Liberty Central School District

Mission

To empower each student to contribute and thrive in a diverse community by pursuing their potential.

Vision

Cultivating trust and courage to be innovative and to persevere.

Liberty Elementary School

Mission

Our mission is to educate, inspire, and empower all students in a nurturing environment supported by staff, parents, and community partnerships.

Vision

Our vision is to cultivate responsible global thinkers who can meet all challenges in their personal lives, their communities, and beyond.

Collective Commitments

We will…

• Provide an accessible, culturally responsive, relevant, engaging, vertically and horizontally aligned PK-12 curriculum, that makes connections to our students and community.
• Provide a MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) for behavior and attendance that cultivates wellness and safety for students, staff and families.
• The district will create a positive, welcoming student-centered environment that celebrates diversity and inclusivity to empower students, staff and families.

Commitment | The LES staff commit to the implementation of Frog Street (PK), Into Reading (K-4), and Into Math (K-4) with fidelity.

DCIP alignment

Provide an accessible, culturally responsive, relevant, engaging, vertically and horizontally aligned PK-12 curriculum, that makes connections to our students and community.

SMART Goal Lag Measures

Reading: By May of 2023, 57.21% of all students performing On Watch or At or Above Grade Level will increase to 63.21 % of students as reported using STAR Reading and Early Literacy for grades K-4.

Math: By May of 2023, 64.55% of all students performing On Watch or At or Above Grade Level will increase to 69.55% of students as reported using STAR Math Assessment for Grade 1-4.

• Score calculated by adding all students On Watch (OW) and At or Above Level (AAL) for each grade level, then dividing the total by the total number of tests taken (TTT). Translated to %.
  ((OW + AAL) / TTT) x 100 = % score

Why we are making this commitment?

We believe we need to provide a rigorous PK-4 curriculum to support student success. We need to challenge students in the classroom and empower their learning to ensure they have the 21st century skills needed to be successful during and after their years in Liberty Central School District.

A cohesive ELA program in grades K-4 started in fall 2022.  A cohesive Math program for grades K-4 will begin in fall 2023.  We believe implementing the program with fidelity will be pertinent to achieve our commitment to a rigorous, relevant, and cohesive PK-12 curriculum for all tier 1, tier 2, and tier 3 students.

According to the 2023 Spring STAR Reading and Early Literacy data,  57.19% of students were considered On Watch or At or Above Grade Level. We believe that teaching the Frog Street and HMH ELA programs with fidelity will directly influence the growth of students across grades PK – 4.

According to the 2023 Spring STAR Math data, 64.55% of students in grades 1 – 4 were considered On Watch or At or Above Grade Level. We believe that teaching the new HMH Math programs with fidelity will directly influence the growth of students across grades 1 – 4.

Strategies

Teachers and TAs will receive program training and collaborative time monthly to target Reading and Math instruction.

Methods

1. Appropriate teachers will receive in-depth training on the components, concepts and process of the HMH and/or Frog Street programs.
2. Paraprofessionals will be trained by an assigned teacher in the expectations, resources, and process of instructing or supporting students engaged in the HMH Math Program and/or as needed for HMH Reading and Frog Street curriculums.
3. Paraprofessionals will continue to have opportunities to co-plan with assigned teachers on curriculum and delivery expectations.
4. The MTSS facilitator will be utilized to support the analysis of HMH Reading and Math data to further support students’ learning needs.
5. Teachers will have opportunities to visit and collaborate with other teachers including those in the same grade level as well as vertically aligned opportunities using Instructional Rounds as a model.
6. Teachers and administration will create and implement STAR assessment procedures to create consistency with assessments.

