School Effectiveness Review - Baltimore City Public … Effectiveness Review 2015 - 2016 Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy May 16 -17, 2016 200 East North Avenue Baltimore, Maryland

Office of Achievement and Accountability

Division of School Evaluation and Accountability

School Effectiveness Review

2015 - 2016

Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy

May 16 -17, 2016

200 East North Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21202

www.baltimorecityschools.org

2 Baltimore City Public Schools, 2015-16

Table of Contents

Part I: Introduction and School Background ....................................................................................................... 3

Introduction to the School Effectiveness Review ............................................................................................ 3

School Background .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Part II: Summary of Performance Levels ............................................................................................................. 4

Part III: Findings on Domains of Effective Schools .............................................................................................. 5

Domain 1: Highly Effective Instruction ............................................................................................................ 5

Domain 2: Talented People ........................................................................................................................... 11

Domain 3: Vision and Engagement ............................................................................................................... 14

Domain 4: Strategic Leadership ..................................................................................................................... 17

Performance Level Rubric.................................................................................................................................. 20

Appendix A: School Report Comments ............................................................................................................. 21

Appendix B: SER Team Members ...................................................................................................................... 22


Part I: Introduction and School Background

Introduction to the School Effectiveness Review

Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) developed the School Effectiveness Framework and the School

Effectiveness Review process in 2009. The School Effectiveness Review (SER) uses trained school reviewers to

measure a school’s effectiveness against City Schools’ School Effectiveness Standards. The School

Effectiveness Standards are aligned with City Schools’ effectiveness frameworks for teachers and school

leaders.

The SER provides an objective and evidence-based analysis of how well a school is working to educate its

students. It generates a rich layer of qualitative data that may not be revealed when evaluating a school solely

on student performance outcomes. It also provides district and school-level staff with objective and useful

information when making strategic decisions that impact student achievement.

The SER team, comprised of representatives from City Schools who have extensive knowledge about schools

and instruction, gathered information from teachers, students, parents, and leadership during a two-day site

visit. During the visit, the SER team observed classrooms, reviewed selected school documents, and conducted

focus groups with school leadership, teachers, students, and parents. The SER team analyzed evidence

collected over the course of the SER to determine the extent to which key actions have been adopted and

implemented at the school. This report summarizes the ratings in the four domains and related key actions,

provides evidence to support the ratings, and – based on a rubric – allocates a performance level for each key

action. More information about the SER process is detailed in the School Effectiveness Review protocol,

located on the City Schools website and available upon request from the Office of Achievement and

Accountability in City Schools.

School Background

Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy serves approximately 435 students in 9-12 grades. The school is

located on 100 N Calhoun St in the Hollins Market neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. The principal, Ms.

Stephanie Farmer, has been at the school for less than a year. For more information about the school’s student

demographics and student achievement data, please see the School Profile, located on the City Schools

website.


Part II: Summary of Performance Levels Based on trends found in the collected evidence, the SER team assigns a performance level to each key action.

Domains and Key Actions

Performance Levels

Level 4: Highly Effective

Level 3: Effective

Level 2: Developing

Level 1: Not Effective

Domain 1: Highly Effective Instruction

1.1 Teachers plan highly effective instruction. Effective

1.2 Teachers deliver highly effective instruction. Developing

1.3 Teachers use multiple data sources to adjust practice. Effective

1.4 School leadership supports highly effective instruction. Effective

1.5 Teachers establish a classroom environment in which teaching and learning can occur. Developing

Domain 2: Talented People

2.1 The school implements systems to select, develop, and retain effective teachers and staff whose skills and beliefs represent the diverse needs of all students.

Developing

2.2 The school has created and implemented systems to evaluate teachers and staff against individual and school-wide goals, provide interventions to those who are not meeting expectations, and remove those who do not make reasonable improvement.

Effective

Domain 3: Vision and Engagement

3.1 The school provides a safe and supportive learning environment for students, families, teachers, and staff.

Effective

3.2 The school cultivates and sustains open communication and decision-making opportunities with families about school events, policies, and the academic and social development of their children.

Effective

3.3 The culture of the school reflects and embraces student, staff, and community diversity. Effective

Domain 4: Strategic Leadership

4.1 The school establishes growth goals that guide strategic planning, teaching, and adjusting of practice to meet student needs.

Effective

4.2 The school allocates and deploys the resources of time, staff talent, and funding to address the priorities of growth goals for student achievement.

Developing


Part III: Findings on Domains of Effective Schools

Domains and Key Actions

Performance Levels

Level 4: Highly Effective

Level 3: Effective

Level 2: Developing

Level 1: Not Effective


Teachers develop and implement standards-based daily lessons, units, and long-term plans using

appropriate curriculum planning documents. School leadership and teachers reported that they are

using the Baltimore City Public Schools’ (City Schools) curriculum, including the Literacy Design

Collaborative (LDC), Agile Mind, as well as utilizing the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)

standards and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) to develop curriculum for Career and Technology

coursework. Continuing, some teachers stated that they are backwards mapping from certification

exams to develop daily lessons and units for classes in which students receive certifications, and other

teachers stated they are utilizing the curriculum provided by Project Lead the Way for those classes. A

review of lesson plans confirmed that most lesson plans identify CCSS, and have objectives that align to

the CCSS. For example, in one English Language Arts lesson plan, a teacher noted the objective as,

“CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics

or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. The corresponding objective stated,

“Students will be able create a claim and three supporting reasons around the class topic and begin to

gather evidence in the proper format.”

