- Riverview Intermediate Unit #6 / Overview



Riverview IU 6

Intermediate Unit Plan

07/01/2018 - 06/30/2021

Intermediate Unit Profile

Demographics

270 Mayfield Road

Clarion, PA 16214

(814)226-7103

Executive Director: Jeffrey Brown

Planning Process

Our planning team is comprised of a group of individuals representing Intermediate Unit administrators and staff, representatives from businesses and other community members. The full committee will meet as needed through the planning process. The communication with the full committee includes, but is not limited to email, web conference or in person meetings. Between communications with the entire committee, smaller groups will coordinate the completion of specific parts of the Comprehensive Plan. All members will be kept up-to-date on the progress of our Comprehensive plan and able to provide feedback. 

The admin team will be the central part of the planning process. Throughout our planning, other groups or stakeholders holders may be included to give us input and feedback to ensure a comprehensive view of our plan.

Mission Statement

To provide educational services that ensure the success of those we serve.

Vision Statement

To be the regional leader in creating and providing educational services.

Shared Values

TEAMWORK — a joint effort to provide focused RIU programs and services requiring our collective strength to meet challenging opportunities to serve others. 

COMMUNICATION — methods and activities that relay current RIU programs, services, and information.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY — ongoing organizational change and growth necessary to address local, state and federal initiatives.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT — improving the delivery of service by providing opportunities to increase the competency level of providers and receivers of RIU programs.

Educational Community

Riverview Intermediate Unit #6 (RIU6) is a regional educational service agency supporting the needs of the public and nonpublic schools in Clarion, Jefferson, Forest and Venango counties and parts of Armstrong, Butler, Clearfield, Crawford and Indiana counties, encompassing nearly 3,200 square miles in rural western Pennsylvania.

The RIU6 service territory includes the following school districts and career-technical centers: Allegheny-Clarion Valley, Brockway, Brookville, Clarion, Clarion-Limestone, Cranberry, DuBois, Forest , Franklin, Keystone, North Clarion County, Oil City, Punxsutawney, Redbank Valley, Titusville, Union, Valley Grove, Clarion County Career Center, Jeff Tech, and Venango Technology Center. Our school districts currently service approximately 23,000 students grades preK-12. RIU6 provides direct services through 45 IU-Operated classrooms in Special Education. RIU also provides itinerant services in our school districts and our classrooms. The Special Education student count in RIU service territory is 548 Preschool and 4,129 School Aged. Within these students our itinerants see about 1,200 students. As far as Non Public schools, we have approximately 2,340 students. Of these students, the Act 89 program services about 300.

RIU6 is one of 29 intermediate units across the state of Pennsylvania that provides support programs, training and therapy services to school districts and nonpublic schools in its region. Programs include: Curriculum, Technology, Early Intervention, Speech and Language, Itinerant Hearing and Vision Support, Emotional Support, Life Skills/Multidisabled Support, Penn Data (child tracking system), Gifted Coordinator Services, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Life Skills Vocational Services, Physical and Occupational Therapy Support, and Transportation.

Planning Committee

|Name |Role |

|Jeff Brown |Administrator : Professional Education |

|Mary Anne Jordan |Administrator : Professional Education |

|Kevin Watkins |Administrator : Professional Education |

|Julie Hartley |Board Member : Professional Education |

|Alan Arroyo |Business Representative : Professional Education |

|Ken Lancaster |Business Representative : Professional Education |

|Jack Matson |Community Representative : Professional Education |

|John Phillips |Community Representative : Professional Education |

|Michael Boston |Ed Specialist - Other : Professional Education |

|Hope Warner |Ed Specialist - Other : Professional Education |

|Carrie Forsythe |Elementary School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education |

|John Paul Samay |Elementary School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education |

|Travis Hubler |High School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education |

|Suzanne Reed |High School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education |

|Chris Merryman |Intermediate Unit Staff Member : Professional Education |

|Lacy Shoenfelt |Middle School Teacher - Regular Education : Professional Education |

|Lisa Umbenhaur |Middle School Teacher - Special Education : Professional Education |

|Liz Huwar |Parent : Professional Education |

|Lisa Smith |Parent : Professional Education |

Core Foundations

Materials and Resources

Description of Materials and Resources

Elementary Education-Primary Level

|Material and Resources Characteristics |Status |

|Aligned and supportive of academic standards, progresses level to level and demonstrates relationships |Not answered |

|among fundamental concepts and skills | |

|A robust supply of high quality aligned instructional materials and resources available |Not answered |

|Accessibility for students and teachers is effective and efficient |Not answered |

|Differentiated and equitably allocated to accommodate diverse levels of student motivation, performance |Not answered |

|and educational needs | |

Provide explanation for processes used to ensure Accomplishment.

This narrative is empty.

Explanation for any row checked "Needs Improvement" or "Non Existent". How the LEA plans to address their incorporation:

This narrative is empty.

Elementary Education-Intermediate Level

|Material and Resources Characteristics |Status |

|Aligned and supportive of academic standards, progresses level to level and demonstrates relationships |Not answered |

|among fundamental concepts and skills | |

|A robust supply of high quality aligned instructional materials and resources available |Not answered |

|Accessibility for students and teachers is effective and efficient |Not answered |

|Differentiated and equitably allocated to accommodate diverse levels of student motivation, performance |Not answered |

|and educational needs | |

Provide explanation for processes used to ensure Accomplishment.

