Kinard Middle School (2023)

  1. PLC Story
  2. PLC Practices
  3. Achievement Data
  4. Awards
  5. Resources

Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School began its journey as a Professional Learning Community during the first year of operation in 2004-05. Our staff studied Getting Started: Building a PLC, and we began to develop our definition for consensus, our mission, vision, values, and goals. During our second year, we studied Whatever It Takes, which helped us redefine our shared values and agreements regarding student learning and collaboration. In 2005-06, our staff began using the Learning by Doing handbook and continues each year to use the continuums, assessments, and resources to develop common language and SMART goals. Each year, our collaborative teams create goals and action plans which move us closer to systems of sustainability.

“Cultural shifts” are at the forefront of our professional conversations and work. We started our school embracing the concepts and ideas of a Professional Learning Community; however, we are constantly improving the capacity to sustain the necessary focus on learning, results, and collaboration. Our primary goal is sustainability in all areas of the Professional Learning Community. We have developed a collaborative culture deeply rooted in the beliefs and practices of a PLC.

We attribute the excellent achievement of student results to our work as a Professional Learning Community. Our success is a journey, not a destination, as we seek to continuously improve and learn by doing.

To view a video about our school, copy and paste this link into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpFVtUwV61g

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Our collaborative teams identify learning outcomes for each content area. Our common course teams develop units, lessons, and common assessments. Our teams analyze results from their common assessments using protocols. Based on the results, we identify the most effective instructional strategies and re-teach when necessary to ensure learning for all students. For students who have mastered the content, we provide more challenging and self-directed learning opportunities. We have a standards-based reporting system separating the work habits (effort, homework, behavior) from the learning of content.

Students who continue to struggle, despite classroom interventions that have been put into place, are referred to our grade-level MTSS teams.  From there, the team meets weekly to gather data on refferred students and to develop and implement action plans.  See attached documents for MTSS process flow chart and pyramid.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

Kinard has developed a variety of interventions to provide additional time and support for student learning. The major interventions are designed as:

  • Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO): We have scheduled forty minutes at the end of each day for students to receive additional support in any content area. In general, the ELOs are structured on a continuum ranging from an “open” study hall to required guided study to targeted instruction for small groups and one-on-one tutoring.
  • Mustang Mastery: For students who can do the work but who struggle with work completion, organization, and productivity at school or at home, we require a more intensive ELO experience to support students with completing work...the consequence for not doing the work is doing the work!
  • Literacy and Math Support: For students who have been identified as needing “intensive” literacy and/or math support, we provide additional time and support during daily or supplemental support classes.These students enter middle school significantly below grade level in reading, writing, and math.

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

Our #1 priority in organizing our master schedule is to create daily common planning periods for all teachers who teach the same grade level courses in math, English, history, science, world language, and art. All departments meet weekly during contractual hours. The focus of our collaborative teams begins with building agreement and alignment of the state standards with the Core Knowledge Sequence. Each departmental team collaboratively develops a year-long curriculum map, common assessments, unit plans, lesson plans and the criteria for measuring student proficiency levels.

Teams have created norms, roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes. Meeting agendas are driven by each team’s SMART goals, which are aligned with one or more school goals. Teams analyze lessons and student results which inform universal and targeted instructional strategies. Administration meets quarterly with each of the teams using the Learning by Doing handbook as resource to review and assess “the critical issues for teams” and to review evidence of the team's work together, including common assessments and examples of how results of common assessments are being analyzed by the team.  See attached team monitoring document.

Achievement Data Files

Additional Achievement Data

CMAS Achievement Percentile Rankings

 

Year

English/Lang Arts State Achievement Percentile Rank

Math State Achievement Percentile Rank

Science State Achievement Percentile Rank

2013 (TCAP)

96

97

N/A *

2014 (TCAP)

96

94

N/A *

2015 (CMAS)

98

94

N/A *

2016 (CMAS)

98

97

95

2017 (CMAS)

97

96

91

2018 (CMAS)

98

97

93

2019 (CMAS)

98

98

89

2020

No data available *

2021

No aggregated data available *

2022 (CMAS)

97

97

N/A *

 

 

 

 

Median Growth Percentile Scores

 

Year

English/Lang Arts Median Growth Percentile

Math Median Growth Percentile

 

2013

47

59

 

2014

48

47

 

2016

65

65

 

2017

54

56

 

