School Improvement Plan

What is a School Improvement Plan?

A School Improvement Plan (SIP) is a strategic blueprint that schools use to enhance student learning and improve educational practices. It outlines specific goals for improvement, actions to achieve those goals, and methods for measuring progress.

Key Points of a SIP:

Goals: Clear objectives the school aims to achieve to enhance student outcomes.
Actions: Steps and strategies the school will implement to reach its goals, based on research and effective practices.
Monitoring: Regular review of progress with adjustments made to ensure the school stays on track toward its improvement objectives.

The purpose of a SIP is to provide a clear roadmap for schools to improve educational outcomes for all students, particularly focusing on eliminating disparities and ensuring equitable opportunities for every student.

Every school in Washington State is required to have a School Improvement Plan.

Visit the Issaquah School District SIP website to learn more about SIPs.

District - School Improvement Plans

Pine Lake Middle School

School Improvement Plan

2024-2026

Strengths, Challenges, & Opportunities

What school strengths support belonging, well-being, and learning?

Highlight 3-5 strengths of your school and how those strengths foster belonging, wellbeing and learning.

Inclusive Culture- By creating an inclusive school culture, Pine Lake celebrates diversity and builds strong connections between community members fostering a nurturing environment. Our five core school beliefs of Community, Respect, Excellence, Discovery and Integrity provide an essential guide for all community members. Students have opportunities to connect in meaningful and self-determined ways as a part of their school experience. (Equity Team, ASB activities, Homeroom culture, Compass, MTSS-Fun Friday)
Engaging Learning Environment- Pine Lake staff use Universal Design, differentiated instruction, and collaborative learning experiences to learn about and leverage student strengths, create a climate where all students feel valued and to foster a supportive learning environment. Students have a voice in school programming and the agency to impact their learning. (MTSS academic supports, UDL/Inclusive practices, PL’s student tech leadership group- BOTS, PTSA/International Night)
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support- Tier One Systems- PL’s Tier 1 Leadership Team uses informed data practices to develop inclusive school-wide opportunities that create a supportive and positive school climate. The results of the most recent TFI demonstrated the group's progress towards developing a culturally responsive Tier One system at Pine Lake. Tier One programs at PL include social-emotional learning (SEL) in Homeroom, relationship-building activities, clear and common expectations and shared values that emphasize school beliefs. Focusing on student mental health and Social-Emotional Learning, PL’s weekly SEL Homeroom is a core component to supporting student emotional regulation and problem-solving skills. PL’s counseling team, via the Student Needs Assessment and SAEBRS, informs staff about student wellness trends and feedback in order to allow staff to identify and intervene when students need support. Through professional development focused on Universal Design and Inclusive Practices, teachers use strategies that increase the learning engagement for all students, working to ensure that students with different needs can access learning and success.

Admin and staff access data to identify students with academic, social or behavior needs and provide intervention to support learning and progress. The use of data identifies disparities in students’ experiences and allows staff to address systemic barriers to access and learning. Through support classes like ELL, Read 180, and Study Skills, staff support individual learning needs in small group settings. Staff continue to develop Tier 2 and 3 behavior interventions to support students with access to the next level of skill development and learning in all classroom settings.

Pine Lake’s MTSS systems will evolve to meet student needs and the shifting resources and expectations within the school setting. An area of growth for the PL staff is clearly defining Tier 2/3 systems of academic support and offering a continuum of services and supports to effectively meet all student needs.

What challenges are you working to address, especially in closing gaps?

Based on your data and observations, describe 2-3 of the challenges you hope to address through school improvement? Be sure to address areas of gap closure.

Access to quality instruction and materials at an accessible level is a systemic challenge that staff are working to address via collaboration, professional development and culturally responsive pedagogy. Through the implementation of school-wide Inclusion and inclusionary practices, staff recognize the challenge and need to build stronger systems of academic support for students needing Tier 2/3 support in all settings. This challenge perpetuates persistent learning gaps in historically marginalized groups. In reviewing achievement levels for Students with Disabilities and students in the BIPOC focus group, we continue to see achievement gaps. Professional development focused on Universal Design and Inclusionary Practices will support engagement in learners and allow teachers to increase access to learning for all students, (UDL, Inclusionary practices PD, scope and sequence, Building schedule, staff collaboration and planning)
Developing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support for Tier 2/3 academic needs is a challenge that this school improvement plan addresses. PL’s Tier 2/3 team will develop responsive, common data systems to understand student progress in order to allow for adjustments to meet small group and individual learning needs. Improving systems for regular data review will facilitate review of progress over time, aligning instruction to meet student learning needs, and increase student engagement with learning. Classroom teachers will partner with specialists, support class teaching staff, and inclusion teaching staff to facilitate access to necessary learning access and supports in the classroom setting (equity lens data review in MTSS teams, Ignite UDL Team/Special Ed Team, TFI recommendations)

What future opportunities will you use to improve and address inequities?