This narrative is empty.

Explanation for any row checked "Needs Improvement" or "Non Existent". How the LEA plans to address their incorporation:

This narrative is empty.

Middle Level

|Material and Resources Characteristics |Status |

|Aligned and supportive of academic standards, progresses level to level and demonstrates relationships |Not answered |

|among fundamental concepts and skills | |

|A robust supply of high quality aligned instructional materials and resources available |Not answered |

|Accessibility for students and teachers is effective and efficient |Not answered |

|Differentiated and equitably allocated to accommodate diverse levels of student motivation, performance |Not answered |

|and educational needs | |

Provide explanation for processes used to ensure Accomplishment.

This narrative is empty.

Explanation for any row checked "Needs Improvement" or "Non Existent". How the LEA plans to address their incorporation:

This narrative is empty.

High School Level

|Material and Resources Characteristics |Status |

|Aligned and supportive of academic standards, progresses level to level and demonstrates relationships |Not answered |

|among fundamental concepts and skills | |

|A robust supply of high quality aligned instructional materials and resources available |Not answered |

|Accessibility for students and teachers is effective and efficient |Not answered |

|Differentiated and equitably allocated to accommodate diverse levels of student motivation, performance |Not answered |

|and educational needs | |

Provide explanation for processes used to ensure Accomplishment.

This narrative is empty.

Explanation for any row checked "Needs Improvement" or "Non Existent". How the LEA plans to address their incorporation:

This narrative is empty.

Professional Education

Training/Personnel Development Council

Checked answers

• Regular Education

• Related Service Personnel

• Special Education

• Administrators

• Paraprofessionals

Unchecked answers

• Parents

• Community Agency Personnel

• Training Students

Describe how the council functions and how many times it meets in a given year.

Riverview Intermediate Unit has a professional development committee comprised of professional, support and administrative staff. This committee meets on a regular basis to discuss professional development needs and mandates. Each school year the committee releases a professional development survey to staff in order to gauge employee wants and needs to work into the Act 80/in-service agendas along with required staff development.

Characteristics

|Intermediate Unit’s Professional Education Characteristics |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s |X |X |X |X |

|certification or assignment. | | | | |

|Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on effective practice research,|X |X |X |X |

|with attention given to interventions for struggling students. | | | | |

|Increases the educator's teaching skills based on effective practice research,| | | | |

|with attention given to interventions for gifted students. | | | | |

|Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the|X |X |X |X |

|skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision making. | | | | |

|Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners. |X |X |X |X |

|Intermediate Unit’s Professional Education Characteristics |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring | | | | |

|that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, | | | | |

|teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to | | | | |

|each other, as well as to Pennsylvania’s academic standards. | | | | |

|Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring | | | | |

|that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff professional education, | | | | |

|teaching materials and interventions for gifted students are aligned to each | | | | |

|other, as well as to Pennsylvania's academic standards. | | | | |

|Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform|X |X |X |X |

|decision making. | | | | |

|Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an |X |X |X |X |

|emphasis on learning. | | | | |

|Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results. |X |X |X |X |

Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.

Riverview IU (RIU) has three main paths available to staff to meet the demands inside and outside of our classroom and other educational settings.

1) Staff have three in-service days and two Act 80 days, per year. The days are set up through the professional development committee. During the planning of these days administration ensures we meet local, state and federal requirements.

2) Staff can request to attend conferences and workshops. RIU uses My Learning Plan (MLP) as the process to make requests. RIU has configured MLP for the approval process for certified and non-certified positions. The basic set up is as follows: 1) Supervisor Level, 2) Director Level 3) Assistiant Executive Director Level 4) Executive Director Level  and 4) Business Office Level.

And 3) Staff may request to attend collegiate level course work. In addition to the paths staff may choose, we also have a highly experienced Training and Consulting (TaC) team that is available for individualized training and support.

 

 

Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.

For any area that is not selected, RIU will start with its administration team. The administration team will work on improving, adding or changing the process to make sure all areas become selected through our next few years.

Educator Discipline Act 126, 71

Provides educators with mandated reporter training, totaling 3 hours, every 5 years as outlined in Act 126.

|Questions |

|The LEA has conducted the required training on: |

|8/22/2016 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|10/17/2016 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|3/20/2017 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|The LEA plans to conduct the required training on approximately: |

|8/21/2017 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|10/16/2017 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|3/19/2018 Inservice/Act 80 day |

Provides educators with four (4) hours of professional development in youth suicide awareness and prevention every five (5) years for professional educators in grades six through twelve as outlined in Act 71.

|Questions |

|The LEA plans to conduct the training on approximately: |

|10/16/2017 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|3/23/2018 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|8/21/2018 Inservice/Act 80 day |

Provides educators with four (4) hours of professional development every five (5) years for professional educators that are teaching the curriculum in which the Child Exploitation Awareness Education program is incorporated as outlined in Act 71.

|Questions |

|The LEA plans to conduct the training on approximately: |

|10/16/2017 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|3/23/2018 Inservice/Act 80 day |

|8/21/2018 Inservice/Act 80 day |

Strategies Ensuring Fidelity

Checked answers

• Professional Development activities are based upon detailed needs assessments that utilize student assessment results to target instructional areas that need strengthening.

