Katherine Brennan/Rogers School - Connecticut State Department ...

Hill Central School
School Improvement Grant – Section B: Descriptive Information
Office to ensure appropriate allocation of resources and funds to effectively implement the selected
intervention model.
In addition, the new Director of Instruction for Turnaround / Transformational Schools will collaborate
with the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendents and the Finance offices to create a matrix of all
resources for Hill Central to determine how to consolidate funding sources into a more comprehensive,
targeted budget model for Hill Central.
B3 Describe what actions the district has taken, or will take, to:
B3a Design and implement interventions consistent with the federal requirements and deadlines.
The NHPS and Hill Central School will design and implement interventions consistent with the federal
requirements for SIG’s Turnaround Model, as well as be in compliance with identified deadlines. We
will develop and increase teacher and school leadership by providing more focused support to the new
principal, who has provided excellent service as a district Bilingual Teacher Coach and excellent
leadership as the current assistant principal for Hill Central. We are confident that Mrs. Oquendo. Lott,
has the skills and competencies needed to transform Hill Central into a Professional Learning
Communities School that will meet the needs of its staff, students and parents. Teacher leaders will play
an active role in the new model for shared school leadership. The principal will be given sufficient
operational flexibility over the operations/management of the school to implement fully the Turnaround
Model.
Hill Central will use locally adopted competencies to measure the effectiveness of staff and select a team
that can work successfully within the Turnaround Model. The administration at Hill Central with support
from the Central Office, is currently using an approved involuntary move agreement to remove 50% of
the staff (certified and non-certified), who are not best fitted to a Turnaround environment. They have
begun the process of selecting staff who will remain at Hill Central for the 2010 – 2011 school year which
staff will not remain. They will begin interviewing for the new staff positions before the end of this
school year.
We have begun the dialogue around developing a system for identifying and rewarding highly effective
school leaders, teachers, and other staff who have significantly contributed to increasing student
achievement. Some of the recommendations include university level courses, seminars, conferences,
professional journals, materials for classrooms, etc. During the summer months and throughout the
school year, the Hill Central Redesign Team will create a process for identifying exemplary staff, as well
as determine appropriate celebrations and rewards.
We are developing a system for identifying and rewarding highly effective school leaders, teachers, and
other staff who have significantly contributed to increasing student achievement. There are opportunities
for Teacher Leaders positions, Master Teacher stipends, and co-teaching opportunities. Over the summer
and throughout the school year the Hill Central Redesign Team will create ways in which exemplary staff
will be rewarded (celebrations, professional journals, materials for classrooms, conferences, etc.)
Likewise, through the new Teacher Evaluation Document and the Principal Evaluation Document we will
be better able to identify and remove those who, after ample opportunities and support have not improved
their professional practice.
Hill Central Staff will continue to be provided with professional development and individualized support
as they implement greater fidelity to the core literacy program (NHPS’s Three-Tiered Model for
Implementing RTI/SRBI in K - 8 Schools) for both current and new staff members. ACES and CAL