Tennessee Connections Academy Johnson County 9-12 Export Export
Goals
G 1 Reading/Language Arts
In the 2020-2021 school year, Tennessee Connections Academy will meet or exceed the AMO's for those students scoring "On-Track" or "Mastered in Reading for all students and in each of the accountability groups.
Grade 2: 36.2% (double AMO: 38.4%)
Grades 3-5: 35.2% (double AMO: 39.5%)
Grades 6-8: 31.8% (double AMO: 36.3%)
Grades 9-12: 31.5% (double AMO: 36%)
For BHN:
Grade 2: 18.4% (double AMO 19.5%)
Grades 3-5: 24.6% (double AMO: 29.7%)
Grades 6-8: 21.1% (Double AMO: 26.3%)
Grades 9-12: 15.3% (double AMO: 21%)
For ED:
Grade 2: 20.1% (double AMO 21.3%)
Grades 3-5: 23.7% (double AMO: 28.8%)
Grades 6-8: 19.8% (double AMO: 25.1%)
Grades 9-12: 19.4% (double AMO: 24.8%)
For SWD:
Grade 2: 14.2% (double AMO 15.1%)
Grades 3-5: 16.4% (double AMO: 22%)
Grades 6-8: 13% (double AMO: 18.8%)
Grades 9-12: 10.4% (double AMO: 16.4%)
For EL:
Grade 2: 9.1% (double AMO: 9.7%)
Grades 3-5: 20.2% (double AMO: 25.5%)
Grades 6-8: 12.1% (double AMO: 17.9%)
Grades 9-12: 7.8% (double AMO: 14%)
Performance Measure
For the achievement measure, the percentage of students, in the aggregate and for each subgroup (BHN, ED, SWD, and EL), who score "On-Track" or "Mastered" in ELA on the State's assessment will be the performance measure. For the growth measure, the TVAAS growth metric for all students and for those in each subgroup will be the performance measure.
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
S 1.1 Before/after/summer school activities if appropriate
School Goal: Tennessee Connections Academy will provide opportunities to enroll students in a support program (SISP) over the summer to help improve reading achievement and prevent students from starting the following school year behind or off track from their classmates.
Benchmark Indicator
For summer school programs, all students and students in each of the subgroups are recommended by school administrators to participate based on if students received a grade of a D or F in the second semester courses as well as those students that are currently identified in tier 2 or 3.
A 1.1.1 Summer SISP Enrollment
Students will be monitored for their course completion throughout the year as well as the tri-annual intervention screening with STAR360. Students and their learning coaches will be contacted in April and May if they are failing their courses or have a grade of lower than a C. Student who are currently identified in tier 2 and 3 will also be recommended into the summer SISP (Student intervention Support Program). The enrollment and participation in the summer program is voluntary by the parents and student. The team will provide participation and engagement incentives to be awarded at the end of the summer.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Christensen | 2021-09-21 |
|
S 1.2 High-quality professional development of instructional staff in reading/literacy
All staff will be trained in best practice strategies for increasing student engagement through quality instruction to improve student reading, literacy and comprehension. Components of content-relevant strategies will include whole group, small group and one-on-one conferencing to meet the individual needs of all students. Training on the effectiveness of increased student engagement in relation to student achievement will be offered.
Benchmark Indicator
Tennessee Connections Academy will utilize School Year Cycle Participation and Mastery metrics to measure progress of support from both the school level and from the company level support offered. The School Year Cycle Metrics are contained in a Status or Radar Report. This Excel spreadsheet is an organized, easy-to-use template that provides school staff with pre-filtered and pre-sorted views of key school year metric data. The STATUS version displays counts and percents of students by school, grade band, and homeroom teacher. The RADAR version displays students by homeroom teacher. The metrics that are displayed included attendance, participation or contacts with the teacher, and grades.
A 1.2.1 Teacher Professional Development
All certified ELA staff will participate in professional development and other forms of collaboration to support lesson development and the use of best practice literacy strategies to support improving student engagement. They will utilize the professional development series of training provided by Connections Academy as well as outside sources for high quality professional development.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer | 2020-09-18 |
S 1.3 Reading intervention and supplemental supports
Reading interventions with supplemental supports are implemented at each school based on student needs:
· Tier 1 remediation of standards
· Tier 1 enrichment of standards
· Tier 2 skill development in basic reading, fluency, and/or comprehension
· Tier 3 skill development in basic reading, fluency, and/or comprehension
· Skills-based intervention (special education intervention if determined LRE by IEP) skill development in basic reading, fluency, and/or comprehension
School Level: Tennessee Connections Academy will review all students' current level of reading proficiency and then provide academic interventions and focused supplemental supports to increase student achievement and to close gaps in reading
Benchmark Indicator
If we provide differentiated instruction in small group settings based on identified student needs, monitor the fidelity of intervention for 80% or higher levels of implementation, and monitor student growth through common assessments and/or progress monitoring, then students will show higher levels of proficiency on winter and spring universal screening measures which will result in less students falling below the 25th percentile compared to prior year’s spring cohort scores.
