IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING
A Self Study for: E355 - St. Bonaventure Catholic School 16377 Bradbury Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92647 Continuous School Improvement Focused on High Achievement Of All Students
2019-2020 ©Copyright 2013 Look how far we have come...
St. Bonaventure Catholic Church Construction September 2018 - Projected Completion February 2020
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© Copyright 2013
A Self Study for:
E355 – St. Bonaventure Catholic School 16377 Bradbury Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Continuous School Improvement Focused On High Achievement Of All Students
2019 – 2020 IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING
Self Study Report
St. Bonaventure Catholic School 16377 Bradbury Lane Huntington Beach, CA 92647-3247 (714) 846-2472 www.stbonaventureschool.org
Principal: Kim White
WCEA/WASC Chair: Dr. Julie Cantillon
Respectfully Submitted to:
Western Catholic Education Association Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Schools California Department of Education
March 2-4, 2020
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St. Bonaventure Catholic School ______2018-2020 WCEA/WASC School Leadership Team
Mrs. Kim White Principal
Mrs. Nicky McClure Assistant Principal (2018-2019)
Mrs. Jeanne Miller Self Study Site Coordinator Grade 7/8 ELA Teacher
Mrs. Nikki de Heras Grade 4 Teacher
Mrs. Erin Frlekin Grade 6 Teacher (2019- 2020)
Mrs. Dorothy Mullin Educational Technology Coordinator
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
Preface……………………………………………………………………………...... 5 Principal’s Message…………………………………………………………...... 7 School Mission And Philosophy………………………………………………… 8 Schoolwide Learning Expectations – Leveled For Primary Grades………...... 9 Schoolwide Learning Expectations – Grades 3-8……………………………..... 10 School Pledge………………………………………………………………….... 11 School Personnel & Positions Directory……………………...... ……………..... 12 Chapter 1 – Introduction…………………...... ………………………………………………... 13 A. How The Self Study Was Conducted……………….....…………………….. 13 B. Involvement And Collaboration Of Shareholders In Completing The Self Study………………………………………………………………………… 14 Chapter 2 – Context Of The School…………………………………………………………. 17 A. School Profile……………………………………...………………………… 17 B. Use Of Prior Accreditation Findings To Support The High Achievement Of All Students………………………………………………………………….. 20 Chapter 3 – Quality Of The School’s Program………………………………….……...... 25 A. Assessment Of The School’s Catholic Identity………………….………….. 25 B. Defining The School’s Purpose……………………………………………... 31 C. Organization For Student Learning To Support High Achievement Of All Students……………………………………………………………………… 37 D. Data Analysis And Action To Support High Achievement Of All Students... 43 E. High Achievement By All Student Toward Clearly Defined SLEs And Curriculum Standards………………………………………………………... 49 F. Instructional Methodology To Support High Achievement Of All Students...... 55 G. Support For Student Spiritual, Personal, And Academic Growth…………... 59 H. Resource Management And Development To Support High Achievement Of All Students………………………………………………………………. 66 Chapter 4 – Action Plan……………………………………………………………….……...... 73 A. Design & Alignment Of The Action Plan With Self Study Findings…….…. 73 Critical Goals………………………………………………………...... 77 F-1 Action Plan ………...………….……………………………………. 80 F-2 Action Plan Timeline…………………………………………...... … 93 B. Capacity To Implement And Monitor The Action Plan……………………... 94
Note: Appendices and Addendums - See flash-drive in back-cover pocket
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Preface
Founded in September 1965, Saint Bonaventure Parish began plans to construct a church and an elementary school to serve Catholic families in the rapidly growing northern sector in the city of Huntington Beach. While the church was being built, services were held in a warehouse, and eventually moved into the new school building. Completing the vision of the pastor, Monsignor Michael Duffy, the school opened in 1966 under the auspices of the Irish Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM) with a staff of five teachers and 243 students in Grades 1 - 3. Our pastors, Monsignor Michael Duffy, Father Kerry Beaulieu, Father Bruce Patterson, and Father Joseph Knerr have worked tirelessly with each principal to ensure that St. Bonaventure School’s ministry to children is effective and strong, and our Catholicity the foremost priority.
Sister Raphael Lynch (now Sister Carmel) was the school’s first principal, and served as principal for two additional assignments. Sr. Carmel was succeeded by Sr. Anne Broderick, Sr. Catherine Burke, Sr. Sheila Donegan, Mrs. Judy Luttrell, Mrs. Janice Callender, and Mrs. Kim White. Each of the school’s principals has been dedicated to strengthening the charism of the Presentation Sisters’ founder, Nano Nagle.
The Presentation Sisters are a strong presence in our school. While all have retired from full-time teaching, they remain a vibrant presence on campus and within our parish community. Their motto, coined by Nano Nagle, has been adopted as our school’s motto: “Not with words, but deeds.” St. Bonaventure’s faculty and staff strive to bring the light of Jesus and the Gospel to all, “not with words, but deeds.”
In September 2018, the Parish Community embarked on a massive undertaking: the complete repair, renovation, and remodel of our beloved Church to repair the sinking concrete foundation installed incorrectly some fifty years earlier. As a result, Masses, liturgies and prayer services had to be relocated to the much smaller Parish Hall for the duration of construction, leading to a pleasing outcome: our parish and school communities have grown closer. In our quest to hold onto traditions despite the upheaval, we have worked together to keep the regular Mass schedule intact and provide student worship opportunities. Working through the changes to our significantly impacted campus and overcoming the challenges presented by the reduced
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capacity of the Parish Hall have been ongoing processes requiring hard work, collaboration, and creativity. At the time of this submission, more than sixteen months into the renovation, the church construction is close to completion with a targeted move-in date of February 1, 2020. To date, the school calendar has not been affected by the ongoing construction.
St. Bonaventure School is presently celebrating its 53rd anniversary with 470 students in sixteen full-day classrooms. The school offers a full-day transitional kindergarten, two full-day kindergartens, and two classes each of Grades 1 - 8.
Throughout its history, one of St. Bonaventure Catholic School’s greatest strengths has been our highly involved school families. Their generosity, volunteerism, and goodwill continue to ensure our students that each day is a great day to be a Saint!
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Principal’s Message
Dear WCEA/WASC Visiting Committee:
It is with pride that I welcome you to St. Bonaventure Catholic School.
St. Bonaventure’s commitment to academic excellence is a recurring theme woven throughout our educational programs. While we understand the importance of our academic obligation, we are also very aware of our students’ spiritual growth. It is important that we are reminded of our mission and what we promise to our families as partners in their child’s education.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School operates as a ministry of St. Bonaventure Parish. Our mission is to partner with parents, the primary educators of their children, to provide a Catholic Christ- centered, academically excellent and safe school environment in which all children can achieve their God-given potential and make a positive difference in the world.
Our mission is supported through a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum aligned with Diocesan standards, national common core and state standards, the teachings of the Catholic Church, and a highly qualified and nurturing faculty. Our School-wide Learning Expectations ensure that our graduates become Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Life-Long Learners, Effective Communicators, and Responsible Citizens. We strive to create a safe learning environment and a spiritually rich education.
Our graduates are well-prepared for the challenges of high schools, including JSerra, Mater Dei, Servite, Rosary, Huntington Beach, Marina, and Ocean View High Schools. Our alumni continue their education and graduate from prestigious colleges and universities.
The WCEA/WASC process has been extremely beneficial and, as a result of the process, our students will benefit greatly. Our attached Action Plan is evidence that we have analyzed our data and that we are committed to improving student achievement.
Blessings in Abundance,
Mrs. Kim White, Principal
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ST. BONAVENTURE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
MISSION STATEMENT
Saint Bonaventure Catholic School operates as a ministry of Saint Bonaventure Parish. Our mission is to partner with parents, the primary educators of their children, to provide a Catholic Christ-centered, academically excellent and safe school environment in which all children can achieve their God-given potential and make a positive difference in the world.
SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY
Christ is the reason for Saint Bonaventure Catholic School. He is the unseen but ever present teacher in our classrooms. He inspires our administration, faculty, staff, students, parents, and parish community to spread the Gospel message, to build community, and to serve others.
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School-Wide Learning Expectations Leveled for Primary Grades
Graduates of Saint Bonaventure Catholic School are nurtured to be:
Active Christ-Centered Catholics Who:
. Act like Jesus . Participate in prayers, Sacraments, and Mass . Help others in need
Life-Long Learners Who:
. Practice reading and learning in all subjects . Work hard to reach goals . Know that hard work and effort lead to results
Effective Communicators Who:
. Share ideas by speaking clearly and listening well . Express self through music, art, writing, technology and drama
Responsible Citizens Who:
. Work and play well with others . Care about the Earth and recycle . Take responsibility for their actions
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School-Wide Learning Expectations for Grades 3-8
Graduates of Saint Bonaventure Catholic School are nurtured to be:
Active Christ-Centered Catholics Who Know Catholic Church teachings, scripture, beliefs, history and tradition Participate regularly in Mass, prayer, sacraments, and other liturgical celebrations Acknowledge Christ in oneself and others Demonstrate Christ-like behavior in faith, word and deed
Life-long Learners Who Participate in a variety of learning opportunities to seek knowledge Demonstrate academic growth Set achievable goals and evaluate progress towards meeting them Apply ethical and critical thinking skills to real-world situations and decisions
Effective Communicators Who Write and speak clearly with honesty and confidence Listen attentively and ask questions respectfully Integrate technology and other forms of expression as positive communication tools Communicate courteously to suit purpose and
audience
Responsible Citizens Who Take ownership of choices and their outcomes Work and play cooperatively with integrity and fairness Effectively manage time, workload and behavior Care for God’s creations, including Earth’s resources
and all its people
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St. Bonaventure Catholic School Pledge
Today I pledge to live the values that St. Bonaventure Catholic School teaches.
I promise to be an: . Active Christ-Centered Catholic, a . Life-Long Learner, an . Effective Communicator, and a . Responsible Citizen.
I will strive to keep Jesus: in my mind †, on my lips †, and in my heart. †
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School Personnel & Positions Directory
St. Bonaventure Catholic School Personnel & St. Bonaventure Catholic School Personnel & Positions Directory Positions Directory Name Position Name Position Fr. Joseph Knerr Pastor Karil Scully Instructional Aide 1
Kim White Principal Shannon Carey Instructional Aide 2 Juliana Small Teacher TK Anita Rodrigues Instructional Aide 3 Ramonica Skifstrom Teacher K Katherine McGrew Instructional Aide 4 Tina Jones Teacher K Maria Saporito Instructional Aide 5 Nikki Martin Teacher 1 Walkeria Nunes Instructional Aide 6 Diane Smith Teacher 1 Holly Finken Instructional Aide 7/8 Meaghan Carey Teacher 2 Kathi Vogel Librarian Jennifer Luciano Teacher 2 Dorothy Mullin Ed. Tech Coordinator Bethann Lewis Teacher 3 Martin Ferri IT Network Manager
Heather Swienton Teacher 3 Christine Birkner Health Room Technician
Tiffany Nguyen Teacher 4 David Floyd Yard Duty Supervisor
Nikki de Heras Teacher 4 Michael Berry Safety Coordinator Kelsey Weston Teacher 5 Celeste Flynn Extended Day Director Maria Viers Teacher 5 Samantha Abril Extended Day Erin Frlekin Teacher 6 Teresa Arnette Extended Day Pamela Kounalis Teacher 6 Angelique Canubida Extended Day Sarah McGuire Teacher 6/7/8 Cheri Cocaine Extended Day Donna Jakubowski Teacher 7/8 Andrea Donegan Extended Day Jeanne Miller Teacher 7/8 Juliana Kosai Extended Day Anjanette Ciccoianni Teacher 8 Natalie Wilson Extended Day Kathy Kustura Teacher 6/7/8 Stephanie Wirtz Extended Day Danielle Peyton Teacher 7/8 Kaitlin Morris Cheer Coach Ann DeYoung Teacher DLS Colleen Hoffmann Business Manager
Katie Matthews Teacher DLS Catherine Smith Registrar
Viviana Bruno Teacher Spanish Vanessa Frei Marketing/Enrollment
Kim Switzer Teacher Music Kathleen Moore Advancement Jenn Galasso Teacher Physical Ed Jose Bernal School Facilities Manager Gary VanMoorleghem Teacher Physical Ed Sally Pallach Administrative Assistant Jeanne Wilson Instructional Aide TK Fran Johnston Office Manager Kristin Schwab Instructional Aide K Rose Clarke Accounts Payable Val McHenry Purchasing
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CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
A. HOW THE SELF STUDY WAS CONDUCTED
Preparation for the ISL 2012 Self Study began in earnest in the fall of 2018. The principal organized a timeline and formed a leadership team consisting of two administrators, two teachers, and an educational technology specialist. The Action Plan was worked on during September of 2019 and completed at the beginning of October 2019.
Collaborative writing on Chapter 3 began in October of 2018. Using Survey Monkey, five surveys were developed and disbursed. The results were analyzed and incorporated into the self-study written narrative. The first draft of the Self Study was sent to the committee chair and the Associate Superintendent in October 2019 for review. Revisions were completed by November 2019 and the final edition was finished in late December 2019.
To accomplish this process, shareholders decided which aspect of the Self Study most interested them, and were then grouped accordingly into committees. These committees met formally once or twice a month, and informally as needed to complete their assigned sections of the Self Study. Work was completed in the committees and then presented to the entire faculty for input and approval. The leadership team met both formally and informally as needed to further progress the project.
Despite certain obstacles such as faculty and staff changes during our accreditation cycle, challenges with facility space, and scheduling time to handle two major initiatives; namely, the church renovation and the Self Study, we are confident that this Self Study is accurate and relevant.
Chapter 1A Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Meeting Agendas, ISL Records of Meetings Photo SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web-Site Archived Appendix C-6 (1-8), Appendix J (2015 to 2019), Saints Connect Issues, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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B. INVOLVEMENT AND COLLABORATION OF SHAREHOLDERS IN COMPLETING THE SELF STUDY
The school involves all shareholders in data review, analysis and dialogue about perceived accomplishments in the area of student learning, and in developing, implementing and monitoring goals for improvements in student learning.
In March of 2014, St. Bonaventure Catholic School completed our most recent Self Study and visit following the Improving Student Learning protocol of the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). As in each prior accreditation visit, St. Bonaventure School (SBS) earned the maximum six-year accreditation. Since our last accreditation visit, our faculty, staff, and administration have partnered with our pastor, parishioners, school families, alumni, and community partners in an ongoing process of self-assessment and school improvement with the focus, as always, on improving student learning. Despite changes in school leadership, demographics and profile since the 2014 Self Study, our shareholders’ focus has not strayed from our school’s mission. Adherence to our school’s mission is strong due to the significant percent of St. Bonaventure shareholders who are alumni. The group that participated in this Self Study was comprised of more than sixty people from SBS faculty, staff, alumni, governance boards, and parishioners. We continue to embrace our school’s mission to partner with parents, the primary educators of their children, to provide a Catholic, Christ-centered, academically excellent, and safe school environment in which all children can achieve their God-given potential and make a positive difference in the world.
During the interim between our last accreditation visit and the current one, recommendations from the 2014 self-study were reviewed and revised annually by school administration and key shareholders to ensure the recommendations remained valid. Some recommendations ensured the enhancement and nurturing of the students’ spiritual lives; other recommendations were implemented to improve student learning, such as developing curriculum and instructional strategies to enhance the classroom experience. As goals were met, others were identified and added to the Action Plan.
In the fall of 2018, the principal, along with the school-wide accreditation coordinator, introduced the Improving Student Learning (ISL) instrument, process and timeline to key
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parents, faculty, and staff shareholders. For the remainder of the 2018-2019 school year, shareholders met formally at faculty meetings to discuss and plan for school-wide participation in the Self Study. The principal and school-wide accreditation coordinator also provided guidance and invited participation in the Self Study process to the Parent Faculty Association (PFA), Consultative School Board, and parish staff. During the 2018-2019 school year, faculty and small-group meetings were held exclusively for the discussion, research, data analysis, and assessment of the school’s success in improving student learning based on ISL 2012 criteria. Shareholders also reviewed all academic, financial, budgetary and school perception data. After the review and revision of the school profile, philosophy, mission statement, and School-wide Learning Expectations (SLEs), shareholder groups met regularly to discuss the existing Action Plan, improvements in student learning, collection and analysis of data, and to draft narratives that reflected group findings.
In May 2019, draft narratives describing each shareholder group’s process, discussion, data collection and analysis, observations, and recommendations were submitted to the Self Study leadership team via Google Docs. The draft narratives were compiled, then submitted to shareholders in early May 2019 for review and feedback.
At the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, accreditation meetings continued and final data analysis was completed and incorporated into the draft report to identify to significant accomplishments, goals, and the action plan. In October 2019, a final draft of the report was submitted to shareholders for approval. Due to the transparency of the process, the final version was fully approved. Shareholders continue to be involved in the ongoing process of accreditation with updates during faculty/staff meetings, governance board meetings, principal coffee gatherings, and informed of progress via FACT-SIS, Saints Connect, classroom newsletters and the parish bulletin.
Throughout the Self Study and school improvement process, it was evident that our shareholders take seriously our commitment to evangelize students and families and to provide outstanding academic preparation for our students. Our school’s founding charism, rooted in Nano Nagle’s family motto “Not Words, But Deeds” is clearly alive and thriving fifty-three years after the founding of our school. “Not Words, But Deeds” accurately describes how,
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throughout this Self Study, our faculty, staff, administration, volunteers, board members, and parish community members have affirmed their dedication to serving our students.
Chapter 1B Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Meeting Agendas, ISL Records of Meetings, ISL Annual Progress Reports, ISL Ongoing Catholic Identity Review Reports Photo SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web-Site Archived Appendix C-6 (1-8), Appendix J (2015 to 2019), Saints Connect Issues, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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CHAPTER 2 – CONTEXT OF THE SCHOOL
2A. SCHOOL PROFILE
Community Profile
Of the 470 TK – Grade 8 students served by St. Bonaventure School in 2019, 74% reside in the 24.6 square mile city of Huntington Beach, located at the northern tip of Orange County, California. Huntington Beach is a nationally known coastal community referred to as “Surf City, U.S.A.” The 202,265 residents of Huntington Beach comprise a diverse community with an average annual income of $93,658.
Students attending St. Bonaventure Catholic School also reside in the surrounding communities of Westminster, Sunset Beach, Fountain Valley, and outlying communities. Like many coastal communities in Orange County, home prices in Huntington Beach have risen recently as our average income has decreased. The median price of a single-family home in Huntington Beach is $841,100, a value that is significantly higher than the median home price of $726,200 in Orange County as a whole. The disparity between home prices in Huntington Beach and housing budgets of young families with school-age children has resulted in a decline in St. Bonaventure’s enrollment in the last five years. Moreover, the median age of Huntington Beach residents is 41; as the population ages, child-bearing and rearing decline in the city, resulting in less school-age children in the immediate area.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School Student Profile
Of the thirty-four elementary schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, our school has ranked in the top six with the highest enrollment during the past ten years. Fifteen of the elementary schools in our Diocese have higher tuition and registration fees than St. Bonaventure School (see Addendum A). Our enrollment level keeps tuition accessible, but requires a good deal of ingenuity in using our space efficiently and wisely (see Appendix A-2).
The students who attend St. Bonaventure mirror the ethnic make-up of Huntington Beach, as the majority of students are white. According to U.S Census data, 74.6% of the population of Huntington Beach is white, 19.3% is Hispanic, and 11.9 % is Asian. The remaining 4.9% of residents in Huntington Beach are comprised of other ethnicities (see Appendix A-2).
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Our students mirror the socio-economic, ethnic, and faith community of St. Bonaventure parish: most school families who are enrolled in SBS are also registered parishioners at St. Bonaventure. A handful of families are registered parishioners of neighboring Roman Catholic parishes, including St. Anne, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Hedwig. A small number of families enrolled at St. Bonaventure School are members of other faith traditions, including Coptic and Buddhist. It is incumbent upon the parish executive staff and school administration, working as a single entity, to evangelize the community as a whole. The school continually strives to encourage school families to worship weekly, and contribute generously to the parish with time, talent, and treasure. For example, our 2017 auction gala Fund-A-Need was to support our parish building fund, and school families contributed generously.
All St. Bonaventure students who apply to local Catholic high schools are accepted. Approximately 65% of our graduates enroll in Catholic high schools. The remaining graduates attend local public high schools.
Junior high math and language arts teachers attend annual articulation meetings with the local public school district and with the Catholic high schools. Our students are well prepared for high school, often placing in advanced classes (see Appendix A-2). Results of the Renaissance STAR Formative Assessment for Grade 8 students indicate that by the time they graduate, students are performing in the 72nd percentile or higher in language arts, and in the 80th percentile in math (see Appendix B-3). Data from our School Profile is consistently utilized to further strengthen student performance in all grades. A number of school-wide initiatives have been introduced, including Brainstorm STEM classes, Amplify Science, Sadlier Religion, Houghton Mifflin Social Studies, Big Ideas Math, Four Square Writing (TK-2), Houghton Mifflin Journeys Reading, MobyMax, Step Up to Writing, Singapore Math, Conversabooks Spanish (K-4), Pearson Auténtico Spanish (5-8), modification of the junior high language arts schedule, additional DLS support, and expanded after school enrichment opportunities (see Addendums B, C, D, E).
Survey results indicate that parents are highly satisified with St. Bonaventure School programs and academics. Over 90% of parents expressed that their students’ religious education
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is effective or highly effective; more than 80% described the math and ELA curriculum as effective or highly effective. See Appendix C for all survey results.
Our school complies with the local school district’s Child Find mandate to identify locate, and evaluate all children with disabilities. Seventeen of our students are currently served with an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) informed by local school district IEPs and private psychoeducational testing. Our Diversified Learning Support teachers work one-on-one and with small groups to support students with short and long-term learning exceptionalities. DLS teachers work closely with classroom teachers to improve student learning (see Addendum D).
St. Bonaventure Faculty and Staff Profile
Our staff is comprised of lay personnel. Appendices A-3 and A-4 describe gender, ethnicity, experience, certifications, and faith traditions of school faculty and staff. Teachers hired at St. Bonaventure School must have a current California teaching credential, and follow all Diocesan employment procedures.
Our students are blessed to have a dedicated school leadership team, faculty, and support staff who have long-standing ties to the school as alumni, multi-generational families, and parents who are employed at SBS. As of June 1, 2019, ten faculty and staff are alumni; twenty- eight faculty and staff are parents of alumni. Approximately fifty-five alumni parents currently have children enrolled in the school. This reflects a steady but dramatic increase from recent years. We are very proud that our St. Bonaventure School and parish community remain intact over the decades. Our school motto “It’s a great day to be a Saint” has carried on for generations.
Chapter 2A Evidence Type Evidence Documents Appendix A-2, Appendix A-3, Appendix B-3, Appendix C-1, Addendum A, Addendum B, Addendum C, Addendum D, Addendum E Photo SBS Photo Gallery External https://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/, https://www.census.gov, Web Site https://factfinder.census.gov Archived Appendix C-6 (1-8), Appendix I, Appendix J (2015 to 2019), Saints Connect Issues, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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2B. USE OF PRIOR ACCREDITATION FINDINGS TO SUPPORT HIGH ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL STUDENTS
The school has used the prior accreditation findings, both those discovered by the school and those identified by the Visiting Committee, and other pertinent data to ensure high achievement of all students and to drive school improvement.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School and shareholders have used the prior accreditation findings, most notably the prior Action Plan and other pertinent data, in a continuous process of school improvement since our previous Self Study. Our 2014 Action Plan included three focus areas: enhance and nurture the spiritual life of our students; develop and implement a more formal articulation and collaboration process across grade levels through curricular mapping; develop instructional strategies that will facilitate student engagement in problem solving and critical thinking.
It is noteworthy to mention that St. Bonaventure Catholic School has submitted all WCEA annual progress reports, updated Action Plans, Catholic Identity reviews, and In-depth Study reports complete and on time annually since our last self-study. We remain a strong mission-driven community and a financially viable school.
It is also important to acknowledge significant challenges since the last accreditation visit, including:
1. Teacher turnover (see Addendum F) 2. Strategic plan lapse in 2015 3. Leadership change: new principal 2018-19 4. Major Church construction and renovation from September 2018 to December 2019 (projected completion February 2020)
Regardless of challenges, we remain steadfast in our overarching goal to continually implement steps to improve student learning.
Target Goal #1: Enhance and Nurture Spiritual Lives of Students
St. Bonaventure Catholic School faculty and staff implemented plans to engage students with the clergy and parish on a more meaningful level. During the 2014-15 school year, we
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implemented Faith Families, invited clergy, deacons and other religious into our classrooms and to school activities, wrote thank you notes to parishioners, held a “Parishioner Appreciation Day,” and scheduled a school/parish event each trimester.
Additionally, we have created a student-led Campus Ministry Team which presents prayer-service assemblies, school-wide service projects, and serves the greater community. One Sunday Mass per trimester is designated as a school Mass. In 2019, the Sunday Mass for students was put on hold due to the current church renovation, but Masses will be re- implemented after construction is completed (projected February 2020).
This engagement has led the students to live more fully as Active Christ-Centered Catholics. By the end of the 2014-2015 school year, 91.12% of Grades 3 – 8 students reported in the diocesan-directed WCEA Faith Formation survey that they agreed or strongly agreed that they strongly identify with their Catholicity. The 2018-2019 ACRE administration indicated that 91% of Grade 8 students and 92% of Grade 5 students felt that the school’s religious program helped them grow in their Catholic faith. Although these are two separate assessment tools, the results are comparable.
Target Goal #2: Articulation and Collaboration Process through Curricular Mapping
The ISL 2012 Self Study process identified that formally articulating curriculum expectations and standards between grades via curricular mapping is vital to improve student learning. We adopted the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model and implemented it in 2014-2015. A school-wide writing curriculum and a vertical articulation of our math program were developed and mapped in Rubicon Atlas Curricular Mapping to identify areas of strength and areas needing growth. In addition, the mapping identifies any gaps of learning between grade levels, giving teachers guidance in choosing supplementary materials. In subsequent years, ELA, religion, math, social studies, science, physical education and Spanish were also mapped.
Target Goal #3: Develop Instructional Strategies to Facilitate Student Engagement/Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
In 2014-2016, the faculty was trained in “Active Teaching/Learning Instructional Strategies.” as well as “Differentiated Activities and Assessment using the Common Core
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Standards.” See Addendum G for a complete list of professional development workshops or training attended by our faculty and staff. Many faculty members have received professional development in blended learning, project-based learning in the primary grades, project-based learning for Grades 3 - 6, Google for Education, CUE, Singapore Math, Differentiated Instruction, and Mindstreams. Our Brainstorm STEM program (robotics, coding, app programming) utilizes technology to facilitate student critical thinking, and was expanded to include Grades 3 - 8.
Our ongoing professional development has helped the teachers utilize writing more effectively in math to meet the new math common core standards, differentiate teaching strategies, facilitate intentional vocabulary and word study, and support increased reading fluency and comprehension of nonfiction material. Implementing new techniques of engagement in the classroom has led to high levels of student participation and teachers offering students more choices that promote self-directed learning. Our current Student Survey indicates that nearly 85% of students feel they are challenged in class, with more than 80% reporting that they felt that SBS teachers set high standards for them. Approximately 75% of students also reported that they felt that SBS teachers helped them gain confidence in their ability to learn.
Target Updated Goal: Implement Digital Student SLE Portfolios
Digital student portfolios improve student learning as students review their growth as a St. Bonaventure Saint through the years. Utilizing Google forms for SLE rubrics and student SLE self-reflections, we have recently initiated digital student portfolios as a longitudinal ongoing formative assessment metric.
In-Depth Study Goal: NGSS 2014-15 and 2015-16 + Target Goal 2017-2018
The In-Depth study directed schools to “back into” the Next Generation Science Standards by reviewing the standards in light of what currently exists at their schools. As a result, several teachers attended the Diocesan-hosted “Demystifying the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)” in-service in November 2015. Teachers developed vertically aligned curriculum maps to bridge our science textbook and the NGSS until we adopted Amplify Science, an NGSS-aligned, school-wide curriculum in 2018 (see Addendum G).
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In-Depth Study: Differentiated Instruction (DI) 2016-17 and 2017-18
To further promote student learning, teachers attended a series of seminars conducted by Catapult Learning, and engaged in hands-on activities to broaden their knowledge of DI strategies. As a result, STAR Reading Student Growth Percentile (SGP) increased during 2017- 2018 (see Appendix B). Teacher confidence in DI strategies improved, resulting in participation in the Advanced Blended Learning Education Fellowship Program.
Target Goal 1 2018-2019 (Current Action Plan): Implement a School-Wide Blended Learning Program
At the end of the 2017-2018 school year, three teachers were chosen to participate in the current two-year A Blended Learning Education (ABLE) Fellowship Program. The purpose of the program was "to assess readiness, analyze data, and help disseminate best blended learning practices based on each school’s specific needs." Anecdotally, students have responded positively to engaging in blended learning activities. Because collaborative group work and cooperative learning are prerequisites necessary to implement blended learning school-wide, all faculty engaged in a two-day on-site professional development training presented by Kagan Cooperative Learning in June 2019. Kagan structures and instructional methodologies provide a framework to increase student engagement and foster collaborative and cooperative learning.
Additionally, a block schedule was implemented for Grades 6 - 8 in September of 2019 in order to promote a learning environment with more time to differentiate instruction, provide group collaborative learning experiences, engage students in project and design-based learning opportunities, and meet each student at their individual learning level.
Target Goal 2 2018-2019 (Current Action Plan): Educate Students and Parents on the 21st-Century Skill of Digital Citizenship
It is important for students and parents to understand ethical and unethical behaviors as students increasingly use technology for research, class work, and entertainment every day. We expanded the student Common Sense Media digital citizenship curriculum to include all lessons, not only those required for E-rate compliance. We also provided three high-quality educational sessions about social media for student viewing (see Addendum H for a list of educational
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sessions for students, parents and teachers). The next step is to merge this goal within the context of a student wellness program (discussed later in this Self Study).
Current In-Depth Study Goal 2018-19 - Religion - Mapping /Integration in Classroom Teaching
In PLCs, our teachers analyzed the religion standards in relation to our current Faith First text series, and identified “power standards” at each grade level in order to avoid horizontal and vertical gaps in key content presentation and student mastery. Faculty participated in a Diocesan in-service dedicated to the religion standards and gained a better understanding of the standards while sharing instructional strategies across grade levels and among teachers from multiple Diocesan schools.
All religion teachers have the standards mapped in our Atlas Rubicon web-based curriculum mapping program. The school purchased a new religion text series aligned with the new content standards, and the remainder of the detailed mapping will reflect the new series and publisher resources.
In conclusion, each year St. Bonaventure Catholic School faculty and staff assess the needs of our student population in relation to our Action Plan. Programs are evaluated, reviewed and communicated to shareholders on a yearly basis. The focus is to continually strive to improve student learning by taking advantage of new technologies and teaching methodologies so all students can continue to grow toward attaining our School-Wide Learning Expectations until they graduate from St. Bonaventure Catholic School.
Chapter 2B Evidence Type Evidence Documents Addendum F, Addendum G, Addendum H, Appendix B Photo SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web-Site, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping Archived Appendix C-6 (2015 to 2019), Appendix J (2015 to 2019), Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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CHAPTER 3 – QUALITY OF THE SCHOOL’S PROGRAM
3A. ASSESSMENT OF THE SCHOOL’S CATHOLIC IDENTITY
The school is Catholic, approved by the Local Ordinary (Canon 803), provides authentic Catholic teaching, opportunities for community worship and participation in the sacraments, and promotes evangelization and service to the community.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School, founded in 1965, is a Roman Catholic school in Huntington Beach, California, approved by the Bishop of Orange. Our school provides Catholic community worship, participation in the sacraments, and promotes evangelization and service to a variety of communities.