2018

65

57

 

2019

49

63

 

2020

NA

NA

 

2021

NA

NA

 

2022

66 *

35 *

 

 

The State of Colorado administered assessments as follows:

  • 2020   No state assessments
  • 2021   5th and 7th graders completed English/Language Arts assessments and 6th and 8th graders completed math assessments; no growth scores available
  • 2022    6th through 8th graders completed English/Language Arts and math assessments; 8th graders completed science assessments but performance levels were not reported because of a change in science standards; growth scores for English/Language Arts represent 6th and 8th grades; growth scores for math represent only 7th grade
  • 2014-2015  Transitioned from TCAP to CMAS resulting in no growth data for 2015

Other Information:
The State of Colorado uses a growth model to determine a school's median growth percentile in comparison to other Colorado schools.  For comparison purposes, the state median growth percentile is 50.

During the last ten years, Kinard has ranked no lower than the 89th percentile in the State of Colorado in the areas of Math, English, and Science. Kinard “exceeds” state expectations in all achievement areas and is Poudre School District’s highest performing middle school among nine middle schools for both achievement and growth. Kinard's 2016 growth scores helped the school earn the Colorado Distinguished Improvement Award for the first time in its history.

Kinard's most recent 3-year school performance framework (2019) revealed that students belonging to subgroups (Students with Disabilities, Free/Reduced Lunch Price Eligible, English Learners, and Minority Students) also outperformed all middle schools in PSD in achievement and growth. Kinard's most recent 1-year school performance framework (2022) revealed that English Learners and Minority Students outperformed their peers in the district and the state in achievement. Our students belonging to the Free/Reduced-Price Lunch Eligible and Students with Disabilities subgroups performed at a level lower than our historical pattern, and we are implementing strategies to help these subgroups regain ground lost during the pandemic. See attached file for more detail. 

We continuously seek ways to involve our parents in the educational process. Each teacher has a personally developed web page which communicates curriculum, lessons, and assessment information. Our parents actively volunteer service to our school community through fundraising events, classroom activities, and school accountability teams. Kinard is dedicated to providing students with a full and well-rounded curriculum. All students are required to take at least three semesters of art, music, physical education, technology, and 90% of our students complete at least one high school credited World Language course. 75% of our students successfully complete Algebra or Geometry by the end of their 8th grade year. Over 80% of our students participate in an extra-curricular activity. Historical student attendance rates are above 94%, and less than 1% of our 750 students receive a major disciplinary infraction. Kinard places the highest percentage of students in the district honors music program and regularly receives state recognition.

 

 

Academics

  • Blue Ribbon School Award 2015
  • Green Ribbon School Award 2013
  • John Irwin School of Excellence: Governor’s Award: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Colorado Distinguished Improvement Award 2016
  • “Official” Core Knowledge School designation: 2008, 2012
  • Winner of Energy Star Award (Most Energy Efficient School in State of Colorado)
  • Colorado Music Educators Association Selections
  • Superior Rating in the state Band Music Nordic Invitational
  • LEED School Energy Efficiency
  • Poudre School District Platinum Wellness School 2019
  • Colorado Environmental Leadership Award: 2011
  • Red Apple Recycling Grant: 2011
  • Bronze Achievement Award: 2012
  • Winner of Energy Star Award (Most Energy Efficient School in State of Colorado)
  • CHAMP (Character in Athletics Make it a Priority) Award: Annually
  • Math Counts District Champions:  2012, 2015, 2016
  • Lego Robotics State Champion: 2011
  • Science Olympiad Regional Competition Awards: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • District Chess Champions: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • Colorado Teacher of the Year Finalist 2023

District Athletic Championships

  • Tennis: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
  • Boys Cross Country: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2021
  • Girls Cross Country: 2010, 2021, 2022
  • 8th Football: 2005, 2012
  • 7th Football: 2019
  • 7th Boys Basketball: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015
  • 8th Boys Basketball: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2016
  • 7th Girls Basketball: 2006, 2009, 2015
  • 8th Girls Basketball: 2010, 2017, 2019
  • 7th Girls Volleyball: 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021
  • 8th Girls Volleyball: 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019
  • Girls Volleyball (7th & 8th) 2022
  • Golf: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021
  • Girls Golf: 2023
  • Boys Track: 2006, 2012
  • Girls Track: 2011, 2012, 2021, 2023

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