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District: North Adams Public Schools
School: Drury High School
Sustainable Improvement Plan
2023-2024
Sustainable Improvement Team:
Timothy Callahan, Asst. Superintendent
Stephanie Kopala, Principal
Krista Gmeiner, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
William Bryce, Dean of Students
Kellie Lahey, MTSS Coordinator/ Family Outreach and Court Liaison
Allison Bergeron, Humanities Team Leader
Angela Quinto, STEM Team Leader
Donald Collingsworth, 7/8 Academy Team Leader
Amanda Hartlage, Arts and Movement Team Leader
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Priorities
1. Positive School and Classroom Culture (IOSQ#2)
Secondary schools that effectively serve all students ensure that students are well known, respected, and
part of a community that radiates affirmation and a sense of what’s possible for young people.
a. Positive Relationships
b. Routines and Rituals
c. Shared Values and Norms
d. Assets-based Identity Formation
District Priority 3: Our district will support student and staff mental health by equipping all members of the
school community with the skills and competencies needed to develop resilience and effectively manage their
behavior, emotions, and relationships with others.
District Strategic Initiative 3.2: School and district leaders regularly monitor school culture and climate using
data tools (Panorama surveys, learning walks, focus groups) and use collaborative time and faculty meeting time to
make adjustments to practice to ensure positive, supportive learning experiences for all students and staff.
District Priority 2: Our district will ensure a safe environment in which to explore the issues of inequity and its
social, emotional, academic and economic impacts.
District Strategic Initiative 2.1: District and school based equity teams implement professional development,
evaluate curricula, and recommend structural changes to address inequities based on data collected from equity
reviews, surveys, and focus groups to ensure equitable access and equitable outcomes for all learners.
Drury Strategic Objective(s):
School leaders and staff actively seek to build nurturing and trusting relationships with all students to foster a sense
of belonging. Adults are accessible, supportive, and trustworthy. Student -adult and student-student relationships
are characterized by mutual respect and serve as a key source of support for students in their creation and pursuit of
academic and personal goals.
Institutional structures and rituals are leveraged to enable students and staff to develop a shared sense of
identity and belonging as members of the school community. Structures and rituals are grounded in cultivating
trust, building connections, and celebrating accomplishments and the community.
The school intentionally takes an assets-based approach in creating an environment that is inclusive and
affirming of students’ identities and provides authentic opportunities for students to develop strong personal
identities. All students feel welcome and known, and staff are able to cultivate relevant and responsive pedagogical
approaches.
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Monitoring Progress
Priority 1. Positive School and Classroom Culture (IOSQ#2)
Action Steps
Responsible
Party
Target Date
Completed Date
1. Review survey data from the Student
Experience Survey, District DEIJ
Survey, the Prevention Needs
Assessment, and the Barr Survey for a
holistic look at culture and climate
over the past year.
Instructional
Leadership (ILT)
Spring 2023
Summer 2023
2. Propose schedule change to include
CREW, a primary person model,
designed as a teamwork approach to
school culture and belonging.
Principal and
School Based
Portrait of a
Graduate Team
Spring 2023
May 2023
3. Redesign current schedule to include
the 4x4 block, Crew and Flex periods.
ILT
Spring 2023
May 2023
4. Research the Crew model and design
an appropriate scope and sequence for
the year, centered around identity
affirmation, college and career
exploration, and collaboration skill
building.
ILT - School
Based Portrait of
a Graduate Team
Spring 2023
August 2023
5. Develop and pilot assessing college
and career readiness competencies in
alignment with the Berkshire Portrait
of a Graduate work, as well as using
proficiency scales to assess the priority
standards in Crew.
Portrait of a
Graduate School
Based Team
October 2022
Ongoing
6. Plan PD around the purpose of Crew
and its implementation for the
2023-2024 academic year.
ILT
Summer 2023
August 29 -31, 2023
7. Design and distribute quarterly Crew
surveys to collect data on school
climate and culture and Portrait of a
Graduate Competencies.
