Indian Trails Middle School
Flagler County Schools
DistrictPrincipal: Michele Crosby
SAC Chairperson: Debra Rigby
Superintendent: Bill Delbrugge
Date of School Board Approval: November 17, 2006
Mission:Our mission is to create a positive environment which facilitates the development of students’ self-worth, trust, respect, individuality and self-confidence in order to become life-long learners. Our number one goal is to increase the level of each student’s achievement.
Indian Trails Middle School has one principal, two assistant principals, and one dean. Other school-wide personnel include: three guidance counselors, one speech teacher, one media specialist, one reading coach, and one ESOL teacher. Currently, there are sixty-one (61) academic subject area teachers, fifteen (15) special area teachers, eight (8) self-contained ESE teachers, two (2) resource teachers, and three (3) ESE inclusion teachers. We have one (1) speech/language pathologist. There are also a part-time school psychologist and a part-time staffing specialist. We also have a school nurse, a nurse’s assistant, fifty-four (54) support staff, and one School Resource Deputy. 75% of the faculty has a Bachelor’s degree and 24% has a Master’s. Three of our teachers have National Board Certification.
Our students have a full-service guidance program. From entry to dismissal, counselors provide services which complement and enhance the educational experience for our students. This includes: individual and small group counseling; crisis intervention; student placement; peer mediation training; identifying, monitoring, and documenting students requiring interventions; and facilitating Student Success Team meetings, including referrals to the school psychologist.
Indian Trails provides a wide range of programs to meet the needs of its students who require exceptional education services. As a part of our full spectrum of services, we offer direct instruction, small group instruction, and consultations. We also have co-taught inclusion classes and resource classes for students with mild learning disabilities. Self-contained classroom are also available for students needing more intensive help with the learning process. A speech pathologist, occupational therapist, and physical therapists provide intensive services for those students needing such assistance. A behavior specialist is available, as needed.
The staff at Indian Trails prides itself in its forward thinking and integration of technology into the curriculum. Currently, there are five computer learning labs in the school. Our students have the opportunity to access information from the internet and conduct research as a result. Students produce a live television broadcast daily on our in-house system. Video production students in the media center create PSA’s utilizing digital production techniques, including DVD’s and mp3’s. Students are producing power-point presentations as the product of their research. Teachers and students have the opportunity to use smart board to enhance instruction in the classroom. Our technology plan includes resource features, planning, and support mechanisms proven to enhance student achievement. The focus of our SIP plan supports school-wide goals and objectives included in our technology plan. Plans for personnel, staff development, and timelines are ambitious. Our teachers and students are sophisticated users of computer applications.
A wide variety of exploratory courses are offered at Indian Trails. We have expanded our course offerings to our middle school students. Our students now have the opportunity to take art, piano, guitar, family and consumer science, chorus, band, business, critical thinking skills. technology, health, and physical education. Spanish I Algebra IA and Algebra I Honors are offered for high school credit. Some students are taking geometry in 8th grade through Florida Virtual School for high school credit.
Indian Trails continues to have excellent support from parents and community members. There are two active parent organizations, the Parent Teachers Organization (PTO) and the School Advisory Council (SAC). These organizations assist us in many ways. Some of which are running the sponsoring activities, providing volunteers in the classrooms, honoring the school staff, providing a forum to discuss current educational issues, and organizing school fund-raisers.
After school activities are offered three days a week. These include: Sign Language; learning Russian; math and science assistance; homework opportunity time; art club; chess club; Spanish club; science club; student government; dance; on-line literary magazine; intramurals; sewing classes; drama; and science club. In order to involve students in their school community, extracurricular sports are provided for middle school students. This is done through the Police Athletic League (PAL). The main object of these activities at ITMS is to provide each student with the opportunity to enjoy social and athletic activities, which will not only reinforce and compliment the academic activities.
QUALITY STAFF: All administrators are fully certified and have extensive experience as administrators. All of our teachers are certified and are teaching in-field.
Reading
Objective: To increase the percentage of students scoring at level three (3) or higher by 5% at each grade level, grades 6-8.
Needs Assessment: FCAT percentage scoring at level 3 or higher
6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade |
| 70% | 66% | 67% |
Strategies:
Using Kaplan base line testing information and supplemental lesson plans to teach concepts/benchmarks
Provide and implement the FAB Five strategies for teachers to use during reading in all content areas.
· Reading coaches will provide school-wide training
Provide opportunities and incentives for independent reading at school and home by using Reading Counts in grades 6-8.
· All language arts teachers, grades 6-8 participate in Reading Counts.
· Provide for “Teacher Read-Aloud” time.
· Language arts teachers in grades 6-8 will implement monthly “Stop and Read” Friday.
Provide intensive reading for students in grades 6, 7, & 8 scoring Level 1 and Level 2 in reading on the FCAT.
· Eight (8) reading teachers provide Intensive Reading classes for students in grades 6-8. This is in place of an elective class. Level 1 students receive 110 minutes of instruction in reading and language arts using the Language Program.
Improve students’ knowledge of vocabulary to facilitate reading fluency and comprehension.
· These strategies are being implemented through students’ reading performance task work and word walls in all classes.