Describe 2-3 opportunities in the coming years your school can leverage for this school improvement plan and to address disproportionality?

Increasing Inclusionary Practices access for all students- The integration of students of varying abilities and learning needs into all courses at a higher rate than past practice is an opportunity for staff to lean into UDL/inclusive and culturally responsive practices. Pine Lake’s teaching and paraprofessional staff are collaborating to embed a continuum of academic and behavior interventions and support into classrooms and school spaces. All staff created Universal Design for Learning goals for this school year in the component engagement. Throughout this school year, staff will participate in Professional Development to support the need for increased access to inclusive practices and in-class academic and behavior supports during staff meeting PD and grade/department level teams as well as through lived experience in the classroom. Classroom teachers will use their established UDL goal as a part of student growth goals and/or evaluation conversations to reflect on evidence that the goal is supporting learning for each student.
Continued development of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at T2/3- Through the effective use of data to identify and address strengths in learning and access gaps in academics, behavior, and social-emotional needs, identified students will have access to targeted academic and behavior and SEL interventions. PL’s Tiered Leadership teams continue to refine systems and supports, including data protocols with an equity lens for collaborative data study. While students currently have access to targeted small group intervention classes like Math Lab and Read 180 and individual counseling services, Tiered Teams continue to work towards creating learning conditions where each student can thrive. Providing Tier 3 intensive support for students with the greatest academic, behavior, and SEL needs is continuing work that supports addressing the root cause of the academic or behavior challenge and the design of a personalized intervention plan to meet the student’s unique learning needs.

Root Cause and Contributing Factors of Disproportionality

ISD recognizes that not all students benefit equally or achieve equitably within our district. Our outcome measures such as graduation rate, proficiency on assessments, and grades indicate that we are not achieving equitable results for students in identified ethnic and racial groups, students who are experiencing economic hardships, and students with disabilities.

ISD is committed to disrupting patterns that result in inequitable outcomes. Global (across time and place) and local factors contribute to inequitable outcomes in our District, including the following:

Institutional racism and ableism
Impacts of economic hardship, including mobility or discontinuity of education
Impacts of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Lack of consistent access to preventative and responsive services when experiencing ACEs
Lack of consistent access to adequate supports designed to address basic and individual educational needs
Lack of consistent access to high quality, inclusive, universally designed, and culturally responsive education

Reflection & Theory of Action

What new practices are improving student achievement, and how are you tracking their impact?
What steps are you taking to address inequities in student achievement?

What new practices are improving student achievement, and how are you tracking their impact?

Based on previous School Improvement Planning & Tiered Fidelity Inventories, describe 1-2 systems, structures or practices recently introduced or expanded that shows promise for student achievement and will be continued? What impact are you observing? What data are you using to monitor impact?

Tiered Fidelity Inventory Tools- Since the first administration of the Tiered Fidelity Inventory, Pine Lake’s T1 Leadership Team has adjusted our operating procedures which resulted in improvements in the areas of student behavior support, data driven decision making, and increased community engagement. Several changes have been the most impactful:

Including students and parents on the Tier One Equity Team has increased access and ensures that the demographics of the community are represented on the team.
Developed systems to onboard new staff with PL MTSS expectations and practices.
Showing SWIS and other relevant behavior data to staff for feedback on Tier One priorities has increased faculty voice and built commitment and consistency in T1 implementation.
Improvement in communication of school wide beliefs and expectations ensures that all students have necessary information to support access to school activities and resources.
- Revising the Monday morning student led news show, the PL Morning Show
- Standardized student led morning announcements
- The use of T1 communication systems in hallways, commons, and classrooms to share school information
- The use of Canvas announcements to share school wide and targeted school information

What steps are you taking to address inequities in student achievement?

What proactive steps is your school taking through this school improvement plan to disrupt predictable patterns, actively dismantle institutional racism, and address the disproportionality in academic achievement among students of different backgrounds?

Equity Team- Pine Lake’s Equity Team is a group of staff, students, and parents that work together to foster an inclusive, supportive and equitable learning environment at school. The Equity Team identified an action goal for the school years 24-25 and 25-26 of reducing the rate of discriminatory name-calling/statements at school.

The steps outlined in the Equity Team action plan include:
Communicating clear expectations, reporting procedures, and consequences across the school setting
Promoting a positive school culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion via events, assemblies, and classroom activities.
Training of community members in Speak Up at School training- The Equity Team held a student training of Speak Up at School in May of 2024 with 24 students present for the training. The Equity Team will host two student training sessions this school year and a community session in January in partnership with the Pine Lake PTSA. Our goal is to train 100 community members in the 24-25 school year.
Reflecting on SEL content and advising staff about student needs and strategies to increase academic engagement.

