Together We Can

Eileen F. Shafer Acting Superintendent Paterson Public Schools

Superintendent’s Role Ensure Primary Focus: Our most important work is the education and safety of our students. All of our decisions will be in the best interest of our students and staff:

– Nearly 29,000 students counting on us – 5048 staff members – Up to 58,000 parents/guardians

Additional $4.2 million used to support student-centric needs such as additional teachers and security officers

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Superintendent’s Role Engage the Community and Inspire Hope:

– Our entire community is watching and waiting for us to succeed to ensure the children of Paterson receive a quality education with the best opportunity for a successful future

– Caring adults in every school for every student each and every day

– Generate new enthusiasm and promote student attendance – “Together We Can” banners will be displayed in each city ward

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2017-2018 Priorities

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Instruction & Program

Special Education

Operations Personnel Fiscal Governance

• Strategies PARCC deficiencies NJASK Science, Biology deficiencies (Peron)

• Special Education manual (Coy)

• EHS Athletic CAP (Cozart)

• Hiring and Recruitment (Rojas)

• School Facilities (Morlino, Ayala)

• Promotion Policy & Star Multiple Criteria (Warren)

• PreK – 3 Reading Program (Peron)

• Compensatory Time Plan (Coy)

• Chronic Absenteeism (Diodonet)

• Vacancies (Rojas)

• Budget Calendar (Ayala)

• Standard grading System by grade span (Warren)

• Financial Literacy (Peron)

• IEP Compliance (Coy)

• Loop HS Guidance Counselors (Affinito)

• Local Control Transition

• Handwriting (Peron)

• SGA Training (Cozart)

• Curriculum Implementation (Peron)

• Data Integrity (Campbell)

• Standard Report Card (Peron/Campbell)

• Communications (Corallo)

• Passing Rate 60-70 (Peron/Campbell)

• PowerSchool (Campbell)

• SAT Prep Exams Administration Plan (Campbell)

• Accountability & Responsibility

Student Achievement - Short Term • Assign a full time nurse in every school in the District • 3-4 Strategies per grade level to address PARCC, skill deficiencies and

NJASK Science and High School Biology • Professional Development for strategies to inform and improve

student achievement – Analyze student performance data to identify student learning needs; unit

assessment data, star assessment data; PARCC district performance data – Provide ongoing support for learning and implementation of New Jersey

Student Learning Standards; – Offer PD for Curriculum Writing, Pedagogy Building, PARCC Preparation, PLC’s,

GLM’s, Vertical Articulation Meetings, Performance Matters, ELA Vocabulary, Guided Reading, Instructional Model for all content, Character Education

– Analyze and Monitor staff development Interventions and Evaluation; Data Driven Instruction-Use of Data Binders, Conduct Learning Walks, TEACHNJ/Achieve NJ Performance Standards,

– Ensure School and Individual PDP’s are being implemented and monitored; – Monitor supplemental trainings (Student Data Warehouse Systems, Power

School and Performance Matters)

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Student Achievement - Short Term • Address Chronic Absenteeism/Early Childhood Pre-school - Grade 12 (bottom

6 schools in the District list attached) - Exhibit #1

– Chronic Absences predicts lower third-grade reading proficiency, course failures and eventual dropout – it weakens our communities and our local economy.

– Chronic Absences can be reduced when schools, families, community members work together to monitor and promote good attendance!

– In 2016 the NJDOE C.A. Snapshot Release reported that Chronic Absenteeism at PPS Elementary Schools were as low as 2.4% and as high as 35.64%.

– At the Secondary Level, Chronic Absenteeism ranged from 19.30% to as high as 97.66%

– Through the use of monitoring attendance data and inputting information correctly in PowerSchool we should see a decrease.

– By utilizing Success Mentors, strategies set for the by the Chronic Absenteeism Taskforce and utilizing the Attendance Works "Principal Toolkit" this to will assist in decreasing chronic absenteeism.