Faculty and staff strive to ensure that the Roman Catholic faith permeates all aspects of school life and curriculum. In a recent survey, 96% of our faculty stated that faith is a priority and the reason why they choose to teach at St. Bonaventure School (see Appendix C-1). The school’s mission statement states that the key role of families is to fulfill the call to community and participation. The mission statement has been reviewed and revised by shareholders during each Self Study to ensure our mission stays centered in the person of Jesus Christ and to sustain and grow our Catholic ministry. Most notably, the words “primary educators of their children” were added to our mission statement to emphasize parents’ roles in partnering with the school in the New Evangelization, specifically evangelizing their children and attending Sunday Mass.
Recent review of our mission statement affirmed that it is still relevant and valid. Our mission statement is clearly communicated school-wide via the electronic Saints Connect newsletter and the school’s website, and is proudly displayed in every classroom, and in the Student-Parent Handbook. The principal reviews the mission statement with all governance boards at the start of each school year to emphasize our commitment to Catholic identity.
Based on responses from parent surveys, 67% of our families picked Faith Formation and Catholic Values as top reasons why they chose St. Bonaventure School. In addition, 81% of parents say that Christian values and attitudes are emphasized and practiced. In regards to teaching basic faith facts, 96.75% of parents attest that our school provides a solid religion education with scripture, knowledge of prayer, morality, and family life (see Appendix C-2).
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Faith experiences are provided for sacrament preparation, and students have numerous opportunities to participate in prayer and liturgies.
Catechesis occurs formally once per day in religion classes at all grade levels. Religion content is integrated into every subject across the curriculum. Religion is a core academic subject at St. Bonaventure Catholic School and follows the religion curriculum provided by the Diocese of Orange and approved by the Bishop of Orange. Students’ spiritual growth and development are reviewed at parent-teacher conferences and documented in progress reports and Student Learning Assessments (SLAs). Students in Grade 1 begin a two-year program so they can receive First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in Grade 2. Each year, students in Grades 5 and 8 complete the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education (ACRE). In addition, a significant number of our seventh and eighth grade students participate in the parish-led Living in Faith Together evening program (L.I.F.T.), with former SBS students making up more than 50% of the group leaders. Lastly, all grade levels participate in Christian Service in various forms.
ACRE data is disaggregated and trends are identified by the principal, the religion coordinator, data analyst, and parish clergy. Identified trends are reported to religion teachers via articulation meetings and faculty retreats, and these trends also inform our clergy about ongoing personal faith formation for teachers. Student instruction is adjusted after evaluation.
The religion curriculum is aligned with the Diocesan standards and the pillars of the catechism of the Catholic Church. New textbooks purchased for the 2019 - 2020 school year further ensure that standards are addressed throughout each student’s time at St. Bonaventure School. New assessments will be developed to measure student progress, knowledge, and growth in their personal faith. We currently use data from Grades 5 and 8 ACRE testing to inform our teaching. Overall, based on the ACRE assessments, most St. Bonaventure students are advanced or proficient in their faith knowledge, but we always strive to provide opportunities that further develop faith in students. This is evidenced by frequent school visits by parish clergy, student interactions with our resident Presentation Sisters, and collaboration with the parish Faith Formation staff.
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Each school day begins and ends with prayers, broadcast by Student Council over our school intercom system or SBS-TV. Broadcasts include reflections on the lives of the Saints and readings from the bible. Morning prayers include the reciting of our school pledge, which includes our SLEs. The Campus Ministry team presents the virtue of the month and connects it to the Catholic saint and character trait of the month (see Addendum L). All families are welcome to attend the prayer assemblies, which are scheduled before the first bell.
Each grade level attends weekly Mass, with TK usually attending in the spring. Teachers, aides, and students all have opportunities to receive the Eucharist during the week. Families are encouraged to attend, and they often join us for student body Masses. All shareholders are encouraged to attend school liturgies, and many participate as Eucharistic ministers or lectors (see Addendum K). All school liturgies include Back to School Mass, October Rosary, All Saints Day Mass, Feast of the Presentation of Blessed Virgin Mary Mass, Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass, Grandparents’ Day Mass, Ash Wednesday Mass, Evangelization Mass, Stations of the Cross each Friday in Lent, May Crowning, Volunteer/Nano Nagle Mass, Baccalaureate Mass, School Evangelization Mass, Second Grade First Holy Communion Mass, First Holy Communion Celebration, Adoration, Penance Services, plus various other liturgies and prayer services, including those in the classroom, throughout the school year (see Addendum J). Students participate as cantors, altar servers, gift bearers, and readers. Most grade levels have an opportunity to prepare an all-school liturgy, although construction during the 2018-2019 school year has temporarily interrupted this tradition. Students in Grades 3 - 8 are given the chance to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation twice during the school year. Each classroom has a designated sacred prayer space as a visual reminder that Christ is the reason for our school.
As a ministry of St. Bonaventure Catholic Parish, the school community works diligently to sustain its strong bond with other ministries and with the parishioners who are not directly involved with the school. One example is the annual All-School Mass and reception event held to celebrate our founding Presentation Sisters’ continued contributions in spreading our faith and maintaining the vibrant charism of their founder, Nano Nagle.
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Service is an important component of our Catholic identity. In October, many students partner with their parents at the annual Parish Festival and assist in managing food and game booths to benefit St. Bonaventure Church. All grade levels participate in service projects to support the poor and vulnerable (see Addendum I). Service projects include food drives, collections of hygiene products, Pennies from Heaven, Heifer International, and a spiritual adoption celebration of life to assist babies and mothers in shelters. All seventh and eighth graders are required to complete twenty hours of service per year. Many help out at Extended Day and Vacation Bible School, spreading the gospel through example. Several times a year, we honor those who give service: our Grandparents’ Day Reception and our Volunteer Appreciation Mass and Brunch offer recognition of the importance and dignity of volunteer work at St. Bonaventure.
In addition to leading daily prayer at the beginning and end of each day, student council organizes regular Jesus Jeans fundraisers (see Addendum M) , which support various charities each month and allow students to actively support Catholic social teaching. Student Council also coordinates food donations with the Parish HOPE Office for the Thanksgiving Food Drive. Our Campus Ministry Committee, comprised of teachers and parents, plans and organizes our Faith Family activities. Faith Families are groups of eight to ten students from each grade level. As families, they pray together, complete service projects, and participate in activities aimed at developing bonds of friendship and respect. Faith Families often attend Mass together; they make blankets for Orangewood Children’s Home, and participate in our Holy Thursday morning of prayer. Retreats are scheduled for Grades 2 - 8 each year, with additional retreats added as needed to promote Christian fellowship. Twice a month, students are recognized and awarded with a certificate on SBS-TV for their ability to demonstrate Christ-like behaviors (see Addendum N). The highest honor given at graduation is the Nano Nagle award, recognizing students who embody the motto of the PBVM founding sisters.
Faculty and staff attend a spiritual retreat to prepare for the new school year. Faculty meetings throughout the year start with prayer or a guided meditation, and we verbally recognize individuals in our faculty and staff with shout-outs and free lunch tokens. A Nano Nagle Lantern is passed forward to faculty and staff members who live out the Presentation Sisters’ motto of “Not Words, But Deeds” as part of their ministry to Catholic education.
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All full-time teachers must maintain Basic Catechist certification. In 2019, all full-time faculty members completed the Information for Growth (IFG) assessment (see Addendum O). All teachers, as well as members of support staff, attend the annual Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. According to a recent staff survey, 85% of the teachers feel that our school and parish offer sufficient faith formation opportunities.
One area of growth that has been identified through parent surveys is the need for more adult faith development. This was indicated by 53.5% of our parents. Anecdotally, it has become evident from teaching Family Life that many parents are unclear about the Church’s teachings, particularly in the area of human sexuality. Parents are unclear about the scope of learning in the Family Life curriculum, which may be simply due to semantics. Because 80% stated that Family Life was taught effectively/highly effectively, and only 44% stated that human development and human sexuality are presented well, it seems that parents are not fully aware of what “Family Life” encompasses.
In conclusion, St. Bonaventure Catholic School offers an excellent academic education presented in the context of the Catholic faith. More than 80% of parents attest that strong Catholic identity, values and attitudes infuse our school environment. Incorporating various opportunities to grow in our Catholic faith ensures that the tradition of Catholic education will continue at our school, as it has for more than fifty years.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Improved communication and integration with parish priests, staff, and parish Faith Formation directors (NBECS 1.2, 1.3) • Formation of Faith Families inclusive of all grades (NBEC 2.6, 3.2, 3.3,) • Catholic parent presentations on topics such as social media and parenting (NBECS 4.3, 4.4) • Formation of Campus Ministry Crew (students) and Campus Ministry Team (teachers and parents) (NBECS 3.2, 4.2, 4.4, 4.5)
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Significant Goals: • Incorporate spiritual development as an option to fulfill parent service hours (i.e., parent-led morning prayers) (NBECS 4.2, 4.4) • Improve parent-student attendance at Sunday Mass (NBECS 4.2) • Enhance and nurture the spiritual lives of our school community by engaging in school-to- home evangelization activities and opportunities (NBECS 3.1, 4.2, 4.4) • Implement and curriculum map the Diocesan Religion Standards Framework (In-depth Study) (NBECS 2.1, 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 7.1, 7.2)
Chapter 3A Evidence Type Evidence Document Appendix A1, Appendix A5, Appendix C1 to C-7 (Surveys), Addendum I, Addendum J, Addendum K, Addendum L, Addendum M, Addendum N, Addendum O, School Mission Statement, School Philosophy Photo SBS Web-Site Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web-Site, Student & Parent Handbook Archived ACRE Assessment Results, L.I.F.T. Meeting Records, RE Congress Attendance Records, Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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3B. DEFINING THE SCHOOL’S PURPOSE
The school’s purpose is defined through the school’s mission statement, philosophy, measurable Schoolwide Learning Expectations, Arch/diocesan curriculum standards (local curriculum standards where Arch/diocesan standards don’t exist), and other governing authority expectations.
St. Bonaventure School’s purpose is defined in our Mission Statement: to partner with parents, who are recognized as the primary educators of their children; and to provide a Catholic Christ-centered, academically excellent, and safe school environment in which all children can achieve their God-given potential and make a positive difference in the world. Recently reviewed and re-approved by our Leadership Team and shareholders, our Mission Statement is regarded as relevant and accurate. Our school pledge, recited each morning by students and faculty, reaffirms the Student Learning Expectations (SLEs).
The SLEs were recently reviewed by the Leadership Team, shareholders, and faculty during the 2018-2019 school year. After consideration, reviewers agreed that the SLEs were appropriate and mission-aligned. However, the indicators from 2013 were wordy and immeasurable. The process of restructuring and rewording was conducted during several different sessions with faculty and various shareholders. The end result is a more succinct version of the original indicators that continue to reflect the depth and quality of our school’s purpose. Measurability was an important factor in the revision of the SLEs, and all shareholders agreed that the revised indicators are now clearly measurable.
The SLEs are incorporated into the daily life of the school, beginning with daily morning prayers. The school pledge, which contains all four SLEs, is recited by students every morning. The SLEs are prominently posted in every classroom. Teachers refer to the SLEs during the course of the day, and encourage students to use the SLEs in their quest to be Christ-centered Catholics, life-long learners, responsible citizens, and effective communicators.
The SLEs not only form the basis of St. Bonaventure’s curriculum and ensure the quality of the academic curriculum, but they are also part of the framework put into place to support parents. For example, when the Saints Connect parent newsletter is emailed to families, Partners In Faith and Helping Children Learn newsletters are included. The newsletters are a source of
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advice and encouragement for parents, detailing ways to keep Christ as the center of the family, how to provide loving discipline, and how to encourage a healthy lifestyle that honors Christ in each family member. Partners in Faith helps to bridge the gap between Catholic education and home.
The school recognizes that it needs to further update strategies that deal with ‘gray areas’ between school and home, such as the effects of social media and how to circumvent negativity stemming from its use that could undermine the quality of the school’s program. Steps have already been taken by the administration to address social media issues that have negatively affected the school environment. In addition to providing additional retreats to strengthen compassion and fellowship among students, the administration also scheduled law enforcement experts to educate St. Bonaventure School students and parents. These presentations addressed safety and concerns about using social media, and showed the documentary “Screenagers.” The school regularly promotes articles from the “Screenagers” blog, which encourages cyber safety and limiting screen time. The school recognizes that a strategy for dealing with social media issues is a noteworthy goal and aligns to each of our four SLEs.
The faculty has a variety of ways to formally assess the SLEs in relation to student learning in the form of targeted, scaffolded assignments (see Addendum Q). Once a year, students conduct a self-evaluation of the SLEs in their digital portfolios, which has a student- teacher conference imbedded in the assessment. In addition, students show their Christ-centered Catholicity when they altar serve and lector at Mass, read Responsorial Psalms, participate actively in the Sacraments, and serve as leaders in their Faith Families. Each grade level takes a turn to lead the school community in a Stations of the Cross service every Friday during Lent. Furthermore, students in each grade level participate in some form of outreach or charity. For example, third graders support the Linus Project with donations of blankets. Fifth graders run “Operation Christmas Child,” donating “Samaritan Purses” full of fun, educational, and hygienic items for children all over the world. The sixth graders conduct shoe drives, collecting dozens of gently-worn shoes which are refurbished before being donated to His Little Feet, a charity for homeless families. The eighth graders lead their Faith Families in making “Knots of Love” blankets that are donated to the Orangewood Shelter (see Addendum I).
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St. Bonaventure’s mission statement is also reflected by student involvement in parish outreach programs. Students at all grade levels are encouraged to give food donations to the St. Bonaventure Parish Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives. Parents and students participate generously in the Hope Office drive to provide toiletries-and-socks boxes for the homeless, with eighth graders leading students in their Faith Families to sort donations before delivery. Although the Church renovation has temporarily affected the school’s tradition of using the Church for student body masses, First Communion, the Christmas program, prayer services and graduation, our faculty and staff have made a concerted effort to find ways for school-parish events to continue.
Underscoring all these projects, outreach programs, and services is St. Bonaventure School’s dedication to forming Christ-centered Catholics, life-long learners, responsible citizens, and effective communicators. The SLEs reflect the school’s belief that Christ-centered Catholics do not limit learning to academics in the classroom, but extend learning to incorporate social awareness, recognition of the community’s needs, and the critical thinking skills needed to address those needs. Extending student learning and awareness into the community sharpens the quality of our academic program and improves student learning.
Teachers recognize that parents are a vital component of maintaining a quality school program. Due to the school’s policy that parents pick up their children from the classroom after school each day, parents have daily opportunities to meet with teachers. This daily contact promotes friendly socialization between parents and teachers, and also fosters a community spirit among parents. Teachers encourage students to attend parent-teacher conferences. This serves to model collaboration and further build school-to-home connections.
The SLEs enhance the quality of the curriculum by focusing on life skills such as responsibility and effective communication. School programs are in place to support these life skills. For example, students in Grades K – 5 perform in cross-curricular plays and musicals, and sing in the Christmas Program. In the 2018-2019 school year, a social studies-themed musical was added to the sixth grade curriculum. A junior high choir was also formed in the 2018-2019 school year, and students from Grades 2 - 8 can participate in an after-school Performing Arts Club on campus. Our 7th and 8th graders have participated for the past seven
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years in the Orange County Academic Decathlon (see Addendums E and P). All of these enriching programs incorporate 21st century skills: collaboration, presentation, listening, and responsibility for learning, managing multiple roles, leadership, and organization. The variety of cross-curricular activities offered by our school leads to a quality school program that educates the whole child.
