Final Report - Old Saybrook Public Schools

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
REPORT OF THE VISITING COMMITTEE
Old Saybrook High School
Old Saybrook, CT
September 21 – September 24, 2014
Philip Conrad, Chair
Andrew Rockett, Assistant Chair
Sheila Riffle, Principal
New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc.
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803
TOLL FREE: 1-855-886-3272 TEL. 781-425-7700 FAX 781-425-1001
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STATEMENT ON LIMITATIONS
THE DISTRIBUTION, USE, AND SCOPE OF THE
VISITING COMMITTEE REPORT
The Committee on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools
and Colleges considers this visiting committee report of Old Saybrook High School to be a privileged
document submitted by the Committee on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association
of Schools and Colleges to the principal of the school and by the principal to the state department of
education. Distribution of the report within the school community is the responsibility of the school
principal. The final visiting committee report must be released in its entirety within sixty days (60) of
its completion to the superintendent, school board, public library or town office, and the appropriate
news media.
The prime concern of the visiting committee has been to assess the quality of the
educational program at Old Saybrook High School in terms of the Committee's Standards for
Accreditation. Neither the total report nor any of its subsections is to be considered an evaluation of
any individual staff member but rather a professional appraisal of the school as it appeared to the
visiting committee.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Statement On Limitations
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 5
School and Community Summary .................................................................................. 7
School’s Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations ........................................ 10
Teaching and Learning Standards ................................................................................ 11
Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations ................................................ 12
Curriculum ................................................................................................................ 16
Instruction ................................................................................................................. 21
Assessment of and for Student Learning .............................................................. 25
Support of Teaching and Learning Standards ............................................................ 30
School Culture and Leadership .............................................................................. 31
School Resources for Learning ............................................................................... 37
Community Resources for Learning ..................................................................... 42
Follow-Up Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 46
APPENDICES
A.
B.
C.
Roster of Visiting Committee Members
Committee Policy on Substantive Change
List of Commendations and Recommendations
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INTRODUCTION
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is the oldest of the six regional
accrediting agencies in the United States. Since its inception in 1885, the Association has awarded
membership and accreditation to those educational institutions in the six-state New England region
who seek voluntary affiliation.
The governing body of the Association is its Board of Trustees which supervises the work of
four Commissions: the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE), the Commission on
Independent Schools (CIS), the Commission on Public Schools which is comprised of the Committee on
Public Secondary Schools (CPSS), the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (CTCI), and the
Commission on Public Elementary and Middle Schools (CPEMS), and the Commission on International
Education (CIE).
As the responsible agency for matters of the evaluation and accreditation of public secondary
school member institutions, CPSS requires visiting committees to assess the degree to which the
evaluated schools meet the qualitative Standards for Accreditation of the Committee. Those Standards
are:
Teaching and Learning Standards
Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations
Curriculum
Instruction
Assessment of and for Student Learning
Support of Teaching and Learning Standards
School Culture and Leadership
School Resources for Learning
Community Resources for Learning
The accreditation program for public schools involves a threefold process: the self-study
conducted by the local professional staff, the on-site evaluation conducted by the Committee's visiting
committee, and the follow-up program carried out by the school to implement the findings of its own
self-study and the valid recommendations of the visiting committee and those identified by the
Committee in the Follow-Up process. Continued accreditation requires that the school be reevaluated
at least once every ten years and that it show continued progress addressing identified needs.
Preparation for the Accreditation Visit - The School Self-Study
A steering committee of the professional staff was appointed to supervise the myriad details
inherent in the school's self-study. At Old Saybrook High School, a committee of four members,
including the principal, and the assistant principal, supervised all aspects of the self-study. The
steering committee assigned all teachers and administrators in the school to appropriate subcommittees
to determine the quality of all programs, activities, and facilities available for young people. In
addition to faculty members, the self-study committees included students, parents, and board of
education members.
The self-study of Old Saybrook High School extended over a period of 24 school months from
May 2012 through May 2014. The visiting committee was pleased to note that parents, students and
members of the board of education joined the professional staff in the self-study deliberations.
Public schools evaluated by the Committee on Public Secondary Schools must complete
appropriate materials to assess their adherence to the Standards for Accreditation and the quality of their
educational offerings in light of the school's mission, learning expectations, and unique student population.