If schools identify students not showing growth during a review of student data in the winter screening, then school level data teams will look at what adjustment needs to be made to strengthen intervention implementation or student placement in intervention which will result in identified students showing higher levels of proficiency on spring universal screening measures compared to fall and winter scores for the school year.
Tennessee Connections Academy will use data from the Renaissance Star 360 Universal Screener and informal Curriculum Based Assessments (CBA) completed during the months of August and September to determine levels of proficiency.
A 1.3.1 Accountability and conversations about data
Staff will monitor student progress through formative and summative assessments. Staff will meet regularly in departments to discuss student progress, analyze assessments and student work, and collaborate to increase student achievement. Students requiring additional assistance and interventions will be identified and plans will be formed for these students as necessary.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer | 2021-09-01 |
S 1.4 Address district or school achievement issues
Tennessee Connections Academy will implement activities in order to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment for optimizing student learning.
Benchmark Indicator
Teacher leaders will be identified by district curriculum supervisors and school administrators in every grade level and core academic area by May 2020. These individuals will work collaboratively in examining curriculum, reviewing pacing guides, and developing benchmark assessments. PLC documentation is submitted to school administrators at least bi-weekly. This documentation will be monitored by the district team at least once per semester.
Tennessee Connections Academy will utilize the data within the Connexus system and Universal Screening data to track and analyze the student and teacher data to help measure the progress of supports in place.
A 1.4.1 Teacher Observation and Feedback
All teachers who are providing reading instruction will have LiveLesson observations of their reading instruction and be provided feedback from their direct manager and also the Assistant Principal. A live lesson is the format for teaching within the virtual environment. We use a platform through Adobe Connect and the teacher can connect and have a virtual lesson with their students. The teacher is able to see the students through use of a webcam and the students have the ability to pose questions through a mic or chat box. Observations are done by viewing the recorded link from the teacher's live lesson archive. Teachers will also be observed using the Team rubric.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer | 2021-09-30 |
S 1.5 High Quality Instructional Materials
Tennessee Connections Academy will provide high-quality instructional materials to teachers with the necessary tools and resources they need to prepare and deliver strong lessons that align to high academic standards and boost student achievement and outcomes.
Benchmark Indicator
Tennessee Connections Academy has adopted a new version of the curriculum called Polaris and is being integrated into several of the courses, including 3-8 Science Courses, 3-5 Social Studies Courses, and 6-8 English Language Arts Courses. These new courses provide an integrated SEL component and more rigorous connections with the learning standards. Throughout the transition to Polaris courses we will meet as a leadership team to address any gaps that is needing to be filled in the current curriculum or any issues that arise with the new Polaris courses.
A 1.5.1 Curriculum Reviews and Polaris upgrades
Tennessee Connections Academy has adopted a new version of the curriculum called Polaris and is being integrated into several of the courses, including 3-8 Science Courses, 3-5 Social Studies Courses, and 6-8 English Language Arts Courses. These new courses provide an integrated SEL component and more rigorous connections with the learning standards. Throughout the transition to Polaris courses we will meet as a leadership team to address any gaps that is needing to be filled in the current curriculum or any issues that arise with the new Polaris courses.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Sanborn | 2020-09-18 |
G 2 Mathematics
In the 2020-2021 school year, Tennessee Connections Academy will meet or exceed the AMO's for those students scoring "On-Track" or "Mastered in Reading for all students and in each of the accountability groups.
Grades 3-5: 36.4% (double AMO: 40.7%)
Grades 6-8: 35.5% (double AMO: 39.8%)
Grades 9-12: 26.6% (double AMO: 31.5%)
For ED, your AMOs are:
Grades 3-5: 24% (double AMO: 29.5%)
Grades 6-8: 23.7% (double AMO: 28.8%)
Grades 9-12: 14.8% (double AMO: 20.5%)
For SWD, your AMOs are:
Grades 3-5: 18.9% (double AMO: 24.3%)
Grades 6-8: 15.3% (double AMO: 21%)
Grades 9-12: 11.5% (double AMO: 17.4%)
For BHN, your AMOs are:
Grades 3-5: 23.8% (double AMO: 28.9%)
Grades 6-8: 21.2% (double AMO: 26.4%)
Grades 9-12: 14.9% (double AMO: 20.6%)
For EL, your AMOs are:
Grades 3-5: 23.1% (double AMO: 28.3%)
Grades 6-8: 17.3% (double AMO: 22.8%)
Grades 9-12: 8.6% (double AMO: 14.7%)
Performance Measure
For the achievement measure, the percentage of students, in the aggregate and for each subgroup (BHN, ED, SWD, and EL), who score "On-Track" or "Mastered" in mathematics on the State's assessment will be the performance measure. For the growth measure, the TVAAS growth metric for all students and for those in each subgroup will be the performance measure.
