School Innovation and Improvement Plan At-a-Glance

• 2023 - 2024

• Walt Whitman Middle School

• Region 3

• John Flowers, Principal

English Language Arts Strategies

Ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in English Language Arts (ELA).

Goal:

• By June 2024, our combined annual unadjusted Reading SOL pass rate will increase to a 70% on the Grade 7 and Grade 8 Reading SOLs for all students.

Strategy 1

• ELA classrooms will maximize daily instruction and practice in word recognition, reading comprehension, and grammar utilizing the Lexia PowerUp program.

Strategy 2

• ELA CLTs will utilize small group instruction and data-driven intervention to increase opportunities for students who need more practice to master standards.

Strategy 3

• ELA CLTs will utilize small group instruction to increase opportunities for students who need extensions.

 

Mathematics Strategies

Ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in Mathematics.

Goals: 

• By June 2024, our combined annual unadjusted Mathematics SOL pass rate will increase to a 70% on the Grade 7 and Grade 8 Mathematics SOLs for all students.
• By June 2024, we will improve from an 88% pass rate to a 95% pass rate on the Algebra 1 SOL.
• By June 2024, 40% of students will be enrolled in Math 7 Honors as a seventh grader or Algebra 1/Algebra 1 Honors as an eighth grader. 

Strategy 1

• Math CLTs will utilize small group instruction and intervention to increase opportunities for students who need more practice to master standards.

Strategy 2

• Math CLTs will increase teacher implementation of explicit instruction and other components of effective mathematics intervention.

Strategy 3

• Math CLTs will expand the type and frequency of formative assessments to evaluate progress throughout units.

Strategy 4

• Math CLTs will increase implementation of explicit instruction and other components of effective mathematics intervention.

Strategy 5

• School Administration will increase Math 7 Honors course opportunities and include team-taught sections.

 

Wellness Strategies

Address student attendance and absenteeism rates at Whitman Middle School.

Goal:

• By June 2024, the chronic absenteeism rate will drop from 24% to 13% for all Whitman Middle School students. 

Strategy 1

• School Administration will strengthen messaging to staff, students and families around attendance to school. Each stakeholder should be able to understand how daily attendance matters, not only for academic success, but because school offers an opportunity to develop social and emotional skills such as listening, paying attention, problem-solving and self-regulation, all which are needed to grow and learn.

Strategy 2

• School Administration will develop community partnerships to promote engagement opportunities for increased student attendance.

Strategy 3

• School Administration will create a school culture of engagement & belonging for students and families.  Every staff, student, and family will feel safe and connected to the school community.

 

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Outcome

Ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in Science.

Goal: 

• By June 2024, our combined annual unadjusted Science SOL pass rate will increase to a 70% on the Grade 8 Science SOL for all students.

Strategy 1

• Science CLTs will increase content and/or pedagogy knowledge in science for teachers of all Science sections: Honors, General Education, ESOL, and Special Education.

Strategy 2

• Science CLTs will increase opportunities for students to develop and apply disciplinary literacy skills of reading, writing, critical thinking, and discourse.

Strategy 3

• Science CLTs will expand the type and frequency of formative assessments to evaluate progress throughout units.