Fort Recovery Local Schools - Chronology of Improvement Efforts 

1991

      -     Effective Schools – Jim Jilek – Staff Orientation Day-8/20/91

1993

-          District Technology Plan – Lastar, Loyd Howison

-          Venture Capital Grant – Elementary

1994

-          Michael Schmoker – “Educating for Quality; Educating for Results” – Staff Orientation Day-8/29/94

1995

-          Venture Capital Grant – MS/HS-95-96 School Year

-          Staff Orientation Day-8/22/95

o        Dr. Ray Guarendi – “You’re a Better Teacher Than You Think”

o        Dr. Ron Walker – Developing Mission Statement and Reviewing Needs Assessment (District wide Goals)

1996

-          Dr. Richard Clapp – “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People-Covey” – Staff Orientation Day-8/23/96

1997

-          Nominal Needs Assessment – Ben Carlson, Jim Jilek, Jeff Tuneberg – Staff Orientation Day-8/22/97

-          Dr. Willard Daggett – “The Challenge to American Schools: Preparing Students for the 21st Century” – Coldwater HS-9/3/97

-          Network for Systemic Improvement Grant Planning Meetings – Application critiqued by Marc Riegel; Interview-12/97

1998

-          January, Awarded NSI Grant - #1 out of 116 Applications

-          3/30/98-Venture Day-NSI Work Day

-          6/16/98-NSI Work Day – Climate – Bill Wayson

-          7/27/98-7/31/98 – Curriculum Mapping Summer Inservice – Carole Helstrom

-          8/24/98-Staff Orientation Day-“Teaching with the Brain in Mind”, Time to Act-NSI Goals – Classified & Certified Staff Invited – Held at Racquet Club

-          10/15/98-Venture Day-Student & Staff Reflections-Climate, Brain book – Alignment & Curricular Issues, Time to Act Cohort Groups Report

1999

      -     1/22/99- Carole Hellstrom Visit– Review Climate, Brainbased Learning, Toured all buildings, met w/administrators, students, staff, parents

-          2/3/99 - Synergetic Visit –– Critical Friends Review – Bill Wayson (Synergetic Development, Inc.)

-          3/10/99-Awarded NSI Continuation Grant

-          4/30/99-Venture Day-Carole Hellstrom-Climate, Thinking & Questioning Strategies

-          7/26/99 thru 7/30/99-Summer Inservice-Carole Helstrom

o        Writing Across the Curriculum

o        High Level Questioning

o        Essentials of Positive Climate

o        Brainbased Learning Revisited

-          8/23/99-Staff Orientation Day-Curricular Groups

-          Carole Helstrom will provide staff development services and parent sessions for the 1999-2000 school year – 3 visits per month; 7 parent sessions; Peer Observation Visits – Carole and Jeff Tuneberg

2000

-          4/25/00-Venture Day-Curricular Groups, Grade Quick (Tech Awareness); Status of NSI

-          7/24/00-7/28/00-Summer Inservice

o        Mon & Tues – Hueston Woods – Dr. Mary Lou Dantanio & Lon Richardson – “Inquiring into Learning Communities” – (Phi Delta Kappa)

o        Wed, Thurs, Fri – Home – Collegial Coaching, Questioning, Celebration, Video Time Capsule-“Fort Recovery Schools Producing World Class Learners”

      -     12/6/00 – National Education Goals Panel

Fort Recovery Local Schools - Chronology of Improvement Efforts

2001

-          4/2/01-Venture Day-Continuous Improvement/High Performance-Jeff Tuneberg; District Level Nominal Needs Assessment

-          7/23/01-7/24/01-Summer Inservice-Carolyn Chapman-Differentiation – “Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom”

      -     8/16/01-Staff Orientation Day - Districtwide Subject Groups

-          10/12/01-Staff Development Day – Kathy Bricker – Pathwise; Subject Groups; Web Sites-find, explore, share

2002

-          1/18/02-Staff Development Day-District Subject Groups-Updated Standards (OCAPS)

-          7/22-02-7/26/02-Summer Inservice Week

o        Pathwise-2 days-Kathy Bricker

o        Phil Schlechty – Engaged Student Learning

o        Best Practices

o        Technology Day

-          8/16/02-Staff Orientation Day-Engaged Learning Survey; Professional Development-Jeff Tuneberg; New Evaluation System

-          12/2/02-Staff Development Day

o        Cross Sectional Groups Reviewed CIP Goals – recommended changes, updates (used Authentic Engagement Feedback from July 24th P. Schlechty in these assessments)

o        Best Practice Groups – worked on issues directly related to our CIP Goals

o        Baldrige #5-Faculty and Staff Focus–a few staff members met with administrators

o        to work on this category                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

