Culture and Climate

B1. Positive relationships and trust are maintained within and between school stakeholder groups (e.g., leaders, teachers, students, staff, families, community). 

Developing (2)

B2. School leaders maintain ongoing communication with teachers and other school stakeholders and solicit input on major decisions from relevant stakeholders

Developing (2)

B6. Expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior. 

Developing (2)

Practice Rationale

Provide an explanation for choosing this Practice, including why focusing on this Practice will impact student performance (WAEA indicators). 

Positive relationships and trust are crucial components of a positive school environment conducive for learning.  UWLS has had three principals over the last three school years. Only five teachers currently employed at UWLS were employed prior to the 2020-2021 school year. 

Teacher and leadership turnover since the COVID-19 pandemic have eroded the systems of communication, common institutional knowledge, and a unified vision among staff and stakeholders. Staff morale and the culture/climate of the school has been negatively affected in recent years. 

Black Hills Staff Culture and Climate Survey, Winter 2023

Climate, culture, and communication were identified as UW Lab School’s greatest challenges in a multifaceted data review facilitated by Black Hills Special Services Co-op. In the January 2023 Black Hills Staff Culture and Climate Survey, 19% of staff agreed that the school reflects a true sense of community. Additionally, 16% of staff agreed that when something is not working in our school, the faculty and staff predict and prevent rather than react and repair.

Informal Staff Survey, Fall 2023

33% of staff rate UWLS as  providing or sustaining in maintaining positive relationships and trust among all stakeholders in an informal staff survey conducted in October 2023.

  Improvement Strategy 

• Explain the research-based strategy (or strategies) the school will implement to address this area of need. 

• Explain how the strategies, in relation to the research, address the needs of your school’s students.

• Explain how the strategy, in relation to the research, addresses the needs of your school’s adult community members.

Improvement strategies for this domain will focus primarily on improving positive relationships and trust among UWLS staff. 

1. Build collective efficacy through Professional Learning Communities (PLC).

All teaching staff will participate in facilitated PLC’s on a weekly basis. PLC’s will foster an environment of collaboration that promotes unified focus on student learning. 

2. Improve internal systems of communication.

   1. Teacher Leadership Committee System - All teachers will have voice and responsibility for school improvement by participating in one of four teacher leadership committees: Operations, Instruction, Community Engagement, or MTSS/PBIS. Minutes and agendas for all committee meetings will be accessible by all staff members to promote transparency and communication. 

2. Faculty Field Guide - A building employee handbook that includes schedules, duties, safety protocols, etc. will be provided to staff and updated periodically at the recommendation of teacher leadership committees. 

3. Weekly Update - The building leader will communicate announcements and events to staff through an email newsletter on a weekly basis. 

4. Internal Staff Calendar - Events, meetings, agendas, and minutes will be communicated internally through a shared digital calendar. 

3. Finalize mission/vision work. 

Revision of the school’s mission and vision began in spring 2023 to build unity among staff and school stakeholders. This work will continue in the spring of 2024 resulting in a finalized mission, vision, and collective commitments by the end of the 2023-2024 school year.

4. Community Building

The community engagement committee will create multiple opportunities for staff recognition, connection, and appreciation.

  1-Year Adult Practice Goal

Provide a measurable goal aligned to the 

Practice.

By June 1, 2024, 

• 50% of school staff will agree that our school reflects a true sense of community

• 45% of staff will agree that when something is not working in our school, the faculty and staff predict and prevent rather than react and repair

as measured by the spring administration of the Black Hills Staff Culture/Climate Survey.

Impact on Performance Goals

Describe how the focus on this Practice will impact performance goals. 

Rebuilding the community and systems of communication at UWLS will positively impact student performance because staff and students achieve at higher levels when they are valued and supported with clear, common expectations in an environment defined by mutual respect. 

All teachers will participate in weekly PLC’s with an instructional facilitator.

11/1/2023

Personnel - Instructional Facilitator(s); scheduled PLC time

PLC calendar and agendas

Each teacher leadership committee will meet at least once quarterly or twice per semester.

1/19/2024

Committee membership; meeting calendar

Internal calendar and meeting minutes 

Finalize school mission, vision, and collective commitments. 

Spring 2024

Professional development days; facilitators

Professional development calendar and agendas

Staff will engage in both formal and informal opportunities to connect, be recognized, and express appreciation.

