Our Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP)

Our Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) helps us set goals to improve learning, student well-being, and school success. It focuses on identifying what students need, setting priorities, and taking actions to make things better for everyone in our schools.

This plan follows the Vermont Agency of Education’s guidelines to make sure schools use data and evidence to guide decisions. Our main goal is to create positive changes that help all students succeed, feel supported, and stay engaged in learning.

The sections below explain our key areas of focus, including goals, strategies, and how we will measure success for the 2024-2025 school year.

Focus Areas

Safe and Healthy Schools

Theory of Action

IF Freshman Academy provides a dedicated advisory program for the 9th grade class that teaches and fosters specific skills around demonstrating stronger initiative and responsibility for learning, as well as providing more opportunities to build healthy relationships with peers and adults, THEN
we will see at least 20% improvement in how students experience belongingness and connection to adults in community

Problems of Practice

In Spring of 2023, 67% of BFUHS students (n = 176) reported they felt a sense of belonging in school community. In Spring of 2024, 56% of the 9th grade class reported feeling a sense of belonging in community on Panorama survey.

In Spring of 2023, 67.9% of BFUHS students (n = 176) reported they felt supported and respected by adults in school community (will update with 2024 data after survey administration); In Spring 2024, 20% of 9th grade class reported feeling connected to adults in the building on Panorama survey

Goals

By June 2025, 75% of BFUHS freshman class will report feeling a sense of belonging in school community.

By June 2025, 90% of BFUHS freshman class will report feeling supported and respected by adults in school community.

Strategies & Change Ideas

Freshman academy focus.
Pilot advisory model for freshman.
Focus on relationship building among students and between students and adults.

We will administer GFC survey on 5/17. Our 2022 to 2023 data shows marked declines in how students report a sense of belonging and connection, with even greater disparities noted in how certain subgroups in our community experience this (female identified students feel far less connected than males, LGBTQIA students feel less connected, freshman feel less connected than seniors, etc. This summary will be updated with 2024 data once complete).

Academic Achievement

Theory of Action

IF Freshman Academy provides a dedicated advisory program for the 9th grade class that teaches and fosters specifics skills around demonstrating stronger initiative and responsibility for learning, as well as providing more opportunities to building healthy relationships with peers and adults, THEN # of class failures will decrease, overall attendance will increase, and levels of truancy will decrease.

Problems of Practice

In Spring of 2023, 23% of BFUHS students (n = 194) reported feeling attentive and invested in school; In Spring of 2024, 11% of 9th grade class reported feeling engaged in school per spring Panorama survey.

In Spring of 2024, 33% of the 9th grade class (n = 26) are categorized as "at risk" or "critical" in terms of attendance (Panorama.)

Goals

By June 2025, 75% of the 9th grade class will report feeling attentive and invested in school By June 2025, there will be a 25% reduction in course failure rates for 9th graders.

By Spring of 2025, less than 10% of the 9th grade class will be considered "at risk" or "critical" in terms of attendance.

Strategies & Change Ideas

Freshman advisory focus on fostering greater self-awareness, self-acceptance, and self-advocacy skills, alongside prioritized opportunities for supported relational connection to peers and staff, to

Strengthen PLP engagement for incoming class; prioritize academic intervention support for incoming 9th grade class based on existing 8th grade data

Equity Goal

Theory of Action

IF we center the needs of our most minoritized students in all data-based discussions and actively work to disrupt stereotype threat,
THEN gaps in ELA and Math proficiency between minoritized students and their peers will decrease by 20%.

Problem of Practice

Only 27% of BFUHS students in grades 9-11 who are economically disadvantaged demonstrated proficiency in ELA on NWEA-MAP while 41% of econimically advantaged students demonstrated proficiency. Similarly, 27% of students who are economically disadvantaged demonstrated proficiency in Math on NWEA-MAP while 50% of economically advantaged students demonstrated proficiency.

Goal

By June, 2025 Gaps in ELA and Math between our marginalized students and their peers will decrease by 20% across all grade levels.

Strategy & Change Ideas

Develop systems to allow staff and administrators to readily view and discuss disagregated data on a regular basis.

Actively work to disrupt stereotype threat through professional development for our administrative team and staff.