• Professional Development activities are based upon detailed needs assessments that utilize student assessment results to target curricular areas that need further alignment.

• Professional Development activities are developed that support implementation of strategies identified in your action plan.

• Clear expectations in terms of teacher practice are identified for staff implementation.

• The LEA has a systemic process that is used to validate whether or not providers have the capacity to present quality professional development.

• Administrators participate fully in all professional development sessions targeted for their faculties.

• Every Professional development initiative includes components that provide ongoing support to teachers regarding implementation.

• The LEA has an ongoing monitoring system in place (i.e. walkthroughs, classroom observations).

Unchecked answers

• Using disaggregated student data to determine educators’ learning priorities.

• An implementation evaluation is created, based upon specific expectations related to changes in teacher practice, which is used to validate the overall effectiveness of the professional development initiative.

• Professional Education is evaluated to show its impact on teaching practices and student learning.

Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.

Through our professional development committee and administrative staff we will review our strategies. We will also seek feedback through evaluations and surveys.

Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.

The same for the strategies non-selected. We will continuously review strategies and opportunities to meet the non selected characteristics.

Induction Program

Checked answers

• Inductees will know, understand and implement instructional practices validated by the LEA as known to improve student achievement.

• Inductees will assign challenging work to diverse student populations.

• Inductees will know the basic details and expectations related to LEA-wide initiatives, practices, policies and procedures.

• Inductees will know the basic details and expectations related to school initiatives, practices and procedures.

• Inductees will be able to access state curriculum frameworks and focus lesson design on leading students to mastery of all state academic standards, assessment anchors and  eligible content (where appropriate) identified in the LEA's curricula.

• Inductees will effectively navigate the Standards Aligned System website.

• Inductees will know and apply LEA endorsed classroom management strategies.

• Inductees will know and utilize school/LEA resources that are available to assist students in crisis.

• Inductees will take advantage of opportunities to engage personally with other members of the faculty in order to develop a sense of collegiality and camaraderie.

Unchecked answers

None.

Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.

The Induction Committee will be made up of Administrators, professional staff and support staff. The members may change. This will depend on the areas needing mentors.

The Induction Committee is responsible for:

1.      Developing a plan and program that meets the state requirements

2.      Developing goals, objectives and competencies for the induction program

3.      Determining the needs of inductees

4.      Planning and overseeing the program

5.      Evaluating and monitoring the program

The Induction Committee will meet at least twice each year and as needed.

Provide brief explanation for strategies not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.

All are selected at this point. Any changes will be addressed by the committee.

Needs of Inductees

Checked answers

• Frequent observations of inductee instructional practice by supervisor to identify needs.

• Regular meetings with mentors or coaches to reflect upon instructional practice to identify needs.

• Student PSSA data.

• Standardized student assessment data other than the PSSA.

• Classroom assessment data (Formative & Summative).

• Inductee survey (local, intermediate units and national level).

• Review of inductee lesson plans.

• Review of written reports summarizing instructional activity.

• Submission of inductee portfolio.

• Knowledge of successful research-based instructional models.

• Information collected from previous induction programs (e.g., program evaluations and second-year teacher interviews).

Unchecked answers

• Frequent observations of inductee instructional practice by a coach or mentor to identify needs.

Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.

Regular communication is sent out through clerical to staff involved in the induction process to stay on track. Regular communication and completed forms will ensure success of the program.  Supervisors work with their staff to monitor the program. Through communication, timelines and reminders are established.

Provide a brief explanation for strategies not selected and your plan to address their incorporation.

The supervisor of the staff involved works closely with the mentor and mentee to ensure the program requirements are met. When an area is not being met, the supervisor will work with the administration along with the affected staff to get back on track to meet program requirements.

Mentor Characteristics

Checked answers

• Pool of possible mentors is comprised of teachers with outstanding work performance.

• Potential mentors have similar certifications and assignments.

• Potential mentors must model continuous learning and reflection.

• Potential mentors must have knowledge of LEA policies, procedures and resources.

• Potential mentors must have demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and other adults.

• Potential mentors must be willing to accept additional responsibility.

• Mentors must complete mentor training or have previous related experience (e.g., purpose of induction program and role of mentor, communication and listening skills, coaching and conferencing skills, problem-solving skills and knowledge of adult learning and development).

• Mentors and inductees must have compatible schedules so that they can meet regularly.

Unchecked answers

None.

Provide brief explanation of your process for ensuring these selected characteristics.

Administration works with the supervisor of inductee to match up the mentor.

Provide brief explanation for characteristics not selected and how you plan to address their incorporation.

If a mentor is not established, the administration will meet to work with the inductee to establish the best mentor.

Induction Program Timeline

|Topics |Aug-Sep |Oct-Nov |Dec-Jan |Feb-Mar |

|Biennially Updated and Executed Memorandum of Understanding with Local Law | | | | |

|Enforcement | | | | |

|School-wide Positive Behavioral Programs | | | | |

|Conflict Resolution or Dispute Management | | | | |

|Peer Helper Programs | | | | |

|Safety and Violence Prevention Curricula | | | | |

|Student Codes of Conduct | | | | |

|Comprehensive School Safety and Violence Prevention Plans | | | | |

|Purchase of Security-related Technology | | | | |

|Student, Staff and Visitor Identification Systems | | | | |

|Placement of School Resource Officers | | | | |

|Student Assistance Program Teams and Training | | | | |

|Counseling Services Available for all Students | | | | |

|Internet Web-based System for the Management of Student Discipline | | | | |

Explanation of strategies not selected and how the LEA plans to address their incorporation:

This narrative is empty.

