Cannon Ball Elementary School

School Strategy Map

Map Name: 2023-2024 Cannonball Elementary Continuous Improvement Plan
Time Period: 5/1/2023 - 4/30/2024
Vision

Solen School District commits to preparing our students to be college or career ready by providing learners with opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge, along with an understanding of the Dakota culture.

Mission

The Solen School District will provide opportunities for all students to develop their skills and talents to become productive citizens and lifelong learners.

Beliefs

We believe in:  providing high-standards based learning; developing students’ feelings of positive identity and self-worth; promoting pride of the Dakota culture; providing a safe and nurturing environment, and encouraging tiyopaye to support the education of our learners.

Positive Culture/Climate
We aspire to be a strong and supportive team; a setting where people want to come and a place where people want to stay.
Student Success
We will aim to become a school district that develops the whole child; a place where each child can succeed.
Community Engagement
We will seek to be a school district consistently supported by our parents, our guardians and our greater community.
Objectives
  • Create Staff Norms for each school
  • Define the roles and responsibilities of each school's leadership team.
  • Increase Staff Attendance
  • Provide an induction program for all new certified staff for the district.
  • "To improve principal/staff ""sense of team""/teamwork"
Objectives
  • Assess adult and student technology utilization as well as student technological practices
  • Consider adding to or refining before and after school programs to support students not on grade level.
  • "Continue the concept of ""learning walks"" on a consistent basis to ensure that school-wide practices and best practices are shared and are implemented."
  • Ensure the entire MTSS process is put in place in efforts to give support to struggling students and find out the barriers to their academic learning
  • Ensure the entire MTSS-B process is put in place in an effort to identify students with SEL/Counseling needs and provide the appropriate interventions
  • Implement models and practices that must be implemented in all classrooms Everyday
  • Increase student attendance
  • Increase student engagement at both schools
  • Revisit and consider expanding the Preschool Program to ensure that more students are ready to enter Kindergarten
Objectives
  • Continue the parent engagement sessions, however, add an academic component to the sessions.
  • Continue to teach the rich cultural history of the Native American Community.
  • Ensure that all certified staff conduct bi-monthly positive parent/guardian contacts.
  • Ensure that parents/guardians know the choice ready and graduation goals or requirements for their children.
Critical Initiative
  • Adhere to and utilize the “XVI Solen Public School District Employee Time Leave Attendance Policy” as appropriate.
  • Assignment of a veteran teacher to mentor a new staff member for 2 years.
  • Begin a monthly Induction Program for new staff that includes but is not limited to: lesson planning based on ND Standards/power standards; best practices; classroom assessment & data gathering.
  • Conduct an orientation program before school begins for the “must have” tools of beginning the school year.
  • Consider a fiscal incentive for any staff member who does not exceed their allotted number of personal/sick days
  • Consider hiring a full-time sub at Cannon Ball Elementary so that staff is not constantly filling in for one another
  • Create a staff culture & climate committee at each school to plan for schoolwide collaborative activities, celebrations, social activities, etc.
  • Create agreed upon staff norms with the staff at each school. Require that all staff sign the agreed upon norms.
  • Ensure that non-certified staff are part of building activities, when appropriate.
  • Ensure that the Coordinator of Technology be part of each school’s leadership team in an effort to provide increased achievement data for them.
  • Ensure that the main roles of the school’s leadership team include: a focus on learning, measuring and monitoring improvement plan; identifies gaps in performance. Assist Principals in ensuring growth
  • Ensure that the Principals follow through with consequences when a staff member has a pattern of not following the norms.
  • If a full-time sub is hired at Cannon Ball Elementary, that person should be required to be part of the District’s Induction Program.
  • Improve principal/staff communications to both certified and non-certified staff.
  • Post norms in staff workspaces.
  • Review norms bi-annually.
  • The Supt. and Elem. Principal needs to simultaneously have individual conversations with the “attendance abusers.”
  • Use the previously established team rubric to measure and monitor staff culture and climate.
Critical Initiative
  • Address ChatGPT ethics and other technological ethical practices.
  • "Administer state required student engagement surveys to measure and monitor student engagement progress. "
  • Align the ASCA (i.e. American School Counselors Association) standards to the ND Standards/Power Standards.
  • Apply for the $120,000 in state reimbursement should the above criteria at Cannon Ball Elementary is met.
  • Ask all teachers to meet and greet students daily as well as between classes at the high school level.
  • Assess the “utilization” and possible “under-utilization” of computer labs.
  • At each school event, speak with parents about the importance of school attendance.
  • Attempt to conduct at least 1-2 “Learning Walks” per trimester for each certified staff member, including support staff.
  • Award points and concurrently, incentives/rewards to students with improved attendance. Ask students themselves (i.e. student council, student groups, etc.) what might be positive motivators
  • Begin a messaging campaign regarding the importance of attendance via robocall as well as other measures on an ongoing basis.
  • Begin the practice of journaling/writing at all grade levels and in all subject areas.
  • Build a cultural (i.e. Native American) component into the universal/in-classroom-based systems approach to behavioral, social and emotional learning. Begin in grades K and 1st Grades.
  • Consider implementing a “Wellness Center.”