Gauging Success

1. Prior to Fall STAR testing, consistent testing procedures will be created.
2. By November 1st, all staff that directly work with the new curriculum material will have received at least 1 training to successfully implement the program.
3. Non-evaluative observations of the MTSS meetings will reflect a working knowledge of student growth using new curriculum data points.
4. Non-evaluative teacher observations will reflect the implementation of the new programs with fidelity
5. Students will create WIGS based on STAR Reading and Math testing

Resources

1. HMH access online and via support professionals
2. Scheduling of common prep periods for staff to plan and explore materials.
3. Appropriate technology

Cadence of Accountability

By December, PLC groups and faculty meetings will begin to implement a 5 minute share with small wins in regards to the new curriculum.

Create, implement and revisit curriculum maps, pacing guides and priority assessments for HMH ELA and Math to guide instruction.

Methods

1.  Teachers will meet at least one time a trimester to revisit and continue contributing to living curriculum map documents.
2. Teachers will meet one time a trimester to create and revisit pacing guides based on curriculum and standards.
3. Teachers will create, review and revise priority assessments for Reading and Math.

Gauging Success

1. By the end of July 2023, HMH Math and Reading teachers will use time to begin Curriculum Map work.
2. Each trimester edits and additions will be made to existing Math and Reading planning documents.
3. Observations of horizontally aligned curriculum and implementation

Resources

1. Time in PLC to work on curriculum maps
2. Access to curriculum and digital files
3. Time in PLC to work on priority assessments

Cadence of Accountability

1. Post Observation conversations
2. Administration meetings and follow up

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Commitment | LES Staff commits to decreasing the percentage of students who are chronically absent.

DCIP alignment

Provide a MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports) for behavior and attendance that cultivates wellness and safety for students, staff and families.

Smart Goal Lag Measures

By June of 2024, Chronic Absenteeism (defined as missing more than 10% [18 days] per year) will decrease by 5% from 37.2% of students to 32.2% per NYSED Level 1 Data.

Why we are making this commitment?

Chronic absence can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school.  When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.

School absenteeism is proven to exacerbate social class differences in academic development among young children. Missing school in the early grades has a more powerful influence on literacy development for low-income students than it does for their more affluent peers.  Currently, there is a significantly greater level of chronic absenteeism among our PK and Kindergarten students which is ill–preparing them for successful later years in our high poverty school district.

To empower each Liberty student to contribute and thrive we must help the student and their families understand the importance of attending school each day, and conditions of learning must be present to ensure all students have access to an equal opportunity to learn.  Systems-level strategies, including proactively involving students and families, collecting and reporting data, building strategic partnerships across public agencies and community-based partners, providing training and support and taking a problem-solving, non-punitive approach to attendance improvement can result in meaningful and lasting positive change for communities.

Strategies

Establish attendance protocols and implement them schoolwide.

Methods

1. A clear document is created outlining what the Teacher responsibilities, Counselor responsibilities, Admin responsibilities, and Nurse responsibilities are in regards to attendance.
2. Communicate attendance policy in plain language to all stakeholders
3. Enforce the attendance excuse policies
4. Implement a MTSS behavior process for students with poor attendance

Gauging Success

1. By August 25, 2023 – there will be a simple language attendance policy uploaded with a parent acknowledgement on StudentID.
2. By August 25, 2023 – Attendance duties will be drawn up into a document, along with a copy of the Board of Education Attendance Policy, and will be ready to hand out to the teachers on opening day.
3. By September 20, 2023, 9 day and 18 day attendance letters will be drawn up and approved for use.
   At the beginning of the school year all parents will sign that they have read and that they acknowledge the
4. Board of Education Attendance policy stating that they must call the school within 24 hours of a student’s absence and send the student back to school with a written excuse.
5. Starting in September, all teachers will enforce the absenteeism note policy within their classrooms.
6. Starting in September, when students are absent more than 3 days in a row, the school nurse will contact parents to determine why the student is out of school.
7. Starting in September, when a student has missed 9 days of school, the administration will send home a 9 day attendance letter.
8. Starting in September, when a student has missed 18 days of school, the administration will send home a 18 day attendance letter.
9. Starting by the end of September, when a student has missed 18 days of school, the student will be referred to the MTSS behavior team.