Screening, Evaluating and Programming for Gifted Students

Describe your entity’s awareness activities conducted annually to inform the public of the gifted education services and programs offered (newspaper, student handbooks, school website, etc.)

This narrative is empty.

Describe your entity’s process for locating students who are thought to be gifted and may be in need of specially designed instruction (screening).

This narrative is empty.

Describe your entity’s procedures for determining eligibility (through multiple criteria) and need (based on academic strength) for potentially mentally gifted students (evaluation).

This narrative is empty.

Describe the gifted programs* being offered that provide opportunities for acceleration, enrichment or both. *The word "programs" refers to the continuum of services, not one particular option.

This narrative is empty.

Developmental Services

|Developmental Services |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Academic Counseling | | | | |

|Attendance Monitoring | | | | |

|Behavior Management Programs | | | | |

|Bullying Prevention | | | | |

|Career Awareness | | | | |

|Career Development/Planning | | | | |

|Coaching/Mentoring | | | | |

|Compliance with Health Requirements –i.e., Immunization | | | | |

|Emergency and Disaster Preparedness | | | | |

|Guidance Curriculum | | | | |

|Health and Wellness Curriculum | | | | |

|Health Screenings | | | | |

|Individual Student Planning | | | | |

|Nutrition | | | | |

|Orientation/Transition | | | | |

|RTII/MTSS | | | | |

|Wellness/Health Appraisal | | | | |

Explanation of developmental services:

This narrative is empty.

Diagnostic, Intervention and Referral Services

|Diagnostic, Intervention and Referral Services |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Accommodations and Modifications | | | | |

|Administration of Medication | | | | |

|Assessment of Academic Skills/Aptitude for Learning | | | | |

|Assessment/Progress Monitoring | | | | |

|Casework | | | | |

|Crisis Response/Management/Intervention | | | | |

|Individual Counseling | | | | |

|Intervention for Actual or Potential Health Problems | | | | |

|Placement into Appropriate Programs | | | | |

|Small Group Counseling-Coping with life situations | | | | |

|Small Group Counseling-Educational planning | | | | |

|Small Group Counseling-Personal and Social Development | | | | |

|Special Education Evaluation | | | | |

|Student Assistance Program | | | | |

Explanation of diagnostic, intervention and referral services:

This narrative is empty.

Consultation and Coordination Services

|Consultation and Coordination Services |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Alternative Education | | | | |

|Case and Care Management | | | | |

|Community Liaison | | | | |

|Community Services Coordination (Internal or External) | | | | |

|Coordinate Plans | | | | |

|Coordination with Families (Learning or Behavioral) | | | | |

|Home/Family Communication | | | | |

|Managing Chronic Health Problems | | | | |

|Managing IEP and 504 Plans | | | | |

|Referral to Community Agencies | | | | |

|Staff Development | | | | |

|Strengthening Relationships Between School Personnel, Parents and Communities| | | | |

|System Support | | | | |

|Truancy Coordination | | | | |

Explanation of consultation and coordination services:

This narrative is empty.

Communication of Educational Opportunities

|Communication of Educational Opportunities |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Course Planning Guides | | | | |

|Directing Public to the PDE & Test-related Websites | | | | |

|Individual Meetings | | | | |

|Letters to Parents/Guardians | | | | |

|Local Media Reports | | | | |

|Website | | | | |

|Meetings with Community, Families and Board of Directors | | | | |

|Mass Phone Calls/Emails/Letters | | | | |

|Newsletters | | | | |

|Press Releases | | | | |

|School Calendar | | | | |

|Student Handbook | | | | |

Communication of Student Health Needs

|Communication of Student Health Needs |EEP |EEI |ML |HS |

|Individual Meetings | | | | |

|Individual Screening Results | | | | |

|Letters to Parents/Guardians | | | | |

|Website | | | | |

|Meetings with Community, Families and Board of Directors | | | | |

|Newsletters | | | | |

|School Calendar | | | | |

|Student Handbook | | | | |

Frequency of Communication

Elementary Education - Primary Level

Not Answered

Elementary Education - Intermediate Level

Not Answered

Middle Level

Not Answered

High School Level

Not Answered

Collaboration for Interventions

Describe the collaboration between classroom teachers and individuals providing interventions regarding differing student needs and academic progress.

This narrative is empty.

Community Coordination

Describe how you accomplish coordination with community operated infant and toddler centers, as well as preschool early intervention programs. In addition, describe the community coordination with the following before or after school programs and services for all grade levels, including pre-kindergarten, if offered, through grade 12.

1. Child care

2. After school programs

3. Youth workforce development programs

4. Tutoring

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Preschool Agency Coordination

Explain how the LEA coordinates with agencies that serve preschool age children with disabilities.

1. Address coordination activities designed to identify and serve children with disabilities and the supports and accommodations available to ensure both physical and programmatic access.

2. Address pre-kindergarten programs operated directly by the LEA and those operated by community agencies under contract from the LEA.

3. Describe how the LEA provides for a smooth transition from the home setting and any early childhood care or educational setting the students attend, to the school setting.