      -     12/9/02 – First meeting of District Parent Advisory Group – Purpose of group to add input to                                                                                                                 updating CIP Goals

2003

      -     1/17/03-Staff Development Day-Viewed & discussed “School Sleuth” – DVD – Excellent School Qualities; CIP Activity – shared results of 12/2/02 work – recommended changes, etc.; 20 minute inservice sessions on copiers, poster printer, InfOhio updates; Best Practice Groups or Baldrige #7

-          7/21/03-7/25/03 – Summer Inservice Week – Theme: Tools of Accessibility

o        Monday, Dr. Tara Jeffs –Strategies & Tools for Teaching Diverse Learners in Gen. Ed. Classroom

o        Tuesday – Language Arts Curriculum Group Meeting, Best Practice Groups, Technology (Staff may choose)

o        Wednesday – Math Curriculum Group Meeting, Best Practice Groups, Technology (Staff may choose)

o        Thursday - Science Curriculum Group Meeting, Best Practice Groups, Technology (Staff may choose)

o        Friday – Social Studies Curriculum Group Meeting, Best Practice Groups, Technology (Staff may choose)

o        Monday only – rolls, coffee, juice; lunch provided each day, shirts w/logo for staff; Tools of Accessibility binders provided for all attendees

o        Funds provided from receipt of $50,000.00 Access Grant

-          8/15/03 – Staff Orientation Day – Health Fair, DLT report on CIP changes, Overview of BOE’s work on seven areas of focus on Baldrige criteria, Report from Best Practice groups and subject area groups from summer inservice.

      -     12/1/03 – Staff Development Day – Reps from the Miami Valley SERRC spoke on the IAT process in the morning.  In the afternoon Chris Keller – Tech Coordinator and Ed Snyder – HS Principal,  along with DLT members guided a hands-on work session on the practical application of DSL in the IAT process with everyone in small groups using laptops. This day funded from receipt of a Continuation Access Grant of $37,500.00 in October of 2003.

 

 

 

Fort Recovery Local Schools - Chronology of Improvement Efforts

2004

-          1/16/04 – Staff Development Day – Practical DSL applications continued at this staff day with same procedure of everyone using a laptop.  Ed Snyder, Chris Keller and teacher leaders again facilitated this.  In the afternoon Nancy Knapke – Elem. Principal and Ted Shuttleworth – MS Principal, reviewed the status of our Access Grant and if we are meeting our outcomes. 

Dr. Mike Thomson, motivational speaker, spoke on “Saving your Sanity in Teaching” and making right choices.  New Superintendent, David R. Riel spoke to the staff on his vision for the school.

-          5/28/04 - Records Day  -  Introduced staff to the plans for the summer inservice week.

-         6/13 & 6/14/04 – Board of Education and Administrators’ planning retreat held at the Maria Stein Retreat Center.  Stan Lafferty, Curriculum Coordinator of the Clermont County Educational Service Center, facilitated this 2-day session.  Participants engaged in a presentation of the changes taking place in the Ohio system of education

-          7/26-7/30 - Summer Inservice Week – Theme for summer week was “A Honor Roll – Alignment, Assessment and Accessibility.” 

o        Keynote speaker – Jamie Meade, Standards Coordinator for Reynoldsburg City Schools. Topic: importance of making sure that instruction and assessment are aligned to the state academic content standards.

o        “CAT” (Curriculum Alignment Tool) unveiled by Chris Keller, Technology Coordinator.  CAT is an alignment tool database developed by Mrs. Keller and staff members.  Teachers began process of completing the database for their particular grade level/department.

o        Over 60 technology classes offered throughout the week.

o        Activities throughout the week based on the national best selling book, FISH, a story about the power of personal choice.

-          8/19/04 – Staff Orientation Day

o        Staff members continued work on the CAT.

o        Superintendent Riel presented a PowerPoint update on the CIP goals.

o        Business Advisory Council representative attended and spoke with staff.

o        Program concluded with professional speaker, Dave Leedy (Superman), presenting “An Offer You Can’t Refuse.”

-          9/30/04 – District Led Team Meeting

o        Stan Lafferty, Clermont County ESC Curriculum Coordinator, facilitated an extensive discussion of our CIP and instructional practices.

-          11/29/04 – Staff Development Day

o        CAT data input continued.

o        Staff member Becky Miller gave a presentation on the state Rangefinder Committee, which she served on this past year.

o        Blooms Taxonomy update given by Jeff Tuneberg.

