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School improvement can only occur when the principal provides strong leadership that empowers teachers and staff to develop goals that fit the academic and social/emotional needs of each student. Those goals must be developed after reviewing all pertinent data including not only achievement data, but perception and observation data that focuses the school on all aspects of improvement that impact students.

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

The activities and athletics programs at Canarelli are more active than most middle schools. For example, our Fine Arts programs provided highly effective instruction for students interested in developing their talents in band, orchestra, choir, or drama. Our Fine Arts programs have earned superior ratings in District competitions, festivals, and ensemble performances. The teachers in this department work tirelessly to host family engagement activities for our elementary and high school feeders. Canarelli offers a Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, Honor Choir, and family trips to perform in out-of-state competitions. The drama department offers performances in which students write, direct, and perform each year. The Fine Arts department host musicals and performances that professionals in their respective fields. We are very proud of the students and teachers who participate in our Fine Arts activities and performance groups.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.

Each year Canarelli Middle School hosts a Welcome Back to School Day for all students which include orientation, preparation, supplies and information for the school year. Challenge Day is another exceptional series of events in which over 400 of our students participate in anti-bullying activities during the week and during two assemblies. In addition, Canarelli hosts a Community Resource Fair annually where families and community members can have direct access to business, health and wellness organizations, and educational services in the surrounding community. Fifth grade orientation in the spring is not your typical introduction session/assembly. We provide transportation for each of our feeder elementary schools (five) and each student shadows a leadership student for a full day before coming to school in the fall. Student-led conferences were hosted to provide parents with the opportunity to receive academic progress information from their student with the teacher present.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

School improvement can only occur when the principal provides strong leadership that empowers teachers and staff to develop goals that fit the academic and social/emotional needs of each student. Those goals must be developed after reviewing all pertinent data including not only achievement data, but perception and observation data that focuses the school on all aspects of improvement that impact students. When the administration, teachers and staff come to fully understand the academic and social/emotional needs of the students they serve, and they develop targeted assistance to match those goals, success is inevitable. The teachers must be leaders in the process, and the monitoring must be shared by both teachers and administrators. The plan must be developed by the team, shared with the school by the lead team, further enhanced, and monitored by all staff. When there are shifts needed during the course of the year, the staff shares the responsibility and ultimately, the success.

What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?

We would like to provide more extensive inclusion of special education students during advisory and in activities. We believe in the continuum of services to meet each student's needs, but we know that special education students must be prepared for career and college as well. The social and emotional development of special needs students will enhance the safe culture for all students. We are also excited to be working on the development of AVID electives and a mentor program for students who demonstrate the need. These enhanced student leadership opportunities will reach more students and further prepare each Canarelli student for college.

What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?

The focus on the development of student confidence and leadership by providing programs during and after school for students is the key to Canarelli's success. While other schools may use data, data walls, professional learning communities, and family academic nights, I have only heard of one middle school who offers students the opportunity to be developed as a citizen and leader on a school-wide basis. The commitment at Canarelli is unprecedented and it is consistent among staff. Providing a safe and secure learning environment in which all students have access to rigorous curriculum and targeted assistance is generally unique. The focus on developing student leaders who are well-rounded is strong in our school and we are very proud of this accomplishment. However, it can be and should be replicated especially in middle schools.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.

In addition to weekly individualized remediation plans for students who were not mastering standards, teachers worked with students in after school tutoring in order to shore up basic skills. The special education and general education teachers collaborated to create fundamentals classes and targeted assistance once per week during advisory class. The master schedule was adjusted to ensure that special education students had access and support for rigorous curriculum from both general and special education teachers. The master schedule was also adjusted to create sections for increased enrichment for students who demonstrated a need to be challenged in honors and accelerated courses. Ultimately, the consistent teacher collaboration, student-led conferences, and access to rigorous curriculum for all students worked well to close the gaps at Canarelli.

Explain how Title I funds are used to support your improvement efforts.

The Title I Funds provided the budget for after school tutoring and technology hardware and software to support increased achievement in all Mathematics and English Language Arts fundamentals classes. The funds also provided for class size reduction in Mathematics, and for a portion of Title I Site Contact/Strategist position. The Community Resource Fair, Family Academic Nights, and other school-wide events included opportunities for parents to attend training for use of High Yield Achievement Strategies to use at home. Title I Funds provided for family engagement activities like these and many more.

Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.

Each staff meeting, professional development day, and substitute relief day was utilized to support the teacher performance framework which focused on five High Leverage Instructional Standards. Those standards which were keenly developed for the past two years included student meta-cognition, student discourse, and high cognitive demand tasks. While the staff meetings were brief, the frequency and consistent focus allowed teachers to truly enhance the quality of instruction. There were book studies on Mindset and Grading Practices that also contributed to improved instructional practice. The keen focus for this year has been on student-to-student discourse (generally known as student engagement), meta-cognition and tasks with high cognitive demand.

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.

Data is used during weekly Professional Learning Community meetings to develop targeted assistance to students who did not demonstrate mastery of standards on the weekly summative assessment. The ELL teacher provided differentiated and targeted assistance for students speaking six different languages. Their data walls were maintained and students were recognized for their growth. The special education and general education teachers collaborated to create fundamentals classes and targeted assistance once per week during advisory class. The master schedule was adjusted to ensure that special education students had access and support for rigorous curriculum from both general and special education teachers. Data informed decisions regarding use of time in the master schedule, resources for tutoring and prep buyouts, and after school activities.

Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.

Canarelli Middle School has unique culture primarily due to hosting Challenge Day for ten years and the unique Advisory Program. Positive student interaction and collaboration is developed during Challenge Day and maintained during our school-wide Advisory Period. Advisory is focused on developing students' confidence, classroom community, philanthropy, and team-building. Teachers begin each day in their Advisory class with a curriculum developed by our Title I Strategist and her Advisory Committee annually. The curriculum contains anti-bullying activities, competitions, and Mindset activities that foster positive self-concept. Canarelli students participated in the Great Kindness Challenge during Advisory and student validation activities. Each Advisory teacher leads the students in a Class of the Year Competition annually. One of the Advisory class winners in 2015 was Mrs. McCullough's Monsters! These programs contributed to our safe learning community for each Canarelli student.

• Category 2

  Selected in 2015

• Grades: 6 - 8
  School Setting: urban
  Town Population: 2,027,828
  Student Enrollment: 1,841
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 12.3%
  White/Caucasian: 25.5%
  Hispanic: 24.9%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 3.5%
  Asian: 25.1%
  Native American: 0.6%
  Other: 8.1%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:35
  % Reduced Lunch: 43.2%
  % ELL Learners: 7.2%
  Founded: 2003
• PRINCIPAL:
  Monica Lang
• CONTACT:
  7808 South Torrey Pines Dr.
  Las Vegas, NV 89139
  702-799-1340 ext. 4019
  tjreynolds@interact.ccsd.net