Campus Improvement Plan 2024-2025

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Demographics

Demographics Summary

The Wildcat Way School serves students in early education grades to PK within the Spring Branch Independent School District (SBISD). Enrollment trends showed a decrease of three students from the 2022–2023 school year to the 2023–2024 school year.

Enrollment Trends:
2023-2024: Enrollment – 299
2022-2023: Enrollment – 302
2021-2022: Enrollment – 301
Source: PEIMS OnDataSuite Fall Dashboard

The demographic profile of the students at The Wildcat Way School has remained relatively consistent during the past three years. The students are 36.8% Hispanic and 36.5% White in 2023-2024. Almost half of the students are considered economically disadvantaged, which qualifies the campus as a Title 1 school. During the 2023-2024 school year, 37.1% of the students were identified as Emergent Bilingual/English Learner (EB/EL); 74.6% At-Risk; 8% Immigrant; and 11% of students were identified for special education services.

Demographic Trends: Race/Ethnicity
2023-2024: African American – 31 (10.4%)
2022-2023: African American – 26 (8.6%)
2021-2022: African American – 34 (11.3%)

2023-2024: American Indian-Alaskan Native – *
2022-2023: American Indian-Alaskan Native – 8 (2.7%) 
2021-2022: American Indian-Alaskan Native – *

2023-2024: Asian – 34 (11.4%)
2022-2023: Asian – 46 (15.2%)
2021-2022: Asian – 56 (18.6%)

2023-2024: Hispanic – 110 (36.8%)
2022-2023: Hispanic – 101 (33.4%)
2021-2022: Hispanic – 91 (30.2%)

2023-2024: Native Hawaiian-Pacific Islander – *
2022-2023: Native Hawaiian-Pacific Islander – 0.0 (0.0%)
2021-2022: Native Hawaiian-Pacific Islander – 0.0 (0.0%)

2023-2024: White – 109 (36.5%)
2022-2023: White – 98 (32.5%)
2021-2022: White – 100 (33.2%)

2023-2024: Two-or-more – 11 (3.7%)
2022-2023: Two-or-more – 23 (7.6%)
2021-2022: Two-or-more – 19 (6.3%)
Source: PEIMS OnDataSuite Fall Dashboard
*Fewer than five students not shown

Additional Student Information:
2023-2024: At-Risk – 223 (74.6%)
2022-2023: At-Risk – 236 (78.2%)
2021-2022: At-Risk – 232 (77.0%)

2023-2024: Economically Disadvantaged – 144 (48.2%)
2022-2023: Economically Disadvantaged – 141 (46.7%)
2021-2022: Economically Disadvantaged – 164 (54.5%)

2023-2024: Emergent Bilingual/English Learner – 111 (37.1%)
2022-2023: Emergent Bilingual/English Learner – 107 (35.4%)
2021-2022: Emergent Bilingual/English Learner – 102 (33.9%)

2023-2024: Gifted and Talented – NA 
2022-2023: Gifted and Talented – NA 2021-2022: 
Gifted and Talented – NA
Note: Identification for G/T begins in the Spring of the Kindergarten year

2023-2024: Homeless – *
2022-2023: Homeless – 7 (2.3%)
2021-2022: Homeless – *

2023-2024: Immigrant – 24 (8.0%)
2022-2023: Immigrant – 27 (8.9%)
2021-2022: Immigrant – *

2023-2024: Migrant – 0 (0.0%)
2022-2023: Migrant – 0 (0.0%)
2021-2022: Migrant – 0 (0.0%)

2023-2024: Special Education – 33 (11.0%)
2022-2023: Special Education – 20 (8.9%)
2021-2022: Special Education – 21 (7.0%)
Source: PEIMS OnDataSuite Fall Dashboard
*Fewer than five students not shown

Demographics Strengths
Wildcat Way remains a vibrant and diverse school community where students from a multitude of cultures come together to learn and collaborate. The rich cultural tapestry of our school fosters an environment of mutual respect and understanding, enhancing the educational experience for everyone involved.

Our dedicated families play a crucial role in supporting the school and its various activities, contributing to a strong sense of community and shared purpose. Their involvement helps create an enriching atmosphere that benefits all students.

Thanks to the collective efforts of our families, staff, and students, Wildcat Way has successfully maintained a robust enrollment, ensuring that our dynamic and inclusive learning environment continues to thrive.