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Needs Assessment

Intermediate Unit Accomplishments

Accomplishment #1:

RIU6 has created and maintained a Professional Development committee to design in-service/Act 80 day agendas. The committee works with professional, support and administrative staff to frame each year's professional development needs.  Staff provides input through surveys and evaluations which are reviewed by committee members.

 

 

Intermediate Unit Concerns

Concern #1:

Our plan primarily addresses our employee in-service, Act 80 days and other professional development opportunities.  We continually develop our staff in areas of strength and also improve in areas of weakness.

Increases in state and federal mandates have greatly reduced the amount of time available for ongoing professional development.  With so many hours being allocated to initiatives such as Mandated Reporter, Suicide Awareness, etc. it is becoming more challenging to find the time to provide training in areas such as classroom management, autism, etc.

Funding for professional development events is more limited than it ever has been in the past. As we review events, we consider all of the costs involved to send the staff member to the event; including the expense of staff being out of their classroom and traveling.  Because of budget constraints, we have prioritized professional development events this year more than in the past and are only sending staff to required or necessary events. The impact of this practice will be known in the next few years.

 

Prioritized Systemic Challenges

Systemic Challenge #1 (Guiding Question #8) Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures professional development and other Adult Education offerings are based on sound research and promising practices, are focused on the needs of professional employees, are comprehensive, and are implemented with fidelity in order to meet the specific needs of IU employees and other adult learners.

Aligned Concerns:

Our plan primarily addresses our employee in-service, Act 80 days and other professional development opportunities.  We continually develop our staff in areas of strength and also improve in areas of weakness.

Increases in state and federal mandates have greatly reduced the amount of time available for ongoing professional development.  With so many hours being allocated to initiatives such as Mandated Reporter, Suicide Awareness, etc. it is becoming more challenging to find the time to provide training in areas such as classroom management, autism, etc.

Funding for professional development events is more limited than it ever has been in the past. As we review events, we consider all of the costs involved to send the staff member to the event; including the expense of staff being out of their classroom and traveling.  Because of budget constraints, we have prioritized professional development events this year more than in the past and are only sending staff to required or necessary events. The impact of this practice will be known in the next few years.

 

Systemic Challenge #2 (Guiding Question #1) Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures consistent implementation of standards-aligned curricula across all learning sites for all students, including those associated with adult learners.

Systemic Challenge #3 (Guiding Question #3) Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures assessments aligned with established course curricula and with instruction are used to monitor student achievement and to adjust instructional practices, including the curricula associated with adult learners.

Intermediate Unit Plan

Action Plans

Goal #1: Riverview Intermediate Unit will offer staff development programs supporting state and local initiatives as well as the needs of our stakeholders as they move toward increasing student achievement.

Related Challenges:

• Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures consistent implementation of standards-aligned curricula across all learning sites for all students, including those associated with adult learners.

• Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures assessments aligned with established course curricula and with instruction are used to monitor student achievement and to adjust instructional practices, including the curricula associated with adult learners.

• Establish a system within the Intermediate Unit that fully ensures professional development and other Adult Education offerings are based on sound research and promising practices, are focused on the needs of professional employees, are comprehensive, and are implemented with fidelity in order to meet the specific needs of IU employees and other adult learners.

Indicators of Effectiveness:

Type: Annual

Data Source: Our staff development committee and administration will work together on Act 80 and In-service days to provide well planned activities.

Specific Targets: Administrators will monitor staff to make sure of attendance at Act 80 and In-service days are regular. Staff will have opportunities to seek out their own offerings through the approval of administration.

Strategies:

Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Description:

From appendix in off line planning guide

Professional Development and Training

21st Century Skills Focused Professional Development

Differentiating Instruction

Data-Informed Instruction

Instructional Coaching

SAS Alignment: Standards, Assessment, Curriculum Framework, Instruction, Materials & Resources, Safe and Supportive Schools

Implementation Steps:

IU staff development days

Description:

The IU will provide staff development days to our staff. Approximately 6 days per year. The days will be broken into whole group and small group sessions. Some topics will be carried out throughout the year. School age and Preschool will be separated on certain days and together on days that are related.

Agendas and materials from the training days will be filed to track the topics covered during our Act 80 and in-service days. We will collect surveys and feedback opportunities from staff to indicate understanding of the topics. All collected information from staff and materials will be reviewed by administrators and department staff to ensure topics are covered and the information is used in instruction and classroom management.

Start Date: 7/1/2017 End Date: 6/30/2021

Program Area(s): Professional Education, Teacher Induction, Special Education, Student Services, Gifted Education, Educational Technology

Supported Strategies:

• Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Improve language and literacy acquisition

Description:

IU6 staff will offer equitable learning opportunities for language and literacy acquisition for all students by participating in LETRS training (or similar program) provided by an IU6 TAC Team member or other qualified instructor/trainer.

All teachers will receive Module 1 in year 1 or 2 as it is a prerequisite for the other modules; differentiate for years two, three and four (i.e. Mods 2 & 3 for K-5 teachers, Mods 4 & 5 for MS/HS teachers). 

Module 1:     The Challenge of Learning to Read

                Module 2:     The Speech Sounds of English: Phonetics, Phonology, and Phoneme Awareness

                Module 3:     Spellography for Teachers: How English Spelling Works

                Module 4:     The Mighty Word: Building Vocabulary & Oral Language

                Module 5:     Getting Up to Speed: Developing Fluency (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling)

Supervisors will review instructional plans and monitor performance progress in our classrooms. IU6 Trainers will work with staff directly as needed to implement and support appropriate and effective instruction.