Sections
- Academic Achievement & Growth
S 2.1 Before/after/summer school activities if appropriate
Tennessee Connections Academy will provide opportunities to enroll students in a support program (SISP) over the summer to help improve Math achievement and prevent students from starting the following school year behind or off track from their classmates
Benchmark Indicator
For summer school programs, all students and students in each of the subgroups are recommended by school administrators to participate based on if students received a grade of a D or F in the second semester courses as well as those students that are currently identified in tier 2 or 3.
A 2.1.1 Summer SISP Enrollment
Students will be monitored for their course completion throughout the year as well as the tri-annual intervention screening with STAR360. Students and their learning coaches will be contacted in April and May if they are failing their courses or have a grade of lower than a C. Student who are currently identified in tier 2 and 3 will also be recommended into the summer SISP programs. The enrollment and participation in the summer program is voluntary by the parents and student. The team will provide participation and engagement incentives to be awarded at the end of the summer
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Nicole Christensen | 2021-09-28 |
S 2.2 High quality professional development of instructional staff in mathematics
All staff will be trained in best practice strategies for increasing student engagement through quality instruction to improve conceptual understanding of Mathematical processes. Components of content-relevant strategies will include whole group, small group and one-on-one conferencing to meet the individual needs of all students. Training on the effectiveness of increased student engagement in relation to student achievement will be offered.
Benchmark Indicator
Tennessee Connections Academy will utilize School Year Cycle Participation and Mastery metrics to measure progress of support from both the school level and from the company level support offered. The School Year Cycle Metrics are contained in a Status or Radar Report. This Excel spreadsheet is an organized, easy-to-use template that provides school staff with pre-filtered and pre-sorted views of key school year metric data. The STATUS version displays counts and percents of students by school, grade band, and homeroom teacher. The RADAR version displays students by homeroom. State assessment results in mathematics will meet AMOs for all students. Feedback from administrators and supervisors will show evidence of successful implementation of training strategies during 80% of observations.
Action Steps
A 2.2.1 Teacher Professional Development
All certified Math staff will participate in professional development and other forms of collaboration to support lesson development and the use of best practice literacy strategies to support improving student engagement. They will utilize the professional development series of training provided by Connections Academy as well as outside sources for high quality professional development. Due to covid 19 restrictions, there may be limited opportunities for professional development conferences
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer | 2021-09-26 |
S 2.3 Math intervention and supplemental supports
Math interventions with supplemental supports are implemented at each school based on student needs:
· tier 1 remediation of standards
· tier 1 enrichment of standards
· tier 2 skill development in math calculations and/or math problem solving
· tier 3 skill development in math calculations and/or math problem solving
· skills-based intervention (special education intervention if determined LRE by IEP) skill development in math calculations and/or math problem solving
School Level: Tennessee Connections Academy will review all students' current level of Mathematical fluency and conceptual understanding and then provide academic interventions and focused supplemental supports to increase student achievement and to close gaps in Math
Benchmark Indicator
If we provide differentiated instruction in small group settings based on identified student needs, monitor the fidelity of intervention for 80% or higher levels of implementation, and monitor student growth through common assessments and/or progress monitoring, then students will show higher levels of proficiency on winter and spring universal screening measures which will result in less students falling below the 25th percentile compared to prior year’s spring cohort scores.
If schools identify students not showing growth during a review of student data in the winter screening, then school level data teams will look at what adjustment needs to be made to strengthen intervention implementation or student placement in intervention which will result in identified students showing higher levels of proficiency on spring universal screening measures compared to fall and winter scores for the school year.
Tennessee Connections Academy will use data from the STAR 360 Universal Screener and informal Curriculum Based Assessments (CBA) completed during the months of August and September to determine levels of proficiency and have tier meetings to determine proper intervention placement.
