INNOVATION PLAN COVER PAGE ** PLEASE SUBMIT THIS PAGE AS THE FIRST PAGE OF THE INNOVATION PLAN**

Direct innovation plan questions to Kelly Rosensweet ([email protected])

Innovation School Name: Bessemer Academy

Location (address): 1125 E. Routt Ave.

Pueblo, CO 81004

Plan Contact (name and position Suzanne Morey, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 719-253-6243

Please answer the following questions to help us review the innovation plan as efficiently as possible. Is this plan for a new school or an existing school (circle one)? New / Existing ∗ If this plan is a new school, is the new school (check one): ⬜ Replacing legacy schools on turnaround status; or

⬜ Part of a district plan to create a portfolio of schools necessary to serve the Act’s purpose of improving student performance and addressing the issues identified in chronically failing schools or student populations?

Has the school submitted a request to CDE for a new school code, grade change, name change.? Y N ∗ If so, when was the request made and what was it for? ______

______

Has the school been granted status as an Alternative Education Campus (AEC). Y / N

∗ If the school does not have AEC status, does the school plan on submitting an application for AEC status before opening? (Please note that the deadline is July 1st.) Y / N

Is the school in Priority Improvement or Turnaround? Y / N

∗ Is the school a recipient of the federal School Improvement Grant (10039g)? Y / N

Will the school be seeking a waiver for graduation guidelines? Y / N

∗ Please indicate in the plan if the school will follow district requirements and include the district graduation policy as an appendix. **SUBMIT THIS DOCUMENT AS THE FIRST PAGE OF THE INNOVATION PLAN**

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 1

Bessemer Academy

Innovation Plan

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 2

Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Innovation Plan Overview 6  Need for Innovation 6  Mission and Vision 16  Student Learning Opportunities 18  Implementation Timeline 20 Academic Systems 25  School Calendar and Schedule 25  Curriculum and Instruction 28  Assessment and Data 36  Special Populations 41 Talent Management 43  Recruitment and Hiring 43  Professional Development 44  Evaluation and Retention 51  Compensation 52 Culture of Performance 53  Culture and Climate 53  Stakeholder Engagement 56  School Leadership and Governance Structure 58 Budget and Operations 60  Budget 60  Facilities and General Operations 61  Information Technology 64 District Systems 65  Accountability and Supervision 65  District Systems 65 Innovation Zone 66  Unifying theme or Concept 66  District Systems of Support for Innovation Zone 67  Collaboration/ Shared PD 67  Performance Management 69 Summary 70  Attachment 1: Proposed Budget 71  Attachment 2: Letters of Support 73  Attachment 3: 2017-18 Calendar 75  Attachment 4: PBL Integrated Curriculum Example 76  Attachment 5: PBL Integrated Curriculum Planning 83  Attachment 6: Sample Zone Contracts/ Compacts 87  Attachment 7: ANet PD Cycle Continuum and Levers 90  Attachment 8: Staff Vote 96  Attachment 9: Updated Letter of Support from Bessemer School Accountability Committee 99  Attachment 10: Vote Attestations from Innovation Zone Schools 101  Attachment 11: Letters of Support from Innovation Zone School Accountability Committees 107  Attachment 12: Zone administrator support 113  Attachment 13: Board Resolution 115  Attachment 14: Requested local, state, and collective bargaining waivers 117 Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Bessemer Academy is a neighborhood PK-5 elementary school located in the heart of south central Pueblo. Currently 306 students are enrolled. Nearly 90% of students are eligible for free/reduced meals; minority students comprise 85% of our enrollment. We have an average daily attendance rate of 93.6%. In addition to special education programs for Speech/Language Therapy and Specific Learning Disabilities, Bessemer Academy has a center-based program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) identified students in preschool through fifth grade. In total, 12% of our students have Individual Education Plans (IEP). Gifted and Talented students on Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) comprise less than 1%, and English Language Learners (ELL) are 14% of our enrollment.

Bessemer is in its fifth year of Turnaround status. Changes in leadership (four principals in seven years) and a 90% staff turnover has not yet resulted in significant school improvement. However, building off foundational work around data driven structures and STEM-related instructional strategies implemented during the 2016- 17 school year, Bessemer school leadership and staff is now poised to continue this growth in order to effectively address school needs and accelerate student achievement.

We believe that innovation status, membership in our district’s Innovation Zone, consistent and committed support of newly hired district senior leadership with a proven track record in turnaround, as well as a robust partnership with The Achievement Network (ANet), our proposed Management Partner, is a winning combination towards Bessemer’s student and school success.

In 2013 Pueblo City School District 60 (PSD60 was the recipient of a $9,628,235 Magnet School Assistance Program Grant (MSAP). This grant serves four STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) themed schools, grades pre-k-12 including Bessemer. Since the initiation of the MSAP grant, our STEM schools have been involved in several STEM initiatives including professional development and training, collaboration amongst the STEM schools, technology implementation and building improvements, and celebration events engaging families and community. Grant funds also provided extensive STEM technology and tools which ensure opportunity for blended and project-based learning approaches.

With extensive staff turnover, many Bessemer teachers have limited teaching experience. Some have lacked the confidence and depth of teaching expertise and training required to fully integrate STEM and Project Lead the Way (PLTW) units without compromising Tier I instruction. This resulted in siloed PLTW curriculum that was not consistently implemented with fidelity. Equipment and technology resources were abundant but,

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 4 again, the lack of teaching experience and adequate coaching resulted less in blended learning and more in tools to supplement curricular units. In addition to the MSAP grant, Bessemer also received a 2016-2017 Reading Ignite grant. While needed, the grant requirements added more professional development to an already overwhelmed staff.

Therefore, Innovation strategies will focus on tackling the school’s most pressing issues: 1. Consistent, systemic Tier 1 focused instructional practices and lesson planning. 2. Increasing teacher understandings of instructional strategies that will both engage student learners as well as meet their differentiated academic and social-emotional needs. 3. Incremental, prioritized and targeted professional development related to student needs, teacher competencies and job-embedded classroom feedback.

The Achievement Network (ANet) in collaboration with school and district administration will provide the structure, coaching, and accountability for these reforms. Actions include job-embedded instructional coaching and implementation of data-driven professional learning communities, school-wide professional development to establish consistency across grade levels, interim student assessments to drive instructional planning and delivery, and leadership development for both school and district administration to ensure school systems are fully developed to support innovation initiatives. Other critical needs related to school culture and meeting the social emotional needs of learners are fully addressed in the innovation implementation. Both the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and the Executive Director of Continuous Learning and Innovation have extensive background in turnaround and will provide hands-on accountability and weekly coaching support to the newly-hired Bessemer principal and senior staff throughout the year.

Innovation denotes change, taking a leap forward using non-traditional methods of reform. By focusing on best first instruction, we will establish teaching and learning cycles that include unpacking standards, writing intentional lesson plans, administering rigorous assessments, and understanding data. We have reconfigured curriculum, scheduling, and staffing for 2017-18 to strengthen teacher confidence and competence in differentiated, data-driven instruction and to provide needed teacher 1:1 coaching, daily professional learning community (PLC) time as well as scheduled student interventions and approaches. We have prioritized daily project-based learning units to support our STEM initiative, and we will enhance our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) systems using Capturing Kids Hearts, to positively connect students to adults and peers. Participation in the Innovation Zone will allow us to learn additional innovative ideas and designs which have proven successful at other elementary schools within Pueblo’s Innovation Zone.

To enact innovation, Bessemer Academy needs the support of the school district and requests waivers for: teacher and administrator work schedules; extended school year/school day; employee recruitment, hiring, compensation, stipends, evaluation; Professional Learning Communities and professional development scheduling; non-traditional staffing for non-core subject areas include the hiring of community experts and the

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 5 utilization of community volunteers; assessment scheduling; and the use of assessment tools and methods beyond those required by CDE or Pueblo City School District 60. Rationale for waivers reflect the need for autonomy and flexibility to meet the school’s unique needs and our willingness to actively partner with and learn from fellow Innovation Zone schools.

INNOVATION PLAN OVERVIEW Need for Innovation Nestled snugly against the massive stacks and stoves of the old Colorado Fuel and Iron Steel Mill, Bessemer Academy is located in the heart of south central Pueblo. Bessemer was developed in the 1880s as a company town for the blue-collar steel workers. It remains one of Pueblo’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods but the decline of the steel industry reflects low area socioeconomics with limited possibility for growth. Many Bessemer students enter school with a limited vocabulary, social-emotional needs, and academically below grade level. High student mobility also impacts student learning rates. Differentiating and individualizing instruction for students is a challenge when responding to the significant needs within each classroom.

Demographics Currently, there are 306 students enrolled in preschool (three and four year old programs) through fifth grade. Nearly 90% of students are eligible for free/reduced meals; minority students comprise 85% of our enrollment. We have an average daily attendance rate of 93.6%.

In addition to special education programs for Speech/Language Therapy and Specific Learning Disabilities, Bessemer Academy has a center-based program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) identified students in preschool through fifth grade. In total, 12% of our students have Individual Education Plans (IEP). Gifted and Talented students on Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) comprise less than 1%, and English Language Learners (ELL) are 13% of our enrollment.

Free or Students Bessemer Reduced Gifted & Yearly with ELL Minority School Mobility Rate Academy Lunch Talented Attendance Special Students Students (District Mobility Rate) PK-5 Eligible Students* Needs Students

2013-2014 92.2% 90.9% 11.5% 1.3% 14.6% 85.6% 13.3% (16%)

2014-2015 90.7% 87.1% 10.5% 0.7% 14.8% 84.7% 15.1% (14%)

2015-2016 92.0% 83.9% 11.8% No data 16.3% 86.3% 22.7% (16%)

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 6

2016-2017 93.6% 88.8% 12.0% 0.6% 13% 85.1% Not available

∗ Does not include students identified as Talent Pool

Academic Achievement and Growth Bessemer’s student achievement status and growth on state assessments indicate flat or declining achievement in both reading and math with growth percentiles generally below the 50th percentile:

Bessemer Academy Achievement (grades 3-5): % Proficient/Advanced (Meets/Exceeds) 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Area CSAP/TCAP CSAP/TCAP CSAP/TCAP PARCC PARCC

Reading/ELA 47% 53% 40% 16% 14%

Math 30% 38% 32% 12% 5%

Writing 30% 29% 21% NA NA

Bessemer Academy Median Growth Percentile (grades 3-5): PARCC 2016 Student All Students ELL FRL Minority Students with Group Disabilities

ELA 47.0 n<20 47.0 47 n<20

Math 24.5 n<20 24.0 23.5 n<20

Bessemer must accelerate student achievement growth as measured by Median Growth Percentile (MGP), making more than a year’s growth in a year’s time, in order to, over time, significantly increase the percentage of students who are proficient and advanced in both literacy and math.

English Language Arts (ELA) and Math have been selected as primary targets for improvement. Because the school serves nearly 90% minority students, achievement and growth must be demonstrated by all students, not just non-minorities. English Language Learners are demonstrating growth although many do not yet demonstrate grade level or state requirements mastery. Additionally, with a large percentage of students performing below grade level, focus needs to be placed on increasing their achievement and growth. If the school closes the achievement gaps for those students, the majority of the students will demonstrate growth toward meeting the state expectations on the standards. Re-aligning the expectations and competencies of staff and students requires innovative solutions in differentiated instruction, embedded professional development, student engagement, and linking education to future skills and postsecondary success.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 7

School Climate Recent emphasis on establishing a positive learning environment is evident in the significant decrease in discipline referrals – down 75% since 2014. Innovation will allow us to build upon this success and enrich our overall school culture of high expectations and positive relationships between staff, students, families, and community.

CDE Support and Recommendations Bessemer Academy is completing its second year in CDE’s Turnaround Network and is engaged in the Pathways Early Action Grant. In October 2016, the State Review Panel (SRP) recommended Innovation School Status for Bessemer Academy within a larger district Innovation Zone based on an analysis of compiled data and documentation as well as a 2015 site visit. The SRP rated the school as Developing in all of the critical factors. Leadership was new in the 2014-15 academic year, but the SRP noted that the principal has been able to establish key systems and structures that lend themselves to Innovation status. Participation in the Innovation Zone, however, would ensure that the school functions within a larger network of schools, providing necessary opportunities for collaboration for the principal and the staff at Bessemer, as well as allowing the district to target resources and support more effectively.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 8

Through extensive engagement with the school, CDE (March 2017) believes that while the current school leadership team has led Bessemer staff and students through a substantial cultural change, there is little evidence the leadership team currently has the capacity to determine what is required to implement a rigorous cycle of teaching and learning and ensure that common research-based instructional practices are consistently evident in all classrooms. For this reason, CDE believes the best pathway for success is for Bessemer to partner with an external organization that has expertise in providing intense capacity-building support around academic systems to include instruction, multi-Tiered systems of support, assessment strategies and data culture. The management partner should also be responsible for providing accountability and ensuring implementation of these systems at the school.

CDE believes the management pathway could benefit Bessemer given that through the Turnaround Network and Reading Ignite grants, Bessemer’s leadership team and staff have been able to foster productive, working relationships with external partners.

Additionally, CDE believes there is limited evidence to suggest that the school district has the capacity to provide differentiated and targeted supports to low-performing schools that are not in the Innovation Zone. With targeted support from an external partner, Bessemer would receive the resources needed to implement needed improvements. Further, Bessemer Academy is a neighborhood school. School closure is not recommended since there is no evidence that there are higher performing elementary schools that have the capacity to served Bessemer’s displaced students.

Why Innovation at this time? Bessemer is in its fifth year of Turnaround status. Changes in leadership (four principals in seven years) and a 90% staff turnover have not yet resulted in significant school improvement. However, Bessemer teachers with the support of district specialists and building coaches are beginning to implement best practices. For example, teacher leaders have implemented assessment structures to measure student achievement on a more consistent basis and use that data to inform instruction. Communication and collaboration are improving through professional learning communities that currently meet weekly. Additionally, Bessemer has added a building leadership team with representatives from all grade levels and content areas. This team meets with the principal and the instructional coach to review data and discuss the quality of the program implementation that is already embedded. This team then works with their grade level teammates to access data and use that data to improve instruction and student learning.

The district began a STEM alignment process in 2013 to implement a district-wide system of schools that would feed students from STEM-focused elementary schools (including Bessemer Academy) into middle and high school programs. As a result, the district currently supports Bessemer in a number of ways, including

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 9 through the sharing of resources. This support has enabled the school to create a computer lab, staff a technology position in the building, and offer professional development around the Project Lead the Way programs. Additionally, the district has provided opportunities for collaboration between the district’s technology education facilitator and teachers at the high school, middle school, and elementary school level.

Despite the Bessemer’s staff’s recent best efforts, there are continued barriers that need to be addressed in order to accomplish the much needed gains in student achievement. We believe the proposed innovation strategies will overcome remaining barriers.

Members of the Bessemer staff engaged in a reflective process during the Spring of 2017 to determine their shared barriers to student achievement success. Those barriers are listed below, along with direct solutions which will be implemented as the focal points of Bessemer’s innovation plan.

Area of Barriers Solutions Concern

Literacy Unclear Professional Instructional leaders will provide ELA needs-based Achievement Development plan for professional development and 1:1 coaching focused on: ELA unpacking the standards, standards-aligned lesson planning, Teaching and Learning Cycle, and guided reading practices.

Lack of consistent, Use ANet resources and coaching to develop a common systematic Tier 1 lesson plan template which includes standards-aligned focused instructional objectives, whole group instructional best practices; small practices and lesson group guided reading practices; checks for understanding, planning exit tickets and other monitoring of learning strategies, and quality feedback.

Inconsistency in Implementation of a school-wide K-2 and 3-5 reading meeting differentiated intervention block. student needs Daily facilitated PLCs will establish data cycles in which teachers use teacher exemplars and specific protocols to examine student work, set learning targets, and monitor

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 10

progress using the Teaching and Learning Cycle.

Common lesson plan template and literacy block expectations that include daily small group differentiated guided reading instruction.

Current schedule and Weekly schedules will include daily PLC time for each calendar are not grade level team to meet under the facilitation of an designed to support an instructional coach, administrator or lead teacher. Year- effective teaching and long calendar includes interim assessment data analysis learning cycle. days immediately followed by reteach days.

Math Limited Math Instructional leaders will provide Math need-based Achievement Professional professional development and 1:1 coaching focused on: Development unpacking the standards, standards-aligned lesson planning, Teaching and Learning Cycle, and instructional strategies to support numeracy conceptual understandings.

Lack of consistent, Use ANet resources and coaching to develop a common systematic Tier 1 lesson plan template which includes standards-aligned focused instructional objectives, whole group instructional best practices; practices numeracy development strategies, checks for understanding, exit tickets and other monitoring of learning strategies, and quality feedback.

New Math Coordinator/Coach to support Math Tier I and Small Group Strategy and teacher coaching support at intermediate grades.

Inconsistency in New Math Coordinator/Coach to support Math Tier I and meeting differentiated Small Group Strategy and teacher coaching support at student needs intermediate grades.

In addition to grade level standards-aligned daily math instruction, students in intermediate grades will engage in daily intensive math acceleration small group lessons.

Daily facilitated PLCs will establish data cycles in which teachers use teacher exemplars and specific protocols to examine student work, set learning targets, and monitor

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 11

progress using the Teaching and Learning Cycle

Common lesson plan template and math block expectations that include daily small group differentiated strategies and groupings.

Current schedule and Weekly schedules will include daily PLC time for each calendar are not grade level team to meet under the facilitation of an designed to support an instructional coach, administrator or lead teacher. Year- effective teaching and long calendar includes interim assessment data analysis learning cycle. days immediately followed by reteach days.

STEM/ Project Lead the Way Designated time within the daily schedule at each grade Project-Based (PLTW) curriculum and level to implement PLTW with fidelity. Learning approaches not Implementati implemented with PLTW /STEM Master Teacher will provide whole staff on fidelity professional development and support PLC teams in the (including overall planning and implementation of PLTW units of Project Lead study. the Way Units of Study) PLTW/STEM Master Teacher will monitor implementation of PLTW units, providing both accountability and feedback as needed to teachers

Lack of preparedness All new and existing staff will be Project-Based Learning and confidence to 101 trained by Buck Institute for Education (BIE), national deliver project-based faculty. learning (PBL), including Project Lead the Way PBL Professional Development and support will be units/lesson. provided throughout the year by in building Instructional Technology Master Teacher and STEM Master Teacher.

Educators participate in ongoing PLTW training.

Lack of use and Instructional Technology Master Teacher will provide integration of ongoing instructional and co-planning support prior PLCs instructional and/or individual teachers. technology within lesson plans and instructional approaches.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 12

Culture Lack of consistent, Reboot of school-wide PBIS systems with consistent school-wide Behavioral monitoring by school leadership (newly hired AP). Management System Implement Capturing Kids Hearts which provides skill building for self-management and building positive adult- to-student and student-to-student relationships.

Lack of student Establishing healthy bonds with teachers by connectedness Implementation of Capturing Kids Hearts.

Current school culture Introduction of new vision and mission to all school, does not reflect the family, and parent stakeholders school's mission/vision Physical learning environment within school public spaces and individual classrooms will represent and support new school vision, mission, and PBIS culture and shared language.

Family and community communications will establish and reinforce new vision/mission statements as well as PBIS systems and expectations.

School will determine quarterly family engagement events (minimally quarterly) to celebrate student work, success, and progress.

Leadership Frequent change in Newly hired Principal will be coached minimally once per leadership (4 principals week by Executive Director of Continuous Improvement in 7 years) and need for and Innovation. leadership development Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and ANet Consultant will work alongside and provide coaching to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation and Principal bi-monthly.

Newly funded school instructional leadership positions will allow for more effective distributed leadership opportunities and access to 1:1 coaching for all teachers. These positions include: Assistant Principal, Math Coordinator/Coach.

ANet and Executive Director of Continuous Improvement

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 13

and Innovation will support the principal in the development of a strong Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) made up of school administration, math coordinator/coach, STEM Master Teacher, Instructional Technology Coach, and other Teacher leads. ILT will meet minimally weekly.

Scheduling/ The current school Innovation waivers and schedule will provide the Calendar district calendar limits flexibility to schedule daily PLC’s and professional opportunity for teacher learning time for horizontal, vertical, and whole school collaborative learning articulation and initiatives. times and professional development.

The current adopted The adjusted traditional calendar and school day will district calendar and allow school leadership the autonomy to implement and school day do not support 1:1 coaching and mentoring, daily PLCs, and 5 reflect enough additional professional development days. scheduled time for data-driven instructional cycles, coaching and professional learning.

Current daily teaching School schedule will include minimum number of minutes schedule does not per day dedicated to literacy and math core instruction, consistently provide project-based learning blocks that integrate science and extended literacy, social studies standards, and intervention times for math, project-based needed English language development, special education, learning blocks of time Gifted and Talented and other developmental and/or targeted interventions. intervention blocks of time to meet the differentiated needs of students

In alignment with CDE’s recommendations above, the school is requesting innovation status and will be seeking membership in Pueblo’s Innovation Zone. The newly-hired Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning will be directly supporting the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation responsible for supervision of the Bessemer principal. Additionally, Pueblo City Schools senior leadership has been strategic in their selection of the Achievement Network (ANet) as the management partner who will

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 14 support Bessemer teachers and leaders to effectively implement the solutions listed above.

Pueblo Innovation Zone Background Pueblo’s Innovation Zone is comprised of three middle schools – Pueblo Academy of Arts, Risley International Academy of Innovation, and Roncalli STEM Academy and five elementary schools: Ben Franklin Elementary, Irving Elementary, Minnequa Elementary, Heroes K-8 Academy (pending), and Bessemer Academy (pending). The Innovation Zone provides a collective response to the needs of the individual schools while capitalizing on the opportunity to collaborate as a network whose schools reflect similar conditions and whose leadership teams are philosophically aligned. The Pueblo Innovation Zone provides a bedrock of support as each school seeks to design and implement innovations that will transition our schools into institutions that will prepare every student for a world that requires adaptability, diversified skillsets, and a growth mindset.

