Rita Murphy Elementary School

School Strategy Map

Map Name: 2025-2026 Murphy Elementary School Continuous Improvement Plan
Time Period: 6/1/2025 - 5/31/2026
Vision

Together, our strong relationships build inclusive, collaborative, and innovative environments that create agency and inspire a passion for learning, excellence, and discovery

Mission

Empower every learner to thrive

Beliefs

In Bismarck Public Schools and at Rita Murphy Elementary School we have a belief system that centers on four values:


Inclusion

Excellence

Innovation

Leadership

Personal Excellence
Together, we will develop a culture at Rita Murphy where students and staff become responsible and productive citizens with positive self-worth and healthy relationships.
Operational Excellence
We will employ effective communication systems and partnerships which seeks ongoing input so as to improve operational effectiveness with all stakeholders.
Environmental Excellence
We will ensure a learning environment that is respectful, responsible, safe, and kind and that advances learning for every student and adult.
Objectives
  • Ensure as a school that we provide a learning environment which is safe, inclusive, and supports the social/emotional learning needs of all
  • Establish, monitor, and maintain a continuum of evidence-based intervention at all MTSS levels
Objectives
  • Continued implementation of a leadership culture focused on continuous learning and instructional and professional coaching
  • Cultivate relationships based on strong communication, collaboration, transparency, and trust
  • Engage staff, students, and families in ways to provide formal input into school decision making, goals, and initiatives
Objectives
  • Continued implementation and training of all stakeholders on Murphy safety processes and procedures
  • Create experiences for all learners and staff that instill joy and recognize individual student, staff, and school successes
  • Ensure all classrooms have expectations, procedures, and organizational structures in place to create a positive and supportive school environment
  • Foster a home and school connection that facilitates parent engagement through the development of a schoolwide system of stakeholder involvement
Critical Initiative
  • All staff engage in professional development and annual training in order to meet the social and emotional learning needs of all students
  • Continue to update and monitor the continuum of evidence-based interventions at all MTSS levels and review ongoing with staff
  • Continued implementation of multi-grade level student & staff teams to ensure every student has in place established trusted relationships with multiple students and staff across the school
  • Continued implementation of social/emotional core instruction using Second Step to fidelity at all grade levels
  • Provide school and community service opportunities through Student Council and Bulldog Boosters that allows students to develop leadership skills to use to serve peers, families, and community members
Critical Initiative
  • All teaching staff will write professional goals (personal growth goals) designed to develop a professional skill base on Murphy's Instructional Framework
  • Cultivate effective school, family and community partnerships
  • Engage teaching staff in analysis of individual student growth data and in self-audit and analysis of classroom instructional practices to promote individual professional growth
  • Establish a feedback system that utilizes tools (e.g. surveys, interviews, feedback forms, etc.) to gather ongoing input from staff, students, and families
Critical Initiative
  • Communicate to all stakeholders safety procedures and processes, update and review Emergency Response Plan and conduct monthly practice drills
  • Continued implementation and tracking of positive acknowledgement systems and recognition of successes of individual students and staff within the school
  • Continued recognition of students, staff, and teams through monthly school-wide celebration activities and assemblies
  • Development and implementation of a yearlong schoolwide family and parent engagement plan
  • Routine sharing of MTSS-B data with students, staff, and families
  • Update MTSS-B Fidelity checks to monitor classroom programming, teaching, and adherence to schoolwide expectations and procedures
Key Measures
  • Annual School Behavior Assessment & Survey Scores
  • MTSS-B Data Reviews and Behavior Data (Majors,etc)
  • ND Student Engagement Survey
  • Professional Learning Calendar and Agendas
  • Relationship Mapping Tool and School Teams
  • School Behavior Data
  • Second Step Assessments and Fidelity Checks
  • SEL Standards Data
  • Student Leadership Club Data and Documentation
Key Measures
  • BPS Student and Staff Surveys
  • Grade Level PLC Goals
  • Murphy Classroom Observation Tool
  • Murphy Feedback Form
  • Murphy Instructional Framework
  • ND Student Engagement Survey
  • Parent and Family Engagement Survey
  • School Climate Survey (HRS Level 1 Survey)
  • Teacher Evaluation/Professional Growth Goals
  • VITAL Survey
  • Walkthrough Data
Key Measures
  • Annual School Behavior Assessment & Survey Scores
  • Celebration and Data Sharing Documentation Log
  • MTSS-B Classroom Fidelity Checks
  • Safety Drill Log