2005

      -     1/14/05 – Staff Development Day

o        “The Freedom Writers” DVD shown featuring the story of Erin Gruwell – how a teacher and 150 teens used writing to change themselves and the world around them.

o        Review of CAT

o        Building and Special Ed. meetings

o        Technology benchmark update

o        Staff scholastic bowl

-          1/19/05 – Fort Recovery Schools is invited to make a presentation to the Ohio Department of Education on Data Driven Decision Making – specifically how we use DASL to analyze our data.

Attendees: David Riel, Pat Niekamp, Nancy Knapke, Ted Shuttleworth, Ed Snyder, Chris Keller, Cheryl Wenning, Shelly Vaughn, Becky Miller, Curtis Hamrick

      -     3/2/05 – The Ohio Department of Education visits Fort Recovery Local Schools:

o        briefly reviewed 1/19 presentation         

o        discussed concept of D3A2 (data driven decisions for academic achievement)

     

Fort Recovery Local Schools - Chronology of Improvement Efforts

2005 Continued

      -     4/11/05 – Fort Recovery High School selected to be included in the Ohio Schools of Promise Case                  Study Project for their success in improving the performance of at-risk students including those with                disabilities.  Karen Sanders, Jean Beller, and Kathleen Schindler visited FRHS on 5/6/05 observing                  classrooms and conducting interviews with teaching staff, parents, HS principal, and students.

-          5/05 – Fort Recovery joins approximately 100 other Ohio districts in Project SOAR (Schools On-line Achievement Reports - Battelle for Kids).  Curtis Hamrick and Ted Shuttleworth to receive training as district Value Added specialists.

-          7/25-7/29–Summer Inservice Week– Theme for the week: 3-D Week–Data Driven Decision Making

o        Keynote speaker  was Jim Mahoney (CEO of Battelle for Kids)–who spoke on Value Added

o        Monday, Tuesday, and Friday: Building instructional meetings held

o        Wednesday and Thursday were choice days for staff (technology classes, CAT (Curriculum Alignment Tool), Best Practice Sessions, Book Reviews, Special Ed Sessions)

o        Week concluded with lunch at Mr. Riel’s on Friday followed by Mystery Theater

-          8/18/05 – Staff Orientation Day

o        Staff updated on Technology changes and D3A2 by Chris Keller, Tech Coordinator

o        Building instructional meetings (continuation from summer inservice week)

o        Tech BETA Survey and Konica 8020 Color Training

o        Superintendent Riel spoke with staff on the State of the District

o        Business Advisory Council representative welcomed the staff for another school year

o        Day concluded with Mr. Riel showing a movie clip video and reading the Spyglass Book

-          Sept. - Fort Recovery Local Schools receives an Effective Rating on the State Report Card for the 6th year in a row.

-          10/3/05 – The first District Input Team meeting is held.  Purpose of this group is to provide input to the BOE and administrators and to promote communication between parents, community, BOE and administrators.  Parents, teachers, principals, and classified will be represented in this group.  This replaces the District Parent Advisory Council.

-          10/10/05 – FR Schools is invited to make a presentation to the State Board of Education on the DASL portion of D3A2 (contact Amy Andres).

-     10/11 & 10/12 - Mary Ann Blank (professor at University of Tennessee) facilitates sessions with the administrators on the clinical supervision of staff.

-     11/9/05 – Ed Snyder, principal of the high school, receives official word that the Fort Recovery High school (one of only 14 schools in Ohio) has been nominated to be considered for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2006 No Child Left Behind – Blue Ribbon Schools program.  Award winners will be announced in September 2006.

-          12/5/05 – The CIP (Continuous Improvement Plan) Revision committee meets with the purpose of taking our present CIP and modifying it to meet present needs reflected in our data.  This project will continue on Jan. 5th with an all day meeting planned.

-          12/13/05 – Board of Education meets in a work session with facilitator, Stan Lafferty, to review the Vision and Mission Statements of the CIP.

-          12/15/05 – Fort Recovery Schools is invited to make a presentation for the Northwest Ohio Educational Resource Center at the Wood County ESC in Bowling Green, OH.  The title of the presentation will be “How the Use of Data Can Drive Student Instruction”. (This presentation was cancelled because of bad weather; rescheduled for April 6, 2006.)

2006

-          1/2 & 1/3/06 – Staff Development Days:

o        Jan. 2 – Building Instructional Meetings: buildings spent time working on Best Practices (DASL, CAT, Value Added, evaluating reading series, student intervention, art therapy group, curriculum alignment, IMS lesson plans, ORS, intervention strategies for Reading and Math students, OGT, Special Education accommodations and strategies)

o        Jan. 3 – AM - Staff site visits to Tri Star, Wright State University Lake Campus Reading Center;  or other principal-approved site; lunch at China Wok in Celina.

o        Jan. 3 – PM – Value Added presentation to all staff by Ted Shuttleworth, Curtis Hamrick, and Jeff Tuneberg.