Each of the schools in the zone have individual communities, educational programming, and conditions that make each school unique. However, the standard practices across the zone are those that have consistently shown to be effective in school communities across the country. The Pueblo Innovation Zone core practices serve as a foundation for all other school improvement activities. They include: ● Data Driven Instruction (DDI): Schools utilize the same data-driven instruction practices with a focus on regular teacher common collaborative times and weekly data meetings. Teams use this to: analyze interim assessment data with a focus on unpacking and planning from standards, teaching from student misconceptions and utilizing a comprehensive teaching and learning cycle to ensure quality Tier 1 instruction and student achievement. ● Assessment: Schools use a common interim formative assessment system to regularly check progress of student mastery, aligned with the schedule of standards assessments, for the purpose of aiding the DDI process. ● Calendar: Innovation Zone schools have a common elementary and common middle school calendar with focus on teacher professional development and planning days as well as creative and focused use of student instructional time. (It should be noted that Bessemer will use the traditional calendar and add 5 PD days the start of the teacher calendar.) ● Coaching Process: Innovation Zone schools use a formative teacher coaching model (observation/feedback) as the primary driver for improving instruction. All teachers are coached on a regular basis by an administrator, coach, or other site-specific professional for the sole purpose of improving their instruction. ● Student Culture Expectation: Innovation Zone leadership has developed a common student culture rubric that guides the efforts of each school in creating a robust culture of performance and high expectations for all students and adults. ● Benchmark for English Language Arts (ELA) and Math: Innovation Zone leadership implements zone-

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 15

wide benchmark assessments for ELA and math providing a zone-wide system of accountability and a common measure of success for internal zone planning as well as external stakeholder communication. ● Schedule of Assessed Standards: Each school in the Innovation Zone uses curricula that best fits the needs of individual student communities and school model. The scope and sequence of instruction aligns in content, though not always in pedagogy, at each school throughout the year. However, the Innovation Zone adheres to a common schedule of assessed standards by level. ● Performance Management routines and cycles: Zone schools use common performance management tool to capture student and plan implementation data to guide performance management. Additionally, the zone schools are required to hold regular meetings with stakeholder groups at the school, district, board, and community level to gain input and a broad perspective on school impact. ● Parental and Student Compact: Innovation Zone parent compacts are common by level and are aligned conceptually and philosophically. ● Teacher Commitment Form: Innovation Zone schools have a common teacher commitment form that identifies common values and expectations of teachers. ● Teacher Evaluation: Innovation Zone schools has developed common cut points for various measures. Zone leadership determines the 50% data requirement for each school in the zone rather than leaving it up to individual teachers. ● Collaborative Decision Making: Innovation Zone leadership consults as a team on changes to zone core practices and any other changes that may have an impact upon the zone. This includes hiring decisions that may affect the zone. Zone principals participate in the hiring process for any principal and assistant principal roles within the zone.

Waiver requests: To enact innovation, Bessemer Academy needs the support of the school district and requests waivers for: teacher and administrator work schedules; extended school year/school day; employee recruitment, hiring, compensation, stipends, evaluation; Professional Learning Communities and professional development scheduling; non-traditional staffing for non-core subject areas include the hiring of community experts and the utilization of community volunteers; assessment scheduling; and the use of assessment tools and methods beyond those required by CDE or Pueblo School District 60. Rationale for waivers reflect the need for autonomy and flexibility to meet the school’s unique needs and our willingness to actively partner with and learn from fellow Innovation Zone schools.

Mission and Vision Bessemer’s Innovation Team and staff recently revised the school’s mission and vision to better align with the STEM and PBL focus. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 16

Mission Bessemer Academy seeks to fully integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a Project-based Learning (PBL) environment so that students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to create positive change in the world.

Vision All Bessemer Academy students will have the necessary skills to become college and career ready and to thrive in the 21st Century.

Bessemer Academy will achieve its vision and mission through: ● Culture of universal achievement for students and teachers ● High-quality, rigorous core curriculum enhanced by a STEM focus ● Purposeful teaching and student learning by highly qualified staff ● Highly qualified staff who are supported in their learning and teaching through professional development, coaching, observation and feedback, Professional Learning Communities, and robust data discussions ● Enrichment Programs ● Project-Based Learning ● Capturing Kids Hearts ● Universal PBIS School Strategies ● Vertical and horizontal curriculum, instruction, and professional development alignment ● Meaningful parent and community involvement ● Innovation Zone schedule, additional PD days, and collaboration

Core Values Bessemer Academy staff and our surrounding community believe that our students are intelligent and capable of meeting rigorous academic learning expectations. We believe if we engage students in compelling academic curriculum in conjunction with mindful habits and pride in their accomplishments, we will create proficient students who are prepared for secondary education and beyond. We exemplify PRIDE to our students through the following traits: P Prepared R Respectful I Integrity D Dedication E Effort

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 17

Student Learning Outcomes

In 2013 Pueblo School District 60 (PSD 60) was the recipient of a $9,628,235 Magnet School Assistance Program Grant (MSAP). The grant created a four school STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) pipeline which includes Bessemer Academy, Highland Park Elementary, Roncalli STEM Middle School, and Central High School STEM Magnet. The STEM schools developed a STEM Learner Profile that delineates outcomes in nine categories that we expect from our high school students.

Workforce Readiness Problem Solver Community Oriented ● Demonstrates job readiness ● Exercises sound reasoning ● Works appropriately and within the global market. and understanding to productively with ● Acts professionally in obtain solutions to complex community partners and various situations. problems. mentors. ● Works well within a team. ● Identifies and asks questions ● Acts responsibly with the ● Understands conflict that clarify points of view and lead interests of the larger resolution. to unique solutions. community in mind. ● Demonstrates a willingness to take ● Invests time and resources risks to tackle challenging that support the greater problems. good of the community.

Critical Thinker Excellent Communicator Innovator ● Effectively discusses and ● Expresses thoughts and ideas ● Sees and acts on needs. identifies problems. clearly and effectively through ● Understands the ● Has the ability to formulate, speaking and writing. interconnectedness of analyze, evaluate, and ● Selects appropriate methods for solutions. synthesize information in communication. ● Demonstrates a willingness order to solve problems and ● Demonstrates the ability to work to take risks and accepts answer questions. effectively with diverse teams. failure as a new challenge. • Demonstrates learning ● Exercises willingness to work through a detailed and step- toward a common goal. by-step thought process. ● Takes responsibility for group work. Reflective Technologically Literate Independent Learner ● Open-minded and receptive ● Applies digital tools to collect, ● Monitors one’s own to new ideas. analyze, and use information. understanding and learning ● Offers constructive feedback ● Utilizes digital media to needs.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 18

or suggestions. communicate and work ● Accomplishes tasks, sets ● Utilizes reflective thought collaboratively to support individual goals, and has motivation to for self and group learning and contribute to the improve professional skills. improvement. learning of others. ● Is committed to lifelong ● Uses appropriate technological learning. tools and resources to plan and ● Demonstrates self-advocacy conduct research, manage projects, for learning. solve problems, and make informed decisions.

The nine categories will remain the same for Bessemer Academy students although the specific expectations are being modified to be appropriate for elementary-age students and inclusive of all subpopulations.

In addition to these systemic expectations, Bessemer Academy established two overarching academic goals: 1. Students will be expected to meet grade-level standards or move at least one proficiency level from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. 2. Bessemer Academy will be expected to meet or exceed district and state expectations for school performance, achieved by significantly increasing academic achievement and growth for students, earning a school rating of “meets expectations”.

Specific outcomes in three areas will measure academic progress. Baseline data was established using 2015 outcomes. Achievement and growth expectations drive the end of year targets for 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019. Outcomes were also established for student culture and attendance as they are integral to student achievement.

Metric SY 2015-2016 SY 2016-2017 SY 2017-2018 SY 2018-2019 Target Baseline Target Target Student Achievement ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math Gr. 3-5 (PARCC) ● Mean Scale Score ● 721 ● 708 ● 728 ● 717 ● 735 ● 726 ● 740 ● 734 ● Percentile Rank ● 12 ● 3 ● 25 ● 19 ● 38 ● 35 ● 50 ● 50 Student Achievement ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math Gr. K-2 (DIBELS % at 59% 64% 75% 86% EOY Benchmark) Student Academic ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math ELA Math Growth (PARCC median 47 25 52 45 60 65 65 65 growth percentile) Student Culture (OSS = OSS Referra OSS Referra OSS Referral OSS Referrals out of school ls ls s Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 19 suspensions; Referrals) 66 127 72 84 62 74 52 64 Attendance PreK-8 ADA CA ADA CA ADA CA ADA CA (ADA = Avg. Daily 93% 25% 95% 13% 96% 8% 96% 3% Attend./CA = Chronic Absenteeism)

Implementation Timeline

Month Data Driven Observation/Feedback Student/Staff Culture Effective PD Instruction

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 20

ANet conduct Leader establishes a Establish vision and training Ensure school specific foundational assessment. vision and training for for student and adult culture: monthly maps/plans and all July 2017 teacher/leader ● Routines and systems calendars are created and Establish communication/ development: ● Discipline and attendance updated feedback systems: ● Teacher Evaluation ● Staff Culture ● Instructional Priority Ensure that all PD plans System ● Public displays and ● Formative assessments have practice embedded ● Teacher ● Interims celebrations of learning Development System ● Weekly data PD differentiated for new ● Observation and Ensure school specific monthly teams/PLC's and returning teachers Feedback maps/plans and all calendars ● Progress Monitoring schedules are created updated to Review yearlong PD ● Lesson Planning ● Student support culture routines and plan/goals and ensure all rituals academic and drivers (session Develop calendar: character based plans/focus, tools, 1. Monthly maps/plans Develop schedule for school resources, monitoring goals and calendars walkthroughs-prioritize systems) are in place. ● 2. Schedule of Assessed Professional culture visits for first month of school Standards for interims learning

and instructional expectations and opportunities Review historical attendance scope and sequence and behavior data ● aligned at all grade Tracker Review- levels. ensure leader has a 3. Administration system in place to Windows for all track feedback given

assessments to teachers 4. Data prep and

meetings with time for- analysis and action planning (reteach and reassessment plans) 5. Reteach/reassess windows 6. Teacher and ILT Reflection Meetings

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 21

Month Data Driven Observation/Feedback Student/Staff Culture Effective PD Instruction August Prioritize observation Teachers aware of and School culture routines, PD sessions for Tier 1 of DDI professional trained in all rituals and systems part instruction, lesson planning, development delivery development practices of opening PD, ensure backwards design, unwrapping and practice (coaching, observation/ time is spent practicing standards, and PLCs feedback, teacher key systems. ANet observation evaluation, etc.) Ensure that all PD plans have Training for Capturing practice embedded Principal schedule and Kids Hearts launch of ANet observation observation/feedback ANet observation including tracker setup

ANet observation All day full team diagnostic visit with ANet September Review long range Establish annual PD goals Review PBIS Instructional coaching, curriculum plans based with each teacher expectations and observation and feedback on on backwards mapping format prioritized PD components from standards Conduct classroom offered in August walkthroughs Identify high needs Implement PLCs and students and establish Support for struggling teachers weekly data teams Implement 6-step behavioral plans observation/feedback Weekly whole staff PD begins ANet observation of process Implement Capturing (topics aligned to “solutions” data teams Kids Hearts column in barriers chart above) Examine observation Design PBL units using data for trends. CDE exemplars Principal feedback on teacher meetings through live or video observation October ANet observation of Classroom walkthroughs Review discipline and Ensure PD is aligned with data team and/or focused on management attendance data. Ensure instructional vision and Instructional Leadership and/or rigor with any high needs students teachers are progressing Team (ILT) struggling teachers. are identified and have towards high quality ● Calibrate action steps, a plan in place. differentiated instruction. A1 Interim Cycle practice six steps. assessments: Provide A1 feedback to Weekly whole staff PD ● Prepare for data With ANet: review students and parents meeting; read observation tracker; role- passage; do math play difficult ● Administer conversations; observe assessments principal with other ● Review data building leaders, Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 22

Conduct teacher Implement first PBL evaluations units

Month Data Driven Observation/Feedba Student/Staff Culture Effective PD Instruction ck November Data analysis of A1 Observations with Review discipline and District PD assessments: reteach plans in hand. attendance data. Ensure ● Analysis and action Focus on rigor and any high needs students Conduct targeted walkthroughs planning (reteaching) evidence of PD carried are identified and have a focused on PD objectives. ● ILT provides feedback through to the plan in place. on analysis and classroom. Provide follow-up PD for any action plans School culture teacher struggling with ● Reteach windows Review of observation walkthrough. techniques. and observations tracker with a focus on ● Reassessment plans rigor. Weekly whole staff PD and system to collect data ● Reflection meetings December Hold ILT reflection Support of struggling Review discipline and Conduct targeted walkthroughs meetings teachers attendance data. Ensure focused on PD objectives. any high needs students ANet to observe ILT Walkthroughs focus on are identified and have a Provide follow-up PD for any and/or weekly data PD objectives plan in place. teacher struggling with team meetings techniques. Culture reset is needed Whole staff PD Identify irreplaceable staff and create retention plan/s January Continue ILT and PLC Midyear review of Review discipline and Review scope and sequence plans 2018 meetings. Focus on teacher progress attendance data. Ensure for remaining PD to ensure on data mining and toward goals any high needs students track with highest lever effective instructional are identified and have a strategies. Observations with plan in place. Provide Prioritized PD reteach plans in hand. Focus on effectiveness Focus on rigor and Public celebrations of of backward design, evidence of PD carried culture/ climate success lesson planning, and through to the and student academic blended learning. classroom. achievement

A2 Interim assessment Review of observation cycle tracker with a focus on rigor and growth of Data meetings with struggling teachers reteach/ reassessment Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 23

plans

Review of progress monitoring data and progress towards UIP goals. All day full team implementation visit with ANet

Month Data Driven Observation/Feedba Student/Staff Culture Effective PD Instruction ck February ANet to observe Classroom Review discipline and Group learning PD day weekly data team walkthrough focus on attendance data. Ensure and/or ILT meetings rigor. Calibrate action any high needs students Review PD plans to ensure steps, practice six are identified and have a practices have been embedded. Planning for PBL unit steps, and role-play plan in place. rigor feedback ANet Observe PD sessions and conversations. Mini culture walkthrough provide feedback

Support of struggling Weekly whole staff PD teachers

Principal to spend time with irreplaceable staff March ANet to observe Detailed review of Review discipline and Follow-up PD for any teacher weekly data team observation tracker- attendance data. Ensure struggling with techniques and/or ILT meetings Make sure action steps any high needs students are aligned and are identified and have a Whole staff weekly PD A3 Assessments? building on larger PD plan in place. goals PARCC assessments Planning for public Classroom celebrations of culture/ Implement PBL unit walkthrough focus on climate success and rigor. Calibrate action student academic Data meetings with steps, practice six achievement reteach/ reassessment steps, and role-play plans rigor feedback conversations.

Detailed review of observation tracker- focus on rigor and growth of struggling teachers. April ANet to observe Detailed review of ANet and School admin Review Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 24

weekly data team observation tracker- PD plans to ensure practices have and/or ILT meetings Make sure action steps been embedded. are aligned and Review lesson planning building on larger PD Follow-up PD for any teacher goals struggling with techniques

Whole staff weekly PD May ANet to observe Principal initiates End of year culture Finalize scope and sequence of PD weekly data team instructional audit of celebrations for next year. and/or ILT meetings all returning teachers to prioritize PD focus Report outcomes to Year end meeting with and UIP improvement parents and students. ANet coaches strategies Update public displays A4 ANet Assessments? Teacher evaluations

All day full team implementation visit with ANet

ACADEMIC SYSTEMS School Calendar and Schedule Currently, Bessemer Academy follows the traditional district calendar and bell schedule with an early release on Fridays (M-Th: 8-3:10, Friday: 8-1:25). This calendar configuration and staffing formula limit the amount of collective meeting opportunities. Staff now only meets as a group for monthly professional development. Grade level PLCs are limited to 60 minutes one time per week, take place during the school day, and are subject to frequent interruptions. Additionally, the configuration disrupts the classroom teaching-learning cycle, sending students to an extra “special” that day, the only way to accommodate PLCs. A schedule designed around data driven instruction will provide teachers time to engage in active learning on standards and differentiated, blended, and integrated (PBL/Project Lead the Way) instruction.

The proposed Innovation Plan changes the bell schedule to include a daily PLC time from 7:50-8:30 and moves the instructional day to 8:30-3:10, five days per week. Bessemer will not have an early release Friday with the new proposed bell schedule. One hour of this extended time on Fridays will eventually be used for student enrichment and student leadership development (planned for Year 2 of Innovation Plan.) Innovation allows us to differentiate the teacher’s workday to allow for more PLCs (focused on horizontal, vertical, and data collaborations) and whole staff professional development opportunities, not limited by district-defined schedules and staffing limitations. By allowing Bessemer Academy to create a schedule that supports professional development, data analysis, and instructional planning, we will prepare teachers to provide rigorous Tier I instruction and to plan authentic learning experiences through project-based learning.

Teacher Work Schedule

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 25

Day PLC* Instruction with Lunch Dismissal lunch break

Monday-Friday 7:50-8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. - 3:10 p.m. 40 minutes 3:20 p.m.

The daily schedule will now include the following: ● Extended literacy time block ● Extended math time block ● Project-based learning time block (integration of science and social studies standards) ● School-wide primary and intermediate literacy intervention block ● Daily student “specials” time (Art, PE) ● Additional Technology “special” one day per week per class at all grade levels

Sample Schedule (to demonstrate general use of time per day); actual schedule TBD:

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 26

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 27

Non-negotiables

ELA 130+ min

Math 90+ min

STEM/PBL 45+ min

Bessemer will use the traditional PSD 60 calendar and will not have any additional Innovation student contact days. However they will add five professional development days at the beginning of the school year. Additional professional development days before the school year will consist of a) structured professional development on innovation plan components b) student data analysis and planning. Data analysis will involve PARCC, CMAS, Achievement Network resources and assessment results, previous year’s i-Ready end of year diagnostic assessment results, and end of year DIBELS results.

Teachers will receive a compensation consistent with other innovation schools for additional professional development work days. The Bessemer Academy 2017-2018 calendar is available in Attachment 3.

Waivers: ● We request the authority to determine work schedules and calendars for part-time employees and classified staff to align with school specific calendars and schedules. ● We seek the flexibility to create a calendar and daily schedules that will include Professional Learning Community (PLC) time for specific groups of teachers, collaboration, data and instructional days, extended calendar and school days for student contact, and additional professional development without student contact for teachers. With this variation, planning periods may not be uniform and some meetings may be scheduled during times other than at the end of the normal school day. ● We request the ability to allow a minimum amount of time per week rather than per day and variation of allotted time that may not mirror the instructional course time. ● We seek flexibility in teacher workload to allow for an increase in the maximum number of preps per teacher.

Curriculum and Instruction Background In 2013 Pueblo School District 60 (PSD 60) was the recipient of a $9,628,235 Magnet School Assistance Program Grant (MSAP). PSD’s MSAP grant serves four STEM (science, technology, engineering, and

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 28 mathematics) themed schools, grades pre-k-12: Bessemer Academy, Highland Park Elementary, Roncalli STEM Middle School, and Central High School STEM Magnet. The STEM themed schools are intended to provide diversity and access to STEM education aimed to increase academic performance while addressing the growing need for STEM education and its applied use in all content subject areas. STEM schools were structured to provide a STEM pipeline from pre-k-12. Since the initiation of the MSAP grant, our STEM schools, including Bessemer, have been involved in several STEM initiatives including professional development and training, collaboration amongst the STEM schools, technology implementation and building improvements, and celebration events engaging families and community. Grant funds also provided extensive STEM technology and tools which ensure opportunity for blended and project-based learning approaches.

To bolster Tier 1 instruction, professional development was provided on the Rubicon Writing Rubric; Six- minute Fluency; Burst; Alpine data system; ThinkCentral; Journeys/ Collections Literacy; SuccessMaker Reading and Math; Best First Math and Project Lead the Way. In addition to the MSAP grant, Bessemer also received a 2016-2017 Reading Ignite grant. While needed, the grant requirements added more professional development to an already overwhelmed staff.

Though training in recent years has been time intensive and extensive, the lack of focus and time to practice and to receive adequate feedback on implementation has resulted in inconsistent implementation.

Focus and Innovation We recognize that all students must be prepared for postsecondary education and careers in a constantly changing market. Bessemer Academy’s goal for curriculum and instruction is to move learning forward such that every student is equipped with advanced problem solving skills that can push innovation – in any industry – to the next level. To accomplish this goal, Bessemer Academy’s long term goal is to fully integrate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a Project-based Learning (PBL) environment so that students are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and passion to create positive change in the world. To achieve this goal, Bessemer envisions using PSD 60’s adopted curriculum plus CDE’s standards and competencies as the foundation from which to launch learning across content areas. Teachers will use the engineering design process and scientific method from their three years of experience in Project Lead the Way (PLTW) to drive PBL learning. Technology, blended learning, and first best instruction will serve as instructional tools. Through concentrated professional development, observation/coaching/feedback, and data mining, our teachers will grow in their ability and confidence to deliver differentiated instruction that results in accelerated student growth.

It is important that the Bessemer teaching staff is allowed to begin their journey towards a full STEM implementation incrementally, starting first with a laser-like focus on best Tier I instruction in literacy and math, and entry level structured implementation of project-based learning structures. This will be accomplished by scheduling distinct extended literacy and math blocks of time each day along with a

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 29 daily “project-based learning integrated block” at each grade level. Science and Social Studies standards will be incorporated into the project-based learning blocks to ensure that all required grade level standards are taught each year.

Core Curriculum Literacy Bessemer will provide 90+ minutes of non-negotiable ELA instruction every day to students at all levels. In all grades K-5, this will be supplemented with 40 minutes of ELA interventions or enrichment. The school will use Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journeys curriculum as its base with an array of intervention, trade books, and online resources to supplement specific skill acquisition and mastery.

Name of Program Phonemic Phonics Fluency Comprehension Vocabulary Awareness BURST (DIBELS) (K-5th) X X X X X Read Naturally (K-5th) X X X X X Sound Partners (K-2nd) X X Phonics Blast (K-2nd) X X Phonics Boost (3rd-5th) X X X X Rave-O (3rd-5th) X X X Journeys (K-5th) X X X X X Junior Great Books (4th-5th) X X

Math Bessemer will provide 90+ minutes of non-negotiable Math instruction everyday to students at each grade level. In the intermediate grades additional non-certified staff will “flood” the math classroom to provide support during whole group instruction and provide small group facilitation to meet the developmental numeracy differentiated student needs. A Math Coordinator/Coach will develop and manage this acceleration strategy with the support of a math intervention consultant. The math coordinator/coach will also be responsible for training and coaching intermediate teachers and non-teaching support staff in the development of both content and best practices in math. Expressions from Houghton Mifflin serves as Bessemer’s core math series. Teaching staff and coaches will periodically review assessments to create fluid groupings that reflect skills and competency.

