Campus Improvement Plan 2022-2023

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Demographics

Demographics Summary

We are a PreK School in Spring Branch Independent School District and truly consider it a privilege to develop the whole child. Since we are a PreK School the majority of our families are new to us every year and our enrollment at times fluctuates. What has remained consistent is that every year we have a high percentage of a classified at-risk and economically disadvantaged population.

At our PreK campus, we have the opportunity to mold young minds and strengthen their young bodies. We understand the importance of connecting the mind and body to have a healthy whole child. We continue to strengthen our students’ social, emotional, and physical well being. We do not have a PTA and the funds from the numerous fundraisers we have each year is used for educational items that are needed in the  classroom.

We continue to be in a high poverty community with most of our students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. The majority of our students speak Spanish as their first language,   however we are seeing a slight decrease in that percentage as the communities around our school are changing (many multi-family homes are being replaced by high end single family homes). Most of our students qualify as "at risk" of not graduating from high  school.

The school-wide 2021-2022 classes will be:

1. Two PK3 classes:
   1. One ESL/Mainstream Teacher (2 sections)
   2. One Bilingual Spanish Teacher (2  sections)

1. Six ESL/Mainstream PK4 classes
2. Six Bilingual Spanish PK4 classes
3. Two Early Childhood Special Education teachers

Demographics Strengths

Tiger Trail School recognizes the critical role families play as our partners in the education of Every Child. Our campus expectations ensure all Tiger Trail School families, including non-English speakers, is provided proper translation and interpretation services, so they may be engaged participants in their child education. Family engagement programs, processes, procedures, meetings, and other activities is provided to families in a format and in a language they understand. These include, but not limited to:

• Registration and enrollment in school 
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Student discipline policies and procedures 
• Report Cards
• Special education and related services, and meetings to discuss special education

The parent representatives for the Campus Improvement Team is made up of a variety of staff, district, community, and parent representatives.    All of our teachers are experienced early childhood teachers and met highly qualified status. Our families experience crises that would be expected of those living in high poverty, but we have family support from our Communities In Schools student support specialist. We continue to have a parent center in our school and have increased parent participation on campus.

The Cut and Paste Volunteer Station is one example of activity operating in our Parent Center. Our Parent Volunteers pick up work in the morning in specially made bags located in Rm. #17 only for this purpose.

1.    Grab a bag and Instruction Sheet
2.    Put your items to be worked on in bag with sheet.
3.    Drop your bag in “Pick Up” Container
*    Pick up and Drop off are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
*    Teachers, send supplies needed to complete work. For example, Glue, tape, etc.

Tiger Trail School continues to have a robust parent volunteer program and a number of community partnerships.

Problem Statements Identifying Demographics Needs

Problem Statement 1: The majority of our families continue to experience crisis associated with our demographics. Root Cause: Poverty

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Student Learning

Student Learning Summary

2021-22:

Rapid Letter - 93%

Rapid Vocabulary Naming - 91% 

Writing 89%

SEL 90%

Math 89%

Student Learning Strengths

Each day students participate in three learning workshops: literacy, math, and projects. We maintain a balanced approach to literacy learning by taking each child where they are and building on their strengths to help them reach their full potential in early reading and writing. Our mathematics program concentrates on growing children’s understanding of math concepts by laying a concrete foundation for later abstract thinking. Finally, our students participate in class projects that allow them to apply their recently acquired literacy and math skills in authentic situations. We take an interdisciplinary approach to our instruction. We believe this better prepares students for life outside of school. Social Studies and Science concepts are integrated into the curriculum. There is an instructional focus on higher level thinking skills and problem-solving. Students also participate in daily gross motor instruction and recess. Each day also includes a healthy dose of play, because we know "play is the work of young children."