Related to the identified action goal, the group is initiating the following focus:

Review of school wide disaggregated data to identify disparities among groups
Discuss culturally relevant teaching practices and support professional development for staff

Backed by Data

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timebound, Inclusive, Equity-focused goals aligned to the Academic Opportunities priority area of the ISD 3-year strategic plan, referencing data from the School Improvement Data Dashboard.

Data Workbook for Middle School

Literacy

Literacy: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in literacy.

Literacy, including listening and speaking, provides access to all other learning. Teaching literacy in context is a shared responsibility for teachers of all courses. The literacy metrics in the School Improvement Plan Dashboard include:

Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency on the SBA (by grade or cohort or by 6^th- 8^th aggregate
Accelerated growth of student not meeting proficiency in the prior year SBA

Accelerated Growth of student not meeting proficiency in the year prior SBA	Spring 2023	Spring 2024	Spring 2025 Target	Spring 2026 Target
All Students	48%	41%	45%	50%
BIPOC Focus Group	42%	32%	40%	45%
Students with Disabilities	33%	18%	40%	45%

Math

Math: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in Mathematics.

Middle school math metrics provide checkpoints, or key indicators, toward the ISD Strategic Plan milestone of successful completion of Algebra 1. Math metrics in the School Improvement Plan Dashboard include:

Percent of students who demonstrate proficiency on the SBA (by grade or cohort or by 6th-8th aggregate
Accelerated growth of student not meeting proficiency in the prior year SBA
Percent of students who earned a B- or above in MS level Math classes
Proportional representation in advanced math options

Accelerated Growth of student not meeting proficiency in the prior year SBA	Spring 2023	Spring 2024	Spring 2025 Target	Spring 2026 Target
All Students	32%	42%	45%	50%
BIPOC Focus Group	38%	34%	40%	45%
Students with Disabilities	29%	25%	40%	45%

Attendance

Attendance: Promote regular attendance and decrease disproportionality in attendance.

Attending school more than 90% of the time correlates strongly to long-term success in school. Attendance is also a primary indicator of successful student and family engagement. Building toward the ISD Strategic Plan milestone of 9th Grade Success, all schools will set goals for attendance.

Percent of Students who were Regular Attenders.	Spring 2023	*Spring 2024	Spring 2025 Target	Spring 2026 Target
All Students	89%	n/a	93%	95%
BIPOC Focus Group	85%	n/a	90%	95%
Students with Disabilities	79%	n/a	85%	90%

Grades

Grades: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in learning as evidenced by course grades.

Course grades should reflect the achievement of mastery of learning objectives. Data and research indicate that students who pass all their courses, with a C- or above, are highly likely to graduate high school and achieve their post-high school goals. This goal provides checkpoints toward the ISD Strategic Plan milestone of 9th grade On-Track to graduate.

Percent of students earning a C- or above in all their classes	Spring 2023	Spring 2024	Spring 2025 Target	Spring 2026 Target
All Students	92%	89%	92%	95%
BIPOC Focus Group	78%	66%	80%	85%
Students with Disabilities	76%	73%	80%	85%

School-Based Action Plan

Programs and priorities listed below are being implemented, expanded or sustained during this 2-year SIP cycle at each of our middle schools as part of the ISD Strategic Plan priorities and the establishment of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). For this SIP cycle, schools will select 3 strategies with at least two from district-wide programs or systems listed, and describe their school’s implementation plan and strategies for monitoring impact. Be sure to relate actions plans to the 3 SIP goal areas.

Select 1-2 of the following to describe in further detail:

Implementation of New Curriculum or Courses. New curriculum is adopted annually. Full implementation requires 2- 4 years of support to establish calibrated learning outcomes, common learning experiences, integrated tiered supports and instruction, and delivery that is universally designed and culturally responsive. ISD Priority 2a,c
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Implementation of UDL as a framework of evidence-based, inclusive, and culturally responsive instructional practices for Tier 1. ISD Priority 2a
Grading for Equity. Implementation of grading practices so that [1] grades reflect mastery of key learning goals, [2] students receive feedback, reflect on their understanding, and are given an additional opportunity to demonstrate their learning; and [3] there is consistency and calibration of the measure of student learning. ISD Priority 2
Tiered Teams. Implementation of a Tiered Team structure to examine integrated social-emotional and academic achievement data to adjust core instruction and/or intervention planning. ISD Priority 2b
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Maintaining or enhancing school-wide systems of support and social emotional learning to increase belonging, well-being, and create the conditions for learning. ISD Priority 1
Classroom-Based Intervention. Implementation of targeted supports, accommodations, and interventions (Tier 2) in the classroom setting. ISD Priority 2b
Inclusionary Practices. Collaboration and coordination of classroom teachers and special education staff to provide a comprehensive continuum of inclusive services within the least restrictive educational environment to ensure that all students reach their full potential. ISD Priority 2b
Multilingual Learners support. With the understanding that the whole day is an inclusive language learning experience for all students, collaboration and coordination of classroom teachers and multilingual learner specialists to deliver language acquisition strategies, ensure multilingual students have access to all instruction and learning, in a language intensive learning environment so that they achieve their full potential. ISD Priority 2b

