ESSER II and School Innovation and Improvement Plan At-a-Glance 2021-2022

• Kilmer Middle School, Region 2
• Steven McFarlane, Principal

Background:

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) is a federal grant which requires that spending be used in specific areas.  Part of the Fairfax County Public Schools spending plan identifies funding to be used for Unfinished Learning and Student Academic and Social, Emotional, Mental Health (Wellness) Needs.  Schools have been given funding allocations to support the academic and wellness needs of students.  Schools are required to create plans in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Wellness highlighting the strategies they will use to support these areas using their ESSER III funding.  These strategies are shown below.

ESSER III English Language Arts Strategies

Outcome: Ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in English Language Arts

Goal: By the end of the 2022-2023 school year, 100% of students will pass the Reading SOL or show tiered growth based on VDOE standards.

Strategy 1

Collaborative content teams and Interdisciplinary teams will identify cross-curricular literacy connections to build and activate background knowledge and expand vocabulary for all students.

Strategy 2

Plan and implement targeted reading interventions, remediation, and reteaching opportunities based on progress monitoring data to include reading inventory, writing assessments, VGA, and school based assessments.

Strategy 3

Provide targeted Tier 2 and Tier 3 support for English Language Learners to include explicit language instruction in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

ESSER III Mathematics Strategies

Outcome: Ensure students are making sufficient progress to be on grade level in Mathematics.

Goal: By the end of the 2022-2023 school year, 100% of students will score at the proficient level or above on the Math Inventory, or demonstrate tiered growth.

Strategy 1

Plan and implement targeted math interventions, remediation, and reteaching opportunities based on progress monitoring data to include Math Inventory, VGA, and benchmark assessments.

Strategy 2

All students will engage in rich mathematical tasks.

Strategy 3

Math teachers will plan and implement Algebra 1 initiatives to increase enrollment and success rates in Algebra 1 for both the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school year

ESSER III Wellness Strategies

Outcome: Ensure students feel safe, included, and supported in the school environment

Goal: By the end of the 2022-2023 school year, Kilmer's rate of chronic absenteeism will decrease from 8% to 6% and eliminate disproportionalities among subgroups.

Strategy 1

All students will engage in high quality SEL instruction and relationship-building through school-wide Responsive Advisory Meetings

Strategy 2 

Kilmer staff will develop and implement a multi-tiered system of supports for student attendance

Strategy 3

All students will participate in extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities based on interests with targeted support for matching at-risk and chronically absent students with choice activities in area of interest

Portrait of a Graduate (POG)

Outcome: All students will complete a POG Presentation of Learning (POL) by 2025-26.

Goal: By the end of the school year, 100% of Kilmer students will demonstrate increased knowledge of POG and its relevance to their future success as measured by a student survey.

Strategy 1

The school will build an understanding with students, staff, and the community of the POG attributes and skills.

Strategy 2 

Embed Portrait of a Graduate into community engagement opportunities.