School Based
Portrait of a
Graduate Team
November 2023
Ongoing
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8. Monitor implementation of the stages
leading up to the Portrait of a Graduate
portfolio to be completed at the end of
the academic year in Crew.
School Based
Portrait of a
Graduate Team
September 2023
Ongoing
9. Coordinate and review other school
climate and culture surveys throughout
the course of the year, using Panorama
as well as others.
ILT
Fall 2023
Ongoing
10. Host student focus groups, Principal’s
Advisory, etc. to increase student voice
in decision making.
School
Leadership
September 2023
Ongoing
Priority 1: Benchmarks
1. By January 23, 2024, students will reflect
on their semester one experiences, share
and celebrate positive experiences, and
set individual goals around areas for
continued personal growth grounded in the
Portrait of a Graduate competencies.
January 2024
2. By May 2024, students will highlight their
positive experiences and growth by
creating an end-of-year piece that
showcases their achievements connected
to the Portrait of a Graduate competencies
for the school year.
May 2024
3. By May 2024, 100% of students at Drury
High School demonstrate their individual
growth as learners by reflecting on and
synthesizing their positive experiences
(academic, social - emotional,
extra-curricular, behavioral, etc.)
throughout the course of the year.
May 2024
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2. Rigorous and Purposeful Learning Experiences (IOSQ#3)
Secondary schools that effectively serve all students leverage their understanding that students thrive when their
learning experiences are rigorous, purposeful, and clearly connected to the development of college and career
readiness competencies.
District Priority 1: Our district will prioritize deep engagement in learning through grade appropriate standards,
effective instructional practices, and high expectations for all students.
District Strategic Initiative 1.1 - 1.4:
Mathematics teachers prepare and implement inquiry-based, real-world, engaging learning experiences (AVMR,
PBL) grounded in high quality, grade-level instructional materials, so students can verbalize their learning and
demonstrate proficiency in grade level standards with multiple opportunities to achieve mastery.
Teachers use effective literacy practices (SRSD, Collins, Keys to Literacy) to regularly engage students in writing
tasks aligned to grade level standards, so students can demonstrate proficiency in writing to explain, writing to
persuade, and narrative writing.
School and district leadership implement an effective monitoring and feedback system to ensure instructional
alignment to grade-level standards, so students will have equitable access to engaging, grade-appropriate learning in
all classes.
School and district leadership expand Early College programming in four pathways (Computer Science, Education,
Health Science, and Liberal Arts) at the secondary level by increasing college course offerings for all Drury High
School students and providing enhanced supports to ensure successful college course completion.
Drury Strategic Objective:
School leaders and staff will design and implement learning experiences that are grounded in Portrait of a Graduate
standards, ask students to explore essential questions, solve problems, and make meaning of the world around them
as they build mastery of the skills and content needed to be prepared for college, career, and life.
Learning experiences clearly define what is required of students and have a strategic and logical sequence
that makes clear how the learning experiences build upon one another, how they tie back to a driving question, and
how they are intended to support students in mastering skills and knowledge.
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Monitoring Progress
Priority 2. Rigorous and Purposeful Learning Experiences (IOSQ#3)
Action Steps
Responsible Party
Target Date
1. Attend Barr’s Rigor and Purpose
Professional Development to gain a
better understanding of the IOSQ3.
Portrait of a
Graduate members -
Luczynski and
Gmeiner
Spring 2023
2. Introduce 23 new Project Based
Learning Courses to the Program of
Studies for implementation in the
2023-2024 academic year.
ILT, Drury Staff
Spring 2023
3. Design and implement a Drury Version
of Barr’s Rigor and Purpose PD
aligned to the Instructional Guide and
Portrait of a Graduate Competencies.
Luczynski and
Gmeiner
July 2023
4. Offer additional PD centered around
Project Based Learning through PBL
Works
District and outside
provider PBL Works
Summer 2023
5. Design and implement PD around the
IOSQ3 for all staff throughout the
academic year.
ILT
August 2023
6. Update the Instructional Guide to align
to the IOSQ3 and Drury expectations.
