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Beaverton Schools

School Learning Plan

2022 - 2023

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District Goal: WE empower all students to achieve post-high school success.

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WE Expect Excellence
  • WE teach students knowledge and skills for our evolving world.
  • WE seek, support, and recognize world-class employees.
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WE Innovate
  • WE engage students with a variety of relevant and challenging learning experiences.
  • WE create learning environments that promote student achievement.
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WE Embrace Equity
  • WE build honest, safe, and inclusive relationships with our diverse students and their families.
  • WE provide needed support so that every student succeeds.
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WE Collaborate
  • WE work and learn in teams to understand student needs and improve learning outcomes.
  • WE partner with our community to educate and serve students.

Our Story

After adapting to the demands of CDL and Hybrid learning during 2020-21, and the evolving changes of 2021-22 we are glad to welcome our students back for a more typical in-person year. Additionally, Stoller has undergone a rapid enrollment transformation over the past two years.

 

With the opening of Tumwater Middle School in the Fall of 2021, our student body (Table 1) and staff has decreased. With our decrease in enrollment, our facilities now comfortably accommodate our learning community. We are now able to group students in hallways by grade level, which is supporting a stronger sense of community among students and staff. We are also able to fit whole grade levels in the gym for whole-group assemblies, allowing us to feel a stronger sense of connectedness. 

 

Additionally, this year we have altered our schedule to allow for common periods for core and elective classes by grade level. This change allows for grade level core teachers to have common plan and collaboration periods. 

 

As a result, with the changes in the schedule and additional math/science staffing we have decreased our class sizes. This year our average class size is in the mid/low 30s for core classes and mid 30s for elective classes. We also no longer have any sections over 50.  

 

This year, Stoller has a total of 20 staff new to the building and/or profession. To support new staff as they navigate their first year at Stoller, we offer intentional onboarding during pre-service week as well as 1:1 check-ins and small group meetings throughout the year. 

 

Table 1: Student Enrollment by Grade Level

Grade 

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

6th

458

283

340

7th

506

283

297

8th

442

468

288

Total

1,406

1,034

925

Student Needs

After three years of crisis schooling, and the continuing long-term trauma of COVID-19, we have placed an emphasis this year on the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our students. All students have an Advisory class which is implementing the district’s new Character Strong curriculum. This curriculum focuses on building relationships with peers and connections with teachers. Students also are receiving advisory lessons targeting drug and alcohol prevention, digital citizenship, mental health and suicide prevention.

 

Every middle school has a Behavioral Health and Wellness Team (BH&W) composed of administrators, counselors, social workers, School Psychologist, Nurse, and support staff. The BH&W team works collaboratively as a multidisciplinary team to support the social, emotional, and behavioral welfare of all students, increase opportunities for student engagement, reduce barriers to learning, promote well-being and community building, and connect individuals to supports. 

 

To support students' socializing with their peers, development of their communication skills, as well as navigating disagreements & conflict, we have implemented an “off and away” policy for technology. This includes passing periods and lunch, where we are providing students with games and other activities to make connections with peers.

Equity Problem of Practice:

Upon review of 2021-22 discipline data, Black/African American students were disproportionately represented.

This continues a pattern at Stoller despite changes in the discipline referral process. 

Equity Goal:

At Stoller, our discipline data as measured by number of discipline referrals, will no longer be disproportionately Black/African American students.

Key Strategies:

  • Kid Chats: To address academic and/or behavioral concerns, and to provide early interventions.

  • Student Affinity Groups: Stoller will offer student affinity groups including BSU (Black Student Union), Mecha, and GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance). Students in affinity groups will have opportunities to provide feedback on their student experience.

  • ABAR Committee: ABAR committee meets monthly to continue the work initiated in 2020. The committee identifies needs of the school community and creates professional development, activity ideas, and school-wide initiatives (advisory lessons, SEL Connection in Content lessons, etc). 

  • Advisory: Implementation of the Character Strong curriculum covering a variety of SEL sessions including themes on values, perspectives, empathy, emotions and teamwork. 

  • Student Support Specialist: SSS focuses on restorative practices both directly with students as well as coaching teachers how to incorporate restorative practices into their classroom routines.

  • Restorative Practices: To strengthen student-student and student-teacher relationships, staff utilize mediation protocols.

  • Interrupting Language: To help create a safe and inclusive school community, all staff will use interrupting language and work with students 1:1 when hurtful or hateful comments are made. 

