School Innovation and Improvement Plan At-a-Glance

• 2024 - 2025
• 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 2025, 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.

Mathematics Strategies

Align instruction at Whitman with the FCPS Strategic Goal #3 for Academic Growth and Excellence by increasing Algebra readiness while continuing to ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in Mathematics.

Goals: 

• By June 2025, we will improve from an 95% pass rate to a 98% pass rate on the Algebra 1 SOL.
• By June 2025, 50% 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 increase teacher implementation of explicit instruction and other components of effective mathematics intervention.

Strategy 2

• Math CLTs will improve alignment of instructional planning based on analysis of common assessments.

Strategy 3

• Math CLTs will increase their collective content knowledge and implementation of the 2023 FCPS mathematics program of studies.

Wellness Strategies

Align attendance practices at Whitman with the federal standards for accredidation while continuing to address student attendance and absenteeism rates.

Goal:

• By June 2025, the chronic absenteeism rate will drop from 13% to 12% 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.

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) Outcome

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

Goal: 

• By June 2025, 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.