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For many of our students, the school community is their surrogate family. Each member of our student body belongs to each member of the staff. Through our Advisory program, in which students meet daily in small groups with a staff member, we ensure that each student has at least one adult with whom s/he has a connection

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

Title I partners with the SMS 21st Century Grant (known as Somersworth Youth Connection) and our SMS PTA to provide opportunities for family engagement. We recently hosted an Artist-in-Residence anti-bullying program, which culminated in a free family dinner and student performance. In March we are sponsoring a lecture by a noted therapist on dealing with anxiety in students (and parents). We use PowerSchool to enable parents and students to access assignments and grades from home. The school website informs families and community members of upcoming evetns and news from the school. Our monthly newsletter provides additional information and ways to be actively involved in student learning. The PTA brings in speakers from the local community to talk about pertinent subjects such as cyber-bullying and substance abuse preventionl.

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

To improve student achievement and teacher effectiveness by engaging teachers in ongoing, embedded professional learning opportunities to 1) ensure high quality core instruction as well as targeted intervention and enrichtments, based on student data, while increasing student motivation to learn, and 2) to create specific and rigorous assessments, aligned to College and Career Readiness Standards, which will be used to monitor student learning and to inform instruction.

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

The most important factor in the success of our school is our relationships: staff and students, administration and staff, and staff with staff. We strive to be a community in which all members (staff and students) feel valued. As one student recently remarked during an Advisory session, "This school IS my family."

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

Our funds from Title I are used to provide Literacy and Math Coaches to work with our Tier 2 and Tier 3 students - those who need support but do not meet eligibility requirements for special education services. Our Literacy Coaches use Fountas & Pinnell's Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI), an evidence-based program for intervention in fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. In addition to all of the LLI texts, we have an extensive library of high-interest leveled texts (fiction and nonfiction) which are used by students in their language arts and social studies classes. We provide after-school academic assistance during the school year, as well as a rigorous summer school program. Resources are also provided to support our homeless and at-risk students.

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

At SMS we are ALL lifelong learners. We are provided with ample professional development opportunities throughout the year. We have engaged a consultant to work with our math department on curriculum. A literacy consultant works with our Title I, language arts and social studies teachers to develop and implement a Readers' Workshop model. Our Title I staff receives ongoing training in LLI, to close the gap for our struggling readers. Attendance and participation at regional and national conferences is encouraged. Several staff members presented at the New England League of Middle Schools Annual Conference, including "Eliminating Homework While Extending Learning Skill Outside the Classroom" and "Creating Collaborative Communities: Connecting Students Through Guidance Supports and Awesome Advisory Acitivites". The full staff has received training in aligning the curriculum to CCSS. Our Building Level Council oversees the professional development for each staff member.

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

We look at NWEA scores for math and reading, AIMsweb scores for literacy, pre- and post-unit assessments, and other assessments as needed. Students who struggle in reading are also benchmarked using the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark System. Interventions are developed to meet the needs of each student. Students are progress monitored in accordance with our RTI model: Tier 3 students are monitored every 2 weeks and Tier 2 students are monitored once per month. Our Literacy Team meets regularly to establish intervention groups, and to make changes in interventions based on assessment results. Data collection and analysis are ongoing activities throughout the year. SMS uses Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) as a way to promote positive behavior in the school, and lower the incidence of behavior issues. Students meet with their advisors quarterly to review their academic and behavioral patterns. Our RTI Team develops intervention plans for students as needed.

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

Our school culture is that of a community. As expressed in our Mission Statement: "The Somersworth Middle School community will promote literacy and creativity while encouraging social, emotional and physical well-being of lifelong learners who demonstrate pride, respect, and responsibility towards self and others." For many of our students, the school community is their surrogate family. Each member of our student body belongs to each member of the staff. Through our Advisory program, in which students meet daily in small groups with a staff member, we ensure that each student has at least one adult with whom s/he has a connection. We use our weekly "community days" as well as special events and celebrations to build and reinforce our culture. SMS has been recognized as a "Spotlight School" by the New England League of Middle Schools, as a school with "a record of effective teaching and learning for young adolescents and consistently implement[ing] middle level practices."

• Category 2

  Selected in 2014

• Grades: 6 - 8
  School Setting: suburban
  Town Population: 11,839
  Student Enrollment: 444
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 3.2%
  White/Caucasian: 84.1%
  Hispanic: 3.1%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 7%
  Native American: 0.3%
  Other: 2.3%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:15
  % Reduced Lunch: 52.3%
  % ELL Learners: 3%
  Founded: 1962
• PRINCIPAL:
  Dana Hilliard
• CONTACT:
  7 Memorial Drive
  Somersworth, NH 03878
  603-692-2126
  dhilliard@sau56.org