  • Consider re-assigning the Cannon Ball Building MTSS Team Member presently assigned to intervention.
  • Continue to broaden and strengthen a universal/in-classroom-based approach to social and emotional learning. Compliment the above proactive approach to the classroom by utilizing the counselors.
  • Determine “Look For’s/Best Practices” for each “Learning Walk.”
  • Develop grade level exit writing exemplars for K-12.
  • Encourage interclass competitions with class privileges to classes with improved attendance.
  • Ensure teachers are trained in research-based, best practices in ELA (i.e. reading/writing) and math. Monitor the effectiveness of these practices.
  • Ensure that all teachers are trained in the researched-based differentiation strategies and monitor the effectiveness of these interventions.
  • Ensure that at least eleven students are enrolled in Kindergarten Cannon Ball Elementary annually.
  • Explore before and after school programs, peer tutoring options, tutorial options, etc.
  • Finds ways to engage students via technology.
  • Increase the use of interim assessments to assist in driving instructional practices for classroom teachers.
  • Increase Tier 2 grouping of students for SEL.
  • Make data gathering and data dialogs a part of every MTSS meeting to assist in data driven instruction.
  • Pilot a “leveled reading program” at Cannon Ball Elementary with opportunities for more grouping and to increase academic performance for Tier 2 students.
  • Principals should review the above lesson plans at least bi-monthly and provide staff with feedback related to their lesson planning.
  • Purchase and/or update an in-classroom SEL (i.e. Social Emotional Learning) curriculum like “2nd Step” for use by classroom teachers.
  • Require all staff to implement engagement strategies into lesson planning & delivery as well as other engagement strategies such as using students’ interest to plan lessons, on a consistent basis.
  • Require that all teachers create lesson plans that are tied to: power standards, best practices, data driven instruction, & re-teach strategies (when necessary) and submitted weekly.
  • Revisit and revise the “Power Standards.” Utilize CREA as a resource or simply adopt CREA’s power standards.
  • Solidify a policy regarding student use of cell phones.
  • Strive to become a RAMP (i.e. Recognized ASCA Model Program) school, thus indicating a highly effective counseling program.
  • Train classroom teachers in how to obtain baseline SEL curriculum data as well as provide proactive interventions related to social/emotional/behavioral needs of students in the regular classroom.
Critical Initiative
  • Add math nights, science nights, reading/writing nights, etc. (i.e. NOTE: students show/display their work)
  • Ask staff to keep a log of positive parent/guardian contacts.
  • Continue the elementary program that focuses on the Native American Culture.
  • Counselors and students meet with parents/guardians or communicate in writing at least once a year to review the above.
  • Ensure that not only the staff, but the principals, engage in positive parent/guardian contacts.
Key Measures
  • Climate and Culture Rubric
  • Meeting attendance
  • Staff attendance
Key Measures
  • Diagnostic Test Results
  • Interim Tests
  • Lesson Plans
  • Night Lights Data
  • Staff Evaluations
  • Student Attendance Rates
  • Student Engagement Survey
Key Measures
  • Family Engagement Activities Data
  • Positive Guardian Contact Data
Purposeful Leadership
We will strive to be committed and purposeful leaders with the knowledge and skills that will take our school district to higher levels of success and achievement.
Objectives
  • Charge the administrative team/Solen board of education with the task of facilitating a district slogan
  • Continue to develop leaders with the knowledge and skills that will take the school district to higher levels of success and achievement.
  • Schedule a retreat with the district leadership team and the education consultant before school begins in 2023.
  • The administrative team should establish, agree to and adhere to administrative norms
  • The administrative team should increase communications with both staff and parents/guardians.
  • "The Solen Board of Education should consider adding an agenda item to each regular board meeting entitled ""Academic Update"""
  • To continue to develop district leaders with an increased set of skills and knowledge.
Critical Initiative
  • A retreat should be held with the District Leadership Team & The Consultant for the purposes of: building “team” the development of team norms; ensuring deep focus & alignment of the Strategic Plan
  • All District Leaders begin to put into practice “effective” communication skills: being visible, face to face, provide specific feedback, listen, get facts and not assume, transparent decision making.
  • All District Leaders should attend a “Communications Skills” training.
  • Continue monthly coaching sessions for each leader with an education consultant.
  • Create agreed upon staff norms with the leadership team. Require that all members sign the agreed upon norms.
  • Ensure that a strategic plan update is presented to the board at least once each trimester.
  • Ensure that ALL staff know the slogan and can literally recite it. Make it a fun thing.
  • Ensure that the consequences section is adhered to when a member has a pattern of not following the norms.
  • Once a slogan is selected, market it by: putting it on t-shirts, caps, cups, etc.; posting it in classrooms, hallways, boardroom, etc.; putting it on district stationary/letterhead; and brainstorming
  • Review norms bi-annually.
  • Schedule in-person meetings with the District Leadership members and the Consultant each trimester.
  • The board of education should discuss the possibility of adding an academic update to EVERY regular board meeting for the purposes of both information and instructional accountability.
  • The board of education should seek input from students, staff, parents/guardians, etc. in an effort to develop a district slogan.
  • The roles of the District’s Leadership Team are: measure and monitor District Improvement Plan/Strategic Plan, district’s mission & vision, school’s improvement plans, district’s culture and climate.
Key Measures
  • Comprehensive Support Plan
  • District Improvement Plan
  • Strategy Map
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