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Table of
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INTRODUCTION |
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The School Improvement
Program (SIP) was established in |
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The SSC is intended
to be representative of all segments of the school community. Being composed
of the school principal, teachers, other school personnel, parents and
students, it provides a forum for all of the major players in the school to
come together to identify common goals and establish a plan to achieve these
goals. The success of the SSC depends upon the ability and willingness of all
those in the process to work together in a cooperative manner to develop an
effective curricular and instructional program in which all students may
attain higher levels of academic competence. |
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Each segment of the
school community which makes up the SSC brings a unique perspective and
knowledge of how the school functions and how it might be improved and
strengthened to offer the best program possible to the students, The
principal and teaching staff have been trained in curriculum development and
implementation; parents are able to offer insights on how effective the
school is in creating a positive learning environment' and how well their
children understand their assignments; and students can offer insight on the
range and effectiveness of
instructional and learning options available, Other 'School personnel, such
as counselors, aides, and clerical staff, provide special perspectives on how
the school can function to support student learning. The school's improvement
effort should also be coordinated with the district's effort to upgrade its
curriculum offerings and quality of instruction in order that both the school
and the local governing board, become part of a single improvement effort. |
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As districts in |
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FUNCTIONS OF A SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL |
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The School Site
Council has the responsibility of developing a comprehensive strategy (school
plan) to ensure that all of the resources available to the school, the base
program and the supplemental resources, are coordinated and focused on
providing a high-quality educational program in which students of all ranges
of ability and background can succeed at learning. |
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The primary task of
the School Site Council is to ensure that the school is continually engaged
in identifying and implementing curriculum and instructional practices that
result in both strengthening the core academic program and guaranteeing
student access to and success in that program. This core program should
embody the district's curriculum, which itself should reflect the essence of
the state frameworks. The state frameworks, which are developed by teachers
and other curriculum experts represent a
professional consensus of the essential body of knowledge and abilities which
all students should attain in their schooling and are designed to produce
citizens who can think, reason, and solve problems. |
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The basic principle
underlying the establishment of the School Site Council (SSC) is that those
individuals who are most affected by the operation of the school should have
a major role in the decisions regarding how that school functions, This
involvement occurs through the development of a school improvement plan,
including a budget which is reflective and supportive of the plan, the
continuous review of the effectiveness of the plan, and the ongoing
assessment and updating of the plan. The school plan becomes the instrument
by which the school, represented by the SSC and the local governing board,
establishes a common agreement regarding the educational strategies that will
be implemented at a particular site to help support the highest possible
levels of teaching and learning at that site. |
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The school plan is
also the contract that exists between the school and the governing board that
controls how the supplemental funds provided will be expended. This contract
can only be modified with the agreement of both the SSC and the governing
board. Accordingly, it is important that the school plan be clear and precise
in order that everyone knows not only what is to be done but why it is to be
done. An annual review and updating of the plan and the budget is required to
reflect the changing needs and priorities within the school and the school
community. |
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Some Budget Act
programs require a school site council as a condition for receiving and
expending supplemental funds. Supplemental funds are those funds which are granted
to districts and schools over and above the general revenue funds the
districts and schools receive to support the base program. Supplemental funds
must be used to enhance the district's and the school's regular program.
Supplemental funds may not be used to replace or supplant the funds and
programs the district normally provides the school. |
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CHAIRPERSON: ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES |
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The School Site
Council (SSC) Chairperson can be YOU! The job involves a willingness to commit
time to work in coordination with the Principal or his/her designee to plan
each meeting and to oversee that tasks needing to be
completed before the meeting are in fact completed. The following is a list
of some of the .main responsibilities of a School Site Chairperson. |
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Preside
over-meetings of the SSC. |
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Prepare the
meeting agenda with the assistance of the Principal or designee. |
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Ensure
availability to SSC members of key documents, such as the SSC Bylaws, the current
school site plan, and the most recent self-study/needs assessment. |
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Lead orderly
discussion, tactfully enforcing' Robert's Rules of Order with the help of the
Parliamentarian. |
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State ideas briefly,
clarifying what is being discussed and voted on. |
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Begin and
end meetings on time following the agenda throughout. |
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Ensure that
a needs assessment is undertaken, a school improvement plan is developed and
that monitoring and revision of it take place as necessary. |
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Sign all
letters, reports, and other communication of the SSC including the School
Plan. |
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Objectively
listen to any concerns or requests made to or by the council. |
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Attempt to
identify the needs of the SSC and address them. |
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SCHOOL
SITE COUNCIL MEMBERS: ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES |
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Role of the
Council: |
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The School Site
Council (SSC) is a team of the principal (or designee), teachers, other school
personnel, parents, students; and community members that develops the mission
and goals for the improvement of an individual school community. |
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Responsibilities
of the Council: |
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Write the
School Site Plan. |
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Submit the
plan for Board approval. |
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Budget
supplemental resources (categorical funds). |
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Implement
the plan. |
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Conduct a
self-study – evaluate how successfully the plan meets stated goals. |
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Revise the
plan to meet the changing needs of the students. |
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Review and allocate
available supplemental categorical funds. |
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Implement
the revised plan. |
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Responsibilities
of Individual Council Members: |
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Regularly
attend School Site Council meetings. |
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Become knowledgeable
and have a commitment to the School-Based Coordinating Program and its
processes. |
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Actively
participate in Schoo1 Site Council duties, including serving on Standing and
Special Committees. |
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Be able to
serve the full term for which you are elected. |
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Communicate
your knowledge and concerns to the School, the District, and the Community,
thus becoming an advocate for improved public education and its changing
needs. |
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The following
materials should be distributed or made available in a centralized location
to each new School Site Council Member by the Chairperson at the first annual
meeting. |
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1.
School Site Council
Member Roster including phone numbers, length of membership, terms and
Council positions held. |
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2.
Calendar of
School Site Council meetings and Planning/Staff Development Days for the
current school year. |
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3.
Schoo1Site
Council Bylaws. |
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4.
Copy of
existing School Plan for School-Based Coordinated Programs. |
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5.
Copy of most
recent Self-Review. |
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6.
Copy of most
recent Program Quality Review Improvement Plan or Focus on Learning Improvement
Plan/WASC Accreditation report. |
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7.
Copy of
School Site Council Budget for the current and previous years. |
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8.
Copies of
student data such as test results and portfolios. |
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9.
List of
programs and grants your school is currently participating in. including
their duration and status reports. Eg., SB65 Grant. |
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10.
Guide and
Criteria for Program Quality review, California Department of Education (most
recent edition for appropriate grade level) or Focus on Learning
(high schools). |
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11.
California Department
of Education Curriculum Frameworks. |
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12.
Coordinated
Compliance Review (CCR) manual. |
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13.
Copy of
Legal Assurances. |
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14.
Site
Programs Review Checklist. |
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15.
A
layperson's copy of Robert's Rules of Order. |
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SCHOOL
SITE COUNCIL (SSC) ORGANIZATION |
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I.
Should be
consistent with the district's policies which include: |
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A.
Policies
regarding the establishment of SSCs, SSC responsibilities, and communication
procedures with the Governing Board |
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B.
Criteria and
procedures for approving school plans, evaluation of educational program at
the school and appropriate program expenditures |
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C.
District
strategies to assist schools to plan, implement and evaluate School
Improvement Programs |
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II.
Should be
based on adopted bylaws which include articles such as: |
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A.
Purpose |
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B.
Membership |
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C.
Officers |
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D.
Meeting and
Quorum |
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E.
Amendments |
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F.
Duties (of
members and officers) |
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III.
Should have
good leadership – Role of SSC Chairperson |
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A.
No
legislative requirement, open to local definition |
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B.
Some
important considerations |
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1.
Leadership
partnership with principal |
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2.
Development
of agendas |
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3.
Presiding to
build support, commitment |
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4.
Development
of membership skill |
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IV.
Should have
a strong training program |
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A.
Orientation
training for new members including areas such as: |
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1.
The purpose
and basic requirements of School Improvement Programs |
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2.
The
district's overall goals-for School Improvement and School Based Coordination
(Board Policies). |
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3.
Role of SSC |
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4.
Relation of
the SSC to: |
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a)
The
Governing Board/the administration |
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b)
The teachers |
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c)
The
community |
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d)
Other
advisory committees |
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e)
PTA |
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5.
The SSC
bylaws (see sample in Appendix) |
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6.
SSC
procedures (agendas, meeting procedures, etc.) |
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7.
The school's
experience with School Improvement and School Based Coordinated Programs to
date |
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8.
The SSC
processes |
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a)
Needs
Assessment |
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b)
Goal Setting |
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c)
Plan
Development |
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d)
Monitoring
Implementation |
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e)
Evaluating
Effectiveness |
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f)
Reviewing
and Updating |
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g)
Establishing
Budgets |
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B.
Continuing
staff development training for SSC members based on assessed needs |
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C.
Recommend
development of a SSC binder/handbook for each member including: |
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1.
Key
orientation materials |
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2.
SSC bylaws |
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3.
The school
plan and budget |
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4.
SSC minutes |
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5.
Other
materials as appropriate |
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V.
Should have
a continuity in membership |
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A.
Staggered
two or three year terms suggested |
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B.
Real efforts
should be made to maintain interest in membership on the SSC |
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VI.
