Westfall Local Schools

District Name: 

Westfall Local Schools

District Address:

19463 Pherson Pike

District Contact: 

Jeff Sheets, Superintendent 

District IRN: 

049106

Mitigation Strategies 

The district will return to our pre-pandemic mitigation strategies.  Should CDC or the ODPH guidelines change the district will implement those changes. 

Physical Distancing: The District will return to pre-pandemic distancing protocols.  Social distancing will still be encouraged, but not required. 

Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette: Frequent hand washing will be emphasized throughout the day.  Hand sanitizers will be available throughout the buildings and students will be encouraged to sanitize their hands as they enter and exit the classroom and the buildings.  Cough and sneeze etiquette will be taught and monitored. 

Facilities: The district will return to pre-pandemic cleaning procedures. The ventilation systems will be upgraded using ESSER funding to provide better air quality. 

Contact Tracing: Tracing will occur using PCPH guidance for all infectious diseases. District nurses have received training in these guidelines

Diagnostic and Screening Testing: The district will use test kits during the school year on an as-needed basis so that students may remain in school safely.

Vaccinations:  The district will continue to encourage staff, students, and community members to be vaccinated.  The district will work with the PCPH to provide vaccination clinics. 

Accommodations for Children with Disabilities and Students with Underlying Health Issues: The district will work with families and local agencies to provide appropriate instruction for students.  This may include online instruction, home instruction, a hybrid schedule, or partial day schedules.  

Masks:  Masks will be recommended but not required unless given further updates by the ODPH, CDC, or our local public health department. 

Extended School Year Opportunities Summer 2021 

Elementary: 

Invite:

• Current online students who have not been actively engaged during the school year. 

• Students who are in need of additional time to close gaps. 

• Students who have IEPs that need additional support.

• Instructional Day

• Use the I-ready curriculum for students based on EOY results.  

• Students would have 90 minutes of ELA and 90 minutes of Math 

• Math

• Supplement I-ready with skills-based small group instruction using either the Next Steps for Instruction in I-ready and the Teacher Toolbox lessons

• Reading

• Supplement I-ready with skills-based small group instruction using either the Next Steps for Instruction in I-ready and the Teacher Toolbox lessons

Middle School: 

Invite:

• Current online students who have not been actively engaged during the school year. 

• Students who are in need of additional time to close gaps.  Use EOY data from I-Ready to determine those students.

•  Teacher recommendations based on grades.  Students who have failed classes.  

• Students who have IEPs that need additional support.  

Structure:  

• Any student who meets the above criteria would:

• Be assigned summer credit recovery using Apex Learning’s platform.

• Take an initial assessment to tailor the recovery course to the needs of the student. 

• Be assigned a teacher as a facilitator for each core subject in which the course recovery is needed 

• The facilitator will:

• Develop a flexible schedule for office hours

• In-person

• Virtual/Video Conferencing

• Monitor completion of individual courses

• Interact individually with students

• Provide clarification and specific instruction as needed 

• Be required to meet with the facilitator a minimum of 5 hours per week

• The schedule can be flexible and arranged by the facilitator

• Meetings may be in-person or virtual/video conferencing

High School 

Invite:

• Students in need of credit recovery 

• Students who are in need of additional time to close gaps.  

• Students who have IEPs that need additional support.

Structure:

• Any student who was unable to recover lost credit during the 4th grading period would:

• Be assigned summer credit recovery using Apex Learning’s platform in order to prevent doubling up on classes next school year.

• Take an initial assessment to tailor the credit recovery course to the needs of the student. 

• Be assigned a teacher as a facilitator for each core subject in which the credit recovery is needed 

• The facilitator will:

• Develop a flexible schedule for office hours

• In-person

• Virtual/Video Conferencing

• Monitor completion of individual courses

• Interact individually with students

• Provide clarification and specific instruction as needed 

• Be required to meet with the facilitator a minimum of 5 hours per week

• The schedule can be flexible and arranged by the facilitator

• Meetings may be in-person or virtual/video conferencing

Digital Academy 2021-2022 Grades 6-12

https://sites.google.com/westf...

• Any student who would like to take advantage of the Westfall Digital Academy will:

• Be assigned appropriate courses using Apex Learning, Google Classroom Courses, or iCEV (Ag Classes Only)

• If taking a credit recovery course, students will take an initial assessment to tailor the credit recovery course to the needs of the student. 