Teachers design daily lessons that meet learners’ unique needs. School leadership and teachers stated

that there is a lesson plan template that teachers are encouraged to utilize, and the template contains

a section requiring teachers to identify accommodations and modifications. A review of lesson plans

confirmed that most teachers are using this template, and completing the accommodations and

modifications section. Continuing, school leadership and teachers stated that they are forming small

groups that are heterogeneously or homogenously grouped based on the use of a Classroom-Focused

Improvement Process (CFIP) document. A review of completed CFIPs confirmed that teachers are

developing small groups, based on data, and planning for specialized instruction for students noted as

excelling, and needing intervention. A review of lesson plans confirmed teachers are using turn and

talks, as well as graphic organizers.

Teachers set and track goals based on students’ performance levels. School leadership and teachers

stated that they are developing student learning objectives (SLOs) as well as developing quarterly goals

in the CFIP, which a review of SLOs and CFIP documentation confirmed. An example of a CFIP goal

states, “Students will maintain (if in advanced/proficient group) or improve (if in basic group) their

mastery averages in Listening, Reading, Culture and French Writing by the end of Quarter 2 as

determined by their combined averages on the Unit 2 and Unit 3 exams.” Continuing, most teachers

Key action 1.1: Teachers plan highly effective instruction. Effective


stated that teachers are conferencing with students regarding i-Ready and LDC objectives and setting

individual goals with students to improve. Some teachers stated that they are setting weekly goals with

some students because their students need reinforcement in a shorter time periods.

Teachers use and communicate standards-based lesson objectives and align learning activities to the

stated lesson objectives. In 100% of classes (n=14), the lesson objectives identified student learning

outcomes and were communicated to students by either being posted, explained, or referenced during

the lesson. In 100% of classes, learning activities and resources aligned with individualized lesson

objectives. In one class, the posted objective stated, “SWBAT [Students will be able to] demonstrate

understanding of public policy by examining tax credits and analyzing an article on credits,” and the

posted essential question stated, “What does the federal government spending money on?” and the

students read an article on the top ten tax credits.

Teachers present content in various ways and emphasize key points to make content clear. In 100%

(n=14) of classes observed, teachers presented accurate, grade-level content. Additionally, in 93% of

classes, teachers presented content in two or more ways to make content clear. For example, in one

class, a teacher provided pictures, and asked students to describe the pictures, the teacher presented

historical information orally, and then provided a power point presentation as well as a map. Further,

in 100% of classes, teachers consistently modeled academic vocabulary and standard grammatical

structures. For example in the same class noted above, the teacher made mention of Sharia law, as well

as Middle Eastern countries.

Teachers use multiple strategies and tasks to engage all students in rigorous work. In 100% of classes

(n=14), the site visit team observed that all tasks had a clear and intentional purpose. In addition, in

64% of classes, teachers provided access to grade-level material for all students by scaffolding and/or

differentiating tasks. In one class, a teacher modeled for a class how she would annotate a text, then

the teacher had the class annotate the next passage, and then students annotated independently.

Finally, in 85% of classes, students had opportunities and time to grapple with complex texts and/or

tasks.

Most teachers use evidence-dependent questioning. In 86% of classes (n=14), teachers asked questions

at key points throughout the lesson. In one class a teachers asked “how do we read this expression?”

“Has anyone seen random sampling before?” and “What are some examples of survey?” In 79% of

classes, teachers asked questions that required students to justify, cite evidence, or explain their

thought processes. In the same class previously noted, the teacher asked question such as “Is this

survey biased or not, and why or why not?” However, in 57% of classes teachers asked questions that

were clear and scaffolded.

Key action 1.2: Teachers deliver highly effective instruction. Developing


Most teachers check for student understanding and provide specific academic feedback. In 71% of

classes (n=14), teachers conducted one or more checks for understanding that yielded useful

information at key points throughout the lesson. One teacher was observed asking students to utilized

color cards to represent their level of understanding. In 71% of classes, teachers provided specific

academic feedback to communicate current progress and next steps to move forward. For example,

one teacher was observed responding to a student’s question in the following way: “What do we know

about the equation sign? So what we do on one side, we have to do on the other.” and the teacher

provided one-on-one support to the student during independent work time.

Most teachers facilitate student-to-student interaction and academic talk. In 57% of classes (n=14),

teachers provided one or more opportunities for student-to-student interaction. In 43% of the

classrooms, during student-to-student interactions, students engaged in discussions with their peers to

make meaning of content or deepen their understanding. For example, in one classroom students were

asked to work with a partner to complete the reading and answer questions, however, when the

students completed the reading, they continued to work independently instead of together. Finally, in

79% of classes, students used academic talk. In one class, a student went to the board to complete a

word problem, and then explained his thought process.

