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Accountability and flexibility are hallmarks of Gwinnett County Public Schools' success. Key to that success is ensuring that each school community understands the progress being made by its schools, as well as what plans will drive improvement. Each school creates a collaborative Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI) to increase student achievement results, with targeted goals based on the four strategic priorities within the district’s Blueprint for the Future: Empathy, Equity, Effectiveness, and Excellence. All schools across the district will focus on goals 2A- Multi-tiered Systems of Support and 2B- Opportunity and Access. Additionally, schools are required to select one goal from each of the other strategic priorities. LSPI goals are dynamic, like our schools, and are updated to reflect changes that occur in schools. Multiple data points are used to determine areas needing improvement and to identify specific, measurable, annual objectives. Schools then determine how to use research-based strategies to achieve these goals, using flexibility as needed. The LSPI development process involves teachers, parents, students, and community members, so the entire school community has the opportunity to be involved in conversations about school improvement.

 

2023 - 2024 Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI)


School: HARMONY ELEMENTARY           Principal: Jonathan Day
District Strategic Priorities/Goals Rationale Action Steps
(Implementation Design)		 How will you measure growth?
Growth Factors (Baseline & Targets)
Empathy 1.B - Staff and Student Well Being

Harmony Elementary believes teachers who are culturally competent and feel appreciated are more likely to have classrooms where all students feel accepted and cared for.  This will also help students develop a positive view of themselves and their families.  

 
  1. Daily Door Greetings: This allows teachers to assess student needs before they enter the room.
  2. Class Meetings: Every teacher will spend 15 minutes each day to model, teach, and talk about student's social, emotional, academic, and behavioral needs.  During class meetings, teachers will develop a classroom PBIS matrix and utilize character strong lessons.  These lessons encompass responsible decision making, self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills (the 5 SEL Competencies). 
  3. PBIS Cat Cash and Celebrations: Students will have every other Friday to trade in cat cash for prizes and monthly celebrations will recognize positive student behavior.  Each teacher will choose a JAG of the Month based on the monthly focus in the character strong lessons.
  4. PBIS & SEL Action Teams: Harmony was recognized as a Distinguished PBIS school.  To keep this distinguished status, all staff will be on one of the following PBIS & SEL action team that meets monthly.
      • Staff Professional Learning
      • Student SEL
      • Family & Community Engagement
      • Sunshine
      • Tier II PBIS
      • Tier 1 PBIS
  5. New Teacher Mentor Program:  All teachers new to Harmony are provided a mentor and engage in monthly meetings to obtain support in needed areas.
  6. Students in kindergarten will participate in joyful learning during morning arrival time.  

Percent of students responding positively to the following student wellbeing EES Student Survey:

I feel safe coming to school

  • Baseline: 91%
  • Target: 94%

I enjoy coming to this school

  • Baseline: 87%
  • Target: 90%

I am hopeful about my future

  • Baseline: 95%
  • Target: 98%

I can calm myself down when I am excited or upset

  • Baseline: 88%
  • Target: 91%

I am not discouraged when things aren’t going well 

  • Baseline: 87%
  • Target: 90%

Percent of staff responding positively to the following staff support EES Staff Survey items:

When there is a problem in my school, we talk about how to solve it

  • Baseline: 86%
  • Target: 90%

My principal/administrator cares about me as a person

  • Baseline: 97%
  • Target: 100%

My principal facilitates systems/processes to support school improvement

  • Baseline: 89%
  • Target: 92%

Support from my principal/supervisor leads to progress on instructional improvement (or professional growth)   

  • Baseline: 98%
  • Target: 100%

 

   
Equity 2.A - Multi-tiered System of Supports

Harmony Elementary desires to create conditions under which every child receives what they need to develop to their full academic and social potential.  
  1.  Universal iReady Screener:  All students will take the screener in August, January, and May.
  2. Targeted Interventions:  iReady data used to develop Tier 1, 1+, 2, and 3 interventions.
  3. Dedicated Enrichment & Intervention Block:  JAG time will be a 45 minute block built into each day.
  4. Meetings to Support MTSS Program:  
      • School level meetings three times a year after iReady screener given
      • Tier II Data Talks held twice a month during grade level planning
      • Student Support Team Tier III meetings held weekly on Thursdays
      • PBIS Tier II monthly meetings to review individual student's behavioral needs
  5. Collaborative Learning Team Meetings:  Teachers will meet twice a week during planning to preview lessons and ensure alignment as they begin year two of EL Education implementation and participate in the new math pilot focusing on the revised state math standards.
  6. Teachers in grades 3rd-5th will use iReady screener data to create an extra skills block for students needing intervention.  

