Standards Assessment Report October 6, 2009

System SPT members facilitated the work for each of the seven standards ~ SACS Executive Committee Standard One ~ Dr. Monica Kearse Standard Two ~ Mrs. Bari Geeslin Standard Three ~ Mr. Donnie Smith Standard Four ~ Ms. Gayla Braziel Standard Five ~ Ms. Carolyn Brown Standard Six ~ Ms. Natacha Merritt and Mr. Chris

Usrey Standard Seven ~ Mrs. Barbee Cowan

The District Committee included stakeholders from every school. The District Committee included school and system-based representatives for every SACS standard. This Committee was chaired by Executive Committee Members.

Evidence was gathered through a ‘carousel activity’ which was completed by the District Committee and then by each school. This led to the gathering and compilation of evidence for the individual schools’ SARs and was compiled by the committee for the system SAR.

SCS District SACS Committee members found evidence to designate each standard OPERATIONAL.

HIGHLIGHTS Parent/Stakeholder Survey via

website and hardcopy 1.1, 1.2 Community Input with Organizations

via Luncheons, Meetings 1.1, 1.2 District’s Mission and Vision

Announced Daily and at Athletic Events 1.2

Character Based Curriculum – I CARE 1.5

Nine Weeks Expectations Communicated to Parents and Students 1.3

Public Relations via Newsletters, Media, etc. 1.2

Career, Technical & Agricultural Education (CTAE), After School Time Enrichment Program (ASTEP), Reading First Program 1.5

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Parent/Teacher Conferences, Open House, PTO, Parent Workshops, and School Councils 1.2

Study Groups , Data Driven Instruction, Student Performance Team Observations, Vertical Alignment Teams, Leadership Team Meetings 1.3, 1.5, 1.6

Involvement of Community Partners in Education 1.3

District Leadership Academies and Institute 1.3

Parents are Informed about Student Progress via Progress Reports, Report Cards, TestGate/Elements Results, and Standardized Test Results 1.4

BOE Administrative Retreat and BOE Retreat 1.6

Schools Develop and Review School Improvement Plans Each Year 1.3

ARTIFACTS Communicated Mission, Vision and

Commitment Statements 1.1, 1.2 System Leadership Expectations and

The SCS Way 1.3 Stakeholders Input/Feedback for

Vision and Purpose via Stakeholder Surveys on District Website and Hardcopies 1.1, 1.4

SACS Standard One – Vision and Purpose Committee Meeting Minutes 1.1

Nine Weeks Expectations 1.2, 1.5 Data Gathered During Focus Walks

1.5 School Profile Updated Annually 1.6

EVIDENCE Safe and Orderly Schools 1.5 Improved Relationships Between

School System and Community 1.4 Alert Now/Shout Point, School

Marquees, School Web Pages are used to Communicate to Students, Parents and the Community 1.2, 1.4, 1.5

I CARE Monthly Reports of Parental Involvement 1.4

Teachers and Students Speak the Language of the Standards 1.5

Teachers Participate in Professional Learning Relevant to System’s Vision and Purpose 1.5

HIGHLIGHTS

Superintendent’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meetings 2.5, 2.12

District Grant Writer 2.5 Energy Conservation 2.5 Performance Learning Center and

Early College 2.9 LEAP Mentor Partnership 2.9 Archway Project 2.11, 2.12 BOE Retreat with School

Administrators 2.11 Superintendent’s Community

Involvement 2.11, 2.12

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

SPT Teacher Touch-Base 2.1 Principal’s Budget Meetings 2.5 Monthly Administrative Meetings 2.1 Student Performance Team (SPT) 2.8 Leadership Academies and Summer

Institute 2.8 System Content Area Vertical

Alignment Teams 2.10 School Improvement Plan Review

2.13

ARTIFACTS

Organizational Chart 2.1, 2.2 District Personnel Manual 2.1 Student Performance Team Feedback

to Schools 2.3, 2.8 Insurance Declaration 2.7 District Policies ~ 2.1 Manual Website Personnel Evaluation Plan 2.13

EVIDENCE

BOE Subcommittees 2.1 Designated System Personnel 2.3

Human Resources and Student Services, Finance, Student Performance, Professional Learning, Federal Programs, Special Education, Assessment, Technology, Extended Day and Year Programs, Public Relations & Energy Conservation