 

Start Date: 8/21/2017 End Date: 6/30/2021

Program Area(s): Professional Education, Special Education, Student Services, Educational Technology

Supported Strategies:

• Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Serve diverse learners in inclusive settings

Description:

IU6 staff will better serve diverse learners in inclusive settings by participating in Project MAX and disability awareness trainings.

Project MAX focuses on building the capacity of Pennsylvania schools and intermediate units (IU) to provide students with complex instructional needs with maximum access to and learning of grade level, general education curriculum and Pennsylvania standards.

Project MAX looks to optimize practice in the following areas: Leadership; Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; Least Restrictive Environment; Individual Student Supports; Family and Community Involvement; and Collaboration and Problem Solving.

To achieve this step, Supervisors will review instructional plans and progress monitoring in our classrooms for performance. RIU6's Project MAX TaC will provide staff (as needed):

• Formalized teaming processes to support systems change

• Monthly Professional Development

• Coaching

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Standards-Aligned Instruction

Start Date: 8/21/2017 End Date: 6/30/2021

Program Area(s): Professional Education, Teacher Induction, Special Education, Student Services, Gifted Education

Supported Strategies:

• Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Work with Higher Ed

Description:

Collaborate with university to convert IU6 professional development into stackable and portable micro credentials. Professional development (designed and delivered by IU6 facilitators) that meets specific requirements, may be transferred to the University for Course Credit.

The evidence will be the communication of the micro credentialing process, the awarding of badges, of the process to gain credentials and the conversion to University credit.

Start Date: 7/1/2017 End Date: 6/30/2021

Program Area(s): Professional Education

Supported Strategies:

• Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Partnership/Joint Effort established with the IU

Description:

As an Intermediate Unit we realize that professional development is a needed area. We find the need from time to time to bring in outside agencies or organizations to offer professional develoipment to not only our staff but educational staff in our service area. Through outside agencies and organizations we can increase offerings to our area. By building relationships with agencies and organizations we will strengthen the professional development oppportunites and expand offerings at the same time.

Start Date: 7/1/2017 End Date: 6/30/2021

Program Area(s): Professional Education, Teacher Induction, Special Education, Student Services, Gifted Education, Educational Technology

Supported Strategies:

• Provide administrators and educators with specialized training.

Appendix: Professional Development Implementation Step Details

|LEA Goals Addressed: |Riverview Intermediate Unit will offer staff development programs supporting |Strategy #1: Provide administrators and educators with specialized training. |

| |state and local initiatives as well as the needs of our stakeholders as they | |

| |move toward increasing student achievement. | |

| | | | |

|Start |End |Title |Description |

|7/1/2017 |6/30/2021 |IU staff development days |The IU will provide staff development days to our staff. Approximately 6 days per year. The days will be broken |

| | | |into whole group and small group sessions. Some topics will be carried out throughout the year. School age and |

| | | |Preschool will be separated on certain days and together on days that are related. |

| | | |Agendas and materials from the training days will be filed to track the topics covered during our Act 80 and |

| | | |in-service days. We will collect surveys and feedback opportunities from staff to indicate understanding of the |

| | | |topics. All collected information from staff and materials will be reviewed by administrators and department staff|

| | | |to ensure topics are covered and the information is used in instruction and classroom management. |

| |Person Responsible |SH |S |EP |Provider |Type |App. |

| |Executive Director |6.0 |18 |100 |IU |IU |Yes |

| |

| |Knowledge |Current Trends, PDE Initiatives |

| | | |

| |Supportive Research |The IU will use research based techniques and best practices by utilizing resources available to us. These resources will be PDE web sites, PATTAN, |

| | |other related web sites and information attained by our staff attending conferences put on by the state and other professional resources. |

| | |

| |Designed to Accomplish |

| | |For classroom teachers, school counselors and |Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment. |

| | |education specialists: |Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for |

| | | |struggling students. |

| | | |Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in |

| | | |instructional decision-making. |

| |

| | |For school and district administrators, and other |Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff |

| | |educators seeking leadership roles: |professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to |

| | | |Pennsylvania’s academic standards. |

| | | |Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making. |

| | | |Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning. |

| | | |Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results. |

| |Training Format |LEA Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Series of Workshops | |

| | |School Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Live Webinar | |

| | |Department Focused Presentation | |

| | |Online-Synchronous | |

| | |Online-Asynchronous | |

| |Participant Roles |Classroom teachers |Grade Levels |Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1) |

| | |Supt / Ast Supts / CEO / Ex Dir | |Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5) |

| | |Paraprofessional | |Middle (grades 6-8) |

| | |Classified Personnel | |High (grades 9-12) |

| | |New Staff | | |

| | |Other educational specialists | | |

| | |Related Service Personnel | | |

| |

| |Follow-up Activities |Team development and sharing of content-area lesson |Evaluation Methods |Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning |

| | |implementation outcomes, with involvement of | |and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and |

| | |administrator and/or peers | |standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and |

| | |Creating lessons to meet varied student learning | |professionalism. |

| | |styles | |Classroom student assessment data |

| | |Lesson modeling with mentoring | |Participant survey |

| | |Joint planning period activities | |Review of participant lesson plans |

| | |Journaling and reflecting | |Review of written reports summarizing instructional activity |

