Meeting of the Board of School Directors

September 23, 2014

April 29, 2013 – Initial Meeting with Superintendent and Key

Administrative Staff

June 17, 2013 – Comprehensive Planning Meeting – Administrators

June 24, 2013 – Overview of Process with Principals and Central

Office Administrative Staff

August 15, 2013 – Reflection Session at Principals’ Council

Summer 2013 until February 2014 –District Staff collect data and

complete needs assessment as per Comprehensive Plan

January 28, 2014– School Board Comprehensive Planning

Overview

March 27, 2014 – Comprehensive Steering Team Session

April 2014 until June 2014 – Action Plans developed by Action

Teams

May 2014 – Special Education Plan Due

June 25, 2014 – Principals’ Workshop – Action Plan Refinement

Summer 2014 – Comprehensive Plan inputted into PDE Web Tool

August 2014 –Principals’ Comprehensive Plan Workshop

September 24, 2014 – Public Review of Draft Comprehensive Plan

for 28 days

October 28, 2014 - Comprehensive Plan approved by Abington

School District Board of School Directors

November 30, 2014 – Comprehensive Plan submitted electronically

to PDE

ABINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

MISSION STATEMENT

Building upon the historical and culturally

diverse roots of our community and its proud

traditions, and recognizing the uniqueness of

each student, the Abington School District

promotes excellence as our standard and

achievement as the result.

ABINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

VISION STATEMENT

The Abington School District Comprehensive Plan Vision is embodied in the Mission Statement and

reinforces that the focus of the district’s comprehensive plan is student achievement.

SLOGAN

“Excellence is Our Standard;

Achievement is the Result"

Public education, providing opportunities for all children, is the

cornerstone of American society and essential to the future of our country.

Diversity is a strength and an asset.

Everyone can learn and learning is accomplished in different ways and at different rates.

Every individual has equal human value.

A secure and safe environment and peaceful conflict resolution are essential to learning

and to society.

The commitment to excellence is essential and worth the effort.

A quality school district requires the allocation of appropriate resources.

Successful individuals and institutions actively engage in the process of reflection and

improvement.

Shared decision making and active participation strengthen organizations and

communities.

The involvement of each school family and every member of the community is essential to

the educational process.

Every individual needs to be prepared to function in a global society.

Suburban District Bordering Philadelphia ◦ Population – 7,641 students ◦ Seven Elementary Schools, Abington Junior High School, and

Abington Senior High School

Demographics ◦ 66% White ◦ 20% African American ◦ 5% Asian ◦ 6% Hispanic ◦ 3% Multi-Racial

Community Descriptions

Opportunities to Learn

◦ College Readiness ◦ Course Selection

Service Learning

◦ Students Going Beyond Requirements

Technology Enhancing Curriculum

◦ Interactive Whiteboards ◦ Additional Electronic Resources

Student Achievement

◦ PA School Performance Profile (SPP) ◦ Reducing the Achievement Gaps ◦ Addressing the needs of Historically Underperforming Students (HUS)