Action	Implementation	Impact: Evidence/Monitoring
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)	Action- 6^th grade Compass Program (Where Everybody Belongs- WEB) 6^th grade Orientation- scheduled before the first day of school, 8^th grade Compass Leaders (staff and 8^th grade students) facilitate a half day school visit and welcome program. Student groups are intentionally formed to support student strengths and connections. 6^th grade Family Orientation- Parents are invited to a Welcome to Pine Lake Q and A online meeting during the 6^th grade Orientation Event led by Pine Lake admin, Registrar and counselors. Maintaining activities- Backpack Scavenger Hunt, Birthday greetings, Pumpkin Painting, Great PL Bakeoff Academic Follow-ups- 8^th grade Compass Leaders visit all 6^th grade homerooms one time per Trimester to connect with 6^th grade students, answer questions, share academic success tips, and focus on the Pine Lake beliefs. 6^th Grade End of Year Celebration- 8^th grade Compass Leaders lead the activities and celebrate the school year. Resource use- Four Staff Lead the Compass Program for roughly 380 students per year. Staff receive a stipend. A budget supports necessary items for the program. Student leaders participate in training throughout the school year and launch a two-day training in August. Grade level student activities take place during homeroom or after school. Action- SEL lessons and Homeroom class All students at PLMS receive targeted SEL instruction during the Homeroom period one day per week. The Homeroom SEL calendar is built around ISD required lessons, lessons created to support instruction in school expectations, data collection, and topics identified through Tier One Team Leaders based on data review. (SWIS, SAEBRS, survey) PL’s Homeroom is organized to support all students with goal setting, organization, and access to resources. Each homeroom day focuses on curricular and co-curricular opportunities including PL’s Morning Show, SEL lessons, ASB and club meetings, meetings with teachers, counseling groups, test make-up/ retakes, and project management with peers. Students also participate in Fun Friday activities most Fridays of the school year. In the 24-25 school year, teaching staff who serve students in a support class setting use homeroom period to provide additional support to students and staff during the homeroom time. This collaborative resource has increased student access to resources and supported new students. Action- T1 schoolwide positive reinforcement- Fun Friday School wide positive reinforcement during Friday morning homeroom class period. All students participate in Fun Friday and choose the activity or offering they wish to participate in. Staff facilitate offerings in the classroom or other spaces. Any student or staff member can propose offerings via the Fun Friday survey or suggestion. There are supervised common spaces including the Commons, Field and Library. There are also many classroom spaces open where students or staff host ‘offerings’ to other students. Regular offerings include- Student Led Music Jam in the band room, water color art, Drama with SHS Drama Club, Chess with SHS Chess Team, Cricket in the Aux Gym, Quiet Reading Space, board games, Creative Writing Group, Grade level Test Re-takes, Coding in the Computer Lab, Wood Shop Projects, Disc Golf, Mindset and Meditation, Chinese Club, Eras Tour Offering, Bingo, Karaoke with Mr. Berg. Offerings change based on community interest and capacity.	Intended Impacts Compass Program Impacts- Support the 6^th grade transition for all students with mentorship of 8^th grade leaders. The program provides proactive support to all 6^th grade students and focuses on transition needs. 8^th grade leaders provide academic guidance, support fun activities and games and help build a positive school culture. SEL lessons impact students by providing relevant, student- focused learning that support personal growth and academic progress. The homeroom class period impacts student learning by providing all students with a small community where a personal connection with the teacher promotes academic guidance, community building and increased engagement. Students have time and opportunity to make decisions about their school day and problem-solve with classmates and the teacher. Fun Friday is intended to foster a positive school climate, provide opportunities for students to explore and discover their interests, and connect students with others with similar interests. Key Data Attendance at 6^th grade Orientation- 2023- 89% of 6^th graders attended. Family Orientation- 22 family members attended. 2024- 92% of 6^th graders attended. Family Orientation- 45 family members attended. 2025- goal 95% of 6^th graders attend. Family Orientation- 50 family members attend. Student interest data is collected and reviewed after events. Adding a family survey in 2025 Staff and student homeroom survey provide input for Fun Friday planning and SEL activities. SWIS Data informs SEL lessons Support class teachers report availability during homeroom facilitates screening/testing, tech support and access, new student orientation, collaboration, and inclusive practices. Review of attendance/discipline data on Fridays with Fun Friday indicates low discipline and high engagement with offerings.
Inclusionary Practices	Action- Implementing Inclusive Practices Model (IPM)- Special Education Department Focus Facilitate a building wide plan to launch IPM at Pine Lake to include IEP amendments and caretaker contact, creating spaces and systems to support a continuum of services for students, implementing an assessment plan with early diagnostic information resulting in informed instructional supports. Bi-monthly review of student progress information for all students receiving Special Education services. Use of the ISD Inclusion Tracker to review data, monitor interventions, and follow progress. Flexible and responsive Para-Professional Assignments to support student learning needs. Para-pro training focuses on strategies to support student engagement and access to inclusive practices. Providing necessary accommodations and modifications for students with IEP services to all access to grade level content. Action- Support Classes at PLMS Pine Lake offers support classes including ELD, Read 180, Math Lab, and Study Skills to students identified with data review processes. To leverage the support available to students in the Math Lab and Study Skills sections, teachers assigned represent each core content area, and all sections occur during the same period to increase access to academic support. Through collaboration and focus on UDL, support teachers have designed all sections to follow the same weekly and daily routine to maximize flexibility of class assignment and utilization. Action- Universal Design for Learning Staff Meeting PD- Building UDL practices in all courses to increase engagement and equitable access to learning. PL UDL/Ignite Team will lead 6 staff meeting PD sessions focused on UDL engagement strategies and classroom look-fors. The Ignite team will lead UDL Demo lessons and classroom visits following the series of staff meeting PD lessons. Staff eval goals reflect the ULD engagement goals from 8.2024 PL’s Ed Tech Leader will facilitate PD with a focus on UDL through use of tech tools to continue to develop teacher use of technology to support increased access for all students.	