Director of
Curriculum
Summer 2023
7. Monitor the use of Listening to
Learners Feedback Tools
Director of
Curriculum and ILT
Fall 2023
Ongoing
8. Through coaching implement
school-wide expectations for the year
long ARC (Consistent Canvas learning
target and agendas, meaningful and
timely feedback), data analysis to
inform instruction, and established
workflow for collaborative time.
ILT
Beginning
September 2023
Ongoing
9. Teachers use coaching feedback and
data results from the data cycle to
adjust instruction to monitor student
mastery levels and use Paper to
provide individualized support during
classroom lessons.
Teachers
Beginning
September 2023
Ongoing
10. Teachers share data with students for
students to set goals for improvement
Teachers and
students
Beginning October,
2023
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towards mastery of the standards.
Ongoing
11. Introduce all staff to weekly data
meetings to improve instructional
practices.
ILT
Beginning October
2023
12. Implement Canvas PD modules for
new teacher induction and target PD
modules/ School Works training for
teachers based on teacher need.
ILT
September 2023
Ongoing
Priority 2: Benchmarks
1. By January 23, 2024, teachers will use the
IOSQ3 Vetting Tool to reflect on a unit of
instruction, use the tool to improve a future
unit, and share progress with their
collaborative team.
January 2023
2. By May 2024, teachers will use the IOSQ3
Vetting Tool to reflect on a second unit of
instruction, use the tool to improve a future
unit, and share progress with their
collaborative team.
May 2023
3. By May 2024, 100% of students at Drury
will have engaged in learning experiences
that are rigorous, purposeful, and clearly
connected to the development of college
and career skills.
May 2023
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3. Student Supports (IOSQ#5)
Secondary schools that effectively serve all students ensure that students have a comprehensive set of supports,
resources, and opportunities to advance along a pathway to graduation.
District Priority 3: Our district will support student and staff mental health by equipping all members of the school
community with the skills and competencies needed to develop resilience and effectively manage their behavior,
emotions, and relationships with others.
District Strategic Objective 3.3: School and district leaders implement effective MTSS practices to provide Tier 1,
Tier 2, and Tier 3 responses to mental health and social emotional needs so that students can receive appropriate
interventions and all learners can make progress engaging in grade appropriate academic lessons.
District Priority 2: Our district will ensure a safe environment in which to explore the issues of inequity and its
social, emotional, academic and economic impacts.
District Strategic Objective 2.2: District and school leaders partner with local and regional agencies to collaborate
to address issues of inequity so that anti-racist practices can be implemented and systemic barriers can be removed
to ensure equitable access and equitable outcomes for all learners.
Drury Strategic Objective: School leadership and staff will guide students to access appropriate tiered supports
-remediation, intervention, or enrichment - during Flex, utilize the drop in centers based on student need, and
identify students needing additional academic, behavioral or social emotional support and resources.
Progress Monitoring
Priority 3. Student Supports (IOSQ#5)
Action Steps
Responsible Party
Target Date
Completed Date
1. Purchase curriculum and materials for
the substantially separate classroom for
students with targeted special needs on
Drury’s campus and off campus
programs.
Director of Student
Support Services
and Assistant
Superintendent
Summer 2023
2. Create a position for and hire an MTSS
Coordinator that oversees attendance,
drop out, and other high risk data as
well as facilitates SST and MTSS.
Principal
Summer 2023
Summer 2023
3. Create a separate SST and MTSS
structure to first identify students with
needs to then determine the appropriate
interventions.
Principal
Summer 2023
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4. Provide ongoing professional
development to classroom teachers on
tiered instruction and support.
ILT
Ongoing starting
August 30, 2023
5. Provide classroom teachers with
content specific professional
development (i-Ready, Paper,
MasteryPaths) around pedagogy and
interim assessments, the assessment
schedule and collect teacher feedback
on assessments and schedules.
ILT
Ongoing starting
August 29, 2023
6. Implement a Flex period to provide
intervention, remediation, and
enrichment for all students with
academic, behavioral, or social
emotional needs.
