1.1 What is the process for establishing and building understanding of and commitment to the vision statement among stakeholders?

     Stakeholders, community members, Dickson County school board, Student Government Association, Parent Teacher Organization, and school students, faculty, and staff members, collaborated to establish a vision statement for Charlotte Middle School (CMS).  Great effort is taken to ensure that the vision statement continues to be a stronghold within our school.  Since its inception in 2002 - 2003 and reaffirmation during 2006 - 2007 year, it has literally become the foundation for which we stand.  Our vision statement, Charlotte Middle School shall be a leader in promoting student learning and achievement through academic success, is built from our mission statement, Charlotte Middle School provides students the academic, social, and community skills necessary to become successful citizens.  These statements have become the valuable bedrock for all stakeholders.  Our commitment to both statements is regularly reviewed through school improvement plans and accreditation procedures.  The mission statement is displayed on the wall at the entrance of the school, in the student handbooks, on report card newsletters, in this past year's yearbook, and on the school website.  The statements are everyone's goal.

1.2 What is the school's process for developing a profile and systematically maintaining and using information that describes the school, its students, and their performance?

     Charlotte Middle School's profile is perpetually being reviewed, updated, and utilized.  Student and parent information is gathered from student registration forms and all data is updated with in the Star Student Program.  Additional data is included by reviewing the Dickson County census and local documents reporting community statistics.  Student achievement data is collected through TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports and used to develop the student profile.  Faculty and staff profile information is retrieved from teacher surveys, evaluations, and highly qualified teacher status.  Faculty members must also include state performance indicators (SPIs) on all lesson plans, teach all state standards, and use their knowledge gained from workshops and in-service hours to develop and share information during staff developments on a monthly basis.  These expectations of all faculty members contribute to the development of the faculty section of the profile.  The evidence from student, parent, faculty, and community data sources create the CMS profile.  Updates are added when additional data sources are received.  This information is used to evaluate how CMS aligns with both the vision and mission statements. 

1.3 How does the leadership ensure that the school's vision, purpose, and goals guide the teaching and learning process? 

     The leadership team, while being provided input from all stakeholders, guide the teaching and learning process based upon the vision and mission statements and the school improvement plan goals.  These strongly influence the process by providing a direction.  The vision and mission statements provide general, broad goals for the policies, procedures, and ideals practiced daily.  To ensure the statements are being upheld through practices, the administration formally and informally evaluates all teachers, requires state performance indicators on all lesson plans, distributes and utilizes a variety of surveys, and promotes communication with all stakeholders.  The school improvement plan goals are developed through TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports.  These goals guide the process by determining CMS's areas that need improvement.  The areas that require additional focus are provided innovative techniques, resources of time, human, material, and fiscal nature, and practices to strive to attain each goal. The teaching and learning process is molded based upon areas of weaknesses determined by data reports and the intent to follow the mission and vision statements.

1.4 What process is used to ensure that the vision and purpose of the school remain current and aligned with the school's expectations for student learning and school effectiveness?

     The yearly update to the school improvement plan provides an exceptional opportunity to review and update our vision and purpose.  During this review, the profile of the school is updated, data is studied and disaggregated, and goals are clearly defined.  The plan, with its foundation in our school's expectation for student learning and school effectiveness, guides the following year's purpose and vision.  Resource allocation, recommended workshops and seminars, and research-based theories are placed accordingly as determined by the goals to align with the vision and purpose expressed by our vision and mission statements.  When goals present themselves that would require altering the statements, the vision and purpose would be realigned in order to remain current with our school's expectations for student learning and our school's effectiveness.     

Overall Assessment:

 2.1 What is the process establishing, communicating, and implementing policies and procedures for the effective operation of the school?

     Charlotte Middle School follows the laws and policies set forth by the Tennessee State Department of Education to effectively operate the school.  Our policies and procedures are in alignment with the Dickson County Board of Education.  County-wide policies are developed by the Dickson County school board while local policies are developed by the leadership team, in collaboration with all stakeholders.  Many methods are used to communicate and implement policies and procedures for the effective operation of the school.  All students are provided an agenda/assignment book which also functions as a student handbook with a detailed explanation of school policies.  Teachers and assistants have handbooks that govern policies as well.  Both, the school and county have a website that can be utilized to review policies and procedures both locally and county-wide with public access.  E-mail is also a tool used for communication between the superintendent, principals, faculty and staff, parents, and all stakeholders.  Within the school, information is distributed in a variety of ways.  Team leader meetings, with representatives from each academic and related arts team, are held weekly to distribute and reinforce local policies and procedures and pass along needed information.  All academic teams hold daily meetings.  Staff development is conducted monthly for additional reinforcement of local procedures and policy in addition to training and skill development. 

2.2  What process does the school's leadership use to evaluate school effectiveness and student performance?   

     Charlotte Middle School's leadership team continually strives for student excellence by requiring that the state performance indicators guide each lesson, disaggregating data, and developing goals to increase school effectiveness and student performance.  The curriculum is developed by the Blueprint for Learning:  A Teacher's Guide to the Tennessee Curriculum.  State performance indicators must be included on all lesson plans submitted. Student achievement data is collected through TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports.  These formative and summative assessment sources are combined with teacher-based assessments to determine the progress and areas of weaknesses within CMS's effectiveness and student performance.  The goals, documented on the school improvement plan, are created based upon the challenges of Charlotte Middle School evident through analyzing the data.  Dissecting the data to determine strengths and weaknesses is essential to evaluating our school's effectiveness and student performance. 