  • BH&W Team: Created a wrap-around team, made up of admin, counselors, BH&W staff, school psych, and nurse. The team focuses on identifying social/emotional, family, housing, attendance, academic, etc. needs of students. 

  • Off & Away Cell Phone Policy: To increase face-to-face connection & relationship building, students’ phones are off while on campus, including passing periods and lunch.

  • No Hate November: For the month of November we will be implementing lessons and creating assignments (e.g. Art, Language Arts) to look at what it means to build an inclusive school community for all. This includes providing Professional Development to staff and reaching out to our parent community to help address inclusive language and actions by having conversations with their students.

Academic Excellence Problem of Practice:

When looking at indicators of academic progress (course grades, attendance, and state assessments) an academic problem of practice is the academic progress of our Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, English Learners, and Students with Disabilities.

Academic Excellence Goal:

At Stoller, our goal is to show growth in the academic progress of our Black/African American students, Hispanic/Latino students, English learners, and students with disabilities as measured by:

  • Course Grades - no more than one failing grade (I/N) in a course

  • Attendance - 90% or better regular attenders

  • State Assessments - showing Level 4 growth across all demographics

Key Strategies:

  • Collaboration Periods: Schedule adjustments were made to allow for common collaboration periods among grade level teachers.

  • Math Workshop: 8th grade STEAM elective course designed around the co-development of math practices to support students mathematical skills and confidence.

  • Academic Coach and Student Support Specialist: AC/SSS coaches and co-plans with teachers. They help create/co-create content lesson plans as well as advisory lesson plans. They also help with creating and documenting interventions. 

  • Attendance Monitoring & Interventions: Weekly attendance monitoring and targeted interventions to improve regular attendance. Implement a school-wide attendance program to address absenteeism in specific sub-groups. 

  • AVID Schoolwide: Integration of AVID strategies into courses to develop college and career readiness in all students. 

  • Academic Counseling: Counselors will provide regular academic counseling providing tools and supports to address barriers, supports needed, and provide skill building.

  • Kid Chats: Counselor led teacher collaboration on supports/interventions and outcomes for individual students.

  • BH&W:  Wrap-around team, made up of admin, counselors,  substance abuse specialist, school psych, and nurse. The team focuses on identifying social/emotional, family, housing, attendance, academic, etc. needs of students. 

  • SST Process: BH&W team addresses continued academic/behavior student concerns and makes appropriate referrals as needed.

  • Fall and Spring Family Conferences: Teachers will meet with priority students (English Learners, students in Special Education, students identified by teacher, counselor, BH&W team or admin) and their parent/guardian to ensure that student is making adequate growth. 

  • Staff Development: February 21st, review of Semester 1 grade and attendance data.

  • Student Affinity Groups: Students who are engaged in school activities show improved attendance and engagement. Stoller will be offering a BSU (Black Student Union), Mecha, and Gender Sexuality Alliance to address the needs of these student groups.

Collaboration Problem of Practice:


Collaboration is key in addressing disproportionality in achievement gaps and discipline data. Due to the school schedule of 2021-22, teaming was not possible for our teachers. This created a challenge with our Kidchat/BH&W/SST process as there were few opportunities to meet and collaborate.

Collaboration Goal:

2022-23 school-wide focus on professional collaboration and communication (5D+). This will be the main area of focus for observations and feedback with certified staff.

The 2022-23 school-wide focus on professional collaboration and communication (5D+) will be evidenced by:

  • PD agendas

  • Pivot observations

  • Learning walk schedules

Key Strategies:

  • Collaboration Periods: Schedule adjustments were made to allow for common collaboration periods among grade level teachers.

  • Learning Walks: Facilitated by admin and AC/SSS, guided classroom visits for observation, feedback and learning from one another around school-wide goals.

  • Kid Chats: Counselor led teacher collaboration on supports/interventions and outcomes for individual students. 

  • Department Reps/Meetings: Each department has a representative who meets as a building leadership team. Department reps also lead monthly meetings with their content committees.

  • BH&W Team: Created a wrap-around team, made up of admin, counselors, BH&W staff, school psych, and nurse. The team focuses on identifying social/emotional, family, housing, attendance, academic, etc. needs of students. 

  • Staff Meetings and PD opportunities: Facilitate PD around best practices for collaboration and data analysis. 

  • Parent/Family Engagement: 

    • Back to School Night

    • Conferences

    • Latino Family Night

    • AVID Family Nights 

    • Parent Ed Nights

    • Stoller Lights

    • Stoller Arts Night

Date of Last Revision: November 22, 2022