Fort Recovery Local Schools - Chronology of Improvement Efforts
2006 Continued

      -     1/5/06 – CIP (Continuous Improvement Plan) Revision Committee Meeting – Stan Lafferty facilitated a session on updating the CIP.  The goal of this committee will be to update our current CIP so that it addresses and aligns our curriculum and instructional strategies to State Standards. Members of this committee include members of our District Led Team, parents from each building, community members, students, board members, and a classified staff representative.  The goal would be to have the CIP updated by August of 2006.

-          1/18/06 - Fort Recovery Schools is invited to make a presentation at the OALSS (Ohio Association of Local School Superintendents) Annual Conference on Jan. 18, 2006.  The title of the presentation by Ted Shuttleworth and David Riel was “ How to Maintain Excellence Through Data”.

-          3/28/06 - Ed Snyder, high school principal, receives word that the high school has been selected as a “School of Distinction” by the state superintendent.  This selection was based on the achievement of our students with disabilities and achievement of all students.  We are one of only 21 schools across the state to receive this honor.  A recognition ceremony will be held on October 11, 2006 in Columbus.

-          4/6/06 – David Riel, Ed Snyder, Curtis Hamrick, and Jeff Tuneberg  present on “How the Use of Data Can Drive Student Instruction” at the NWOERC Center in Bowling Green.

-          4/26/06 – Ed Snyder and Curtis Hamrick make another presentation on “How the Use of Data Can Drive Student Instruction” at the Lima Learning Academy in Lima, Ohio.  In attendance were administrators, curriculum directors and ESC staff. 

-          4/26/06 – $20,000 Grant Received – the Fort Recovery School District is notified that they have been awarded the High School Critical Transitions Grant. 

-          PLTW Grant (Project Lead the Way-CTAE) - $20,000.00 Grant received.

-          7/24-7/28–Summer Inservice Week– Theme for the week: 3-R’s Week–Reinventing, Re-energizing, Reflecting

o        Keynote speaker was Keith Orndoff, a futurist, who spoke on the powerful social,                            organizational, and technological trends that are leading to a new future.

o        Other speakers were Eric Curts – “Ohio Treasure Chest of Technology Resources” and Charlie Schmiesing – “INFo Ohio Resources”.

o        Monday and Tuesday all staff worked on the review and reworking of our CIP facilitated by David Riel, Jim Jilek, and Jeff Tuneberg.

o        Wednesday and Thursday were choice days for staff (health fair, technology classes, CAT , Best Practice Sessions, Book Reviews, Special Ed Sessions)

o        Thursday evening staff enjoyed a dinner and show at Bearcreek Farms and stayed overnight. 

o        Friday was spent at Bearcreek Farms continuing the work on the CIP.  A Wellness speaker finished out the week.

      -     8/17/06 - Staff Orientation Day – staff given copies of revised CIP.

-          9/15/06 – Deb Durbin of Clermont County ESC presents to our special education teachers on the subject of the development and writing of IEP’s, along with topics of differentiation, modifications in the classroom, and interventions.

-          10/31/06 – Mike Nicholson of Battelle for Kids speaks to Value Added divas, CIP coordinators, and administrators on Value Added Data and Fort Recovery’s data from the SOAR website.

-          November – Blue Ribbon School Award Ceremony – Ed Snyder, Dave Warvel, and Angelika Schade Hein travel to Washington DC to accept the Blue Ribbon School Award for the high school.  Of the 14 schools in the nation receiving this award only one other school is a high school.

2007

-          1/1/07 – Fort Recovery Local Schools selected as one of 10 districts in Ohio to pilot the D3A2 initiative.

-          1/2/07 & 1/12/07 – Staff Development Days

o        Jan. 2 – AM: Building instructional meetings under direction of principals: Elementary – Performance Index, Dibels, IAT’s; Middle School – Data Analysis, Value Added, Web Site Investigation; High School – Senior Exit Projects

PM: PK-12 Value Added Training

 

2007 Continued

o        Jan. 12 – AM: OLWEUS Bullying Prevention Training PK-12

PM: Gr 3-12 – Value Added Training; PK-2 – Visual Perception Presentation by Dr. Barr

-          4/24/07 & 4/25/07Ten of Fort Recovery Schools teachers are given D3A2 training by Cheryl Cronbaugh. 

-          April - $10,400.00 CTAE Gateway to Technology Grant received (Middle School).