Teachers analyze students’ progress toward goals. School leadership and teachers stated that they are

using the CFIP at least quarterly to analyze students’ progress, and a review of the CFIP documents

confirmed this. School leadership and teachers stated that they are analyzing progress from i-Ready,

Agile Mind, and Data Link. School leadership and teachers also stated that they are informally analyzing

data more regularly from daily exit tickets, and quizzes. School leadership and teachers stated that they

are considering trends in the data, and considering what systems are currently in place and what is

needed in order to move student achievement. In one CFIP, when asked, to reflect on instructional

factors that might have contributed to the patterns of student weakness, a teacher stated “Factors

affecting low scores in Reading and Research: Low reading levels; Lack of instruction in citations, citing,

identifying supporting evidence, paraphrasing, and integrating quotations.”

Teachers modify instruction in response to data. School leadership and teachers reported that they

modifying instruction based on the analysis generated by the CFIP document, and a review of the CFIP

documents showed that teachers are strategically pairing students, creating flexible grouping and

differentiating tasks in response to the data. In the CFIP noted in the last section, the teacher states

that the modification in instruction will include the following: “1. Reteach annotation, development

strategies, essay organization, splitting ideas into paragraphs, MLA citations, identifying evidence,

integrating quotations, paraphrasing.2. Provide students graphic organizers to organize their ideas 3.

Provide students college-level sentence frames (from They Say, I Say) 4. Students participate in Socratic

Seminars and other whole class discussions in order to verbalize and brainstorm ideas for later writing

Key action 1.3: Teachers use multiple data sources to adjust practice. Effective


assignments. 5. Independent Reading 6. Academic vocabulary study.” Continuing, teachers stated that

they are conducting frequent check-ins with students during class and through exit tickets and making

real time adjustments in instruction by re-teaching, varying the learning modality of a lesson, or

scaffolding a lesson.

Teachers appropriately recommend students for some tiered interventions including opportunities for

acceleration. School leadership and teachers reported that there is a writing center available to

students during one period of the school day, and afterschool, as well as tutors from local universities

and the Urban Teachers Center that support student learning in the classrooms. Teachers also reported

that struggling students are strongly encouraged by teachers to attend coach class. However, there is

no formal process in place to identify students who need support, nor formalized structure to

determine who receives supports. In regards to acceleration, school leadership and teachers stated that

there is a dual enrollment program where students can take college coursework while in high school,

as well as advanced placement and honors classes. A review of the school schedule shows that the

school has Honors courses in English I, II, and III, and Advanced Placement courses in Language Arts,

and United States Government.

School leadership holds and promotes a clear instructional vision of high student achievement. School

leadership and teachers stated that the instructional vision is to have students leading instruction,

rigorous discussion, student to student interaction, and students taking responsibility for their

learning, while understanding why the information is relevant. Continuing, leadership and some

teachers stated that evidenced based questioning and checks for understanding are also vital parts of

the instructional vision. Finally, a review of feedback and informal observations supported the

instructional focus. For example, in an effort to ensure that students are taking responsibility for their

learning, an email from the staff developer, a teacher was asked “…how do you hold students

accountable for reading the whole time during independent reading? Is there a simple sheet you can

make that they should turn in once a week or once a month?” Lastly, a review of professional

development presentations confirmed that teachers were provided professional development on

evidenced based questioning, engaging students in rigorous work, and student-to-student

interaction.

School leadership ensures that teachers engage in the planning of the curricula through oversight of

standards-based units, lessons and pacing. School leadership and teachers stated that there is a lesson

plan template that teachers are using, and that school leadership is checking lesson plans weekly.

Continuing, school leadership and teachers stated that they are reviewing lesson plans in the

department meetings to discuss pacing, and that school leadership is reviewing lesson plans and

pacing during Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meetings. A review of ILT meeting agendas

Key action 1.4: School leadership supports highly effective instruction. Effective


confirmed lesson plans are discussed. Lastly, school leadership stated, and some teachers confirmed

that if teachers are behind, City School’s Academic Content Liaisons (ACLs) are providing support with

backwards mapping to ensure teachers are able to get back on pace.

School leadership provides formative feedback and guidance to teachers about the quality of

planning, teaching, and adjustment of practice. School leadership stated and teachers confirmed that

teachers are being informally observed at least once every couple of weeks by either an administrator

or the staff developer, and a review of email feedback, and completed informal observation feedback

confirmed that teachers are being informally observed regularly. School leadership stated that

teachers are provided feedback in one of the following two ways: if the feedback indicates a school

wide trend, there will be a school wide professional development, or, if the feedback is individual,

there will be additional on-on-one support. Teachers confirmed that this is the process, and stated

that the feedback is helpful, and that the frequent informal observations help teachers to see areas

of strength and need that they may not see in themselves. The site visit team reviewed informal

observations and noted that they include feedback such as “grows and glows,” “What I see” and

“What I don’t” in informal observation templates, as well as emails detailing highlights and areas for

growth.

