Southwest Middle School 2011-2012

1. Southwest Middle School2011-2012 A new beginning In Retrospect

2. Leadership Team 2011-2012 Members: Dr. Jean Jordan-Principal Dave Ware-Seventh Grade Science Penny Hagen-Special Ed. Jackie Cromwell-Olson, Seventh Grade Science/ATTPS Site Coordinator Sue Ellis, ELL/ATPPS K-12 ELL Leader Krystal Falk, Art Krista Ahnemann, Sixth Grade English-Language Arts Jill Nelson- Sixth Grade Math SW/ATPPS Math PLC Coordinator Janece Birch-Sixth Grade English-Language Arts SW/ATPPS ELA PLC Coordinator Wendy Greenfield-Seventh Grade Social Studies SW/ATPPS SS PLC Coordinator Chris Withers, Sixth Grade, Science

3. Our Mission: Create a new middle school designed for 6th-7th Grade Students that meets our District AIMS. Our school will be safe and welcoming. Our school will provide increased opportunities. Students will be able to achieve to the best of their abilities.We will run effectively and efficiently.

4. School Rules Created by Our Students 2011-2012 • Inspire All and Have Fun! • Have Tiger Pride I will respect myself, the community and the school. • Be your Best! These were created by all students on the first day of school.

5. Organizational structures We returned to a Middle School Model • Allowing for team teaching • Creating a more flexible schedule • Makes it easier for Interdisciplinary units • Building stronger more meaningful relationships with students • Decreasing the number of transitions the students need to make • Creating a “Home Base” for each team Parent Survey February 2012 95% agreed or strongly agreed My student has benefited from working with a teach of teachers. Safe and Welcoming Increased Opportunity and Achievement

6. These are STILL our Kids!

7. Adult Advocate for Every Student-Advisory One adult and a small group of students have an opportunity to interact on a scheduled basis in order to provide a caring environment for academic guidance and support, everyday administrative details, recognition and activities to promote citizenship. National Middle School Association (NMSA)

8. Advisory We sent five teachers to Developmental Designs (middle school version of Responsive Classroom) in the summer of 2011. Those teachers worked to create a curriculum for all teachers to use each day and planned our first day of school for all students. This summer we have four more teachers scheduled to take the Developmental Designs training.

9. Cognitive Curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory. • Interdisciplinary units (this was challenging) • Math & Reading Classes will be created that are above grade level, at grade level and at intervention level. (New Reading Curriculum changes things for next year) • Electives (adding one for seventh grade next year) • Exploratory Days-Extended class periods/special days devoted to pursuit of activities outside of regular curriculum • Flexible schedule (tough to really do) • Ability to move kids based upon needs—flexible grouping (yes!) • Opportunity for students to mix with students from other teams • Offer possibilities of clubs-Science, Math, etc.. (after school programing. ) • Offer opportunity to explore topics in more depth (one hour classes!) • Parent Survey Feb. 2012 88% agreed or strongly agreed • I am satisfied with my child’s overall academic progress in this school. • Increased Opportunity and Achievement

10. Positives for Special Education-Increased Teaming • Students with disabilities are classmates first and members of a special education population second. • Facilitates appropriate social behavior • Promotes levels of higher achievement • Promotes better understanding of similarities among students • Safe and Welcoming Increased Opportunity and Achievement

11. School –initiated family and community partnerships. • Reestablished a Parent Volunteer Group (GREAT role in the Tiger Trot) • Advisory program will have a more active role • Have student-led conferences with the potential to have students share their work on an electronic platform via the smartboard (just started this last conferences.) • Extra Curricular Opportunities • 7th and 8th grade students will continue to have athletic practices here at Southwest. 8th grade students will be bussed over from the High School • 6th grade may have after school opportunities through Park & Rec, Community Education and the school district. (Challenging)

12. An orientation that will welcome the incoming 6th and 7th graders Current 5th graders have come and visited the building in May and will come again in August.

13. Great things to continue…. • Our school wide Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) “Paw”sitives Success Tags • Tiger Trot • All-school Dodge Ball Tournament • Trip to the Guthrie Theatre • Rendezvous and the Capitol Trip for the Sixth Graders • Spring Play

14. Shared Vision that guides decisions. • Essential Outcomes work became more important as the year unfolded. SW has completed EO work in math, English, science and Social Studies. Common Assessment worked is ongoing. • New grading system reflecting our essential outcomes work we will be ready for school year 2012-2013. • Much of what we created will continue—bell schedule will be adjusted!

15. Parent Comments: • My daughter has blossomed at SW this year! • I want to tell you how much my son has loved school this year. He has been challenged and loves it. • I just wanted to let you know what wonderful staff you have working for you.  Parent Survey 2012 97% of parents agreed/strongly agreed. My student’s teacher believes he or she can do well in school.

16. Goals for next year: • Continue to improve advisory time. • Continue essential outcomes/common assessment work. • Implement new grading policy. • Improve academic achievement scores . • Improve overall student respect of teachers and each other. • Change our sign for silence (biggest regret). We are polishing our gem!