PBIS Recognition Level

  • Baseline: Distinguished
  • Goal: Distinguished

Decrease the percentage of students that scored at the beginning level of Milestones: see attached chart

 

 
Equity 2.B - Opportunity and Access

Harmony Elementary will expand opportunities so that all students will have the opportunity to engage in and have access to high quality, rigorous, and culturally relevant curriculum, and enrichment activities.  
  1. Early Learning Outreach: Harmony will have two Play 2 Learn classes that will meet weekly for families with children from birth to five years old.  In addition, Harmony will add a Little Learners Academy that will meet monthly.
  2. Increase The Number of Gifted Classroom Teachers:  Six teachers will take the yearlong class to obtain their gifted certification.
  3. Increase the Number of Gifted Students:  The gifted teachers will provide talent development for identified students in underrepresented groups while tapping into the language skills of the multi-lingual students.
  4. Student Clubs and Activities: Increase extracurricular clubs and activities to allow additional options for all students.
  5. Student Choice for JAG Time Enrichment:  Students will fill out a preference form before creating enrichment groups.
  6. After School Program: Harmony will partner with Right at School to provide an after school program available to all students from 3:20-6:00 every school day.

Increase the percentage of rising kindergarten students who attend Kindergarten Academy during SEA:

  • 2022 Baseline: 29 students
  • 2023 Baseline: 41 students
  • 2024 Target: 50 students

Increase the percentage of Harmony students who are identified as gifted:

  • 2022 Baseline: 15% 
  • 2023 Baseline: 26%
  • 2024 Target: 28%

Increase the percentage of Harmony students who are identified as gifted in underrepresented groups:

  • Free & Reduced Lunch: 44% of students 
    • 2022 Baseline: 18%
    • 2023 Baseline: 13%
    • 2024 Target: 20%

 

  • Hispanic: 16% of students
    • 2022 Baseline: 5%
    • 2023 Baseline: 5%
    • 2024 Target: 8%

 

  • African-American: 22% of students 
    • 2022 Baseline: 12%
    • 2023 Baseline: 13%
    • 2024 Target: 15%

Increase the number of students in grades 2-5 who were able to participate in a club or enrichment session of their choice during JAG time:

  • Baseline:  0%
  • Target: 75%

 
Effectiveness 3.A - Results-Based Evaluation System

Harmony Elementary will implement the Results Based Evaluation System to include both the academic press and supportive community.
  1.  Instructional Coaching:  Coaches will lead grade level collaborative learning teams twice a week and provide individual coaching cycles for identified veteran and new teachers.
  2. Teachers will complete peer observations at different grade levels during literacy blocks.
  3. Implementation of following tiered interventions:
      • Wilson
      • Spire
      • Fundations
      • Reading Recovery
      • Read 180
      • Georgia Gwinnett College Students
      • Number Strings
      • mClass Burst
      • iReady Intervention Lessons
  4.  Review of GTES (teacher evaluation) feedback to ensure leader alignment.
  5.  Professional Development of Teacher Teams:  Every grade level will take the Working Genius assessment to determine their strengths and frustrations of each team member.  The focus of this professional development will be to build on the strengths of each staff member to have a high functioning team and for all staff members to find their joy!
  6. Learning Targets:  Teachers will emphasize the why behind what students are learning.

Increase the percentage of student scoring proficient and distinguished on Milestones: see attached chart

 
Excellence 4.B - Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness

Harmony Elementary will prepare each students so they have multiple pathways to success and opportunities to explore their interests.

  1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Learning Framework and Continuum:  Embed AI learning and skill development throughout lessons with programming, data science, mathematical reasoning, creative problem solving, ethics, and applied experiences.

  2. Harmony will offer the follow clubs and enrichment groups during JAG time: 

      • Robotic exploration for Kdg/1st grade 
      • Robotics exploration for 2nd/3rd grade
      • Robotics exploration for 4th/5th grade
      • FLL competition robotics team
      • Drone racing team
      • Girls who Code 
      • GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, Science)
      • Science Fair

     

  3. Telling Our Story: Future Ready and the AI Framework will be explained in the Friday parent newsletter
  4. Teacher Observations at Seckinger High School

Percentage of Students Reading At or Above Grade Level:

  • 3rd Grade:
    • Baseline: 71.1%
    • Target: 80%

 

  • 4th Grade:
    • Baseline: 63.2%
    • Target: 75%

 

  • 5th Grade:
    • Baseline: 73.4%
    • Target: 80%
Family Engagement/Building Parent Capacity -

We will build our parents' capacity to support their children's academic achievement by implementing the activities identified in The Plan/The Promise.
  1.  Provide parent "Just In Time" learning around technology, school procedures, academic support, and social-emotional well being of students.
  2. Offer parent learning opportunities to support needs of multi-lingual families.
  3. Partner with multi-lingual teachers to plan and promote Harmony's International Festival in order to celebrate the many cultures that are represented at Harmony.  
  4. Partner with local community resources to expand Harmony staff's understanding of the many challenges our international families face on a daily basis.

Percent of families responding positively to the following family wellbeing EES Student Survey:

  • Teachers in this school are dedicated to helping all students succeed.
    • Baseline: 96%
    • Target: 100%

 

  • This school communicates effectively with my family.
    • Baseline: 93%
    • Target: 100%

 

  • This school has a welcoming environment that embraces the diversity of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, 
    • Baseline: 97%
    • Target: 100%

 

  • This school respects the different cultures represented in our community.
    • Baseline: 97%
    • Target: 100%