benchmarks: 4.1 The leader/leadership team provides retreats and other spiritual experiences for the faculty and staff on a regular and timely basis.

2

4.2 The leader/leadership team and faculty assist parents/ guardians in their role as the primary educators of their children in faith.

3

4.3 The leader/leadership team collaborates with other institutions (for example, Catholic Charities, Catholic higher education, religious congregation-sponsored programs) to provide opportunities for parents/ guardians to grow in the knowledge and practice of the faith.

2.8

4.4 All adults in the school community are invited to participate in Christian service programs to promote the lived reality of action in service of social justice.

3

4.5 Every administrator, faculty, and staff member visibly supports the faith life of the school community. 3

DOMAIN 2: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP Standard 5: An excellent Catholic school has a governing body (person or persons) which recognizes and respects the role(s) of the appropriate and legitimate authorities, and exercises responsible decision making (authoritative, consultative, advisory) in collaboration with the leadership team for development and oversight of the school’s fidelity to mission, academic excellence, and operational vitality.

3.4

Benchmarks: 5.1 The governing body, representing the diversity of stakeholders, functions according to its approved constitution and by-laws.

3.2


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5.2 The governing body systematizes the policies of the school’s operations to ensure fidelity to mission, and continuity and sustainability through leadership successions.

3.2

5.3 The governing body, in collaboration with or through the actions of the leader/leadership team, maintains a relationship with the Bishop marked by mutual trust, close cooperation, continuing dialogue, and respect for the Bishop’s legitimate authority.

3.3

5.4 The governing body, in collaboration with or through the actions of the leader/leadership team, maintains a constructive and beneficial relationship with the (arch) diocesan Education Office consistent with (arch)diocesan policy pertaining to the recognition of Catholic schools by the Bishop.

3.3

5.5 In the case of a parish school, the governing body, in collaboration with the leader/leadership team, maintains a relationship with the canonical administrator (pastor or designee of Bishop) marked by mutual trust, close cooperation, and continuing dialogue.

3.7

5.6 The governing body engages in formation and on-going training and self-evaluation for itself and the leadership team to ensure the faithful execution of their respective responsibilities.

3.6

Standard 6: An excellent Catholic school has a qualified leader/leadership team empowered by the governing body to realize and implement the school’s mission and vision.

3.4

Benchmarks: 6.1 The leader/leadership team meets national, state and/or (arch)diocesan requirements for school leadership preparation and licensing to serve as the faith and instructional leader(s) of the school.

3.5

6.2 The leader/leadership team articulates a clear mission and vision for the school, and engages the school community to ensure a school culture that embodies the mission and vision.

3.4

6.3 The leader/leadership team takes responsibility for the development and oversight of personnel, including recruitment, professional growth, faith formation, and formal assessment of faculty and staff in compliance with (arch)diocesan policies and/or religious congregation sponsorship policies.

3.5

6.4 The leader/leadership team establishes and supports networks of collaboration at all levels within the school community to advance excellence.

3.3

6.5 The leader/leadership team directs the development and continuous improvement of curriculum and instruction, and utilizes school-wide data to plan for continued and sustained academic excellence and growth.

3.3

6.6 The leader/leadership team works in collaboration with the governing body to provide an infrastructure of programs and services that ensures the operational vitality of the school.

3.3

6.7 The leader/leadership team assumes responsibility for communicating new initiatives and/or changes to school programs to all constituents.

3.5

DOMAIN 3: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Standard 7: The curriculum adheres to appropriate, delineated standards and is vertically aligned to ensure that every student successfully completes a rigorous and coherent sequence of academic courses based on the standards and rooted in Catholic values.

3.3


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Benchmarks: 7.1 The curriculum adheres to appropriate, delineated standards, and is vertically aligned to ensure that every student successfully completes a rigorous and coherent sequence of academic courses based on the standards and rooted in Catholic values.

3.3

7.2 Standards are adopted across the curriculum, and include integration of the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical dimensions of learning in all subjects.