Resources

1. Time to meet with appropriate staff to create and consult in regards to the attendance policy
2. Time on the opening conferences to share attendance policy and duties with all staff members.
3. Access to technology for creation and distribution of policy
4. MTSS Behavior meetings
5. Guidance from applicable advisory positions to aid in the process (Ex: RPC or inhouse staff)

Cadence of Accountability

1. MTSS Behavior meeting notes
2. Attendance scoreboards to track attendance progress
3. Administrative weekly meetings for follow up

Strategy | Celebrate student attendance and punctuality

Methods

1. Individual student attendance awards
2. Monthly classroom attendance celebrations
3. Attendance announcements regarding daily attendance
4. Outside attendance signage (English and Spanish)
5. Classroom missions will include an attendance component.

Gauging Success

1. By the end of September, Administration will communicate the prior day’s daily attendance rate to the building using a daily end of the day attendance PA shout out.
2. By the first character counts awards in October, Attendance awards will become part of the ceremony’s expected routine.
3. By October, classrooms will celebrate “near perfect” monthly attendance achievements with small classroom celebrations.
4. By the end of October, visible signage will be displayed to communicate tardiness and parent expectation to sign students in.

Resources

1. A school policy will be developed and distributed to parents and staff as to what the requirements are for a student attendance award.
2. A school policy will be developed and distributed to parents and staff as to what the requirements are for classroom perfect attendance.
3. Signage will need to be purchased
4. Designated routine time will need to be scheduled to make daily announcements and check daily attendance rates.

Cadence of Accountability

1. Daily Attendance Announcements
2. Weekly Administrative Meetings
3. Frequency of Behavior MTSS meetings due to attendance
4. Counseling PLC meetings

Educate and empower students and parents to help solve issues preventing students from attending school regularly and on-time.

Methods

1.  PK/Kindergarten attendance talks to parents
2. attendance flyers in English and Spanish
3. Reaching out to Spanish speaking parents through translation
4. walking bus stops
5. Outside sign telling parents their student is late and to come inside and sign-in the student
6. Continue direct instruction of Leader In Me at designated times, while continuing to imbed concepts through interdisciplinary opportunities.

Gauging Success

1.  By August 30, 2023, attendance flyers in English and Spanish will be printed out and ready to hand out to parents at Kindergarten Orientation and to go home with PK students the first week.
2. On open house, attendance will be a part of all open house presentations (especially at PreK and K).
3. By October 15th, the main office will have signage in English and Spanish for daily tardies.
4. By December 15, 2023, the Building Lighthouse Team will explore the idea of walking bus stops and what might be feasible

Resources

1. Printing for Flyers about attendance
2. Sign to place outside

Cadence of Accountability

1.  Observations
2. Weekly and daily attendance rates

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Commitment | LES commits to increase student involvement and leadership in academic and cultural initiatives which influence the building success.

DCIP alignment

The district will create a positive, welcoming student-centered environment that celebrates diversity and inclusivity to empower students, staff and families.

Smart Goal Lag Measures

Given the Leader in Me framework, by May 2024, the LiM MRA (given to 4th grade students, Staff, and Parents) scale score will increase from 75 to a 78.

Why we are making this commitment?

The LES Mission Statement states : “The mission of the Liberty Elementary School is to educate, inspire and empower all students in partnership with staff, parents and community members.”

We believe all of our students deserve a community centered environment, in which they feel welcome and they are an intricate part of the culture of the school.  We also believe the parents of our students must feel like they are a welcomed and involved part of the team and that Liberty Elementary School is a central part of their community.

We believe in cultivating all students’ potential beyond their wildest imagination through LES’s availability of clubs, diverse assemblies, field trips, and community involvement.