School leadership demonstrates an understanding of data analysis and ensures the use of a complete

student learning data-cycle. School leadership and teachers stated that the school uses the

Classroom-Focused Improvement Process (CFIP) to analyze data. Continuing, both noted stakeholder

groups confirmed that teachers are required to submit their data and CFIP documents quarterly, and

they are discussed both during the mid-year formal observation as well as during common planning

time. A review of the school’s Office 365 website (a web-based tool used to share documents)

confirmed that teachers are developing CFIP documents and submitting them to school leadership

and a review of the weekly bulletins confirms that there are quarterly due dates for the CFIPs.

Most teachers build a positive, learning-focused classroom culture. In 100% of classes (n=14), all

teacher initiated interactions with students were positive and respectful. Teachers were noted as

being encouraging and positive with their students. Also in 71% of classes, all student-initiated

interactions with teachers were positive and respectful. Further, in 79% of classes all student-to-

student interactions were positive and respectful, however in only 50% of classes, students were

active participants in class work and discussions. In some classes, students were observed sleeping,

utilizing cell phones and not on-task.

Key action 1.5: Teachers establish a classroom environment in which teaching and learning can occur.

Developing


Most teachers reinforce positive behavior and redirect off-task or challenging behavior, when

needed. In 100% of classes (n=14), the teacher promoted and/or reinforced positive behavior. In one

class a students was using a point system to encourage students to not use their cell phones. In 86%

of classes, less than 10% of students were not complying or were not working on intended activities.

Finally, in 57% of classes, less than 10% of the teacher’s time was used for redirection/discipline, and

in 21% of classes less than 20% of students were not complying with teacher direction. In some

classes, students who were not working on intended activities were having side conversations, or

utilizing their cell phones, and were not redirected by the teacher.

Teachers implement routines to maximize instructional time. In 100% of classes (n=14), routines and

procedures ran smoothly with minimal prompting from the teacher. For example, in one class

students entered and immediately gathered materials necessary to begin the warm up, with no

prompting from the teacher. Additionally, in 100% of classes the teacher’s arrangement of the

classroom and materials allowed for efficient classroom movement and use or access. In 100% of

classes, less than 10% of teacher time was spent on transitions. Additionally, in 100% of classes

students were idle less than 10% of time while waiting for the teacher. All teachers were prepared

and ready for instruction.



School leadership has created and implemented an organizational and staffing structure that meets the

diverse needs of all students. School leadership and teachers stated that the school has numerous

Career Technology Education (CTE) pathways (Nursing Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Surgical

Operating Room Technician, Emergency Medical Technician, Dental Assistant Program, and Biomedical

Sciences) and therefore have teachers that have backgrounds in medical fields, and a staff developer

to support medical professionals transitioning into teaching. In addition, school leadership stated that

a new coordinator position and CTE pathway for Career Research and Development (CRD) and work

study were developed this year to support students who are not successful in their current pathway or

students who transfer in, to ensure that every student leaves with a certification. School leadership also

stated that there is a full time attendance monitor in the school that ensures that daily attendance is

submitted, conducts home visits, as well as plans for weekly attendance meetings. In addition, the

school has a College Bound specialist to support students with college goals. Finally, a review of the

school handbook confirms these positions in the school.

School leadership leverages a pipeline for staff recruitment and uses some measures and includes

stakeholders in the assessment of candidates. School leadership stated that because many of the

teachers they are seeking are professionals in the medical field, it is often difficult to utilize traditional

pipelines such as Baltimore City School’s Office of Human Capital, so instead, school leadership often

uses word of mouth, as well as the job listing website, Indeed. Teachers confirmed that they heard of

their positions by word of mouth, and the site visit team reviewed a recent posting of a position on a

job listing website. School leadership and teachers also stated that additional pipelines include

alternative teacher pathways, such as Urban Teachers Center, Teach for America and the Baltimore City

Teaching Residency. School leadership and teachers stated that interviews are conducted by the

principal, assistant principal and a teacher from the content area in which the open position is available.

School leadership stated that teachers are asked to conduct a demonstration lesson, however, teachers

in focus groups who were hired during this school year could not confirm being asked to teach a

demonstration lesson. A review of a bank of interview questions include questions such as, “Why have

you chosen to teach in an urban environment?” and “Describe your ideal lesson.”

School leadership includes staff members and other stakeholders in the development and retention

efforts of effective teachers and staff. School leadership stated that seasoned teachers are given roles

as mentors in the school, and used as a resource. Teachers confirmed this by stating that seasoned

teachers are conducting peer observations and professional development and stated that topics have

Key action 2.1: The school creates and implements systems to select, develop, and retain effective teachers and staff whose skills and beliefs represent the diverse needs of all students.

Developing


included student engagement, parent communication and how to use Office365. In regards to

retention, school leadership stated that teachers stay because they are supportive of teachers achieving

personal career goals, through trainings, and providing opportunities. For example, one teacher is now

a staff developer, which was observed by the site visit team, as well as documented through meeting

agendas, and professional development presentations. Some teachers stated that they are staying for

the students, and that they have strong relationships with their co-workers, while others stated that

there are incentives for good attendance and during teacher appreciation, they felt appreciated.

