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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.

 

2024 - 2025 Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI)


School: DACULA MIDDLE           Principal: Kimberly Bussey
District Strategic Priorities/Goals Rationale Action Steps
(Implementation Design)		 How will you measure growth?
Growth Factors (Baseline & Targets)
Equity 2.A - Multi-tiered System of Supports

The academic and non-academic needs of our students are as diverse as the students themselves. As such, a system of various/tiered supports are necessary to address these diverse needs and remove barriers to help each and every student succeed.

Specific data/goals can be found on the LSPI data worksheet.

  1. Conduct a universal screener in reading and math to identify needs of students.

  2. Utilize EES Wellness Survey to identify students in need of support.

  3. Monthly MTSS meetings to monitor progress of tiered students.

  4. Weekly (formal/informal) KidTalk meetings to discuss student needs and progress.

  5. Utilize REP to address students’ academic needs as determined by specific data points (ELT, Connections, )

  6. Utilize PBIS and Behavior Interventionist for tiered behavior support.

  7. Small groups led by counselors to address academic and social emotional needs.

  8. Implement local and district Mentoring Program for students who need additional support.

 

ELA and Math GMAS data will reflect an increase in the percentage of students scoring proficient/distinguished.

iReady data will reflect an increase in the percentage of students meeting their typical/stretch growth. 

 
Equity 2.B - Opportunity and Access

Each and every Dacula Middle School student deserves the opportunity and access to high-quality, rigorous, and culturally relevant curriculum, advanced coursework, and enrichment activities.

Specific data/goals can be found on the LSPI data worksheet.

  1. Utilize restorative practices and behavior interventionist to address unfavorable student behaviors.

  2. Incorporate culturally relevant passages and examples into lessons

  3. Consider multiple entry points/factors for Gifted criteria.

  4. Provide a variety of Carnegie Unit opportunities for students beyond HS Physical Science and HS Algebra I.

  5. Restoration Room with mindfulness and restorative activities to provide students an opportunity to "reset" prior to returning to class.

  6. Provide students opportunities within the school day for mentoring and clubs.

  7. Utilize data to track the academic and behavioral progress of students who receive exclusionary consequences.

  8. Utilize training from MCPP to engage in appropriate de-escalation strategies and techniques with students to decrease their time out of class.

 

The percentage of students who earn more than 3 exclusionary disciplinary consequences will not exceed 25% for each grade level.

All students enrolled in a Carnegie Unit course will earn a Carnegie Unit for high school credit.

 
Excellence 4.C - World-Class Communication and Engagement

In an effort to build stakeholder trust and confidence, transparent two-way communication is a necessary piece for world-class communication and engagement.  

  1. Provide opportunities for two-way communication for parents to engage with school staff.

  2. Implement the use of a Parent Center to build a bridge between families and school by way of workshops, trainings, etc.

  3. Weekly communication (Grade reports, electronic newsletter, etc).

  4. Family Engagement opportunities (Donuts with Dads, Muffins for moms, etc).

  5. Communication via weekly electronic newsletter,  social media, ParentSquare, and website to share information and recognitions.

  6. Timely training for classified staff related to customer service.

 

Dacula Middle will show an increase in the percentage of positive parent responses on the EES survey regarding school communication, effectiveness, opportunity, and access.

Specific data/goals can be found on the LSPI data worksheet.