We believe the increased awareness and equitable access to materials and opportunities will help to enhance the inclusive environment in our school.  Given that 51% of students are from Hispanic or Latino families, equity will be an intentional piece of our commitment.

Strategies

Implement student centered Leader in Me Portfolios in K-4.

Methods

1. Initial roll out training for portfolios.
2. Opening day conferences will have some time to focus on “Chapter 1: My Self” of portfolios and how it may be used in the first 8 days.
3. By the end of September, K-4 will utilize hard copy binders to organize portfolios.
4. Classroom teachers will receive continued roll out training for each chapter of the portfolio in 6 day cycles of MTSS.
   1. (2nd cycle) Chapter 2: My WIGs
   2. (3rd cycle) Chapter 3: My Learning
5. Email and digital reminders for Chapter 4 & 5.

Gauging Success

1. By the end of September Teachers will have initial training on Leader in Me portfolios, organization and how to incorporate it into their classroom throughout the year.
2. By December all students will have a producible student portfolio with some initial elements added.
3. By May students will be able to speak to their data and leadership using the portfolios.

Resources

1. Leadership portfolio resources
   1. K-2 Editable WIG Form
   2. 3-8 Editable WIG Form
   3. Reading Goal Shopping List
   4. Math Goal Shopping List
2. Leadership portfolio slideshow presentation

Cadence of Accountability

1. MTSS Check ins with grade levels as MTSS time is used to discuss student achievement and portfolios.
2. Classroom observations

Continue to implement and expand on student academic and personal WIG creation, lead measures, accountability and celebration of progress

Methods

1. Master schedule with designated Leader in Me and WIG time.
2. ELA and Math academic WIGs.
3. accountability  partners and procedures for tracking lead measures.
4. Celebration plan for classroom students as collective lead measure accomplishments
5. Track lead measure data weekly
6. informal “student led conference”
7. Visual representation of scoreboards in grade level hallways.
8. Growth on HMH and STAR assessments
9. Celebrations in classrooms correlated to the Lead Measure progress.
10. Increased visual celebrations using the Lobby TV and shared pictures from celebrations.

Gauging Success

1. By the end of October, all students will create ELA and Math academic WIGs.
2. By the end of October, all students will create ELA and Math academic WIGs.
3. By November 15th, all students will have accountability  partners and follow procedures for tracking lead measures.
4. By November 15th, all staff will implement a celebration plan for classroom students as collective lead measure accomplishments are recognized.
5. By the end of November all classrooms will track lead measure data weekly following school wide expectations.
6. After each benchmark assessment, all students will review their growth in an informal “student led conference” with an appropriate staff member and adjust their goals if needed.
7. By December, WIG celebration material will be added to the Lobby TV for celebration.

Resources

1. Lobby TV
2. Pictures from staff (system for easy sharing)
3. Bulletin board material
4. Scoreboard templates

Cadence of Accountability

• Observations around the building in hallway, lobby, and classrooms
• MTSS meeting check ins with grade levels

Student led leadership opportunities offerings at classroom and schoolwide levels.

Methods

1. Students will be given opportunities for student led conferencing with teachers and their accountability partner post benchmark.
2. Students will have leadership opportunities in assemblies and events –  one in school event and one outside school event each trimester.
3. Students leadership opportunity board will display current opportunities throughout the year.
4. Students representatives will be established.
5. Student representatives will be invited and attend monthly culture meetings.

Gauging Success

1.  By June 2024, 100% of Liberty Elem. school students will hold at least 1 schoolwide and/or classroom leadership role.
2. By December 2023, LES will create a system for older students to sign up for leadership roles in the building.
3. By December 2023, every event will have leadership positions offered to students.

Resources

1. Leadership Role Subcollection
2. Student-led Conference Resource Subcollection
3. 4 Disciplines of Execution, Discipline 4 subcollection
4. Bulletin board materials

Cadence of Accountability

1. Reflection on events
2. Display of “Job board”