Teachers
Ongoing beginning
September 5, 2023
7. Teachers implement identified
benchmark assessments in Mastery
Connect and or i-Ready based on the
assessment schedule.
Teachers
Ongoing starting
September 5, 2023
8. Coach core content teacher teams
through bi-weekly data analysis
meetings and record observations on
data usage to drive instruction.
ILT
Ongoing starting
October 2023
9. Monitor the effectiveness of teacher
interventions to improve student
outcomes through assessment data,
Paper analytics, targeted feedback
through instructional coaching and data
meetings, Flex data, and MTSS data.
ILT, MTSS
Ongoing starting
September 2023
10. Expand internship and work based skill
offerings as well as Early College.
Workforce
Development
Coordinator and EC
Coordinator
September 2023
ongoing
11. Develop and implement
outside-of-school and summer
opportunities for accelerated learning.
ILT, EC
Coordinator,
Workforce
Development
Coordinator
Summer 2024
Priority 3: Benchmarks
1. Beginning in November 2023, students will
participate in quarterly surveys to measure
the efficacy of tiered supports.
November 2023
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2. By May 2024, 100% of students at Drury
will access a set of supports, resources,
and opportunities to become successful
along their personal pathway towards
graduation.
May 2024
Analysis of Strengths and Challenges:
Drury High School underwent significant change during the 2022-2023 academic year, under the leadership of a
newly named interim principal Stephanie Kopala, a new Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a new Early
College Coordinator to oversee the pilot year of Drury’s Early College program. In addition, 40% of the staff
was on a developing educator plan and was in their first three years of teaching for the North Adams Public
School District.
During the Fall 2022, Springpoint visit Drury High School exhibited a combination of strengths and challenges
based on the Observer Ratings and Evidence Report for the Indicators of School Quality Rubric.
In summary, Drury High School showed potential for growth in creating a coherent mission, establishing a
positive school culture, providing rigorous and relevant learning experiences, and enhancing student support
systems. However, there are clear challenges in achieving these goals, particularly in terms of providing
purposeful learning experiences and fully engaging with students' academic progress. Addressing these
challenges and building on the strengths identified are crucial for the school's continued improvement.
The challenge identified in the "Rigorous and Purposeful Learning Experiences" indicator is that the school's
current practice is in the emerging stage. While the school offers Advanced Placement, Early College, and dual
enrollment courses, the observation reveals that most classes visited by the observer team do not consistently
engage students in what is referred to as the "cognitive lift." This refers to activities that involve productive
struggle, such as using texts that are at or above students' proximal zone of development, providing appropriate
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support for multilingual learners and students with disabilities to access challenging content, and offering
multiple pathways for students to demonstrate mastery.
In addition to the challenge related to the "Rigorous and Purposeful Learning Experiences" indicator, there is a
significant issue regarding the lack of relevance and purpose in the learning experiences at Drury High School.
The evidence highlights that no or almost no learning experiences are designed to focus on topics that are
engaging, meaningful, and connected to the real world. These relevant topics should ideally be tied to student
interests, passions, identities, current global, national, or local events, or themes that impact the communities to
which students belong. School leaders acknowledged the inconsistency in the tasks and attributed the lack of
purpose in student assignments to deficiencies in teacher planning. This challenge highlights the importance of
revamping curriculum design to ensure that learning experiences are not only rigorous but also relevant,
engaging, and tied to students' interests, identities, and the broader world they inhabit.
As a result of Springpoint’s findings, Principal Kopala suggested we introduce new course offerings in our
Program of Studies centered around Project Based Learning. There were 23 Project Based Learning Course
proposals that were vetted by the Instructional Leadership Team, outlined, and included in the Program of
Studies for scheduling in the spring for the 2023-2024 academic year. During individual student scheduling
conferences, the majority of students selected these project based courses over the traditional offerings. In
addition to project based learning courses, 156 unique students in grades 9-12 signed up for Early College
course offerings on the Drury campus or at our partner college MCLA’s campus. This means that 50% of our
students in grades 9-12 are enrolled to take accelerated coursework. Lastly 28% of students in grades 10-12 are
taking advantage of expanded internship opportunities under the guidance of the newly hired Workforce
Development and Internship Coordinator.