School leadership has created mentoring and other induction programs, when applicable, to support

the development of some new teachers and staff and monitors the program’s effectiveness. School

leadership and some teachers stated that there is a new teacher mentor for teachers that are in their

first through third year of teaching. School leadership and teachers stated that the new teacher mentor

has provided support through co-planning, conducting individual check-ins, providing feedback after

informal observations and providing a safe space for teachers to develop their teaching skills. A few

teachers stated that they had a mentor at the beginning of the school year, however, that person is no

longer at the school, and they now do not have a mentor. These few teachers stated that they feel as

though they could benefit from a mentor and that they are not being supported. In regards to new

teacher induction, school leadership stated that they had a mini-retreat for new teachers at the

beginning of the school year to review the mission and vision and provide some foundational skills, and

a review of a sign in sheet and agenda dated August 13, 2015 confirmed this; however, a few teachers

stated that the training was not sufficient, because they are experts in their professional fields, and

needed more support with planning and administering instruction. School leadership stated, and

teachers confirmed that the instructional leadership team is regularly discussing new teachers, and

monitoring their needs and strengths.

School leadership makes full use of the evaluation system to develop faculty and staff capacity. School

leadership and teachers stated that teachers are provided a pre-observation conference, in which they

are asked to identify what they will be teaching, provide a Classroom-Focused Improvement Process

(CFIP) form and select a date for the observation. Both noted stakeholder groups stated that during the

post observation conference, recommendations for moving to the next rating level is provided, as well

as strengths. Continuing, school leadership and some teachers stated that the observation can be

recorded using Swivl (a video recording device), and that when a best practice is observed, that video

footage may be shared with staff. Finally, a review of a completed formal observation showed the

following strengths: “-identify engaging and motivating content to present to students – modeling use

of academic languages and standard grammatical structure – communicating clear objectives –

Key action 2.2: The school has created and implemented systems to evaluate teachers and staff against individual and school-wide goals, provide interventions to those who are not meeting expectations, and remove those who do not make reasonable improvement.

Effective


presenting content in various ways,” and the following area for improvement “Scaffolding instruction

and explicitly modeling how to engage with tasks/complex texts so students are able to independently

apply foundational skills to complete tasks.”

School leadership provides support and interventions to struggling teachers and staff as indicated by

data and/or informal or formal observations and holds them accountable for performance. School

leadership stated that the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) reviews informal and formal observation

data and if there are trends in areas of need, then a school-wide professional development is provided.

School leadership and teachers stated that if a teacher is struggling, then the teacher is provided an

action plan with concrete ideas, and follow up in the form of additional observations. Continuing, school

leadership and teachers stated that you may also receive support from peers, be asked to observe a

peer, or be provided with one-on-one lesson planning support, depending on the identified need. School

leadership and teachers also noted that teachers that are not successful on the action plan can be place

on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). A review of a PIP confirms that teachers are asked to

complete tasks such as peer observations, co-planning, and attend additional professional

developments, and that progress is monitored on the PIP.

School leadership engages faculty in a school-wide professional development plan based on identified

needs and in alignment with the school’s instructional vision. School leadership stated that the

professional development plan was developed for the year, focusing on topics, such as using the

Instructional Framework and how to use Cornell notes effectively, as well as considering the School

Performance Plan (SPP) goals. Continuing school leadership stated that additional professional

developments are provided based on informal observation data; for example, school leadership noticed

that classroom activities were mostly teacher directed, so a professional development was provided on

student engagement. Teachers stated that professional developments occur weekly with the staff

developer and are focused on the Teach components of the Instructional Framework, and student

engagement and routine writing. Finally, a review of the professional development presentations

confirmed the topics that have been mentioned.



The school community shares an understanding of, and commitment to, the school mission, vision, and

values, including a clear understanding of strategic goals and initiatives. School leadership stated, and

teachers and staff confirmed that the school’s mission is to ensure that all students attain the strategies

of 21st century learners, to have students to choose career and college pathways, with a focus on

careers in medical science. A review of the course schedule confirms that the school has numerous

medical career pathways. Further, school leadership, teacher, and staff noted that the school’s motto

is “Healing ourselves, our community and our world.” Parents and students also reiterated the focus

being on college and career readiness in the medical and science fields, and students stated that

guidance counselors are supporting them in completing applications for college entrance exams and

scholarships. School leadership stated, and a review of the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) agenda

from September 2, confirmed, that the actual mission statement is currently being amended to be more

succinct. A review of the faculty handbook revealed that the mission statement is more than half a page

long, however, components mentioned by school leadership, teachers, staff, families and students are

all noted in the mission statement. The site visit team also observed a chart in the hallway showing the

dollar amount of scholarships that students had been awarded.

Students, staff, and families feel physically and emotionally safe at the school. School leadership, staff,

community partners, parents and students stated they feel physically safe in the school due to hall

monitors, camera security systems, school police and metal detectors. In addition, school leadership,

teachers and parents stated that the intake process conducted in the morning also makes them feel

safe as students are randomly searched, and must be in uniform to enter school. In regards to emotional

safety, school leadership, staff, community partners, and parents, stated that teachers have a good

relationships with students and therefore are able to support students. Most teachers and staff stated

that school leadership is approachable, and willing to listen to concern, however a few teachers stated

that they felt as though some administrators were more approachable than others. Students stated

that there are adults in the building with whom they felt comfortable in speaking with if they had

concerns or needed support.