Intended Impacts Equitable access to education and learning progress. Increased access to social connection for all students and social skills development. Increased access to academic resources and teachers through schedule building. Key Data Bi-Monthly review of Inclusion Tracker data IEP goal progress and meeting discussion Progress monitoring of students in Math Lab and Study Skills sections. Teaching staff UDL goals submitted to survey. Staff Meeting PD feedback indicates teacher progress in UDL practice. Tech use survey indicates increased use of embedded tech tools to support access to learning.
PL Comprehensive School Counseling Plan	New Student Orientation Plan New Student Orientation Meeting was held before school started with caretakers invited. Students and counselors review topics to support new 7^th and 8^th grade students to PL. Pine Lake has had 45 new 7^th and 8^th grade students join this school year. PL Leadership students have created an Orientation Video for students that arrive after the start of the school year. PL Counselors collaborate with elementary school counselors to discuss transition support needs for incoming students. Through these conversations and data review, student schedules and interventions are planned proactively facilitating better engagement with school. Through counselor and Registrar conversations with new students and caretakers, new students are matched with support and interventions. For new students with prior T2 or T3 supports, before the student’s first day, teachers receive information about the student’s prior school experience, course grades, strengths and interests. New 6^th grade students are assigned to a Compass group and welcomed by the Compass leaders. New Student Pizza Lunch within the first month of school to connect students with peers and staff. Needs Assessment All PL students took the Needs Assessment during Homeroom. Counselors have reviewed the results in order to determine the T2 groups that students report interest in. Groups of interest include- Stress and Anxiety Management, Body Image, Study Skills, Social Connections. Trends and information from the Needs Assessment are shared with staff to support staff awareness of student Social/Emotional needs. Through One-Minute meetings with all 7^th grade students, counselors connected with students and reviewed how their role can support school success. Counselor’s review SAEBRS assessment data and complete the follow-up conversations.	Key Data High rates of attendance at New Student Orientation and follow-up check-in activities. Student interest and attendance at small group sessions are high.
Additional School Improvement Plan Components
Family engagement ISD Priority 4	Equity Team- Pine Lake’s Equity Team is a group of staff, parents, and students that work together to foster an inclusive, supportive and equitable learning environment at school. The Equity Team identified an action goal for the school years 24-25 and 25-26 of reducing the rate of discriminatory statements/name-calling at school. The steps outlined in the action plan include: Communicating clear expectations, reporting procedures, and consequences across the school setting Promoting a positive school culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion via events, assemblies, and classroom activities. Reflecting on SEL content and advising staff about student needs and strategies to increase academic engagement. Training of community members in Speak Up at School training in partnership with the PL PTSA The Equity Team held a student training of Speak Up at School in May of 2024 with 24 students present for the training. We plan to offer two additional student training sessions this school year and will be offering a community session in January in partnership with the Pine Lake PTSA. Our goal is to train 100 community members in the 24-25 school year. The Equity Team meets monthly to address issues of Equity at school.	Intended Impacts Increase safety for all students Increase support for all students when discriminatory statements or name-calling occurs. Key Data Representatives from student group and caretaker group attend Equity Meetings. Attendance rate met goal of 100 people trained in 24-25 school year Reduce discriminatory name-calling.
Technology Integration	Pine Lake Bots- Pine Lake’s Student Tech Leadership Team, the PL BOTs is facilitated by the school’s Ed Tech Lead and includes 18 students from all grade levels. The PL Bots have taken the following actions to engage students and provide access to learning for all students. Developed lessons to support instruction in tech organization, Canvas, use of Microsoft tools, and access to ClassLink. Lessons were delivered by teaching staff in the first week of school. Follow up lessons each trimester build upon skills and introduce new resources. BOTS survey community needs, support all students with homeroom tech support, introduce new students to ISD Tech Tools, mentor students with T3 needs, lead Tech Outreach in the school, support use of the Securly Digital Hall Pass System Technology Integration PD led by Ed Tech Lead and ISD Tech Tosa Introduction to the Securly Digital Hall Pass and device management. Canvas tools to support UDL and Inclusive practices Facilitating 1:1 computer use within MTSS Leading collaboration with teachers about assignment choice including workshops on Canva and Microsoft tools	Intended Impacts Develop tech skills and digital literacy for all students Support all students in the development of problem- solving skills related to tech tools and resources Promote tech access and support to all students. Key Data Teacher reports on common tech challenges in the classroom setting via survey High rates of problem-free submission of student work Teacher report on access to tech tools to support ULD and Inclusive practices

