Accrediation Review Underway at Colstrip Public Schools

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

HISTORY OR NATIONAL ACCREDITATION SYSTEM

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout this week, students, staff, administration, parents and community members are being interviewed by the Cognia Accreditation Team as Colstrip is currently being reviewed for renewal of its National Accreditation status. Point of fact, Colstrip is the largest system (K-12) accredited school in the State of Montana.

Cognia accreditation represents the unified policies and procedures for accreditation and certification from its Accreditation Divisions:

• North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI)
• Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI)

NCA CASI, SACS CASI, and NWAC comprise three of the six regionally recognized K-12 accrediting bodies and together have been accrediting institutions for 125 years

Cognia works with schools and systems of all types and sizes across the globe to clearly assess the quality of an institution institution and to help them meet the needs of every student. Cognia provides an explicit set of standards and criteria for accreditation and certification. Meeting and exceeding those standards results in a valuable recognition of excellence.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT: Colstrip Largest Nationally Accreditated School District in Montana

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Administration Team members receive System Accreditation
Certificates at the November 2016 Board Meeting

Colstrip Public School District #19 is all about school improvement. Getting better is what drives this school system. There are a number of high schools and elementary schools that are nationally accredited by AdvancED in the state of Montana, but there are only four systems that have been accredited in this state and Colstrip Public School District is the largest.

What is a system? A system includes all educational levels and buildings: kindergarten through the twelfth grade. A system must work effectively together for school improvement in order to be nationally accredited. System accreditation is a measure of all schools and all of its parts including the board, administration, business department, students and community. In this case, each and every part of our district effectively contributes to the outcomes of our students and has been recognized for meeting identified national standards of excellence.

National accreditation through AdvancED has been issued to Pine Butte Elementary School, Frank Brattin Middle School, Colstrip High School and Colstrip Pubic School District #19.

With this recognition comes the confidence that students that are sent to an institution that is accredited will attend a system that meets educational standards of excellence.  Here lies a few of the reasons why national accreditation is important to our community and the students we serve in our district:

Accreditation lays the groundwork for success for schools and students. Parents have long held education as a key to their child’s preparation and success in life.  Equally, educators have known that a quality education is of the utmost importance for a child’s future. Quality and success are not mutually exclusive in the education process.  Quality and student success go hand‐in‐hand and are why many schools seek accreditation.  

 Accreditation benefits parents and students. When a school or school system achieves accreditation, parents and the community can be assured that the top priorities are: 

• increasing student achievement 
• providing a safe and enriching learning environment 
• running an efficient operation   

Students benefit from accreditation as well.  Students are assured: 

• qualified teachers who are working to improve their methods 
• more focus on student learning 
• better transition from grade to grade 
• a rigorous, diverse, and sound curriculum based on quality standards 
• a range of student activities and support services 
• smoother transfer of credits from school to school   
• eligibility for special programs, grants, and scholarships

These are just a few of the reasons for accreditation and the meaning it holds for students attending our school. It is with pride, and a great deal of effort, that Colstrip Public Schools can attest that they are currently the largest nationally accredited school district in Montana.

Principal Shay Grinsell receives building accreditation in behalf of PBES.

Principal Pax Haslem receives building accreditation in behalf of FBMS.

Principal Mark Ator receives building accreditation in behalf of CHS.

Superintendent Bob Lewandowski receives
System Accreditation in behalf of  Colstrip Public Schools.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Success in the Making

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

John F. Kennedy: "We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too." [2].  

On September 22 of this year students in grades K-5, at Pine Butte Elementary School, began using a new program called SuccessMaker. SuccessMaker is an adaptive on-line curriculum program. It uses a student's answers to identify that child's needs and uses that information to assign material that addresses those needs. Therefore, two children in the same grade and classroom may work at different difficulty levels depending on their understanding of the current material. When a student answers a question, the material automatically adjusts future questions accordingly. In short, SuccessMaker custom fits learning in the subjects of reading and math for every student in kindergarten through fifth grade. Science and social studies lessons are also incorporated into the reading and math curriculum as they learn. 


WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

At Pine Butte Elementary we have a chromebook for every child (one-to-one). The chomebooks are located in each classroom. The students access their respective chomebooks, put on their headsets and logon to begin learning. Our students spend approximately 80 minute per week, minimum, on SuccessMaker. In many cases, teachers have students exceeding the minimum amount of time in order to exhilarate differentiated learning in math and reading.  

WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT TEACH?

SuccessMaker teaches literacy skills that coincide with Common Core standards for reading and the literacy guidelines published by the National Institute for Literacy. The math skills included in the program are based on standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and also conform to Common Core standards.

Reading skills for kindergarten through fifth grade include phonological awareness, phonics, fluency and vocabulary. The program also includes comprehension activities that test students' understanding of the course material.

The SuccessMaker math program covers basic concepts such as number sense, operations and patterns, before progressing to more advanced topics such as probability, geometry, measurement and algebra. Once the student masters a group of skills, the program automatically assesses the student’s skill level and introduces new, higher-level concepts. [Reference]

HOW DOES SUCCESSMAKER BENEFIT LEARNING AT COLSTRIP?

SuccessMaker is a web-based program that provides reading and math instruction that promotes higher-order thinking strategies. The reading materials integrate interdisciplinary themes as well as science and social studies so students can expand their knowledge of various subjects. 

SuccessMaker also allows students, teachers and parents to track progress with real-time analysis of performance on reading and math lessons, activities and tests. The web-based program features on-demand intervention that provides feedback, additional instruction when students encounter challenges and step-by-step tutorials to assist with learning.

Educators and parents can forecast achievements and add customized lessons for students struggling with basic concepts. SuccessMaker is often used in the classroom to supplement learning and to provide extra practice with skills when students are not meeting state standards. The program is designed to cover Common Core standards and proficiency goals set by school districts. [Reference]

ACTION RESEARCH

In my experience as a superintendent, SuccessMaker has been used in each of the three districts I have lead over the past 12 years.  I have seen exceptional results in learning take place because of this program. It fills in learning gaps and helps students' learning success at the individual level. When students use SuccessMaker they are being challenged at their present level of understanding and learning. In a class of 20 students, its like having 20 individual lessons going on at the same time. This program engages students and allows students, both gifted and challenged, to learn the math and reading skills that will take them to their next level without being held up or held back. It is truly one of the best supplementary programs I have seen.

SuccessMaker is part of the Goals mentioned in my post on August 23 of this year in my post Goal Setting: To the Moon: "Our staff here at Colstrip is determined to take our students to the proverbial moon and back to ensure that all students learn at national target of excellence in mathematics, reading and language usage."

In short, SuccessMaker is success in the making for students here at Colstrip. It provides and "x-factor" to the already great instruction that is taking place at Pine Butte Elementary. 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Colstrip Public Schools Awarded AdvancED School System Accreditation

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

It is official, I just received confirmation on our system accreditation status. See the news release below.

(Colstrip, MT – July 19, 2016) – Superintendent Bob Lewandowski announced today that Colstrip Public School District #19 was granted AdvancED School System Accreditation from the AdvancED Accreditation Commission, the national commission that confers the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) accreditation seal.  This means that the system and all of its schools are accredited, and that Colstrip Public School District #19 is recognized across the nation as a quality school system.

The accreditation process involves three ongoing components:  1) meeting high quality standards; 2) implementing a continuous process of improvement; and 3) engaging in quality assurance through internal and external review.  The system’s accreditation is for a five-year term with regular monitoring of progress and reporting occurring during the term.

“School System Accreditation as conferred by the AdvancED Accreditation Commission provides Colstrip Public School District #19 a nationally-recognized mark of quality for our system and all the schools within our system,” shared Bob Lewandowski.  “It demonstrates to our community our commitment to excellence, our openness to external review and feedback, and our desire to be the best we can be on behalf of the students we serve.”

Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, stated, “AdvancED School System Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school system on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners.  Colstrip Public School District #19 is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.”

Parents and interested community members can learn more about the System Accreditation Process at www.advanc-ed.org.

About AdvancED and NCA CASI
Dedicated to advancing excellence in education through accreditation, research, and professional services, AdvancED is the world's largest education community, serving and engaging 30,000 public and private schools and school systems in more than 70 countries and serving over 16 million students.  AdvancED is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).

NCA CASI is a non-governmental, voluntary association of nearly 10,000 public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout the world.

Colstrip Public Schools Recommended for AdvancED System Accreditation

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Lead Evaluator, Agnes Smith, presents findings.

