Academic Mission

Think of this in the military sense. If a team of Navy Seals is sent on a mission, they know exactly what they are to accomplish and how success will be determined.

This is a reasonable and attainable level of student achievement that the faculty identifies and accepts the responsibility to achieve. It sets a bar that is raised when the level of achievement is consistently achieved.

The academic mission is displayed in every classroom, the school lobby and in other prominent locations throughout the school.

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Instructional Teams

These are groups of teachers who teach the same grade level or the same subject matter. The CIS requires teachers to work in collaborative teams.

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Core Commitments

These statements are written by the faculty. They identify specific and observable behaviors that educators commit to exhibit as they work to accomplish the academic mission.

This document is displayed in every classroom, the school lobby and in other prominent locations throughout the school.

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Operational Sequence

The activities included in these components are critical to the successful implementation and operation of the CIS.

• The CIS spreads the responsibility for effective leadership over administrators and faculty members. No individual can do all that must be done.
• The curriculum is set by state standards and instruction is based on research proven instructional strategies and materials.
• Teachers create common assessments that mirror the end of year high-stakes test in content, language, format and rigor.
• Data is collected at three levels: (1) from individual classrooms, (2) across a grade level or subject matter and (3) on individual students. The timely and accurate depiction of this data is used to drive instruction.
• Administrators evaluate teacher performance in both instructional and non-instructional activities. This process is used in job status decisions.

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Tools

• The instructional teams, the leadership team and the faculty meet on a regular basis and follow agendas that include standing items focused on the teaching/learning process.
• The standing agenda items address up-coming curriculum, common assessments, achievement data, instructional strategies and plans for assisting students who are not performing at the level identified in the academic mission.
• Instructional teams collaborate to create a flexible schedule for curriculum and assessments. The calendars are focused on the performance objectives identified in the state standards. The only reference to a textbook is to identify the location of the objective in the text. This document is displayed in classrooms.
• There is an on-going dialogue among administrators, teachers and curriculum/instruction specialists. The primary focus is proven strategies and materials.
• Instructional teams collaborate to create assessments that are used by all teachers in a grade level or subject. The assessments are constructed in a way that makes it easy for teachers to identify specific objectives that students are having difficulty in mastering.
• The teachers use the error analysis form to identify the types of errors students are making and plan enrichment/re-teach activities.
• The classroom data charts are the primary tool used by the instructional team during data dialogue meetings.  These charts depict the level of student achievement in any given classroom.  These charts are posted beside the instructional calendar in each classroom.  This allows the principal to, within seconds, determine what has been taught and how well the students mastered the content.
• The grade level/subject data charts are the primary tool used by the leadership team during their meetings.  These charts depict the level of student achievement across a grade level or within a given subject.  The charts are posted in the room where the leadership team meets and they create a clear picture of student achievement across the school.  The classroom data collection forms are posted below each chart and allow the leadership team to monitor achievement levels in individual classrooms.
• Students monitor their own progress through the use of individual data charts.  These are important tools that teachers can use during a parent conference.
• Teachers are never evaluated based on student achievement data although this data may alert an administrator to ineffective instruction and cause the administrator to observe a specific classroom.
• The professional development needs are identified by the faculty and the training occurs at the school. Administrators monitor the effective use of new skills.

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"Dr. Fred Skoglund created and implemented an excellent continuous improvement model. It is a model for K-12 schools nation wide. As a consultant for the Iowa State University SIM center, he proved himself to be a skilled writer, facilitator, trainer and a delightful colleague."      Dr. Dick Manatt      Director, School Improvement Model Center - Retired      Ames, Iowa