Instruction We understand the importance of a high-quality curriculum aligned to standards and also realize that the curriculum alone is not enough to significantly impact student achievement and growth. Instruction must emphasize the importance of critical thinking, application of knowledge and integration of skills and conceptual understandings. Purposeful teaching will utilize research-based best practices delivered by highly effective teachers who have honed their craft through a commitment to professional development and Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 30 extensive coaching.

Although lesson plans have been routinely submitted with required elements, prior to now a common template was not used and did not address the consistent use of formative assessment to plan for differentiation. Teachers understood what standards were being assessed by the interim assessments, however data analysis did not encourage or enable re-teaching of low-performing standards. Our teachers need to continue to deepen their understanding of content (reading process, writing process, mathematical thinking processes) and to build their “toolbox” of strategies to address the different types of learners and wide range of learners they face each day. They also need to continue to refine their ability to use data to plan for differentiated instruction. A multi-year professional development implementation plan will be developed and implemented through the addition of newly hired instructional coaches and trainers from The Achievement Network (ANet). The implementation plan will support all teachers in all grades, teachers who are novice and those who are more advanced in their application of instructional best practices. Our commitment is to ensure that every teacher participates in weekly whole school professional development, daily data-driven PLCs, and weekly 1:1 coaching.

Teachers at all grades, including special education and intervention teachers, will use PLC and individual planning time to plan with “the end in mind” using a backwards-design method that starts with the demonstration of learning (assessment, exemplars, rubrics) as a start for planning. Teachers will create unit plans and daily lesson plan objectives that will align to Common Core and Colorado Academic Standards. This will serve to truly integrate standards-based lesson planning into the school. A common lesson plan template will be developed and used consistently across grade levels. Components will be rigorously monitored in the classroom through ongoing observation/feedback sessions and lesson plan reviews by school administration, instructional coaches, and ANet consultants.

Literacy Instruction As previously referenced, Bessemer recently acquired supplemental ELA resources and PD through the Reading Ignite grant. During the 2017-18 school year, teachers will attend advanced reading training from Uncommon Schools (supported by CDE Turnaround funds). Building instructional leaders will provide ELA need based professional development and 1:1 coaching focused on: unpacking the standards, standards-aligned lesson planning, Teaching and Learning Cycle, and guided reading practices. ANet resources and coaching will help leadership to develop a common lesson plan template and literacy block expectations that include daily small group differentiated guided reading instruction. Lesson plans will include standards-aligned objectives, whole group instructional best practices in reading and writing, small group guided reading practices, opportunity for high quality feedback, checks for understanding and other monitoring of learning strategies including exit tickets . Instruction will be targeted, standards based, and student need specific.

Math Instruction

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 31

A math instructional coordinator/coach will take the lead in the development of math professional development with the support of both ANet trainers and a math consultant. The new Math Coordinator will support math instruction in the intermediate grades by training and coaching both teachers and support staff using an acceleration small group “flooding” rotation strategy. Daily facilitated PLCs will establish data cycles in which teachers use teacher exemplars and specific protocols to examine student work, set learning targets, and monitor progress using the Teaching and Learning Cycle.

Science and Social Studies Instruction STEM (Project Lead the Way and project-based learning modules) Meeting and/or exceeding 21st century skills, which include problem-solving, communication, collaboration and critical thinking for all diverse learners at Bessemer Academy is quintessential to each student’s success. Bessemer’s STEM pedagogy: ● Uses current and accepted principles and methodologies in instruction and learning ● Uses interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary approaches ● Engages students intentionally in scaffolded integrative thinking ● Assesses students purposefully in the application of grade-appropriate STEM concepts and practices in designing, making, and evaluating solutions to real-world problems [These assessments augment formative and summative core curriculum assessments] ● Provides a rigorous context for integrative STEM-related learning associated with all levels of student cognitive and affective learning taxonomies

Project-based learning instructional design centers on hands-on, real-world activities, projects, and problems that help students understand how the knowledge and skills they develop in the classroom may be applied in everyday life. This approach scaffolds student learning through structured activities and projects that empower students to become independent in the classroom and help them build skill sets to apply to an open-ended design problem. This approach provides students with unique opportunities to work collaboratively, identify problems, apply what they know, persevere through challenges, find unique solutions, and lead their own learning.

Students at each grade level will be immersed in four Project Lead the Way education modules throughout the school year in the areas of engineering (two modules), biomedical science (one module) and computer science (one module). Students receive 10 instructional hours in each module.

Each STEM Education module is aligned to NGSS and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and Language Arts. Additionally, computer science modules align to Computer Science Teachers Association standards, engineering modules align to International Technology and Engineering Educators Association Standards for Technological Literacy, and our biomedical science pathway aligns to National Health Standards.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 32

· Kindergarten: Structure and Function – Exploring Design Pushes and Pulls Structure and Function – Human Body Computer Science – Animals and algorithms · 1st Grade: Light and Sound Light - Observing the Sun, Moon, and Stars Animal Adaptations Animated Storytelling · 2nd Grade: Materials Science – Properties of Matter Materials Science – Form and Function The Changing Earth Grids and Games · 3rd Grade: Stability and Motion - Science of Flight Stability and Motion - Forces and Interactions Variation of Traits Programming Patterns · 4th Grade: Energy – Collisions Energy – Conversion Input/Output – Computer Systems Input/Output – Human Brain · 5th Grade: Robotics and Automation Robotics and Automation – Challenge Infection – Detection Infection – Modeling and Simulation (Additional curriculum details are Attached)

Students will utilize the Design Process within each PLTW module. The Design Process is a step-by-step systematic process used by scientists and engineers to solve authentic problems about the real world. Students create a driving question or hypothesis and then take on the role of designers to discover solutions to problems within their PLTW modules. Through the systematic Design Process, students make modifications and changes to their work until finding a plausible solution. Students realize that failure isn’t necessarily a

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 33 loss but rather the stepping stones to successful learning.

Using Common Core State Standards to drive instruction, Project Lead the Way is also a hands-on way to learn and involve the community with sustainable projects. Students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. Blended learning using our extensive technology tools supports the instructional process, assisting students to understand, design and analyze solutions to real-world problems.

Bessemer Academy teachers have had Buck Institute training for PBL development and implementation as well as PLTW training through the MSAP grant. However, our teachers are not yet confident in the processes. In order to build confidence as well as ensure new hires have the skills they need, both new and existing teachers at Bessemer Academy will be trained in BIE Project Based Learning 101. More importantly, they will now be provided coaching support as they are planning lessons as well as observation feedback on lesson implementation.

Building off of the strength of the science Project Lead the Way modules, teachers at each grade level will work closely with the STEM Master Teacher to create and implement a minimum of two social studies themed interdisciplinary project-based learning units per year using the design process provided through the Buck Institute for Education (see example, Attachment 5).

Enrichment Extended learning opportunities will provide children with positive activities to explore their interests and develop their talents both after school and eventually during the traditional school day. Some of the enrichment classes will allow for community-based partnerships where community members will provide on- site learning opportunities. Examples of enrichment classes may include: student leadership, cooking, CPR, sign language, animal care, performing arts, health, etc. An Enrichment Committee (staff, parents and community members) will be established to oversee the expansion of our current (highly successful) after school program - Elementary is Engineering (EIE). Beginning in year 2 of our innovation plan, staff will create a standards-based course description of an activity they will provide a group of students for one hour during the school day each Friday. An organized system for enrichment selection will be utilized to facilitate equitable participation. Students who require additional core support will automatically be provided enrichment that aligns to a content area of need. For example, a primary student who may be struggling in math could be assigned a cooking or music enrichment opportunity.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 34

The STEM Buddies Engineering is Elementary (EIE) mentoring program has proven highly successful at Bessemer and will continue to be offered after school. EIE provides real-world engineering challenges while promoting creativity and teamwork. Bessemer offered three four-week sessions during 2016-2017, for two heterogeneous (same grade level – grades 2, 3, 4, 5) groups of 20 students and one heterogeneous (two grade levels) group of 20 female students. The groups met twice weekly with student mentors from Central High school. Each four week/8 session unit begins with an engineering problem related to a multicultural storybook, connecting literacy, social studies, and scientific data. The “problem” is solved using creativity and the engineering design process.

Session Engineering Adventures Type of Engineering/Subject A Slick Solution: Cleaning an Oil Spill Environmental Engineering/Life Science Hop to it: Safe Removal of Invasive Mechanical Engineering/ Life Science Session 1 Species Go Green: Recycle Racers Green Engineering/Life Science An Alarming Idea: Designing Alarm Electrical Engineering/ Physical Science Circuits The Attraction is Obvious: Designing Transportation Engineering /Physical Session 2 Maglev Systems Science A Work in Process: Improving a Play Chemical Engineering/ Physical Science Dough Process Catching the Wind: Designing Wind Mills Mechanical Engineering/Earth and Space A Long Way Down: Designing Parachutes: Aerospace Engineering/ Earth and Session 3 Space A Stick in the Mud: Evaluating a Geotechnical Engineering/ Earth and Landscape Space

STEM Buddies EIE promotes: ● Increased academic achievement and performance ● Keeping youth in school and reducing chronic absenteeism ● Developing 21st century learning skills to prepare for the future ● Increasing awareness of STEM education and careers options ● Mentorship in high school youth The model will be used to develop additional community-school partnerships.

Waivers Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 35

● We seek the flexibility to determine the school’s instructional model and the ability to align course offerings to those models. ● We also seek the authority to opt out of district mandated scope and sequence maps and the flexibility to select curricula and instructional materials. ● Flexibility to select curricula and instructional materials. ● Authority to adopt lesson planning practices. ● Authority to implement high yield instructional strategies. ● Authority to implement an intentional student culture program.

Assessment and Data The Bessemer staff is committed to their learning and the creation of a data-driven instructional approach to teaching, learning, and decision making. The basic foundation of a data-driven culture including the use of instructional data cycles, observation feedback cycles, and use of interim assessments has been built. Through our work with School City, the district interim assessment tool, we have a beginning knowledge of how to use interim assessment data to guide instructional decisions and planning. However, the following was identified by teachers as continued needs: ● Consistent understanding and application of the Teaching and Learning Cycle (high turnover rate resulted in new and more novice teachers) ● Consistent instructional coaching around use of data and facilitation of PLCs by a trained coach ● Deeper understanding of the standards and standards-based lesson planning, instruction, and assessment ● Ongoing and consistent support for teacher growth

In addition to participating in state-required assessments and in conjunction with our proposed management partner, Bessemer Academy will implement formative and interim assessments in reading, writing and mathematics using the ANet assessments and online tools. Other informal assessments, including student work samples, teacher-made performance assessments, portfolios, and daily exit tickets will be used to analyze student achievement and growth.

The ANet Partnership Partnering with The Achievement Network (ANet) will be critical to Bessemer’s ability to ensure that ALL teachers form solid understandings around the use of formative assessment data to guide planning for differentiated instruction. Under ANet’s guidance, Bessemer teachers and leaders will “unpack” the standards, understand how standards at each grade level are assessed, and what these standards actually require of our students. Bessemer educators will investigate trends and draw conclusions as they analyze their own students’ work and performance as compared to exemplar student work samples. Through defined expectations and systems for planning and instruction, teachers will know the priority standards and be able to identify lesson materials and instructional approaches, including the selection of complex texts for Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 36 intentional lesson planning. Administration will work alongside ANet and other instructional coaches to ensure that they too are deepening their understandings across content areas and in all elementary grade levels.

Formative assessment begins with regular “checking for understanding”. Teachers will plan these periodic checks throughout their lessons to identify where student misunderstandings or misconceptions lie. Using ANet online resources, teachers will plan for daily exit tickets as well as weekly formative checks over the course of the unit of study. Teachers will collect exit tickets 2-3 times a week for evaluation during PLCs. This data will be used to guide future teaching decisions. ANet resources will enable teachers to find ELA passages and math questions that align to the standards and formats they will encounter on standardized tests, including the PARCC. If students do not demonstrate mastery of the standard, this data can inform the formation of a re-teach and re-assessment plans.

Interim assessments ANet will provide ELA and math interim assessments for grades 2-5, administered in 8-week intervals over the course of the school year. Disaggregated assessment results by standard are available to teachers and teams generally within a 2-4 day turnaround to be used for reteach planning and reassessment.

Student Self-Assessment Students will be guided by their teacher during advisory period to track grades and assignments. In addition, students will have at least one conference with teachers per semester to set goals and evaluate progress. Students will learn their ANet scores, set ANet goals, and evaluate their ANet progress. During implementation year two, students will keep portfolios as part of the progress monitoring system.

PLTW and Projects-based learning assessment Balanced assessment is a key component of each PLTW module, incorporating both formative and summative assessments. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding by completing activities, projects, and problems using various assessment tools including performance-based rubrics and reflective questioning. The integrated balanced assessments provide teachers and students in-depth understanding and knowledge of skills acquired, areas of strengths and weaknesses, and the basis for differentiated and individualized instruction.

Assessment Schedule Below is the 2016-2017 PSD 60 assessment calendar. Bessemer plans to use the District’s 2017-18 assessment calendar once it is finalized. Like many other Pueblo City Schools who are working with the Achievement Network, Bessemer students will take ANet interim assessments instead of the District SchoolCity interim assessments. ANet assessments (A1, A2, and A3) will be taken during the third weeks of October, January and April. Other assessments (i.e., iReady diagnostic and growth monitoring probes) may be used as additional progress monitoring. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 37

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 38

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 39

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 40

Waivers We seek the authority to determine school assessments that are appropriate for each school model in addition to those required by the state (CMAS, PARCC, ACCESS), the ability to determine consistent progress monitoring and the flexibility to access data warehouse systems aligned with common assessments that will meet the needs of the school. The school, in conjunction with the Innovation Zone, will build in a process for “mid-course” correction. We expect these flexible policies to support a higher quality of instruction, increased academic achievement, improved student expectations and outcomes, and differentiated teacher development plans aligned will school improvement goals.

Special Populations Students with Disabilities Bessemer Academy will continue to offer a full continuum of services to meet the needs of students with disabilities in receiving a free and appropriate education. Students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will receive education that supports their IEP academic, social and behavioral goals using both a “push in” and “pull out” model, depending upon student need. The innovation schedule allows students with disabilities to participate in PBLs and enrichment opportunities in accordance with their IEPs, supported by special education teachers and support staff. Specialized instruction and interventions will be provided. Students participating in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing center-based program are included in academic electives, enrichment, and heterogeneously grouped core academic classes to the maximum extent possible in accordance with their IEPs.

Student progress will be monitored weekly by special education teachers, classroom teachers and support staff. Weekly progress monitoring data will be used to adjust instruction to meet student learning needs. Quarterly student progress will be reported to the student, classroom teacher, and parent/guardian through the use of Progress Monitoring Reports.

A re-evaluation is conducted every three years to determine if the student continues to require special education services to access and make progress in the general education curriculum. A student who exits from special education services will continue to be monitored through the RtI or Section 504 process. Instructional observations, progress monitoring of IEP goal attainment, formative/interim assessments, summative assessments, and state assessments (PARCC) will be used to determine program and teacher effectiveness.

English Language Learners/Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners A Home Language Questionnaire is completed as part of the registration process for all students and identifies those whose primary language is that other than English. Students who indicate that they: 1) speak a language other than English and/or 2) a language other than English is regularly used by parents/guardians

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 41 may be eligible for English Language Learner (ELL) services.

ELL students new to the district take a World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) placement test within 10 days of starting school. The WIDA Access test will be administered to ELLS in January to monitor English language proficiency. When an ELL plan is developed for a student, services are provided and parents notified about the student’s placement in an English Language Development Program within 30 days of their enrollment.

English Language Learners who are not yet proficient in English will receive instruction and support from a teacher certified in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE). The CLDE teacher, in conjunction with the school administration, oversees placement and progress of ELL students using data from weekly curriculum-embedded assessments, benchmark and progress monitoring DIBELS Next data, ANet interim assessment data, and annual progress on state assessments. The innovation schedule will allow Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students to participate in the Enrichment and Leadership Academies in accordance with their English Language Learner (ELL) plans, supported by certified teachers and support staff.

Parent and community communications are available in English and Spanish. Translation services for other languages will be offered so parents are informed about school activities and classroom instruction.

Gifted and Talented Students Parents and teachers are informed of the characteristics of gifted and talented (GT) students at the beginning of each school year and are encouraged to refer students who exhibit some or all of these characteristics to the school’s GT coordinator for evaluation. Students participate in GT testing in accordance with district and state guidelines.

Students identified as GT or Talent Pool will have Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs). These plans guide instructional decisions about materials, programming options and accommodations for gifted students based upon their strengths, interests, and needs. The ALP describes the differentiation methods to be used for acceleration, curriculum compacting, depth and complexity, content extensions, and alternative methods of instruction and/or assessment. Identified GT and Talent Pool students will have opportunities to participate in accelerated and challenging academic enrichment and leadership academies. This expansion of opportunities for all students will provide learning experiences not typically available during the school day for GT and Talent Pool students.

Student progress toward meeting ALP goals will be monitored quarterly by the GT coordinator, in consultation with the classroom teacher. Progress will be reported to the student and parent/guardian. The ALP may be changed as needed to ensure that GT learners are making academic progress and are adequately challenged. The innovation schedule will allow GT students to participate in the Enrichment and Leadership Academies in

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 42 accordance with their ALP plans, supported by certified teachers and support staff.

TALENT MANAGEMENT Recruitment and Hiring The school has experienced a 90% staff turnover since the 2015-2016 school year. Although difficult, the remaining staff regarded the change as a jump start for improving student and staff culture. The proposed academic staffing structure necessitates district and additional grant funding. District innovation funds will be used to hire an additional Assistant Principal to help build instructional capacity and academic systems through the observation/feedback model and weekly data meetings. District innovation funds will also allow Bessemer Academy to hire a 1.0 FTE Math Innovation Coordinator/Coach. These leadership positions will coach teachers 1:1 using an observation/feedback protocol, support instructional planning, facilitate PLCs, and lead school-wide professional development as needed. They will also be part of an Instructional Leadership Team who will have accountability for ensuring the quality implementation of the Innovation plan. The school will maintain an instructional technology coach and a full-time counselor using general funds to focus on social/emotional and academic/behavioral support for students.

2016-2017 Funding 2017-2018 Funding Kindergarten – 2 FTE General Kindergarten – 2 FTE General 1st grade – 2 FTE General 1st grade – 2 FTE General 2nd grade – 2 FTE General 2nd grade – 2 FTE General 3rd grade – 1 FTE General 3rd grade –1 FTE General 3rd grade - 1 FTE General 3rd grade - 1 FTE Title 4th grade – 2 FTE General 4th grade – 2 FTE General 5th grade – 2 FTE General 5th grade – 2 FTE General Instructional Coach – 1 Title 1 FTE Reading Interventionist – Title 1 Reading Interventionist – General 1 FTE 1 FTE Instructional Technology Title 1 Instructional Technology Title I – 1 FTE 1 FTE Art - 1 FTE General Art – 1 FTE General Music – 1 FTE General Math Innovation General Coordinator/Coach 1 FTE Innovation Physical Education – 1 FTE General Physical Education – 1 FTE General Principal – 1 FTE General Principal – 1 FTE General Assistant Principal – 1 FTE General Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 43

Innovation Dean of Students – 1 FTE General Counselor – 0.5 FTE General Counselor – 1 FTE General Media Specialist – 1 FTE General Media EA - 1 FTE General STEM – 0.5 FTE Magnet Grant STEM - .5 FTE General Math Tutors – 2 FTE Title 1, General Innovation, General

To address recruitment, Pueblo’s Innovation Zone has implemented a co-teaching model for student teaching via a partnership with Colorado State University-Pueblo. Beginning in 2017-2018, we will offer an intensive student teaching experience partnering student teacher candidates with master teachers to ensure that new teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful educators in our schools. Elements of the model include: ● CSU-Pueblo supported professional development for zone elementary schools. ● Development of a teacher pipeline trained in zone schools. ● Participation by teacher candidates in zone school staff annual orientation. ● Task force comprised of zone teachers and university personnel to develop a co-teaching model for student teaching focused on Turnaround Strategies. ● Teacher candidates will receive specialized training through observation/feedback, use of data-driven instruction strategies, etc. ● Establishment of a pilot program in implementation year to include 1-2 teacher candidates per school during the spring semester.

Through a hiring process that includes early recruiting of candidates (currently not available in our district), a videotaped lesson review, rigorous interview questions, and an examination of previous evaluation reports, Bessemer Academy will seek to hire and retain teachers, leaders, and support staff who are committed to the mission, vision, and goals of the school and the innovation plan. Incentives in the form of sign-on/stay-on bonuses and performance pay consistent with the Innovation Zone will be offered. Bessemer Academy will encourage our district’s Human Resources Office to allow early recruiting and hiring for turnaround and priority improvement schools. Direct placement of teachers, leaders, and staff will not be accepted from the district. Bessemer Academy will seek waivers from district and union requirements related to employee recruiting, hiring, salary, stipends, and evaluation constraints. The Bessemer Academy Innovation Plan will include school policies and procedures to ensure that the school is staffed by effective teachers, instructional support staff, and leaders who share the vision of Bessemer Academy. The district and school work collaboratively to ensure that all teachers recruited and retained for employment are licensed and meet the State Board’s definition of “in-field” in their particular content areas for teaching in core areas by reviewing

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 44 employee transcripts, Colorado Department of Education-issued licenses, and additional credentials prior to hire. Innovation staff commit to the school willingly through a Staff Commitment Form that explicitly details the Innovation Zone expectations for adult behaviors, attendance, and dress code. In addition, the Innovation Zone operates with non-negotiable Core Values which guide teachers’ work with children. Because our district has experienced success with the Innovation Zone and the school’s themselves are seeing their reform efforts pay off, we are asking for permission to join the Pueblo City Schools’ Innovation Zone.