  • School Climate Survey (HRS Level 1 Survey)
  • School Engagement Data and Documentation Tracking
  • School Positive Behavior Data Tracking
Learning Excellence
We will promote academic excellence through challenging and relevant learning opportunities that engage and inspire every student to achieve at high levels.
Objectives
  • Effective Teaching Practices - Increase competency of all staff in implementing effective teaching strategies across all learning levels
  • MTSS-Academics - Ensure appropriate interventions and enrichment opportunities are in place to support each individual student
  • Professional Learning Communities (PLC) - Collaborative teams regularly interact to address curriculum/instruction and achievement of students
  • Standards-Based Education (SBE) - Ensure all students experience core instruction common across grade level which is aligned with state standards
Critical Initiative
  • Continue to grow staff through a PLC structure which focuses on student achievement that then builds capacity through collaborative planning, data analysis and improvement of instructional practices
  • Continued creation/revision of curriculum maps that outline a guaranteed and viable curriculum for each grade level
  • Continued implementation of a clear Murphy instructional framework to guide teachers in effective teaching strategies
  • Continued implementation of an effective Student Assistant Team (SAT) based on the Problem Solving Process (PSP) which is used to further inform instruction and supports for individual students
  • Continued implementation of an MTSS-A Framework which includes a schoolwide multi-tier system of instruction and interventions that provides academic supports for ALL students
  • Continued training for staff on student assessment for and of learning
  • Development and implementation of an academic school team that meets bi-monthly to support an MTSS-A interconnected systems framework (ISF) that provides timely, effective support to students & staff
  • Hold regular data reviews to monitor progress of individual student learning plans and goals
  • Identify and provide staff professional development in effective teaching practices
  • Implementation of assessment blueprints by each grade level PLC which then utilizes the TACA (Teach, Assess, Correct, Assess) tool to monitor individual student learning towards grade level standards
  • Leadership team ensures alignment of resources needed to implement an effective MTSS-A system including: shared vision, goals, PD plan, schedule and curriculum materials/supports
  • Use of classroom observation tool to provide staff with instructional feedback while engaging them in analyzing and understanding school predominant instructional practices
Key Measures
  • BPS OE-11 Indicators of Compliance
  • Documentation of SAT training, artifacts and data
  • Evidence of training and classroom implementation
  • Grade level curriculum maps
  • MTSS-A ISF Team Artifacts (e.g. agendas, etc.)
  • Murphy Classroom Observation Tool
  • Murphy Instructional Framework
  • PLC Artifacts (e.g. agendas, data results, etc)
  • PLC Audit - Admin and Teacher Self-Assessment
  • Professional Growth Goals and Learning Log
  • Research-based tiered student supports resources
  • Standards Based Grading and Progress Report
  • Student Data Review Calendar
  • Student Performance Data
  • TACA Tool
  • Vision, goal and schedule documentation
  • Walkthrough Data
The Strategy Map has been created in collaboration with The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and Cognia™.

All schools in North Dakota participate in a Continuous Improvement process. Continuous Improvement means examining a school’s current reality including demographics, culture, technology, finances, and academic progress, among many other factors. In addition, Continuous Improvement means looking into the future and predicting what may change – what will be different a year from now, or 10 years from now.

 

During the 2018-2019 school year, all schools in North Dakota participated in this Continuous Improvement journey. School personnel participated in training and collaborated with diverse stakeholders such as community members, teachers, parents and students to map out what the school’s priorities are, what the school’s objectives are and what critical initiatives needed to be implemented to achieve those objectives. This planning process resulted in a Strategy Map – a 3 to 5-year plan for the school.

 

It is important to note that the Strategy Map is a snapshot in time. It is documentation of what the school’s priorities were the past school year. In this case the Strategy Map below was captured and submitted on May 1, 2019. It is equally important to note that the Strategy Map below may have changed since its submittal. This is because priorities may have changed quickly depending on numerous factors. Factors can include, but are not limited to, a natural disaster, a high staff turn-over rate, or an influx or decrease of students. To obtain a copy of this schools current and update Strategy Map, please contact the local school administrator.



Please contact North Dakota's Department of Public Instruction with any questions and feedback via email to the following address: dpidashboard@nd.gov