Raymore-Peculiar Middle School

 

School Information

School Name:  Raymore-Peculiar Middle School
School Address:  20501 S. School Rd P.O. Box 366, Peculiar, MO 64078
School Phone:  (816) 892-1550
School Fax:  (816) 892-1551
Principal:  David Mitchell
Principal email:  Dmitchell@raypec.k12.mo.us

Demographics

Number of Students:  900
Number Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  21.5%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  1%
Percent of Special Education:  8%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

- White:  83%
- Black:  12%
- Hispanic:  4%
- Asian/Pacific Island:  .4%
- Other:

 

Student Achievement Data:

Schoolwide Adequate Yearly Performance (AYP), Missouri Assessment Program:

	Math Proficient & Advanced
	All RPMS Students (Grades 7-8)	RPMS Black	RPMS Free & Reduced Lunch	RPMS IEP	State AYP Target
2005-06	48.3	28.3	32.3	15.1	26.6
2006-07	54.2	43.9	39.2	25	35.8
2007-08	63.9	46.5	47.8	18.6	45
2008-09	68	41.1	54.3	24.6	54.1

 

	Communication Arts Proficient & Advanced
	All RPMS Students (Grades 7-8)	RPMS Black	RPMS Free & Reduced Lunch	RPMS IEP	State AYP Target
2005-06	46.4	30	28.8	11.8	34.7
2006-07	52.3	42.1	37.8	13.5	42.9
2007-08	63.9	40.8	35.4	16.9	51
2008-09	57.4	41.1	39.6	14	59.2

 

Grade-level Performance Data, Missouri Assessment Program:

	Math % Proficient & Advanced (RPMS/State)
	Grade 7	Grade 8
2005-06	54/46	42.5/40.7
2006-07	60.5/46.1	44.8/41.4
2007-08	66.3/49.8	59.2/44.3
2008-09	70.1/52.4	65/47.1

 

	8th Grade Algebra EOC
	Grade 8	District Avg.
2005-06	NA	NA
2006-07	NA	NA
2007-08	NA	NA
2008-09	94.9%	65.8%

 

	Communication Arts % Proficient & Advanced (RPMS/State)
	Grade 7	Grade 8
2005-06	46/43.9	46.6/42.5
2006-07	54.9/46.1	47.4/41.4
2007-08	58.1/49.3	61/48.4
2008-09	57.6/51.1	56.5/50.2

 

	Science % Proficient & Advanced (RPMS/State)
	Grade 7	Grade 8
2005-06	NA	NA
2006-07	NA	NA
2007-08	NA	53.1/43.3
2008-09	NA	67.6/45.2

 

Schoolwide Adequate Yearly Performance (AYP) MAP Performance Ranking (32 Missouri Middle Schools Used in Comparison Study)

	AYP Average (combined Math/CA AYP)	Rank (out of 32 schools)
2005-06	47.35	20th
2006-07	53.2	14th
2007-08	62.05	10th
2008-09	62.7	11th

 

Please comment on any aspect of the data that you believe is particularly significant.

From 2006-2009, RPMS saw an increase in the percentage of students scoring proficient and advanced on the annual state assessment in math by 19.7%. In comparison, the state experienced an increase of only 6.4%. During this same time, RPMS increased by 11% in the area of communication arts in comparison to an increase of 7.45% across the state of Missouri.

In the spring of 2009, RPMS began administering the End of Course (EOC) state algebra assessment to 8th grade algebra students.  The inaugural assessment, given to 158 8th grade students, resulted in 94.9% of the students scoring advanced or proficient.  RPMS algebra students scored 29.1% higher than the district average of 65.8%.

Particular attention is given to the annual progress made by each cohort testing group. From 2006-2009, eighth grade cohort students (2006 fifth graders) increased performance in communication arts and math by a combined average of 7.3% while seventh grade students (2006 fourth graders) experienced a combined average increase of 11.5% in the same testing areas.

In the spring of 2007, adjustments were made to the RPMS master schedule in order to increase instructional minutes in the areas of math, communication arts and science. In addition to the increase in minutes, staff felt students needed daily contact in these critical areas. As a result of these needs, a schedule was developed to increase our instructional minutes in each of these critical areas from 7,480 minutes per year to 12,320 minutes per year.

Beginning in the fall of 2007, all RPMS departments begin the process of reviewing and redesigning course pacing guides and common assessments. Continued emphasis is placed on increasing the rigor of course assignments and common assessments. Advanced courses in math and communication arts are offered at both seventh and eighth grade for all students.

In the fall of 2006, a comparison analysis of 32 middle schools was conducted using the Missouri state assessment AYP data to determine where RPMS ranked in relation to other similar Missouri middle schools. From 2006 to 2009, RPMS moved from 20th out of the 32 comparison schools to 11th. In 2006, the performance gap between RPMS and the top comparison school was 15.85 AYP percentage points. In 2009, the performance gap decreased to 10.1 AYP percentage points.

