About LPS

2009-2010 System Goals

The following three core purposes represent the essential and enduring commitments of the Lexington school community:

- Academic excellence
- Respectful and caring relationships
- A culture of reflection, conversation, collaboration and commitment to continuous improvement.

As such, these three core purposes serve as the basis for the district's 2009-2010 System Goals

1. Ensure that the academic, social, and emotional needs of ALL Students are identified and matched with appropriate and effective curriculum and instructional experiences
   
   
Key Indicators:


1. Conduct Year 1 of the K-12 curriculum review processes for English Language Arts program.
   
   
   • Assemble K-12 content-specific curriculum task forces and study groups.
     
     
   • Analyze MCAS and other student performance data to assess strengths and weaknesses of the current curriculum.
     
     
   • Compare Lexington's current curriculum with the Massachusetts State Frameworks.
     
     
   • Study research-based curriculum and instructional practices to improve student learning for all students.
     
     
   • Develop standards-based benchmark outcomes and assessments consistent with the revised curriculum.
     
     
   • Make recommendations for the updated curriculum
     
     
   • Identify professional development to address the teacher training needs in curriculum-specific areas related to content expertise and accompanying "best" practices
     
     
   • Identify multiple means of student assessments; common, informative, and summative.
     
     
   • Identify ways that teachers and students can effectively use technology to further new curriculum goals.
     
     
   
   
2. Finalize the curriculum review process for Mathematics
   
   
• Complete the K-12 Mathematics Curriculum document and all accompanying work by February, 2010
  
  
• Continue to work toward improving the quality of instruction to meet the learning needs of students who require specific curricular and/or instruction accommodations at all grade levels in all courses through processes, such as Response to Intervention (RTI), other tiered models of intervention, targeted PLC work, and more collaborative work with the Special Education Department.
  
  
• Increase the accessibility and dependability of the hardware and software technology required to keep pace with changing needs, specifically as these relate to the mathematics program.
  
  
• Provide on-going professional development and teacher training for use of this technology.
  
  
• Provide regular opportunities/meeting times for departmental members to sustain conversations about the effectiveness of the program at both horizontal and vertical levels.
  
  
• Provide professional development to learn new content pedagogy, assessment practices, technology integration, and ways of implementing new mathematics curriculum.
  
  
• Continue to work on addressing the needs of our ELL students, special education students, students on the autism spectrum and those who are disenfranchised.
  
  
• Increase communication with, and education of parents with regard tot he district's mathematics program in more regular and consistent ways in order to promotes a clearer understanding of the curriculum, course recommendations, and other instructional information.
  
  


3. Complete Year 3 of the Science, Technology and Engineering Curriculum review process.


• Implement new curriculum.
  
  
• Collect data using benchmark outcomes/assessments around new curriculum.
  
  
• Share and discuss data based outcomes.
  
  
• Determine student academic growth using data analysis.


• Based on data analysis results, make projections for any necessary updates and additional supports.
  
  
• Continue to identify professional development needs to successfully implement new curriculum and train all faculty appropriately.
  


4. Implement Year 3 of the Equity and Excellence Report.
   
   
• Continue Year 2 initiatives that have not been completed.
  
  
• Grow the district's Response to Intervention (RTI) model through on-going professional development and the identification of various tiers of intervention
  
  a. Develop a tiered intervention system for literacy grades 6 through 12.
  b. Develop a tiered intervention system for K-5 mathematics.
  
  
• Increase the number of students enrolled in higher level courses in grades 6 through 12.
  
  
• Develop and implement a METCO Scholars Program at LHS.
  
  
• Improve communication between METCO parents and the Lexington Public Schools.
  
  
• Investigate the possibility of a METCO parents' training group to support student achievement.
  
  
• Develop a mentoring program for K-8 students "at risk".
  


• Implement an after-school Extended Learning Program for at-risk METCO students in grades 2 though 5 on Thursday afternoons. The program is designed to support students in need of additional literacy and mathematics instruction.
  


• Conduct a review of the district's METCO program ad revise the FY 11 budget and priorities accordingly.



• Build strong, trusting, encouraging, and engaging teacher-student relationships that will cotribute to improved student achievement.



5. Develop a K-5 report card that more accurately communicates student achievement and progress.
   
   
   • Establish a K-5 report card committee.
   
   
   • Research other school systems that have established standard-based report cards at the elementary level
   
   
   • Based on recent Lexington curriculum reviews, establish standards for all subject areas by August 2010, pilot report card by September 2011, and full implementation by September 2012.
   
   
6. Expand the district's capacity to use data to assess programs and student work.


• Continue to build a "Data Culture" where teachers collect and use student data to assess and analyze student work to plan appropriate interventions toward proficiency.
  
  
• Explore technology assessment tools (both quantitative and qualitative) in both mathematics and literacy that could be used to assist in the understanding of data and providing appropriate interventions.
  
  
• Provide training for Lexington administrators and curriculum leaders to utilize D.E.S.E. Data Warehouse, which allows for analysis of MCAS data and incorporation of local assessment data.
  
  
• Incorporate AIMSWeb progress monitoring system to monitor reading fluency and utilize this system to support reading intervention strategies (Grades 1 and 2 students, all K-5 Special Ed students and Grades 2 through 5 Extended Learning students.)
  
  
• Incorporate the use of FASTTMath software for monitoring and targeting instruction of mathematics fact fluency (automaticity) for one grade level at teach of the elementary schools. Develop plans to expand the use to multiple grade levels.
  