Teachers meet with their colleagues at least once a month in PLCs to ensure that the integrity of the SLEs is aligned with curriculum standards. Curriculum planning is guided by the digital SLE self-reflection rubric, which is completed by students during the school year as an assessment of their progress towards mastery of the SLEs (see Addendum Q). Curriculum maps are reviewed to evaluate instructional methodologies and student achievement in relation to curriculum standards. For example, if the rubrics indicate that the ability to learn collaboratively is a weak area, or that organizational skills are lacking, teachers plan lessons to address the needs. The school recognizes the need to increase the frequency of completion of the SLE assessment metric from its current annual administration. This will allow teachers to formatively evaluate progress on a continual basis.
Embedded in the ‘life-long learner’ SLE is the teachers’ dedication to create an environment in which students enjoy learning. During the 2017-2018 school year, teachers underwent a year-long training in Differentiated Instruction to learn how to maintain effective rigor for all student learning levels. Our teachers regularly attend a wide variety of professional development workshops to heighten the quality of their teaching (see Addendum G). It is noted that teacher retention, integral to maintaining an effective school environment, is an area for improvement. Systemic strategies are increasingly needed to incentivize these highly-trained teachers to remain at the school. It is physically and financially challenging to put systems and safeguards in place to ensure vertical/horizontal alignment of implementation when teacher turnover takes place every year. In addition to this state of flux, teachers also need training to learn the new diocesan student information data base systems and to unpack new textbook series. Our school’s effective learning environment is maintained in part by teachers assigned as mentors to new colleagues to ensure curriculum alignment, and by additional training offered during lunch breaks throughout the year.
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In conclusion, the purpose of St. Bonaventure School is always to provide a Christ- centered environment for learning. Our academic programs are positively impacted by the faculty and administration’s adherence to the SLEs. Rubrics at the end of the year consistently indicate that students identify themselves as active Catholics; they develop into life-long learners who take increased responsibility for their decisions, and have the skills to communicate effectively in a variety of ways. With this in mind, administration and teachers also recognize the need to provide a regular schedule for the digital SLE assessments so progress can be more effectively measured. The school also recognizes the need to implement strategies that deal with social media issues and hold students responsible for online activity that negatively affects their school and peer relationships.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Development of measurable SLEs (NBECS 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5) • Increase of activities involving students and parish (NBECS 3.1, 3.2) • Increase of community involvement (NBECS 9.1) • Professional Development opportunities (NBECS 7.8, 7.9, 7.10) • Increase of cross-curricular activities and programs for students (NBECS 9.3) • Maintenance of school traditions and programs during church renovation (NBECS 3.1, 3.2)
Significant Goals: • Develop strategies for dealing with social media issues (NBECS 9.1, 9.2) • Establish a consistent schedule for SLE rubrics to better utilize student assessment data each trimester (NBECS 8.1) • Implement plans to promote teacher retention (NBECS 6.4, 11.3)
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Chapter 3B Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Appendix A.1-3, Appendix C.1-7, Addendum E, Addendum G, Addendum I, Addendum P, Addendum Q, SBS Mission Statement and School Philosophy, SBS School Pledge, Leveled Primary SLEs , Primary Grades SLE – Rubric, Grades 3-8 SLEs Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site Padlet, School Web-Site Calendar, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics Archived Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes
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3C. ORGANIZATION FOR STUDENT LEARNING TO SUPPORT HIGH ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL STUDENTS
The organizational structures of the school focus on high achievement of all students, and communicate student progress to all shareholders.
The organizational structures at St. Bonaventure Catholic School are the foundation of student learning and are guided by the school’s mission, philosophy, and SLEs as well as by mission-driven diocesan, state and national common core standards. The administration seeks input from all members of the school community on policies and procedures through the Consultative School Board, PFA, Parish Executive Staff and Parish Finance Council.
The Saints Connect newsletter, weekly leadership team meetings, classroom bulletins, bi- monthly Instructional Aide meetings, social media, emails, and phone messages provide a variety of ways to exchange ideas and information among shareholders. Staff input is solicited at faculty meetings, PLCs, and informal discussions. The principal attends parish executive staff meetings and meets weekly with the pastor. This collaboration ensures transparency and cohesiveness on school matters. Parents are informed about policies and procedures through the Student-Parent Handbook (see Addendum X), which is reviewed and updated as needed. Parents are notified of changes throughout the school year via the school website, social media, email blasts and batch voice messages. Initial training of the updated student information database, FACTS SIS, started during the summer of 2019 and continues.
The pastor collaborates with administration to maintain St. Bonaventure’s Catholic vision and to support the high achievement of all students. The pastor delegates the responsibility of the school’s daily governance to the principal who provides the organizational framework for the operation of the school. He is available at all times for collaboration. The pastor attends all School Board meetings, which include input from various sub-committees, including Faith Formation/Catholic Identity, Marketing/Communications, Finance, Curriculum, Safety/Facilities and Strategic Planning.
Classroom visits from the parish priests and deacons occur throughout the year for directing faith formation, teaching lessons, and bonding with the students. The religious and clergy are a visible presence at our school, participating in student activities, retreats, Open
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House, fundraisers, and penance services.
The principal provides religious, academic, and organizational leadership to faculty, staff, students, and parents, fostering a school environment that is truly Catholic. She serves as a Eucharistic minister for the parish, conducts prayer services for the school’s younger grades, and leads prayer. She assists faculty and staff in yearly goal setting, and has an open-door policy in order to address any professional concerns and needs in a timely manner. Her open-door policy extends to students, parents, and parishioners. The principal invites all parents to her monthly open forum coffee meetings called “Keeping Up With Kim.” Meeting times rotate to encourage all families to attend and are updated on the school web-site calendar.
Teachers are kept updated on professional development opportunities through email, brochures, flyers, and bi-monthly staff meetings. The principal conducts teacher observations each year, followed by reflective reviews. Her classroom observations consistently focus on the integration of religion as the anchor of St. Bonaventure Catholic School curriculum. Catholicism and SLEs are expressed consistently in the classroom across the curriculum.
The Consultative School Board is a representation of families, alumni, and shareholders who value Catholic education. In 2017-2018, by-laws were revised and members were recruited who possessed professionally aligned skill sets (see Addendum R). This endeavor resulted in a new and improved working School Board, which now consists of a Consultative School Board President, Vice-President, Secretary, a faculty representative, the pastor, principal, and sufficient members to fulfill its consultative purposes. The overarching task of the Consultative School Board and the PFA is to support and implement the mission and philosophy of the school. The stated role of the Consultative School Board is to counsel policy formation, institutional advancement, program review, and develop a strategic plan. This is the highest priority, as the previous strategic plan lapsed in 2015 and was not replaced. In this regard, the Consultative School Board works with administration, faculty, and staff to help incorporate the school’s mission into all areas of campus life, support planning to ensure the future viability/growth of the school, maintain the physical plant, and provide financial advice.
The purpose and function of the PFA include fundraising, community building, and
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service to the school. The PFA works under the guidance of the school’s Advancement Department. Examples of community building are Soup for the Soul, Trunk or Treat, and parent-child bonding events such as the Father-Daughter and Mother-Son events. The PFA- sponsored school community fundraisers include a spring auction and dinner dance, a golf tournament, a Christmas student store, and various restaurant fundraisers. These support the continued financial stability of the school.
High achievement for all students is a top priority for the teachers and staff at St. Bonaventure Catholic School, who emphasize Gospel values to educate the whole child. Student progress is communicated to all shareholders. The administration, with the support of the PFA and Consultative School Board, encourages teachers and staff to pursue ongoing education and professional development that further prepares them to meet the challenges of maintaining high achievement for all students (see Addendum G).
Full-time Diversified Learning Support (DLS) specialists and an Outreach Concern counselor work with the classroom teachers to help meet the needs of students with educational exceptionalities, behavioral concerns, and students who do not meet current grade level standards. SLEs, as well as Diocesan, and Common Core State Standards guide the teachers and set high achievement expectations for all students. Teachers use informal, formal, formative, and summative assessments on a continuous basis to help measure, improve, and further assist student learning. Progress is communicated to the parents on a regular basis in a variety of ways: phone calls, emails, grades posted online, and progress reports, which are sent to students who have earned a C grade or lower. SLAs, developed and standardized by the Diocese of Orange, are distributed each trimester (see Addendum Y).
Results from the 2018 Self Study process found that specific programs to address the needs of gifted and high-achieving students could further improve student learning. Current programs in place are an Advanced Math class for Grades 6 - 8, Honors- Prep English for Grade 8 students, designed-based learning projects in junior high, blended learning groupings in lower grades, differentiated learning instruction, and Kagan student engagement structures in all grades.
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Shareholders continually evaluate and assess student progress and achievement. By reviewing classroom assessments, STAR and ACRE testing data, teachers evaluate each student’s development and progress both academically and spiritually during the school year. Teachers use the data to create customized and differentiated lesson plans to best meet the needs of their students. Teachers meet regularly in PLCs and grade level meetings to discuss curriculum articulation, horizontal/vertical alignment, curriculum changes, and student progress. Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled in the fall to review current progress and set goals. Parents and teachers meet on an as-needed basis to encourage high achievement, support all students in reaching their God-given potential, and reinforce a positive working relationship.
The faculty and administration engaged in ongoing discussions about the best way to measure mastery of the SLEs. Rubrics for Grades 3 – 8 were revised in February 2019 to be more age-appropriate and to ensure measurable student achievement. After nearly twenty years of using binder-style student SLE portfolios, we updated our methods and are now piloting Google Forms and Google Classroom as a digital portfolio system (see Addendum Q). Because of the easy accessibility to organized data, this digital platform is intended to promote greater student accountability and ownership toward mastery of the SLEs.
In Grades TK - 2, teachers evaluate each student’s progress towards the attainment of the SLEs by using a holistic developmental rubric with supporting work samples. In Grades 3 - 8, classroom teachers schedule conferences with students to evaluate the progress towards attainment of the SLEs (see Addendum Q). Teachers use these evaluations to better inform curriculum planning, address the needs of the general student population and advanced learners, focus on students exhibiting learning challenges, and utilize differentiation methodologies to improve student learning.
Our Extended Day Program offers support for student learning before and after school within the security of our school campus. The staff focuses on the welfare and development of the whole child, physically, emotionally, and socially. Student fellowship is cultivated across grade levels during the structured homework time, supervised activities and free play. The Extended Day Program staff adheres to the Catholic values expressed in our SLEs, and has taken steps to launch a Wellness Program by incorporating a more nutritious menu into its kitchen.
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During summer, our school offers a five-week academic enrichment program with a new theme each year. In 2018-2019 our Summer Academy offered STEM classes; during 2019-2020 the focus is on fine arts. Students are welcome to extend each day of the Summer Academy into the “Summer Camp,” offered by our Extended Day Program.
In conclusion, after reviewing the minutes of the Consultative School Board and PFA, we believe all governing bodies of our school support student learning and play an integral advisory and consultative role in the high achievement of our students. Many curricular and extracurricular programs have been implemented after consultation with the School Board (see Addendums B & E), such as Singapore Math, Accelerated Reader, Amplify Science, Houghton- Mifflin Journeys, Spanish, STEM/Brainstorm, Diversified Learning, Academic Decathlon, Geography Bee, Spelling Bee, Mythology, Meet the Masters, Drama, Glee Club, Junior High Community Service Hours, Campus Ministry, Legos, Chess, Kinderfiddle, Beginner and Advanced Strings, Cheer Team, and Parochial Athletic League (PAL team sports), and Enhanced Junior High Field Studies including a week-long science camp, an extended field trip to Channel Islands, and East Coast Discovery. This variety of activities enriches and supports high achievement of all students.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Administration that contributes to the Catholic Identity of the school (NBECS 1.1, 6.2) • Revision of School Board by-laws; addition of professionally-aligned members (NBECS 5.1) • Systems developed for regular communication of policies to all shareholders (NBECS 6.7) • Advancement Department that partners with the PFA and community to ensure the future viability of the school (NBECS 13.3)
Significant Goals: • Provide guidance and financial support to the School Board to develop a strategic plan (NBECS 6.6) • Provide training for implementation of a new school-wide database (NBECS 7.10) • Provide more educational opportunities for higher-achieving learners (NBECS 7.6) • Implement structures that enhance student engagement, faith formation, and academic learning (NBECS 7.6)
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Chapter 3C Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Appendix C.1-7, Addendum B, Addendum E, Addendum G, Addendum Q, Addendum R, Addendum Y, Classroom Observation Templates, Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, FACS SIS School Database, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics Archived Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes Clinical Observation Records
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3D. DATA ANALYSIS AND ACTION TO SUPPORT HIGH ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL STUDENTS
The school uses educationally sound assessment processes to collect data. The school disaggregates and analyzes student performance data and uses the analysis as a basis for instructional/curricular improvement.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School uses educationally sound assessment processes to collect data. Our faculty administers STAR Diagnostic Assessments three times per year to students in Grades K - 8 to determine students’ reading, mathematics, and early literacy skills, as well as to track growth and to identify the need for intervention. The STAR standardized assessment provides norm-referenced, standardized test assessment data. It serves as a formative/diagnostic tool for the faculty and a springboard for discussion at parent/teacher conferences. Through vertical articulation in PLCs, teachers periodically review class reports for current and previous classes to evaluate strengths and weaknesses, target lessons, review, and determine student groupings and areas for whole-class instruction. A parent copy is sent home after each testing period. The teachers, administration, and Diversified Learning teachers are available to review and discuss the results. In 2019, the STAR assessments will be administered four times per year.
Through the use of STAR, student groups can be created to foster learning and growth for all students. Students can be strategically grouped by using the class summary report, individual scaled scores and student growth percentiles. A variety of classroom formative and summative assessments are built into the daily curriculum. These assessments take the form of teacher/publisher-made assessments, quizzes, tests, exit tickets, and practice/preparation assignments. In planning instruction, it is necessary to consider both the classroom assessments and the results of standardized tests to form a comprehensive picture of a student’s ability and growth. Assessment results assist faculty in utilizing and modifying the curriculum to meet the needs of every student. The school recognizes the need to develop working data teams to utilize assessment results and better implement improved student-focused classrooms.
The faculty and administration at St. Bonaventure Catholic School work with the STAR reports to disaggregate and analyze the performance of groups, grade levels and individuals in reading and math (see Appendix B-3). The faculty uses individual student profiles and
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proficiency reports to guide the curriculum and learning goals for the year. The disaggregation and analysis of data are shown through STAR reports, school profile studies (total growth), the achievement data and current range of students in the core subject areas. It is important to mention that STAR longitudinal data has been unreliable due to technical problems with its database. Therefore, the results are unusable for the purpose of this Self Study.
The standardized assessment results provide faculty with diagnostic data that helps drive curriculum. The faculty uses reports to compare and review students’ strengths and areas of growth after the STAR assessments each trimester. The reports are generated for both individual students and whole class planning, allowing a complete view of student growth from trimester to trimester, as well as year to year. Teachers use this information to develop instructional strategies that will improve student learning in identified areas.
STAR tests do not evaluate authentic student writing samples. Within PLCs, the faculty develops and analyzes writing benchmarks and rubrics for each trimester. These expository, narrative, and persuasive writing samples aid in horizontal and vertical articulation.
Analysis of Reading Achievement Data results in the 2017-2018 school year showed a drop in scores. This may be due to the implementation of a new reading series in Grades TK - 5. During articulation meetings, some teachers reported being overwhelmed by the size and scope of the comprehensive ELA program, despite the two-day training. A third day of training was added to support the teachers. Another factor affecting reading scores is the changing school dynamics, showing a higher percentage of students who speak English as a second language.
Students in Grades 1 - 8 continue to participate in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program in which their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is determined through the STAR Diagnostic Reading Assessment each trimester. Personalized AR goals are updated for the students three times each year. The positive results of extracurricular reading encouraged through AR in Grades 2 - 8 are evidenced by the increased number of recipients receiving the Principal’s Award and Dedicated Book Award.
Students in Grades K - 5 receive English Language Arts (ELA) instruction through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys, while students in Grades 6 - 8 receive instruction through
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the Prentice Hall reading program. Students in Grades 3 - 8 participate in class novel studies. They receive a solid foundation, and progress from learning to read, to reading to learn, and ultimately to higher levels of thinking.
