School Innovation and Improvement Plan

Outcome goals for202-23 School Year

ESSER III School Innovation and Improvement Plan At-A-Glance

  • 2022-2023
  • Willow Springs Elementary School
  • Region 5
  • Dylan Taylor-Principal

 The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) is a federal grant, which requires that spending be used in specific areas. Part of the Fairfax County Public Schools spending plan identifies funding to be used for Unfinished Learning and Student Academic and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (Wellness) Needs. 

COMPLETE ESSER SCHOOL FUNDING PLANS

English Language Arts                                                                 

Goals:

  • In the spring of  2023 Reading iReady, students having a scaled score equal to or greater than the benchmark on iReady for students' grade level and the subject will increase by 20%.
  • This will result in a scaled score equal to or greater than the benchmark of 66% for the English Learners group and 70% for the Students with Disabilities group.

Strategy 1

  • Provide daily, systematic, explicit instruction in phonological awareness, phonics, and morphology in the core language arts block (Tier !).

Strategy 2

  • Ensure targeted practice opportunities for every student and additional time for those students who need more practice.(Tier 2)

Strategy 3

  •  Orient instruction and support students to focus on using sound-spelling patterns to decode.

 Mathematics 

Goals:

  • On the spring 2023 Mathematics iReady, students having a scaled score equal to or greater than the benchmark on iReady for the student's grade level and subject area will increase by at least 10%.
  • This will result in a scaled score equal to or greater than the benchmark of 77% for the English Learners group and 70% for Students with Disabilities.

Strategy 1

  • Conduct professional development sessions in CLTs with teachers on the High-Leverage Instructional Shifts and the Student Mathematics Profile.

Strategy 2

  • AVMR - Tier 1 Instruction Leverage EMRT and AART to facilitate CLTs and guide deeper considerations around mathematical thinking

Strategy 3

  • Teachers design learning tasks that target specific strategies or representations, and plan what they will look for in student observation, student responses to questions, and written work to determine what students understand.

 Wellness 

Goal: 

  • By June 2023, 100% of students in 3rd-6th grade will respond 4 (Quite connected/ Belong quite a bit) or 5 (Extremely connected/ Completely belong) on the FCPS SEL Screener for question 11. How connected do you feel to the adults at your school? and 12. Overall, how much do you feel like you belong at school?
  • By June 2023, 100% of staff reported improved knowledge of SEL and capacity to engage in required practices on the internal surveys.

Strategy 1

  • Ensure implementation of Tier 1 social-emotional learning (SEL) practices.

Strategy 2

  • Provide targeted student supports for identified students.

Strategy 3

  •  Provide opportunities for family engagement focused on SEL supports and strategies.

Portrait of a Graduate (POG)

Goal:

  • 100% of students in grades Kindergarten-6th will have exposure to the Advanced Academics Program (AAP)/Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) curriculum, and problem-based learning experiences (PBL) once per quarter to help develop and grow collaboration and communication skills as identified in the FCPS's Portrait of a Graduate (POG).

Strategy 1

  •  Increase student communication and collaboration throughout the academic day to provide more opportunities for student voice and engagement.

 

WSES ESSER III Language Arts Funding Showcase! 

A focus of our ESSER funding in language arts has been on building teacher knowledge with professional development opportunities. Some of our primary teachers have been diving into the Science of Reading by participating in LETRS training. This training helps teachers understand how the brain learns language and how this translates to reading and writing. Teachers have been putting theory into action during their classroom instruction.

Other teachers are learning about how students acquire sounds to decode and encode (spelling) in their Sound Wall training. Sound Wall materials have been purchased and teachers are looking forward to starting a Sound Wall in their classrooms.

ESSER funds have also been utilized to purchase instructional materials for phonemic awareness and phonics instruction.  It has been amazing to see teachers using these materials to target students’ needs during small-group instruction. Our teachers are noticing the growth that this targeted instruction has made for our foxes!

 

WSES ESSER lll Math Funding Showcase!

In the fall, a team of teachers received the Add+Vantage Math Recovery (AVMR) professional development training.  Using the knowledge from this training, the teachers have been able to help assess students to understand more about students’ mathematical understanding of number words and numerals, structuring numbers, and addition and subtraction. 

Since then, the focus of ESSER funding this year in mathematics has been on building teacher capacity for assessing students, identifying strengths and next steps for growth, and planning for instruction to meet students’ needs.  Math Recovery resource books were purchased for each grade level to support teachers in planning for quick assessments in the classroom, as well as activities and games that can be utilized in the classroom in both whole-group and small-group settings.

Additionally, math manipulatives, including math games and activities, have been purchased for every classroom to support classroom assessments and instruction.  We look forward to continuing these best practices in mathematics for years to come!

WSES ESSER III Wellness Funding Showcase! 

We are proud to announce our investments in our learning environment to support the health and well-being of our students and staff. Here are some of the items we're currently benefiting from:

  • Take a Break Spots are now located in every WSES learning environment: This cozy corner has visual posters and tactile items (emotions cube, feelings board, strategies, and sand timers) Our take-a-break spots promote emotional regulation, common language, and our Responsive Classroom approach to behavior solutions.
  • Our mental health team purchased the Zones of Regulation curriculum to implement in classroom lessons to support social and emotional learning.
  • We've created a dedicated space to support students' sensory needs and promote relaxation.
  • We've invested in a studio for our students and staff to create and share wellness podcasts, amplify their voices, share knowledge, and encourage conversations surrounding mental health. 
  • We've purchased books and classroom supplies to support our instructional staff in implementing the Responsive Classroom approach.
  • We've organized family engagement events like yoga and wellness sessions to promote wellness and community building. Our next event is the Student Innovation Expo on April 18. 
  • We've invested in books and resources for our school community to promote literacy and well-being with a P2 Community Library.
  • Teachers and Instructional Assistants are received hourly pay for planning and participating in professional development. We've provided our teachers with paid planning and professional development time to learn about Responsive Classroom, Panorama, CASEL, and EARS. Thank you for the hours of planning that were graciously provided by our staff!
  • We've provided substitute coverage for our teachers to observe and develop a curriculum related to CASEL closing circles, and the EARS curriculum to support our school-wide behavior management program and implement Responsive Classroom strategies. A big shout out to the substitutes that made these dreams possible!
  • We've created a garden to promote outdoor learning and wellness. Please stop by to look at our P2 Rock Garden the next time you're at WSES!
  • We've partnered with local George Mason University to regularly bring student-athletes into our school. From pep rallies to writing assignments, our kids have bonded with the Mason Softball Team for the past two years.
  • We've invested in EARS resources and student portraits to support a sense of belonging and community in our learning environments.
  • We've organized therapy animal visits and other family engagement activities to promote wellness and connection.

We are excited to see these investments' positive impact on our school community's wellness. From increased emotional regulation and engagement in classroom lessons to improved outdoor learning spaces and family engagement, these investments will have a lasting impact on the well-being of our students and staff. We appreciate your support in making these improvements possible!