2.3 In what ways are stakeholders, including staff, given opportunities to provide leadership and to contribute to the decision-making process?

    All stakeholders, including staff, provide leadership and contribute to the decision-making process through communication with the leadership team and by assisting in implementing, directing, and enforcing objectives and directives based upon our school's purpose and vision.  Faculty and staff members are provided many opportunities to become leaders in our school.  Teachers who are looking for administrative advancement are strongly encouraged to participate in a leadership program course offered by the Dickson County Board of Education.  Every new teacher is assigned two mentoring teachers upon their hiring.  The mentor teachers lead by providing a wealth of information and assistance.  CMS also works closely with local universities by allowing student teachers the opportunity to observe and conduct student teaching.  Teachers attending workshops and seminars share their newly acquired knowledge with their fellow faculty members at staff developments.  Academic team leaders are selected by their peer teachers.  Members of the leadership team are selected by the principal and serve in many leadership capacities.  All faculty and staff members can apply for any coaching or sponsorship position as well.  Any staff member can express opinions, ideas, and concerns freely with the leadership team at any time.  Teacher surveys and opinions are evaluated before decisions are made.  Students at CMS lead our school by the governing body of the Student Government Association.  By campaigning for an office and being elected through a voting process, students represent their constituents and express concerns and ideas to the leadership team.   Students are also provided leadership training through Character Counts advisories, peer tutoring, peer mediation, office and/or library assistants, leading tours to new and future students, and a wide variety of clubs.  Student surveys a re also conducted to assist with the decision-making processes governing our school.  Parents and community members are encouraged to be leaders at our school as well.  The Parent Teacher Organization seeks to inform, gather information and ideas from, and inspire leadership within the CMS parents.  Parents volunteer in the school and provide extra assistance to the faculty and staff.  Many are also involved in extra-curricular activities including coaching, booster club membership, and chaperoning field trips and dances.  All parents and community members are welcome and encouraged to speak with the CMS faculty, staff, and leadership team to voice ideas and concerns.  Parent and community surveys contribute to the decisions made at CMS as well.            

2.4 What policies and processes are in place to ensure equity of learning opportunities and support for innovation?

     All policies and processes are aligned with the goals and vision with the Dickson County Board of Education.  All policies created seek to ensure equity of learning opportunities for all students and provide support for innovation and research-based, effective strategies.  Monthly principal meetings are held to distribute information pertaining to any new policy changes or developments.  All local school-wide policies are approved by the Dickson County Board of Education.  Through this system of checks and balances, the equity of providing learning opportunities and support is ensured.  Faculty and staff surveys are conducted regarding ideas for future staff developments and in-service trainings.  Based upon the training needs, workshops and sessions will be adjusted to provide equal learning opportunities for all Dickson County teachers.  Innovative ideas are transmitted through workshops, trainings, meetings, and the recently developed educator forum on the county's website.  All faculty and staff members are encouraged to share progressive strategies and techniques for their individual domain or area of expertise through these avenues.  The monetary support for instructional, research-based innovations is provided on a local level for each classroom teacher.  If additional funds are required, the leadership team can seek to reallocate funds or assistant with a grant application.  The policies and processes ensure that all will be provided equal learning opportunities and support to fulfill CMS's mission and vision statements.         

 3.1  How does the school ensure that the curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessments are aligned and articulated across grade levels in support of the expectations for student learning?

       All instruction at Charlotte Middle School is guided by the state curriculum provided by the Tennessee State Department of Education.  Research-based instructional strategies and assessments that highly correlate with state standardized tests are aligned with our vision and purpose.  The alignment is evaluated by requiring state performance indicators from the Blueprint for Learning:  A Teacher's Guide to the Tennessee Curriculum to be the center of every lesson and the SPIs be documented on all submitted lesson plans.  Additionally, all instructional strategies are researched by the faculty prior to implementing and assessed by the administration during formal and informal evaluations.  Our formative chosen assessment, Think Link, highly correlates with the Tennessee Comphrensive Achievement Program tests in order to provide accurate data to evaluate student performance.  The articulation of the curriculum across grade levels is provided through the distribution of the Blueprint for Learning:  A Teacher's Guide to the Tennessee Curriculum to all teachers.  Additionally, daily horizontal team meetings are held to align grade level curriculum and periodic vertical team meetings ensure progressive instruction.  Weekly lesson plans with SPIs are submitted, reviewed, and kept on file as a means to assess strategies, to verify alignment, and articulate that the state standards are being met across all grade levels.  Research-based strategies are discovered through staff developments, in service opportunities, CMS's on-site professional library, Internet links, and the new educator forum on the Dickson County Board of Education's website.  The Think Link assessment data is distributed to all grade levels and individual student profiles are created to ensure the curriculum is being taught and effective instructional strategies are being utilized. 

3.2 In what ways does the school ensure the implementation of research-based instructional strategies, innovations, and activities that facilitate achievement for all students?