|LEA Goals Addressed: |Riverview Intermediate Unit will offer staff development programs supporting |Strategy #1: Provide administrators and educators with specialized training. |

| |state and local initiatives as well as the needs of our stakeholders as they | |

| |move toward increasing student achievement. | |

| | | | |

|Start |End |Title |Description |

|8/21/2017 |6/30/2021 |Improve language and literacy acquisition | |

| | | |IU6 staff will offer equitable learning opportunities for language and literacy acquisition for all students by |

| | | |participating in LETRS training (or similar program) provided by an IU6 TAC Team member or other qualified |

| | | |instructor/trainer. |

| | | |All teachers will receive Module 1 in year 1 or 2 as it is a prerequisite for the other modules; differentiate for|

| | | |years two, three and four (i.e. Mods 2 & 3 for K-5 teachers, Mods 4 & 5 for MS/HS teachers).  |

| | | |Module 1:     The Challenge of Learning to Read |

| | | |                Module 2:     The Speech Sounds of English: Phonetics, Phonology, and Phoneme Awareness |

| | | |                Module 3:     Spellography for Teachers: How English Spelling Works |

| | | |                Module 4:     The Mighty Word: Building Vocabulary & Oral Language |

| | | |                Module 5:     Getting Up to Speed: Developing Fluency (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading|

| | | |and Spelling) |

| | | |Supervisors will review instructional plans and monitor performance progress in our classrooms. IU6 Trainers will |

| | | |work with staff directly as needed to implement and support appropriate and effective instruction. |

| | | |  |

| |Person Responsible |SH |S |EP |Provider |Type |App. |

| |Special Education |2.0 |3 |100 |IU6 |IU |Yes |

| |Director/Curriculum Supervisor and| | | | | | |

| |administration | | | | | | |

| |

| |Knowledge |The training focuses on essential literacy concepts and instructional practices; connects research to practice; professional development for teachers |

| | |of |

| | |reading who are beginning to implement the components and principles of scientifically based reading instruction. |

| | | |

| |Supportive Research |Integrating the implementation of innovative, research-supported practices into the classroom requires that teachers understand the knowledge base for |

| | |their discipline, work in facilitative environments, implement teaching practices with fidelity, and receive opportunities to collaborate with |

| | |colleagues.  If these conditions are not present, or are not carried out consistently over enough time, teachers may increase their knowledge without |

| | |changing their instructional practices (National Center for Educational Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, 2008; |

| | |Roehrig, Duggar, Moats, Glover, & Mincey, in press).  It is intended that LETRS be part of a coherent, multifaceted plan that includes all conditions |

| | |and support necessary for change. |

| | |

| |Designed to Accomplish |

| | |For classroom teachers, school counselors and |Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment. |

| | |education specialists: |Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for |

| | | |struggling students. |

| | | |Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in |

| | | |instructional decision-making. |

| | | |Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners. |

| |

| | |For school and district administrators, and other |Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff |

| | |educators seeking leadership roles: |professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to |

| | | |Pennsylvania’s academic standards. |

| | | |Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning. |

| |Training Format |LEA Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Series of Workshops | |

| |Participant Roles |Classroom teachers |Grade Levels |Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1) |

| | |New Staff | |Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5) |

| | |Other educational specialists | |Middle (grades 6-8) |

| | | | |High (grades 9-12) |

| |

| |Follow-up Activities |Team development and sharing of content-area lesson |Evaluation Methods |Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning |

| | |implementation outcomes, with involvement of | |and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and |

| | |administrator and/or peers | |standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and |

| | |Creating lessons to meet varied student learning | |professionalism. |

| | |styles | |Participant survey |

| | |Lesson modeling with mentoring | | |

|LEA Goals Addressed: |Riverview Intermediate Unit will offer staff development programs supporting |Strategy #1: Provide administrators and educators with specialized training. |

| |state and local initiatives as well as the needs of our stakeholders as they | |

| |move toward increasing student achievement. | |

| | | | |

|Start |End |Title |Description |

|8/21/2017 |6/30/2021 |Serve diverse learners in inclusive settings |IU6 staff will better serve diverse learners in inclusive settings by participating in Project MAX and disability |

| | | |awareness trainings. |

| | | |Project MAX focuses on building the capacity of Pennsylvania schools and intermediate units (IU) to provide |

| | | |students with complex instructional needs with maximum access to and learning of grade level, general education |

| | | |curriculum and Pennsylvania standards. |

| | | |Project MAX looks to optimize practice in the following areas: Leadership; Curriculum, Instruction, and |

| | | |Assessment; Least Restrictive Environment; Individual Student Supports; Family and Community Involvement; and |

| | | |Collaboration and Problem Solving. |

| | | |To achieve this step, Supervisors will review instructional plans and progress monitoring in our classrooms for |

| | | |performance. RIU6's Project MAX TaC will provide staff (as needed): |

| | | |Formalized teaming processes to support systems change |

| | | |Monthly Professional Development |

| | | |Coaching |

| | | |Data-Driven Decision Making |

| | | |Standards-Aligned Instruction |

| |Person Responsible |SH |S |EP |Provider |Type |App. |

| |Special Education |3.5 |3 |100 |IU6 |IU |Yes |

| |Director/Curriculum Supervisor and| | | | | | |

| |administration | | | | | | |

| |

| |Knowledge |Alignment of instruction to grade level standards |

| | |Prioritization of learning targets and vocabulary |

| | |Evidenced based instructional strategies and assessments |

| | |Differentiation techniques including choosing appropriate materials |

| | |Implementation of educational and assistive technology within the classroom |

