South Brunswick School District

South Brunswick School District Education Summit 2008 “ Schools Only Succeed When Students Achieve”

District Goals

Curriculum & Instruction

Professional Development

Information Technology

Facilities

Cost Effectiveness and Cost Containment

School Safety

Miscellaneous

Policy Manual

NJQSAC: New State Monitoring System

NCLB: Adequate Yearly Progress and Highly Qualified Staff

Education Foundation

Curriculum and Instruction Standards, Strategies and Strands

South Brunswick Curriculum Review 2007-2008 State-Mandated 5-Year Cycle; Board-Approved Sequence Flexible Model Standards-based Review Interwoven Strands: technology, character education, differentiation

Refined & Implemented:

Mathematics

K-5 Investigations

6-8 Connected Math and Middle School Math/Pre Algebra

9-12 Math Navigator Lab

Health Education

5th Grade Units

12th Grade Health Survey Research Task

World Language

K-12 Spanish

6-12 French

Gifted and Talented Program

K-5 Enrichment Support

K-5 Math for All Kinds of Minds

Piloted: Curriculum in draft. Resources aligned. Training as needed.

Social Studies: Grades 5-11

Science: HS Biology

Character Ed: Elementary Responsive Classroom

Special Education Replacement Program: Middle and High School

World Language: Latin

Social Studies: K-4

Science: K-12

Art: K-12

English Language Learning (ELL)

Character Education: Grades 6-12

Being Revised: Writing curriculum. Examining resources.

Language Arts: K-12

Music: K-12

Gifted and Talented Education: 6-12

Business Education: 7-12 (Tech Prep Grant)

Math Basic Skills: K-5

Library/Media Program: K-12

Under Review: Unpacking the standards. Determining alignment and gaps.

Spotlight: World Language

Early Language Learning

SALSA K-2 : Embedded video program with support

Spanish 3-5 : Formal thematic study in “target language”

Middle Level Learning

Spanish, French and Latin

Concept-based: communication, festivities and universalities

Target Language

Language Labs

Equivalent of Language Level I

World Language continued…

High School

HS Level I (Spanish, French, Latin/Ancient Greek)

HS Language II-IV

Concepts increase in complexity from fashion and geography to social classes and literature

Honors and Advanced Placement Levels

Language for Native Speakers

Y con mucho orgullo (and, with much pride)

iPod Technology

World Language Awareness Activities

World Language Honor Societies

K-12 Articulation

Curriculum & Instruction

CHALLENGES

Making room for more content

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

NJQSAC (State Monitoring System)

STRENGTHS

Standards-based

Technology integrated

Builds “enduring understandings”

Systematic

Flexible

Aligned resources

Shaping professional development

Assessment Raising Student Achievement

Student Achievement

State Assessments (NJASK, GEPA, HSPA)

District Assessments (Portfolios, Research Tasks, Timed Writing)

S.A.T.

A.P. Tests (Advanced Placement)

College Acceptances

Merit Scholar Recognition

No Child Left Behind: Making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) AYP is a moving target set by the State.

Terminology

Cohort: Same group of students over time

DFG: N.J. District Factor Grouping

Districts designated A-J

Based on factors related to socio-economic status (census data)

Compares demographically similar districts

Grouping updated every 10 years

South Brunswick is an “I” district

Literacy & Math Same Group of Students Over Time 2004 to 2007 Our scores have been comparable with DFG Districts over this span of time. Percent of ALL Students Proficient or Advanced

Grade 11 Literacy Comparison with Similar Districts (DFG) 2003 to 2007 This is our most challenging comparison group: districts like ours. Percent Passing for All Students Tested

Grade 11 Mathematics Comparison with Similar Districts 2003 to 2007 Again, our students’ results in math and literacy are comparable to those of students in districts similar to South Brunswick! Percent Passing for All Students Tested

SAT Critical Reading and Writing Mean Scores for 2007 91% of Class Took SAT in 2007 (Up 7%) Reading Writing

SAT Math Mean Scores for 2007 Mathematics

Assessment

CHALLENGES

With limited resources…

Continuing to make AYP for all 41 indicators in all 10 schools (410 in total!)

New: Improving performance in each subgroup by at least 5% each year (NJQSAC)

Ensuring that all students enter Grade 3 as fluent readers and writers

Improving research skills over time

STRENGTHS

Our students are…

Attending schools that are meeting the challenging NCLB standards with high levels of success

Performing in ways that are comparable with our DFG group

Benefiting from thoughtful action plans

Receiving academic support as needed

Participating in acceleration & enrichment as identified

Technology Children, Computers and Powerful Ideas -Seymour Papert

Technological Literacy in South Brunswick is:

Informed by research

Shaped by the International Standards for Technology Education (ISTE)

Based on the State Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCs)

Guided by the State-mandated, District Three-Year Tech Plan

Off the ground!