     The implementation of research-based instructional strategies, innovations, and activities are ensured to facilitate achievement for all students by continuously learning, communicating between all faculty and staff, and reviewing assessment scores and classroom instruction.  CMS professional development programs, developed by all faculty members, are created to provide methods to implement strategies, innovations, and activities.  Each faculty member, as a part of their academic team, researches and discovers best practice implementation methods.  The research may be conducted through workshop, conference, and seminar attendance, educational journals and publications, and Internet resources.  Communication throughout CMS is essential to ensure effective strategies, innovations, and activities are being utilized that facilitate achievement for all students.  Daily academic team meetings provide members the opportunity to align instruction across academic subjects, coordinate special activities, and discuss individual student achievement.  Vertical team meetings, with each grade being represented in their individual subject area, are conducted throughout the school year.  The goal of these meetings is to ensure that each student is learning the correct foundation to be successful in subsequent grades.  Communication between teachers and the administration is critical as well to develop and utilize research-based instructional strategies, innovations, and activities.  By reviewing assessment scores, the methods of implementation are evaluated and modified to ensure achievement for all students.  Utilizing Think Link, TCAP, ACT Explore,Gateway, and other summative and formative assessments reports guide the altering of implementation methods and ensure that the most effective techniques are being practiced.  The evaluations and observations of classroom instruction by the administration is also effective in monitoring and improving the implementation strategies.              

3.3  What processes are implemented to ensure that teachers are well-prepared and effectively implementing the curriculum?

    All teachers at Charlotte Middle School are "highly qualified" in their particular teaching endorsement area.  Teachers are also encouraged to acquire advanced degrees and are required to maintain their teaching licensure.  In order to secure that each area of the curriculum is implemented properly, the administration requires that all lesson plans record the SPIs.  Weekly lesson plans are reviewed and kept on file by the administration as a means to assess strategies and verify alignment and articulation throughout the grade levels.  Summative and formative testing reports are reviewed to analyze student data and if insufficiency is revealed, develop plans for modifying teachers' instructional strategies.  The administration also conducts formal and informal observations and evaluations on a regular basis to ensure curriculum alignment and innovative teaching ideas.  The feedback from these evaluations helps teachers to reach their potential.  Monthly staff developments, vertical team meetings, and daily academic team meetings keep teachers motivated and provide information based on current trends and research-based strategies.  In addition, yearly in-service days and our professional library supply additional preparation support for the faculty and staff.  Parent and community survey results indicate that 86% are satisfied with the teachers' progress on implementing the curriculum.   

3.4  How does the school provide every student access to comprehensive information, instructional technology, and media services?

     CMS students are challenged to use all school resources in their education.  Computer access is available for students in most classrooms, the library, and a computer laboratory.  The related arts program requires each student to take either Introduction to Computers or Computer Technology course each year.  Both classrooms are equipped with computers.  Every computer in the building has Microsoft programs as well as our Accelerated Reader program.  Many classes require students to research information on the Internet.  Class projects are often presented with PowerPoint and other technological sources.  The computers also provide an excellent medium for communication between all stakeholders.  The majority of in house information is transmitted through e-mail and parents and students can access daily school information and homework assignments on our school's website.  E-mail communication is also provided if the parent submits an e-mail address.  Two academic teams provide mass e-mails about current events and information pertaining to CMS.  The CMS library maintains state-of-the-art media equipment that is available to the staff and is used to combine technology with research-based instructional strategies.  The media equipments includes technology carts that have a computer and a projector.  The library is also equipped with an extensive collection of audio/visual aids for teacher check-out.  All students are provided access to computers for research and information transmission, taught research-based instructional strategies using technology, and taught computer/technology skills through their related arts class.  

Overall Assessment:

 4.1. How is the assessment system currently used in your school to analyze changes in student performance? 

    At Charlotte Middle School, various summative and formative assessments are used to monitor and analyze changes in student performance.  Student achievement data is collected through TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports and used to develop each student profile.  Data is reviewed during in-service training and staff development meetings by the staff as a whole as well as individually during teacher planning times.  Academic team meetings also provide a time for faculty members to discuss, develop innovative ideas, and modify current strategies.  The data analysis is complied in the School Improvement Plan and appropriate goals are developed based upon the data.   At the beginning of each school year, teachers analyze the individual TCAP scores from the previous year in an effort to find patterns in the data.  TVASS data is also divided into high, average, and low achievers so that teachers can evaluate which types of students they have most effectively taught.  Score reports from Gateway Algebra I testing, our NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, our School/System/State Report Card are also evaluated by the administration, faculty, and staff to determine what modifications need to be made to increase student performance.  Think Link tests are administered three times a year to monitor student progress throughout the year in the math and reading/language arts content areas.  Formative classroom assessments are used to monitor student achievement and detect changes in performance. Highly qualified teachers use various forms of quizzes, tests, and questioning to determine the level of students’ understanding of particular objectives.  Teachers also keep records of students’ work completion to identify students who are beginning to neglect their schoolwork.  Accelerated Reader tests are also administered to determine student comprehension.  Even though we have met state requirements and NCLB/AYP benchmarks, CMS strives to have even higher expectations for student performance.  We are continually reviewing data sources and score reports and modifying our practices help these expectations to be met.

4.2 What are you doing to ensure that assessment results are timely, relevant, and communicated in a way that can be used by teachers, students, parents, and external stakeholders to aid the performance of individual students?

    Assessment results can only be beneficial when utilized in a timely and relevant manner and communicated to all stakeholders.  Charlotte Middle School begins analyzing data as soon as it becomes available.  Many assessment companies provide feedback and score reports quickly, while others require more time to process the data.  Think Link assessments, ACT Explore reports, Gateway assessments and teacher-made assessments are processed in a timely manner and analyzed and communicated as soon as the information is available.  This data is utilized during faculty or staff development meetings and distributed and explained to parents and students promptly.  Teacher-made assessment results are communicated to parents on a regular basis.  In addition to each nine week report card, progress reports are sent home every grading period.  When data indicates that a student's progress is declining, parents are invited to meet with their child's academic team and frequent communication is enacted through e-mail, telephone, notes home, and notations recorded in the student planner.  TCAP assessments results are provided to the administration and faculty during the summer.  During in-service training, the data is broken down into subgroups, analyzed, and evaluated.  All grade levels work together to create individual student progress reports to monitor and attain information of each student's progress.  Individual student TCAP achievement scores are sent to parents the following year along with a booklet explaining the results.  Parents, students, and community members are invited to informational PTO meetings where the purpose is to explain all data sources, including TVASS, TCAP achievement, and our School Report Card.  The administration prepares a PowerPoint presentation to explain our scores and their child's scores in layman's terms.  Students are provided their previous year's TCAP scores and asks to set goals for progress each year.  When the student's goal is achieved, a reward is provided.  TCAP assessment, TVASS, and School Report Card data is provided to the local newspaper and printed for the community stakeholders.    

4.3. How are data used to understand and improve overall school effectiveness?  

     Understanding current levels of school effectiveness is necessary to improve our efficiency.  This understanding is developed through reviewing all data sources.  Student achievement data is collected through TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports.  These reports are discussed and compared among CMS academic teams and other middle schools in our county.  The School/System/State Report Card provides excellent evidence of how Charlotte Middle School is performing in comparison to other state schools.  Through the development of the School Improvement Plan, data is thoroughly analyzed.  The in-depth analysis, written to explain the data simply, provides understanding for all CMS faculty, staff, and administrators of our school effectiveness.  

    The understanding of the assessment results are used by the administrators to make modifications to improve school effectiveness.  The School Improvement Plan records goals and their action steps based upon the understanding of data sources.  Action steps are in progress towards each goal.  For instance, in the area of mathematics, the goal has been to increase performance with our students with disabilities subgroup and sixth grade students.  As a result, more inclusion teachers work with regular education teachers on a daily basis.  Beginning in 2004, sixth graders began to have an additional math class that focuses on remediation and extra practice.  The assessment results are not only utilized to reach our specific School Improvement Plan goals.  Assessment results are also used by teachers to improve classroom and departmental effectiveness.  Every year, advanced class rosters are formed with the use of TCAP and ACT Explore scores, in addition to teacher recommendations, to ensure that students receive the proper placement.  Teacher-made pretests and post-tests are used to monitor student progress.  Classroom assessments, progress reports, and report cards are used to determine which students are not making adequate progress. Teachers use TCAP and ThinkLink results to determine which students need extra help and remediation.  Assessment results are also used to determine which students might make effective peer tutors. TCAP and ThinkLink scores are also used by teachers to determine which of their units are the most effective.   

4.4. How are teachers trained to understand and use data in the classroom? 

    Data is useless if the faculty, staff, and administration are not trained to understand and effectively use the data to improve student performance.  Teachers at Charlotte Middle School attend in-service and staff development training sessions that focus on data analysis, understanding, and utilization.  The county-wide in-service training sessions discuss TVASS and TCAP data analysis and the interpretation of these assessment results.  Staff developments often focus on disaggregating data from all sources, including TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports.  Ideas and utilization techniques for teacher-made assessments are included in the training as well.  Teachers at Charlotte Middle School meet with the principal and departmental teams to discuss test scores.  Each year, the principal meets individually with each teacher to discuss their TVASS, ThinkLink, and TCAP results.  Vertical team meetings are also conducted to discuss the results and strategies to improve school effectiveness.  Teachers from Charlotte Middle School also meet with teachers from Dickson Middle School and William James Middle School to discuss standardized test results and strategies to improve the scores.  Additional training can be received through educational journals, the on-site professional library, and the educator forum on our system's website.  

Component V     

5.1 What is the process for recruitment, induction, placement, development, evaluation, and retention of qualified teachers, administrators, and support staff? 

    Hiring, training, and retaining effective teachers, administrators, and support personnel are essential to the productivity of a school.  Recruitment for all positions is enacted by posting all available job openings at the Dickson County Board of Education, our county's website, all school buildings, and the local newspaper.  The postings includes licensure requirements, if needed.  Job interviews are conducted by the principal at the individual school for teacher and support personnel positions.  A rubric evaluation system allows for the administration to select the most effective, highly qualified person for the job.  Candidates must supply references and documentation of their credentials as well.  Administrators are selected by the Dickson County Board of Education, following a rigorous interview and application process.  When a new teacher is hired, the principal assigns two mentoring teachers to assist him or her throughout the year.  New teachers and support personnel are placed in their assignments by the administration to assist in achieving the School Improvement Plan goals.  The administration, faculty, and staff strive to continuously learn.  The developmental opportunities include in-service trainings, staff development meetings, workshops, academic team meetings, conferences, vertical team meetings, seminars, faculty meetings, county-wide meetings, and a wide variety of research conducted in the educator forum, professional references, and the Internet.  Non-tenured teachers are observed and evaluated in a formal setting at least three times per year for the first three years of employment.  Tenured teachers are formally observed and evaluated once every five years.  A conference with the administration is held after each observation to discuss strengths and weaknesses.  Informal or walk-thru evaluations are held frequently.  Conferences are held after informal evaluations as well.  As a means of retaining teachers, the administration promotes a positive work environment with supportive discipline, a clean facility, flexibilit y, an open door policy, and an overall encouraging atmosphere.      

5.2 How does the leadership ensure that the allocation of financial resources is supportive of the school's vision, educational programs, and its plans for school improvement?

    The proper allocation of funds is essential to promoting the school's vision and reaching School Improvement Plan goals.  Charlotte Middle School's policies and procedures require all purchase orders and allocation of financial resources be signed and approved by the principal.  Financial audits are conducted annually by the state comptroller's office, evaluating the overall financial position of the school.  In consultation with the principal, the Director of Schools provides guidance in the final allocation of all resources.

Allotment of funds is based upon what is deemed necessary to improve student performance while remaining aligned with our vision and mission statements and striving to attain our School Improvement Plan goals.  One goal, improving performance with the students with disabilities subgroup, was the basis of the decision to provide two additional inclusion teachers this school year.  Teachers collaborate and provide input to the principal concerning resources needed to improve student performance.  The administration analyzes weaknesses and reviews teacher requests for needed items, identifying areas of greatest need.  Instructional monies are used to purchase educational resources (i.e workbooks and calculators) to enhance and support curriculum.       

5.3 How does the leadership ensure a safe and orderly environment for students and staff?  

    Charlotte Middle School has numerous tools and procedures to ensure a safe and orderly environment.  Codes of conduct and rules have been instituted at the individual classroom level, school-wide, and across the county.  Rules and policies are posted in classrooms, discussed with the students, and printed in the Dickson County and CMS student handbook.  The handbooks have a documentation form for parents and students to sign to acknowledge that they have read and understand the policies and guidelines.  The CMS student handbook is contained within the student planner, provided for each student at the beginning of the school year, assuring that each student has their handbook available for reference daily.  

    As the School Report Card states, Charlotte Middle School is listed as a Safe School due to our policies, procedures, drills, and crises plans.  CMS is inspected by the State Fire Marshall yearly and the Health Department on a regular basis.  The administration also conducts monthly fire drills, and regular emergency and weather-related drills throughout the school year in accordance with our comphrensive crisis management plan.  Our crisis drill is practiced yearly with a complete evacuation from the building and communication with local officials.  Every school employee is involved in emergency plan procedures and is well versed in their roles to ensure plans are carried out in an efficient, safe, and orderly manner.  All visitors must sign into the office and received a pass upon entry.  All other entry doors remained locked during the school day.  A budgetary plan is being developed to redesign the office entryway to include security doors.  These doors would require a teacher to swipe their card or visitors to be buzzed in.  A school resource officer is available, if needed.  Teachers are assigned morning and afternoon hall and bus duty to monitor students and assist in the orderly transition between home and school.  All teachers are on post from 7:40AM to 3:12PM to monitor morning arrivals and afternoon dismissals in the hallways.   

     Guidance and advisory services are available to every student at Charlotte Middle School.  At the beginning of each year, the school counselor distributes packets to each teacher that seek to explain services available and confidentiality rights, receive ideas for group counseling needs and peer mediators, and provide referral forms and passes.  Available services include individual and group counseling, peer mediation, academic assistance, and career planning.  The administration, teachers, staff, parents, and students can make referrals to the school counselor.  Each eighth grader takes a careers class during related arts.  This class prepares students for their transition to high school and beyond by learning about specific careers, taking interest inventories, and creating their six year high school plan.  The counselor is also responsible for Project Star by Centerstone, a program that helps at-risk students learn to make better choices.  The monthly advisory program assigns a group of students to an individual teacher. The goal of advisory is to inform the students of social and character issues while providing a close relationship between the students and an adult. All students go through an orientation class to familiarize themselves with the teacher and group.  Each meeting addresses a specific topic that relates to school and character education.  Classes focus on bullying, goal setting, peer pressure, test-taking skills, and conflict resolution.  Advisory is founded on Character Counts program.

        If a student requires additional resources to be successful, these are met at Charlotte Middle School with Individual Education Plan (IEPs), Section 504 modifications, S-Team modifications, and a variety of other programs that seek to promote student performance and learning.  The process by which students qualify for IEPs is in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.  Section 504 modifications are available for students who need "their playing field leveled."  Each plan is developed in meetings with all appropriate personnel and parents, if possible, in attendance.  The administration, teachers, and Dickson County Board of Education personnel are provided the plans and agree to follow their individual responsibilities.  Challenge, for gifted students, and a CDC program provide additional resources for those who qualify.  A speech therapist is available for students who qualify as well.  Along with inclusion aides, CMS also houses two additional aides who not utilized by the special education department.  S-Team referrals and modifications are provided through the counseling departments.  Referrals may be made by the administration, teachers, or parents.  The modifications provided are documented for parents and teachers in an effort to ensure the students needs are being met.  In addition, supplementary help is also available through the Saturday Academy program.  Three regular education teachers from each grade level and one special education teacher, funded through extended contract monies, provide tutoring and extra assistance every other Saturday.  Students notify their teachers that they plan to attend, packets of make-up and extra-credit opportunities are created, and educational assistance is provided to complete each packet.    

Operational:  Charlotte Middle School has sufficient human, material, and fiscal resources to implement a curriculum that enables students to achieve expectations for student learning, to meet special needs, and to comply with applicable regulations.  Well qualified staff are allocated in the most effective assignments.  CMS provides ongoing learning opportunities for all staff to improve their effectiveness.   Compliance is ensured with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.  The majority of the evidence supports an overall assessment of "operational" for this standard and is substantiated in the responses to the indicators and focus questions.     

Component VI

    Periodically, the leadership team surveys parents, community members, and teachers.  The information that is gathered from these surveys is used to evaluate how the stakeholders view the school’s effectiveness and what the school can do to improve student learning and success.  The expectations of our stakeholders indicate that an emphasis is placed in several key areas.  A clean, safe, orderly environment is one area that our community members feel is of great importance.  Currently, Charlotte Middle School is in good standing according to the criteria that is set by the state of Tennessee.  We developed and practice our crisis management plan that has been evaluated by emergency management personnel.  This plan is very thorough and covers a broad range of crisis situations and how we will respond to each incident. 

    The survey results also indicate that proper student placement according to skill level is important to the stakeholders.  The students at Charlotte Middle School are tested periodically to ensure proper placement.  If students are above average in a particular area, they may be advanced to the next level or available class in that subject.  This provides a more challenging setting for the student.  Teachers are also evaluated and placed according to their strengths. 

    Having an open door policy where parents may express their opinions and provide input is critical to the success of Charlotte Middle School.  This is a belief that is shared by the Charlotte Middle School faculty and by the stakeholders in the community.  Parents are invited to meet with the academic core teams to discuss the progress of their child and implement future plans for the student.  This allows the parents and teachers to work together towards the success of the student and allows everyone to assist in developing an individual plan for the student based on his/her needs.  Providing these meetings has been crucial to the success of many students at Charlotte Middle School.  Parents are also invited to e-mail, call, or write the teachers, administration, and the school counselor at Charlotte Middle School.  This communication allows the parent to be notified of any potential problems or issues that the student may be encountering at that time.  The parent does not have to wait or schedule a meeting for these quick updates, making it more convenient for everyone.  We also have a school website that is updated on a regular basis with pertinent information regarding student activities.  The information on the website ranges from the weekly homework for each class to extra-curricular activities.  It is important for our stakeholders to be able to access our website and see the activities and lessons that the students will participate in each week.
6.2.  How does the school’s leadership foster a learning community? 
    The administration at Charlotte Middle School promotes effective policies and offers a variety of programs that allow the community to become more involved with the students, faculty, and staff.  In general, communication between all stakeholders, the welcoming parents and community members, and the providing of open house and parent-teacher conferences are the foundation of the extension of the learning community. Additionally, the administration ensures that the teachers are highly qualified.  This qualification places teachers who are qualified in a particular subject area to remain in that area due to their extensive knowledge of the subject.  The faculty and staff also practice professional collegiality.  Each year, Charlotte Middle School receives new students from the local elementary schools.  These students have already become somewhat familiar with Charlotte Middle School and the administration due to the fifth grade tours that are conducted in the spring by the counseling department.  This tour is a tradition at Charlotte Middle School for our future students in order to make them feel more comfortable upon arriving their first day of school.  Each member of the academic core team and related arts are introduced to the students and a brief summary of each class is provided.  The administration also speaks with the students, providing school and dress code information, followed by a band performance.  When these students reach the eighth grade, students complete a six year plan that will provide insight into their future plans for college and careers.  After developing a practice plan in careers class, parents and guardians attend an informational and individual meeting to develop their own child's unique plan.  Along with writing this plan, the students are given the opportunity to see jobs in action during the careers annual field trip.  The students go out into the community and sample a variety of jobs and discuss their level of interest with people who currently occupy those positions.  The administration at Charlotte Middle School also understands the importance of an exceptional learning environment, both in school and at home.  Two programs are currently offered here that develop family relationships and life skills for both the students and the parents.  Strengthening Families is a seven week course that is designed to teach middle school students and their parents how to be resilient against the pressure of substance use and abuse, depression, violence, aggression, delinquency, and school failure.  This course is open to anyone in the community and is offered in the fall. Project Star is a program that is designed to reach out to students who may be at risk for making poor decisions.  This program meets one day per week for approximately one hour.  The administration at Charlotte Middle School also believes that fostering a learning community begins by reaching out to the community to establish positive relationships.  This is accomplished by allowing members of the community access to our facilities when needed.  Working together with the community provides us with good relationships that can be beneficial to the needs of ou r students in the future.  This opens the door to many different organizations and their administrative leaders for future collaborative functions.   

6.3. What avenues are used to communicate information to stakeholders about students, their performance, and school effectiveness? 

    Charlotte Middle School has implemented a number of avenues for communication that strengthen and increase opportunities for sharing information and reaching our stakeholders.  Newsletters are sent out four times per year, included with each report card, to update students and parents on general school activities.  News is also presented in the Dickson Herald, our local newspaper and other activities or events are posted on the school marquee.  Meetings with parents or other community members are welcomed and encouraged.  These meetings are designed to communicate specific information regarding the success or future plans for students.  Our middle school concept fortunately provides academic team planning time that allows parents or guardians to meet with all their child's teachers at one time. These meetings seek to formulate an individualized learning program. Additionally, this planning time is designed for each team member to provide information regarding areas that may need improvement or plan specific curriculum or extra-curricular events, such as a reward day for academic excellence or the planning of a field trip.  Parent-Teacher Organization meetings are held to discuss various topics, such as the School Report Card and TCAP testing results.  During these meetings, stakeholders are able to present questions and concerns about the student’s performance.  The parent-teacher conference is another avenue that stakeholders may utilize to communicate with the administration, faculty, and staff of Charlotte Middle School.  In the beginning of the year, the students are given a student handbook included with a daily planner.  The handbook contains pertinent contact information, rules, and regulations.  The student planner is used by all teachers and students as a tool to communicate with the parents.  The planners may be used to record homework and classwork assignments as well as provide teachers the opportunity to send daily notes home, if necessary.  In some cases, the students are expected to bring the planner back to school everyday with the previous day’s page signed by the parent or guardian.  This is a communication tool that is used to keep the parents informed about their student’s academic progress.    Each year, CMS provides testing reports to students, parents, and community members.  Information regarding testing is sent home in advance and is provided to promote understanding of the relevance of the test and the need for all students to be present on those testing days.  Technology at Charlotte Middle School enables the administration and staff to communicate with the stakeholders in the community.  Email is used frequently to communicate with parents and each grade level has a list of email addresses to assist in keeping parents informed on student progress.  Anytime information is needed to reach the parents, a mass email is delivered to reach as many parents as pos sible.  The school website is a tool that is used to keep all stakeholders involved in all aspects of student life at Charlotte Middle School.  The site includes a weekly homework schedule, lunch menu, the school improvement plan, links to academic games, all school personnel contact information, student life pictures, and other activity updates.  Informing all stakeholders of the school's effectiveness and student performance is critical to remaining united with the community and continuing to foster a learning community. 

Component VII     

    Tennessee school systems are fortunate to participate in the Tennessee School Improvement Planning Process (TSIPP).  This process requires an in-depth review, a data-based submission of goals, and an action step plan to accomplish stated goals.  This planning process was created to provide schools an opportunity to effectively evaluate their progress and create a plan to provide continuous improvement.  The TSIPP involves the creation of a document which summarizes all researched and compiled information.  The components of the TSIPP document include a detailed school profile, our mission/belief/vision statements, a through data analysis, an evaluation of effectiveness and the planning process, and an action plan, complete with goals.  In order to create the document, conduct the review, and develop the goals and action steps,the leadership team, compiled of the chairperson for each component of the document, gathers information and data from a wide variety of sources, including all stakeholders, assessment sources, and state-prepared reports.  Charlotte Middle School is always participating in the planning process.  When the document is completed, it is immediately altered when new information is revealed.  The process provides reliable results based upon the extensive review which reveals the strengths and weaknesses our school has in both student performance and our overall effectiveness.  The results are also beneficial based upon the faculty and staff's strong desire to attain our goals and seek to continuously improve.  The goals created by the TSIPP process are the foundation of every decision, and their attainment is paramount.

    Charlotte Middle School has in operation an ongoing process of institutional improvement that identifies and evaluates specific student learning needs and that aligns these needs with the broader vision and purpose of the school.  This process requires numerous steps are taken to create the school improvement plan goals.  First, the leadership team is engaged in continuous analysis and disaggregation of student data, including TVAAS reports, Gateway reports, NCLB/AYP benchmarks, ACT Explore reports, School/System/State Report Card, TCAP individual score reports, and Think Link testing reports.  This disaggregation reveals the areas of deficiency in student learning needs.  Next, the goals are then created based upon need an d in alignment with our vision and mission statements.  Finally, the goals are finalized through the TSIPP document and appropriate action steps are develop to assist in their attainment.

    In-service trainings, professional developments, and the encouragement and support to attend conferences and workshops are used to ensure that all school personnel are properly trained to effectively achieve school improvement goals.  The Dickson County Board of Education requires that all school personnel attend five in-service days prior to the beginning of each school year.  In-service opportunities consist of renowned speakers specializing in a wide-range of subject areas, lessons that seek to improve educational practices, and specific training experiences that provide real world practice.  Professional development meetings are prepared locally by CMS faculty members.  Each meeting, presented by academic or leadership teams, focuses on a specific topic in which further development is required to improve student performance.  Topics vary from current educational "hot topics," updates on current practices, and technical assistance.  CMS has been endowed with funds for utilization of computer technology, through the addition of a computer lab, to enhance the learning process and provide programs such as Compass Learning.  The Dickson County Board of Education and CMS administration promotes and encourages participation in conferences and workshops.  These opportunities provide research-based, new information that is shared with the remainder of the CMS personnel.

    The leadership team, responsible for the TSIPP, oversees how the plan is implemented, monitored, achieved, and communicated to stakeholders.  Implementation of the plan is created by the leadership team through the TSIPP document action plan.  This action plan provides detailed, step-by-step procedures that seek to achieve each goal.  The monitoring process of the improvement plan is also assigned in the action plan section of the TSIPP document.  Each step of the action plan is provided designee(s) that is responsible to monitor the steps taken towards the goal.  Each monitor, assigned by the leadership team, is also responsible for evaluating if the action step was achieved.  This section of the TSIPP document also includes how each step is evaluated.  Each step has specific guidelines for evaluation.  Communication of the improvement plan is the responsibility of all CMS personnel.  The leadership team requires that each academic team provide students, parents, and community members with the progress of the improvement plan.  The entire TSIPP document is also included on our local website.

Overall Assessment:

Operational:  Charlotte Middle School implements a collaborative and ongoing process for improvement that aligns the functions of the school with the expectations for student learning.  CMS demonstrates progress in improving student performance and school effectiveness.  Improvement efforts are sustained.  New improvement efforts are informed by the results of earlier efforts through reflection and assessment of the improvement process. The majority of the evidence supports an overall assessment of "operational" for this standard and is substantiated in the responses to the indicators and focus questions.   

Conclusion
Focus Questions

As you review your responses to the standards, what major trends, themes, or areas of focus emerge that cut across the seven standards?

    Evidence of consistent trends, themes, and areas of focus were revealed during the creation of the AdvancED document throughout the seven standards.  First, Charlotte Middle School guides all decisions based upon the vision and mission statements and purpose of the school.  Consistently, the document refers to this focus and stresses its importance in the day-to-day practices at CMS.  Data analysis and the effective use of the information gained for goal attainment are thematic throughout the seven standards.  Data disaggregation and its utilization are essential to our school's purpose, the effectiveness of leadership and learning practices, communication with all stakeholders, and continuous learning.  Also, communication between CMS faculty, staff, and administration, other educators, students, parents/guardians, community members, and all other stakeholders is frequently referred to in each standard of the AdvancED document.  Communicating our vision and purpose, school effectiveness, data analysis, student performance, and educational practices.  Next, CMS personnel are consistently challenged to learn and adapt through staff development meetings, in-service trainings, and conferences and workshops.  The need for continuous learning is expressed in numerous standards in order to increase school effectiveness, promote our vision and purpose, and increase student performance.  Additionally, the faculty of Charlotte Middle School is held accountable for teaching the state curriculum.  By listing state performance indicators on each lesson plan, teachers are responsible for aligning our school's purpose with innovative techniques to increase student performance.  Providing multiple resources for students and parents/guardians is another theme consistently detailed in the AdvancED report.  Access to technology, guidance, and special education services are a few resources that cut across the seven standards.  Finally, a consistent theme of the AdvancEd document is the constant drive for continuous improvement by the administration, faculty, and staff of CMS.  This drive allows our school to promote the purpose of the school and seek to increase student performance.    

    Upon analyzing the trends and reviewing each of the seven standards, Charlotte Middle School has several areas of strengths that were revealed.  The practice of continuous data analysis and the effective use of the information gained is effective in attaining our school improvement plan goals and remaining aligned with our purpose.  By providing Think Link testing and teacher-made assessments, the administration and faculty seek to receive additional data sources to create a complete student profile to prepare each student for state-mandated assessments.  All sources are reviewed and disaggregated to create a complete picture of student performance.  Another area of strength is the use of communication.  The middle school concept allows for each teacher to meet with their peers daily, hold meetings with parents and guardians, and develop a unified curriculum.  A consistent communication portal is maintained to open channels between all stakeholders for both input from and deliverance of school progress and information.  The local and county websites are beneficial communication tools that are a major strength of our school. Also, CMS maintains a strict adherence to all policies and procedures put forth by the Dickson County Board of Education and State of Tennessee.  This adherence allows Charlotte Middle School to be consistent and fair when regarding any and all possible occurrences.  The amount and value of all training experiences are a wonderful strength of CMS.  Using teachers to research and provide staff developments, gaining research-based in-service trainings, and the frequent attendance of conferences and workshops help to provide continuous learning.  Staff flexibility is beneficial for continuing to deliver new research-based, break the mold strategies.  The administration is supportive as well as flexible.  The addition of math classes and participation in advisory are a few pieces of evidences that support the entire personnel's willingness to rise to the occasion.

    As with any review, challenges are revealed.  Charlotte Middle School welcomes challenges to continue to grow and be effective in reaching our school's purpose.  Funding, as a typical challenge in most public school systems, continues to create obstacles to some innovative ideas and effective practices.  Additional funding would allow our school to provide further technological usage and new programming.  The maintenance and upkeep of our old school building remains a challenge daily.  Limited space would not allow for an additional computer lab even if funding were present.  Updating a old building into an up-to-date, innovative, safe center of learning is difficult given our resources.  While staff flexibility is listed among our greatest strengths, total buy-in presents a source for trouble in some cases.  While we strive to keep all teachers current, having all personnel thoroughly believe in a new, foreign strategy, despite its research-based proof, is an area of growth.  In terms of staff participation, more after-school, extra-curricular attendance would be helpful and promote student participation as well.  In our rural community, maintaining and promoting a parent and community learning environment is difficult.  Based upon community limitations, many parents work multiple jobs or do not value education on a high level.  CMS personnel will constantly work to combat this way of thinking and develop deep attachments and trust with the community and all stakeholders.  Ideally, we would like total community support and understanding.  Until that is attained, CMS will list this as a challenge. 

    A review is not effective unless insights gained guide further improvements.  The challenges and recommendations from the quality assurance review team are the primary sources for focus.  Future goals and resources will be placed in these areas to seek to correct these deficiencies.  The self-assessment also revealed strengths.  These strengths will remain beneficial to our school's purpose and effectiveness.  These will continue to be placed in high regard and supported through any available resources.  Remaining abreast of new strategies and innovative, research-based techniques will assist CMS in continuously learning and increasing student performance.  Remaining focused on our purpose and mission and vision statements will keep CMS aligned with all goals.  Through the creation of the AdvancED document, all personnel are informed of our standings on all seven standards, strengths, and weaknesses.  Providing all staff with a clear review will allow all members to remain an alliance with the same goals and purpose.