Waivers ● We ask for school specific authority over all positions except for facility, custodial, and special service provider itinerants. ● Bessemer Academy requests flexibility in hiring policies of all certified staff including recruiting practices and timelines, posting and hiring timelines, ability to post when vacancies are determined and flexibility in determining the length and duration of posting. In addition, we seek the ability to retain late-hire employees through contract renewal. Contract renewal of late hire employees will be at the discretion of the principal. ● We seek the authority to determine staff positions within the set staffing patterns and allocations of the district. ● We seek autonomy in selecting teacher and administration staffing and determining the appropriate leadership structure for the school based on our innovation model and needs. ● We request the ability to hire non-traditional candidates and long-term substitutes who may not hold licenses or meet the State Board’s definition of “in field” for positions that are not core academic positions such as technology and engineering. For non-core subject areas, the school will require individuals to have a minimum of 4 years of experience or certification in their field of expertise as well as experience in teaching their craft to young adults. They would be responsible for aligning their instruction to the applicable Performing/Visual Arts standards for the state of Colorado and follow the district’s application and hiring process including background checks, fingerprinting and equal employment policies. ● All K-12 core content teachers will be licensed at meet the State Board’s definition of “in field” in their particular content area(s), including English, Reading or Language Arts; Mathematics; Science; Foreign Languages; and Social Studies (civics, government, history, geography, economics). ● We seek the authority to deny direct placements of certified and classified staff from the district and the flexibility to administratively transfer staff who do not support the tenets of the Innovation Plan. It is critical that Bessemer Academy retain personnel who are committed to the reform model. Therefore, all staff members are required to sign the Innovation Commitment Form which clearly outlines the school’s expectations. An opt out process will be made available to any staff member prior to the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year. ● We seek the ability to hold and participate in annual recruitment fair(s) as early in the school year as possible.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 45

Professional Development Providing high quality professional development which includes practice and feedback sessions, will ensure that teachers are ready to implement high yield strategies at the beginning of the year and refine and develop strategies throughout the year. It is essential that we build teacher capacity to understand the implications and respond to data in a timely and effective manner. Every teacher must be able to implement high leverage practices and understand how to implement these practices in the most effective ways for all students in their classrooms. This approach to continuous improvement will provide our teachers with the tools and expertise they need to provide high quality Tier I instruction, personalize learning, and effectively use STEM technology and PBL structures throughout our school. As a result of professional learning flexibilities, we expect to see improved Tier I instruction, solid routines, and effective procedures that result in fewer discipline referrals.

Bessemer has benefited from extensive professional development (PD). However, for many new teachers it has been too much, too fast with little opportunity for one-on-one coaching, modeling, observation, and feedback. PD was not focused or aligned to the UIP. More importantly, PDs were not based on differentiated student or teacher needs as determined through data analysis. We are excited to work with ANet to strengthen our instruction, professional development and leadership – translating adult learning to effective classroom practices and successful student outcomes.

ANet Collaboration ANet’s experience in providing schools and systems with high quality instructional coaching and professional learning will benefit Bessemer’s teachers and leaders significantly. The strength of the ANet instructional tools and coaching will enhance Bessemer’s capacity to support strong instructional practices. They will also help us to develop and facilitate professional learning aligned to our needs and provide online instructional resources aligned to the standards. Through this intensive management partnership, ANet will help Bessemer leadership to build school level systems of support needed to fully implement our innovation plan. ANet’s model of support is grounded in the following four components: 1. Job-embedded instructional coaching and professional learning; 2. Access to the ANet network and group learning events; 3. Instructional tools and resources; and 4. Interim assessments.

Bessemer will receive a dedicated ANet coach who will work closely with the leadership team to build strong leadership practices and create a coherent arc of yearlong support for teachers and leaders. ANet coaches will support in the development of an effective school leadership team according to the ANet research-based, proprietary leadership rubric, the Leader Levers. The Leader Levers rubric will serve as a framework for

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 46 developing school leadership teams and as an instrument for the ANet coach(s) to assess the effectiveness of the supports they provide to Bessemer. The ANet coach will help plan and deliver professional learning to deepen Bessemer teachers’ and leaders’ understanding of the standards, improve planning, and strengthen the adult culture of learning. The coach will also support high-quality instruction based on planning from standards, drawing practical insights from analyzing student work and data, and strong collaboration.

School leaders will meet with the ANet coaches according to a timeline that aligns to a quarterly cycle of inquiry, called the Teaching and Learning Cycle. Coaching interactions include consultations with leaders, reflection and data meetings, classroom observations - whatever it takes to move the school forward. Reflection meetings will allow the school leadership team to step back and consider how well program implementation is unfolding and any adjustments we would like to make. Additionally, the ANet coach will also have mid-year and end-of-year meetings to reflect on our ANet partnership directly, review progress toward practice goals on ANet’s Leader Levers rubric, and review broad trends in student learning data. Providing the space for Bessemer leaders to carefully consider the ANet partnership and their role in its successful implementation will help develop buy-in at the school level and highlight ways for both ANet and the school to adjust course for continued improvement.

ANet coaching will help our school leadership team to develop strong instructional practice based on several research-driven key competency areas. Bessemer will work with their ANet coach early in the school year to prioritize our practice improvement efforts based on the school’s starting level and individualized goals for teachers and students. The Leader Levers rubric will guide ANet coaching to help Bessemer make concrete improvements in practice over time. These improvements will ensure that Bessemer has regular rhythms in place to build leader and teacher capacity to meet the individual learning needs of all our students. Achievement of practice goals will be measured against the Leader Levers rubric, designed to develop our school leadership team and our ability to: ● Build expertise and opinions about standards and instruction; ● Build expertise and opinions about data; ● Pursue a limited number of school-wide academic priorities through high quality use of time and structures; ● Develop our teachers to strengthen instruction and adult culture; and ● Develop our leadership team to deepen impact across the school.

The Leader Levers rubric is anchored in research on best practices for providing standards and data driven instructional leadership. Anet also grounds instructional guidance in Student Achievement Partners’ (SAP) Core Actions to ensure teachers and school leaders are able to identify Key Shifts in instruction while examining the quality and rigor alignment of lesson plans and conducting classroom observations. By explicitly looking for evidence of high quality instruction that is based on the Common Core and other rigorous standards, the ANet coach will be able to help deepen our teachers’ and school leaders’ understanding of the

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 47 standards and support them in translating their standards knowledge into standards-aligned instruction.

In addition to the direct coaching, ANet will provide in-person professional learning events so Bessemer educators can collaborate and learn from their peers. These sessions will be grounded in the Common Core and leadership best practices from schools and leaders across the country. ANet will also provide a deep store of resources to support school improvement and instructional change in the classroom. Combined with aligned professional learning, online Anet resources will help our teachers to understand the content of the standards, anticipate common student mistakes in learning the standards, and plan lessons that address those mistakes. For example, ANet has guides that help teachers understand and break down the Common Core standards and planning templates that help teachers develop rigorous lessons aligned to the standards.

ANet will conduct an extensive foundational review of Bessmer to identify the areas of focus and co-develop the partnership implementation plan with the principal and Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. The initial review will focus on determining: ● The instructional focus for teacher development to ensure that classroom instruction is paced and provided at the level necessary to show students are meeting the state standards. ● The systems and structures that need to be established to prioritize strong instructional leadership and data driven instruction. ● The structures and professional development needed to develop a dedicated instructional leadership team.

Based on the review, ANet will design specific coaching and leadership development activities for Bessemer staff. Per the PSD 60-ANet MOU, ANet will be accountable for instructional strategies and pedagogy, assessments, and professional development systems. Intensive professional development and leadership activities will include: ● Approximately 30 interactions with a dedicated ANet coach. A school’s ANet coach learns about the school’s strengths and needs, then works alongside the leadership team to support rigorous instruction that is grounded in a deep knowledge of the standards, shaped by data, and built on strong practices of great educators across the country. ● Formative interim assessments that educators use three times per year to gauge student mastery of grade level content and to identify actions to help students where they are struggling. The rigor and quality of ANet’s interim assessments have been endorsed by the leading experts on rigorous standards from across the country. ● An online platform that provides educators with easy-to-understand data and instructional lesson, unit and assessment resources in math and ELA, including video of best practice. These resources enable them to plan rigorous, standards-aligned lessons and adjust instruction based on student understanding. ● Access to the best practices of our network of partner schools delivered through regular professional

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 48

development convenings throughout the school year.

Coaching support will be tailored to the specific context, strengths, and needs of Bessemer but focused on the Leader Levers outlined in the table on the following page.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 49

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 50

Professional Learning Community (PLC) Bessemer Academy will utilize school wide data driven instruction practices with a focus on regular teacher common collaborative times and regular days to analyze assessment data with a focus on unpacking and planning from standards, a transparent use of student data, re-teaching from student misconceptions and utilizing a comprehensive teaching and learning cycle to ensure quality Tier I instruction and student achievement. PLCs will have a weekly focus. Each week the teams will follow the learning cycle with a rotation between reading, math, writing, and science.

PLC time which is built into the daily schedule, will allow teachers to continuously monitor, analyze data, and revise instructional plans to ensure that student learning goals are being met. Additional data days will be implemented throughout the year after interim assessments to analyze standards, data, and create reteach plans.

Daily PLC’s will allow for universal collaboration between all grade levels and specialists in each content area. This will support our Project Based Learning curriculum that will be utilized to deliver instruction in each grade level. By collaborating with colleagues, teachers will have the opportunity to identify best practices, review instructional resources, and examine them for quality. Collaboration around assessment invests in teachers’ knowledge base and professional skills and promotes teacher leadership.

Evaluation and Retention The school has struggled to hire and retain highly effective teachers, as current innovation schools give sign- on/stay-on bonuses to their teachers. The district provides mentors only to teachers new to the profession, not new to Turnaround. The school has so far not been unable to implement systems for recruitment and retention that have shown success. In our Innovation plan, teachers will have access (will be assigned) to an Instructional Coach, an administrator or a program coordinator with whom to work collaboratively toward their success.

The Colorado teacher evaluation policy requires that 50% of a teacher’s evaluation be determined by student achievement data. Each district determines the measures and metrics for this 50%. PSD 60 currently allows teachers to determine, from a district provided list of assessments, the assessment parameters and the individual growth and/or performance status goals for their evaluations. The school will continue the district’s implementation of the Colorado Performance Management System (COPMS) using the RANDA, Inc., system. Non-probationary teachers, who receive a Partially Effective or Ineffective rating in accordance with the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position which may result in an administrative transfer. Probationary teachers are subject to state/district non-renewal processes.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 51

An observation feedback cycle is used based on the work of Paul Bambrick-Santoyo and is highlighted in his book, Leverage Leadership.1 The principal will receive training aligned to Relay Graduate School of Education protocols and will be engaged in an observation/feedback coaching model in collaboration with the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. In this model, an administrator, instructional coach, or teacher leader observes teachers’ instructional practices on a weekly basis. Observation is followed with a one- on-one coaching session that hones specific elements of the teacher’s instructional management and rigor. The teacher and coach work to develop and practice an “action step” that supports the teacher in quickly improving that aspect of his or her teaching. This cycle continues throughout the year allowing for timely and effective improvements that immediately impact student outcomes. The Assistant Principal and the Instructional Coaches will also receive training in using the observation feedback coaching model. This practice will be linked directly with ongoing coaching sessions.

Waivers ● Bessemer Academy reserves the right to use assessments not on the district approved list and to determine MSL growth metrics for different performance levels. These performance levels and cut points will be determined collaboratively by Innovation Zone leadership by level.

Compensation Bessemer Academy will use the same formula as other Innovation Zone schools for additional pay for professional development and teaching. In alignment with other Innovation Zone schools, we also request that the district provide the monetary means for Bessemer to provide pay for performance and sign-on, stay-on bonuses for certified teachers and administrators and allow the school to determine pay for performance and sign-on/stay-on criteria.

Waivers The school requests flexibility to set the administrator work schedule to adhere with the number of negotiated work days but address the school model and calendar. To retain our high-quality principal, she will be paid a stipend aligned with amounts given to other Innovation Zone principals to compensate her for additional time that may result from the school model/calendar. For new-to-the-district hires, there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). During this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be cancelled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent.

1 Bambrick-Santoyo, P. (2012). Leverage leadership: A practical guide to building exceptional schools. San Francisco. Wiley. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 52

CULTURE OF PERFORMANCE Culture and Climate Bessemer Academy is committed to building a Culture of Universal Achievement based on the core belief that each child is capable of meeting high academic standards in reading, language arts, math and science. We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to be educated so they are prepared to pursue either further academic or career opportunities. To build this strong academic foundation, we ask that staff members, students and family members of Bessemer Academy each commit to helping our children succeed by signing a support contract. Staff Support Contract: “We, the staff of Bessemer Academy, are committed to creating a school that gives every student the opportunity to succeed. Every student will have the opportunity to develop their character and their academic skills. The education we provide will serve as the foundation that our students will build their lives upon.”

Family Support Contract: “We, Bessemer Academy families, are committed to our children’s education. We will ensure that our children are present, on time, and prepared for school daily. We will be active participants in our children’s education both inside and outside of school. The support we provide our children will serve as the foundation that will enable them to be successful.”

Student Support Contract: “We, the students of Bessemer Academy, are committed to learning how to be successful. We will demonstrate a positive attitude toward our learning, our peers, and teachers. We will work to develop our character and our academic skills. We will take responsibility for the choices we make and work together to make our school a safe place for us to grow and learn. We will ask our teachers and family for support when we need it and always give our best effort. The education we earn at Bessemer Academy will be the foundation in building our successful future.”

Pueblo Innovation Zone compacts may also be used to supplement or enhance the content outlined above. (See examples, Attachment 6)

Currently, we do not have the autonomy or flexibility to expect 100% participation from all stakeholders to support our ideal Culture of Universal Achievement. Becoming an Innovation school would provide us the support needed through approved waivers to hold all stakeholders accountable to our expected Culture of Universal Achievement.

Universal Behavioral Strategies - PBIS Bessemer uses Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as the foundation for school-wide/universal Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 53 behavioral strategies. Adults and students alike are accountable for creating a strong, effective school environment. Strategies include the following: ➢ Student data/organizational binders: All students, grades K-5 will utilize a three-ring binder containing five colored folders. School-wide, each color will represent the same academic content (red-reading; blue-math). We believe implementing this will provide consistency of expectations for the students, parents, and teachers. Consistent expectations will support success for all.

➢ Parent Communicators: Through the use of a school-wide communication tool, teachers will connect daily with each parent keeping them informed on homework, student behavior, and upcoming classroom and/or school events. It will also provide an easy communication conduit for parents to communicate about any concerns they have.

➢ Classroom Environment: Each day the following items will be clearly stated and posted for each content area in the classroom: ● Essential Question ● Daily Learning Objective ● Evidence of Learning ● Common Core State Standards ● Daily Schedule ● Active Word Walls ● PBIS Behavior Posters

➢ PBIS Behavior Posters (specific to different areas throughout the building classroom, restroom, hallway, cafeteria, media, computer lab, playground) P-Be prepared R-Be respectful I-Show integrity D-Be dedicated E-Show effort

Teacher Culture of Achievement Teachers will sign a professional contract stating that they will hold themselves and students to high

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 54 expectations in and out of the classroom. Teachers will be held accountable to previously agreed-upon non- negotiables (e.g., extended year, extensive PD). The non-negotiables will be implemented with fidelity to support a consistent culture of achievement for all stakeholders. All teachers will be given the chance to opt- out of the teacher contract if they do not feel it is a good fit for them or if they do not believe they will be able to comply with the expectations set-forth.

When recognizing positive student behavior, teachers will build a strong relationship with parents through positive notes or phone calls home. These conversations go a long way in fostering positive and functional relationships with parents. Teachers will be encouraged to make a minimum of two positive phone calls to each child’s family each month, the outcomes of which will be recorded in the call log. Teachers can also recognize positive behavior with our school-wide PBIS Paw PRIDE tickets that go into a weekly drawing.

Student Culture of Achievement Students will sign an academic and social contract stating that they will come to school on time, be prepared to learn, show respect to their teachers and peers, and be dedicated to showing excellence in their academic and social pursuits. Currently, Bessemer has a high rate of absences and tardies. Eighteen percent of our students were chronically absent in 2015-2016, indicative of a lack of school engagement and responsibility. We believe that by signing a contract students will feel more accountable for their own learning and attendance. Students will hold teachers and peers accountable throughout the day using a “PAWS” system. Students can ‘check’ peers and teachers if they see an individual upholding/not upholding the academic or social contract. As a part of the academic/social contract, parents will be notified of students who break the contract and they will not be allowed to participate in Friday afternoon enrichment activities.

Capturing Kids Hearts (CKH) Augmenting the PBIS structure, Bessemer Academy will implement Capturing Kids’ Hearts. CKH is a research- based process designed to strengthen students’ connectedness to school through enhancing protective factors (strong bonds with teachers, clear rules of conduct that are consistently enforced) and targeting modifiable risk factors (inappropriate behavior, poor social coping skills). Results from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health demonstrated that student connectedness reduced negative behaviors in four domains of adolescent health and morbidity: emotional health, violence, substance use, and sexuality.2 Effect on academic achievement was measured using passing rates in English, Math, and Social Studies. Compared with students in the control group, students participating in CKH demonstrated a 19.3% greater passing rate in English (95.5%

2 Harris, K., Halpern, C., Whitsel, E. Hussey, J., Tabor, J. Entzel, P., and Udry. J. (2009). The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health: Research Design. Available at http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth/design Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 55 vs. 76.2%), an 11.9% greater passing rate in Math (92.6% vs. 80.7%), and a 7.5% greater passing rate in Social Studies (98.5% vs. 91.0%). In addition, intervention students exhibited an 11% lower failure rate.3

CKH is an immersive, participatory experience. Teachers, staff, and administrators learn and practice skills they will use and model in their classrooms, schools, and districts, including: ● How to build meaningful, productive relationships with every student and every colleague. ● How to use the EXCEL Model of teaching to create a safe, effective environment for learning. ● How to develop self-managing, high-performing classrooms using team-building skills and a Social Contract. ● High payoff techniques for dealing with conflict, negative behavior, and disrespect issues.

With the implementation of PBIS and Capturing Kids Hearts, Bessemer Academy will establish and implement consistent and cohesive academic, behavioral and social expectations for students, staff, and stakeholders resulting in a safe school environment, with high expectations, positive relationships and culture for learning. We anticipate that referrals for district interventions will continue to drop. In addition, the change in school climate will lessen the number of office referrals and chronic absenteeism. The following targets have been established for student culture and attendance.

Metric SY 2015-2016 SY 2016-2017 SY 2017-2018 SY 2017-2018 Baseline Target Target Target Student Culture (OSS OSS Referrals OSS Referrals OSS Referrals OSS Referral = out of school s suspensions; Referrals) 112 196 72 84 62 74 52 64 Attendance (ADA = ADA CA ADA CA ADA CA ADA CA Avg. Daily Attend./CA 93% 18% 95% 13% 96% 8% 96% 3% = Chronic Absenteeism)

Professional learning in 2017-18 for Capturing Kids Hearts will be provided through Turnaround Network grant funding.

Stakeholder Engagement Parent involvement is extremely low, despite a variety of times and activities offered to include families in their children’s educational career path. However, parents, staff and community have exhibited significant interest in

3 Sherwood, R. (2003). It all began with a handshake, The Effective Schools Project Journal, 9: 6‐11. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 56 the innovation process. Bessemer Academy reviewed the innovation plan components, conducted meetings and surveys with stakeholders and parents and offered opportunities for face-to-face and anonymous feedback providing multiple opportunities for feedback since January 2017. Bessemer Academy also ensured students were aware of changes that will be happening in their school and gathered their feedback. Bessemer Academy’s school leaders assisted with updating the local school board on progress on development of the Innovation Plan and initiatives supporting the Innovation Zone. This created an opportunity for questions, comments and greater involvement and input by the board.

Bessemer Academy aims to become a support for the surrounding community using a two-generation approach. The two-generation approach creates opportunities for and addresses needs of vulnerable parents and children together. Bessemer Academy in conjunction with the Pueblo Innovation Zone proposes a massive community outreach through an extended learning opportunity initiative. This component will connect families and community members by opening our doors to organizations in hopes that it will enhance the standard of living and empower our families and community by providing them with the skills needed for everyday living. Students and families will have the opportunity to learn about the educational and career opportunities that await them in our community through field trips, industry tours, and community events. This is essential to promoting our zone’s vision and mission of developing extraordinary citizens.

Our integrated focus on health and social services, community development and community engagement will lead to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Using Bessemer Academy as a hub, we will bring together many partners to offer a range of supports and opportunities for our families and community. This could include High School equivalency courses, parenting courses (e.g., Parents as Teachers through Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Pueblo), and health and nutrition workshops in conjunction with the Pueblo City/County Health Department. The results will be: families who are increasingly involved with their children's education; improved overall student health - physically, socially, and emotionally; and families that foster a safe, supportive, and stable home environment.

PBL is a concrete format for involving the community in our sustainable energy projects and as initial exposure to STEM careers. Community partnerships with local businesses and post-secondary institutions will enhance PBL units with actual community problems, solutions, and field experiences. We intend to seek multiple sponsorships for PBL units and materials, extended current Zone partnerships with Bechtel, Black Hills Energy, Center for ReSource Conservation, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo Economic Development Corporation, Pueblo County Economic and Geographic Information systems, El Pueblo Museum, Pueblo Chemical Stockpile Outreach office for the Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant, Pueblo Community College, Trane, and Vestas.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 57

At least twice per year, Bessemer will share school progress and growth with stakeholders (e.g., community members, media, principals from non-zone schools, district board of education and other district leaders). We intend to document effective practices, producing a record of our progress and ensuring we communicate student and instructional progress.

School Leadership and Governance Structure Bessemer Academy will continue to operate under the governance and direction of the PSD 60 Board of Education. A School Accountability Committee will be developed during the 2017-2018 school year to include school administration, certified staff, non-certified staff, parents, and community members. Through the Innovation Planning process, we have solicited community support and several members have expressed the desire to support the success of the school. This committee will meet monthly to provide input on the school’s improvement plan strategies, review progress on implementation and achievement goals and implementation of the innovation plan, and advise the principal on school financial and operational issues.

In addition to a School Accountability Committee, Bessemer will form an Instructional Leadership Team which will meet weekly. Bessemer Academy seeks flexibility to determine the composition of the school’s leadership team. Leadership composition will align directly with what is necessary for student improvement and is anticipated to include the following important positions:

(Note: The Principal, Assistant Principal, Counselor, and Instructional Math Coordinator will each be new hires for the 2017-2018 school year.)