Family Connect (online gradebook)

Automated Dialer System (emergencies)

AppliTrack (online application system)

Online Friday Folder

Emergency E-mailer

Making the Grade: Season II (VTN production)

E-mail, Ethics & Etiquette Training

Acceptable Use & Media Release Forms

Updated carts of “Computers on Wheels”

NJ SMART Database

8th grade tech proficiency rubric

4th grade tech inventory

PDExpress

Increased use of Web 2.0 tools

Internal plan for recovery of major information systems: disaster recovery plan

Cyber Safety at all levels

Ready to roll!

Spotlight: Communication

Family Connect

Online grades, assignments, attendance

Middle and High School students and parents

Help Lines

Online Support

Increased home-school communication

Increased parent-child communication

Equals impact on achievement

Spotlight: Emergency Communication

Auto Dialer

Telephone: up to six numbers

For emergency use

For unplanned changes to schedule

Thousands of calls go out simultaneously

Before & After School is being set-up

Staff Auto Dialer is being set-up

Supplement traditional communication systems

Technology

CHALLENGES

Safe and caring environment

Keeping up with new technologies

Training

Integration

Funding

STRENGTHS

Computers on Wheels

Online databases/research

Interactive technologies

Assistive technologies

Real-life simulations

Presentational software

Productions

Sharing via the Web

Home-school connections

Text support

Professional Development A process… not an event.

Professional Development in South Brunswick is shaped by:

NJ Professional Development Standards

NJ Professional Standards for Teachers

NCLB Eight Key Elements of Highly Qualified Professional Development for Teachers (PD Defined)

NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards

South Brunswick District Annual Goals

Other: State Mandates, Needs Assessments/Evaluations, Best Practices Research

The Landscape . . .

1. Provide instructional and content training relative to the 5-Year Curriculum Review Cycle

2. Integrate training in the three instructional strands (Character Education, Technology, & Differentiation)

3. Foster Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

4. Be accountable ethically and legally for all State and Federal required policy trainings

. . . determining our path

5. Use ‘data to drive our instruction’ for adults and students

6. Strategically plan for professional development long-range

7. Promote equitable access and self-empowerment through automated services ~ PDExpress

8. Attend to the PD elements outlined in all District and State plans

9. Annually train, implement and monitor operational procedures dealing with safety

Spotlight

Professional Learning Communities

Job Alike Groups, Steering Committees, Design Teams, Book Groups, Curriculum Development Committees, Team Planning, Training Teams, Councils, Research Groups, Instructional Council, etc…

PDExpress ~ Information Management System

24 /7 access to targeted professional learning opportunities

Focused on supporting individuals, department/grade and building- level needs

Efficient and fiscally responsible

Professional Development

CHALLENGES

Making room for more

NCLB

NJQSAC

Meeting wide-range of staff needs

Long-range planning

Funding

STRENGTHS

Standards-based

Goal Oriented (meeting system and job-embedded needs)

Accountable

Influenced by many ‘voices’

Becoming flexible to meet the needs of all

Safe and Caring Schools The Physical, Social & Emotional Well-Being of All

Safe & Caring Over Time

Ongoing Fire/Evacuation Drills

1990 Community Response Team (CRT)

1998 Mental Health Awareness Week

1999 School Resource Officer (SRO)

2001 Introduction to Responsive Classroom (RC)

2002 Incident Command Training

2002 Safe & Caring Schools Committee

2002 Violence Awareness Month

2002 Core Team training in RC K-5

2003 Community Resource Team (CRT)

2004 AED/MERT Teams

2004 Photo ID Badge System

2005 Mandate for Character Education K-12

2005 Communication (radios, mobile phones, pagers)

Safe & Caring: Recent Initiatives

2006 Lock-down Drills

2006 Suicide Awareness Training

2006 Cameras and Buzzers

2006 Building-access Proximity (Prox) Card installation

2007 Building-by-building school safety surveys

2007 Cyber Safety Initiatives for Students

2007 Middle School S.A.F.E. Program (replaced D.A.R.E.)

2007 Core Values adopted for South Brunswick

2007 Systematic Plan for K-5 Responsive Classroom

2007 Coordination w/S.B.P.D. of emergency protocols

2007 Active Shooter Protocol training for Administrators

2007 Systematic plan for Character Education K-12

2007 Systematic Training for Staff in Policies & Mandates

2007 Emergency Response Procedures Staff Flip-Chart

2007 Police Radios in all schools

Safe & Caring in 2008

2008 Gang Awareness training of Administrators

2008 Submission of School Safety Plan to State

2008 Finalizing of Pandemic Flu Plan

2008 Finalizing plans for Character Ed 6-12 (Think Tank)

2008 Continuing Character Ed/Responsive Classroom Teacher Institutes (summer and winter)

2008 Development of District-wide Traumatic Loss Protocols

2008 Creation of District-level Emergency Response Team

Community Connections

Electronic Communications

Spotlight Newsletter (award winning!)

District Calendar (award winning!)

VTN (award winning!)