Action

Implementation

Impact: Evidence/Monitoring

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)

Action- 6^th grade Compass Program (Where Everybody Belongs- WEB)

6^th grade Orientation- scheduled before the first day of school, 8^th grade Compass Leaders (staff and 8^th grade students) facilitate a half day school visit and welcome program. Student groups are intentionally formed to support student strengths and connections.
6^th grade Family Orientation- Parents are invited to a Welcome to Pine Lake Q and A online meeting during the 6^th grade Orientation Event led by Pine Lake admin, Registrar and counselors.
Maintaining activities- Backpack Scavenger Hunt, Birthday greetings, Pumpkin Painting, Great PL Bakeoff
Academic Follow-ups- 8^th grade Compass Leaders visit all 6^th grade homerooms one time per Trimester to connect with 6^th grade students, answer questions, share academic success tips, and focus on the Pine Lake beliefs.
6^th Grade End of Year Celebration- 8^th grade Compass Leaders lead the activities and celebrate the school year.
Resource use- Four Staff Lead the Compass Program for roughly 380 students per year. Staff receive a stipend. A budget supports necessary items for the program. Student leaders participate in training throughout the school year and launch a two-day training in August. Grade level student activities take place during homeroom or after school.

Action- SEL lessons and Homeroom class

All students at PLMS receive targeted SEL instruction during the Homeroom period one day per week. The Homeroom SEL calendar is built around ISD required lessons, lessons created to support instruction in school expectations, data collection, and topics identified through Tier One Team Leaders based on data review. (SWIS, SAEBRS, survey)
PL’s Homeroom is organized to support all students with goal setting, organization, and access to resources. Each homeroom day focuses on curricular and co-curricular opportunities including PL’s Morning Show, SEL lessons, ASB and club meetings, meetings with teachers, counseling groups, test make-up/ retakes, and project management with peers. Students also participate in Fun Friday activities most Fridays of the school year.
In the 24-25 school year, teaching staff who serve students in a support class setting use homeroom period to provide additional support to students and staff during the homeroom time. This collaborative resource has increased student access to resources and supported new students.

Action- T1 schoolwide positive reinforcement- Fun Friday

School wide positive reinforcement during Friday morning homeroom class period. All students participate in Fun Friday and choose the activity or offering they wish to participate in. Staff facilitate offerings in the classroom or other spaces.
Any student or staff member can propose offerings via the Fun Friday survey or suggestion.
There are supervised common spaces including the Commons, Field and Library. There are also many classroom spaces open where students or staff host ‘offerings’ to other students.
Regular offerings include- Student Led Music Jam in the band room, water color art, Drama with SHS Drama Club, Chess with SHS Chess Team, Cricket in the Aux Gym, Quiet Reading Space, board games, Creative Writing Group, Grade level Test Re-takes, Coding in the Computer Lab, Wood Shop Projects, Disc Golf, Mindset and Meditation, Chinese Club, Eras Tour Offering, Bingo, Karaoke with Mr. Berg.
Offerings change based on community interest and capacity.

Intended Impacts

Compass Program Impacts- Support the 6^th grade transition for all students with mentorship of 8^th grade leaders. The program provides proactive support to all 6^th grade students and focuses on transition needs. 8^th grade leaders provide academic guidance, support fun activities and games and help build a positive school culture.
SEL lessons impact students by providing relevant, student- focused learning that support personal growth and academic progress.
The homeroom class period impacts student learning by providing all students with a small community where a personal connection with the teacher promotes academic guidance, community building and increased engagement. Students have time and opportunity to make decisions about their school day and problem-solve with classmates and the teacher.
Fun Friday is intended to foster a positive school climate, provide opportunities for students to explore and discover their interests, and connect students with others with similar interests.