School leadership establishes structures for the acknowledgement and celebration of student, faculty

and staff success. In regards to student celebrations, school leadership, teachers, staff, parents and

students noted that students are recognized for being on the honor roll, perfect attendance,

improvement in performance, induction into National Honors Society and college acceptance. School

leadership, teachers and staff stated that celebrations for these accomplishments include ice cream

socials, nacho parties, shout outs, and announcements. School leadership and most teachers stated

that teachers are celebrated in the weekly bulletin with shout outs; which a review of the weekly

bulletins confirm. School leadership and teachers also stated that teachers were celebrated throughout

Key action 3.1: The school provides a safe and supportive learning environment for students, families, teachers, and staff.

Effective


teacher appreciation week; teachers reported that school leadership provided breakfast and lunch

during the week, and gave small gifts to all teachers.

The school develops some systems that attend to individual students’ social and emotional needs.

School leadership and teachers stated that some students who seem to be at-risk for poor academic

and/or social performance have been identified and are paired up with a teacher, who acts as a mentor

to these students. In addition, school leadership, teachers, staff, parents and students noted that there

is a social worker at the school that provides individual and group counseling to students on their

caseload. Lastly, school leadership stated that providing more proactive supports, including curriculum

on soft skills, is an area of need for the school.

The school uses multiple strategies, and vehicles to communicate information about school progress,

policies, events, and the academic and social development of students to families and the community.

School leadership, teachers, staff, community partners, parents and students stated that the school has

a quarterly newsletter, The Dosage. A review of a newsletter showed that it contained upcoming dates,

notes from the principal, information regarding interim progress reports, the Parent Portal, the Writing

Center, College Bound, as well as sports’ team schedules. Additionally, all noted stakeholders stated

that the school uses phone calls and flyers, and Parent Link (an automated phone service). Students

also stated that there are grade level meetings quarterly to inform students and their families of

upcoming events and pertinent information, and a review of the agendas for each grade level confirmed

these meetings.

The school establishes a regular structure for two-way communication, which facilitate opportunities

for families and the community to participate in, or provide feedback on school-wide decisions. School

leadership, teachers and parents stated that there is a School Family Council (SFC) that meets monthly,

and a review of agendas confirmed this. Agenda items from the October 21, 2015 meeting include

topics such as Dual Enrolment, Building Improvements, School Activity Fund Update, and Increasing

Parent Involvement. School leadership, teachers, and students also stated that the class meeting nights

are informative, but also provide an opportunity for parents to provide feedback to the school. School

leadership, teachers and parents all stated that the school has an open door policy; school leadership

stated parents feel comfortable contacting them directly, and teachers stated parents feel comfortable

coming into the classrooms and observing their students.

School leadership establishes multiple structures for frequent communication with teachers and staff

members regarding policies, progress and school culture. School leadership, and staff stated that the

school communicates with them through a weekly newsletter, through the Office 365 site (an online

Key action 3.2: The school cultivates and sustains open communication and decision-making opportunities with families about school events, policies, and the academic and social development of their children.

Effective


file sharing site) and monthly staff meetings. In addition, school leadership stated that the Instructional

Leadership Team (ILT) brings information to the collaborative planning time each week. The site visit

team reviewed weekly bulletins to staff, the Office 365 site, as well as monthly faculty meeting agendas.

School leadership, teachers, and staff build strong relationships with families and community

stakeholders from diverse backgrounds. School leadership, some teachers, and students stated that the

school opened its doors to a community health fair in which health screenings and information was

provided to attendees, and a flyer confirmed this event. In addition, school leadership, teachers, staff,

parents and students stated that the school operates a food pantry that is open to the community.

School leadership and some teachers also stated that teachers and school leadership walk the

community and support the local elementary school. School leadership and parents also stated that the

school is working with the local recreation department to work to re-open the pool to be able to provide

activities such as water aerobics and scuba.

The school’s curricula, resources and programs consider cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic diversity.

In regards to cultural diversity, school leadership, some teachers and students stated that students are

exposed to various cultures through literature, such as Raisin in the Sun, Ship Breaker, Water for

Chocolate and Persepoli. In addition, school leadership and students stated that students attended the

Henrietta Lacks Memorial Lecture. To address linguistic diversity, school leadership, teachers, parents

and students stated that the school offers French, and a review of the school schedule confirmed this.

To support socioeconomic diversity, school leadership, teachers, parents and students stated that the

school has a uniform bank, and school leadership, some teachers, and parents stated that students are

able to wash their uniforms at the school, if needed. Teachers, parents, and students also stated that

the school has a food pantry that is open to the community, and a flyer dated for September 16

confirmed that the food pantry is open to the community.

The school is working to maintain a positive school culture and climate. School leadership stated that

the school is a positive environment because there are clubs for students, such as a chalk club, an art

club and a climate and culture club. , School leadership, some teachers, and parents stated it is a

positive environment because of the relationship that teachers and students have. Parents and

community partners stated that the building is clean, and well maintained, and that supports a positive

climate. Some teachers and staff stated that uniform and cell phone policies were more stringent under

prior school leadership, and that the change in these policies has contributed to a more negative culture

and climate this school year. The site visit team observed that while there were positive messages,

including inspirational quotes, and college pennant banners in the hallways, there were also some

students in hallways, and stairwells during instructional time.