Students who test in low percentiles are provided with extra reading support through differentiated and small group instruction, peer tutoring, audio translations of text, leveled reading materials, graphic organizers, reading apps, and SMART Board lessons, allowing for customized reinforcement of skills, alternate assessments, accommodations and/or modifications. Classrooms in Grades TK - 6 have Instructional Aides, allowing more personalized instruction during school hours. Diversified Learning teachers provide accommodated and/or modified instruction for students in Grades K - 8 as guided by ILPs and student needs. To support the needs of all learners, we expanded our DLS program, doubling it with two full-time teachers servicing the students.
Examination of math data shows that our students’ math skills continue to improve. This is due to full integration of Singapore Math in Grades K - 5 and two distinct levels of Big Ideas California Common Core Math series in Grades 6 - 8. The Big Ideas approach allows teachers to individualize instruction as well as provide data from practice, quizzes, tests, and benchmark assessments that can easily be analyzed. A sample of the data that is used to drive instruction is included (see Addendum T).
Students who test in the low percentiles are serviced by Diversified Learning Support, small group instruction, remediation within the classroom, one-on-one instruction, modified lessons, alternative assessments and practice work. Students needing specialized testing through the school district or private health professionals are recommended by faculty and/or the Diversified Learning Coordinator. After the completion of testing, the coordinator uses the results and recommendations to develop the student’s ILP. Every effort is made to support students through curriculum modifications and accommodations. Students who have documented IEPs and ILPs make up 5% of our student population, with 17% of our students receiving some form of accommodation from Diversified Learning Support (see Addendum D).
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The students in Grades 6 - 8 who test in the high range are encouraged to participate in the advanced math class. Eighth grade students are then given an opportunity to test into advanced classes in high school. Student math placement is determined by teacher recommendation, STAR data, Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Program (MDTP), Big Ideas benchmarks, and Big Ideas pre-course tests (see Addendum T). Teachers analyze all student and data results. Advanced students are continually challenged through a variety of critical thinking exercises. More than 80% of the students who were placed in our advanced math class are accepted into honors math classes in high school.
The NCEA/ACRE is a standardized religion test administered to Grades 5 and 8 each spring. This assessment helps the faculty and administration evaluate the current religion curriculum. Campus Ministry also uses it to determine areas of strength and growth campus- wide. All assessment data is disaggregated, analyzed, reported and becomes the basis for future curricular planning and professional development.
Data currently shows that students have sound knowledge and understanding in religious content areas as well as strong, effective practice of the Pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Examination of the ACRE tests shows that 5th grade test scores fluctuate in the area of Faith Knowledge, but the scores stabilize by the 8th grade.
A recent fluctuation of test scores has been noted by teachers. A number of factors may be the cause. For example, an increased number of upper-grade students who are new to Catholic school are enrolling at St. Bonaventure School. These students do not necessarily have the foundational skills that are taught in Grades TK - 4. In addition, the ACRE tests were administered on Chromebooks for the first time, which could have contributed to the score fluctuation. Students receive accommodations through Diversified Learning for STAR test support, but they have not received accommodations during the ACRE test. A more accurate result may be obtained if accommodations were made for students identified as needing additional test-taking support. In the future, students will receive accommodations as indicated by their ILPs for the ACRE assessment.
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A wide variety of classroom formative and summative assessments is used to assess and monitor student progress toward content standards. These include but are not limited to: standardized tests, unit tests, quizzes, demonstrations, small group projects, skits, presentations, discussions, essays, reports, rubric assessments, student portfolios, classroom observations, and self-assessment (see Addendum U). The newly acquired MobyMax, a K - 8 learning website, is an individualized program that provides assessment tools to identify skill gaps, and practice tools to remediate those gaps. Students are assessed in math, reading, and language. MobyMax is used independently, in centers, and as homework. The faculty recognizes that in order to effectively meet the needs of all students, varied assessments and techniques are necessary. All these assessments provide valuable feedback that is used to initiate differentiated instruction across the curriculum, help each student achieve the SLEs, and master the School-wide Learning Assessments (SLAs).
Student assessment results and achievement are reported through various methods by the faculty. Student Learning Assessments are sent home on a trimester basis. Mid-trimester progress reports are sent home midway through each trimester for those students with a grade of C or lower in any subject area. Parents, through the use of FACTS Family Portal database website, can monitor their student’s progress by checking formal and informal assessment results and for graded classroom assignments. This allows parents to quickly access their child’s grades at their own convenience and therefore encourages them to be more involved in their child's’ academic progress. The faculty can also monitor the frequency of parent usage.
STAR and Assessment diagnostic reports are given out each trimester with the SLAs. MDTP results, a detailed analysis of mathematic strengths and weaknesses, are sent home at the end of the school year in Grades 5 - 8.
Over the past years, the faculty has modified its instructional methods during the process of curriculum mapping. Curriculum mapping allows faculty to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment. These maps assist faculty in identifying areas of improvement and instructional gaps. Furthermore, they allow vertical alignment between grades, and support horizontal alignment of instructional methods and assessments between subjects. The implementation of curriculum mapping is an ongoing process, designed to optimize student performance.
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In conclusion, the assessment outcomes are the basis for regular evaluation and instructional decisions. The faculty diligently addresses areas for growth and differentiates instruction to ensure the highest possible achievement of all students. The assessments, which are in alignment with the school’s mission statement and SLEs, are used to shape curriculum and allocate resources for future curriculum planning.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • New ELA series implemented in Grades TK-5 as well as complete integration of Singapore Math and Big Ideas Math series (NBECS 7.1) • Expansion of Diversified Learning to better serve the needs of all students (NBECS 7.6)
Significant Goals: • Utilize MobyMax student adaptive software consistently throughout the school (NBECS 8.1) • Develop working data teams to utilize assessment results and better implement improved student-focused classrooms (NBECS 8.5)
Chapter 3D Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Appendix B, Appendix B.3, Addendum D, Addendum T, Addendum U Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-site Calendar, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, FACTS SIS Family Portal Database, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics, Renaissance STAR Assessment Suite, MobyMax Student Adaptive Learning Program Archived Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes, ACRE Assessment Results, Advanced Math Assessment Data, STAR Assessment Year-End Growth Summary Reports
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3E. HIGH ACHIEVEMENT BY ALL STUDENTS TOWARD CLEARLY DEFINED SLES AND CURRICULUM STANDARDS
All students make acceptable and measurable progress toward clearly defined Schoolwide Learning Expectations and challenging, comprehensive, and relevant curriculum standards.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School takes pride in ensuring high achievement by all students of the School-wide Learning Expectations and curriculum standards. When our school was founded in September of 1966, it was with the goal to assist parents in their role as primary educators in faith formation, as well as in the academic education of their children. Our mission statement explicitly states the key role of families in fulfilling the call to community and participation. The teachers and staff are dedicated to differentiating lessons to meet the individual needs of students. Staff and faculty at St. Bonaventure Catholic School strive to ensure that the Roman Catholic faith permeates all aspects of school life and curriculum.
Since our last Self Study, our SLEs have been reviewed and the SLE indicators revised by shareholders to ensure our mission is centered in the person of Jesus Christ and to sustain and grow our Catholic ministry. Our pastor, school administrators, and our extended community of shareholders revised and clarified the SLE indicators. Revisions to the SLE indicators were also prompted by results of shareholders’ surveys and Consultative School Board recommendations. They are now more measurable, concise, and evidenced in newly implemented digital portfolios for easy access.
School leadership uses the SLEs as the structure of St. Bonaventure Catholic School’s planning and implementation throughout the school year. In accordance with the SLEs, our efforts to create responsible citizens involve all grade levels participating in service projects to support the poor and vulnerable. Some of the service projects include food drives at Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as collection of hygiene products during Lent (see Addendum I). As a ministry of St. Bonaventure Catholic Parish, the school community strives for a strong bond with all of the other ministries and with parishioners who are not directly involved with the school. During Vocation Week, for example, students write letters of appreciation to parish clergy and religious, and send welcome cards to the newly baptized.
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Every day St. Bonaventure Catholic School begins and ends with prayer. Monday and Friday mornings, student-led prayers are broadcast on the school’s closed-circuit television network. The broadcast on SBS-TV includes reflections on the lives of the Saints and Sunday’s Gospels. Every day ends with a school-wide recitation of an Act of Contrition.
Catechesis during school hours occurs formally once per day in religion class in all grade levels. Religion class is a core academic subject at St. Bonaventure Catholic School. Students’ spiritual growth and development, reviewed at parent-teacher conferences, are documented in progress reports and SLAs. Students in Grades 1 - 2 complete a two-year program to receive the sacraments First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in their second grade year. Older students who are not baptized and/or have not received First Reconciliation and First Eucharist have the opportunity to attend religious education courses offered by the Parish Faith Formation Office after school hours. Each year, students in Grades 5 and 8 complete the ACRE assessment. Teachers and school administration collaborate to identify areas of strength and growth and analyze data gathered in the ACRE assessment.
We are currently in the process of adopting a new religion curriculum across all grade levels (Grades TK - 8). The school has identified power standards by grade level, and has vertically aligned their curriculums. Teachers reflected this year during an all-staff in-service on how to teach the new religious standards within the current religion text series, and used Atlas Rubicon to map overarching plans for next year’s religion instruction.
We continue using Atlas Curriculum Mapping for long-term planning and sharing common formative assessments and data, both horizontally and vertically. We also meet in PLCs monthly to analyze student data and share classroom instructional strategies.
The faculty completes the IFG assessments (see Addendum O). The results have been disaggregated and used to inform the basis of faculty retreats and faith formation experiences, often led by one of our parish priests. In addition, teachers and parents attend parish-led faith formation workshop, book studies and presentations. The school funds admission for all teachers to attend the annual Religious Education Congress presented by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
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In accordance with our focus on developing Christ-Centered Catholics, each grade level attends weekly Mass, and Grades 1 - 8 each prepare an all-school liturgy. Grades 1 - 8 participate in Eucharistic Adoration. All students from Grades 3 - 8 participate in the sacrament of reconciliation twice per year. Students and teachers have the opportunity to receive the Eucharist during the weekly mass. All families are invited to join the student body in all-school Masses, and some serve as Eucharistic ministers and lectors. Shareholders are encouraged to attend school liturgies such as: Back to School Mass, October Rosary, All Saints Day Mass, Feast of the Presentation Sisters Mass, Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass, Grandparent’s Day Mass, Ash Wednesday Mass, Evangelization Mass, Stations of the Cross, May Crowning, Volunteer/Nano Nagle Mass, Baccalaureate Mass, plus many other liturgies and prayer services throughout the school year (see Addendum J). Our Grandparents’ Day reception and volunteer appreciation Masses and brunches support our community by recognizing the dignity of volunteer work. Students participate as cantors, altar servers, gift bearers, and readers. Once per month, the school community comes together before school for an assembly/prayer service during which the community joins in prayer. Individual students are recognized monthly for achievement of the School-wide Learning Expectations and awarded certificates.
Student achievement is monitored through differentiated formative and summative assessments. Formal assessments such as STAR testing, Accelerated Reader Quizzes, and unit review tests are given throughout the trimester. Projects and presentations are used in all grade levels to assess mastery of concepts and skills. Students are given rubrics, allowing them to self- assess during the process. MobyMax provides individualized assessments in math, reading, and language arts. To help pace and guide instruction, teachers use a variety of formative assessment tools for quick assessments: small whiteboards for immediate feedback, Kahoot, Google Forms, ‘fist of five,’ Edulastic, ‘thumbs-up, thumbs-down,’ ‘think-pair-share,’ ‘four corners’ and entrance and exit tickets. The next step is to train teachers, working in data teams, to utilize assessment results to better implement student-focused classrooms.
Throughout the year, teachers use formative and summative assessment results and consult with the Diversified Learning Support faculty to formulate a plan for students who are not making progress in specific areas. Students can be referred for support at any time throughout the year. Teachers, instructional aides, and the DLS teachers support students by both
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in-class and pull-out instruction. Students continue to receive academic or modified support year to year as recommended by the teacher and indicated by an ILP. At the end of each school year, teachers fill out student placement sheets that describe students’ reading and math levels, social development, and proven classroom accommodations (see Addendum V). These forms are important resources that guide class formations for the upcoming year and can be accessed from the first day of school to maximize instructional minutes as informed by each student’s needs. Student placement sheets are stored securely on the school’s server and password-protected.
After a period of intervention from DLS, a learning support team reconvenes to discuss progress and, if necessary, requests formal assessment from the local public school or certified educational psychologists. Based on results, a child may qualify for a formal IEP from the public school. DLS staff at St. Bonaventure develops ILPs for students with IEPs, as well as for students in Grades TK – 5 who do not qualify for an IEP from the public school, but have demonstrated a need for accommodated instruction (see Addendum D).
DLS teachers, general education teachers, and parents meet to design goals for students with ILPs. Progress towards these goals is reviewed every other month or as often as needed.
Instructional aides assist all teachers in Grades TK – 8, providing learning support for all students, including advanced learners. Approximately one-third of our instructional aides are fully credentialed teachers and serve as mentors to other aides. Most instructional aides have completed two courses of PD training in math.
Teachers use a variety of tools to enhance critical thinking skills and extended learning opportunities for their advanced students. STEM activities, design-based learning challenges, puzzles, and logic problems enhance learning for students in Grades TK – 8. Qualified students in Grades 6 – 8 attend advanced math class. Qualified students in Grade 8 are enrolled in Honors Prep ELA. Students who are proficient in Spanish are given higher level assignments that meet their fluency levels. During 2019-2020, an elective enrichment wheel was implemented into a new junior high schedule, offering a choice of classes carefully designed to meet the needs of all students. Electives classes include Mythology, Current Events, Logic, Art, and Public Speaking (see Addendum C).
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Technology is integrated widely throughout each grade level curriculum. In Grades TK - 3, the teachers have classroom iPads that are used during centers and in small-group activities. The teachers use the SMART Board for interactive activities throughout the school day. In Grade 4, one class set of Chromebooks is shared among both classrooms. Each fifth grade class has a class set of Chromebooks that are used on a daily basis for a variety of activities. In Grades 6 – 8, students each have a Chromebook to use across all subjects. Teachers also use Google Classroom to support instruction. Our school has a robust inventory of digital devices for each student to use at any time (see Addendum W).
In conclusion, our SLEs are the structure behind the St. Bonaventure curriculum at all grade levels. Clearly defined and measurable, they are exhibited in the various forms of assessment, service projects, faith formation activities, and enrichment programs that ensure our students’ high achievement toward curriculum standards.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Revised, measurable SLE indicators (NBECS 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4. 1.5) • Stronger connections between school and parish communities (NBECS 3.1, 3.2) • Development of a new junior high schedule with an enrichment wheel (NBECS 7.6, 7.7)
Significant Goals: • Implement a junior high block schedule and enrichment wheel (NBECS 7.6, 7.7) • Develop working data teams to utilize assessment results to better implement improved student-focused classrooms (NBECS 8.5)
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Chapter 3E Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Addendum C, Addendum D, Addendum I, Addendum J, Addendum O, Addendum V, Addendum W Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, FACTS SIS School Database, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics Archived ACRE Assessment Results, Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes Parish Executive Staff Agenda/Meeting Minutes
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3F. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY TO SUPPORT HIGH ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL STUDENTS
The staff applies research-based knowledge about teaching and learning in the instructional process. Assessment is frequent and varied, integrated into the teaching/learning process, and informs curriculum planning.
The Catholic Identity of our school is best displayed by our genuine, compassionate, and dedicated staff in practice and in deeds. Our community values Catholic education and deeply understands the impact we have in the evangelization of our students and families. The faculty views every subject taught as an opportunity for evangelization, and Christian values are demonstrated in daily lessons and activities. As a staff, we model Catholic Identity by serving as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion at all-school and Sunday Masses. Students often see their teachers at Sunday Mass, and many of the teachers are active within the parish ministries outside of school. Teachers serve as lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and participate in classes for Catechist Certification. St. Bonaventure feels truly blessed to have faculty and staff who are committed and passionate about their mission as Catholic educators.
