Whitney Meissner, Principal
Enrollment: 297
(360)385-3922 Ext 2

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Education is Power!

GOAL 1: STRENGTHEN SCHOOL CLIMATE

Strategies:
Eagle Time (Advisory)
Skill Builders
Cispus &Odyssey, Experiential Education

Resources (Books for All Staff):
Journey Toward the Caring Classroom by Laurie S. Frank
The Advisory Guide by Rachel A. Poliner and Carol Miller Lieber
A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby Payne
Discipline Without Stress, Punishment, or Rewards by Marvin Marshall

Eagle Time Advisory Program: Research of exemplary schools identifies factors they have in common. Personalized, individual experience is one factor. Exemplary middle schools have advisory programs. Research finds that when students have an adult advocate who knows them well and guides their academic program over the course of several years, they are more successful. Adult mentors/advocates/advisors may serve as mediator and advocate in teacher, discipline, and parent conferences. The advisory
program provides an adult to student ratio of 1:15 or less.

Chimacum Middle School has 60-70% of students who are not achieving mastery on WASL. State mandates require individual learning plans for these students. With this program, each teacher will be responsible for a smaller number of these. The advisory program gives students “voice and choice” in school. It provides a vehicle for decision making, problem solving, and social support. The structure of daily advisory allows for whole school input into planning activities, such as awards assemblies, fundraisers, celebrations, ASB activities, etc. It also provides a structured social time for students.

The setting allows for reflection on past and planning for future. Supports strengthening sense of community and school climate.

Skill Builders: Skill Builders is a proactive intervention to help students who are not being successful in school. It is based on our school wide discipline program and a belief in democratic classrooms. Students work with a classroom teacher to set goals and track their own progress in academic, social, or behavior areas. We believe that all children deserve a high quality education, and if something is getting in the way of them learning, we owe it to them to help compensate for that.

GOAL 2: INCREASE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Strategies:
80% of students will score at level 3 or 4 on the Writing WASL by 2007
Writing Across the Curriculum / 6 Trait Writing
Imbedded Reading Support
Math Adoption & Professional Development Plan
NCOSP Grant
Participate in EETT (formerly NO LIMIT! Grant)
Provide School-wide Opportunities for Collaboration
Continue Work on Curriculum Alignment

Resources:
School Improvement Team Facilitation Skills
Common Planning for all grade level teachers
Writing Across the Curriculum
Early Release Days Advisory Activities
Curriculum Alignment Small Learning Communities

Partner With:

Jefferson County Library Big Brothers, Big Sisters,
American Association of University Women Boeing Blue Bills
Junior Achievement 4H and the Sculpting Youth Project

Future Planning:
Provide ongoing support for reading, writing, science, and math; Study Student Led Conferences; Service Learning; Further partnerships with parents and community.

Chimacum Middle School has been fortunate to be part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Small School Grant Program for the past three years. Though we will not receive any further monetary funds, we are still benefiting from on-going training and a school coach through the 2004-05 school year. This process has encouraged all staff to take additional risks in improving professionally as we all move toward improved student achievement. Chimacum Middle School is excited to have two teachers who received National Board Certification in November 2004. Students benefit from ongoing professional training and
the guidance provided to staff by these teachers who have challenged themselves to reach for and achieve excellence.