| | | |

| |Supportive Research |Evidenced based practices include: |

| | |Universal Design for Learning |

| | |Direct Instruction practices |

| | |Differentiated Instructed |

| | |

| |Designed to Accomplish |

| | |For classroom teachers, school counselors and |Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment. |

| | |education specialists: |Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for |

| | | |struggling students. |

| | | |Provides educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in |

| | | |instructional decision-making. |

| | | |Empowers educators to work effectively with parents and community partners. |

| |

| | |For school and district administrators, and other |Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff |

| | |educators seeking leadership roles: |professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to |

| | | |Pennsylvania’s academic standards. |

| | | |Empowers leaders to create a culture of teaching and learning, with an emphasis on learning. |

| | | |Instructs the leader in managing resources for effective results. |

| |Training Format |LEA Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Series of Workshops | |

| | |School Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Department Focused Presentation | |

| |Participant Roles |Classroom teachers |Grade Levels |Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1) |

| | |Principals / Asst. Principals | |Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5) |

| | |Paraprofessional | |Middle (grades 6-8) |

| | |New Staff | |High (grades 9-12) |

| | |Other educational specialists | | |

| | |Related Service Personnel | | |

| |

| |Follow-up Activities |Team development and sharing of content-area lesson |Evaluation Methods |Classroom observation focusing on factors such as planning |

| | |implementation outcomes, with involvement of | |and preparation, knowledge of content, pedagogy and |

| | |administrator and/or peers | |standards, classroom environment, instructional delivery and |

| | |Creating lessons to meet varied student learning | |professionalism. |

| | |styles | |Classroom student assessment data |

| | |Lesson modeling with mentoring | |Review of participant lesson plans |

|LEA Goals Addressed: |Riverview Intermediate Unit will offer staff development programs supporting |Strategy #1: Provide administrators and educators with specialized training. |

| |state and local initiatives as well as the needs of our stakeholders as they | |

| |move toward increasing student achievement. | |

| | | | |

|Start |End |Title |Description |

|7/1/2017 |6/30/2021 |Partnership/Joint Effort established with the |As an Intermediate Unit we realize that professional development is a needed area. We find the need from time to |

| | |IU |time to bring in outside agencies or organizations to offer professional develoipment to not only our staff but |

| | | |educational staff in our service area. Through outside agencies and organizations we can increase offerings to our|

| | | |area. By building relationships with agencies and organizations we will strengthen the professional development |

| | | |oppportunites and expand offerings at the same time. |

| |Person Responsible |SH |S |EP |Provider |Type |App. |

| |Executive Director |1 |4 |10 |IU |IU |Yes |

| |

| |Knowledge |We will connect with agencies and organizations to help provide events to increase and broaden the knowledge of educators. |

| | | |

| |Supportive Research |By bringing in agencies and organizations we can leverage their expertise to provide necessary training in various education subjects and topics. |

| | |

| |Designed to Accomplish |

| | |For classroom teachers, school counselors and |Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment. |

| | |education specialists: |Increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice, with attention given to interventions for |

| | | |struggling students. |

| |

| | |For school and district administrators, and other |Provides the knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, ensuring that assessments, curriculum, instruction, staff |

| | |educators seeking leadership roles: |professional education, teaching materials and interventions for struggling students are aligned to each other as well as to |

| | | |Pennsylvania’s academic standards. |

| | | |Provides leaders with the ability to access and use appropriate data to inform decision-making. |

| |Training Format |LEA Whole Group Presentation | |

| | |Series of Workshops | |

| | |Live Webinar | |

| | |Online-Synchronous | |

| | |Online-Asynchronous | |

| |Participant Roles |Classroom teachers |Grade Levels |Elementary - Primary (preK - grade 1) |

| | |Principals / Asst. Principals | |Elementary - Intermediate (grades 2-5) |

| | |Supt / Ast Supts / CEO / Ex Dir | |Middle (grades 6-8) |

| | |School counselors | |High (grades 9-12) |

| | |Paraprofessional | | |

| | |Classified Personnel | | |

| | |New Staff | | |

| | |Other educational specialists | | |

| | |Related Service Personnel | | |

| | |Parents | | |

| |

| |Follow-up Activities |Creating lessons to meet varied student learning |Evaluation Methods |Participant survey |

| | |styles | | |

| | |Peer-to-peer lesson discussion | | |

| | |Lesson modeling with mentoring | | |

Intermediate Unit Level Affirmations

We affirm that this Intermediate Unit Plan was developed in accordance, and will comply with the applicable provisions of 22 Pa. Code, Chapters 4, 12, 14, 16 and 49. We also affirm that the contents are true and correct and that the plan was placed for public inspection in the Intermediate Unit offices and in the nearest public library until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board or for a minimum or 28 days whichever comes first.

We affirm that the responses in the Professional Education Core Foundations and the Professional Development Implementation Steps focus on the learning needs of each staff member to enable all staff members meet or exceed the Pennsylvania academic standards in each of the core subject areas.

No signature has been provided

Board President

No signature has been provided

Executive Director

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