➢ Principal Responsibilities: Set high expectations for increasing student achievement; create continuous cycle of planning based on data; monitor implementation of programs/instruction to ensure actions are getting desired results; change approaches as necessary; serve and support Innovation Zone School to support the collaborative implementation and ongoing refinement of the school’s innovation plan; provide professional leadership to organize, administer, supervise, evaluate and innovative school program; coach teachers 1:1 using observation feedback process; develop and maintain an effective educational program for the evaluation and improvement of instruction; have a direct impact on the quality of instruction through the observation feedback process, educator evaluation, professional Learning Communities (PLC), data driven instruction, school culture, and the teaching and learning cycle.

➢ Assistant Principal Responsibilities: Build instructional capacity and academic systems through the observation/feedback

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 58

model and facilitation of PLC data meetings; coach teachers 1:1, support a positive student culture; provide behavior intervention support to students by responding to student behaviors.

➢ Counselor Responsibilities: Provide social/emotional and academic/behavior support to students through small and large group facilitation; continued support of school-wide PBIS; implement classroom Pueblo No Bully Initiative program; Behavioral RTI process.

➢ Instructional Math Coordinator Responsibilities: Facilitate the development and implementation of an instructional math strategies matrix; develop intermediate grade math acceleration flooding model with ongoing training for tutors and 1:1 coaching of teachers, facilitating teacher inquiry and related professional development; focus on enhancing teachers’ ability to provide instruction that builds students’ sense of engagement in the ownership of learning; work with administrators, directors, coaches, and teachers to collect and analyze data, interpret, and use it to guide instructional decisions; works with the principals to create a school-wide focus on goals for mathematics achievement; regularly collect and disseminate district-wide assessment data to determine growth, trends, and areas of weakness for instructional/program improvement and professional development needs

➢ Reading Interventionist Responsibilities: Work extensively with students to help improve specific reading skills; assist in the evaluation of on- going programs and make recommendations for change; help teachers diagnose reading strengths and weaknesses and match these skills with appropriate techniques and materials; work with support staff and school administrators to facilitate the coordination of the reading program, intervention programs with the total curriculum; work with the classroom teacher and district personnel to coordinate reading instruction designed to meet the individual needs of students; work with the classroom teacher to monitor student progress; teach remedial reading as needed; assist with the RTI process

➢ Instructional Technology Coach Responsibilities: Technology Specific: work directly with teachers in classroom based demonstrations; provide one-on- one support focused on enhancing teachers’ ability to provide blended learning instruction that builds students’ sense of engagement in the ownership of learning; work with administrators, directors, Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 59

coaches, and teachers to collect and analyze data, interpret, and use it to guide instructional decisions. provides individualized, classroom-based support to implement comprehensive program, including modeling of best teaching practices; coach teachers 1:1 using an observation/feedback model; teach technology class to each grade once per week.

BUDGET AND OPERATIONS

Budget Bessemer has worked closely with the District Budget Office, Director of Federal Programs, Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation and the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services to develop a comprehensive school budget for 2017-18 school year and a sustainable five-year forecast that supports the school’s vision and mission. The school does not anticipate any cost savings as a result of implementing its innovation plan.

Like “traditional” district schools, Bessemer will be allocated FTE using the standard district formula for per pupil funding well as an instructional budget. Additionally, the school will qualify for federal Title I funds which will be used to supplement personnel hires and the core academic program as well as fund parent engagement activities. As an innovation school, supplemental funding has been provided by the District to pay for teacher and administrative special compensation outlined in the Talent Management section: an assistant principal, a math coordinator/coach, 1 math tutor, 5 additional professional development days for all teaching staff, and ANet management partner costs.

Bessemer has received a State Turnaround Grant for the 2017-18 school year which will be used to provide Capturing Kids Hearts professional development and curriculum materials and to pay for other professional development opportunities for Bessemer teachers and leaders.

With increased flexibility comes increased accountability. The principal works with the district who has final budget decision-making authority; however, the School Advisory Board reviews the budget and ensures direct alignment with the vision and mission of the school. Bessemer’s human capital management strategy (including professional development and partnership with ANet), STEM educational plan, and strategic allocation of time, are the key factors that drive financial decisions.

In order to accelerate the learning of both our students and teachers, monies have been first allocated to staffing the building so as to create differentiated support to students and individualized professional development support (coaches) for teachers. Secondly, monies have been allocated to provide high quality resources to support our STEM initiative and a positive school culture, including the new Capturing Kids Hearts Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 60 materials and professional development. Thirdly, monies have been supplemented by the district to ensure a robust partnership with the Achievement Network and staff financial incentives and recognitions for their work in a turnaround innovation school.

Additional grants and fund raising will be sought to expand learning and enrichment opportunities for students and staff. The success of the innovation plan as written, however, is not contingent on sources not yet identified.

A five year budget reflecting major revenue and expense items is attached.

Waivers The school seeks the authority to collect revenue directly from sponsorships, maintain a school bank account, and manage purchasing and accounting related to school funds, subject to district oversight. If the school acquires corporate sponsorship, the school will maintain and manage all monies received. The school will have the authority to collect revenue directly from sponsorships, maintain a school bank account, and manage purchasing and accounting related to school funds, subject to oversight and audit by the school district.

Facilities and General Operations The implementation of STEM, PLTW, and PBLs at Bessemer Academy necessitated an analysis of the facility. Bessemer used to be a K-8 and currently has plenty of space for day to day K-5 school operations. This includes a dedicated classroom for professional learning, space for pull out special education and interventions as needed and office locations for administration and school leaders. Full implementation of the Friday enrichment hour year two will put the greatest strain on the building, as every area of the school will need to be maximized.

Area Currently Future Plans

Media Center The current media center has a The media center can be utilized to (Second floor) small stage, a large support between 3-4 enrichment instructional seating area, and activities, depending on class sizes. an appropriate book Activities can include the full use of collection. technology.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 61

Gymnasium (1) The gymnasium is a large open This space can be utilized to support 2-3 area with 6 basketball hoops. enrichment activities, depending on the activity and class sizes.

Main Entry Foyer The school has a main entry The foyer is well-suited to accommodate foyer located in front of the high traffic that is anticipated by the main office with area for arrival and departure of community administrators. supporters for enrichment activities. The location also supports the continued safety of our building.

Cafeteria The cafeteria is a large open This area could accommodate 2-3 area enrichment activities simultaneously.

Computer Labs There are two computer labs These labs could each accommodate 1-2 located on the second floor. enrichment classes, depending upon class Lab #1, Room 204 is equipped sizes. with 28 desk top computers. Lab #2, Room 213 is equipped (There is ample technology available with 30 HP Laptops. within the classrooms as well.)

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 62

Bathrooms First Floor: Restroom availability should There are two designated accommodate the additional community restrooms for adults located in providers and enrichment instructors. the main office area.

Second Floor: There are two designated restrooms for adults on the south end of the upper level wing.

Art Room There is one Art room on the This space can be utilized to support 2 second floor of the building. enrichment activities, depending on the activity and class sizes.

Music Room There is one music rooms for This space can be utilized to support 2-3 vocal and instrumental music. enrichment activities, depending on the It includes a small stage. activity and class sizes.

There is one science room These classrooms are large and will Science located on the second floor accommodate 1 enrichment class each. Classroom equipped with science tables Storage is adequate for both content and and storage. possible small storage projects.

Empty There are currently 4 empty These spaces can be utilized to support 2 classrooms classrooms located on the first enrichment activities, depending on the floor, and 3 on the second activity and class sizes. floor that are utilized for small group instruction and storage.

The space at Bessemer Academy is more than adequate to support the PLTW/PBL and enrichment activities. There are approximately 15 identified spaces that could be utilized beyond the current classroom structure. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 63

Information Technology Students grades K-5 will engage in a rich and robust computer science curriculum that will enhance their twenty-first century skills, and prepare them to be globally competitive in a technology rich world. The successful implementation of instructional technology within the classroom is vital in facilitating and supporting a teaching and learning process that is more effective, engaging, and interesting to today’s learners.

The proposed staffing plan will allow the Instructional Technology Coach to support the use of instructional technology within the classroom by co-planning and co-teaching alongside classroom teachers. The Instructional Technology Coach will teach the PLTW computer science module to students at all grades once per week.

The MSAP STEM Grant has furnished each of the STEM school classrooms with furniture that is conducive to collaborative learning. Bessemer Academy has a 1:1 ratio of technology for K-5 students. Children have daily access to iPads and Chromebooks at each grade level. Classrooms are equipped with projectors and wireless displays that will enhance learning and instruction, and offer many opportunities for blended learning. A partial list of equipment is outlined below. IT/Blended Learning Equipment Chromebooks 163 Macbook Pro 1 Chromebook Carts 7 Carts Apple TV 18 iPads 300 HDMI Cables 30 iPad Cases 305 Miracast 15 iPad Carts 10 Carts Epson Projectors 10 Surface Pro Tablets 51 HP Laser Color Print. 4 Surface Pro Cases 51 HP Printers 5 Surface Docking Sta. 51 65" Monitors 5 HP 22" Monitors 51 HP Laptops 45 IT/Blended Learning Resources PLTW Kits – Kinder. Modules 1&2 - 3 kits PLTW Kits – Kinder. Modules 3&4 – 3 kits PLTW Kits – 1st Grade Modules 1&2 - 3 kits PLTW Kits – 1st Grade Modules 3&4 – 3 kits PLTW Kits – 2nd Grade Modules 1&2 - 3 kits PLTW Kits – 2nd Grade Modules 3&4 – 3 kits PLTW Kits – 3rd Grade Modules 1&2 - 3 kits PLTW Kits – 3rd Grade Modules 3&4 – 3 kits PLTW Kits – 4th Grade Modules 1&2 - 2 kits PLTW Kits – 4th Grade Module 4 – 2 kits

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 64

3rd and 4th grades VEX Construc. - 16 Kits PLTW Kits – 5th Grade Module 3 – 2 kits 5th Grade VEX IQ Field; IQ Cubes EIE Kits (afterschool) 10 kits, 1 each for 10 units of study 5th Grade VEX Robotics–16 kits The PLTW and EIE kits have all the necessary materials needed for each instructional module or unit.

DISTRICT SYSTEMS Accountability and Supervision The schools in the Pueblo Innovation Zone believe that the implementation of innovations will be stronger with ongoing district support. Each zone principal is coached and evaluated by the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation will be coached weekly by the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Services and will work alongside ANet coaches in support of the school and principal development. The Assistant Superintendent, Executive Director, ANet coach, and Bessemer Principal will work collaboratively to ensure that innovations described in this plan are implemented and evaluated for effectiveness.

The role of the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation is, by design, founded in advocacy. This role is crucial in advancing the district system toward a differentiated, flexible, equitable approach for supporting the highest need schools. He/she meets regularly one-on-one with each principal for coaching and school planning. The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement evaluates all principals in the Innovation Zone and, as needed, will be involved in the principal selection and will utilize the Turnaround Leader Competencies in the process. Additionally, the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation serves as a liaison between district departments and the zone principals to ensure effective implementation of these innovations.

District Systems Each district department including, Human Resources, Learning Services, and Finance has identified a point person who works collaboratively with the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation to achieve the following goals. ● Increase awareness and understanding of the Innovation Plan and implement waivers specific to the department. ● Identify and work to resolve potential barriers to implementation. ● Develop processes and procedures to ensure compliance and adherence with the Innovation Plan. ● Identify areas, processes, practices that can be widely disseminated to benefit the entire PSD 60 organization. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 65

● Foster and support growth towards a continuous improvement model.

INNOVATION ZONE

Unifying Theme or Concept As a collective Innovation Zone, we are driven by a fundamental belief in our students’ ability to succeed and our schools’ capacity to support and develop future leaders. We recognize that we cannot continue practices that prepare our children for a world that no longer exists. Instead, we must respond to what we see before us. The conditions driving education in our country require school communities to think and act very differently than in our recent past. As the world increasingly demands that our students be innovative problem solvers, we are required to provide educational experiences that will develop our students as flexible, adaptable, innovative learners.

The Innovation Zone’s vision is to create a culture of learning that develops all students into tomorrow’s extraordinary citizens. To achieve this vision, our mission is to engage students in authentic learning that empowers them to reach their highest potential in a changing global community. Our Innovation Zone is built on a set of core values that form the foundation of our work and guide us in our collaborative decision making process. We believe that: ● We are preparing the future leaders and problem solvers who will transform the city of Pueblo, our nation, and the world. ● For students to achieve at the highest levels, the growth mindset must be internalized by every member of our zone community including our faculty, administration, and extended community members. ● We will drive positive change in our schools and community through data-driven decision making at every level. ● A positive relationship is often the lever that determines a child’s trajectory, which is why every adult in our zone community treats all students with dignity and seeks every opportunity to build and sustain positive relationships. ● Authentic learning is essential for long term educational success. Our Zone Community is committed to project-based, student centered learning that provides students with opportunities to do, touch, investigate, and experience. ● Our zone will achieve goals for academic achievement by cultivating a collaborative culture that supports excellence in teaching and learning.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 66

District Systems of Support for Innovation Zone Creation of the Innovation Zone began when the Superintendent and Board of Education of PSD 60 recommended that a few schools in Turnaround Status collaborate to design school plans intended to operate differently than other district schools. The Superintendent’s intention behind a zone was to provide the needed autonomy for struggling schools to create the systems and processes they themselves determine to be necessary for turnaround.

Using the recommendations from the state review panel for individual schools and the district, it was determined that an Innovation Zone provided a viable pathway for some schools to meet turnaround expectations. The purpose of the zone was to provide a place within the Pueblo City Schools system to develop and implement zone wide autonomies and school-specific implementation with a shared interim assessment system that would allow for a data driven approach to innovation. The Superintendent and Board of Education worked to identify the correct assessment system before plans were made for determining the zone schools. Input was solicited from district staff and other stakeholders before deciding on a partnership with Achievement Network (ANet). A contract was formed and the work began to identify the schools who would participate in the work.

The Superintendent and Board of Education designated the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation to identify schools most likely to be successful in a collaborative Innovation Zone. All schools in Turnaround Status were surveyed and interviewed to determine their readiness for entering a zone of innovation with a major focus on data collection, data analysis, and a re-teaching, and re-assessing cycle for continuous improvement. Schools were also given the option of opting out of consideration.

The Principals of Turnaround schools attended informational sessions where targeted strategies, goals, and timelines for creation of the zone were presented. Principals shared these with their leadership team throughout the plan development process. The school leadership teams then disseminated the information to their respective staff members. The readiness of each school and the school community’s desire to join a zone of innovation led to the initial selection for six Innovation Zone schools. The schools selected demonstrated a systems-based structure necessary for a successful implementation of an Innovation Zone plan focused on data driven planning and decision making.

It is the desire of the Bessemer staff to be an innovation school within Pueblo’s Innovation Zone.

Collaboration/Shared PD Teaching staff are required to engage in professional development to enhance their craft including the processes of Professional Learning Communities (PLC), Data-Driven Instruction (DDI), Teaching & Learning Cycle Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 67 and Observation Feedback (including job-embedded coaching and non-evaluative video-recording). These practices align with the zone-wide professional learning calendar. The coaching model is presented at each site and the non-evaluative nature of the process is emphasized along with roles and expectations. The goal is to establish an observation and feedback cycle and weekly Job embedded coaching with opportunities based on continuous improvement. This practice is linked directly with Data Driven Instruction coaching sessions to be provided by data and instructional coaches at each school. We will create a continuous improvement zone wide through instructional rounds and coaching. In addition to observation and feedback of teachers and data-driven instruction, leadership professional development will focus on student culture systems and routines, leading adult professional development and building a strong staff culture.

Innovation Zone schools need high quality teachers trained for our school settings. It is critical that we enhance teacher recruitment and build systemic supports that allow us to retain our most effective teachers. To address this pressing issue, the Innovation Zone schools have developed a co-teaching model for student teaching via a partnership with Colorado State University-Pueblo. Bessemer Academy already participates in this partnership. Elements of the model include: ● Task force comprised of zone teachers and university personnel to develop a co-teaching model for student teaching focused on Turnaround Strategies. ● CSU-Pueblo supported professional development for zone schools. ● Development of a teacher pipeline trained in zone schools. ● Participation by teacher candidates in zone school staff annual orientation. ● Specialized training for teacher candidates through observation/feedback on data-driven instructional strategies.

Providing high quality professional development which includes practice and feedback sessions, will ensure that teachers are ready to implement high yield strategies at the beginning of the year and are able to develop and refine strategies throughout the year. This approach to continuous improvement will provide our teachers with the tools and expertise they need to personalize learning, effectively use technology, and strengthen the ecosystem of learning throughout our schools.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 68

Performance Management The Pueblo Innovation Zone is intended to be collaborative with fidelity to zone core practices while maintaining school specific autonomies that align with individual programs and school needs. In addition, the Innovation Zone takes full advantage of the power of prototyping. Our cycle of continuous improvement allows us to test innovations, make adjustments, and measure progress across the zone. Our analysis includes zone-wide leadership conversations of cutting- edge practices. During quarterly zone meetings dedicated to this purpose, schools share successes and challenges with each practice. Schools determine whether implementation should be scaled-up or discontinued by looking at academic achievement data and feedback surveys collected from our school communities to understand how zone innovations are helping or hindering school improvement. Our prototyping process allow us to innovate quickly, provide us with timely and ongoing data about our innovations, and give us accurate information to share with all schools in the zone with regularity.

The graphic above depicts the structure of the zone collaboration. This collaborative approach to core practices, prototyping and school-specific implementation forms the structure of our zone and frames all interactions. It allows us to move quickly from testing, feedback and data analysis, to multi-school implementation. The zone also provides us with the ability to test practices across a wide range of school communities. As a result, the zone has the additional benefit of incubating practices that can positively affect schools across PSD 60.

Innovations shared across the zone form the zone core practices. However, some innovations will be implemented differently across the schools and require school-specific autonomy. Varying approaches to innovation implementation results from the diversity of educational program models, ages of student populations, and the programming foci that define each school.

We believe schools interested in joining the zone must first demonstrate the ability to fully implement all aspects of the Innovation Zone proposal. Current Innovation Zone members collaborate in an assessment of whether interested schools have the necessary conditions to take advantage of Innovation Zone flexibilities and Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 69 to collaborate as integral members of the Innovation Zone leadership team. To accepted into the zone, 60% of current zone administrators must confirm admission plus Board of Education approval. Innovation Zone members will periodically review zone progress towards school-specific and zone-wide goals. Zone leadership will take into account ideal school membership numbers. The following criteria will be used for acceptance consideration: 1. Indication of readiness from staff and school leadership. 2. Evidence of calculated risk-taking designed to support improved school culture, teacher professional development, and student achievement. 3. Commitment to follow all common aspects of the Innovation Zone plan. 4. Demonstrated ability to participate in collaborative activities across the Innovation Zone. 5. Evidence of school needs that can be addressed by zone flexibilities. In cases where an individual school is unable to implement the Innovation Zone plan or by recognition by the Innovation Zone members, exit from the zone may be deemed necessary. Individual schools may formally request to be removed from the zone if zone membership fails to support a school’s Improvement Plan.

SUMMARY

As stated within the body of our innovation proposal: Bessemer must accelerate student achievement growth measures (MGP), making more than a year’s growth in a year’s time, in order to, over time, significantly increase the percentage of students who are proficient and advanced in both literacy and math.

We believe that innovation status, membership in our district’s Innovation Zone, consistent and committed support of newly hired district senior leadership with a proven track record in turnaround, as well as a robust partnership with The Achievement Network (ANet), our proposed Management Partner, is a winning combination towards Bessemer’s student and school success.

Innovation strategies will focus on tackling the school’s most pressing issues: 1. Consistent, systemic Tier 1 focused instructional practices and lesson planning. 2. Increasing teacher understandings of instructional strategies that will both engage student learners as well as meet their differentiated academic and social-emotional needs. 3. Incremental, prioritized and targeted professional development related to student needs, teacher competencies and job-embedded classroom feedback.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 70

The Achievement Network (ANet) in collaboration with school and district administration will provide the structure, coaching, and accountability for these reforms.

AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY... The Bessemer staff is committed to their learning and the creation of a data-driven instructional approach to teaching, learning, and decision-making.

We look forward to implementation of our plan, when the real work of innovation begins.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 71

ATTACHMENT 1: PROPOSED BUDGET

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 72

ATTACHMENT 2: LETTERS OF SUPPORT/COMMITMENT

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 73

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 74

ATTACHMENT 3: BESSEMER CALENDAR

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 75

ATTACHMENT 4: PBL INTEGRATED CURRICULUM EXAMPLE

STEM Education, as defined by Project Lead the Way, The Nation's leading provider of STEM education, is “an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning that yields greater complexity than is provided by the four disciplines in isolation. In addition, STEM education better reflects the challenges of the world around us. Effective STEM education has the potential to help students not only gain important STEM content, but also to help students apply knowledge and skills to solve meaningful and socially relevant real-world problems. Through STEM education we can create the next generation of technology-literate innovators who are able to apply the logical processes of science, mathematics, and engineering design to solve the challenges of our future.”

STEM is not simply an acronym, meaning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; rather a way of teaching and learning that yields critical 21st century skills such as critical thinking, inquiry, problem solving, creativity, innovation, and collaborative team work.

Project Lead the Way is the Nation's leading provider of STEM Education, servicing millions of kids and tens of thousands of teachers from around the world for over 20 years. PLTW Launch programs are designed to create a dynamic learning experience for teachers and students that enhance problem based teaching practices and provide students with a hands-on, minds-on learning experiences. Students engage in cross-disciplinary activities that spark a lifelong love of learning and build knowledge and skills in areas including computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. Modules empower students to develop essential skills such as problem solving, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and perseverance.

Kindergarten Modules Engineering Structure and Function: Exploring Design: Students discover the design process and how engineers influence their lives. They explore structure and function by identifying products around them designed by engineers, asking questions engineers might ask as they design products, and determining the structure and function of items. Working in small groups, students design, build, and test a structure from available materials to withstand a force. Students apply newly acquired knowledge and skills as they utilize the design process to design, sketch, build, test, and reflect on a new tool design.

Pushes and Pulls: Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 76

Students investigate different pushes and pulls on the motion of an object and develop knowledge and skills related to forces of differing strengths and directions. Their explorations include pushes and pulls found in their everyday world such as pushing a friend on a swing or pulling a wagon. Students are challenged to refine a design and successfully solve a problem, and they reflect on the effect of modifying the strength or direction of a force.

