HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 06-06 WA Amending the 2010 Strategic Plan WESTLAKE ACADEMY
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SOLUTION NO. 06-06
A RESOLUTION OF THE WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TOT E 2010 WESTLAKE ACADEMY STRATEGIC
PLAN.
WHEREAS, Westlake Academy was founded based on a mission that includes
providing an innovative approach to education that focuses on the needs of each student; and
WHEREAS, The Westlake Academy Board of Directors adopted the Westlake Academy
2010 Strategic Plan within the 2005-2006 budget; and
WHEREAS, The Board of Directors and staff have had the opportunity to receive input
from parents and staff concerning ways to continue to improve Westlake Academy, which
prompted a review of the Strategic Plan document; and
WHEREAS, The Board of Directors have concluded that certain Objectives should be
added to the section of the Strategic Plan entitled "Alignment of Goals and Objectives".
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF
DIRECTORS:
SECTION 1: The CEO be directed to amend the 2005-2006 Budget, 2010 Strategic Plan
by adding the following objectives:
Under Alignment of Goals and Objectives; Goal II, "Adhere to High
Expectations",
Add Objective F: "Educate students and parents in the IB grading system and
articulate benefits and superior attributes to improve parental buy-in and
participation in the education process,
Under Alignment of Goals and Objectives; Goal III. "Share responsibility of
educational development among parents, teachers, staff and community."
Add Objective a "Establish consistent reliable conduit of communication
among teachers and parents utilizing technology, personal meetings, and
IB assessment tools."
And Objective Ie "Provide parents with access to materials used by the
students to encourage participation and support at home."
SECTION 2: The Westlake Academy staff be directed to implement the actions
described in"Exhibit 1"related to the 2010 Strategic Plan, Goals and Objectives.
SECTION 3: The CEO and Head of School review the Strategic Plan each year in
conjunction with the annual budget and report recommendations and results back to the School
Board of Directors.
PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 10TH DAY OF APRIL 2006.
ATTEST: 5:74X zaw—��
Scott Bradley, President
an Dwinnell, Secretary Trent O. Petty, C
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
tz
L. Stanton oy, ow ttorney
EXHIBIT 1
Westlake Academy Board of Directors
Amended Goals and Objectives for 2005-2006 accompanied by Action Plans.
2005-2006 MYP Consultant Recommendations:
1. Continue to fund professional development needs.
2. Make vertical and horizontal curricular development a priority.
3. All teachers have OCC password to access MYP subject guides, Area of
Interaction guide, and other relevant documents.
4. Develop assessment model and communicate through entire school
community.
5. Develop a plan to vertically integrate each area of interaction over all MYP
levels.
b. Continue to articulate desire to house PYP and MYP in same facility.
7. All staff receives MT level training.
8. Develop and use modified rubrics to assess student's work and to implement
use of MYP subject criteria.
9. Develop course outlines and descriptions for years 3 and 4 (grades 9-10), that
will align with Texas essential elements.
10. Develop the course of study selected for the IBDP program that will be
offered at the eleventh and twelfth grade year to ensure that math and foreign
language offerings in MYP will be adequate and appropriate.
11. Create detailed plan of implementation of the Personal Project.
12. Present to both students and parents the method of reporting assessment for
IBMYP and grades for the state and university systems.
13. Present examples of interdisciplinary units focused through an Area of
Interaction.
CONCERN 1. IB GRADING
There is a prevalent lack of understanding with regard to the IB
grading system. Parents have not been able to establish relative
benchmarks of performance and expectation. This lack of
understanding results in a lack of"buy-in" to the grading system and
creates pressure to adopt a more traditional grading model that would
undoubtedly compromise the full benefit the IB curriculum.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 4, 8, 12
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—"..sharing the
responsibility of educational development among teachers, parents,
community and students."
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION-
Goal II. "Adhere to High Expectations":
Add Objective F: "Educate students and parents in the I13 grading
system and articulate benefits and superior attributes to improve
parental buy-in and participation in the education process.
ACTIONS 1. Progress benchmarks should be articulated in a way that gives
parents a clear understanding of their student's progress and
expectations relative to peers from other schools. Data to establish
these benchmarks could be collected in several ways including the use
of standardized tests, comparing Westlake Academy with the progress
and performance of other IB schools, comparing Westlake Academy
performance with public ISDs, public charters or even private schools.
In order to provide an additional comparative benchmark, Westlake
Academy will rewire that all students in grades K through 9
begin taking additional standardized tests. Tests for grades K-2
are anticipated to be administered this year while grades 3-9 will
be administered next year. There is not sufficient time in 2006 to
offer these tests given the prescribed State TAKS testing schedule.
2. Parents will be required to attend training on the I13 grading
matrix. The first meeting this spring was held for the 6th grade parents
moving into the MYP program, with the DP program meeting to occur
in April, 2006.
CONCERN 2. OVERALL TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
Parents want to see a common, reliable, consistent conduit for
communication established between parents and teachers. There is a
direct correlation between the general ill-feelings expressed toward
individual teachers and the parent's perception of that teachers
communication habits. Some feel that complaining does no good
because of an unwritten but apparent closed door policy that says "we
have hundreds on the waiting list. If you don't like it, we are a school
of choice and you can leave."
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 4
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION.
Goal III. "Share responsibility of educational development between
parents, teachers, staff and community."
Add Objective . "Establish consistent reliable conduit of
communication between teachers and parents utilizing technology,
personal meetings, and IB assessment tools."