  
7. Expand the opportunities to improve student social and emotional supports.


• Begin a multi-year process to develop K-12 Guidance curriculum based on national standards.



• Use the results of high school Futuristics report to identify the social and emotional concerns expressed by former students and develop a plan of action. (The Futuristics report will also be used to examine each academic program, as perceived by former students.)



• Use the Response to Intervention strategy at Bridge, as a pilot, to identify, respond and monitor behavioral interventions that are designed to improve student social and emotional health.


• Expand the Windows and Mirrors diversity curriculum to all classrooms at the K-5 level.


• Use the results of the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to better educate our students and influence safer and healthier decision making practices that contribute to their overall well being.


2. Ensure that the faculty and staff are of high quality and are enabled and supported to perform at the highest professional level.
   
   Key Indicators:
   
   
   Support teacher professional development that increases learning and student achievement.
   
   
   • Establish a K-12 Professional Development Committee that will recommend a research-based, embedded professional development plan and specific courses that are explicitly linked and aligned with school and district goals.
     
     
   • Using the federal stimulus dollars, provide professional development opportunities based on the recommendations from the K-12 Professional Development Committee.
     
     
   • Expand the work of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to include the development and implementation of common, formative assessments in all schools in order to inform teaching and learning.
     
     
   • Provide all teachers and administrators at least three hours of instruction by Dr. Larry Ainsworth, who is a leading national and international expert in the area of identifying essential learning standards and the development and use of formative assessments. Dr. Aisnworth will present to the entire professional staff at the October 14, 2009, professional development day.
     
     
   • Support the professional development for teachers, as needed in other sections of this document.
     
     
   2. Enhance the district's capacity to utilize technology both as an instructional and administrative tool.
      
      
   • Increase, on a short term basis, the staffing of the Technology Department in accordance with the 2009 consultant study. Make recommendations in the upcoming budget process for additional staffing needs.
     
     
   • Emphasize the purchase of wireless hardware in all schools in order that classrooms and meeting areas become areas where students and teachers can use technology in a more seamless manner
     
     
   • Investigate and determine cost for complete wireless environment in all schools with sufficient bandwidth for future operations.
   
   
   
   • Purchase needed software and subscription based Internet materials to support curriculum objectives.
   
   
   
   • Introduce and support the use of promising practices for using technology by classroom teachers at different grade levels and in different academic environments.
   
   
   
   • Support the district's goal of improving achievement of district's struggling learners through appropriate technology purchases and instructional uses by teachers.
   
   
   
   • Support the use of an on-line curriculum mapping tool in development of ELA curriculum materials by ELA curriculum review task force.
   
   
   
   • Encourage professional development activities in the use of technology to improve classroom instruction and advance student achievement.
   
   
   
   • Improve Internet access by deploying a content filter and increasing bandwidth to the different schools.
   
   
   
   • Encourage website communications by developing a cadre of teachers to develop their own websites using an on-line vendor template.
   
   
   
   • Improve staff's access to electronic information to inform instruction and operations through the implementation of the X2 student information package.
   
   
   
   3. Foster a more diverse workforce in keeping with Lexington's goal to embrace diversity.
      
      
   • Maintain active membership in the Massachusetts Partnership for Diversity in Education
     
     
   • Redesign the Human Resources website to reflect the district's goal of embracing diversity and fostering a more diverse workforce.
     
     
   • Continue to attend local and regional diversity job fairs.
     
     
   • Continue to work with Lexington's Diversity Task Force to identify strategies to attract minority applicants to Lexington.
     
     
   • Work with the Diversity Task Force to increase its visibility within the community.
     
   • Continue to recognize teachers for their work in promoting diversity in their classrooms and within the broader school-community.
   
   
   
   • Work directly with building principals to implement hiring practices which will increase diversity within their individual schools.
   
   
   
   • Continue to investigate the implementation of an in-district "grow your own" program for the purpose of developing a cohort of future minority educators in Lexington.
   
   
   
3. Obtain and manage the resources that maintain and improve the quality of the educational program and physical condition of our schools.
   
   Key Indicators:
   
   
   1. Continue to implement cost-savings opportunities through the school system while maintaining high quality services.
      
      
      • Continue to look for opportunities to reduce costs in energy, facilities, and special education.
        
        
   2. Develop a ten-year facilities master plan.
      
      
   • Work with the Ad Hoc Facilities Committee to review the facilities plan written by Design Partnerships.
     
     
   • Recommend to the School Committee a ten-year facilities plan.
     
     
   • Work with the town boards and committees to advance the first phase of the master plan voted by the School Committee.
     
     
   3. Negotiate six labor contracts.
      
      
   4. Continue to improve the safety programs in all schools.
      
      
      • Recommend to the School Committee a ten-year facilities plan.
        
        
      • Implement, in conjunction with the town, the goals of the recently awarded federal emergancy response grant (REMS) to update the safety procedures that will address multiple emergency management systems.
        
        
      • Work with town officials to upgrade the emergency management plans for each school.
        
        
      • Practice safety procedures in all schools, with all staff and students, based on the revised emergency management plans.
        
        
      • Provide training for all new teachers and administrators on fire safety in all schools
        
        
      • Implement options to improve school to home communication using telephone/electronic messaging technology
        
        

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      Voted by the Lexington School Committee
      October 6, 2009
      Paul B. Ash, Ph. D.
      Superintendent