Faculty members begin their professional development with Diocesan new teacher training that includes a class towards their Basic Catechist Certification. Teachers and staff have many opportunities for professional development throughout the year in the areas of new curriculum, school safety, technology, and instructional methodologies. Professional development is based on Diocesan and common core standards and best teaching practices (see Addendum G). This was demonstrated most notably by the integration of the NGSS science standards in Grades TK – 8 in 2018-2019. However, our faculty survey identified a need for ongoing new-teacher mentorship/support and job-embedded induction programs for credential clearing. Currently there is no structure in place for induction programs or credential clearing in the Diocese of Orange.
Teachers use a multitude of formative and informative assessments to support and guide their instruction. Assessments are frequent, varied, and consistently integrated into the teaching/learning process. In the primary grades, teachers use a variety of performance-based assessments. Teachers in Grades K-8 use data from STAR math and reading tests, administered
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three times each year (increasing to four times a year in 2019-2020) to guide, pace, and differentiate instruction. The teachers also use this data to organize their students into small, strategic groups that maximize time and promote learning. The teachers use data from MobyMax, a learning-based tool, especially in regards to core subjects such as math and reading. The reading assessment gives each student a Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) based on reading comprehension. This helps students choose reading materials appropriate for their comprehension level.
Accelerated Reader is a school-wide supplementary reading program that assesses students’ reading comprehension levels. Students in Grades 1 - 8 take web-based quizzes on books that they have independently chosen. Teachers set individual reading goals each trimester for their students. Furthermore, teachers use a variety of weekly spelling, reading comprehension, and grammar assessments from the Journeys English Language Arts program. Students’ speaking and listening skills are developed through oral and project-based assessments.
Teachers submit weekly lesson plans to the FACTS SIS database. Administration reviews the plans to ensure adherence to the standards, as well as continuity of instruction between grade level classes and across the grade levels. Grade level PLCs, under the guidance of specified lead teachers, meet once a month to coordinate learning, share ideas, liaison with the principal, and discuss ways to promote student learning.
In recent years, increases in cyber-bullying, Outreach Concern referrals, and student discipline logs have identified a need for more programs to address student health and wellness in the area mental well-being. In addition, decreases in student physical fitness have been noted by the physical education teachers. At the close of the 2018-2019 school year, a student health and wellness subcommittee addition to the school board was proposed and approved. The topics for a wellness curriculum and securing funding for it are currently being discussed by the school board.
Each classroom is furnished with a SMART Board to provide our students interactive access to the multitude of technology programs in which our school has invested. All teachers
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have been trained in a variety of technology programs that are integrated into their curriculum, including:
Educational Learning Software/Apps: • Accelerated Reader • Amplify Science (interactive simulations) • Big Ideas Math (Grades 6-8th) • Brainstorm STEM program Grades 3-8, with an afterschool club • Chatterpix Kids app • Common Sense Media (internet safety) • Discovery Education • Edmodo • Edulastic • Ed Your Friend In Learning (social studies) • (Flipped) classroom videos • Google Classroom • Journeys ELA / Think Central (Grades K – 5) • Kahoot Formative Assessment • Math in Focus (Grades K-5th) (with Singapore methodology) • MobyMax • Seesaw • SMART Notebook
In conclusion, instructional methodology begins with certified teachers who have received Basic Catechist certification and continue their professional development in methodologies, technology, and implementation of standards. Professional teachers apply research-based knowledge into their teaching to ensure that high achievement among all students is fully supported.
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Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Robust professional development program for teachers (NBECS 7.10) • Full integration of NGSS through Amplify Science (NBECS 7.13, 7.4)
Significant Goals: • Develop a school-wide wellness program (NBECS 7.2) • Provide mentorship and ongoing professional development to new teachers (NBECS 11.3)
Chapter 3F Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Appendix C-1, Addendum G, Addendum J, Outreach Concern Referrals Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, FACTS SIS School Database, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics, Renaissance STAR Assessment Suite, MobyMax Student Adaptive Learning Program Archived Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Outreach Concern Referrals, Student Discipline Logs
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3G. SUPPORT FOR STUDENT SPIRITUAL, PERSONAL, AND ACADEMIC GROWTH
Within the school’s community of faith, students have opportunities to participate in support services and activities to assist them in accessing the curricular and co-curricular programs to achieve the Schoolwide Learning Expectations, Arch/diocesan curriculum standards (local curriculum standards where Arch/diocesan standards don’t exist), and other governing authority expectations.
Our school mission statement, philosophy and SLEs recognize spiritual growth as a lifelong process intricately linked to parish life. Our students are encouraged to develop a personal relationship with God and deepen their spirituality through active participation in parish community activities, which includes Mass, the annual parish fall festival, and various parish gatherings and activities. In addition, our school provides many occasions for students to deepen their spirituality through formal catechesis in religion classes, student body Masses, prayer services, adoration, regular reception of sacraments, daily school prayer, and various service opportunities. We encourage a spirit of community within our school that affirms our school motto: “It’s a great day to be a Saint!”
St. Bonaventure School’s founding order, the PBVM, endowed our school with the inspiration “Not Words, But Deeds.” First spoken by Nano Nagle, the founder of the PBVM, the phrase embodies the charism of our school, and has become our informal motto. As Catholic educators, we strive to develop in our students a real-world spirituality that manifests in our actions, not merely in our words. We endeavor to instill our monthly Catholic social program “Virtues in Practice” throughout our curriculum, and further strengthen it with carefully planned class retreats, field study experiences to the Museum of Tolerance and San Juan Capistrano Mission, participation in the Chapman University Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, a spiritual adoption celebration of life for the unborn, service to our parish ministries, collections of food, clothing and hygiene products throughout the year, and monthly donations to Diocesan and global charities (see Addendums I and L). In the future, we may merge the “Virtues in Practice” program with our student health and wellness program.
We are fortunate to have the presence of the Presentation Sisters on our campus. While they no longer teach full-time, their presence on our campus and interaction with our students are invaluable. They visit classrooms, help students plan and practice liturgies, and are joyful, active
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participants at Mass and every school celebration. The Sisters serve as living models of the vocation of religious life. In addition, our priests and deacons are a welcome and familiar sight on our campus, and their regular classroom visits develop deep and lasting bonds with our students.
Based on mission-driven standards, our school offers extra-curricular and co-curricular programs to St. Bonaventure Catholic School students. These programs offer multiple opportunities for personal growth and individual achievement. Students participate in physical education classes twice a week, music assemblies, Meet the Masters art program, and the California Weekly Explorer Walk-Through programs. Other examples include: altar serving, cantoring, participation in the Chapman University Holocaust Writing and Art Contest, Brainstorm STEM Education, class musicals (Grades TK - 6), Junior High Honor Choir, National Geography Bee, National Mythology Exam, American Mathematics Challenge for 8th Graders (AMC8), Spanish classes, choir, various SLE-driven activities during Catholic Schools’ Week, and the Diocesan Junior High Academic Decathlon (see Addendum B).
Parent volunteers support students’ spiritual, academic, and personal growth by volunteering in all aspects of school life. The Faith Formation subcommittee of the Consultative School Board is made up of parents and a Campus Ministry Team who work together to ensure our school’s charism remains vibrant. All parents are welcome to participate. This collaboration helps to develop and promote a Catholic faith community of tolerance and respect, identify age and grade-appropriate service opportunities for students and families, strengthen the bond between the school and parish communities, and partner with other ministries to support and encourage faith formation opportunities. This past year, in partnership with the parish Faith Formation Office, three family dinners were held for the first time to unite the parish faith formation families with school families as they prepared to receive the sacrament of First Holy Communion.
Our faculty and staff work closely with the parish Faith Formation Office, especially during sacramental preparation years, to ensure that each of our students is fully prepared to receive the sacraments. This is also a time to encourage parents to deepen their own faith while
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their children are guided on spiritual journeys. Parents participate in retreats and with professions of faith during Mass.
Grades 5 and 8 take the ACRE to assess their knowledge of church and morality. The ACRE Test data provides teachers with specific areas of strength and needed growth to inform their religious instruction. A data team will be formed during 2019-2020 to disaggregate and articulate assessment results to inform instruction.
Various field-study experiences at each grade level support student’s personal and academic growth. Experiences include but are not limited to: visits to Modjeska Canyon, San Bernardino Mountains, Channel Islands, Washington D.C., Gettysburg, and New York. Our students attend a variety of field trips to San Juan Capistrano Mission, Knott’s Berry Farm, Servite Theater, Long Beach Aquarium, Westminster High School Farms, and Lazy W Ranch. Extended field trips to the Channel Islands and to the Basilica in Washington D.C. include celebrations of Mass. All field-study experiences are SLE-driven, with the intention of promoting life-long learners, responsible citizens, and Christ-centered, compassionate Catholics.
Junior high students develop leadership skills by serving as elected members of the student government. Student government activities consist of public speaking, organizing and implementing Jesus Jeans Day fundraisers, and service projects. Many seventh and eighth grade students join our Technology Team, utilizing their technology skills to produce SBS-TV broadcasts, slide presentations and weekly morning announcements for the school community. These students are also members of The Association of Western Catholic Schools Council (TACSC). All Grade 8 students practice leadership skills as they facilitate their Faith Families, which are “families” of approximately ten students from each grade level who meet together to pray and perform service during school hours.
Support services are varied and available to all students. Students have access to multiple forms of technology to support their learning. Our Lunch-Time Support program, developed in 2014, offers tutoring and quiet study time to students who have not completed assignments. Many teachers schedule extra support time for students before and after school hours.
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In addition, the school’s DLS department is managed by a credentialed teacher who assigns support faculty and staff to assist students in every grade level. The DLS teachers work closely with subject teachers, instructional aides and parents to provide the academic support, empowerment, enrichment, and guidance that enable students to experience academic success. The list of students who receive DLS is fluid. Depending on student needs, DLS teachers work with individual students and small groups. The goal is to support all students to become self- directed learners while accommodating students’ unique learning exceptionalities.
Equally important, students need support and guidance in the area of personal and social growth. Recognizing the many components for student health, we have offered counseling services to our students for the past twenty years. Currently, our school employs Outreach Concern, which collaborates with our Diversified Learning Support staff to help students with study skills, decision-making, and other social skills. In 2019-2020, support will be a component of a larger student wellness program.
A variety of after-school activities is offered to our students. These activities include: art club, cheerleading, robotics, chess, Lego engineering class, string instruments, band instruments, choir, drama club, and the Campus Ministry (see Addendum E). During the 2019-2020 school year, an after-school program with tiered robotics competition teams will be offered to students new to robotics and those who are skilled. The school community recognizes outstanding members of these after-school activities, and gives shout-outs and certificates during school assemblies, on SBS-TV or at performances/productions. Students are also recognized through Saints Connect, our bi-monthly digital newsletter. During school hours, Christ-centered behavior is encouraged by our “Caught Being Good” and “Bee-havior” incentive programs.
Technology is integrated in the curriculum using the National Educational Standards (NETS). Our faculty uses SMART Boards, digital and video cameras, iPads, Chromebooks, document cameras, and classroom computers daily to enhance the curriculum. Students in Grades 5 - 8 have 1:1 Chromebooks. We have fourteen wireless access points throughout the school, controlled by Ruckus Controller box, located with the network components in the main data frame (MDF).
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Students are held accountable to the technology contract they sign at the beginning of each year. Because teachers encourage students to apply technology to their learning on a daily basis, a system was needed to coordinate usage among devices shared between classrooms. To facilitate this, our digital literacy instructor created a Google calendar where teachers reserve specific mobile devices for their classes at specific times.
The school subscribes to many web-based programs which include: FACTS SIS, Renaissance Learning, Accelerated Reader, Discovery Education, Pearson Auténtico, MobyMax and Amplify Science, Think Central (reading and math programs), and many educational practice skill games and learning apps (see Addendum W). These web-based programs, many accessible by parents and students from home, engage and challenge students at all levels. Educational web-based programs are integrated into the daily curriculum throughout the academic year and provide another way for teachers to differentiate lessons.
In our quest to develop responsible citizens, the school uses Lightspeed content filter, a program required by the Diocese of Orange. In addition, we use Go Guardian, a supplementary program, to ensure an appropriate online environment. Taught annually, Common Sense Media offers eRate compliance and addresses internet safety, social networking and cyber bullying.
To maintain students’ focus on academic growth, our policy on campus requires that cell phones must be secured with the homeroom teacher in the morning before classes begin. Grades 5 – 8 have phone pocket-charts where students place their cell phones every morning. Morning announcements remind students to turn off and secure their cell phones. As part of our planned Student Wellness Program, we are considering a future no-cell phone policy.
Maintaining a safe learning environment is crucial to supporting students’ personal growth. The safety coordinator at St. Bonaventure Catholic ensures that the administration, faculty and staff receive updated disaster plans on a yearly basis. The plans identify job responsibilities during fire, earthquake and lockdown drills. Disaster release procedures are posted on the school website for parents and the parish community. Students are instructed in the proper procedures for all drills routinely throughout the school year. Staff and faculty are trained in current safety measures and informed about any changes to the current plan. In
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addition, frequent meetings with the Huntington Beach Police Department’s School Resource Officer (an SBS alumni) are scheduled to review lockdown plans, school facility maps and campus security. Suggestions and recommendations are communicated to shareholders and scheduled for implementation. It is noted that dozens of hours of consultation took place with an expert school board member before the 2018-2019 school year to develop an alternate emergency evacuation plan that compensates for the current church construction and renovation.
The closed campus of our school is a safe environment for students and staff. All teachers and staff receive safe environment training and CPR/First Aid certification. A full-time health technician serves in our Health Room. A full-time yard duty supervision program is in place. All visitors are required to sign in at the school office before entering the campus. Teachers carry walkie-talkies and wear ID badges.
The St. Bonaventure School after-school athletic program provides quality and competitive sports in a Christian environment for intermediate and junior high students. Our sports teams compete in the Parochial Athletic League (PAL) and other sanctioned tournaments. Our cheerleaders represent our school at home games and tournaments. Our philosophy is that Christ is ever-present at games; thus, each sporting event emphasizes sportsmanship, and begins and ends in prayer. This summer, all athletic coaches will be trained in the Play Like A Champion program to educate team players on the skillsets of Christian sportsmanship. Our athletic program, together with the variety of after-school activities, gives all students the opportunity to develop spiritual, personal, and academic growth.
In summation, our students’ spiritual growth is nourished by the traditions of our Catholic faith that occur throughout the school day and are integrated into all aspects of the school’s curriculum. A variety of student support services are in place to promote personal, spiritual, academic growth and confidence to improve student learning at all levels. Many structures are utilized that provide differentiated academics to support the spiritual, personal, and academic success of all students.
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Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • High student involvement in a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. (NBECS 9.3) • Strong technology integration in Grades K – 8. (NBECS 7.4) • Strong and collaborative relationship with the parish (NBECS 3.1, 3.2) • After-school leveled Robotics Competition Teams (NBECS 9.3)
Significant Goals: • Update school-wide safety plans when church construction is complete (NBECS 12.1) • Implement ACRE data teams (NBECS 8.2, 8.5) • Develop and implement a school-wide wellness program (NBECS 9.2)
Chapter 3G Evidence Type Evidence Documents ISL Record of Meetings, Addendum B, Addendum E, Addendum I, Addendum L, Addendum W, Outreach Concern Referrals Photos SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, Atlas Rubicon Curricular Mapping, FACTS SIS School Database, Google Classroom SLE Rubrics, Renaissance STAR Assessment Suite, MobyMax Student Adaptive Learning Program Archived ACRE Assessment Results, Saints Connect Issues, PLC Minutes, Faculty Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Consultative School Board Meeting Agenda/Minutes, PFA Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Parish Executive Staff Meeting Agenda/Minutes, Outreach Concern Referrals, Student Discipline Logs
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3H. RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT HIGH ACHIEVEMENT OF ALL STUDENTS
The pastor, principal, and school board develop, implement, and monitor resources and plans to ensure and support high achievement of all students of the Schoolwide Learning Expectations, Arch/diocesan curriculum standards (local curriculum standards where Arch/diocesan standards don’t exist), and other governing authority expectations.