Problem Statements Identifying Student Learning Needs

Problem Statement 1: By May 2022, PK4 Mainstream/ESL will close existing achievement gaps by at least 50% (from 23% to 11%) on CIRCLE "Rapid Vocabulary Naming" component between non-English Learner and English Learner students. Root Cause: The constraints that poverty often places on people's lives, particularly children's, and those conditions influence learning and academic  achievement.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

School Processes & Programs

School Processes & Programs Summary

The Tiger Trail School has been in existence since August 2001. We have 16 PreK classes. Each classroom has a certified teacher and an assistant. We also have several support staff members on-site to provide additional services to the children as needed. The campus serves three and four year old students in Prekindergarten from 4 Elementary feeder schools. Each classroom is lead by a certified teacher and a teacher assistant. Campus languages of instruction are English and Spanish. Free bus transportation is provided to all four year old students. Breakfast and lunch is provided to students at no cost.

2021-22:

Rapid Letter - 93%

Rapid Vocabulary Naming - 91% 

Writing 89%

SEL 90%

Math 89%

School Processes & Programs Strengths

One of the keys to our success is our extensive professional learning model that focuses on the adult learners in our school.    We have established professional learning communities lead by experienced team leaders.    The campus mission and vision will be re-evaluated to ensure that we are all working toward a common goal.

• Daily Campus Professional Development for Teachers 2:45-3:30
• Monthly Campus Professional Development for Teacher Assistants 1:00-1:45 & on early dismissal afternoons
• Teachers engage in whole campus planning, quad partner planning, & individual planning
• Teachers share Math & Literacy instructional strategies related to campus goals throughout the year 
• Teachers engage in Professional Learning Community (PLC) collaborative instructional reviews related to campus goals throughout the year

There is a strong commitment by our staff to providing a balanced literacy program.Our teachers differentiate instruction teaching most of the day in smaller focused groups. Instruction is based on assessment data to ensure it is matched closely to student need.

Some of the strengths of our instructional program that our staff, parents and community shared are:

• We consistently differentiate instruction and all classrooms are using technology in meaningful ways 
• Data is used to facilitate and guide instruction
• Teachers collaborate to best meet the needs of all students
• The full day program allows us to thoroughly implement all content areas 
• Small Group instruction

Additionally, to enhance anytime, anywhere opportunities for our youngest learners we are providing Ready Rosie access to parenting videos that help them engage students in learning at home.

Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their practices and are constantly striving to increase their skills not just in Literacy and Math but in Social and emotional Learning (SEL). This is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.
Teaching young children appropriate social skills is critical in early childhood. Student behavior generally meets age appropriate expectations.    However, students that are in crisis receive immediate support.    These students receive classroom support in the form of focused social skill development, behavior intervention plans, and frequent contact with a variety of adults to support the appropriate behavior. We are able to access support from Project CLASS (Children Learning Appropriate Social Skills), Communities In Schools (CIS) and the district's System of Care department.    This support helps teachers to target specific student behaviors and provide a variety of data based interventions.

We believe it is not developmentally appropriate to send young children to the office when behavioral challenges arise; but rather it provides us with a learning opportunity to guide the student toward better behavioral choices within the context of the classroom. When needed, teachers called for additional assistance to come to the classroom to help teach through a behavior. This additional assistance was provided in a consultative nature to the teacher by our CIS, Speech Therapist, and/or Director. This year, we will also added an Intervention Specialist who will focus on behavior and academic interventions to support student achievement.    She will support student growth through hands on interventions in classrooms and through professional development for our staff members. Professional learning sessions were held for both Teachers and Teacher Assistants before and throughout the school year focusing on teaching routines and procedures and positive behavioral supports.

We meet as a staff and focus on academic and behavioral support strategies for struggling students. These general strategies (i.e. Tier I RtI) are shared in a collaborative fashion to build capacity and support. A teacher needing individual student specific support would request a Pre-SSC conference to review Tier I documentation of interventions and plan forward for support. As indicated from Pre-SSC documentation, a formal SSC meeting(s) was held. The campus Behavior Intervention Specialist, Speech Therapist, Diagnostician, and Director provided additional support/guidance/observations related to the area of need and their expertise when formal SSC meetings were held. System of Care and/or LSSP were included in SSC process when appropriate.