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Student Achievement - Short Term • Intense reading program for grades K-3 to have students

reading on grade level (District driven program) – Vocabulary

• Emphasis on explicit vocabulary instruction district wide. • Tier two vocabulary words featured during the PARCC selected

from district resources. • All teachers will receive professional development on vocabulary

acquisition and best practices. – K-3 Reading Program

• After school reading program for students K-3 • Ongoing Professional Development for teachers throughout the program

on how to improve and deliver reading strategies to students. • Focus on foundational skills to close the achievement gap • Implementation of Data Driven Reading Strategies

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Student Achievement - Short Term (Cont’d)

• Increase graduation rate and number of college bound students – Increase SAT practice opportunities – Transcript Review at the High School level

• Seniors – Start Sept. 18; Complete Dec. 21 • Juniors – Start Jan. 3; Complete June 1 • Freshmen and Sophomores as needed

• Train SGA students and have one from each high school attend Board meetings and sit with Cabinet Members • Beginning in September, will loop High School students with

their Guidance Counselor (already done in elementary) • Improve culture and climate districtwide 8

Student Achievement - Short Term (Cont’d)

• Revise roles and responsibilities for administrative positions - Deputy Superintendent - Executive Director of Security, Transportation & Investigations - Executive Director of Family & Community Engagement and Full Service

Community Schools - Director Network Services - Director Business Applications

• Increase capacity building at every level

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Student Achievement - Short Term (Cont’d)

Special Education • Ensure all IEP’s are in compliance • Ensure all related services for special needs students are up to

date including compensatory time • Additional related services staff have been hired • Contractor related service providers are hired and assigned

for support

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Student Achievement - Short Term (Cont’d)

• Develop a plan for Special Education for management, communication and oversight of compensatory services – The plan will include the use of additional staff hired, supervised

interns, and contracted providers – The services will be logged on a weekly basis and will tentatively

start October 2, 2017 – Supervisors will be monitoring the process to ensure services

are being provided and documented weekly.

Student Achievement - Long Term • Art/Music in all schools half year each • Certified Science Teachers in all grades 4-12 Science

Classes • Add 2 Media Specialists to the

District staff annually – including this year

• Train additional teachers in Gifted & Talented Strategies

• Inter-school Professional Development teacher opportunities

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Student Achievement - Long Term (Cont’d)

• Guidance Supervisors oversee the transcript process – Advise students and parents about course content, sequence of courses,

prerequisites, number of credits needed to graduate, teacher expectations, college admission requirements, career opportunities

– Encourage students to set high academic goals – Encourage parents to motivate their children to explore various career

opportunities through their course offerings • Increase parent/community engagement

– School presentation at Board meeting and displayed at 90 Delaware • School & PTO Presentation - School #19 (Sept 20th) • School & PTO Presentation - School #5 (Oct 18th) • School & PTO Presentation - School #1 (Nov 15th)

– Increase district communication • Transition from passing grade of 60 to 70. (Phase in over 3 years 60-

63-67-70) • Development of a Standard Report Card (Districtwide)

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Short-term Operational Goals • Balance the Budget (Schedule attached - Exhibit #2)

– All Inclusive process – PTO/PTA recommendations for the budget – Parent, guardian and community input

• Implement Eastside High School Athletic Corrective Action Plan/NJSIAA sanctions – Monitor each item of the Corrective Action Plan – Train coaching staff on NJSIAA rules – Meet quarterly with Athletic staff to review Corrective Action

Plan

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Short-term Operational Goals • Align all data and data systems with accurate information

(Data Alignment Plan) - Exhibit #3 – MIS conducted several data comprehensive data review rounds

in 2016-17 – MIS will continue to work with principals and data entry staff to

improve data accuracy – The accuracy of teacher course rosters, staff data and

certifications, and staff locations have been improved • Provide all State, County and Federal Reports with accurate

student/staff data

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Short-term Operational Goals

• Promote positive media stories about our students and staff (Communication Plan presentation this afternoon)

• Fill every vacancy by September except those that come in the last 3 weeks of August – held 5 Job Fairs between February – August…17 vacancies as of 8/15/17

• Review internal controls

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Communication Key Stakeholders