Biomedical Science Structure and Function: Human Body Students explore the relationship between structure and function in the human body. They examine major structures, or organs, within the body and investigate how the structure of each organ is related to its function. Once students establish an understanding of basic structure and function in the body, they take a deeper look at the functions of bone. Students assemble a skeleton and create a model X-ray of a hand. They act as scientists to perform an inquiry investigation to understand why fingers are made up of more than one bone. Finally, each student works through an engineering design process to design and build a cast to aid healing of a broken bone.

Computer Science Animals and Algorithms: Students explore the nature of computers and the ways in which humans control and use technology. Starting with a computer-free activity, students learn about the sequential nature of computer programs. Students apply this knowledge to the domain of science when they design a simple algorithm about an animal in its habitat. Using an age-appropriate programming environment, students use their newly developed programming skills to turn their algorithm into a short animation. Through this work, students come to understand that computing is a collaborative activity that can be used to create digital artifacts pertaining to any area of interest.

First-Grade Modules Engineering Light and Sound: Students investigate light and sound, including vibration from sound waves and the effect of different materials on the path of a beam of light. After students develop understandings of light and sound, they are challenged to design a model to solve a design problem. Students use the design process to sketch, build, test, and reflect on a device that uses light or sound to communicate over a distance.

Light: Observing the Sun, Moon, and Stars After observing the sun, moon, and stars, students identify and describe patterns in their recorded data. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 77

Students build upon their knowledge of light to design, build, test, and reflect on a device designed to solve a problem related to the patterns of the sun. After evaluating their design, students share their findings and ideas for ways to improve the device based on the testing data.

Biomedical Animal Adaptations In this exploration of animal adaptations, students are presented with the problem of preparing an ideal traveler for a visit to an extreme environment and designing the ideal shoe for this traveler to wear in this environment. Students learn what it means for an organism to be adapted to its environment and how different adaptations can be categorized. Through various investigations, students explore adaptations for protection, camouflage, food obtainment, and locomotion. Students combine all of their knowledge of plant and animal adaptations with their understanding of the extreme environment to prepare their travelers and design their shoes.

Computer Science Animated Storytelling: Through this exploration of both storytelling and animation, students are presented with the problem of arranging moving images and sounds to depict a story. Students learn that computers need specific instructions written in a language that the computer can understand. Students develop an understanding of events as triggers that make computer programs carry out instructions. Combining fundamental ideas in computer science with story-building skills from language arts, students create animations that show characters, settings, actions, and events in a short story of their own creation. The programming environment in which students create these stories is appropriate for emerging readers and offers an appropriately scaffolded environment for piecing together logical steps to produce an animation.

Second Grade Modules Engineering Materials Science: Properties of Matter: In this exploration of materials science, students investigate and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties, including color, texture, and heat conduction. After analyzing data from materials testing, students apply their knowledge and skills to determine the best material to solve a design problem. Students analyze how well the model solved the problem and determine improvements that could be made to their designs.

Materials Science: Form and Function: Students research the variety of ways animals disperse seeds and pollinate plants. Students expand their Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 78 understanding of properties of matter as they consider the form and function involved in seed dispersal and pollination. Students gain understanding of form and function and how each concept informs design. The design problem requires students to apply their knowledge and skills to design, build, and test a device that mimics one of the ways animals either disperse seeds or pollinate plants. Students reflect on the efficiency of their designs and how they were informed by nature.

Biomedical The Changing Earth: Students explore how the surface of the Earth is always changing. They are introduced to different kind of maps and explore how these maps convey different kinds of information about the world in which we live, including where water is found on Earth. Students investigate the different forces that shape the surface of the Earth and design solutions to limit the impact of erosion on a fictional community.

Computer Science Grids and Games: In this exploration combining mathematics and computers, students investigate numerical relationships while learning about the sequence and structure required in computer programs. Starting with computer-free activities and moving to tablet-based challenges, students apply addition and subtraction strategies to make characters move on a grid. Using skills and knowledge gained from these activities, students work together in groups to design and develop a game in which a player interacts with objects on a tablet screen. Students make extensive use of logic as they create a working game using an event-based model.

Third Grade Modules Engineering Stability and Motion: Science of Flight: Students are engaged in developing an understanding of the forces involved in flight as well as Newton’s Laws of Motion. Discovering computer-aided design, students use basic descriptive geometry as a component of design. Students apply their knowledge and skills to design, build, and test an experimental model glider to explore forces that affect flight. In addition, they modify their glider designs as they solve a real-world problem.

Stability and Motion: Forces and Interactions: Students explore simple machines such as wheel and axles, levers, the inclined plane, and more as they investigate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. Additionally, students explore magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other through a hands-on project. Finally, students apply their knowledge of mechanisms and magnetic interactions as part of a solution to a design problem. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 79

Biomedical Variation of Traits: Students investigate the differences between inherited genetic traits and traits that are learned or influenced by the environment. Students explore the phenomena that offspring may express different traits than parents as they learn about dominant and recessive genes. Students use what they learn to predict inheritance patterns of plants through multiple generations and investigate how predicted outcomes compare to experimental results.

Computer Science Programming Patterns: Students begin to move beyond basic sequential computer programs to discover the power of modularity and abstraction. Starting with computer-free activities and progressing to programming in a blocks-based language on a tablet, students learn how to think computationally about a problem. They gain appreciation for the powerful computing practice of reducing programmatic solutions so they are generic enough to be reused in a variety of specific circumstances. Building on this transformational way of thinking, students create a final program using modular functions and branching logic.

Engineering Energy: Collisions: Student exploration of mechanisms includes investigations of how mechanisms change energy by transferring direction, speed, type of movement, and force. Students discover a variety of ways potential energy can be stored and released as kinetic energy. Citing evidence, students explain the relationship between the speed of an object and the energy of that object. They also predict the transfer of energy as a result of a collision between two objects. As students solve the problem for this module, they apply their knowledge and skills related to energy transfer in collisions to develop a vehicle restraint system.

Energy: Conversion: As students learn about forms of energy, they identify the conversion of energy between forms and the energy transfer required to move energy from place to place. Students identify and explain how energy can be converted to meet a human need or want. After exploring energy conversion and transfer, students apply scientific ideas about the conversion of energy to solve a simple design problem. The problem requires students to design a system that is able to store energy and then convert the energy to a usable form as it is released. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 80

Computer Science Input/Output: Computer Systems: In this exploration of how computers work, students are encouraged to make analogies between the parts of the human body and parts that make up a computer. Students develop a notion of the computer as a machine that takes input, processes information using defined instructions, and produces output. With strong connections to the fourth-grade Human Brain module, students investigate reaction time as a measure of nervous system function. Students apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the activities to build their own reaction time measurement devices on tablets.

Biomedical Input/Output: Human Brain: Students discover how signals passing from cell to cell allow us to receive stimuli from the outside world, get this information to the brain for processing, and then send out a signal to generate a response. Students investigate how we take in information through the senses and where the information is processed in the brain. Students work as part of a team to design, plan, and create a video or podcast to raise awareness about concussions and educate children as to how concussions can either be identified early or prevented altogether.

Fifth Grade Modules Engineering Robotics and Automation: Student exploration of robotics includes ways that robots are used in today’s world and the impact of their use on society and the environment. Students learn about a variety of robotic components as they build and test mobile robots that may be controlled remotely. The design problem provides an opportunity for students to apply their robotic skills and knowledge to solve a real-world problem related to environmental disaster cleanup.

Robotics and Automation: Challenge Students expand their understanding of robotics as they explore mechanical design and computer programming. The focus for this module centers on developing skills needed to build and program autonomous robots. Students develop programming skills in a variety of platforms, including tablet applications and browser-based programming environments. Finally, students apply the robotic knowledge and skills they have developed to build and program an autonomous robot to solve a real-world design problem.

Biomedical Infection: Detection: Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 81

Students explore transmission of infection, agents of disease, and mechanisms the body uses to stay healthy. Students design and run an experiment related to limiting the spread of germs and apply results to propose appropriate prevention methods. When presented with a fictional disease outbreak scenario, students examine evidence to deduce the agent of infection, the likely source of the outbreak, and the path of transmission through this fictional school.

Computer Science Infection: Modeling and Simulation: Of all the things computers can do, one of the most helpful is the ability to process a lot of information very quickly. Students discover this and other powerful ideas about computing as they investigate models and simulations. Exploration begins with students acting out a simulation in which they are agents following rules of a given model. Applying their new understandings, they program their own models and collect data by running simulations with different parameters.

STEM/PLTW Curricular Implementation and Support ❏ Bessemer Academy has designated time within the daily schedule at each grade level to implement PLTW with fidelity

❏ PLTW/STEM Master Teacher, in collaboration with Instructional Technology/PBL Coach, and District STEM Science Specialist will provide whole staff and Lead PLTW Teacher professional development training

❏ PLTW/STEM Master Teacher will provide ongoing support in planning and implementation within PLC’s and classrooms

❏ PLTW/STEM Master Teacher will monitor implementation of PLTW units, providing both accountability and feedback as needed to teachers

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 82

ATTACHMENT 5: PBL INTEGRATED CURRICULUM PLANNING TEMPLATE

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 83

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 84

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 85

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 86

ATTACHMENT 6: SAMPLE ZONE CONTRACTS/COMPACTS

Enrollment Commitment Form Elementary School Innovation Zone Pueblo City Schools

Student Name: Grade Date

______is an innovation school of choice. When students and families “choose” to attend schools in the Innovation Zone, they understand and support the expectations listed below. Every student has the opportunity to receive a quality education in Pueblo City Schools. To facilitate this opportunity, our school is committed to providing a positive learning environment that emphasizes rigorous academic coursework focused on standards and promotes an orderly and safe environment. In order for students to benefit, they must attend regularly. It is recognized that parents/guardians and students must share the responsibility and accountability in meeting these goals.

Therefore, my child and I will accept responsibility and be held accountable for following the goals and expectations outlined below.

Please initial ALL items below: Both Parent and student must initial each line item.

Parent Student EXPECTATIONS

Student will, with parent support, complete and return homework and check student planners daily.

Student will, with parent support, attend after school tutoring sessions if student is below grade-level expectations in reading or math.

Student will, with parent support, maintain an attendance rate of 95% or better throughout the entire school year.

Student will, with parent monitoring and support, complete classroom assignments taking place within the school day.

Student will, with parent support, attend “in-school tutoring”, if available at the school site

when assigned by teachers for missing assignments, academic assistance or attendance issues

Student and parent will attend all Parent/Teacher conferences, as well as RtI and IEP meetings.

Parents will monitor student progress by logging into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Student will work to maintain an incident free behavior record.

Parent/Guardian will commit to a minimum of attendance at 2 Parent Nights. Signing this success plan signifies that I agree to the items listed above and understand that my plan will be revisited as needed to monitor my progress. I am expected to review progress a minimum of twice per year with a school official.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 87

Student Signature Parent Signature School Signature

Staff Commitment Form Innovation Zone-Pueblo City Schools SY 2016-17

Teaching is one of the most challenging and rewarding professions of our day. It requires teachers to be committed to students and their learning through the use of diverse instructional strategies that are engaging, rigorous and relevant. It also requires teachers to build strong positive relationships with their students in order to gain the level of trust needed to meet them at their instructional level and motivate and challenge them to advance to the next level. It’s about caring for your craft, having a passion for it and conveying that passion to everyone, most importantly to your students. Staff working within the Innovation Zone is committed to providing a framework of learning which encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. Instruction within all Innovation Zone schools emphasizes intellectual challenge and encourages students to apply their studies in traditional subjects to the real world. The Pueblo Innovation Zone operates from the following non-negotiable CORE VALUES: ● We are preparing the future leaders and problem solvers who will transform Pueblo, our nation and the world. ● In order for students to achieve at the highest levels, the growth mindset must be internalized by every member of our zone community including our faculty, administration, and extended community members. ● We will drive positive change in our schools and community through data-driven decision making at every level. ● Positive relationships is often the lever that determines a child’s trajectory, which is why every adult in our zone community treats all students with dignity and seeks every opportunity to build and sustain positive relationships. ● Authentic learning is essential for long-term educational success. Our zone community is committed to project-based, student centered learning that gives students opportunities to do, touch, investigate, and experience. ● Our zone will achieve goals for academic achievement by cultivating a collaborative culture that supports excellence in teaching and learning. ● We have a moral imperative to provide students with the opportunity to perform to their fullest potential and to ensure there is no discernible difference between the achievement levels of students by race, gender or economic level. In order to actualize these core values, the staff within the Innovation Zone will adhere to the following EXPECTATIONS: ● Engage in professional behavior that contributes to a positive school culture including adhering to a collaboratively developed, agreed upon, school-specific social contract or norms. ● Engage fully in the teaching and learning cycle through regular professional learning communities (PLCs) with the transparent use of data to make instructional decisions. ● Teachers are the number one factor in student achievement. Therefore, regular teacher attendance is expected during times of instruction, professional development and teacher collaboration. ● Interact with all students in ways that maintain their dignity in all situations. ● Engage in a collaborative, reflective practice of lesson planning and unit development. ● Engage in a job-embedded comprehensive coaching model that includes modeling, peer observations, an observation and feedback process that may be enhanced through the use of video recording. ● Implement the aspects of the innovation plan specific to the school reform model with fidelity. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 88

● Adhere to professional dress standards as determined by building leadership. All staff within the Innovation Zone must embrace these non-negotiable CORE VALUES and expectations and be willing to provide a model of instruction that develops creative thinkers and problem solvers. Staff must use multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding and participate in daily Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) to ensure that each student receives a quality education that extends to real work application.

Signing this “Staff Commitment Form” signifies that you agree to support and uphold the non-negotiable CORE VALUES and expectations and to accept the challenge to make a difference within the Innovation Zone. ______Staff Name (Print) Signature Date

______Principal Name (Print) Signature Date

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 89

Attachment 7 - ANet PD Cycle Continuums and Levers

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 90

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 91

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 92

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 93

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 94

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 95

Attachment 8 – Staff Vote

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 96

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 97

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 98

Attachment 9- Updated letter from School Accountability Team

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 99

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 100

Attachment 10- Vote Attestations from other Schools in the Innovation Zone

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 101

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 102

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 103

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 104

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 105

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 106

Attachment 11- Letters of Support from Innovation Zone Schools’ Accountability Committees

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 107

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 108

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 109

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 110

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 111

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 112

Attachment 12- Support from Innovation Zone Elementary and Middle School Administrators

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 113

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 114

Attachment 13- Pueblo City Schools Board Resolution for inclusion in the Innovation Zone

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 115

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 116

Attachment 14- Requested Local, State and Collective Bargaining Waivers

Pueblo City Schools State Statute Waivers WAIVER REQUESTS – COLORADO STATE STATUTES Colorado State Statutes: Zone Section 22-9-106: Local Board Duties Human Resources Proposal Concerning Performance Evaluation for Teacher Evaluation Licensed Personnel (1.5) (a) A local board or board of cooperative services may adopt the state model performance evaluation system established by the rules promulgated by the state board pursuant to section 22-9-105.5 or may develop its own local licensed personnel evaluation system that complies with the requirements established pursuant to this section and the rules promulgated by the state

board. If a school district or board of cooperative services develops its own local licensed

personnel evaluation system, the local board or board of cooperative services or any interested

party may submit to the department, or the department may solicit and collect, data related to State said personnel evaluation system for review by the department. Statute (4) (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (4), no person shall be responsible for the evaluation of licensed personnel unless the person has a principal or administrator license issued pursuant to article 60.5 of this title or is a designee of a person with a principal or administrator license and has received education and training in evaluation skills approved by the department of education that will enable him or her to make fair, professional, and credible evaluations of the personnel whom he or she is responsible for evaluating. No person shall be issued a principal or administrator license or have a principal or administrator license renewed unless the state board determines that such person has received education and training approved by the department of education. The principal in each zone school will have the authority to identify, prepare, and designate school-based evaluators to conduct staff evaluations. Designated evaluators of professional staff members may or may not possess an administrative certificate issued by CDE. All evaluators will Replacement receive CDE approved training in evaluation skills by the school’s principal. The school’s Policy evaluation system will meet the standards of Colorado Senate Bill 10-191. Evaluation instruments for all non-licensed evaluators who evaluate school staff including professional educators shall indicate on the evaluation whether or not the evaluator possesses an administrative certificate. The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 117

shall review all evaluations conducted by non-licensed administrators when necessary and shall discuss with them procedure and form.

The school’s principal shall receive an annual evaluation by the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation.

All teachers will receive at least one formal evaluation each year and will receive feedback multiple times through the Observation Feedback Cycle structure used in the Relay Graduate School of Education.

Zone Section 22-32-109(1)(f): Local Board Duties Human Resources Proposal Concerning Selection of Personnel and Pay 22-32-109. Board of education - specific duties. (1) …each board of education shall have and perform the following specific duties: State (f) (I) To employ all personnel required to maintain the operations and carry out the educational Statute program of the district and to fix and order paid their compensation...A board of a district of innovation…may delegate the duty specified in this paragraph (f) to an innovation school, Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to issue its own employment offer letters to newly hired teachers. The letter will outline the terms of employment. Each school in the Zone Replacement will have its own compensation structure for additional work, incentives, and performance pay. Policy Compensation will be agreed upon and communicated in advance. EachIn accordance school in withthe Innovation the innovation Zone zone has the plan, authority each innovation to establish zone its schoolown additional may receive monies compensationand deposit such system monies for intoall employees a school account.. Each school in the zone will establish an account Zone with the district to manage receipt of locally raised money and will have autonomy in making Section 22-32-109(1)(g): Handling of Money Budget Proposal deposits in and withdrawals from the account when such actions are taken to further the academic achievement of students at the school. The school will account for all moneys that it (g) To require any employee or other person who may receive into his custody moneys which State receives directly and will report to the Pueblo City Schools board by providing quarterly trial properly belong to the district to deliver such moneys to the treasurer of the district, or to Statute balances to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. deposit such moneys in a depository designated by the board; In accordance with the innovation zone plan, each innovation zone school may receive monies and deposit such monies into a school account. Each school in the zone will establish an account with Replacement the district to manage receipt of locally raised money and will have autoonomy in making deposits Policy in and withdrawals from the account when such actions are taken to further the academic achievement of students at the school. The school will account for all moneys that it receives directly and will report to the Pueblo City Schools board by providing quarterly trial balances to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation.

Zone Section 22-32-109(1)(n)(I): Schedule and Calendar Proposal Calendar

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 118

(n) (I) To determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of time which the schools of the district shall be in session during the next following school year, but in no event shall said schools be scheduled to have fewer than one thousand eighty hours of planned teacher-pupil instruction

and teacher-pupil contact during the school year for secondary school pupils in high school, middle school, or junior high school or less than nine hundred ninety hours of such instruction and contact for elementary school pupils or fewer than four hundred fifty hours of such State instruction for a half-day kindergarten program or fewer than nine hundred hours of such Statute instruction for a full-day kindergarten program. In no case shall a school be in session for fewer than one hundred sixty days without the specific prior approval of the commissioner of education. In extraordinary circumstances, if it appears to the satisfaction of the commissioner that compliance with the provisions of this subparagraph (I) would require the scheduling of hours of instruction and contact at a time when pupil attendance will be low and the benefits to pupils of holding such hours of instruction will be minimal in relation to the cost thereof, the commissioner may waive the provisions of this subparagraph (I) upon application therefore by the board of education of the district. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to determine its own annual calendar and daily schedule, provided it meets or exceeds minimum statutory requirements. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to determine the number of professional development days, days off, and late starts/early release days. Replacement In accordance with the innovation zone plan, the elementary zone schools principals and the Policy middle school zone principals, in consultation with the BLT, shall determine, prior to the end of a school year, the length of time the school will be in session during the following school year. The actual hours of teacher-pupil instruction and teacher-pupil contact shall meet or exceed the minimum hours set by the district and state for public instruction. Zone Section 22-32-109 (1)(n)(II)(A): Actual Hours of Calendar Proposal Teacher-Pupil Instruction and Contact (II) (A) The actual hours of teacher-pupil instruction and teacher-pupil contact specified in State subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (n) may be reduced to no fewer than one thousand fifty-six Statute hours for secondary school pupils, no fewer than nine hundred sixty eight hours for elementary school pupils, no fewer than four hundred thirty-five hours for half-day kindergarten pupils, or

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 119 no fewer than eight hundred seventy hours for full-day kindergarten pupils, for parent-teacher conferences, staff in-service programs, and closing deemed by the board to be necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of students. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to determine teacher pupil contact, which will meet or exceed the minimum standards of the District and state. In accordance with the innovation zone plan, the zone principals, in consultation with the Replacement Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation, shall determine, prior to the end Policy of a school year, the length of time the school will be in session during the following school year. The actual hours of teacher-pupil instruction and teacher-pupil contact shall meet or exceed the minimum hours set by the district and state for public instruction. Zone Section 22-32-109 (1)(n)(II)(B): School Calendar Proposal Calendar (B) Prior to the beginning of the school year, each district shall provide for the adoption of a district calendar which is applicable to all schools within the district…A copy of the calendar shall State be provided to the parents or guardians of all children enrolled…Such calendar shall include the Statute dates for all staff in-service programs…[The] school administration shall allow for public input from parents and teachers prior to scheduling …staff in-service programs. Any change in the calendar…shall be preceded by adequate and timely…of not less than thirty days. The elementary zone and middle school zone principals have the authority, in consultation with the district, to create its own annual calendar. Each school in the Innovation Zone’s annual calendar will meet or exceed the minimum standards for the District and state. No later than 60 days before the end of the school year, the elementary and middle school zone

principals, in consultation with the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation, in consultation with the BLT will determine the following year's school calendar and Replacement school day schedule that meets or exceeds district and state determinations of the length of time during which schools shall be in session during the next school year. Policy Input from parents and teachers will be sought prior to scheduling in-service programs and other

non-student contact days. This calendar and schedule shall serve as the academic calendar and schedule for the school. All calendars shall include planned work dates for required staff in- service programs. Any change in the calendar except for emergency closings or other unforeseen circumstances shall be preceded by adequate and timely notice of no less than 30 days. A copy of the upcoming school-year calendar and school day schedule shall be provided to all parents/guardians of students who are currently enrolled. The approved upcoming school year calendar and school day hours will be placed on the school’s website prior to May 1 of the prior academic year and a copy shall be provided to the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation. Zone Section 22-32-109(1)(t): Determine Educational Programming Proposal Educational Program and Prescribe Textbooks

State (t) To determine the educational programs to be carried on in the schools of the district and to Statute prescribe the textbooks for any course of instruction or study in such programs;

The Pueblo City Schools Board authorizes each school in the Innovation Zone to develop an

educational program that aligns to the mission and vision of the school and enables the school to implement the innovation plan.