Problem Statements Identifying Demographics Needs

Problem Statement 1: Wildcat Way is experiencing a growing need to emphasize intentional instruction and practice of essential social skills for all students. Root Cause: Many students at Wildcat Way currently lack the essential social skills needed to effectively interact with their peers and manage conflicts in a constructive way.

Problem Statement 2: Student attendance often fluctuates and lacks consistency. Root Cause: Parents may not fully recognize the significance of establishing routines and fostering good habits starting as early as Pre-K.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Student Achievement

Student Achievement Summary

The Wildcat Way School implements a rigorous curriculum that is aligned to state standards and continuously revised to produce and prepare all students towards T-2-4 district goals. Students will master rigorous academic standards to ensure college and career readiness. We believe campus administrators and teachers are members of the campus’ Professional Learning Committees (PLC). PLC in SBISD is an ongoing collaborative team process used to establish a school-wide culture that develops teacher leadership explicitly focused on building and sustaining school improvement efforts.

A top priority in SBISD is literacy. Students receive the opportunity and skill set to experience meaningful literacy experiences that are rigorous and engaging. With their peers, students in SBISD listen, speak, read and write through the content areas with a commitment that they will become lifelong readers and writers. SBISD is driven by standards, focused on strategies, differentiated, and guided by student data. Numeracy is also a top priority in SBISD. Our goal is to provide academic experiences that build confident and creative mathematical thinkers. Students identified for special education (SPED) services or as Emergent Bilingual/English Learner (EB/EL) are also a district focus.

Below is a summary of the End-of-Year (EOY) CIRCLE Progress Monitoring in English:
2023-24: 93% Rapid Letter Naming; 85% Rapid Vocabulary; 92% Early Writing; 88% Social and Emotional Development; 94% Math
2022-23: 94% Rapid Letter Naming; 78% Rapid Vocabulary; 90% Early Writing; 88% Social and Emotional Development; 90% Math
2021-22: 95% Rapid Letter Naming; 77% Rapid Vocabulary; 95% Early Writing; 95% Social and Emotional Development; 93% Math
Source: Children’s Learning Institute (CLI), CIRCLE Progress Monitoring School Summary Report

Below is a summary of the End-of-Year (EOY) CIRCLE Progress Monitoring in Spanish:
2023-24: 100% Rapid Letter Naming; 83% Rapid Vocabulary; 100% Early Writing; 96% Social and Emotional Development
2022-23: 80% Rapid Letter Naming; 80% Rapid Vocabulary; 72% Early Writing; 76% Social and Emotional Development
2021-22: 83% Rapid Letter Naming; 83% Rapid Vocabulary; 96% Early Writing; 96% Social and Emotional Development
Source: Children’s Learning Institute (CLI), CIRCLE Progress Monitoring School Summary Report Note: Math not administered in Spanish

Student Achievement Strengths

At least 90% of Wildcat Way English students met CIRCLE Assessment Benchmark expectations in the areas of Rapid Letter Naming, Early Writing, and Math. There was a 7% increase in the area of Rapid Vocabulary.

Problem Statements Identifying Student Achievement Needs

Problem Statement 1: A significant achievement gap persists between ESL and Bilingual students. Root Cause: Bilingual students remain a highly mobile and transient group.

Problem Statement 2: A substantial achievement gap exists between classes primarily composed of students from the north side and south side elementary feeder patterns. Root Cause: Parents who pre-register their children for Pre-K at Wildcat Way are assured of a place in a classroom specifically reserved for students from their designated elementary school feeder pattern.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Staff Recruitment and Retention

Staff Recruitment and Retention Summary

The Talent strategy is to recruit and retain the best employees at The Wildcat Way School to support students. For employees and support personnel, this includes recruitment processes and hiring practices to develop and retain staff to meet the unique needs of each department and/or campus. Increased creativity and flexibility in our staffing, compensation, and benefit plans will help SBISD attract and retain qualified individuals. In order to meet our strategic goals, attract and retain the best talent, we focus our efforts on the following key areas:

• Recruitment and Retention of instructional, non-instructional, paraprofessional, and auxiliary staff   
• Onboarding processes
• Staffing and Performance Management   
• Competitive Compensation and Benefits   
• Benefits Training opportunities

Teacher by years of experience:
2022-2023: Beginning – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)
2021-2022: Beginning – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)
2020-2021: Beginning – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)

2022-2023: 1-5 Years – 6.0 FTE (40.0%)
2021-2022: 1-5 Years – 4.5 FTE (29.2%)
2020-2021: 1-5 Years – 5.0 FTE (48.5%)