Key Data

Attendance at 6^th grade Orientation-
- 2023- 89% of 6^th graders attended. Family Orientation- 22 family members attended.
- 2024- 92% of 6^th graders attended. Family Orientation- 45 family members attended.
- 2025- goal 95% of 6^th graders attend. Family Orientation- 50 family members attend.
- Student interest data is collected and reviewed after events.
- Adding a family survey in 2025
Staff and student homeroom survey provide input for Fun Friday planning and SEL activities.
SWIS Data informs SEL lessons
Support class teachers report availability during homeroom facilitates screening/testing, tech support and access, new student orientation, collaboration, and inclusive practices.
Review of attendance/discipline data on Fridays with Fun Friday indicates low discipline and high engagement with offerings.

Inclusionary Practices

Action- Implementing Inclusive Practices Model (IPM)- Special Education Department Focus

Facilitate a building wide plan to launch IPM at Pine Lake to include IEP amendments and caretaker contact, creating spaces and systems to support a continuum of services for students, implementing an assessment plan with early diagnostic information resulting in informed instructional supports.
Bi-monthly review of student progress information for all students receiving Special Education services. Use of the ISD Inclusion Tracker to review data, monitor interventions, and follow progress.
Flexible and responsive Para-Professional Assignments to support student learning needs. Para-pro training focuses on strategies to support student engagement and access to inclusive practices.
Providing necessary accommodations and modifications for students with IEP services to all access to grade level content.

Action- Support Classes at PLMS

Pine Lake offers support classes including ELD, Read 180, Math Lab, and Study Skills to students identified with data review processes.
To leverage the support available to students in the Math Lab and Study Skills sections, teachers assigned represent each core content area, and all sections occur during the same period to increase access to academic support. Through collaboration and focus on UDL, support teachers have designed all sections to follow the same weekly and daily routine to maximize flexibility of class assignment and utilization.

Action- Universal Design for Learning

Staff Meeting PD- Building UDL practices in all courses to increase engagement and equitable access to learning. PL UDL/Ignite Team will lead 6 staff meeting PD sessions focused on UDL engagement strategies and classroom look-fors. The Ignite team will lead UDL Demo lessons and classroom visits following the series of staff meeting PD lessons.
Staff eval goals reflect the ULD engagement goals from 8.2024
PL’s Ed Tech Leader will facilitate PD with a focus on UDL through use of tech tools to continue to develop teacher use of technology to support increased access for all students.

Intended Impacts

Equitable access to education and learning progress.
Increased access to social connection for all students and social skills development.
Increased access to academic resources and teachers through schedule building.

Key Data

Bi-Monthly review of Inclusion Tracker data
IEP goal progress and meeting discussion
Progress monitoring of students in Math Lab and Study Skills sections.
Teaching staff UDL goals submitted to survey.
Staff Meeting PD feedback indicates teacher progress in UDL practice.
Tech use survey indicates increased use of embedded tech tools to support access to learning.

PL Comprehensive School Counseling Plan

New Student Orientation Plan

New Student Orientation Meeting was held before school started with caretakers invited. Students and counselors review topics to support new 7^th and 8^th grade students to PL. Pine Lake has had 45 new 7^th and 8^th grade students join this school year. PL Leadership students have created an Orientation Video for students that arrive after the start of the school year.
PL Counselors collaborate with elementary school counselors to discuss transition support needs for incoming students. Through these conversations and data review, student schedules and interventions are planned proactively facilitating better engagement with school.
Through counselor and Registrar conversations with new students and caretakers, new students are matched with support and interventions.
For new students with prior T2 or T3 supports, before the student’s first day, teachers receive information about the student’s prior school experience, course grades, strengths and interests.
New 6^th grade students are assigned to a Compass group and welcomed by the Compass leaders.
New Student Pizza Lunch within the first month of school to connect students with peers and staff.

Needs Assessment

All PL students took the Needs Assessment during Homeroom. Counselors have reviewed the results in order to determine the T2 groups that students report interest in. Groups of interest include- Stress and Anxiety Management, Body Image, Study Skills, Social Connections. Trends and information from the Needs Assessment are shared with staff to support staff awareness of student Social/Emotional needs.
Through One-Minute meetings with all 7^th grade students, counselors connected with students and reviewed how their role can support school success.
Counselor’s review SAEBRS assessment data and complete the follow-up conversations.

Key Data

High rates of attendance at New Student Orientation and follow-up check-in activities.
Student interest and attendance at small group sessions are high.