South Brunswick Parent Academy

Senior Citizen Outreach

Student Service Projects

Community Education Connections

Before and After School Program

Community Service Project (March Madness Cookie Bake)

Club 678: Family Feud Transition for 6th Graders

Support Groups for Parents (example- Parents with Adopted Children)

Summer Camps

Opening of Camp DECKA

Siemens volunteers at hands-on Science Day

Community School

Expanded offerings for adult enrichment

Spotlight: Prevention

CYBER SAFETY

(personal safety, intellectual property, cyber community

citizenship, cyber predators)

County Training in i-SAFE

Curriculum Development Team

NJ State Law

Harassment Policy Revised

Mandated Training for Staff in September

Parent Outreach: presentations

State Training in NET Safety

Long-range Plan for Systematic Training of Students

Elementary

Middle School

High School

Spotlight: Response

Development of Traumatic Loss Protocols for the District

Robert Macy training of staff members in traumatic loss

K-12 Committee to coordinate response at school levels

Creation of District Lead Response Team

Safe & Caring

STRENGTHS

Safe and caring environment supports high academic achievement

Strong relationship with the police and community agencies

Staff commitment to safety protocols

CHALLENGES

Maintaining vigilance

Continuing to review, revise and practice safety procedures

Character Education as an approach and not a program

Facilities: Build & Maintain Form Follows Function

Student Facility Use: During the Day

K-12 Student Enrollment in 2007-08: 8,827 (as of 10/15/07)

Number of Instructional Days: 181

Total “during-the-day” instructional use of facilities by students:

1,597,687

Student Use of Facilities: Beyond the Day

SBHS

Athletics 1,267

Clubs 2,519

Other Activities 7,604

Music 945

12,335

Crossroads N & S

Sports 460

Clubs 1,260

Athletics 950

Music 3,904

6,574

Elementary K-5

Clubs and Activities 4,656

Community Ed (Youth)

Before/After School 1,593

Camps 2,647

Total Number of Student

Participants in 2007-08:

28,073

Total Student Facility Use

Instructional

(during the day)

&

Extracurricular

(beyond the day)

1,625,492

Facilities

STRENGTHS

Eight of twelve schools upgraded since the year 2000

Can accommodate increasing student population

Crossroads North addition allows for more balanced enrollments between two middle schools

Advanced security measures in place at all locations

Automated energy systems in all school locations

Student use of facilities is exceptional

Community use of facilities is vast

Facilities

CHALLENGES

Legislation capping budget growth will greatly limit or curtail Capital Projects (e.g. roof replacement, HVAC upgrades, parking lot restoration…)

Capital Reserve depletion

Acquisition of acreage next to South Brunswick High School is important

Most South Brunswick schools do not have emergency generators

Finance Budgeting & School Funding

Revenue By Fund Source School Year 2007-2008

Impact on Local Taxes

$ 11,093 $ 12,180 NJ State Average South Brunswick NJ Cost Per Student Comparison – 2007 $1,087 below the NJ State Average Cost per Pupil

2007-08 Budget Appropriations

Comparison with Similar Districts

SB versus 103 districts (K-12)

of similar size in 2007

Overall cost per pupil (near the middle)

Student/Teacher Ratio of 11.2 to 1 (near the middle)

State Average Administrative Salary: $108,369 District Average: $93,106 (one of the lowest )

Facilities/Operations above the State Average (on the higher end)

Extracurricular cost of $228 per student (higher than most)

Of further note…

18% student enrollment increase over last seven years

Minimal (10.4%) increase in State Aid since 2001

State Aid shortfall of more than $5 million since 2001-02

Maximum permitted General Fund Balance as of 6/30/07 ($2,207,436 = 2% of GF Budget)

Strengths: Balancing the Interests of Taxpayers and Students

Student Transportation efficiencies

Cooperatives for supplies, insurance, natural gas

Competitive bidding and quoting practices

Utilities management program

Restructuring of Debt ($3 million savings)

Partnership with the community

Shared services agreements with SB Township and other districts

And, remembering that behind every number…there is a child.

Challenges: Moving Forward

Impact of the New State Funding Formula for 2008-09 and beyond

State Deficit Impact (pension contributions, unemployment, unfunded mandates…)

S-1701 (administrative cap, limit on fund balance, capital reserve restrictions)

Financing capital projects

NCLB restrictions w/reduced funding

Inflation (utilities, healthcare, transportation…)

Futuristic Forecast

FUTURISTIC FORECAST February 28, 2008

We must continue to provide our students with learning opportunities that encourage and develop creative thinking, collaborative efforts and interpersonal relationships.

- The world is getting smaller and success will be secured for

individuals with a broad skill-set

extending beyond the acquisition

of knowledge.

FUTURISTIC FORECAST February 28, 2008

The future success of our Nation is and will continue to be secured by the work of classroom teachers who shape, daily, our next generation.

Under the Board of Education leadership, South Brunswick School District has become a goal-driven enterprise that values a systematic approach to providing instructional experiences for students. This commitment has and, more importantly, will continue to provide significant levels of student achievement .

In Conclusion South Brunswick School District

Contacts