Key action 3.3: The culture of the school reflects and embraces student, staff, and community diversity.

Effective



School leadership and teachers establish goals for the improvement of student learning that are

measureable and aligned to student need and school improvement. School leadership and teachers

stated, and a review of the School Performance Plan (SPP) confirmed that that the school goals were to

increase the percentage of students who enroll in two or four year colleges, or begin a career in their

pathway post-graduation, increase the mean score of Common Core State Standards of math domains

by 15%, improve by one point in the domain of reading, research and content understanding in the

Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC) writing rubric, and to improve attendance to a rate of 85%. School

leadership and teachers stated that the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) developed the goals and

presented it to the staff, however, the site visit team did not receive documentation to confirm that it

was developed by the ILT.

School leadership ensures the alignment of all school goals, action plans and key priorities. School

leadership and teachers stated that they are utilizing Agile Mind to support the math goals, Cornell

notes, as well as implementing routine writing to support the writing goal, conducting home visits to

support the attendance goal and utilizing collaborative planning time to support all goals. These

strategies are aligned with the goals noted in the School Performance Plan (SPP), as well as align with

the strategies in the SPP. School leadership and teachers also noted that the school utilizes College

Bound to support the college goal. Teachers also stated that students who are struggling are utilizing

the writing center that is supported by Towson University students, and this is a strategy outlined in

the SPP.

School leadership and staff participate in regular analysis of school-wide data and revisit and adjust

action plans as needed. School leadership and teachers stated that the Instructional Leadership Team

(ILT) is reviewing data related to the school goals in their weekly meetings, and a review of the meeting

minutes confirms this statement. Agendas reveal that the ILT is reviewing trends based on classroom

observations, reviewing LDC data, and attendance data. For example, in the ILT agenda dated February

18, agenda items include topics such as, Informal/Formal Observations (charting classroom trends),

Grading Report Updates and the agenda from November 12, includes topics such as Weekly PD

Feedback/Next steps and ILT Tool (Review PARCC and HSA data, Small groups identify root causes,

Develop solutions).

Key action 4.1: The school establishes growth goals that guide strategic planning, teaching, and adjusting of practice to meet student needs.

Effective


Budget distributions and resource allocations somewhat support teaching and learning. School

leadership and teachers stated that due to budget adjustments the school lost an academic lead at the

beginning of the school year. In addition, school leadership, teachers and community partners stated

that there was a teacher vacancy during the school year, and that it was due to teacher shortages in

Career Technology Education (CTE) areas. Some teachers stated that due to teacher absence, teachers

are being asked to cover classes instead of having their planning time. In regards to materials, school

leadership, some teachers, and community partners stated that additional consumables are needed in

the CTE courses. Other teachers stated that the text books are old and out dated and new ones are

needed. School leadership stated that technology is sufficient, however, teachers, students, and

parents stated that computers are often in disrepair, and that students need to share. Some teachers

stated that the technology is available, however it is not keeping up with medical career standards, and

that there needs to be an infrastructure to support this equipment. The site visit team observed that

classrooms were equipped with overhead projectors, smart boards, document cameras, and laptops

for teacher use.

School leadership leverages some teacher and staff talent, expertise, and effectiveness by delegating

essential responsibilities and decisions to appropriate individuals. School leadership and teachers

stated that teacher are serving on the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT), and planning and

coordinating clubs, school sports teams, and events at the school, such as a trip to France, the Student

Government Association (SGA), a recycling program, and National Honors Society. The newsletter for

the beginning of the year identifies two teachers as coaches for a sports team. School leadership stated

that during the annual meeting where the Individual Development Plan (IDP) is discussed, teachers are

encouraged to sign up to present at least one professional development session based on a strength. A

review of IDP documents confirmed that teachers are being asked to lead professional development

sessions.

School leadership provides and focuses some common staff time on instructional practices and

development in support of student achievement. School leadership stated that each department meets

weekly during their collaborative planning time, however some teachers stated that due to providing

coverage in other classes they are unable to meet, and other teachers stated they are teaching different

content, so the common planning time does not allow for collaboration. Some teachers stated that

content areas, such as English Language Arts (ELA) and math do have effective common planning time,

and a review of meeting minutes showed that these two content areas had weekly meetings

throughout the year. The site visit team reviewed meeting minutes for social studies and CTE courses

and noted that there were significantly fewer meeting minutes for these content areas, and there were

no meeting minutes provided for foreign language.

Key action 4.2: The school allocates and deploys the resources of time, staff talent, and funding to address the priorities of growth goals for student achievement.

Developing


The school collaborates with community partners and some families to garner resources to meet the

needs of students and the school. School leadership, teachers, parents and community partners stated

that the school has numerous partnerships including MedStar, to provide medical supplies and

equipment; Cristata Cares supports the school in providing the community health fair; the University of

Maryland provides internship opportunities, speakers and supplies; Building STEPS (Science Technology

Education Partnerships) provides internship programs; and the fire department provides Emergency

Medical Technician Training (EMT). In regards to collaborating with families, school leadership and

teachers stated that there is a Student Family Council (SFC) that meets monthly and that parents

volunteer at the food pantry.