A 2.3.1 Accountability and Conversations about Data
Staff will monitor student progress through formative and summative assessments. Staff will meet regularly in department level PLCs and bi-weekly with their manager to discuss student progress, analyze assessments and student work, and collaborate to increase student achievement. Students requiring additional assistance and interventions will be identified and plans will be formed for these students as necessary.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer | 2021-10-01 |
S 2.4 Address district or school achievement issues
Tennessee Connections Academy will utilize the data within the Connexus system and Universal Screening data to track and analyze the student and teacher data to help measure the progress of supports in place.
Benchmark Indicator
Teacher leaders will be identified by district and school administrators in every grade level and core academic area by May 2020. These individuals will work collaboratively in examining curriculum, reviewing pacing guides, and developing benchmark assessments. PLC documentation is submitted to school administrators at least bi-weekly. This documentation will be monitored by the district team at least once per semester.
Tennessee Connections Academy will utilize the data within the Connexus system and Universal Screening data to track and analyze the student and teacher data to help measure the progress of supports in place.
A 2.4.1 Teacher Observation and Feedback
All teachers who are providing reading instruction will have LiveLesson observations of their reading instruction and be provided feedback from their direct manager and also the Assistant Principal. A live lesson is the format for teaching within the virtual environment. We use a platform through Adobe Connect and the teacher can connect and have a virtual lesson with their students. The teacher is able to see the students through use of a webcam and the students have the ability to pose questions through a mic or chat box. Observations are done by viewing the recorded link from the teacher's live lesson archive. Teachers will also be observed using the Team rubric.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer, Teacher Managers | 2021-09-30 |
G 3 Cultural Competency and Climate Awareness
By creating a culture and climate where stakeholder feedback and diversity are valued and where school personnel are highly trained on culturally-responsive and trauma-informed practices, Tennessee Connections Academy will create a highly engaged student population with based on the core value of putting students and families first and making decisions based on best interest of our students.
Performance Measure
Pulse survey is given in the fall each year to all staff and an engagement survey is conducted in the spring for the staff. Additionally, the parent satisfaction survey is also given in the spring. In the 2019-20 year, the pulse survey was at a 91% engagement score. In the spring, the engagement survey had an engagement score of 86%. On the Parent survey, the overall score from parents was 81.8% rated the program excellent or good. For both faculty and parents, the survey results will improve at least 5% in each area.
Sections
- Climate and Access
S 3.1 Cultural competency
Through the work of the school-level teams, educators will be trained and supported in cultural competency and diversity.
Benchmark Indicator
Annual parent and student survey results will show an increase in overall satisfaction with the educational and extra-curricular program opportunities provided by the school. Bi-annual surveys to teachers will be used to measure progress of goal.
A 3.1.1 Cultural Competency Teams
Tennessee Connections Academy will create a cultural competency team by the beginning of the second semester and will meet on a monthly basis thereafter. They will discuss ways for our school to incorporate more cultural opportunities for the scholars to learn and understand. Also, they will discover ways to support and train all faculty and staff in their development of cultural awareness.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Burress | 2021-09-26 |
S 3.2 Increased stakeholder involvement
Tennessee Connections Academy will promote effective student, parent, family and community engagement in the planning, implementing, and evaluating of district improvement activities and overall student and district goals.
Benchmark Indicator
Annual parent and student survey results will show an increase in overall satisfaction with the educational and extra-curricular program opportunities provided by the school.
Due to Covid -19 restrictions, in-person events to build family involvement may be limited
A 3.2.1 Family Communication
Tennessee Connections Academy will continue to increase effective communication with all families. Teachers use a variety of methods, including telephone, webmails, and live lessons, to reach out to families about upcoming lessons, assessments, or projects. They schedule teacher meetings to develop a team approach for supporting scholar academics and behavioral success
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Sanborn | 2021-09-26 |
S 3.3 Family engagement
Tennessee Connections Academy will provide information, workshops, materials, and other training opportunities using a variety of delivery systems to support families in helping their children be successful in school.
Benchmark Indicator
Annual parent and student survey results will show an increase in overall satisfaction with the educational and extra-curricular program opportunities provided by the school. Additionally, concerns noted in the social, emotional, and behavioral areas will decrease on an annual basis.
A 3.3.1 Social Emotional Wellness Survey and Meetings
Tennessee Connections Academy will build a survey for students and families about social emotional issues to help build professional development for staff and be more responsive to the current social emotional needs of our students. Faculty and staff will provide opportunities to build relationships with students through both formal and informal meeting sessions.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Burress | 2020-09-18 |
A 3.3.2 COPE Program
In the 2019-20 school year we piloted an evidence based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(CBT) program called COPE. The COPE programs are designed to help our students deal with anxiety, stress and depression by showing them how to develop the skills needed to stop negative thoughts and start thinking and behaving in more positive ways. We saw success with our students who participated in the program and are continuing in the 2020-21 year.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Burress and all school counselors | 2020-09-30 |
S 3.4 Educator diversity - Recruitment and retention
Tennessee Connections Academy will work to recruit and retain educators from diverse backgrounds and ethnicity through recruitment fairs, professional development, and other HR practices.
