Transcript WASC Visiting Committee Report

WASC Visiting Committee
Report
3/28/2007
Areas of Strength
Organization
• The Co Principals and the School Leadership
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Team provide direction and support to effect
change that will facilitate improved student
achievement.
There is an alignment of the Vision Statement,
Essential Life Skills (RAMHI) and High School
Initiative as showcased on posters throughout
campus.
MHS implemented diverse programs designed to
address the academic, personal and social needs
of students
Areas of Strength
Organization
• Strong relationships with business
partners have created opportunities for
students to explore post-secondary
options through community service and
internships.
• The SLC organizational structure promotes
personal connections and relevance for
students.
Key Issues for
Organization
• The needs to be a continuation of efforts to
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update/modernize physical plant.
Technological resources can be utilized to full capacity,
especially to support instructional practices.
A more formalized data-driven system can be developed
for measuring the effectiveness of the SLC structure in
implementing the school-wide vision.
Facilitate lines of communication between all
stakeholders, including families residing outside the
school’s actual attendance boundaries and limited
English speakers.
Areas of Strength
Curriculum
• There is a wide variety of classes for students at all
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levels of academic achievement.
There is a wide variety of elective classes from which
students can choose.
Smaller Learning Communities enable students to
customize their curriculum, based on their personal and
academic goals.
Staff development has focused on strategies that when
implemented school-wide, will provide rigorous
curriculum and challenging instruction for all students.
There are various interventions for students with low
academic skills.
Key Issues: Curriculum
• There is an achievement gap for African American
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and Hispanic students.
School wide, standardized test scores have
plateaued or dropped.
Development of a senior project (or capstone
project) for each small learning community.
Continue to refine four year and post-high school
plans/reviews for all students.
Common planning time can strengthen curriculum
development to meet student achievement goals.
Areas of strength for Standards-Based
Student Learning: Instruction
• Commitment to provide intervention and support
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as needed.
Implementation of professional development to
increase student achievement.
Small Learning Communities have driven
instructional improvement for students to meet
the content standards and ESLRs.
Access to technology.
Collegiality of staff members to mentor each
other to be more effective teachers.
Experienced staff that effectively utilizes its
expertise to effect change and strengthen
instruction.
Key issues for Standards-Based
Student Learning: Instruction
• Adequate time for teacher collaboration.
• Professional development and training in data
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analysis.
Monitoring Limited English Proficient students
transitioning to Fluent English Proficient and
provided appropriate instructional support.
There is a need to review instructional practices
in mathematics in light of the student
achievement data.
Areas of Strength: Assessment &
Accountability
• Results of a wide variety of assessments are
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disseminated throughout the school community.
Quarterly common assessments and end-ofcourse common District exams are in place.
SLCs and departments at MHS use analysis of
common assessments to drive instruction.
MHS offers a variety of intervention courses in
response to data analysis.
The PASS tutoring program is available for
struggling students.
Key Issues: Assessment &
Accountability
• Student absences affect both student
achievement and student remediation.
• A greater number of SRI accounts would
be beneficial for improving schoolwide
reading.
• A process needs to be developed for the
integration of data analysis and teaching.
Areas of Strength: School Culture and
Support for Student Personal and
Academic Growth
• Variety of Intervention strategies
• Strong sense of buy-in and ownership for
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student personal and academic growth by staff
Award winning student support services
Nationally recognized AVID program that
promotes a schoolwide college going culture.
Student personal and academic growth nurtured
and sustained by greater Long Beach community
Key Issues: Schoolwide Culture and
Support for Student Learning
• Continue to expand cultural sensitivity training
• Facilitate the involvement of all stakeholder
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members in school activities
Continue to support development of all SLC
groups to maximize student achievement
Showcase the wide variety of programs that
support student success
Schoolwide Areas of Strength
• Alignment of Vision Statement, Essential Life Skills
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(RAMHI) and High School Initiative as showcased on
posters throughout campus.
Development of SLC organizational structure promotes
personal connections and relevance for students.
Nationally recognized AVID program that promotes a
schoolwide college going culture.
Experienced caring staff that is committed to student
success and effectively utilizes its expertise to effect
change and strengthen instruction.
Schoolwide Areas of Strength
• Student personal and academic growth nurtured and sustained by
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greater Long Beach community
Implementation of diverse academic programs and intervention
strategies that address the academic, personal and social needs of
students.
Small Learning Communities & Departments use analysis of a wide
variety of assessments to drive instructional decisions for student
achievement.
The Co Principals and the School Leadership Team provide direction
and support to effect change that will facilitate improved student
achievement.
The English department’s development and implementation of
effective strategies to improve literacy across curriculum and to
serve as a model.
CRITICAL AREAS FOR FOLLOW UP
• Facilitate lines of communication to encourage the
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participation of all stakeholders in shared decision
making.
A formalized process needs to be developed for the
consistent integration of data analysis and instructional
practices.
Develop rigorous and comprehensive Literacy and
Numeracy programs to improve student achievement in
all content areas for all demographic groups.
Expand the application of the Language Arts Model for
instructional improvement in SLCs and all curricular
areas. In particular, the mathematics department must
develop strategies to improve numeracy across the
curriculum to increase student achievement.
Thank you Millikan