3.3

7.3 Curriculum and instruction for 21st century learning provide students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to become creative, reflective, literate, critical, and moral evaluators, problem solvers, decision makers, and socially responsible global citizens.

3.3

7.4 Curriculum and instruction for 21st century learning prepares students to become expert users of technology, able to create, publish, and critique digital products that reflect their understanding of the content and their technological skills.

3.2

7.5 Classroom instruction is designed to intentionally address the affective dimensions of learning, such as intellectual and social dispositions, relationship building, and habits of mind.

3.3

7.6 Classroom instruction is designed to engage and motivate all students, addressing the diverse needs and capabilities of each student, and accommodating students with special needs as fully as possible.

3.5

7.7 Faculty collaborate in professional learning communities to develop, implement and continuously improve the effectiveness of the curriculum and instruction to result in high levels of student achievement.

3.4

7.8 The faculty and professional support staff meet (arch) diocesan, state, and/or national requirements for academic preparation and licensing to ensure their capacity to provide effective curriculum and instruction.

3.3

7.9 Faculty and professional support staff demonstrate and continuously improve knowledge and skills necessary for effective instruction, cultural sensitivity, and modeling of Gospel values.

3

7.10 Faculty and staff engage in high quality professional development, including religious formation, and are accountable for implementation that supports student learning.

3.1

Standard 8: An excellent Catholic school uses school-wide assessment methods and practices to document student learning and program effectiveness, to make student performances transparent, and to inform the continuous review of curriculum and the improvement of instructional practices.

3.4

Benchmarks: 8.1 School-wide and student data generated by a variety of tools are used to monitor, review, and evaluate the curriculum and co-curricular programs; to plan for continued and sustained student growth; and to monitor and assess faculty performance.

3.5

8.2 School-wide and aggregated student data are normed to appropriate populations and are shared with all stakeholders.

3.3

8.3 Faculty use a variety of curriculum-based assessments aligned with learning outcomes and instructional practices to assess student learning, including formative, summative, authentic performance, and student self-assessment.

3.5

8.4 Criteria used to evaluate student work and the reporting mechanisms are valid, consistent, transparent, and justly administered.

3.3


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8.5 Faculty collaborate in professional learning communities to monitor individual and class-wide student learning through methods such as common assessments and rubrics.

3.3

Standard 9: An excellent Catholic school provides programs and services aligned with the mission to enrich the academic program and support the development of student and family life.

3.4

Benchmarks: 9.1 School-wide programs for parents/guardians provide opportunities for parents/guardians to partner with school leaders, faculty, and other parents/guardians to enhance the educational experiences for the school community.

3.1

9.2 Guidance services, wellness programs, behavior management programs, and ancillary services provide the necessary support for students to successfully complete the school program.

3.3

9.3 Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities provide opportunities outside the classroom for students to further identify and develop their gifts and talents and to enhance their creative, aesthetic, social/emotional, physical, and spiritual capabilities.

3.7

DOMAIN 4: OPERATIONAL VITALITY Standard 10: An excellent Catholic school provides a feasible three to five-year financial plan that includes both current and projected budgets and is the result of a collaborative process, emphasizing faithful stewardship.

3.3

Benchmarks: 10.1 The governing body and leader/leadership team engage in financial planning in collaboration with experts in nonprofit management and funding.

3.2

10.2 Financial plans include agreed-upon levels of financial investment determined by the partners involved who may include but are not limited to parishes, dioceses, religious orders, educational foundations, the larger Catholic community, and responsible boards.

3.3

10.3 Financial plans define revenue sources that include but are not limited to tuition, tuition assistance/scholarships, endowment funds, local and regional partnerships, public funding, regional cost sharing, (arch)diocesan and/or religious communities’ assistance, foundation gifts, entrepreneurial options and other sources not listed.

3.3

10.4 Financial plans include the delineation of costs for key target areas such as instruction, tuition assistance, administration, professional development, facilities, equipment, technology, program enhancement/expansion, capital projects and other planned projects.