2022-2023: 6-10 Years – 3.0 FTE (20.0%)
2021-2022: 6-10 Years – 3.0 FTE (19.7%)
2020-2021: 6-10 Years – 1.2 FTE (11.5%)

2022-2023: 11-20 Years – 3.0 FTE (20.0%)
2021-2022: 11-20 Years – 4.0 FTE (26.2%)
2020-2021: 11-20 Years – 2.0 FTE (19.4%)

2022-2023: 21-30 Years – 3.0 FTE (20.0%)
2021-2022: 21-30 Years – 3.8 FTE (24.9%)
2020-2021: 21-30 Years – 2.1 FTE (20.6%)

2022-2023: Over 30 Years – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)
2021-2022: Over 30 Years – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)
2020-2021: Over 30 Years – 0.0 FTE (0.0%)

2022-2023: Total – 15.0 FTE (100%)
2021-2022: Total – 15.3 FTE (100%)
2020-2021: Total – 10.3 FTE (100%)
Source: 2022-2023, 2021-2022, and 2020-2021 Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR)

Staff Recruitment and Retention Strengths

Wildcat Way remains committed to employing a team of highly qualified, veteran teachers who bring a wealth of experience to the classroom. Their deep expertise enhances the quality of education and provides valuable mentorship for both students and newer staff members.

Faculty meetings at Wildcat Way serve as a special time to acknowledge and celebrate the diverse achievements of our team, recognizing both personal milestones and professional accomplishments. These gatherings foster a strong sense of community and appreciation within the school.

Throughout the year, we plan a variety of monthly treats and special events for our staff to express our gratitude and support. These thoughtful gestures help maintain high morale and demonstrate our commitment to their well-being.

Additionally, our teachers are actively involved in campus decision-making and academic planning. Their input is crucial in shaping the direction of our educational programs and ensuring that we continually meet the needs of our students. This collaborative approach ensures that every voice is heard and valued in the pursuit of excellence at Wildcat Way.

Problem Statements Identifying Staff Recruitment and Retention Needs

Problem Statement 1: Teachers with fewer than five years of experience are more likely to exit the field of education at the end of the school year. Root Cause: Each year, the number of students facing behavioral challenges continues to rise, while educators face increasing work demands and minimal salary growth.
Problem Statement 2: Inconsistent application of professional development. Root Cause: There are varying levels of comfort and experience when it comes to adopting new practices.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

Family and Community Engagement

Family and Community Engagement Summary

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

The Wildcat Way School provides a sustained and strategic focus on educating, engaging and empowering families that are aligned with the SBISD Family E3 framework, focusing on building the capacity of families and staff to work together for student academic success. The Share a Smile Customer Service commitments are embedded into the Family E3 expectations, emphasizing the importance of customer service at our campus. The campus Translation and Interpretation Procedure asserts our commitment to provide families with information they can understand. Families are invited to attend campus and district events. The Family E3 team conducts an annual needs assessment with our campus to determine family engagement strengths and areas of support.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The Wildcat Way School works closely with the SBISD Community Engagement Division to support meaningful, strategic two-way engagement of families, community members, partners, and volunteers. The district traditionally has a large and very committed network of partners and 12,000+ volunteers. During the summer, the Community Engagement team conducts a needs assessment with our campus to determine community engagement strengths and areas of support. We welcome and value volunteers who serve on our campus as mentors and tutors to support student success.

Family and Community Engagement Strengths

During the 2023-2024 school year, Wildcat Way made a concerted effort to enhance parental involvement by introducing a variety of new opportunities for parents to engage with the school during the instructional day. This initiative aimed to foster a stronger connection between parents and the school community, creating more avenues for parents to actively participate in their children's educational experience.

The success of these efforts was reflected in the Parent Involvement Survey, which garnered 144 responses. The feedback from parents was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their satisfaction with the increased opportunities for involvement provided by Wildcat Way. This enthusiastic response underscores the effectiveness of our initiatives and highlights the strong commitment of our school to building collaborative relationships with our families.

Problem Statements Identifying Family and Community Engagement Needs

Problem Statement 1: Parents of English Language Learners are less likely to engage in school activities. Root Cause: Language and cultural barriers often hinder understanding of academic and behavioral expectations.

Problem Statement 2: Wildcat Way has faced challenges in establishing a stable and consistent group of parent volunteers. Root Cause: Most students at Wildcat Way attend the school for just one academic year.