Principal Mike Wagrowski shared updates on Timber Ridge’s Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP), highlighting three key goals aimed at enhancing student outcomes and fostering a supportive, collaborative learning environment:
Goal 1: Collaborative & Proactive Solutions
Inspired by the work of Ross Greene, this approach turns moments of crisis into opportunities for growth. The framework involves:
- Listening with curiosity.
- Defining events candidly.
- Collaboratively creating solutions.
- Repairing relationships.
This process ensures consistent, meaningful discussions with students about stress-related behaviors and complements existing methods.
Goal 2: Team Functioning - Engaging in Healthy Conflict
Focusing on trust and communication, this goal emphasizes productive team interactions using insights from thought leaders like Patrick Lencioni and Brene Brown. Key practices include:
- Encouraging equal participation in discussions.
- Promoting eye contact, energy, and direct communication.
- Emphasizing a solution-oriented mindset to resolve conflicts effectively.
The aim is to foster a culture of "productive ideological conflict" where all voices are valued.
Goal 3: Increasing the Joy of Writing and Learning Math
Writing:
Timber Ridge is addressing diverse writing challenges by:
- Implementing daily language reviews to reinforce writing skills.
- Using graphic organizers to expand ideas into structured writing.
- Balancing technical conventions with student voice.
- Focusing on high-interest writing topics and universal rubrics to measure growth.
Math:
To bridge foundational gaps and shift fixed mindsets, Timber Ridge:
- Employs intervention tools like Dreambox, Freckle, and IXL.
- Introduces varied teaching methods to support growth mindsets.
- Adopts enVision Math to deepen understanding through visual models and real-world problem-solving tasks.
These focused efforts underscore Timber Ridge’s commitment to student success and continuous improvement across academics and social-emotional growth.