Performance Level Rubric

The SER team will use the following guidance to select a performance level for each key action. Note that

the quality standard for each performance level is based upon: the extent to which the SER team finds

multiple types1 and multiple sources2 of evidence AND the extent to which the SER team finds evidence

of high levels of adoption and/or implementation of a practice or system. The SER team will also reflect

on the Instructional Framework and School Leadership Framework in their analysis prior to assigning a

rating for each key action.

Rating Performance Level Quality Standard

1 Not Effective Evidence indicates that the key action is not a practice or system that has been adopted and/or implemented at the school, or the level of adoption/implementation does not improve the school’s effectiveness.

2 Developing Evidence indicates that the key action (including some indicators) is a practice or system that is emerging at the school, but that it has not yet been implemented at a level that has begun to improve the school’s effectiveness, OR that the impact of the key action on the effectiveness of the school cannot yet be fully determined.

3 Effective Evidence indicates that the key action (including most indicators) is a practice or system that has been adopted at the school, and is implemented at a level that is improving the school’s effectiveness.

4 Highly Effective Evidence indicates that the key action (including all indicators) is a practice or system that has been fully adopted at the school, and is implemented at a level that has had a strong, significant or sustainable impact on the school’s effectiveness.

1 “Multiple types of evidence” is defined as evidence collected from two or more of the following: document review, stakeholder focus groups; and classroom observations. 2 “Multiple sources of evidence” is defined as evidence collected from three or more stakeholder focus groups; two or more documents; and/or evidence that a descriptor was documented in 75% or more of lessons observed at the time of the visit.

Exte

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ER T

eam

Fin

ds

Mu

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le

Typ

es a

nd

Mu

ltip

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ou

rces

of

Evid

ence

Extent to which SER Team Finds Evidence of High

Levels of Adoption and/or Implementation

Evidence Relating to Strength of

Adoption/Implementation Key:

Not Effective:

Developing:

Effective:

Highly Effective:

Effective:

Highly Effective


Appendix A: School Report Comments


None


None


None


None


Appendix B: SER Team Members

The SER visit to the Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy was conducted on May 16-17, 2016 by a team

of representatives from Baltimore City Public Schools.

Jessica Hargest is a Program Evaluator II in the Office of Achievement and Accountability in Baltimore City

Public Schools. Jessica began her career as a first grade teacher in Montgomery County Public Schools.

She then worked as a pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten teacher in a private setting. In those roles, she

was responsible for developing the curriculum, and ensuring the rigor of instruction aligned with the

needs of her students, and the community. Jessica then worked as the director of a large child care center

in Baltimore County. Most recently, she worked for the Governor’s Office for Children as a policy analyst.

Her primary function in this role was to ensure contract compliance with grantees. Jessica has her

Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is in the

process of completing her Master’s in Education for At Risk and Diverse Learners from Goucher College.

Brianna Kaufman is the Manager for the School Effectiveness Reviews in the Office of Achievement and

Accountability in Baltimore City Public Schools. Brianna began her career as an elementary art teacher in

Bryan, TX. After obtaining her Master’s degree, she interned and worked at a number of art museums in

the education department including the: Dallas Museum of Art, The National Gallery of Art in DC, and the

Walters Art Museum. In 2008, Brianna made the shift from art education to general education reform as

a Program Manager at the Fund for Educational Excellence. There she managed a grant from the Bill and

Melinda Gates Foundation that focused on College and Career Readiness. Prior to joining OAA, Brianna

worked as the College and Career Readiness Education Specialist in the Office of Learning to Work at

Baltimore City Public Schools. Brianna holds a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Texas

Lutheran University, a Master’s degree in Art Education from University of North Texas, and a Master’s of

Business Administration from Loyola University in Maryland.

Jennifer Gerwig is currently working as Resident Principal at City Springs Elementary/ Middle School.

Jennifer has also worked as an Assistant Principal for Baltimore City Schools. She has taught as an

elementary school teacher in Baltimore City and in Ohio. Jennifer received both her undergraduate degree

from Ashland University in Ohio and a Masters of Arts in Administration and Supervision from, The College

of Norte Dame, Baltimore.

Sherri G. (Almond) Harris Gibbs has been working for City Schools for roughly 24 years. Her teaching

experience started with working in Baltimore City over 20 years ago, at the William S. Baer School #301;

and she continues to have a connection with students. She planned and taught across the curriculum

using multiple teaching methods as well as integrated assistive technologies and computers to improve

efficiency and effectiveness of student goals and objectives that focused on individualized instruction (IEP

– Individualized Educational Program). She worked side by side with administrators to effectively

determine the technology needs of the school program for staff and students. The school eventually

moved towards reverse inclusion, incorporating ‘regular’ students in the classroom.

Documents

School Effectiveness Review - Baltimore City Public … Effectiveness Review 2015 - 2016 Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy May 16 -17, 2016 200 East North Avenue Baltimore, Maryland