Partnering with parents, St. Bonaventure Catholic School faculty and staff strive to support each child spiritually through the strong and vibrant Catholic identity, and academically by providing a rigorous curriculum that challenges students to levels appropriate for them. We strive to develop a strong sense of well-being by providing a safe environment for them to develop and learn.
Sustaining this environment over the long-term requires ensuring the operational vitality of St. Bonaventure Catholic School. The term “operational vitality” encompasses finances, human resources, professional development, facility maintenance, and ongoing communication and institutional advancement.
The administration of St. Bonaventure Catholic School, in collaboration with the parish, Parish Finance Council, school board, and Parent Faculty Association, uses a variety of practices and strategies to manage and develop resources to support the high achievement of all students. The school’s financial resources are managed by qualified employees which include two staff with MBAs. Supported by a third party accountant, the school board finance sub-committee, and the Parish Finance Council, financial expertise and consultation are at the forefront of excellent financial stewardship and the business practices in place.
The annual budget preparation process is collaborative between the administration, pastor and Parish Finance Council, school department heads, faculty, staff and parents. The process encompasses three months of historical analysis, enrollment projections, funding prioritization and ongoing communication with shareholders. The final budget is balanced with a surplus, and maintains the school’s commitment to provide sibling discounts and financial assistance to those in need, as well as proper maintenance of the facilities, support for student learning, professional development for teachers and staff, and funding to enhance the presence of our Catholic identity.
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The school uses the Diocesan standard chart of accounts and Quick Books financial software to record and maintain all financial records. An outside accountant performs the regular month-end financial closing responsibilities, which include bank reconciliations, salary postings, depreciation of fixed assets, and inventory recording. The School Business Manager reports the school’s current financial status at the school board meetings and quarterly to the Parish Finance Council. An annual report is prepared and presented to the pastor, principal and Parish Finance Council. After approval, it is submitted to the Diocesan Department of Catholic Schools, and posted in the parish bulletin and on FACTS SIS for all families and stakeholders to view.
To ensure the continuity of resources, a Director of Marketing was hired and tasked specifically with promoting the school internally and externally with the goal of expanding enrollment to an ideal enrollment capacity of 556 students. Money is budgeted for direct and indirect school marketing to advertise the high-quality, Catholic education offered by St. Bonaventure Catholic School. New initiatives have included community pre-school visits, a highly visible social media presence, updated website, print materials including dynamic info- graphs, colorful banners displayed in Huntington Beach, advertisements and articles in the Orange County Catholic newspaper, and a highly successful on-campus “Preschool Play Date.” Each new family inquiry is followed by a phone call and encouragement to schedule a tour of the school. The principal meets with every touring family; all marketing touch-point data is recorded via a working document shared by administration and enrollment staff. Follow-up support is offered throughout the application, testing, acceptance and registration processes. Student-led tours are offered during Open House for interested families, as well as during the prospective and new family meeting in April. Parent-led “new family welcome teams” partner with newly enrolled families to help with the transitions during the school year.
New initiatives that have resulted in early registration commitments include the Early Bird Sibling Discount and New Family Grant. The Early Bird Registration Discount is available to all current families who apply, test and register a sibling by an early bird deadline in March. These families receive a $100 discount on the new sibling’s registration fee. The New Family Grant is a $1,500 grant given to new families over two years who apply, test and register their new students by the determined deadline, usually a date in March. One thousand dollars is
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credited to the families’ tuition account in January of the first school year and an additional $500 credit is posted to the families’ account the following January. The majority of families commit to registration in the month of May.
Tuition rates are determined as a function of the operating budget, which factors in projected enrollment, projected expenses, and fundraising revenue. Families are given the option to pay the full cost of tuition or reduce the cost through volunteering. Verified volunteerism results in each student receiving a discount from the actual cost of tuition. For the first student, the discount is approximately $1,000; each subsequent sibling receives an additional 5% discount. Families requiring additional tuition assistance are encouraged to complete the formal process of applying through the FACTS SIS grant and aid application specific to St. Bonaventure Catholic School. This process verifies need and recommends additional assistance funding for families. Financial aid funding for the past three years has exceeded $100,000 annually.
In 2015 a designated account was established to utilize funds in St. Bonaventure School’s savings account in order to provide additional financial assistance to the active Catholic Hispanic community of St. Bonaventure Parish. Many of these families enjoy a rich parish life and are deeply committed to their Catholic faith; in fact, the number of Hispanics practicing their Catholic faith is disproportionate to the number of Hispanics attending Catholic schools. Since 2015, we have been able to assist five Hispanic students at the highest level of financial support. For years, we have regularly applied for grant funds from the Orange Catholic Foundation, specifically to be used for this scholarship. In 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, we received $10,000 grants for this purpose. We will continue to apply each year for funding so that our school can ensure financial support for qualifying families throughout their time at our school. Our goal is to expand this outreach and to support the connection between the school and the Hispanic communities. We continue to look for funding sources for this worthy cause. To this end, the principal and administration have attended weekly Hispanic Masses, made presentations at Hispanic Parish Council meetings, and continue to welcome the opportunity for inclusion.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School is financially self-supported. Neither the Diocese of Orange nor St. Bonaventure Parish provides financial support to the operation of the school. Our advancement and fundraising efforts have evolved into a sophisticated process which provides
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the funds to close the gap between the cost of student education and the tuition paid by families. All fundraising efforts are designed to support the high achievement of student learning. The entire St. Bonaventure Catholic School community supports several fundraising efforts under the supervision of the PFA.
The school employs a full-time Director of Advancement who works with parent volunteers to develop fundraising plans, provides budgetary compliance with Federal, State of California and Diocesan fundraising requirements, and oversees execution of all fundraising efforts. Fundraising revenue represents approximately 8-10% of the school’s operating revenue and has averaged approximately $458,000 per year over the past five years.
Additionally, restricted donation opportunities are offered at each Spring Dinner Auction Gala and annual golf tournament. These funds are restricted revenue sources to ensure and support high achievement of all students of the School-wide Learning Expectations. This includes funding for one-time major initiatives such as the shade shelters for lunch tables, classroom and office air conditioning, teachers’ professional development, STEM programs, science, social studies and religion textbook series. The annual golf tournament live auction includes the opportunity for attendees to donate directly to the school’s designated tuition assistance fund for families in need. Over the past five years, the average funding raised at the golf tournament for financial aid is approximately $22,000.
For the past three years, the school has funded over $19,700 for teachers’ professional development. An additional $54,667.00 of Title IIA and Title IV funding from Ocean View School District was received for ongoing professional development.
Supporting the school’s Catholic Identity is a high financial priority. Funds are allocated for the faith formation of faculty, staff, and administration at the Los Angeles Religious Education Conference in Anaheim. Additional resources are allocated for faculty retreats, student retreats, student/staff Campus Ministry, Faith Families, and community Masses.
Student wellness: physically, spiritually and emotionally, is recognized as key to student success. The school employs a part-time counselor through Outreach Concern, funds two full- time learning support staff members, and partners with parish priests and deacons to organize
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classroom visits and presentations. Resources have been used towards student and parent education programs on internet safety and responsible digital citizenship. The school employs three yard-duty safety employees who patrol the surrounding campus during the school day, and supervise students and volunteers during recess and lunch. In addition, a dedicated safety employee manages all fire, earthquake and lock down drills, and conducts annual safety training. This employee also manages safety information, and regulates the emergency supplies in each classroom and in the safety storage garage. A full-time health technician oversees daily required medications, manages ill and injured students, and maintains student and staff health records. All employees and volunteers are fingerprinted and required to complete the Safe Haven curriculum before being allowed to work with our students.
It is noted that two additional projects are slated to be budgeted for in the foreseeable future. During the 2017-2018 school year, the Diocesan Schools Sustainability Task Force identified a need for an external play area fencing for increased student safety and protection from automobiles. In addition, finances will be allocated for our 2019-2020 proposed student wellness program.
Staffing is driven by assessing the needs of the student population in all aspects of school life. A full-time librarian, digital literacy support team, and health technician are present each day. Grades TK – 8 are staffed with part-time instructional aides and support staff. Resources are allocated annually for these services to support all students learning to their highest achievable level.
The school administration, pastor, and Parish Finance Council strive to be excellent stewards of St. Bonaventure School’s financial resources so that the operating budget is balanced and funds the many personnel and infrastructure expenses necessary to support the high achievement of all students. Tuition collections annually are 100% and no outstanding tuition remains beyond June 30th of each fiscal year. By following practices suggested by the Diocese, St. Bonaventure Catholic School’s operating budget annually delegates funds for major facility and infrastructure improvements and repairs. The school maintains a two-month emergency reserve of $900,000. Streamlining processes such as tuition collection (FACTS SIS Tuition Management), online student registration, employee time-keeping system (IOI timekeeping),
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family and student data collection (FACTS SIS), and remote deposit have increased the efficiencies of the school’s operation, resulting in better management of expenses.
The school recently underwent an evaluation by the Pastoral Center Technology department. The IT Department assisted the school in identifying needed technology updates, recommendations for cost estimates, and opportunities for ongoing support of the IT needs of the school. Other recommendations from this assessment are under review and part of the ongoing school technology plan (see Addendum W).
In conclusion, the principal works closely with many support groups to develop, implement, and monitor plans that keep our school financially viable and running smoothly. This financial viability ensures that our students have a safe and secure environment in which to develop and learn.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments: • Funded major initiatives that promote the high achievement of all learners (NBECS 10.4, 10.8) • Maximized Title IIA and Title IV funds for Professional Development (NBECS 10.3) • Hired dedicated marketing and enrollment director (NBECS 13.1, 13.2)
Goals: • Fence the external play area for increased student safety and protection from automobiles (NBECS 12.2) • Obtain financial support for student/staff wellness initiatives (NBECS 12.1) • Expand our Hispanic Community Outreach Scholarship program (NBECS 10.3, 12.1)
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Chapter 3H Evidence Type Evidence Documents Addendum W, School Budgets, Shareholder Budget Presentations, School Fundraising History, Restricted Fund-A-Need History, Sources of Revenue Report, End of Year Reports, Annual Audits and Financial Reviews, Private School Aid Tuition Application, Tuition Assistance Award History, Tuition Collection Report, OVSD Title Funds Allocation Records, Orange Catholic Foundation Grant Records, Technology Needs Assessment, Schools Sustainability Task Force Report Photo SBS Photo Gallery External Web Site School Web-Site Calendar, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, School Web-Site Published Tuition Rates, School Web Site-Student & Parent Handbook, FACT SIS Online Registration/Tuition Management/School Database, Quick Books, Greater Giving Fundraising Suite , IOI Payroll Systems Archived Parish Finance Council Meeting Minutes, Consultative School Board Sub- Committee Meeting Minutes
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CHAPTER 4 – ACTION PLAN
A. DESIGN AND ALIGNMENT OF THE ACTION PLAN WITH THE SELF STUDY FINDINGS
The Action Plan addresses the school’s critical goals to enhance student learning that supports high achievement of all students of the School-wide Learning Expectations, Arch/diocesan curriculum standards (local curriculum standards where Arch/diocesan standards don’t exist), and other governing authority expectations.
Strengths and Significant Accomplishments
Catholic Identity Accomplishments (3A)
• Improved communication and integration with parish priests, staff, and Faith Formation directors • Formation of Faith Families inclusive of all grades • Catholic parent presentations on topics such as social media and parenting • Formation of Campus Ministry Crew and Campus Ministry Team (teachers and parents)
School Purpose Accomplishments (3B)
• Development of measureable SLEs • Increase of activities involving students and parish • Increase of community involvement • Professional Development opportunities • Increase of cross-curricular activities and programs for students • Maintenance of school traditions and programs during church renovation
Organization for Student Learning Accomplishments (3C)
• Administration that contributes to the Catholic Identity of the school • Revision of School Board by-laws; addition of professionally-aligned members • Systems developed for regular communication of policies to all shareholders • Advancement Department that partners with the PFA and community to ensure the future viability of the school
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Data Analysis Accomplishments (3D)
• New ELA series implemented in Grades TK-5 as well as complete integration of Singapore Math and Big Ideas Math series • Expansion of Diversified Learning to better serve the needs of all students
SLEs and Curriculum Accomplishments (3E)
• Revised, measurable SLE indicators • Stronger connections between school and parish communities • Development of a new junior high schedule with an enrichment wheel
Instructional Methodology Accomplishments (3F)
• Robust professional development program for teachers • Full integration of NGSS through Amplify Science
Support for Student Spiritual, Personal, and Academic Growth Accomplishments (3G)
• High student involvement in a variety of curricular and co-curricular activities. • Strong technology integration in Grades K – 8. • Strong and collaborative relationship with the parish • After-school leveled Robotics Competition Teams
Resource Management Accomplishments (3H)
• Funded major initiatives that promote the high achievement of all learners • Maximized Title IIA and Title IV funds for Professional Development • Hired dedicated marketing and enrollment director
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Significant Goals
Catholic Identity Goals (3A)
• Incorporate spiritual development as an option to fulfill parent service hours (i.e., parent-led morning prayers) • Improve parent-student attendance at Sunday Mass • Enhance and nurture the spiritual lives of our school community by engaging in school-to- home evangelization activities and opportunities • Implement and curriculum map the Diocesan Religion Standards/Framework (In-depth Study)
School Purpose Goals (3B)
• Develop strategies for dealing with social media issues • Establish a consistent schedule for SLE rubrics to better utilize student assessment data each trimester • Implement plans to promote teacher retention
Organization for Student Learning Goals (3C)
• Provide guidance and financial support to the School Board to develop a strategic plan • Provide training for implementation of a new school-wide database • Provide more educational opportunities for higher-achieving learners • Implement structures that enhance student engagement, faith formation, and academic learning
Data Analysis Goals (3D)
• Utilize MobyMax student adaptive software consistently across grade levels • Develop working data teams that utilize assessment results to better implement improved student-focused classrooms
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SLEs and Curriculum Goals (3E)
• Implement a junior high block schedule and enrichment wheel • Develop working data teams to utilize assessment results to better implement improved student-focused classrooms
Instructional Methodology Goals (3F)
• Develop and implement a school-wide student wellness program • Provide mentorship and ongoing professional development to new teachers
Support for Student Spiritual, Personal, and Academic Growth Goals (3G)
• Update school-wide safety plans when church construction is complete • Implement ACRE data teams • Develop and implement school-wide wellness program
Resource Management Goals (3H)
• Fence the external play area for increased student safety and protection from automobiles • Allocate funds to finance student/staff wellness initiatives • Expand our Hispanic Community Outreach Scholarship program
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Critical Goals
1. Enhance and nurture the spiritual lives of our school community by engaging in school- to-home evangelization activities and opportunities
We love because he first loved us. ~1 John 4:19
As part of this self-study, the parent survey of 2019 indicates the foremost reason parents send their children to St. Bonaventure Catholic School is for faith formation and to experience the spiritual aspects that are unique to the Catholic school setting. The short verse above offers profound words. Ultimately, God is love and the source of love. The primary way Christians are to be recognized is the love we show for one another. This love is not merely a passive feeling; rather, it is what we do for others, and is reflected in our school’s founding charism from Nano Nagle: “Not Words, But Deeds.” Working alongside our pastor and priests, the spiritual leaders of our school, we will develop a plan that engages our school personnel and children to propel outward the powerful love that is nurtured throughout their St. Bonaventure Catholic school experience. School-to-home evangelization activities will develop our students to become Active Christ-Centered Catholics who will become the vital faith leaders of tomorrow.