3.2

10.5 Current and projected budgets include a statement of the actual and projected revenue sources, indicating an appropriate balance among revenue sources, and a statement of actual and projected expenditures including the actual cost per child, benchmarked compensation/salary scales, and other health benefits and retirement costs.

3.3

10.6 Financial plans include educational materials for distribution to all members of the community explaining the total cost per child and how that cost is met by identifying the percentage of cost that is paid for by tuition and the remaining amount of cost that is supported by other sources of revenue.

3

10.7 The governing body and leader/leadership team provide families access to information about tuition assistance and long-term planning for tuition and Catholic school expenses.

3.5

10.8 The governing body and leader/leadership team ensure that appropriately developed financial plans and 3.5


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budgets are implemented using current and effective business practices as a means of providing good stewardship of resources.

Standard 11: An excellent Catholic school operates in accord with published human resource/personnel policies developed in compliance with (arch)diocesan and/or religious congregation sponsorship policies, which affect all staff (clergy, religious women and men, laity and volunteers) and provide clarity for responsibilities, expectations and accountability.

2.9

Benchmarks: 11.1 Human resource programs are professionally staffed at the appropriate level (i.e central office, school office) and ensure full compliance with human resource policies.

3.2

11.2 Human resource policies delineate standards for position descriptions including staff responsibilities and qualifications, hiring, compensation, and benefits, as well as standards for professional development, accountability, succession planning and retirement.

3.3

11.3 Human resource policies ensure that competitive and just salaries, benefits, and professional growth opportunities are provided for all staff.

1.7

11.4 Human resource policies ensure that institutional planning includes investment in personnel growth, health care and retirement.

3.3

Standard 12: An excellent Catholic school develops and maintains a facilities, equipment, and technology management plan designed to continuously support the implementation of the educational mission of the school.

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Benchmarks: 12.1 The school’s facilities, equipment, and technology management plan includes objectives to support the delivery of the educational program of the school and accessibility for all students.

2.8

12.2 The school’s budget supports facilities, equipment, and technology management with specific funds for capital improvements, depreciation, and replacement.

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12.3 The school’s purchasing, and physical and technological improvements are, by design, done in alignment with the mission and the school’s planning and curricular goals, and consistent with environmental stewardship.

3.3

Standard 13: An excellent Catholic school enacts a comprehensive plan, based on a compelling mission, for institutional advancement through communications, marketing, enrollment management, and development.

2.3

Benchmarks: 13.1 The communications/marketing plan requires school leader/leadership team and staff person(s) to insure the implementation of contemporary, multiple information technologies to reach targeted audiences, and to establish reliable and secure databases and accountability to stakeholders.

2.6

13.2 The enrollment management plan requires the governing body to review and the school leader/leadership team to supervise annual and continuous measurement and analysis of both enrollment and retention patterns for all student groups.

2.3

13.3 The development plan requires school leader/leadership team, in collaboration with the governing body, to insure that key strategies are in place to identify, grow and maintain significant funding prospects, including alumni(ae), over time and when appropriate.

2


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NSBECS Self-Assessment Analysis

The school teaching staff and stakeholders were broken into 5 sample groups and asked to

complete the NSBECS Self-Assessment within sample groups. Ratings were then averaged

together to create a base score. Groups also were asked to include a reflection within each

standard and domain, highlighting weaknesses and strengths within those areas. Below is a

summary of those findings.

Mission & Catholic Identity: OLG is a faith-filled community that allows students and staff members many opportunities to

practice their faith. Faith-Filled Fridays and daily religion classes are heavily cited strengths of

OLG. However, some areas of concern are related to the communication of the school’s

mission, as many stakeholders note that while the mission statement is a good one and

well-written it is not well-known. Other identified areas of weakness include the need for

outside opportunities for action in service and for social justice as well as retreat opportunities

across grade-levels.

Governance and Leadership: There is a strong leadership team at OLG that is committed to working together to improve the

school and drive instruction. The school principal works closely with the leadership team to

gather input from various stakeholders. Information is well communicated to others.