School and System-Based Leadership Team 2.3, 2.4, 2.5

Budget Allocation for Legal Counsel 2.6

Developing Leadership Capacity 2.8, 2.13 School Improvement Plan Reviews Principal’s Evaluation

HIGHLIGHTS Nine Weeks Expectations for Learning

– Parent Brochures 3.1 TestGate /Elements 3.3 Reading First Program 3.4 Primary/Elementary School

Academies 3.4, 3.5, 3.9 Academic/Graduation Coaches 3.5 Alternative Learning Programs (Early

College, Performance Learning Center, Crossroads Academy) 3.5, 3.8

SPT (Student Performance Teams) - both school and system-level 3.7

District Vertical Alignment Teams 3.7,3.9

Classroom Technology/Technology Integration 3.11

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Professional Learning, including study groups 3.1, 3.3, 3.4

Co-teaching and Inclusion 3.4, 3.5 English to Speakers of other Languages

(ESOL), Early Intervention Program (EIP), Response to Intervention (RTI), Student Support Team (SST), Gifted Education 3.5

Dual Enrollment with Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) and South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) 3.7

Teacher/Student Advisement Program for 6-12, LEAP Mentoring Program, School Counseling Program, and School Social Workers 3.7, 3.8

PASS (Promoting Academic Student Success) – Credit Recovery and After School Time Enrichment Program (ASTEP) 3.8

The SCS Way and Protected Instructional Time throughout the district 3.6

ARTIFACTS

Data Rooms 3.1 School Improvement Plans 3.3,

3.10 Lesson Plans, Instructional

Frameworks, Performance Tasks & Curriculum Maps 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 3.10

Master/Class Schedules 3.9 Technology Inventory, Computer

Labs; Computers, Interactive Boards, LCD Projectors in Classrooms 3.11

Nine Weeks Expectations for Learning• Parent Brochures and Letters 3.1

EVIDENCE

Assessment Results are used to Document Growth Evidenced in School Improvement Plans and Profiles 3.3

Stakeholder Survey Results 3.9 Technology Plans 3.11 AYP Results 3.1.3.3 Student Performance Team (SPT)

Focus Walks and Feedback 3.2, 3.4 Evaluation of Professional Learning

Activities 3.1, 3.4, 3.10 The SCS Way 3.2

HIGHLIGHTS District Assessment System 4.1, 4.7

- TestGate/Elements Collaborative Meetings 4.2, 4.4, 4.5

Vertical and Horizontal Teacher Support 4.2, 4.4

Academic Coaches (K-12) Student Support During and After

School 4.2, 4.3 After School Programs (K-12) Graduation Coaches (6-12) Safety Nets – Extended Learning Time; Panther

Period Alternative Education Programs 4.2,

4.3 Technology in Schools 4.2, 4.3

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Data Driven Decision Making 4.6, 4.2, 4.3 School Improvement Plans SMART Goals Professional Learning

Curriculum Mapping, Use of Instructional Frameworks 4.1, 4.2

Collaborative Planning 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 Common Assessments Instructional Planning

• Communicating Results to All Stakeholders 4.4, 4.6, 4.7 Posting data in schools & on web-pages Civic Organizations, School Councils Board of Education Reports System/School Leaders (SPT)/ Coaches/

Teachers Infinite Campus, TestGate/Elements

(secure portal log-in) Common reporting method

Progress Reports/ Report Cards Wednesday Communication

Folder

ARTIFACTS School Improvement Plans/SMART

Goals 4.2, 4.6 Nine Weeks

Expectations/Curriculum Maps 4.1, 4.2

Pre-Post Test Results/Silver Bullets/Plan for Improvement 4.1, 4.2, 4.3

Assessment Analysis: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6 Student work with commentary Comparative /Trend

Assessment Data School Based Data

Agendas and Minutes from Data Driven Meetings 4.2

Data Notebooks 4.2, 4.4

EVIDENCE Aligned Curriculum Maps, Nine Weeks

Expectations, Assessments 4.1, 4.2 Data-Driven Team Meetings 4.2

SPT Focus Walks Horizontal/Vertical Team Meeting Joint Department Meeting School-based Department and