Benchmark Indicator
The number of minority teachers hired and retained in the 2020-2021 school year will be indicate progress towards this strategy.
Teachers surveys conducted bi-annually.
A 3.4.1 New Teacher Series
Tennessee Connections Academy will offer monthly professional development for all teachers through the new teacher training series in the professional development library in Connections Academy Sharepoint. Teachers will also participate in professional development related to culturally relevant material related to building staff diversity.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Sanborn | 2021-09-29 |
S 3.5 Student Discipline by Subgroup
Tennessee Connections Academy will work to decrease over representation of discipline infractions in the students with disabilities subgroup.
Benchmark Indicator
Discipline infractions tracked through the student dataview in Connexus will be utilized to monitor the progress of this goal.
A 3.5.1 Learning Coach Partnerships
Tennessee Connections Academy uses a Learning Coach for each student in addition to their classroom teachers. The learning coach is often a parent or guardian and this creates a partnership with the student, learning coach and the teacher. By use of this strategy, the likelihood of continued disruptions is greatly reduced. Minor disruptions can be quickly identified and conferences will be held with the student and learning coach to help the student back on the learning path.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Kelley Slifer, Derek Sanborn | 2021-09-03 |
G 4 Ready Graduate
For 2020-2021 school year, Tennessee Connections Academy increase the number of students who qualify as a "Ready Graduate" by 5% over Johnson County Schools 2019 average.
Performance Measure
The performance measure will be the number of students who qualify as a "Ready Graduate" based on the four paths to do so: scoring an ACT score of 21 or more, completing four EPSOs, completing two EPSOs and an Industry Certification, and completing two EPSOs and a qualifying score on the ASVAB.
Sections
- College & Career Readiness
S 4.1 Increased ACT scores
Tennessee Connections Academy to increase ACT scores through increased learning opportunities, preparation courses, practice test opportunities, and incentive programs.
Benchmark Indicator
ACT prep and enrollment in ACT Academy online
Tennessee Connections Academy will document the number of students enrolling in ACT Prep Courses, the percentage of students scoring at least a 21 on the overall composite of the ACT, and the number of students who achieve at least three out of four of the ACT benchmarks to ensure annual increases. Additionally, they will research and present practice test options for high school students by December 2020.
A 4.1.1 ACT ACADEMY
School Counselors and 11th Grade advisory teachers will provide ACT academy resources in November and January for all 11th grade students who are scheduled to take the ACT in the spring.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Brianna Burress | 2021-09-26 |
S 4.2 Increased access to postsecondary opportunities
Tennessee Connections Academy will develop and expand opportunities for all students to access early postsecondary coursework while still enrolled in high school and make informed decisions regarding postsecondary and career options.
Benchmark Indicator
The number of students who earn EPSOs will be the indicators towards progress of this strategy.
A 4.2.1 Dual Enrollment
Tennessee Connections Academy will offer Dual enrollment opportunities to our seniors beginning January 2020. Registration will begin October 2019.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Burress | 2021-09-26 |
S 4.3 Increased access to industry certifications and ASVAB
Tennessee Connections Academy will provide opportunities for students to participate in ASVAB testing in the Spring 2020.
Benchmark Indicator
The number of students earning nationally recognized industry certifications and achieving a qualifying score of the ASVAB will indicate progress for this strategy.
A 4.3.1 Asvab testing
Tennessee Connections Academy will register students to take the ASVAB in the spring. A recruiter will begin contacting students to coordinate testing sites.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Briana Burress | 2021-09-03 |
S 4.4 Increased graduation rate for students with disabilities
Tennessee Connections Academy will work to increase the percentage of graduates who are students with disabilities to the Robertson County district average of students with disabilities who receive regular diplomas.
Benchmark Indicator
The performance measure will be the number of students who are currently enrolled as students with disabilities and count in the denominator for graduation rate. We will monitor state data to ensure the percentage of students with disabilities graduation rate is increasing annually setting an overall goal of a 3% increase.
A 4.4.1 Student Success Meetings
High school counselor, Assistant Principal, Special Education Manager and High School Special Education Teacher will meet monthly to track to progress of students with disabilities and create support team success plans for those student not on track to graduate.
| Person Responsible | Estimated Completion | Funding Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Astraea Coleman, Dawn Kelley Slifer, Briana Burress | 2021-09-27 |