Each school’s curriculum will provide a program of instruction that enables students to meet or

exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its education program and make changes to curriculum content, instruction, and assessments.  Each school’s curriculum will provide a program of instruction that enables students to Replacement Policy meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its education

program and make changes to curriculum content, instruction, and assessments.  The schools in the Innovation Zone may request flexibility to adopt its own educational core & supplemental program, including selecting curriculum and textbooks. The schools will be afforded proportional funding for core materials provided to other schools in order to support the site adoption. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 120 Section 22-32-109(1)(aa): Adopt Content Zone Standards and Plan for Implementation of Educational Programming Proposal Content Standards State (aa) To adopt content standards and a plan for implementation of such content standards Statute pursuant to the provisions of section 22-7-407; The Pueblo City Schools Board authorizes the school to develop an educational program that aligns to the mission and vision of the school and enables the school to implement the innovation plan. Replacement The school’s curriculum will provide a program of instruction that enables students to meet or Policy exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its education program and make changes to curriculum content, instruction, and assessments.  Curriculum development will be carried out by school personnel, consistent with the

school’s innovation plan, using all available resources, including replacement core instructional textbooks where textbook waivers are granted.  The school curriculum will provide a program of instruction that enables students to meet or exceed the CCSS and CAS. The school will regularly evaluate its education program and make changes to curriculum content, instruction, and assessments.  The district will evaluate the impact of the school’s education program as part of its 3 year review of the school’s innovation plan in addition to the annual UIP review by the SAC or BLT.  Substantive interim changes must be approved by District staff. Section 22-32-109(1)(jj): Identify Areas in Zone Human Resources which the Principal/s Require Training or Proposal Professional Learning Development (jj) To identify any areas in which one or more of the principals of the schools of the school State district require further training or development. The board of education shall contract for or Statute otherwise assist the identified principals in participating in professional development programs to assist the identified principals in improving their skills in the identified areas.

In accordance with the innovation zone plan, the Superintendent and the Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation shall jointly determine the required training or development of the principal and the administrative team. The principal and the administrative Replacement team will not be required to participate in district training not related to the innovation zone Policy plan unless those trainings are agreed upon by the Superintendent and Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation as part of the principal’s professional development plan.

22-32-110(1)(ee) Local Board Powers-Employ Zone teachers' aides and other noncertificated Human Resources Proposal personnel (1) In addition to any other power granted to a board of education of a school district by law, each board of education of a school district shall have the following specific powers, to be State exercised in its judgment: Statute (ee) To employ on a voluntary or paid basis teachers' aides and other auxiliary, nonlicensed personnel to assist licensed personnel in the provision of services related to instruction or supervision of children and to provide compensation for such services rendered from any funds available for such purpose, notwithstanding the provisions of sections

The Pueblo City Schools Board grants autonomy to each principal in the zone in consultation with Replacement BLT, to make staffing decisions. The school may employ non-licensed personnel to provide Policy instruction or supervision of children that is supplemental to the core academic program.

22-32-110(1)(h): Local Board Powers Zone Concerning Employment Termination of Human Resources Proposal School Personnel

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 121

(1) In addition to any other power granted to a board of education of a school district by law, each board of education of a school district shall have the following specific powers, to be exercised in its judgment: State (h) To discharge or otherwise terminate the employment of any personnel. A board of a district Statute of innovation, as defined in section 22-32.5-103 (2), may delegate the power specified in this paragraph (h) to an innovation school, as defined in section 22-32.5-103 (3), or to a school in an innovation school zone, as defined in section 22-32.5-103 (4). In accordance with the innovation plan, the Pueblo City Schools Board delegates the power specified in statute to each zone principal . All processes for dismissal must meet the minimum Replacement standards established in District policy GDQD and GDQD-R. Policy For new-to-the-district hires, there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). During this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be cancelled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent.

Zone 22-32-126: Employment and authority of Human Resources Proposal principals

22-32-126. (1) The board of education may employ through written contract public school principals who shall hold valid principal licenses or authorizations and who shall supervise the operation and management of the school and such property as the board shall determine necessary. State (2) The principal shall assume the administrative responsibility and instructional leadership, Statute under the supervision of the superintendent and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the board of education, for the planning, management, operation, and evaluation of the educational program of the schools to which he is assigned. (3) The principal shall submit recommendations to the superintendent regarding the

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 122

appointment, assignment, promotion, transfer, and dismissal of all personnel assigned to the school under his supervision. (4) The principal shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the superintendent pursuant to the rules and regulations of the board of education. (5) (a) The principal or the principal's designee shall communicate discipline information concerning any student enrolled in the school to any teacher who has direct contact with the student in the classroom and to any counselor who has direct contact with the student. Any teacher or counselor who receives information under this subsection (5) shall maintain the confidentiality of the information and does not have authority to communicate the information to any other person. (b) Each school district shall include in its discipline code adopted in accordance with section 22- 32-110 (2)procedures to inform the student and the student's parent or guardian when disciplinary information is communicated and to provide a copy of the disciplinary information to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The discipline code shall also establish procedures to allow the student and the student's parent or guardian to challenge the accuracy of the disciplinary information.

In the event of a change in leadership, the priority is maintaining building leadership that supports the mission and vision of the school and ensures that student achievement is supported. Members in each of the zone schools, including staff, parents and community Replacement members will be involved in the principal hiring process. Policy The Executive Director of Continuous Improvement and Innovation, in consultation with the school’s BLT, and input from the district’s Associate Superintendent, shall be involved in the principal selection process for the school’s principal.

Teacher Employment, Compensation and Zone Dismissal Act of 1990 Section 22-63- Human Resources Proposal 201: Employment - License Required – Exception

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 123

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) of this section, the board of a school district shall not enter into an employment contract with any person as a teacher, except in a junior State college district or in an adult education program, unless such person holds an initial or a Statute professional teacher's license or authorization issued pursuant to the provisions of article 60.5 of this title. (2) (a) The general assembly hereby recognizes that many persons with valuable professional expertise in areas other than teaching provide a great benefit to students through their experience and functional knowledge when hired by a school district. To facilitate the employment of these persons and comply with the requirements of federal law, the general assembly has statutory provisions to create an alternative teacher license and alternative teacher programs to enable school districts to employ persons with expertise in professions other than teaching. These provisions enable a school district to employ a person with professional expertise in a particular subject area, while ensuring that the person receives the necessary training and develops the necessary skills to be a highly qualified teacher. The general assembly strongly encourages each school district to hire persons who hold alternative teacher licenses to provide a wide range of experience in teaching and functional subject matter knowledge for the benefit of the students enrolled in the school district. (b) A school district may hire a person who holds an alternative teacher license to teach as an alternative teacher pursuant to an alternative teacher contract as described in section 22-60.5- 207. (3) The board of a school district may enter into an employment contract with any person to serve as an administrator based upon qualifications set by the board of the school district. Nothing in this article shall be construed to require that an administrator, as a condition of employment, possess any type of license or authorization issued pursuant to article 60.5 of this title. The school will employ licensed teachers that meet the State Board’s definition of “in-field” in their particular content areas for teaching of core content pursuant to the federal ESEA Act Teachers in all necessary areas. The school may employ non-licensed teachers for supplemental and enrichment instruction consistent with the innovation plan. The Pueblo City Schools Board

may enter into employment contracts with non-licensed teachers, including long-term Replacement substitutes, and/or administrators at the school as necessary to implement the school’s Policy innovation zone plan. For non-core subject areas, the school will require individuals to have a minimum of 4 years of experience or certification in their field of expertise as well as experience in teaching their craft to young adults. They would be responsible for aligning their instruction to the applicable standards for the state of Colorado and follow the district’s application and hiring process including background checks, fingerprinting and equal employment policies. Core content teachers that are the primary provider of instruction will be licensed and will meet the State Board’s definition of “in field” in their particular content area(s), Language Arts; Math; Science; Foreign language; Social Studies (Civics, Government, History, Geography, Economics); Arts (Visual Arts, Music).

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 124 Teacher Employment, Compensation and Zone Dismissal Act of 1990 Section 22-63- Human Resources Proposal 202: Contracts in Writing Duration Damage Provision (1) Except for a part-time or substitute teacher, every employment contract entered into by any teacher or chief administrative officer for the performance of services for a school district shall be in writing. (2) (a) A teacher or chief administrative officer and the board may mutually agree to terminate the teacher's or chief administrative officer's employment contract at any time. (b) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this section shall contain a provision stating that a teacher or chief administrative officer shall not terminate his or her employment contract with the board without the agreement of the board unless: (I) If the teacher or chief administrative officer intends to terminate his or her employment contract for the succeeding academic year, the teacher or chief administrative officer gives written notice to the board of his or her intent no later than thirty days prior to the commencement of the succeeding academic year or, if a school district operates an alternative year program, not less than thirty

days before the commencement of services under the employment contract; or (II) If the teacher or chief administrative officer intends to terminate his or her employment contract for the current academic year after the beginning of the academic year, the teacher or chief administrative officer shall give written notice to the board of his or her intent at least thirty days prior to the date that the teacher or chief administrative officer intends to stop performing the services required by the employment contract. (b.5) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this section shall contain a provision stating that a teacher or chief administrative officer shall accept the terms of the employment contract for the succeeding academic year within thirty days of receipt of the contract, unless the teacher or chief administrative officer and the district have reached an alternative agreement. If a teacher or chief administrative officer does not accept the terms of the employment contract within thirty days of receipt, the district shall be authorized to open the position to additional candidates. (c) Each employment contract executed pursuant to this section shall contain a damages provision whereby a teacher or chief State administrative officer who violates the provision required by paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) without good cause shall agree to pay damages to the school district, and the board thereof shall be authorized to collect or withhold damages from compensation due Statut or payable to the teacher or chief administrative officer, in an amount equal to the lessor of: e (I) The ordinary and necessary expenses of a board to secure the services of a suitable replacement teacher or chief administrative officer; or (II) One-twelfth of the annual salary specified in the employment contract. (c.5) (I) The general assembly finds that, for the fair evaluation of a principal based on the demonstrated effectiveness of his or her teachers, the principal needs the ability to select teachers who have demonstrated effectiveness and have demonstrated qualifications and teaching experience that support the instructional practices of his or her school. Therefore, each employment contract executed pursuant to this section shall contain a provision stating that a teacher may be assigned to a particular school only with the consent of the hiring principal and with input from at least two teachers employed at the school and chosen by the faculty of teachers at the school to represent them in the hiring process, and after a review of the teacher's demonstrated effectiveness and qualifications, which review demonstrates that the teacher's qualifications and teaching experience support the instructional practices of his or her school. (II) Repealed. (III) (A) Any active nonprobationary teacher who was deemed effective during the prior school year and has not secured a mutual consent placement shall be a member of a priority hiring pool, which priority hiring pool shall ensure the nonprobationary teacher a first opportunity to interview for a reasonable number of available positions for which he or she is qualified in the school district. (B) When a determination is made that a nonprobationary teacher's services are no longer required for the reasons set forth in subparagraph (VII) of this paragraph (c.5), the nonprobationary teacher shall be notified of his or her removal from the school. In making decisions pursuant to this paragraph (c.5), a school district shall work with its local teachers association to develop policies for the local school board to adopt. If no teacher association exists in the school district, the school district shall create an eight-person committee consisting of four school district members and four teachers, which committee shall develop such policies. Upon notice to the nonprobationary teacher, the school district shall immediately provide the nonprobationary teacher with a list of all vacant positions for which he or she is qualified, as well as a list of vacancies in any area identified by the school district to be an area of critical need. An application for a vacancy shall be made to the principal of a listed school, with a copy of the application provided by the nonprobationary teacher to the school district. When a principal recommends appointment of a nonprobationary teacher applicant to a vacant position, the nonprobationary teacher shall be transferred to that position. (C) This subparagraph (III) shall take effect at such time as the performance evaluation system based on quality standards established pursuant to this section and the rules promulgated by the state board pursuant to section 22-9-105.5 has completed the initial phase of implementation and has been implemented statewide. The commissioner shall provide notice of such implementation to the revisor of statutes on or before July 1, 2014, and each July 1 thereafter until statewide implementation occurs. (IV) If a nonprobationary teacher is unable to secure a mutual consent assignment at a school of the school district after twelve months or two hiring cycles, whichever period is longer, the school district shall place the teacher on unpaid leave until such time as the teacher is able to secure an assignment. If the teacher secures an assignment at a school of the school district while placed on unpaid leave, the school district shall reinstate the teacher's salary and benefits at the level they would have been if the teacher had not been placed on unpaid leave. (V) Nothing in this section shall limit the ability of a school district to place a teacher in a twelve-month assignment or other limited- term assignments, including, but not limited to, a teaching assignment, substitute assignment, or instructional support role during the period in which the teacher is attempting to secure an assignment through school-based hiring. Such an assignment shall not constitute an assignment through school-based hiring and shall not be deemed to interrupt the period in which the teacher is required to secure an assignment through school-based hiring before the district shall place the teacher on unpaid leave. (VI) The provisions of this paragraph (c.5) may be waived in whole or in part for a renewable four-year period by the state board of education pursuant to section 22-2-117, provided that the local school board applying for the waiver, in conjunction with the superintendent and teachers association in a district that has an operating master employment contract, if applicable, demonstrates that the waiver is in the best interest of students enrolled in the school district, supports the equitable distribution of effective teachers, and will not result in placement other than by mutual consent of the teacher in a school district or public school that is required to implement a priority improvement plan or turnaround plan pursuant to article 11 of this title. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (c.5), a waiver shall not be granted for a request that extends the time for securing an assignment through school-based hiring for more than two years. (VII) This paragraph (c.5) shall apply to any teacher who is displaced as a result of drop in enrollment; turnaround; phase-out; Pueblo City School reductionDistrict in 60program; ♦ Bessemer or reduction inAcademy building, including ♦ Innovation closure, consolidation, Plan or reconstitution. | Page 125 (d) The department of education may suspend the license, endorsement, or authorization of a teacher or chief administrative officer who fails to provide the notice required by paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and who abandons, fails, or refuses to perform required services pursuant to an employment contract, without good cause. (3) A teacher may be suspended temporarily during the contractual period until the date of dismissal as ordered by the board pursuant to section 22-63-302 or may have his or her employment contract cancelled during the contractual period when there is a justifiable decrease in the number of teaching positions. The manner in which employment contracts will be cancelled when there is a justifiable decrease in the number of teaching positions shall be included in any contract between the board of education of the school district and school district employees or in an established policy of the board, which contract or policy shall include the criteria described in section 22-9-106 as significant factors in determining which employment contracts to cancel as a result of the decrease in teaching positions. Effective February 15, 2012, the contract or policy shall include consideration of probationary and nonprobationary status and the number of years a teacher has been teaching in the school district; except that these criteria may be considered only after the consideration of the criteria described in section 22-9-106 and only if the contract or policy is in the best interest of the students enrolled in the school district. (4) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 24-72-204 (3) (a), C.R.S., upon a request from a school district or a school concerning a person applying for a position as a teacher, a school district may disclose to the requesting school district or school the reason or reasons why a teacher left employment with the original school district. Upon the specific request of a school district at which a teacher has applied for employment, a school district may disclose any pertinent performance record or disciplinary record of a

teacher that specifically relates to any negligent action of the teacher that was found to have endangered the safety and security of a student or any disciplinary record that relates to behavior by the teacher that was found to have contributed to a student's violation of the school district's conduct and discipline code. The information disclosed pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall only be disclosed to personnel authorized to review the personnel file in the school district or school and to the person applying for a position as a teacher. (b) No employment contract executed pursuant to this section shall contain a provision that restricts or prohibits a school district from disclosing to another school district or school the reason or reasons why a teacher left employment with the original school district or from disclosing to another school district any of the teacher's disciplinary or performance records pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (4).

The Innovation Zone has the authority to issue its own employment offer letters to newly hired teachers. The School’s employment offer letter will outline the terms of employment. The Innovation Zone will have its own compensation structure for additional work, incentives, and performance pay. A common Innovation Zone established rate of compensation will be

agreed upon and communicated in advance.

Teaching staff will receive contracts on an annual basis. All contracts will be in writing. Replacement For new-to-the-district hires, there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). Policy During this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be cancelled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent. Non-probationary teachers, who receive a Partially Effective or Ineffective rating in accordance with the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position in the Innovation School, which may result in an administrative transfer. Probationary teachers are subject to state/district non-renewal processes

Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal Zone Act of 1990 Section 22-63-203: Renewal and Human Resources Proposal Nonrenewal of Employment Contract (1) (a) Except as provided for in paragraph (b) of this subsection (1), the provisions of this section

shall apply only to probationary teachers and shall no longer apply when the teacher has been reemployed for the fourth year, except as provided for in paragraph (a.5) of subsection (4) of this State section. This paragraph (a) is repealed, effective July 1, 2014. Statute (b) For any school district that has implemented the performance evaluation system based on quality standards pursuant to section 22-9-106 and the rules adopted by the state board pursuant to section 22-9-105.5, the provisions of this section shall apply only to probationary teachers and shall no longer apply when the teacher has been granted nonprobationary status as a result of three consecutive years of demonstrated effectiveness, as determined through his or her performance evaluations and continuous employment. (2) (a) During the first three school years that a teacher is employed on a full-time continuous basis by a school district, such teacher shall be considered to be a probationary teacher whose employment contract may be subject to nonrenewal in accordance with subsection (4) of this section. A school district may also consider a teacher employed on a part-time continuous basis by such district and by a board of cooperative services to be a probationary teacher whose contract may be subject to nonrenewal in accordance with subsection (4) of this section. An employment contract with a probationary teacher shall not exceed one school year.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 126

The Innovation Zone has the authority to issue its own employment offer letters to newly hired teachers. The School’s employment offer letter will outline the terms of employment. The Innovation Zone will have its own compensation structure for additional work, incentives, and performance pay. A common Innovation Zone established rate of compensation will be agreed upon and communicated in advance. Teaching staff will receive contracts on an annual basis. All contracts will be in writing. Replacement For new-to-the-district hires, there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). Policy During this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be canceled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent. Non-probationary teachers, who receive a Partially Effective or Ineffective rating in accordance with the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position in the Innovation School, which may result in an administrative transfer. Probationary teachers are subject to state/district non-renewal processes.

Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal Zone Act of 1990 Section 22-63-206: Transfer of Teachers - Human Resources Proposal Compensation (1) A teacher may be transferred upon the recommendation of the chief administrative officer of a school district from one school, position, or grade level to another within the school district, if State such transfer does not result in the assignment of the teacher to a position of employment for Statute which he or she is not qualified by virtue of academic preparation and certification and if, during the then current school year, the amount of salary of such teacher is not reduced except as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section. There shall be no discrimination shown toward any teacher in the assignment or transfer of that teacher to a school, position, or grade because of sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, creed, color, religion, national

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 127

origin, ancestry, or membership or nonmembership in any group or organization. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, a teacher who has been occupying an administrative position may be assigned to another position for which he or she is qualified if a vacancy exists in such position, and, if so assigned, with a salary corresponding to the position. If the school district has adopted a general salary schedule or a combination salary schedule and policy, the board may consider the years of service accumulated while the teacher was occupying the administrative position when the board determines where to place the teacher on the schedule for the assigned position. (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, the salary of a teacher who has received additional compensation for the performance of additional duties may be reduced if said teacher has been relieved of such additional duties. (4) A teacher may enter into an agreement for an economic work-learn program leave of absence with a board of education that shall not affect the teacher's employment status, position on the salary schedule if the school district has adopted a general salary schedule or combination salary schedule and policy, or insurance and retirement benefits. (5) Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring a receiving school to involuntarily accept the transfer of a teacher. All transfers to positions at other schools of the school district shall require the consent of the receiving school. Innovation Zone Schools have proven to be most effective with a stable staff that is not subject to the transfer process. The schools will not be subject to administrative transfer. Replacement Staff applying and accepted for transfer into an Innovation Zone school shall be permitted at Policy any time during the year. The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the autonomy to hire all personnel; no employees will be force placed in the school by district. Zone Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal Human Resources Proposal Act of 1990 Section 22-63-301: Grounds for Dismissal A teacher may be dismissed for physical or mental disability, incompetency, neglect of duty, immorality, unsatisfactory performance, insubordination, the conviction of a felony or the State acceptance of a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere, or a deferred sentence for a felony, or Statute other good and just cause. No teacher shall be dismissed for temporary illness, leave of absence previously approved by the board, or military leave of absence pursuant to article 3 of title 28, C.R.S. Replacement Teaching staff contracts will be issued annually. This contract can be non-renewed at the Policy end of the contract term for any lawful reason. In all situations related to teacher dismissal except for non-renewal of annual contracts, a teacher may only be dismissed for cause in accordance with the dismissal policies outlined in the replacement policy for 22-63-302.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 128