Academic Excellence:

OLG has been continually recognized as an “A” school (2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020) by

the Indiana Department of Education. The staff does a good job with using various pieces of

data such as NWEA, STAR Literacy, ILEARN, etc. to help inform classroom instruction and

differentiation. The use of data folders helps track student progress throughout the school year

as well as inform future teachers about previous scores. However, our students’ needs are

changing as there is an increase in ELL population and culture changes in school enrollment.

Many stakeholders note professional development on cultural diversity as a major need

towards meeting all students at OLG.

Operational Vitality: While ranked as our lowest domain area, many cite this as an area that is currently improving

with the addition of the role of a Director of Advancement, aimed at aiding the school principal

in achieving many of the benchmarks within the realm of Operational Vitality. The most cited

weakness is the lack of competitive salaries and the lack of raises for the 2020-2021 school


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year. Marketing of the school and retention of students is also an area of concern. Additionally,

technology also was cited as a common frustration.

Annual Student Performance Data Due to COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of a Spring 2020 ILEARN Assessment, there was no “current” ILEARN data

available for use. NWEA assessments, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) are used as a benchmark assessment

and administered to all students in grades Kindergarten through Eight annually in Fall, Winter and Spring. NWEA is

used to monitor student growth and progress as well as placement into leveled math and reading groups.

NWEA helps set student achievement norms with an RIT score; these norms have been updated in 2020 (See 2020

Achievement Norms table below). The RIT data and Student Achievement Norms from NWEA is used to establish

individual student goals in math and reading that will help lead students to reach projected growth by the end of

the year as well as identify areas of need and intervention. A school-wide goal for reading is for students to achieve

or exceed the grade-level NWEA Reading Norm. Likewise, the school-wide goal for mathematics is to reach or

exceed the NWEA Mathematics grade-level norm.

NWEA 2020 Reading + Mathematics Norms

Table Taken from 2020 NWEA MAP Growth normative data

overview:https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/MAPGrowthNormativeDataOverview.pdf

Fall 2020 NWEA Reading Scores help create a base-line for the upcoming school year. Below is

the breakdown of overall performance NWEA Reading for students in the Fall of 2020.

Kindergarten Reading Fall 2020

Norm grade level RIT - 136.6

Students at or above Norm grade level Mean RIT - 24 of 27 (88.9%)


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https://teach.mapnwea.org/impl/MAPGrowthNormativeDataOverview.pdf


Grade 1 Reading Fall 2020


Students at or above Norm Grade Level Mean RIT - 21 of 33 (63.6%)















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Students at or above Norm Grade Level Mean RIT - 20 of 29 (69%)





Norm grade level RIT - 218


NWEA Reading Fall 2019- Fall 2020 Growth Reports The most widely used MAP Report is the Achievement Status and Growth Projection Summary. This report helps

compare two terms (Fall 2019 and Fall 2020) to access student growth relative to national norms. This MAP report

includes specific student data; below is a recreation of the analysis of the percentage of students who met or

exceeded their projected RIT from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 (without student data).


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Fall 2020 NWEA Mathematics Scores help create a base-line for the upcoming school year.

Below is the breakdown of overall performance NWEA Mathematics for students in the Fall 2020.

Kindergarten Mathematics Fall 2020



Grade 1 Mathematics Fall 2020


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Students at or above Norm Grade Level Mean RIT - 18 of 24 (75%)


Norm grade level RIT - 199.5 9






27











NWEA Mathematics Fall 2019- Fall 2020 Growth Reports The most widely used MAP Report is the Achievement Status and Growth Projection Summary. This report helps

compare two terms (Fall 2019 and Fall 2020) to access student growth relative to national norms. This MAP report

includes specific student data; below is a recreation of the analysis of the percentage of students who met or

exceeded their projected RIT from Fall 2019 to Fall 2020 (without student data).


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ILEARN Overview Spring 2019


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ILEARN English/Language Arts Spring 2019


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ILEARN Math Spring 2019


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STAR Literacy Assessment 1st Quarter (August/September 2020) STAR Reading scores represent how students performed on the test compared with the performance of a nationally representative sample of students, called the norms group. These scores present a snapshot of achievement at a specific point in time.

