School is a place where students learn and apply skills, knowledge and practices essential in a diverse and changing society.

Students, teachers, parents and the community share a responsibility for individual student achievement of standards for excellence aligned across schools and grades.  Students and adults continually evaluate progress to guide the next steps for learning by using a variety of assessment strategies.  Learning activities are based on strategies proven by research and experience to promote each individual's best performance.

Effective Schools are learning communities of staff, parents, students, and community members working together so that every child has the opportunity to succeed.  Effective schools share common beliefs and support each other in their efforts to improve student achievement.  To acheive the mission of Willow Primary School, our school improvement efforts must be guided by a vision that is shared by all members of our learning community.  Our vision provides us with direction and focus. 

• We will teach the district curriculum and use the evidence of our results to continuously improve.
• We will identify the essential learning outcomes for each grade level and help all students achieve these outcomes by addressing their individual needs and learning styles.
• The curriculum taught in each class is aligned with state and district goals.
• Instruction is focused on a core curriculum of essential skills leading to higher order thinking skills. 
• Each student’s unique needs and abilities are nurtured.
• Learners are actively engaged in challenging experiences.
• Extended learning experiences are provided for students who have mastered the core curriculum.
• Resources are available for students who require additional services.
• Learning activities are based on strategies that are proven to be best practices.
• Progress is evaluated often and various assessment tools guide the next steps of learning.
• Student progress is measured frequently through a variety of tools that measure mastery.
• Student progress is communicated clearly and frequently to students and parents.
• Students learn to use self-assessment to measure progress. 
• Teachers explore new methods of assessment.

Align student improvement plans
Align district, school, classroom and student improvement plans and report results on the district and school web sites.

Literacy Study
Conduct a literacy study to improve the teaching and learning of language arts and mathematics standards.

Foreign language
Investigate the possibility of a foreign language program.

Reading and Writing Goal
We will improve student achievement in reading and writing based upon the district and state assessments.

Feedback of Results 1999

Willow School 1999 ISAT Results
Grade Reading, Math & Writing.

The Willow staff collaborated to identify grade level writing expectations.  The expectations were used to develop a rubric to assess student writing.  Click here to learn more about our grade level expectations and the Willow writing rubric.

The Willow staff reviewed the results of the Criterion Reference Tests given to our students in May, 1999.  We analyzed the targets we set last year.  Click here to see our Target Analysis.  After analyzing the results, we set new targets for the 1999-2000 school year.  Click here to see our Targeted Outcomes.  In January, the Willow staff reviewed our instructional targets and reflected on our progress.  Click here to see our Target Reflections.

Essential Skills Strategy
To ensure accountability for continuous student progress in district, state and national standards in language arts, mathematics, social studies, biological and physical sciences, fine arts, and physical development and health, we will...

1. Develop a continuum of learner standards that:

• ensures mastery of essential skills
• meets or exceeds national and state standards
• provides exit level standards for grades 3, 6, and 8

1. Implement a continuum of learner standards by:

• involving staff, parents and students
• encouraging and supporting best practices for instruction of each subject area
• setting and achieving school goals to improve student achievement.
• achieving at each school a state accreditation rating of "exceeds"

1. Assess and evaluate a continuum of learner standards by:

• developing a strategy for using multiple forms of assessment
• applying assessment results to instruction and School Improvement Process

1. Communicate student progress to students, parents, teachers, the community and state agencies by:

• designing and implementing a system of multiple methods for reporting student progress.

1. Engage in a district-wide SIP process that ensures program improvement at the school and district level.
2. Determine whether to add foreign language as an essential skill and if so, develop a plan to implement a foreign language program