– Department of Education (State) – County Office – Union Leaders – Teachers/Staff – Parents – Students – Board of Education – Community Partners/Members

Renewed Focus – Communications Plan

• Big Media Stories – Provide Updates/Issue Press Release • More aggressive approach to promote positive media stories about our

students and staff • Superintendent Notes to keep key stakeholders apprised of current issues

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Local Control Transition • Continue to move the District forward • Complete Local Control process with the Board of Education

and State • Communication with State, DOE • Communication with County, DOE • Quality and experienced administrators (Ensure Recruitment

& Retention) • Community to take back ownership of school district • Continue to improve on QSAC metrics with goal of local

control returned to district • Review Board Goals quarterly

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Accountability • Hold all staff accountable for their respective

position and responsibilities • Address attendance challenges for chronically

absent children • Increase staff attendance • Good leaders develop great administrators and hold

them accountable

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School Facilities

• Construction will begin on a new Don Bosco Middle School in the near future – SDA has issued demolition contract once charter school moves out

• The newly acquired Paterson Catholic High School facility will be converted to a Paterson High School within two to three years upon completion of Don Bosco

• Construct guard booths for John F. Kennedy Educational Complex by this fall

• Instructional Boards in all elementary classrooms 20

Monitor Curriculum Implementation

• Implement 5-Year Curriculum Plan • District Learning Walks in all

content areas

• Professional Development on Curriculum Guides • Guiding Coalition will be

working collaboratively with school administrators and teachers to identify pedagogical trends and professional development needs

• Classroom Visitations

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Elementary Priorities

• Reading – Develop district reading model • Writing, Penmanship (K-5) – pending Board approval

on Aug. 23rd. • Mathematics - Identify effective Mathematics

Teachers Grades 4-12 o Recognize model classrooms in the district o Provide content and pedagogy PD to strengthen teachers’ understanding and effectiveness

• Financial Literacy program (Elementary) – pending Board approval on Aug. 23rd.

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High School Priorities

• Define role of Department Supervisors to impact instruction and monitor their performance – The English Language Arts (ELA) and Social Studies high school content supervisors

previously assigned to Eastside High School Campus and John F. Kennedy Educational Complex have been reassigned for the 2017-18 school term.

– They will provide administrative and instructional support to our large comprehensive high schools three days a week and support our off-campus thematic academies two days a week.

– This will afford staff members an opportunity to receive targeted professional development and assistance to improve best practice strategies and increase academic rigor.

– Staff members will also be afforded opportunities to develop professional learning communities (PLC’s).

• Identify a Mathematics Intervention Program 23

Relationships • Ensure open communication by meeting with community

leaders as we transition into Local Control – Board President & Vice President – Parent Group Quarterly – Teacher Group Quarterly – Key Community Stakeholders Quarterly – Union Leadership Quarterly – Special Education Parent Advisory Committee

• Continue to build existing relationships and develop new relationships with businesses, community and university partners in an effort to secure third party grant funding (private, State and Federal)

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Chief of Staff

• 2017 – 2018 Primary Focus : – Assist in structuring, attaining, maintaining the best possible

educational programs and services for the students through effective management of the Superintendent’s Office

– Assess, develop and implement strategies that will improve climate and culture as it relates to administrators, staff, and students.

– Serve as a liaison between the Superintendent, board members and the district staff in articulating issues, concerns, and ideas as it relates to the needs of our students and district.

– Lead initiative that works towards meeting district goals as outlined in the Strategic Plan

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Chief of Staff Continued: • Coordinate information regarding Serious Incident Reports with

Passaic County Superintendent office. • Lead and facilitate the Superintendent’s Principal meetings • Assist in identifying best practices within the district and make

recommendations for presentation • Communicate to the Superintendent the requirements and needs

of the district as perceived by staff members • Promote and maintain a high level of integrity, confidentiality and

fidelity when dealing with personnel issues and other sensitive matters

• Lead Special Projects and district initiatives (i.e. Home Surveys)

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Our most important work is the education and safety

of our students.

Together We Can

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