Budget:
Reading Coaches’ Salaries
Intensive Reading Classes
Teachers’ Salaries
Materials
Training
Cost of substitutes
CCC lab
Monitor’s salary
Lab contract
Language Program
Reading Counts
Books
Cost of Program
Classroom libraries
Math
Objective
To increase the percentage of students scoring level 3 or higher by 5% at each grade level. Adequate yearly progress will be achieved by raising the percentage of Black Students and Students with Disabilities population group by a minimum of 6%
Needs Assessment: FCAT percentage scoring at level 3 or above
6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade |
| 55% | 56% | 47% |
2004 Adequate Yearly Progress Report (AYP)
38% scoring at or above grade level in Math
Total | White | Black | Hispanic | Econ. Disadv. | SWD |
| 62-Y | 67-Y | 35-N | 48-Y | 53-Y | 32-N |
Strategies
Provide intensive math classes for all Level 1 students
· Provide computer assisted instruction (Success Maker)
· After school math assistance
· FCAT Explorer
Open up a new sections of Pre-Algebra and Algebra at 6th, 7th, & 8th grades
- Use of River Deep Lab
- Geometry offered using Florida Virtual School
District training in math strategies
· Access to FCAT specifications manual on specific FCAT levels for each concept/benchmark
· Using Kaplan base line testing information and supplemental lesson plans to teach concepts/benchmarks
· FCAT rubric training
· Ideas on how to incorporate daily data analysis activities classes
· Teachers attending FCTM conference· Curriculum mapping and articulation
· CRISS Strategies training and implementation
Introduce “Math Best Practices Strategies”
- Vocabulary stressed to improve FCAT reading of word problems/writing of short and extended responses
- Teachers trained in Enhancing Reading through Math will train others.
Budget:
After school clubs stipends and bus transportation
Kaplan Software and supplies
Cost of substitutes for in-service programs and cost of materials and books
Intensive Math Program
River Deep Lab
· Monitor
· Cost of upgrading Program
Writing
Objective
To improve students’ ability to communicate through writing in grades 6-8.
Strategies
Teachers will continue to meet regularly to discuss instruction of writing and share effective teaching techniques
.· In-service opportunities for all language arts teachers.
· Best practices meetings dedicated to writing strategies for all teachers.
· Grade level meetings devoted to writing improvement.
· School-wide training on scoring writing using the FCAT rubric Provide in-service for new teachers on writing strategies.
· Training of new teachers
· Use of rubrics by all middle school language arts teachers
Budget:
In-service
Cost of substitutes
Cost related to training
Materials
Science
Objective:
Increase the percentage of 8th grade students scoring a level 3 or better by 10%. Assist in the writing objective of improving written communication skills in the content area for all students in grades 6-8.
Needs Assessment:
Percent of 8th Grade Students Scoring at each Science FCAT Level
Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 |
| 24.2% | 30.6% | 41.2% | 3.8% | .2% |
Grade 8
Mean Points Earned by Content | PhysicalChemical | Earth Space | Life & Environment | ScientificThinking |
| Number of Points Possible | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Indian Trails | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Percentage | 54% | 62% | 62% | 57% |
Strategies:
· Implement the Science Question of the Week. Grade level specific extended response questions are provided to all teachers. Students scoring a 4 or 5 as per the accepted rubric as well as those students increasing their last score by one point will be entered into a drawing for a prize.
· Increase hands-on laboratory experience. Teachers will share areas of strength and create kits to share with colleagues. Teachers will also attend professional development to increase their laboratory repertoire. More resources will be provided to teachers to utilize in the classroom.
· Increase vocabulary in the content area by implementing a word wall in each classroom. Teachers will utilize “Foldables” to increase students’ understanding of scientific terms. Profession development by Dinah Zikes, the creator of “Foldables”, has been requested.
· Increase interest and the connection to the ‘real world’ by inviting guest speakers to discuss possible careers in science.
· Using Kaplan base line testing information identify major areas of weakness. Monitor progress throughout the year and tailor lesson plans to students’ needs using Kaplan software to be provided by the district.
· Increase teacher participation in the school science fair allowing students the opportunity to design their own experiment testing their knowledge of the scientific method. Prizes will be awarded on the school level and top eight winners will be eligible to compete on the Regional Level through the Tomoka Regional Level through the Tomoka Regional ISEF Science Fair.
· After school programs aid in student homework completion and develop students’ understanding of the engineering process through the Toy Challenge Competition provided by the after-school science club.
· Provide workshops to science teachers in reading and writing strategies.
Budget:
After school clubs stipends and bus transportation
Cost of POW prizes
Cost of guest speakers or trainers
Cost of prizes and materials for science fair
Kaplan Software and supplies
Lab equipment and supplies
Cost of substitutes for in-service programs
Fees for presentationsEquipment Materials
Fees for presentations
Parental Involvement
Objective
To maintain a positive home/school connection and to increase the participation of parents in their children’s education.
· Expanding the information that parents can find on the school’s WEB page. Reminders should be made to parents to check out the WEB page. Increasing our communications by sending out minutes of meeting to parents via email. Administrator need to provide timely information to parents through flyers and updates. Teachers need to be encouraged to make sure that flyers get home to parents in a timely manner. Positive incentives need to be given to students for taking responsibility for getting the information to their parents.
· Expand recognition of students: Pizza with the Principal; Postcards to Parents; Weekly coverage in the News Journal School Page; Newsletters mailed home; Weekly Updates sent home by teams.
· Increasing parents’ knowledge by providing newsletters, parent information nights, parent conferences, and news releases to the newspaper.
· Encouraging participation in the SAC and PTO by providing incentives for participation.
· Encouraging participation of volunteers by creating some kind of volunteer appreciation and recognition program.
· Planners are purchased and furnished by the school to insure that pertinent information is given to parents. The planner provides a forum for parent/teacher/student communication.
· Encourage teachers to collect parent email addresses and send out mass mailings. Teachers are to be encouraged to create WEB sites that are easily accessible to parents.
Budget:
Planners
Programs for students
Materials needed for meetings
Cost of newsletter and other informational documents