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—"..sharing the
responsibility of educational development among teachers, parents,
community and students."
ACTIONS 1. Establish minimum ,standardized parent/teacher
communication parameters using all available technology,
personal meetings and ID tools. Should reflect a required minimum
frequency and required minimum acceptable content.
CONCERN 3. ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR MATH INSTRUCTION IN
UPPER GRADES
There is a perception among many that Westlake Academy has had
two substandard years of math instruction in the upper grades. Some
parents feel their children would have to play "catch-up" if they
transferred to a different school, even though no data exists that would
confirm that fear.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 10
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION:
Goal I Objective A
Goal IV. Objective A, B, E
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—"..provide a rigorous
curriculum..", "..providing an innovative approach to education that
focuses on the needs of each student..."
ACTIONS Identify means of supplementing math instruction by initiating:
1. More challenging math expectations for those able to move ahead
2. Help and individual instruction for those not meeting expectations
through advanced differentiation training
3. New supplemental math instructional programs
4. Additional assessment mechanisms to be shared with parents as to
how best measure and improve performance.
CONCERN 4. LACK OF ASSESSMENT 'TOOLS
Some parents do not believe the school has developed a reliable means
of teacher or student assessment. This has resulted in some calling for
more standardized testing such as Stanford or Iowa to benchmark
Westlake Academy student progress. It has also resulted in what is
perceived to be a lack of comparative documented student
achievement.
State law requires that each teacher be given an annual evaluation. All
Westlake Academy teachers have received at a minimum one
evaluation per year in accordance with this requirement. Teacher
assessments for 2005-2006 are not yet complete but will be before the
end of the school year. It would be beneficial to convey to parents how
teachers are evaluated. In addition, an evaluation tool could be
identified that allowed students to evaluate teachers.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 4, 8
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION.
Goal I Objective C
Goal HI Objective B
Goal I1 Objective
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—
Too granular to specifically identify
ACTIONS 1. Share the teacher performance assessment tool with parents and
include in the personnel policies and procedures handbook.
2. Investigate a separate student assessment tool that allows
students to evaluate their teacher's performance. Results would
obviously be tempered against the overall evaluation, but would be
useful in identifying student perceptions about individual teacher's
skills and style.
3. Introduction of additional standardized tests. (See Actions under
Concern 1.)
CONCERN 5. INADEQUATE SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL TO MEET
PERFORMANCE ANCE OB CTIVES:
A. RULE COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
B. COUNSELING SUPPORT
Common concerns have been expressed on the perceived inconsistent
application of school rules. For example, upper grades are considered
to be treated differently with respect to the uniform requirements.
Disciplinary measures are perceived to be too subjective and not
evenly applied. There is a feeling that additional supervisory personnel
are necessary to provide support in this area. There are also questions
as to when the school will consider employing an additional guidance
counselor for the upper grades that will assist the students. This need
will become pronounced as students begin seeking support in
identifying scholarship opportunities, course selection guidance, career
path, etc. The current governance model is perceived to be too flat by
some which results in too many people reporting to one person. This
has resulted in lax oversight across the board and too much room for
individual interpretation and enforcement.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 12
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION:
Goal I Objective F
Goal LL Objective A
Goal V. Objective A, B, C, G
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—
"..encourage good citizenship and maximize individual student
potential. "
ACTIONS 1. All teachers will be reminded of the importance of 100%
observance of school rules, including the uniform policy.
2. At minimum, and as a first high school counseling function, one
additional part time position will be included in the budget in
2006-2007 to implement a grading matrix which will convert IB
grades to a traditional GPA. A full time high school counselor is
anticipated to be hired in 2007-2008.
CONCERN 6. ROLE OF TEXT HOODS and SUPPORT MATERIALS in IB
CURRICULUM and PARENTAL ASSISTANCE
The IB curriculum does not exclusively rely on text books to teach so
parents are sometimes at a loss many times as to how to help their
students understand their assignments.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION: 8, 9, 13
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION:
Goal III Objective G
Add Objective I. "Provide parents with access to materials used by
the students to encourage participation and support at Borne."
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—
"..sharing the responsibility of educational development among
teachers, parents, community and students. "
ACTIONS A means of conveying or sharing the assigned reference and
support materials used by teachers should be identified and
incorporated into the normal parental communication materials.
CONCERN 7. 113 TEACHING SKILLS VARY WIDELY FROM TEACHER TO
TEACHER.
MYP RECOMMENDATION CORRELATION. 1,2,3,4,S,7,8,12,13
TEN YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES CORRELATION
Goal L Objective A, I3, C
Goal II Objective B, C
Goal ITS Objective A, B, C,
WESTLAKE ACADEMY MISSION STATEMENT EMPHASIS—
"..rigorous curriculums that is international in scope.. "
"..innovative approach to education that focuses on the needs of each
student.. "
ACTIONS 1. As in Concern 94, parents should be provided the
performance assessment tool used for teachers.
2. Recruitment activities must be enhanced. Additional dollars
need to be budgeted for teacher recruitment to attract and retain the
best and brightest. All teachers must"fit" and buy into the IB
scheme as well as the expectations of the Westlake community.
I The deployment of Ili philosophy should always be weighed in
light of local expectations and deployed in a manner that
encourages eagerness and support rather than driving wedges
between the IB curriculum idea and community values.
4. All teachers in Westlake Academy must have received III
training before or during their first teaching year.