Ongoing

Community engagement committee personnel; building discretionary budget

Internal calendar

Staff Culture/Climate Survey Mid-Year

 1/19/2024

Black Hills Culture/Climate Survey; facilitated data retreat

Review/analyze survey results

Staff Culture/Climate Survey End-of-Year

 5/1/2024

Black Hills Culture/Climate Survey

Review/analyze survey results

Practice Rationale

Provide an explanation for choosing this Practice, including why focusing on this Practice will impact student performance (WAEA indicators). 

In the previous school year, limited systems of communication were in place to provide information to families and community stakeholders. Prior to the pandemic, the school conducted exhibitions of learning and family involvement events on a regular basis. Previous university and community partnerships were disrupted during the pandemic when stakeholder access to the school building was limited. Staff and leadership turnover has eroded the systems of two-way communication between school stakeholders. 

Informal Family Survey, Fall 2023

45% of parents/guardians rated UWLS as providing or sustaining in maintaining ongoing communication and soliciting input on major decisions from all stakeholders.

Improvement Strategy

• Explain the research-based strategy (or strategies) the school will implement to address this area of need. 

• Explain how the strategies, in relation to the research, address the needs of your school’s students.

• Explain how the strategy, in relation to the research, addresses the needs of your school’s adult community members.

Improvement strategies in this domain will focus primarily on communication and input conduits for families and community stakeholders. 

1. School-to-home communication with families will improve through the following strategies:

   1. Migration to the Remind system allows families to choose a preferred format, text or email, for receiving school communications.

   2. Monthly Principal Newsletter 

   3. Website Improvements

2. Input will be solicited from families and students through the following strategies:

   1. Parent and student representatives on Teacher Hiring Committees

   2. Publications such as the Student/Family Handbook, Curriculum Guide, and PBIS Manual will be revised with parent and student input.

   3. A quarterly informal parent Q&A with principal

   4. Formal and informal family surveys

3. Parents will be provided with opportunities to experience the implementation of the school’s mission and vision through the following strategies:

   1. Exhibitions of student learning will be utilized to allow students to create, present, and reflect on high-quality work for an authentic audience.

  1-Year Adult Practice Goal

Provide a measurable goal aligned to the  practice.

By June 1, 2024, 55% of parents/guardians rated UWLS as providing or sustaining in maintaining ongoing communication and soliciting input on major decisions from all stakeholders as measured by a follow-up family survey.

Impact on Performance Goals

Describe how the focus on this Practice will impact performance goals. 

Community engagement and participation in decision-making is necessary for optimal functioning for schools and leads to improved academic outcomes. Providing clear and concise rationale to stakeholders for decisions, including an explanation of how stakeholder feedback impacted decision-making, holds schools accountable for maintaining systemic changes.

Migration to Remind System

October 2023

Monthly Principal Newsletter

Ongoing

Canva

Website Improvements

January 2024; ongoing

Instagram

Stakeholder representation on hiring committees

Ongoing

Stakeholder input on revision of PBIS Manual other publications/adoptions

Ongoing; see Priority Practice #3

Meeting Minutes/Agendas

Stakeholder participation in school improvement planning

Ongoing

Exhibitions of learning will occur at least once per school year in both homerooms/grade levels and essentials/electives

June 1, 2024

TBD

Internal Calendar

Informal parent Q&A events

Ongoing; quarterly

Informal parent surveys

Ongoing; quarterly

Practice Rationale

Provide an explanation for choosing this Practice, including why focusing on this Practice will impact student performance (WAEA indicators). 

The UWLS Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Manual was last revised during the 2020-2021 school year. An informal review of office discipline referrals from fall 2023 indicates that staff and students do not have a common understanding of the expectations for or systems for addressing student conduct. Limited systems are in place for collecting data and analyzing trends to understand student behavior.

Informal Staff Survey, Fall 2023

39% of staff rated UWLS as providing or sustaining when asked if expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior.

Informal Family Survey, Fall 2023

52% of families rated UWLS as providing or sustaining when asked if expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior. 

  Improvement Strategy 

• Explain the research-based strategy (or strategies) the school will implement to address this area of need. 

• Explain how the strategies, in relation to the research, address the needs of your school’s students.

• Explain how the strategy, in relation to the research, addresses the needs of your school’s adult community members.