Problem Statements Identifying School Processes & Programs Needs

Problem Statement 1: Requiring educators to spend valuable time and effort assembling the necessary supporting materials and making them work together. 
Root Cause: Curriculum materials, assessments, and technologies to support personalized learning are not fully develop, fragmented, and of uneven quality.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Perceptions

Perceptions Summary

At Tiger Trail School, our goal is for all children to enter school with the foundational knowledge and skills to be curious, confident and successful learners. We provide access to high-quality 3- and 4-year- old prekindergarten.    Our campus provides resources for parents of children in our PK3, PK4, and ECSE classes as stated in our school’s core values. Parents are encouraged to apply to be an approved volunteer to assist in classrooms, on study trips, and across the campus.

Parent and community engagement are essential in promoting student achievement; The Tiger Trail School forms an alliance with parents in developing a home-school partnership. This is outlined in our Home/School Compact which was developed by parents, teachers and children. The instructional program, including the state guidelines for Prekindergarten, SBISD required assessments, and children’s progress is communicated throughout the year. Through special scheduled activities, parents will have numerous opportunities to participate and be involved in their children’s learning.

All Tiger Trail staff continues implementing the use of instructional technology throughout the daily routine using Promethean ActivPanels and iPads as a way to provide additional literacy and math skill practice. Staff uses bookmaking software to design readers for students to use at school and at home. Staff shares student technology use with colleagues during campus PLC meetings. All of our students are targeted for intense individualized case management services to improve in academics, behavior and attendance.

Campus Needs Assessment for Family E3 indicated these areas done successfully during 2021-2022:

• Partnering Agency: Amerigroup, Houston Food Bank, Spring Woods Baptist, ect.
• Parent Volunteer Opportunities (front office, workroom, classrooms, field trips, ect.) 
• Parent Education Classes (Nutrition, Exercise, ESL, Love & Logic etc.)
• Parent Conferences, Open House, Newsletters
• Project CLASS and CIS social lessons and social story readings in classes 
• Perfect Attendance Award each 9 Weeks
• Visit to Feeder Schools

Case Management Intervention with a focus both academic support and supportive guidance (individual and/or group sessions) are offered by CIS project manager to meet the needs of targeted students.

Perceptions Strengths

 

Tiger Trail School has an instructional program for prekindergarten three and four-year-olds.    Our four- year-old program is a full day.    We are pleased to have highly trained teachers and staff.    Every one of our teachers has their certification in Pre-K, Elementary Education, and English as Second Language (ESL).

We provide a classroom culture that emphasizes in collaboration and encouragement where we create a safe space for students to work toward their goals.    Classmates become a support system for one another, with the right foundation.    We are moving forward with an implementation plan that calls us to personalize learning for our students by addressing the following pillars:    Individualized Instruction, Student Agency, Whole Child Data, and Anytime, Anywhere Learning.

Tiger Trail provided a developmentally appropriate, integrated curriculum that enhanced the social/emotional, intellectual, aesthetic, and physical development of each child while nurturing autonomy, self-esteem, and success.    In addition, many of our teachers are certified in Bilingual and/or Special Education.    Our classrooms are privileged in having instructional Assistants that meet highly qualified standards for the position.

Through the assistance of a Prekindergarten Coach, Team Leaders, our teachers planned and implemented small group literacy instruction to include differentiation of leveled readers, interactive writing and peer observations. Teachers will continue implementing modeled/shared/guided/independent reading and writing.

At Tiger Trail, technology is used by students and staff to provide on-demand access to information, to increase student engagement, to provide opportunities for students to create products, and to practice skills and apply knowledge.

1. Through Title I funding, all classes use the recently purchased Promethean ActivPanel in each classroom.
2. Teachers use the internet to find research and resources to support their instructional content, planning, and implementation. Need to continue to build collaborative networks (i.e.google docs, campus web page, Facebook, Canvas, etc.) to share information across teachers.
3. Students use iPad to practice literacy and math skills; generate collections of stories/books; etc.
4. Students participate in electronic benchmark testing at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year (CIRCLE). Students engage with interactive and responsive software (iStation) to practice skills on a daily basis.
5. Parents have access to Ready Rosie app 24/7 to practice suggested skills with their child.

Problem Statements Identifying Perceptions Needs

Problem Statement 1: Need to restructure systems to provide more time and support for students not meeting desired expectation. Root Cause: PK3 Student Arrival/Dismissal Supervision demands on support staff.