Name Role

Jennifer Abramson Parent

Susanne Alfonso Administrator

Amira Aliu Parent

Dr. Leigh Altadonna Administrator

Dr. Ann Bacon Administrator

Dr. Richard Balukas Administrator

Dr. David Bergman Administrator

Angelo Berrios Administrator

Judy Bomze Administrator

Linda Bradley Parent

Cynthia Brett Support Staff

Kaila Brown Student

Greta Brunschwyler Community Representative

Andrew Coates Elementary School Teacher - General Education

Ky Connor-Watts Student

Christine Darrah Elementary School Teacher - Special Education

Ellen DeStefano Parent

Dr. Jeffrey Fecher Administrator

Chad Finkelstein Student

Elisha Gee Elementary School Teacher – General Education

Laurence Goldberg Administrator

Chiquilla Holt Parent

Fred Johnson Ed Specialist - School Counselor

Tonya Johnson Ed Specialist - School Psychologist

Damon Jordan Administrator

Chief William Kelly Community Representative

Marie Kim Administrator

Kelly Lambert Administrator

Debra Lee Elementary School Teacher - General Education

Name Role

Lawrence Lee Middle School Teacher - General Education

Dr. Charles Lentz Administrator

Christopher Lionetti Administrator

Trisha Livingood Elementary School Teacher - General Education

Christine Madigan Business Representative

Rochelle Marbury Administrator

Raymond McGarry Board Member

Dr. James Melchor Administrator

Daniel Oldham Elementary School Teacher - General Education

Dr. Mark Pellico Administrator

Joshua Perlman Administrator

JoAnn Perotti External Facilitator-Bucks County Intermediate Unit

Jennifer Peszek Administrator

Jimmy Quan Student

Kathy Rafter Secondary School Teacher - Special Education

Reid Sandner Business Representative

Sara Santora Student

Dr. Amy Sichel Administrator

Michael Staszkiw Elementary School Teacher – General Education

Jared Stevenson Student

Michele Tinsman Board Member

Ann Walter-Custer Middle School Teacher – General Education

Ryan Williams Secondary School Teacher – General Education

Accomplishment #1: The Abington School District, as illustrated in the analysis of the data, shows a strong performance in mathematics and reading at all grade levels.

Accomplishment #2:

The Abington School District's staff members have an excellent working knowledge of how to use technology to enhance instruction.

Accomplishment #3:

The Abington School District has four schools that received the Governor's Excellence Award for School Performance Profile scores of at least 90. These are: Copper Beech Elementary School, Roslyn Elementary School, Rydal Elementary School and Abington Senior High School. In addition, Willow Hill Elementary School was named a Title I Reward (High Progress) School.

Accomplishment #4:

The Abington School District has been recognized six times by

America's Promise Alliance as one of the Nation's 100 Best

Communities for Young People.

Accomplishment #5:

The Abington School District recognized 20 National Merit and

Achievement Scholars in 2014.

Accomplishment #6:

The Abington School District has been named by the National

Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation as one of the

"Best Communities for Music Education" for seven consecutive

years.

Accomplishment #7: The Abington School District has won grants totaling over $80,000 to support projects related to Safe Schools, training for School Resource Officers, School-Based Behavioral Health and Nutrition.

Accomplishment #8:

The Abington School District's McKinley Elementary School has been designated as a Certified Olweus Bullying Prevention School.

Accomplishment #9:

The Abington School District's senior high school received a Silver Medal in U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools in the U.S. - 2012.

Accomplishment #10:

The Abington School District Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Amy Sichel, served as the president of ASAA, The School Superintendents Association during 2013-2014.

Concern #1: There is a need to further develop more comprehensive

professional development to address the needs of the professional staff and support the implementation of the strategies identified for delivering effective instruction and supporting students at risk.

Concern #2: There is a need to further develop supporting students

academically at risk within the district. Concern #3: There is a need to further develop effective instructional

practices in the Abington School District.

Goal – Comprehensive Professional Development Strategies Develop teacher skills to analyze the cognitive expectations

demanded by standards, curricular activities, and assessments and to deliver instruction that prepares students to meet these expectations

Develop teacher skills to differentiate instruction to address

needs of ALL students with particular emphasis on the needs of underperforming students

Develop teacher skills to integrate literacy into instruction for the

purpose of helping students read and write across the curriculum

Goal – Supporting Students Academically at Risk

Strategies

Evaluate and research current services and best practices to

address the needs of underperforming and special needs

students

Engage families and communities through varied outreach and

communication efforts

Analyze and monitor student performance to increase

achievement

Goal – Effective Instructional Practices

Strategies

Integrate various strategies to differentiate instruction for ALL

students

Integrate literacy across the curriculum

Use questioning strategies to challenge students cognitively to

nurture high-level thinking

Span three years

Address each of the identified goals

Define specific strategies to be implemented

Assign roles, responsibilities, and expectations