1. Revise PBIS Manual

UWLS staff and stakeholders will review, solicit input on, revise, and publish a PBIS Handbook to include school-wide expectations, discipline matrices, and restorative practices. In the fall of 2024, UWLS staff will undergo professional development on the implementation of the revised PBIS Handbook. 

  1-Year Adult Practice Goal

Provide a measurable goal aligned to the practice.

By September 1, 2024, 67% of staff and parents will rate UWLS as providing or sustaining when asked if expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior. 

Impact on Performance Goals

Describe how the focus on this Practice will impact performance goals. 

Problem behavior in schools is both a significant social challenge and a barrier to effective learning. Interdependent relationships exist between academic achievement and behavioral competence. Clear expectations reinforced through a Positive Behavior Intervention and Support System and school-wide behavior management plan promote an environment that optimizes opportunities for teaching and learning.  

PBIS/MTSS Committee initial manual review

11/30/2023

Model PBIS systems and literature on best practices

Committee meeting agendas

Committee Revisions

1/31/2024

Meeting date and focused agenda

Committee meeting agendas

Family/Stakeholder/Staff Feedback Cycle

2/28/2024

Survey platform

Stakeholder Survey

Committee Revisions

 4/30/2024

Meeting date and focused agenda

Committee meeting agendas

Publication on school website and family 

 6/1/2023

Published manual

Staff training, calibration, and norming

8/2024

Reserved professional development time

Professional Development Agenda

Full Implementation

 2024-2025 School Year

Collect and compare discipline referral data from 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. 

WAEA Weighted Average Indicator Score (0.0-3.0) 

2.0

2.6

Achievement (Numeric value)

56

60

Growth (Numeric value)

58

60

Equity (Numeric value)

66

70

EL Progress (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

For High Schools Only

Extended Graduation Rate (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Post-Secondary Readiness (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Grade Nine Credits (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

ESSA Average Indicator Score (0.0-3.0)

3.0

3.0

Achievement (Numeric value)

Above Average

65.7

70

Growth (Numeric value)

Above Average

56.3

60

Equity (Numeric value)

Above Average

58.2

62

EL Progress (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

For High Schools Only

Four year on-time graduation rate (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Post-Secondary Readiness (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Achievement (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Growth (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

School Climate (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Engagement (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

For High Schools Only

High School Credential Rate (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

Credit Earning (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

College and Career Readiness (Numeric value)

N/A

N/A

ELA (Numeric value)

70.8%

74%

Math (Numeric value)

60.6%

64%

Science (Numeric value)

69.8%

72%

Culture and Climate

B1. Positive relationships and trust are maintained within and between school stakeholder groups (e.g., leaders, teachers, students, staff, families, community). 

Developing 

(2)

By June 1, 2024, 

• 50% (up from 19%) of school staff will agree that our school reflects a true sense of community

• 45%  (up from 16%) of staff will agree that when something is not working in our school, the faculty and staff predict and prevent rather than react and repair

as measured by the spring administration of the Black Hills Staff Culture/Climate Survey.

B2. School leaders maintain ongoing communication with teachers and other school stakeholders and solicit input on major decisions from relevant stakeholders

Developing 

(2)

By June 1, 2024, 55% (up from 45%) of parents/guardians will rate UWLS as providing (3) or sustaining (4) in maintaining ongoing communication and soliciting input on major decisions from all stakeholders as measured by a follow-up family survey.

B6. Expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior. 

Developing 

(2)

By September 1, 2024, 67% (up from 39% and 52% respectively) of staff and parents will rate UWLS as providing (3) or sustaining (4) when asked if expectations for conduct are clearly understood by all staff and students and school staff have built a system to understand student behavior. 

Brooke Fergon

Principal, Parent

Elizabeth Clower

Instructional Facilitator

Gina Sigel

School Counselor, Parent

Andy Pannell

Middle School Teacher

Megan Wilson

Elementary Teacher

Joanne Bowlby Mai

Intervention Teacher, Parent

John Hennings

Physical Education Teacher

Lisa Pearce

Paraeducator

Scott Chamberlin

University of Wyoming College of Education Faculty, Parent

Jayne Hellenberg

University of Wyoming College of Education Faculty

Amy Beasley

Project Manager, Technology & Innovation in Education (TIE)

David Hardesty

Assistant Superintendent