-          7/23-7/27 – Summer Inservice Week – Theme for the week: “Keeping a Good Thing Going Through Data”

o        Monday & Wednesday: Building Instructional Meetings held included: item analysis, Value Added, and Building CIP Revision/Updates

o        Tuesday: Ann Aaronson, Curriculum Director at Greene County ESC, held breakout sessions including: “Assessment Resources”, “Strategies to Use Without Using Worksheets”, “Reading Strategies”, and “I Can Statements”.

o        Thursday: Kathy Schwieterman, FR High School teacher, shared with fellow staff members some of the insights she has gained during her training sessions working with Battelle on the Ohio Assessment for Learning project. 

o        Other offerings: Child Abuse Prevention Training, various technology class offerings, and best practice sessions led by FR staff members.

o        Dinner and overnight stay at the Golden Eagle Retreat Center.

o        Friday: OLWEUS training offered to all staff, teaching and non-teaching.

-          CTE Middle/High School Improvement Grant received: $60,000.00

-          PLTW-additional $15,000.00 received for existing PLTW Grant.

      2008

      -     1/2/08 & 1/18/08 – Staff Development Days

o        1/2/08 – AM: staff updated on Value Added, OLWEUS, FR teacher Brent Niekamp gives a presentation on “Extended Response & Short Answer Scoring Techniques”.

o        PM – Cheryl Cronbaugh – Committee Chairperson of State D3A2 User Group facilitates an afternoon session entitled “How can every teacher directly apply D3A2 in their classroom?”

o        1/18/08 – Building Instructional Meetings including the following: MAP Assessment, Value Added, Assessment for Learning, Focus Groups

-          February – Ohio K-8 STEM Grant – Mercer/Auglaize consortium of Fort Recovery Local Schools/New Bremen Local Schools/St. Henry Local Schools is awarded a $546,000.00 STEM Grant.

-          CTAE Gateway to Technology Summer Academy Grant received: $5,000.00 (to be used for summer camp for students)

-          7/27-7/30 – Summer Inservice Week

o        Monday: Marcy Raymond, Principal of Metro High School, a STEM school, facilitated a daylong session of Inquiry Based Instruction.

o        Tuesday: Building Instructional Meetings including the following topics: MAP, Indian Pride, Curriculum Mapping, Ohio Schools to Watch, Special Education, MP3 Players, Pod Casting

o        Wednesday & Thursday: Health Fair, in-district best practice sessions, technology offerings

o        Friday- Optional Day, Child Abuse Prevention Training offered.

-          September 2008 – Fort Recovery Local Schools receives an Excellent with Distinction Rating on the State Report Card for the 8th year in a row.

-          11/4/08 – Staff Development Day

AM

o        Master Teacher Presentation by Jeff Tuneberg-MCESC

o        Value Added – Facilitated by Jeff Tuneberg & David Riel

o        Data Tool Kit – Chris Woolard, ODE

o        High School Staff – Visit to Metro High School (STEM school)

            PM

o        Building Instructional Meetings including: Special Education, MAP Assessments, Value Added, Key Cards, Data Analysis, D3A2

 

2008 Continued

-          Mercer/Auglaize consortium of Fort Recovery Local Schools/New Bremen Local Schools/St. Henry Local Schools is awarded a $50,000.00 Matching Funds Honda Grant to be used for the STEM program.

-          December – Mercer/Auglaize consortium of Fort Recovery Local Schools/New Bremen Local Schools/St. Henry Local Schools is awarded a STEM Continuation Grant of $262,263.38.

 

2009

-          Mercer/Auglaize consortium of Fort Recovery Local Schools/New Bremen Local Schools/St. Henry Local Schools is awarded a $16,700.00 Martha Holdens Jennings Grant to be used for the STEM program.

-          Fort Recovery Schools starts work on the OIP (Ohio Improvement Process). This work will be incorporated in our CIP, which will be updated this summer.  Jeff Tuneberg of the Mercer County Educational Service Center will facilitate OIP meetings for the following:

o        Administrators – March 23

o        Language Arts & Math Teachers, all buildings – March 30

o        Social Studies Teachers & Science Teachers, all buildings – March 31    

Jeff Tuneberg will update the DLT on the progress of the OIP at their next meeting on April 14th .

 

     

 

 

 

Books Purchased for Staff:

      The First Days of School – Harry Wong

      Who Moved My Cheese  Spencer Johnson

      Teaching With the Brain in Mind – Jensen

      Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom – Susan Weinberger

      Teacher Evaluation-To Enhance Professional PracticeCharlotte Danielson & Thomas L. McGreal

      A Mind at a Time – Mel Levine

      Fish – Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen