Tier 1 Team (formally known as Parent Advisory Committee) 

This year, IMS is focusing on continued implementation of a Multi Tiered System of Support for our students. Washington State, OSPI, defines Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as a framework for enhancing the implementation of evidence-based practices to achieve important outcomes for every student. MTSS helps to ensure students benefit from nurturing environments and equitable access to instruction and supports that are differentiated to meet their unique needs.

MTSS ensures every student has equitable access to the instruction and supports they need to thrive, district and school teams:

1. Identify and address biases and systemic barriers that drive inequitable access and disparate outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and students of color, students experiencing poverty, students receiving special education or English learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
2. Collaborate with students, families, and community partners to leverage the unique cultural and linguistic assets of their communities in order to provide every student an inclusive and responsive learning environment.
3. Deliver comprehensive supports that consistently meet every student’s needs and accelerate student academic, social, emotional, and behavioral learning. Traditionally MTSS refers to three tiered layers of support to address the whole child: 

Tier 1 is what we are universally teaching all students and the support we are providing for all. Tier 1 is not new.  In the MTSS framework Tier 1 is all the great teaching and learning that is happening at IMS.

The purpose of our Tier 1 Team will be to analyze data trends, identify needs of the whole school and brainstorm solutions that would be applied across our whole school.  

Tier 1 Team Members = PAC parents, 3 grade level teacher representatives, administration, classified staff members and a school counselor.

Tier 1 team goal will be to look at data and ensure we are removing barriers and creating a positive learning environment for all of our students at IMS.

Questions can be directed to Principal Katie Gallagher, katie.gallagher@mercerislandschools.org