administrative law judge by the department of personnel to act as the hearing officer. (b) Hearing officers shall be impartial individuals with experience in the conducting of hearings and with experience in labor or employment matters. (c) Expenses of the hearing officer shall be paid from funds of the school district. (5) (a) Within three working days after selection, the hearing officer shall set the date of the prehearing conference and the date of the hearing, which shall commence within the following thirty days. The hearing officer shall give the teacher and the chief administrative officer written notice of the dates for the prehearing conference and for the hearing including the time and the place therefor. (b) One of the purposes of the prehearing conference shall be to limit, to the extent possible, the amount of evidence to be presented at the hearing. (c) The parties and their counsel shall be required to attend the prehearing conference with the hearing officer. (6) (a) Within ten days after selection of the hearing officer, the teacher shall provide to the chief administrative officer a copy of all exhibits to be presented at the hearing and a list of all witnesses to be called, including the addresses and telephone numbers of the witnesses. Within seven days after the teacher submits his or her exhibits and witness list, the chief administrative officer and the teacher may supplement their exhibits and witness lists. After completion of the seven-day period, additional witnesses and exhibits may not be added except upon a showing of good cause. (b) Neither party shall be allowed to take depositions of the other party's witnesses or to submit interrogatories to the other party. The affidavit of a witness may be introduced into evidence if such witness is unavailable at the time of the hearing. (7) (a) Hearings held pursuant to this section shall be open to the public unless either the teacher or the chief administrative officer requests a private hearing before the hearing officer, but no findings of fact or recommendations shall be adopted by the hearing officer in any private hearing. The procedures for the conduct of the hearing shall be informal, and rules of evidence shall not be strictly applied except as necessitated in the opinion of the hearing officer; except that the hearing officer shall comply with the Colorado rules of evidence in excluding hearsay testimony. (b) The hearing officer may receive or reject evidence and testimony, administer oaths, and, if necessary, subpoena witnesses. (c) At any hearing, the teacher has the right to appear in person with or without counsel, to be heard and to present testimony of witnesses and all evidence bearing upon his proposed dismissal, and to cross-examine witnesses. By entering an appearance on behalf of the teacher or the chief administrative officer, counsel agrees to be prepared to commence the hearing within the time limitations of this section and to proceed expeditiously once the hearing has begun. All school district records pertaining to the teacher shall be made available for the use of the hearing officer or the teacher. (d) An audiotaped record shall be made of the hearing, and, if the teacher files an action for review pursuant to the provisions of subsection (10) of this section, the teacher and the school district shall share equally in the cost of transcribing the record; except that, if a party is awarded attorney fees and costs pursuant to paragraph (e) of subsection (10) of this section, that party shall be reimbursed for that party's share of the transcript costs by the party against whom attorney fees and costs were awarded. (e) Any hearing held pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be completed within six working days after commencement, unless extended by the hearing officer on a showing of good cause, and neither party shall have more than three days to present its case in chief. Neither party may present more than ten witnesses at the hearing, except upon a showing of good cause. (8) The chief administrative officer shall have the burden of proving that the recommendation for the dismissal of the teacher was for the reasons given in the notice of dismissal and that the dismissal was made in accordance with the provisions of this article. Where unsatisfactory performance is a ground for dismissal, the chief administrative officer shall establish that the teacher had been evaluated pursuant to the written system to evaluate licensed personnel adopted by the school district pursuant to section 22-9-106. The hearing officer shall review the evidence and testimony and make written findings of fact thereon. The hearing officer shall make only one of the two following recommendations: The teacher be dismissed or the teacher be retained. A recommendation to retain a teacher shall not include any conditions on retention. The findings of fact and the recommendation shall be issued by the hearing officer not later than twenty days after the conclusion of the hearing and shall be forwarded to said teacher and to the board. (9) The board shall review the hearing officer's findings of fact and recommendation, and it shall enter its written order within twenty days after the date of the hearing officer's findings and recommendation. The board shall take one of the three following actions: The teacher be dismissed; the teacher be retained; or the teacher be placed on a one-year probation; but, if the board dismisses the teacher over the hearing officer's recommendation of retention, the board shall make a conclusion, giving its reasons therefor, which must be supported by the hearing officer's findings of fact, and such conclusion and reasons shall be included in its written order. The secretary of the board shall Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemercause aAcademy copy of said ♦order Innovation to be given immediatelyPlan to the teacher and| aPage copy to 129 be entered into the teacher's local file. (10) (a) If the board dismisses the teacher pursuant to the provisions of subsection (9) of this section, the teacher may file an action for review in the court of appeals in accordance with the provisions of this subsection (10), in which action the board shall be made the party defendant. Such action for review shall be heard in an expedited manner and shall be given precedence over all other civil cases, except cases arising under the "Workers' Compensation Act of Colorado", articles 40 to 47 of title 8, C.R.S., and cases arising under the "Colorado Employment Security Act", articles 70 to 82 of title 8, C.R.S. (b) An action for review shall be commenced by the service of a copy of the petition upon the board of the school district and filing the same with the court of appeals within twenty-one days after the written order of dismissal made by the board. The petition shall state the grounds upon which the review is sought. After the filing of the action for review in the court of appeals, such action shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by rule 3.1 of the Colorado appellate rules. (c) The action for review shall be based upon the record before the hearing officer. The court of appeals shall review such record to determine whether the action of the board was arbitrary or capricious or was legally impermissible. (d) In the action for review, if the court of appeals finds a substantial irregularity or error made during the hearing before the hearing officer, the court may remand the case for further hearing. (e) Upon request of the teacher, if the teacher is ordered reinstated by the court of appeals, or upon request of the board, if the board's decision to dismiss the teacher is affirmed by the court of appeals, the court of appeals shall determine whether the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal lacked substantial justification. If the court

reinstated by the supreme court, or upon motion of the board, if the board's decision to dismiss is affirmed by the supreme court, the supreme court shall determine whether the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal to the supreme court lacked substantial justification. If the supreme court determines that the nonprevailing party's appeal or defense on appeal to the supreme court lacked substantial justification, the court shall determine the amount of and enter a judgment against the nonprevailing party for reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred on appeal to the supreme court. Any judgment entered pursuant to this paragraph (f) may be subject to stay as provided in rule 41.1 of the Colorado appellate rules. (11) (a) The board of a school district may take immediate action to dismiss a teacher, without a hearing, notwithstanding subsections (2) to (10) of this section, pending the final outcome of judicial review or when the time for seeking review has elapsed, when the teacher is convicted, pleads nolo contendere, or receives a deferred Thesentence School for: will follow District Policy GCQF if it is necessary to terminate a teacher’s employment (I)during A violation the school of any year. law of this state or any counterpart municipal law of this state involving unlawful behavior pursuant to any of the following statutory provisions: Sections 18-3-305, 18-6-302, and 18-6-701, C.R.S., orsection 18- 6-301, C.R.S., or part 4 of article 3, part 4 of article 6, and part 4 of article 7 of title 18, C.R.S.; or (II) A violation of any law of this state, any municipality of this state, or the United States involving the illegal sale of controlled substances, as defined in section 18-18-102 (5), C.R.S. (b) A certified copy of the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction of a conviction, the acceptance of a guilty plea, a plea of nolo contendere, or a deferred sentence shall be conclusive evidence for the purposes of this subsection (11). Replacement The School will follow District Policy GCQF if it is necessary to terminate a teacher’s employment during Policy the school year.

Teacher Employment, Compensation and Dismissal Zone Act of 1990 Section 22-63-401:Teachers Subject to Human Resources Proposal Adopted Salary Schedule

(1) The board of a school district shall adopt by resolution a salary schedule that may be by job description and job definition, a teacher salary policy based on the level of performance demonstrated by each teacher, or a combination of the salary schedule and salary policy. Such State salary schedule, salary policy, or combination schedule and policy shall be adopted in Statute conjunction with or prior to the adoption of the budget for the following fiscal year. The schedule, policy, or combination schedule and policy shall remain in effect until changed or modified by the board. All teachers employed by the district shall be subject to such salary schedule, policy, or combination schedule and policy. The innovation zone will adopt a salary schedule that will meet or exceed the district’s salary Replacement schedule. The innovation zone principal, in consultation with the Executive Director for Policy Continuous Improvement and Innovation, reserves the right to develop a supplemental compensation system separate from district policies to reimburse employees for extra duty pay as it may arise for activities that may include, but are not necessarily limited to additional time, additional responsibilities, coaching, tutoring, professional development or for performance incentive pay. Zone 22-63-402. Services - disbursements Human Resources Proposal

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 130

No order or warrant for the disbursement of school district moneys shall be drawn in favor of any person for services as a teacher, except for services performed for a junior college district or

in an adult education program, unless the person holds a valid teacher's license or authorization from the department of education. Such license or authorization shall be duly registered in the State Statute administrative office of the school district wherein the services are to be rendered. A teacher shall hold a valid license or authorization during all periods of employment by a school district. A person who performs services as a teacher without possessing a valid teacher's license or authorization shall forfeit all claim to compensation out of school district moneys for the time during which services are performed without the license or authorization. The innovation zone may employ either licensed or non-licensed teachers or long-term substitutes for non-core subject areas. All core subject area teachers will be licensed and meet Replacement the State Board’s definition of “in-field” in their particular content areas for teaching of core Policy content under the requirements of the ESEA Act. School district moneys will be used to pay both licensed and non-licensed teachers hired to perform services consistent with the innovation plan. Prior to hiring any person, in accordance with state law the district shall

conduct background checks. Zone 22-63-403, C.R.S. Teacher employment, compensation and dismissal act of 1990; Human Resources Proposal payment of salaries Districts are required to pay teachers according to a schedule or according to a State performance policy. Salaries are not to be changed until the end of the year. Individual teachers Statute cannot have their salaries cut unless all teachers have salaries cut. The school in the innovation zone will use the district salary schedule for determining pay for teachers and staff; however, they will have discretion on how the budget is impacted for paying staff (actuals vs. averages). The school principal reserves the right to develop a supplemental

Replacement compensation system to reimburse employees for extra duty pay as it may arise for mandated Policy extended school year, mandated PD outside of school year and mandated additional time. This may also include activities such as coaching, tutoring, external professional development or for performance incentive pay.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 131

APPENDIX H WAIVER REQUESTS: DISTRICT POLICIES

Pueblo City Schools District Waivers WAIVER REQUESTS – PUEBLO CITY SCHOOLS DISTRICT WAIVERS Zone Human Resources Innovation GCB: Personnel Staff Contracts and compensation District Policy GCBA: Instructional Staff Contracts, compensation and salary schedules Each school in the Innovation Zone will meet or exceed minimum statutory requirements for school year and school day. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to issue its own employment offer letters to newly hired teachers. The letter will outline the terms of employment. Each school in the Innovation Zone will have its own compensation structure for additional work, incentives, and performance pay. Compensation will be agreed upon and communicated in advance. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to establish its own additional

compensation system for all employees.

Each school’s calendar, Extra Performance pay, hours of work year and work day, duties and

lunch duty will be determined by the planning team and published for employees of the Innovation Zone Schools. Each Innovation Zone school’s planning committee, in conjunction with the district, will have the Replacement authority to schedule the five teacher workdays within the individual school’s calendar. Policy For new-to-the-district hires, there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). During this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be cancelled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent. Non-probationary teachers, who receive a Partially Effective or Ineffective rating in accordance with the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position in the Innovation School, which may result in an administrative transfer. Probationary teachers are subject to state/district non-renewal processes. The schools in the Innovation Zone have the authority to establish the zone wide compensation rate for additional compensation system beyond Appendices A, B, and C for all employees. Extra Performance beyond Appendices B and C; hours of workday, duties and lunch duty will be determined by the Innovation Zone. In consultation with the office HR and the Superintendent, the schools in the Innovation Zone may offer experience credit beyond that allowed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 132 Zone Human Resources Innovation GCF: Professional Staff Hiring Process District Policy

Innovation Zone Schools have proven to be most effective with a stable staff that is not subject to the transfer process. The schools request a waiver from administrative transfer. Staff applying and accepted for transfer into an Innovation Zone school shall be permitted at any time during the year. The schools in the Innovation Zone have the authority to select all certified staff. The school shall determine the make up the interview committee members for all certified staff. The schools in the Innovation Zone shall have the authority to hire all personnel and request the

ability to hire non-HQ personnel and long-term substitutes in non-core academic areas.

Principals shall have flexibility to determine staffing and leadership structure.

Vacancies shall be posted until filled. Principals shall have the authority to post via a general

posting and hire multiple applicants from same pool. Replacement The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the autonomy to hire all personnel; no employees Policy will be administratively direct placed in the school by district. The schools in the Innovation Zone need to retain personnel that are committed to the reform model, therefore all staff members are required to sign the Innovation Zone Commitment Form. Opt out process will be made available to any staff member prior to the beginning of the first year of the Innovation Zone. The schools in the Innovation Zone will follow application processes, background checks, fingerprinting, and equal employment practices.

Hours of workday, duties and lunch duty will be determined by the Innovation Zone.

School principals in the Innovation Zone would like the discretion to retain late hire employees

(Intent to non-renew, due to hire date), thus avoiding the non-renewal and rehire process for

identified/selected employees.

Zone Professional Learning Innovation GCI Professional Staff Development District Policy

The schools in the Innovation Zone request flexibility in determining PD to support the work of

their plan and the ability to opt out of participating in District Professional Development

opportunities. Replacement Teaching staff will be required to engage in professional development in order to enhance their Policy craft including the processes of Professional Learning Communities (PLC), Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) (Teaching & Learning Cycle) and Observation Feedback to include job-embedded coaching and non-evaluative video-recording. Zone Human Resources Innovation GCKA: Instructional Staff Assignments and Transfers District Policy Innovation Zone Schools have proven to be most effective with a stable staff that is not subject to the transfer process. The schools request a waiver from administrative transfer. Staff applying and accepted for transfer into an Innovation Zone school shall be permitted at any time during the year. The schools in the Innovation Zone have the authority to select all certified staff. The school shall determine the make up the interview committee members for all certified staff.

The schools in the Innovation Zone shall have the authority to hire all personnel. Request the

ability to hire non-HQ personnel and long-term substitutes in non-core academic areas.

Principals shall have flexibility to determine staffing and leadership structure. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 133 Vacancies shall be posted until filled. Principals shall have the authority to post via a general Replacement posting and hire multiple applicants from same pool. Policy The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the autonomy to hire all personnel; no employees will be force placed in the school by district. The schools in the Innovation Zone need to retain personnel that are committed to the reform model, therefore all staff members are required to sign the Innovation Zone Commitment Form. Opt out process will be made available to any staff member prior to the beginning of the first year of the Innovation Zone. The schools in the Innovation Zone will follow application processes, background checks, fingerprinting, and equal employment practices. Hours of workday, duties and lunch duty will be determined by the planning team and contained

in the Personnel Staff Contract. School principals in the Innovation Zone would like the discretion to retain late hire employees (Intent to non-renew, due to hire date), thus avoiding the non-renewal and rehire process for identified/selected employees. Zone Professional Learning Innovation Calendar

District Policy GCL: Professional Staff Schedules and Calendar Each school in the zone will have the authority to develop its own calendar, with Board approval, Replacement and professional development schedule. The school calendar, hours of work year and work day, Policy will be determined by each school’s BLT and published for each school’s employees. Each school in the zone will meet or exceed minimum statutory requirements for calendars. Zone Human Resources Innovation

GCM: Professional Staff Work Load District Policy

The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the flexibility to assign more than four preparations to a teacher. Replacement Teachers will have a minimum of five individual plans each week, based on the individual Policy school’s calendar week. Schools will have the flexibility to vary PLC, plan and collaboration time; with this variation, planning periods may not be uniform. Some meetings may be scheduled at times other than at the end of the normal school day. Zone Human Resources Innovation District Policy GCOA, GCOA-E-1, GCOA- E-2, GCOA-R: Evaluation of Instructional Staff The schools in the Innovation Zone will follow all state statutes and District Policies for evaluation of instructional staff. The same forms, tools and processes will apply to the six (6) innovation schools just like the rest of the district. Replacement The schools in the Innovation Zone, in consultation with HR and PEA, may create additional Policy evaluation criteria specific to their Innovation plans. (i.e., for an IB school a classroom walk- through form may be developed to give teachers feedback on their implementation of IB). Schools in the Innovation Zone would like to impose mutually determined acceptable metrics, measures and performance levels (academic status and student growth) for the Measures of Student Learning (MSL) in the Educator Effectiveness process. Schools within the zone would like the flexibility to eliminate or determine the percentage weight and how the SPF is used to determine the rating in the MSL portion of the Evaluation. Expand the use of the SPF to include growth as opposed to solely percentage and Plan Type. Zone Human Resources Innovation District Policy GCQA and GCQA-R: Instructional Staff Reduction in Force Replacement Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to make decisions regarding reductions Policy in teaching staff and will follow the RIF language. Zone Calendar Innovation IC_ICA: School Year/School Calendar/Instruction Time District Policy Each school in the zone will have the authority to develop its own calendar; including the number of hour/days of planned teacher-student instruction and teacher-student contact hours. Replacement The school calendar, hours of work year and work day, will be determined by each school’s BLT Policy and published for each school’s employees. Each school in the zone will meet or exceed minimum statutory requirements for school year and school day and contact time. Pueblo CityZone School Educational District 60 Programming♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 134 Innovation District Policy IG: Curriculum Development Each school in the Innovation Zone has the flexibility to adopt its own educational program, including selecting curriculum. Each school will carry out an educational program consistent with its approved innovation zone plan and/or it’s own innovation school plan and will determine curricular and instructional materials and resources for use in its educational program. Each Replacement school in the zone’s educational program will meet or exceed the minimum standards of the Policy District and state. Each school in the zone will be responsible for its core curricula and professional development. By waiving the state statute and district policies, the schools in the zone will be able to implement the programs, curriculum, and training to support the implementation of the instructional programs they have selected based on the mission and

vision of their school and components detailed out in the Innovation Zone plan and/or current school’s innovation plans. Learning materials will align with the CCSS and CAS and will meet or exceed the district’s standards. Each school in the zone will regularly evaluate its educational programming and make changes to curriculum, content, instruction, and assessments. The district will evaluate the impact of the school’s educational programming as part of its 3-year review of the innovation zone plan in addition to the annual UIP review by the SAC. Zone Educational Programming Innovation District Policy IHA: Basic Instructional Program Each school in the zone requests the flexibility to determine a curriculum structured to meet the needs of its students. Each school in the zone will be responsible for its core curricula, the textbooks to support the curriculum, and professional development. By waiving the state statute Replacement and district policies, the each school will be able to implement the programs, curriculum and Policy provide training to support the implementation of the instructional programs they have selected. Each school in the zone will follow the programming outlined in the innovation zone plan to meet the needs of all students. Zone Educational Programming Innovation IJ Instructional Resources and Materials District Policy IJJ Textbook Selection and Adoption

The schools in the Innovation Zone may request flexibility to adopt its own educational core & supplemental program, including selecting curriculum and textbooks. The schools will be afforded proportional funding for core materials provided to other schools in order to support Replacement the site adoption. Policy The selection of curriculum shall be determined to meet the needs of the students in the school. The schools in the Innovation Zone’s educational programming will meet or exceed minimum academic content standards and be research-based.

Zone Educational Programming Innovation JC: School Attendance Areas District Policy

The middle schools in the Innovation Zone need to present their Innovation Plans and provide a Replacement choice for middle school students. Policy

Zone Educational Programming Innovation IIB: Class Size District Policy

The schools in the Innovation Zone would like to lower class size for some classes. The collective Replacement bargaining association (PEA) does not need to waive class size. In Article 11, 11-2-1 Policy acknowledges that the district shall make reasonable effort, within the established budget, to maintain class size at reasonable, workable, and educationally effective levels in all situations. Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 135

APPENDIX I WAIVER REQUESTS: PEA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT ARTICLES

Pueblo City Schools PEA Waivers WAIVER REQUESTS – PEA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROVISIONS Zone Calendar Innovation Article 10 - Contract Year - Hours 10-1 - Contract year = 183 day. 10-1-2 Paid Additional compensation for duties Negotiated 10-2 - School day - 7hrs. 30 min. Agreement 10-3 – Regular day 10-1-3 – Teacher workdays

Each school in the Innovation Zone will meet or exceed minimum statutory requirements for school year and school day. Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to issue its own employment offer letters to newly hired teachers. The letter will outline the terms of employment. Schools in the Innovation Zone will have a common structure of compensation for additional work, incentives, and

performance pay. Compensation will be agreed upon and communicated in advance.

Each Innovation Zone school’s planning committee will have the authority to schedule the five

teacher workdays within the individual school’s calendar. New-to-district hires: Replacement  there will be an “at-will” period of employment (3 semesters). Policy  during this “at will” period of employment, a teacher’s contract may be cancelled at any time after approval of HR and consultation with the superintendent. Non probationary teachers:  teachers who receive a Partially Effective or Ineffective rating in accordance with the evaluation process, shall be subject to a review of their position in the Innovation School, which may result in an administrative transfer. Probationary teachers:  are subject to state/district non-renewal processes. The schools in the Innovation Zone have the authority to establish the zone wide compensation rate system in addition to Appendices A, B, and C for all employees. Extra Performance in addition to Appendices B and C; hours of work day, duties and lunch duty will be determined by the Innovation Zone Team. In consultation with HR and the Superintendent, the schools in the Innovation Zone may offer experience credit beyond that allowed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Zone Human Resources Innovation Professional Learning Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 136

Article 11 - Teaching Load Negotiated 11-3-1-1 (4) Separate preparations Agreement 11-4-1 Flexibility with planning times 11-5 Required meetings The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the flexibility to assign more than four preparations to middle school teachers. Replacement Teachers will have a minimum of five individual plans each week, based on the individual Policy school’s calendar week. Schools will have the flexibility to vary PLC, plan and collaboration time; with this variation, planning periods may not be uniform. Some meetings may be scheduled at times other than at the end of the normal school day.

Zone Human Resources Innovation Article 13 – Transfers 13-1-4 Timeframe for transfers 13-1-4-1 Transfer placement Negotiated 13-1-6-1 licensure and endorsement Agreement 13-2-1 – Posting of Vacancies 13-2-1-1 Postings 13-3 Transfers 13-4 Administrative Transfers Staff applying and accepted for transfer into an Innovation Zone school shall be permitted at any time during the year. The schools in the Innovation Zone have the authority to select all certified staff. The school Replacement shall determine the make up the interview committee members for all certified staff. Policy The schools in the Innovation Zone shall have the authority to hire all personnel and request the ability to hire non-Highly Qualified (HQ) personnel and long-term substitutes in non-core academic areas. Principals shall have flexibility to determine staffing and leadership structure. Vacancies shall be posted until filled. Principals shall have the authority to post via a general posting and hire multiple applicants from same pool. The schools in the Innovation Zone will have the autonomy to hire all personnel; no employees will be administratively placed in the school by district. The schools in the Innovation Zone need to retain personnel that are committed to the reform model, therefore all staff members are required to sign the Innovation Zone Commitment Form. Opt out process will be made available to any staff member prior to the beginning of the first year of the Innovation Zone. The schools in the Innovation Zone will follow application processes, background checks, fingerprinting, and equal employment practices. School principals in the Innovation Zone would like the discretion to retain late hire employees (Intent to non-renew, due to hire date), thus avoiding the non-renewal and rehire process for identified/selected employees.

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 137

Zone Human Resources Innovation Negotiated Article 15 - Reduction in Force Agreement Replacement Each school in the Innovation Zone has the authority to make decisions regarding reductions in Policy teaching staff and will follow the RIF language. Zone Calendar Innovation Professional Learning Negotiated MOU Early Release Individual Planning Time Agreement Replacement The schools in the Innovation Zone will set their own schedules for Friday early release. Policy

Pueblo City School District 60 ♦ Bessemer Academy ♦ Innovation Plan | Page 138