Additional School Improvement Plan Components

Family engagement

ISD Priority 4

Equity Team- Pine Lake’s Equity Team is a group of staff, parents, and students that work together to foster an inclusive, supportive and equitable learning environment at school. The Equity Team identified an action goal for the school years 24-25 and 25-26 of reducing the rate of discriminatory statements/name-calling at school. The steps outlined in the action plan include:

Communicating clear expectations, reporting procedures, and consequences across the school setting
Promoting a positive school culture that celebrates diversity and inclusion via events, assemblies, and classroom activities.
Reflecting on SEL content and advising staff about student needs and strategies to increase academic engagement.
Training of community members in Speak Up at School training in partnership with the PL PTSA

The Equity Team held a student training of Speak Up at School in May of 2024 with 24 students present for the training. We plan to offer two additional student training sessions this school year and will be offering a community session in January in partnership with the Pine Lake PTSA. Our goal is to train 100 community members in the 24-25 school year.

The Equity Team meets monthly to address issues of Equity at school.

Intended Impacts

Increase safety for all students
Increase support for all students when discriminatory statements or name-calling occurs.

Key Data

Representatives from student group and caretaker group attend Equity Meetings.
Attendance rate met goal of 100 people trained in 24-25 school year
Reduce discriminatory name-calling.

Technology Integration

Pine Lake Bots-

Pine Lake’s Student Tech Leadership Team, the PL BOTs is facilitated by the school’s Ed Tech Lead and includes 18 students from all grade levels. The PL Bots have taken the following actions to engage students and provide access to learning for all students.

Developed lessons to support instruction in tech organization, Canvas, use of Microsoft tools, and access to ClassLink. Lessons were delivered by teaching staff in the first week of school. Follow up lessons each trimester build upon skills and introduce new resources.
BOTS survey community needs, support all students with homeroom tech support, introduce new students to ISD Tech Tools, mentor students with T3 needs, lead Tech Outreach in the school, support use of the Securly Digital Hall Pass System

Technology Integration PD led by Ed Tech Lead and ISD Tech Tosa

Introduction to the Securly Digital Hall Pass and device management.
Canvas tools to support UDL and Inclusive practices
Facilitating 1:1 computer use within MTSS
Leading collaboration with teachers about assignment choice including workshops on Canva and Microsoft tools

Intended Impacts

Develop tech skills and digital literacy for all students
Support all students in the development of problem- solving skills related to tech tools and resources
Promote tech access and support to all students.

Key Data

Teacher reports on common tech challenges in the classroom setting via survey
High rates of problem-free submission of student work
Teacher report on access to tech tools to support ULD and Inclusive practices

School Improvement Team & Procedure Information

Principal	Michelle Caponigro
SIP Team Members	Stephanie Bullard, Nicole Ray, Jeff Burgard, Cindy Elder, Neely Lewis, Kristen Brittain, Susan Sansing, Kristina Klein, Heather Schopen, Josh Berg, Eric Ensey, Elle O’Neill, Mike Deletis, Nancy Brooks
Supervisor Review	Sherri Kokx, Nov. 7, 2024
Site Council or PTSA Review	Spring 2024, Spring 2025
School Board Review	November 19, 2024

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School Improvement Plan

What is a School Improvement Plan?

Key Points of a SIP:

Pine Lake Middle School

School Improvement Plan

2024-2026

Strengths, Challenges, & Opportunities

What school strengths support belonging, well-being, and learning?

Highlight 3-5 strengths of your school and how those strengths foster belonging, wellbeing and learning.

What challenges are you working to address, especially in closing gaps?

Based on your data and observations, describe 2-3 of the challenges you hope to address through school improvement? Be sure to address areas of gap closure.

What future opportunities will you use to improve and address inequities?

Describe 2-3 opportunities in the coming years your school can leverage for this school improvement plan and to address disproportionality?

Root Cause and Contributing Factors of Disproportionality

Reflection & Theory of Action

What new practices are improving student achievement, and how are you tracking their impact?

Based on previous School Improvement Planning & Tiered Fidelity Inventories, describe 1-2 systems, structures or practices recently introduced or expanded that shows promise for student achievement and will be continued? What impact are you observing? What data are you using to monitor impact?

What steps are you taking to address inequities in student achievement?

What proactive steps is your school taking through this school improvement plan to disrupt predictable patterns, actively dismantle institutional racism, and address the disproportionality in academic achievement among students of different backgrounds?

Backed by Data

Literacy

Literacy: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in literacy.

Math

Math: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in Mathematics.

Attendance

Attendance: Promote regular attendance and decrease disproportionality in attendance.

Grades

Grades: Increase achievement and decrease disproportionality in learning as evidenced by course grades.

School-Based Action Plan

School Improvement Team & Procedure Information