Should have
well organized meetings |
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A.
Planning for
meetings |
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1.
Old business |
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2.
New
information |
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3.
New business |
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4.
The annual
calendar |
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B.
Agenda |
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C.
Chairperson's
role |
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D.
Minutes |
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E.
Communication
with parents and staff |
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VII.
Should be
based on an annual calendar |
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A.
Annual calendar
should be organized by the beginning of each school year |
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B.
SSC should
monitor its progress through the calendar |
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PLANNING
AND EVALUATION ACTIVITIES |
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I.
MONITORING IMPLEMENTATION
(of current plan) September
- June |
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School Site Council
develops a plan to monitor the implementation of the School Improvement
Program. |
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May involve
in monitoring: |
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Teachers |
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o
Administrators |
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o
Students |
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o
Parents |
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May use in monitoring: |
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Observation |
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Checklists |
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Interviews |
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Records |
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Reports |
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o
Discussion |
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SSC asks: |
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"Is our SI
Program being implemented as planned?” |
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"What is working
well?” |
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"What needs to
be changed?" |
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II.
NEEDS
ASSESSMENT October
- January |
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School Site Council
analyzes DATA to see if students are meeting achievement expectations. |
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Examine
results of Spring testing: |
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o
for all
students |
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o
for
subgroups |
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Look at
achievement trends over the past three years, if available. |
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Examine test
results in light of goals and objectives in your school plan. |
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SSC Asks: |
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"Are students
growing?" (In reading, math, etc.) |
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“Are subgroups
achieving equitably?" |
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"Are goals and
objectives being met?" |
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School Site Council gathers
ADDITIONAL DATA to provide a complete picture of student needs. |
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What
additional data do you need to plan your School Improvement Program? e.g.. |
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Demographic |
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Dropout |
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School
climate |
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Parent
attitude |
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Teacher
opinion |
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o
Student
input |
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What data
can be obtained from: |
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Surveys |
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Interviews |
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o
Class
observations |
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o
Quality
criteria |
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o
School
performance report |
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SSC Asks: |
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""Do these
data provide a complete picture of our school and students' needs?” |
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III. GOAL SETTING (for new plan) February
- April |
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Do you have
goals and objectives: |
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for all
students? |
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for important
subgroups? (LEP, Chapter I, GATE, Special Ed.) |
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in all relevant
content areas? |
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Are
objectives stated: |
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clearly? |
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o
in terms of student
outcomes? |
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School Site
Council sets goals for new plan. |
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In light of
identified needs, set goals for student achievement. |
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·
Write
objectives in terms of student performance (for a1l students, including
subgroups). |
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SSC Asks: |
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"What abilities
and competencies do we want our learners to demonstrate?" |
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“What should our
students know and be able to do as a result of our School Improvement
Program?” |
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“What should student
work look like if our program is successful?” |
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IV. PLAN DEVELOPMENT February
- April |
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School Site Council
develops School Improvement Plan to achieve goals and objectives: |
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May include
teachers, administrators, parents, students. |
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Use needs
assessment results. |
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Use data collected
during monitoring. |
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·
Use research
findings. |
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V. EVALUTION (Of current Plan) October
- November |
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School Site Council
assesses the effectiveness of the planned activities in the School
Improvement Plan. |
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Complete evaluation
should provide information to the school community on: |
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o
student
growth |
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o
how
subgroups of students are achieving |
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o
extent to
which student outcome objectives were met |
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SSC Asks: |
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"How effective has
the plan been in bringing about growth for all students?" |
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ANNUAL
PLANNING CYCLE CONNECTIONS |
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Date: |
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Dear Parents: |
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Article 3 of the School
Based Coordinated Act, requires that La Cañada High School establish a School
Site Council (SSC). The council is comprised of four teachers, one
classified, three students, three parents and the principal who are voting
members. |
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The general duties of
the SSC members are as follows: |
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1.
Attend
monthly meetings of the School Site Council between |
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2.
Assist in
the development, implementation and evaluation of the School Based
Coordinated Program at La Cañada High School. |
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3.
Act as a spokesperson
for the parents in the School Based Coordinated Programs related matters. |
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Any parent is
eligible to serve on the SSC. In addition to the three members, it is helpful
to have other parents who will serve as alternates. |
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If you are interested
in being a member of the SSC, please submit your name on the form below.
Please return the bottom part to the front office. |
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by (date) . A ballot will be distributed for the
final vote on____________ at (time) before the PTA meeting. If you have any
questions, please contact _______________ at (phone number)
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I am willing to have
my name placed on a ballot to participate as a member of the La Cañada High
School Site Council. |
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Name:
_______________________________ Student's Name:
_______________________________ |
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Work phone:
_____________________________ Home
phone: ____________________________ |
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