 

Please present additional information that indicates your efforts to build a professional learning community have had a positive impact on students and/or teachers.

Each fall, RPMS staff develops SMART goals in all departments that directly support SMART goals developed in math, communication arts, and science. Math, communication arts, and teachers conduct a data analysis review of our annual Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) results and identified areas needing specific improvement. RPMS School Improvement Plan (SIP) targets are established and/or adjusted and shared with staff. Math, communication arts, and science teachers facilitated SMART goal development training with staff and shared data and strategies to use in all content areas to support SIP progress in math, communication arts, and science.

The Building Leadership Team (BLT) includes representatives from all interdisciplinary teams and departments. The BLT routinely evaluates and monitors action steps within the SIP and facilitates instructional improvement initiatives by closely monitoring professional development activities.

Our instructional coach (IC) is utilized to provide additional instructional support to all staff. In additional to instructional support, the IC partners with the RPMS administrative team to conduct monthly walkthroughs in all classrooms. Using the McRel Power Walkthrough evaluation tool as our data collection tool, monthly data is compiled and reported to the BLT as well as the entire staff. More than 500 classrooms have been observed and the data gleaned from this process is used annually to develop our building professional development plan for the following school year.  Our walkthrough data is also utilized throughout the year to monitor the implementation of instructional strategies and other initiatives implemented through professional development sessions with staff.

 

Please elaborate strategies you have found to be effective in the following areas:

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis. 

To ensure student success in learning, the process of Examining Student Work (ESW) focuses on teachers, working in collaborative core teams, creating and evaluating common assignments each week. The development of lessons aligned to state standards and a shared understanding of grading expectations help to ensure that all students receive a rigorous curriculum. Analyzing the results of these assignments each week provides teachers with vital information required to make decisions about what is to be taught based on real and timely evidence of what students have learned.

In addition, each of our core grade-level departments (math, science, communication arts, and social studies) administers four common assessments throughout the year. The common assessments, developed using the “backward design model”, identify essential learner objectives for each course that align with the Missouri Grade Level Expectations (GLE). Departments collaborate to develop and review these assessments and then work “backwards” to design instructional activities to ensure students meet the standards selected for each common assessment.  All students are required to achieve a score of 70% or better on all common assessments.  Departments coordinate re-teach lessons for students who score below 70% and provide opportunities both during the day and/or after school for students to re-test until a score of 70% or better is attained.  In the re-teach model, teachers use common assignments/assessment data to identify students’ needs and divide them among the 2-4 teachers within the department during each block

Our modified block schedule, consisting of five 70-minute classes each day allow for teachers to meet every other day with their grade-level department colleagues. This frequent and ongoing collaboration built into the school day allows our teachers to work collaboratively to develop course pacing guides for each subject area. In collaboration, teachers develop common assignments, assessments, and instructional activities designed to improve student achievement and monitor student learning.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

At RPMS, we are committed to creating a pyramid of support to systematically provide supports for struggling learners. Core Resource is utilized during the school day to support struggling learners who had been identified as needing assistance in communication arts and math. Students in Core Resource are given assistance with their core class content in a format that consists of whole group instruction, small group personalized support and independent practice utilizing the computer-based program Study Island. Read 180 and FastForword are offered through Key Reading to students who have been identified as reading two or more grades below their current grade level.

Our (P.A.W.S.) Practicing Academics With Support program is offered on Tuesdays and Thursday starting in September through the first week of May. Support is provided to students in the four core areas: math, science, communication arts and social studies. The program offers opportunities each night for students who need individual assistance or simply a place to complete their homework.

A learning lab was implemented in the fall of 2009 as an intervention targeting the “intentional non-learners”.  Learning lab is assigned to students during the school day in place of an elective offering.  Students are assigned to learning lab when they have accumulated missing work and other interventions (P.A.W.S.) have not proven effective.

We have developed a building-wide homework policy that better reflects our philosophy that homework should be provided as additional practice. In addition, the policy supports homework assigned for the purpose of building skills necessary for students to master designated learner objectives. At RPMS, we utilize a school-wide behavior management model (BIST) which focuses on teaching students strategies for recognizing, reflecting, and managing their own behaviors. Students learn to “own” their problems so they can learn to overcome them. Respect and tone of decency are major themes throughout our school.

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

Teaming is an integral part of RPMS and what we consider to be a core value. We have divided up the areas which need to be addressed to meet the needs of the students into four components: student achievement/academic concerns, relationships (social and emotional)/incentives, student concerns/interventions, and organization/management. Teachers meet every other day in teams to discuss issues related to their students and chart this information in the appropriate component area. We then are able to go back as team and review our agendas and notes and determine which areas we might have been addressing most frequently and whether we are meeting the needs of the students as a whole. In quarterly reflection meetings we also determine which areas of professional development are needed. An article is often provided for discussion or administration might plan more substantial training with our instructional coach during faculty meetings or professional development early release days. Keeping these meetings focused on improving student achievement by providing structure and support has helped build a culture of accountability to one another and ensure that all student needs are addressed.