Team Meetings Professional Learning

Data Rooms 4.3, 4.7 Observation Instrument Data 4.3, 4.6

Focus Walks Data 4.5, 4.6

State, RESA, District, School AYP reports Graduation Rate/Drop Out Rate

HIGHLIGHTS

Teacher Induction Program 5.1 Early Release for Professional

Learning 5.3 SPLOST 5.10 School and System Student

Performance Teams 5.1 E-Rate 5.10 Alternative Education Programs 5.11 Partners in Education 5.12 I CARE 5.12

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Focus Walks 5.3 Leadership Academies and Institute

5.3 Study Groups 5.3 School Safety Audits 5.7 Wednesday Communications Folders

5.12 Academic Coaches 5.2 Annual Budget Development 5.5

ARTIFACTS

Professional Learning Agendas, Sign-In Sheets & Evaluations 5.2

School and District brochures 5.1 LEAP Mentor Logs 5.12 Parent Conference Logs 5.12 Minutes from School Student

Performance Team Meetings and Study Groups 5.3

Professional Learning Plan 5.3 Facilities Plan 5.7 Emergency Plans 5.8

EVIDENCE

FTE Trend Data 5.5 Security Cameras 5.9 21st Century Technology Classrooms

5.10 Social Workers , Nurses and

Counselors 5.11 Graduation Coaches 5.11 STAR Program 5.11 School Resource Officers 5.12 SWD Accountability Specialist 5.11,

5.12

HIGHLIGHTS

Community Committees 6.1, 6.2 Mentors Chamber of Commerce Rotary Literacy Action Team

District Public Relations 6.2, 6.5 District and School Websites Kids Under Construction Archway Project Work-Based Learning

Superintendent Advisory Committee Meetings 6.3 Teachers Parents Support Staff including Nutrition,

Maintenance, Clerical, and Transportation

Automated Alert System (Shout Point/Alert Now) 6.2

PROCESSES & PRACTICES

Use Of Newspaper, Radio, Television, Marquees and Websites 6.4

School Data Rooms 6.4, 6.5 Stakeholder Surveys 6.1 District Open Door Policy 6.3 Response to Intervention 6.1 Annual District Preplanning meeting

6.2, 6.4, 6.5

ARTIFACTS School and District Websites 6.2 Student Handbooks 6.2 I CARE Parent Feedback Forms 6.4 Stakeholder Surveys 6.1 School Newspapers / District

Newsletters 6.1 Agendas from PTO, School Councils

6.2, 6.3 Uniform Dress Code Policy 6.3 Wednesday Communication Folders

6.5, 6.5 System Calendar 6.3

EVIDENCE Superintendent Advisory Committees

6.5 District / School SPT Teams 6.3 School Councils 6.3, 6.5 Partners in Education 6.3 Academy Concept K-5 6.2 Parent Involvement Opportunities 6.3,

6.4, 6.5 Parent Workshops

GHSGT/CRCT PTO Panther Club School-Based Volunteers

HIGHLIGHTS

SCS Six-Step Process 7.1 Student Performance Teams 7.3 The SCS Way 7.3 Leadership Academies/ Summer

Institute 7.5, 7.9 TestGate/Elements 7.4 Data Rooms 7.1 Weekly Communication Folders7.2 Superintendent Advisory Committees

7.2 GLISI /RESA/ PLP 7.9

PROCESSES AND PRACTICES

Midyear Progress Check; End of Year SIP Presentations 7.4, 7.7

Principals Evaluation -Leadership Expectations 7.6, 7.7

Common Formative Assessments 7.4 Focus Walks 7.7, 7.9 Early Release Days 7.8 Academic Coaching 7.5, 7.9 Vertical/Horizontal Teaming 7.3, 7.7 Variety of Data Analyzed 7.4

ARTIFACTS

Continuous Improvement Plan 7.1 School Improvement Plans Aligned To

District Plan 7.4 Test Gate Results Posted/ Published

7.7 Alternate Schedules for Early Release

Days and Special Programs 7.6, 7.8 Data; Achievement, Attendance,

Discipline 7.1, 7.7

EVIDENCE

AYP Reports 7.7 Graduation Rate 7.3 Distinguished Title I Schools 7.1 Core Knowledge and Microsociety

Academies 7.1 TestGate/Elements Pre and Post Test

Results 7.4 Communication Folders/Agendas 7.2 Attendance/ Discipline Referrals 7.7,

7.9