Percentile rank (PR) = a norm-referenced score that provides a measure of a student’s reading ability compared to other

students in the same grade nationally.

Grade equivalent (GE) = a norm-referenced score that represents how a student’s test performance compares with other

students nationally. For example, a fifth-grade student with a GE score of 7.6 performed as well as a typical seventh-grader

after the sixth month of the school year.

Instructional reading level (IRL) = a criterion-referenced score that indicates the highest reading level at which a student is at

at least 80 percent proficient at recognizing words and understanding material with instructional assistance.


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Analysis of Annual Performance Data

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of a Spring 2020 ILEARN Assessment, it was hard to use

ILEARN data to measure growth as 2018-2019 was the first year and the baseline for the “new” ILEARN

state-standardized assessment. Additionally, no NWEA Spring 2020 benchmark assessments were given,

so growth data is based on the Winter of 2019. As with any test, it is important to remember that many

factors can affect a student’s test scores. Achievement gaps and low growth also could be attributed to

the situations of the pandemic and distance learning as well as lack of educational materials at home

(during eLearning). Test scores give only one picture of how a student is doing in school.

Nonetheless, reading is identified as an area of strength at OLG. NWEA Reading Fall 2020 data suggests

that students are measuring on par with established grade-level norms. However, growth reports

suggest that students are not meeting growth expectations from the Fall 2019 to the Fall 2020. While

not included in this report as they contain specific student-data, MAP Class Reports further identify

vocabulary as a key area of improvement. The STAR Literacy report indicates that at the beginning of the

2020-2021 school year only 56% of students scored reading at grade-level. This has been addressed in

the Academic Excellence Goal #2.

Math continues to be an area of struggle for students at OLG. NWEA Math Fall 2020 data suggests that

students are measuring on par with established grade-level norms. At least 50% of students are at or

above the math norm-grade level mean RIT. Like Reading, though, the percentage of students not

meeting growth expectations from the Fall 2019 to Fall of 2020 is high; on average about only 30% of

students in each grade level met growth expectations. MAP Class Reports and analysis further identify

two specific areas of weakness: number sense, and measurement and data analysis. The Math goal

(Academic Excellence Goal #3) aims to address these issues.


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Satisfaction Surveys + Analysis Parent Scores Conducted in the Fall of 2019, a virtual survey was sent out to all parents and community members using the eProve/Cognia platform (required by the Archdiocese). Below is an overview of the results from parents.

Student Scores Conducted in the Fall of 2019, a virtual survey was randomly given to students in grades 5 to 8 on the eProve/Cognia platform (required by the Archdiocese). Below is an overview of the results from students.


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Analysis The results of the parent and student surveys match the results from the staff NSBECS Self-Assessment. For both parents and students, OLG ranks above the network average and scores above a 4. Additionally, both parents and students cite school leadership (aka the school principal) has a major area of strength (highest performing item). Furthermore, the OLG religion program and religion classes also score high for both parents and students, as well as ranking as the highest domain on the NSBECS Self-Assessment survey. This further supports the notion that the Catholic faith and mission plays a pivotal role at OLG. Interestingly, while cited as “lowest performing items” none of the performing items are of staggering concern--as there is no rank below a 3.5. This means that a majority of respondents either agree or strongly agree with the item statement. For students, the lowest ranked item C5, “In all subjects, teachers help students think about how Gospel values and Catholic beliefs can help to make the world a better place.” This specific point is addressed in the Mission and Catholic Identity Goal (goal #1). For parents, the lowest ranked item C36, “Our school consistently shares its financial plan with the school community.” This was also a point made in the NSBECS Self-Assessment, and is often cited as a weakness. While not currently addressed in our School Improvement Plan, this item is addressed in our school Strategic Plan. OLG aims to make a more visible and concrete fiscal plan that is shared with the school community.


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school improvement plan 2020-2023

Documents