2. Develop and implement a school-wide wellness program
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? Therefore, glorify God in your body. ~1 Corinthians 6:19-20
This scripture informs our obligation to develop and implement a school wellness program. The benefits of programs in schools that support and promote student wellness are innumerable. Healthy students are better learners and can contribute to building stronger school communities. Each facet of overall well-being is deeply interconnected, and learning how to create and maintain healthy habits in each area of their lives will help students to better handle stressors as they grow from small children to adolescents (i.e. transitional kindergarteners to eighth graders in one school setting). The health habits we plan to promote range from healthy
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eating, physical fitness, prevention of bullying, alleviation of anxiety/depression, and screen addiction. It is imperative that our school community understands the importance of healthy choices and builds solid lifelong habits.
3. Implement and curriculum map the Diocesan Religion Standards/Framework (In- depth Study)
Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28:20.
Two years ago the Diocese of Orange put forth a religion curriculum framework that offers an organizational structure incorporating the four pillars of the Catechism. It identifies a pedagogy that appeals to the whole person (head, heart, and hands), and summarizes the full range of catechetical formation in the phrase “see, celebrate, and live” the faith. Implementation of this framework ensures that students at every level grasp the concepts of the framework. Their depth and understanding of these concepts will grow throughout their time at St. Bonaventure Catholic School. As we are in the final stage of implementation of this framework, we reflect on our progress and adjust our strategies to bring this goal to completion.
4. Develop working data teams to utilize assessment results to better implement improved student-focused classrooms
As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace. ~ 1 Peter 4:10
As Catholic school educators, we continually strive to foster student achievement: We focus on what to teach, how to teach it, and how to meet individual student needs. As we develop strategies, plan, and make decisions to facilitate learning, it is apparent that the most effective decisions are based on solid data, not anecdotal impressions. To meet this goal, we must collaborate to identify specific areas of student needs, mutually decide on the best instructional approaches in response to those needs, and intentionally achieve our collective purpose of the highest possible achievement for all. Our current Professional Learning Communities are a good starting point. To improve student learning, the next step is to transform our PLCs into working
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data teams that intentionally and collaboratively examine student assessment data, utilize results to monitor student learning, establish learning goals, inform interventions, and implement sound instructional strategies. The result will be improved student-focused classrooms.
5. Provide mentorship and ongoing professional development to new teachers
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. ~ Romans 15:14
Student success depends on having the right teacher in every classroom. Comprehensive mentorship/induction programs decrease attrition rates and, even more importantly, help develop novice teachers into high-quality professionals who positively impact student achievement. All faculty will complete a mentorship needs survey to identify mutually beneficial skill-sets. Matching partners for two-way mentorship will incorporate social components such as prayer partners and designated time for feedback and reflection. Building trust and encouraging a safe environment help to develop the skill-sets that promote a rewarding and long-lasting teaching ministry at St. Bonaventure Catholic School.
6. Provide more educational opportunities for higher-achieving learners
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. ~ Ephesians 2:10
Results from the 2018 Self Study process found that additional programs to address the needs of gifted and higher-achieving learners could further improve student learning. This plan could be implemented by training teachers in programs such as student-led teaching, increased autonomy, flipped classroom models, Socratic debates, and self-selected project-based learning. This would allow for more individualized delivery and differentiation of instruction resulting in increased student engagement. As a result, the education of all students would be elevated and student learning improved.
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #1: (from Chapter 3-A) Enhance and nurture the spiritual lives of our school community by engaging in school-to-home evangelization activities and opportunities
Rationale for this Goal: By partnering with parents, the “primary educators of their children,” the school will provide tools that specifically encourage evangelizing their children and attending Sunday Mass. This will reinforce the excellent education rooted in Gospel values that students are receiving during their school-day.
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Mission Statement, Philosophy, Active Christ- Centered Catholics, Responsible Citizens Strategy #1 Encourage school families to attend Sunday Mass
Activity #1-3 1. Designate each Sunday 9:00 a.m. Mass to a school grade level. 2. Families (students and parents) participate in the Mass as gift bearers, lectors, etc. 3. Students wear their school uniforms and participate as Liturgy of the Word “helpers”. Cost or $250 for flyers and administrative supplies Resources & Sources Person(s) School Religion Coordinator/Campus Ministry Director Responsible Grade-level Teachers For Implementation Faith Formation Director Process Sign-in sheets for service hours (Liturgy of the Word) For Gospel/Homily Family Reflections Monitoring Baseline Informal and anonymous quick survey to determine Mass attendance Assessment Ongoing Sign-in sheets for service hours (Liturgy of the Word) Assessment Gospel/Homily Family Reflections Post surveys
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Timeline August 2020 to June 2021 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Executive Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings • Updates in Classroom Newsletters • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Goal #1: Enhance and nurture the spiritual lives of our school community by engaging in school-to-home evangelization activities and opportunities
Rationale for this Goal: By partnering with parents, the “primary educators of their children,” the school will provide tools to specifically encourage parents to evangelize their children and attend Sunday Mass. This will reinforce the excellent education rooted in Gospel values that students receive during their school day.
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Mission Statement, Philosophy, Active Christ- Centered Catholics, Responsible Citizens Strategy #2 To engage school families to pray often and with perseverance (add strategies as needed) Activity #1 Provide monthly family prayer activity challenge calendars including different types of prayers, meditations, Saint of the Day activities Cost or $250.00 for administrative costs Resources & Sources Person(s) School Religion Coordinator/Campus Ministry Director Responsible Campus Ministry Volunteer Parents For Implementation Grade-level Teachers Process Home Prayer Digital Journals For Monitoring Baseline Evangelization Interest Inventory Assessment Ongoing Home Prayer Journal Rubrics Assessment Timeline Advent 2020 to June 2021 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Executive Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings • Updates in Classroom Newsletters • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish Bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #2 : (from Chapter 3-F & G) - Develop and implement a school-wide wellness program
Rationale for this Goal: The benefits of programs in schools that support and promote student wellness are innumerable. Healthy students are better learners and can contribute to building stronger school communities. Each facet of overall well-being is deeply interconnected, and learning how to create and maintain healthy habits in each area of their lives will help students to better handle stressors as they grow from small children to adolescents (i.e. transitional kindergarteners to eighth graders in one school setting).
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Responsible Citizens, Mission Statement Strategy #1 Develop a qualified group of volunteers to advise the school on researching, implementing, and monitoring a school-wide student wellness program Activity #1 Add a student-wellness sub-committee to the Consultative School Board
Cost or 0 Resources & Sources Person(s) Pastor & Principal Responsible For Implementation Process School Board Minutes For Monitoring Baseline Revision of School Board Constitution Assessment Ongoing School Board Minutes Assessment Timeline March 2020 (2020/21 registration) to September 2020 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Executive Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings • Updates in Classroom Newsletters
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• Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish Bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #2 : (from Chapter 3-F & G) – Develop and implement a school-wide wellness program
Rationale for this Goal: The benefits of programs in schools that support and promote student wellness are innumerable. Healthy students are better learners and can contribute to building stronger school communities. Each facet of overall well-being is deeply interconnected, and learning how to create and maintain healthy habits in each area of their lives will help students to better handle stressors as they grow from small children to adolescents (i.e. transitional kindergarteners to eighth graders in one school setting).
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Responsible Citizens, Mission Statement Strategy #2 Research & implement healthier options to existing school offerings (add strategies as needed) Activity #1 Review school’s current calendar of events, food offerings, counseling services, and parent education programs to explore healthier options/improvements (e.g. Valentine’s candy-grams carnation-grams). Cost or $250.00 Resources & Sources Person(s) Principal Responsible School Board Wellness Sub-committee For Implementation Parent Volunteers Process School Board Minutes For Monitoring Baseline School Calendar Assessment Ongoing School Board Minutes Assessment Updated School Calendar Timeline August 2020 to June 2021 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Executive Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings
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• Updates in Classroom Newsletters • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish Bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #2 : (from Chapter 3-F & G) – Develop and implement a school-wide wellness program
Rationale for this Goal: The benefits of programs in schools that support and promote student wellness are innumerable. Healthy students are better learners and can contribute to building stronger school communities. Each facet of overall well-being is deeply interconnected, and learning how to create and maintain healthy habits in each area of their lives will help students to better handle stressors as they grow from small children to adolescents (i.e. transitional kindergarteners to eighth graders in one school setting).
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Responsible Citizens, Mission Statement Strategy #3 Research & purchase school-wide social-emotional learning curriculum (add strategies as needed) Activity #1-2 1. Create a curriculum adoption committee 2. Under the guidance of the school-board curriculum sub-committee, review and rate various curriculum options Cost or $7,500.00 Resources & Sources Person(s) Principal Responsible School Board Curriculum Sub-committee For Implementation Teachers Process School Board Minutes For Monitoring Baseline Curriculum Review Rubrics Assessment Ongoing School Board Minutes Assessment Timeline January 2021 to August 2021 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Executive Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings
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• Updates in Classroom Newsletters • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish Bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #3: (from In-Depth Study) - Religion - Mapping /Integration in Classroom Teaching
Rationale for this Goal: Two years ago the Diocese of Orange put forth a religion curriculum framework that offers an organizational structure incorporating the four pillars of the Catechism. It identifies a pedagogy that appeals to the whole person (head, heart, and hands), and summarizes the full range of catechetical formation in the phrase “see, celebrate, and live” the faith. Implementation of this framework ensures that students at every level grasp the concepts of the framework. Their depth and understanding of these concepts will grow throughout their time at St. Bonaventure Catholic School. As we are in the final stage of implementation of this framework, we reflect on our progress and adjust our strategies to bring this goal to completion.
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Life-Long Learners, Effective Communicators, Responsible Citizens, Mission Statement, Philosophy Strategy #1 Integrate the essential knowledge and essential skills of the religion standards in (add strategies lesson/content delivery. as needed) Activity #1-2 1. Allow release time for peer learning walks and coaching by religion coordinator 2. Focus PLCs on religion learning outcomes to determine successful instructional strategies Cost or No additional cost Resources & Sources Person(s) Administration Responsible Faculty For Implementation Religion Coordinator Process Meeting Minutes For Coaching Notes Monitoring Baseline Informal observations Assessment Student pre-assessment data Ongoing Student ongoing and post-assessment data Assessment Timeline August 2018 to June 2019 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings
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• Reports at PLC meetings • Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication • Updates in Parish Bulletin
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-1 Action Plan Template: Used for Every Action Plan
Action Plan for St. Bonaventure Catholic School School Code E355
Goal #3: (from In-Depth Study) - Religion - Mapping /Integration in Classroom Teaching
Rationale for this Goal: Two years ago the Diocese of Orange put forth a religion curriculum framework that offers an organizational structure incorporating the four pillars of the Catechism. It identifies a pedagogy that appeals to the whole person (head, heart, and hands), and summarizes the full range of catechetical formation in the phrase “see, celebrate, and live” the faith. Implementation of this framework ensures that students at every level grasp the concepts of the framework. Their depth and understanding of these concepts will grow throughout their time at St. Bonaventure Catholic School. As we are in the final stage of implementation of this framework, we reflect on our progress and adjust our strategies to bring this goal to completion.
Alignment with mission, philosophy, SLEs: Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Life-Long Learners, Effective Communicators, Responsible Citizens, Mission Statement, Philosophy Strategy #2 Curricular mapping of religion curriculum reflecting integration of framework and standards Activity # Map in Atlas Rubicon program
Cost or No additional cost; part of software license for all curricular content Resources & Sources Person(s) Administration Responsible Faculty For Implementation Religion Coordinator Process Curricular map reviews (3 times per year) For Monitoring Baseline First curricular map review (November) Assessment Ongoing Ongoing reviews Assessment Timeline August 2018 to June 2019 Start/Stop Process for • Reports at Consultative School Board meetings Communicating • Reports at Parish Staff meetings to Shareholders • Reports at PFA meetings • Reports at Faculty meetings • Reports at PLC meetings
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• Updates during Keeping Up With Kim administrative meetings • Updates in Saints Connect bi-monthly digital family communication
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Improving Student Learning for Catholic Schools
Appendix F-2 Action Plan Timeline
The purpose of this form is to ensure that the school is not stressed by trying to accomplish too much at one time, i.e., use too many of the school’s financial or personnel resources during the same limited time period. The data for this form comes from the Action Plan. If too many things are happening at the same time, the school should revise its Action Plan to spread out the use of resources. Complete this form and consider the impact each month/year will have on staff and budgets.
Month/Year Goal Strategy or Cost Person Responsible Other Activity March 2020 2 1 0 Pastor & Principal
June 2020 3 1 0 Administration Faculty Religion Coordinator June 2020 3 2 0 Administration Faculty Religion Coordinator August 2020 1 1 $250 School Religion Coordinator/Campus Ministry Director Teachers Faith Formation Director September 1 2 $250 School Religion 2020 Coordinator/Campus Ministry Director Campus Ministry Volunteer Parents Grade-level Teachers June 2021 2 2 $250 Principal School Board Wellness Sub-committee Parent Volunteers August 2021 2 3 $7,500.00 Principal School Board Curriculum Sub-committee Teachers
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B. CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR THE ACTION PLAN
The school demonstrates the capacity to implement and monitor an Action Plan that ensures high achievement of all students of the School-wide Learning Expectations, Arch/diocesan curriculum standards (local curriculum standards where Arch/diocesan standards don’t exist), and other governing authority expectations.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School is a dynamic and fluid organization. The faculty and staff are committed to improving student learning as an ongoing responsibility to ensure the implementation of the school’s mission, philosophy, and SLEs. The school is continuously striving to help our students reach their God-given potential in their academic development, personal growth, and faith formation. Global improvement is the goal of all shareholders.
St. Bonaventure Catholic School has continuously improved the learning process for all students by implementing, and modifying when needed, the Action Plan and recommendations from the 2014 Visiting Committee.
In addition to implementing the three critical goals, and two additional goals identified by the prior Visiting Committee, the St. Bonaventure Catholic School community has integrated into its curriculum Auté ntico Spanish, Journey’s 2017 ELA, HMCO Into Social Studies 2019, Sadlier’s “We Believe” religion text series, Amplify Science and Brainstorm STEM Education; initiated a parent education series with a tri-annual speakers series on the relevant topic of internet safety/digital citizenship, and taken significant steps to maximize instructional minutes by restructuring the middle school into a block schedule. These additions have enriched the students’ development as Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Life-Long Learners, Effective Communicators, and Responsible Citizens.
The school’s pastor, faculty, staff, and parents all have a strong commitment to helping the students achieve their maximum potential. The shareholders have demonstrated their support for the school’s improvement process through their volunteerism, school involvement, and participation in the Consultative School Board and PFA.
The Action Plan lays out a specific timeline for implementations to take place. In the
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coming year, time will be allocated at each faculty meeting to keep the plan on track. The impact of the Action Plan on student achievement will be assessed through the regular review of data: student learning assessments (formerly called report cards), STAR assessment results, common classroom assessments, intervention records, and teacher articulation. Information from these regular reviews will help monitor progress toward the goals and provide opportunities to adjust the Action Plan as needed.
Parents will be kept apprised of the Action Plan’s progress through Saints Connect and by the posting of annual progress reports that are submitted to the Diocese of Orange and WCEA Commissioner on the school website. Regular presentations to the Consultative School Board and PFA will allow for oversight of the Plan as well as collaboration and support.
Prioritization of future actions will be based on the achievement of each critical goal. The timeline will be adjusted for goals that need additional time to be implemented. Items will be further prioritized based on faculty input and assessment of student learning. Shareholder advice, particularly from the pastor, the Consultative School Board, and the PFA, will be carefully considered.
The school has the resources necessary to implement the Action Plan. Parents have demonstrated their dedication to the school through their involvement in volunteer fundraising activities, donations to the school, and contributions to the annual Fund-A-Need at the Spring Auction Dinner Dance and Gala. Thanks to their generosity and the excellent business practices of the school, the administration has the capability to provide the resources necessary to implement the Action Plan goals and support the school’s mission, philosophy, and SLEs.
The school community is confident it will be able to accomplish its goals. The entire faculty believes that, through collaboration and accountability, they will achieve the school’s enduring primary goal of ensuring the high achievement of all students, while educating them to be Active Christ-Centered Catholics, Life-Long Learners, Effective Communicators, and Responsible Citizens.
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