In addition to offering more rigorous and purposeful learning experience opportunities, professional
development is being frontloaded at the start of the year around the IOSQ3 and high quality instruction aligned
to our updated Instructional guide. The emphasis on high quality planning is designed to address the challenges
around academic achievement, low standardized test performance, and chronic absenteeism (38% of our student
population is chronically absent). Based on the most recent MCAS scores, we dropped to the 4th percentile
despite making moderate (almost high progress) on all of our other targets. This challenge is ongoing and the
Instructional Leadership Team is prioritizing remediation and interventions based on data from standardized
tests, benchmarking, and student work analysis. Academic interventions at a tier 2 and 3 level will be discussed
at MTSS and appropriately implemented based on student need.
Springpoint’s observation also noted that there were obvious gaps in the systems and structures of progress
monitoring around student supports. As a result, Drury hired an MTSS Coordinator and split the role of SST
and MTSS to provide a more streamlined approach to identifying students in need of supports (SST) and
determining the appropriate interventions (MTTS) around academic, behavior, and social emotional needs.
Students have been given an additional 40 minute Flex period, scheduled through Enriching Students, to receive
more targeted instruction. 100% of students are expected to self schedule for flex offerings.
Positive school climate and culture remain a priority for this year. In this past school year, the district equity
team conducted a student survey for grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 and a series of focus groups regarding school
culture and climate. Survey results indicated the following information:
● 78% of students agree/strongly agree that all teachers treat students equally regardless of race.
● 80% of students agree/strongly agree that their school is welcoming and inclusive of all students,
regardless of race.
● 73% of students agree/strongly agree that school leaders treat students equally, regardless of race.
Regarding representation at school, roughly half of students agreed that the things they learn in school reflect
the history and experiences of people of color with mixed reporting regarding whose perspectives are included
in the curriculum.
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Regarding positive support in school, while students are encouraged to take advanced classes or engage in
after-school activities, students indicate the need for increased accommodations and interventions for mental
health and additional positive supports to supplement or replace progressive discipline practices. Students
indicate that adult biases may play a role in responses to student behaviors. The survey further indicated that
85% of students feel safe talking to and interacting with students of different backgrounds and are interested in
seeing more authentic and generative conversations at school with adults about racism. The work of the district-
and school-based equity teams will continue in 2023-2024 with an increased focus on designing and
implementing professional development on equity topics. In addition, several of the proposed project based
learning courses are focused on people of color and their experiences, such as Diving into Diversity (ELA
elective), Bordering Crossings (a .5 History and .5 ELA credit offering), and Native American History (History
elective).
Improving culture and climate is a top priority at Drury shifted the schedule for the 2023-2024 school year to
include Crew, a primary person model that emphasizes student - teacher relationships as well as peer -peer
relationships. Crew is a 7-12 30 minute block, with a scope and sequence designed around identity, college and
career exploration and readiness, collaboration, and portrait of a graduate competencies.
Strategic Initiatives and Priorities:
The three school priorities in this year’s Improvement Plan are redefined priorities from the 2022-2023 plan,
with adjusted strategic initiatives based on feedback from a variety of stakeholders. The development of key
components of the plan were informed by feedback from our Springpoint visit in the Fall of 2022 and their
subsequent coaching with Principal Kopala, Portrait of a Graduate Berkshire County data, district and school
walk through data, as well as formal and informal survey data from staff and students.
The three identified priorities are directly aligned to Springpoint’s prioritized indicators for school quality
(IOSQ2, IOSQ3, and IOSQ5) which focus on positive school culture and climate, rigorous and purposeful
instruction, and access to student supports. In addition to the alignment with Springpoint, it also directly aligns
with the North Adams Public Schools District Improvement Plan. The intention of this year’s plan is to clarify
our focus on our ongoing work, ensure that all stakeholders have a shared understanding and vision, and
emphasize the most central initiatives that will directly lead to improved outcomes for all students.