• Be assigned a teacher as a facilitator for each core subject in which they are enrolled

• The facilitator will:

• Develop a flexible schedule for office hours

• In-person

• Virtual/Video Conferencing

• Monitor completion of individual courses

• Interact individually with students

• Provide clarification and specific instruction as needed 

• Be required to meet with the facilitator a minimum of 5 hours per week

• The schedule can be flexible and arranged by the facilitator

Academic Plan: Responding to Learning Gaps Using Assessment Data

The district will analyze and monitor the following data points to ensure that learning gaps are identified and that effective and appropriate instructional strategies are utilized. 

i-Ready testing Math and Reading grades K-8 

NWEA MAP testing: Science grades 5 and 8

KRA

Diebels

Ohio State Testing Item Analysis: Grades 3-8,  High School End of Course Exams

Value Added Projections

 Teacher Formative and Summative Assessment data

Cognitive Ability Testing: Grades 2 and 6

Terra Nova Testing: Grades 2 and 6

Second Step SEL data grades K-8

Attendance data

Counselor referral data 

MTSS referral data

Teachers will analyze and monitor classroom data, grade-level data during weekly TBT’s or department meetings.

The BLTs in each building will analyze and monitor building-level data to ensure that learning gaps are being addressed. 

The DLT will analyze and monitor district-level data to ensure that learning gaps are being addressed.  

In using the data from the 2020-21 school year the district has created action steps and areas of focus to address the learning gaps caused by the pandemic and by the need to operate on a hybrid schedule. 

ELA:

The following steps will be implemented over the next three years to address the learning gaps identified through our data analysis. The district will continue to offer PD so that Pk-12 teachers have the foundation for explicit instruction.  The district will implement a consistent framework PK-12 to ensure a structured approach to literacy instruction.  Teachers will work to connect Science and Social Studies reading and writing into the literacy framework to increase vocabulary instruction and to support informational text exposure and instruction.  An increase in emphasis on vocabulary instruction will mean the creation and implementation of vocabulary assessments to better monitor student progress.  Teachers will also work to develop a 3-12 Vocabulary Scope and Sequence.  The district will work to increase the number of titles and access to informational texts. The district will continue to support Tier Two and Three intervention to close skill gaps using evidence-based practices grounded in the Science of Reading.  TBT and PD days will be utilized to work on common assessments and formative instructional practices. Lastly, the district will utilize our MTSS Coordinator and our Literacy Coach to support the implementation of the Structured Literacy Framework.

Math:

The following steps will be implemented over the next three years to address the learning gaps identified through our data analysis.

Teachers will work to deconstruct math standards and align those standards vertically by updating curriculum maps  Part of the process will require teachers to match resources including the new curriculum to the updated maps.   Year One of the plan focuses on the Launch portion of the framework- this portion of the lesson presents and promotes problem-solving and meta-cognition.  Year Two of the plan focuses on the exposure portion of the framework- this portion of the lesson is where new teaching will take place.  Year Three of the plan focuses on the wrap-up of the framework- bring the lesson to a close- with an understanding it's more than just homework.  The district will continue to support Tier Two and Three intervention to close skill gaps using evidence-based practices. TBT and PD days will be used to develop common assessments and formative instructional practices.  Lastly, the district will utilize our MTSS Coordinator and our Math Coach to support the implementation of the instructional framework. 

SEL Supports for Students and Staff 

The district is committed to supporting both our students in staff in the area of mental health.  This focus will help our students to learn self-regulation strategies and support our staff in developing stress management and work/life balance.  Actions steps and areas of focus have been developed using data from the 2020-2021 school year. 

SEL:

 Providing mental health counselors to students in the district.  The district will provide Second Step or another SEL program consistently in grades K-12. The district will also utilize targeted programs focused on specific deficits (depression, anxiety, substance abuse-vaping, trauma)  The district will also implement a school-wide screener in each building to better identify students who are in need of Tier Two and Tier Three intervention. 

PD and training will be provided to staff on how to assist students to self-regulate.  The district will also provide resources and tools to assist with self-regulation. By creating a districtwide mental health team that meets regularly to review data and interventions the district will be better able to track and respond to data.  During year one, utilize a feedback tool to check in with students emotionally on a daily basis. Lastly, create a holistic form to track data with behavior and guidance outcomes from year to year to analyze trend data. 

Pilot for MS:

The middle school will be participating in the Ohio School Wellness Initiative Pilot. This pilot will help support both students and staff in the area of mental health.  

SEL for staff-  Second Step modules will be used during TBT and staff meetings to help support teachers’ mental health.  

Food Services

The district is committed to providing a continuity of food services for our students. 

The district will continue to work with a local non-profit Westfall C.A.R.E.S to help provide food to our families who are still being impacted economically by the pandemic.