For the past three days Colstrip Public Schools has undergone an External Accreditation Review by AdvancED. This is the first time ever that CPS has been recommended for System-wide Accreditation!

AdvancED is the global leader in providing continuous improvement and accreditation services to over 32,000 institutions serving 20 million student worldwide.

The review team consisted of five individuals: Agnes Smith, Lead Evaluator; Shelly Weight, Associate Lead Evaluator; Shawn Hansen; Beez Lucero; and Marcus Lewton. The team of reviewers had 113 years of educational experience between the five representatives.

The External Team evaluated the Colstrip Public Schools based on three domains: Teaching and Learning Impact; Leadership Capacity and Resource Utilization. Each domain examined specific indicators that are key in evaluating educational institutions.

Results from the External Review Team are divided into three categories: (1) Powerful Practices; (2) Opportunities for Improvement; and (3) Improvement Priority.

The initial results indicated that Colstrip Public Schools had three (3) Powerful Practices these are positive attributes found in its school district that can serve as examples for other districts to model:

• The governing body has implemented a plan to review and address the needs of the system by devoting time during each board meeting to assess implementation of the system's strategic plan.
• Colstrip Public School District has implemented a process to identify and address the physical, social and emotional needs of the diverse student population it serves. 
• Colstrip Public School District has developed an effective structure to provide each student an adult advocate who builds a positive relationship with the student over time.

The External Team also identified four (4) Opportunities for Improvement. These are items that the District needs to focus on and make changes to during the improvement process:

• Implement a common evaluation process for all certified staff across the system.
• Develop and implement systematic procedures to provide mentoring and coaching related to conditions that support learning for teachers new to the system.
• Develop and systematically communicate instructional expectations that include formative assessments for ongoing modification of instruction based on identified objectives that consistently inform students of learning expectations.
• Create and implement systematic procedures whereby multiple student data sources, state standards and professional practices are utilized by stakeholders to regularly evaluate programs and collaborative adjust curriculum, instruction and common assignments to ensure vertical and horizontal alignment. 

The final report category is the Improvement Priority, this must be taken care of within two (2) years: 

• Colstrip Public Schools must develop a continuous improvement process that aligns system and school improvement efforts and provides clear direction to improve student learning. 

With these results, the External Review Team is recommending to the AdvancED Accreditation Commission that the Colstrip Public Schools earn the distinction of accreditation by AdvancEd. With that AdvancED requires the following:

• Improvement Priorities must be addressed within two years.
• The District must begin its journey of improvement
• The District must implement deliberate and strategic actions to ensure that every child, every day is being prepared and achieving success for their future.

Final results will be presented to the Accreditation Commission for approval and accreditation. 

Once again, system accreditation is the first to ever be recommended for Colstrip Public Schools. It is only the beginning of rigorous improvement and an intense focus on learning that will be uniform in all schools. This accreditation isn't accomplished by one or even several individuals. It is a team effort that includes all board members, administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents and community.  

When it comes to SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, Colstrip Public School District is MAKING DUST! Well done everyone! 

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Pre-Survey Stakeholder Communication

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Dear Parent/Guardian,

The Colstrip Public School System is engaged in an ongoing continuous improvement process, of which all stakeholders are a part. Colstrip Public Schools will be sending its parents and guardians an invitation via email to participate in an online survey between the dates of November 24, 2015 and December 6, 2015 as one method of reaching all stakeholders.

If you do not receive an email invitation, please send an email to  survey@colstrip.k12.mt.us and an email will be returned with the online address.

Please know that surveys are a means to systematically engage all of our stakeholders in two-way communication. They provide school leaders and teachers a view into the thinking and perceptions of our stakeholders. Careful analysis of the results enriches understanding of areas of strength and effectiveness as well as those areas that possibly need improvement. The survey results will enable our school leaders to measure stakeholders' attitudes and help target improvement strategies focused on student achievement as well as school and system effectiveness. Taking the survey also will help stakeholders understand the AdvancED Standards for Quality at Colstrip Public Schools and provide a means for learning about what a parent, student and staff members should be looking for in a high quality school system.

Your cooperation and support in completing the survey will be greatly appreciated. Please be on the lookout for your survey invitation!

Sincerely,

Superintendent Bob Lewandowski

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"