See one page SIP on next page:
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Above All Else Goal: Drury High School is a learning organization in which everyone is committed to their
learning, everyone is expected to learn, and everyone learns.
Theory of Action: By focusing on positive school culture, rigorous and purposeful learning experiences, and
student centered support services, all members of Drury will progress in their academic and social-emotional
learning.
Positive School and
Classroom Culture
Rigorous and Purposeful
Learning Experiences
Student Supports
By May 2024, 100% of students
at Drury High School demonstrate
their individual growth as learners
by reflecting on and synthesizing
their positive experiences
(academic, social - emotional,
extra-curricular, behavioral, etc.)
throughout the course of the year.
By May 2024, 100% of students
at Drury will have engaged in
learning experiences that are
rigorous, purposeful, and clearly
connected to the development of
college and career skills.
By May 2024, 100% of
students at Drury will access
a set of supports, resources,
and opportunities to become
successful along their
personal pathway towards
graduation.
By January 23, 2024, students
will reflect on their semester one
experiences, share and celebrate
positive experiences, and set
individual goals around areas for
continued personal growth
grounded in the Portrait of a
Graduate competencies.
By May 2024, students will
highlight their positive
experiences and growth by
creating an end-of-year piece that
showcases their achievements
connected to the Portrait of a
Graduate competencies for the
school year.
By January 23, 2024, teachers will
use the IOSQ3 Vetting Tool to
reflect on a unit of instruction, use
the tool to improve a future unit,
and share progress with their
collaborative team.
By May 2024, teachers will use
the IOSQ3 Vetting Tool to reflect
on a second unit of instruction,
use the tool to improve a future
unit, and share progress with their
collaborative team.
Beginning in November 2023,
students will participate in
quarterly surveys to measure
the efficacy of tiered supports.
Habits/Community
Daily Planning/Instruction
Equitable Access
Habits/Community:
● I can follow the weekly Crew
curriculum in Canvas
By (This looks like):
● facilitating the synthesis of
Crew journal reflections;
● encouraging students to set
goals for personal growth
during semester two;
● assisting students in creating
an end-of-year piece that
showcases their
achievements connected to
the Portrait of a Graduate
competencies for the school
year.
Lesson Structure / Daily Planning:
● I can create rigorous and
purposeful units of instruction
using the updated
instructional guide
By (This looks like):
● posting daily lessons, learning
targets, and graded activities/
assignments on Canvas;
● implementing lessons that
engage students in cognitive
lift through productive
struggle;
● providing students with
meaningful and timely
feedback on their standards
mastery (proficiency scales).
Equity:
● I can guide students to
access appropriate tiered
supports
By (This looks like):
● offering remediation,
intervention, or
enrichment during Flex;
● helping students sign up
for remediation;
intervention, or
enrichment during Crew
for Flex;
● utilizing the drop-in
learning center based on
student need.
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Role Clarity and Plan Implementation
Drury High School, under the North Adams Public School district, operates with teaming structures that allow
for flexible responses to challenges that arise as well as intentional implementation strategies. The Instructional
Leadership Team meets biweekly to discuss instructional coherence among the department. The Humanities and
STEM departments have vertical alignment 7-12 and meet on a weekly basis as part of their collaborative time.
All departments meet weekly and on the third Tuesday to streamline communication and make sure all parties
are on the same page. Both the Student Support Team (SST) and the Multi Tiered System of Support Team
(MTSS) meet weekly to identify students and determine interventions for academic, behavioral and social
emotional needs. Furthermore, the admin team meets daily to discuss any ongoing issues that might need to be
more immediately addressed around school climate culture and student supports. Furthermore, team leaders
meet with their teams for instructional coaching and data meetings. Lastly, the school based Portrait of a
Graduate Team meets biweekly to look at the implementation of the competencies.
The aforementioned teaming structures are all integral in the progress monitoring of the three outlined priorities.