Transformative Change Update
Background and Purpose: The Newington Public Schools Strategic Plan is a long-term plan for defining a strategy, or direction, and how we will pursue the strategy. The strategies in our current plan are now operationalized. Therefore, there was a need to reinvent the plan. CREC was hired to initiate the Transformative Change process as a means to identify strengths and areas of need based on feedback from all stakeholders, including students, parents, staff members, board of education members, and community members.
Process: Facilitators from CREC collected data in two ways. A survey was conducted to gather quantitative data specific to the 5 Core Transformational Areas: Evaluation, Vision, Infrastructure, Human Capital, and Instructional Core. Based on the information collected, the facilitators developed questions that were presented to stakeholders in various Focus Groups. This allowed them to gather qualitative data to support and clarify the survey data. Based on all information collected and analyzed, the facilitators provided commendations and recommendations in each of the 5 areas.
Using the Information: The District Data Team has reviewed and prioritized recommendations to inform the NPS Strategic Plan. Building on areas of strength, action plans will be developed to address each recommendation in the long-term plan. The District Improvement Plan and School Improvement Plans for the 2012-13 school year will then be developed to plan more specifically how we will move forward in year one of the strategic plan. This link provides a graphic view of how these systems are aligned to work together for continual improvement.
Results: Below is a chart highlighting the commendations and priority recommendations in each area of the report. Click to view the full report. If you would like more information or assistance in reading the report, please contact Pamela Muraca.
Area | Commendations | Priority Recommendations |
Evaluation | 1. The district has recognized the need to gather data in relationship to student behavior in addition to academics. 2. Parents like having access to student data and feel they receive information about how their child is doing in school. | 1. The district has started collecting data related to student behavior, although use of this data for making classroom or instructional changes is still limited and needs further exploration. More time needs to be committed to analysis and instructional planning related to the data. |
Vision | 1. There seems to be good agreement across all stakeholders that a vision and mission has been identified for Newington Public Schools. 2. There is a strategic planning process in place that involves multiple stakeholders. 3. The community and Board of Education promote a positive culture within the school district and support the schools financially. | 1. Though a vision and mission statement seems to be clear, implementation strategies need to be better communicated to parents. 2. Stakeholders were appreciative of the opportunity to provide feedback to the district, but communicated that they did not have regular opportunities to provide this kind of information at the district, school, or teacher level. |
Infrastructure | 1. Schools have access to technological resources and infrastructure. 2. Overall, parents were satisfied with the length of the school day and the length of the school year. 3. At each level, the schools have created common teacher meeting time and there are examples of successful team models. | 1. Although the schools have set aside time for teacher meetings, staff need greater input into the organization and structure of common collaborative planning time so that they see this time as collaborative, useful and benefiting to instructional practice. 2. In general, staff and community feel that the student ratio is appropriate for their community; however, during the most recent school year, budget cuts have resulted in larger classes. This has resulted in eliminating the middle-school team model, less individualized instruction, less rigorous instruction, and more time spent on behavioral interventions. The district should conduct a more detailed analysis of the student/staff ratio across age groups and disciplines in order to identify a more efficient distribution of staff. 3. Although schools have access to technology resources, students do not always feel that their access to these resources is being integrated through their instructional school day. Staff development regarding the use of instructional technology needs to be addressed. |
Human Capital | 1. Parents felt they have access to staff, including principals and teachers on a regular basis through email, phone calls, and conferences. 2. In general, parents and staff expressed that they felt support by school administrators. 3. Teacher delivered professional development and teacher led school initiatives were well received and implemented by staff. 4. The district is perceived as having a well-trained, dedicated, and professional teaching staff. 5. Informal teacher collaboration takes place on a regular basis and is valued by the certified staff. 6. Teacher retention in Newington Public Schools is high. | 1. The teacher evaluation process needs to be revised to provide useful instructional feedback to teachers and allow for administrators to make decisions about the organization of staff, professional development needs, and teacher renewal. 2. School staff, including non-certified staff, needs to have greater involvement in the planning and implementation of professional development opportunities and school-based initiatives. |
Instructional Core | 1. Prevention-based systems, such as the Early Intervention Process (EIP) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) are being implemented in the district. 2. Resources and instructional supplies are well maintained. 3. The majority of students in Newington Public Schools feel that their school is a positive learning environment. | 1. Examine the amount of time being devoted to assessments, the quality of the assessment measures, and whether assessment results are being used to improve instruction and result in greater student achievement. 2. District-wide initiatives need to be limited and clearly connected to the district’s strategic plan. 3. Means to measure and assist students with social and behavioral needs must be identified. 4. There needs to be more consistency in school-wide expectations and consequences for student behavioral infractions. |
Organizational Alignment Graphic