In addition to using the Self-Study Guides developed by a representative group of New England educators
and approved by the Committee, Old Saybrook High School also used questionnaires developed by The
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Research Center at Endicott College to reflect the concepts contained in the Standards for Accreditation.
These materials provided discussion items for a comprehensive assessment of the school by the
professional staff during the self-study.
It is important that the reader understand that every subcommittee appointed by the steering
committee was required to present its report to the entire professional staff for approval. No single
report developed in the self-study became part of the official self-study documents until it had been
approved by the entire professional staff.
The Process Used by the Visiting Committee
A visiting committee of 16 evaluators was assigned by the Committee on Public Secondary
Schools to evaluate the Old Saybrook High School. The Committee members spent four days in Old
Saybrook, Connecticut reviewed the self-study documents which had been prepared for their
examination, met with administrators, teachers, other school and system personnel, students and
parents, shadowed students, visited classes, and interviewed teachers to determine the degree to which
the school meets the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. Since the evaluators represented a
variety of public schools diverse points of view were brought to bear on the evaluation of Old
Saybrook High School.
The visiting committee built its professional judgment on evidence collected from the following
sources:
•
review of the school's self-study materials
•
32 hours shadowing 16 students for a half day
•
a total of 15 hours of classroom observation (in addition to time shadowing
students)
•
numerous informal observations in and around the school
•
tours of the facility
•
individual meetings with teachers about their work, instructional
approaches, and the assessment of student learning
•
group meetings with students, parents, school and district administrators,
and teachers
•
the examination of student work including a selection of work collected by
the school
Each conclusion in the report was agreed to by visiting committee consensus. Sources of
evidence for each conclusion drawn by the visiting committee appear in parenthesis in the Standards
sections of the report. The seven Standards for Accreditation reports include commendations and
recommendations that in the visiting committee’s judgment will be helpful to the school as it works to
improve teaching and learning and to better meet Committee’s Standards.
This report of the findings of the visiting committee will be forwarded to the Committee on
Public Secondary Schools which will make a decision on the accreditation of Old Saybrook High
School.
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School and Community Summary
Situated where the Connecticut River meets Long Island Sound, Old Saybrook is a small rural town with
a wealth of history and tradition. An independent colony, known as Saybrook Plantation was
established in 1635, by English Viscount Saye and Sele, and Lord Brook. The town has long been an
attractive location, which has drawn year-round residents, summer residents, and visitors throughout its
history. According to the 2010 census, 10,242 people call Old Saybrook home. However, during the
summer the number of people in Old Saybrook swells to over 30,000. Average per capita income is
$43,266, with 5.9% of Old Saybrook residents living below the poverty level. The age of the population
of the town breaks down as follows; 21.4% are under the age of 20; 3.4% are 20-24; 16.4% are 25-44;
33.5% are 45-64, and 25.3% are 65 and older. Old Saybrook is a summer/beach town with older
residents year round.
Education in Old Saybrook dates back to the founding of Yale University, which began as the Collegiate
School for the education of ministers in the town in 1700. Currently, the Old Saybrook Public Schools
are home to 1,468 students Pre-K through grade 12. In the district’s schools, 1,219 (83%) students are
White/non-Hispanic, 94 (.06%) are Hispanic/Latino, 80 (.05%) are Asian, 40 (.03%) are Black, and 156
(10.6%) are unclassified. There are 266 students whose families fall below the poverty level and
qualify for free or reduced food programs in the schools. The town’s public school students attend
Kathleen E. Goodwin School Pre-K through grade 3, Old Saybrook Middle School grade 4 through
grade 8, and Old Saybrook High School grades 9 through 12. Per pupil expenditures were $13,918 in
2010-11, $14,251 in 2011-12, and $15,456 for the 2012-13 school year. The town’s students also utilize
the local private school St. John’s which is a K-8 school in town, as well as private high schools Xavier
and Mercy, and a state technical high school, Vinal Tech, all located in Middletown.
The Old Saybrook business community is primarily based on commercial/service industries, light
manufacturing, construction, and tourism. The Old Saybrook school district has enjoyed a wonderful
working relationship with the town business community throughout the years, evidenced by the financial
support of Whelen Engineering for the engineering program Project Lead the Way at Old Saybrook
High School. The local business community has also partnered with the school to provide internships for
the school-to-career program. Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services is also a key partner with Old
Saybrook High School. Programs and services of the youth and family services board are available to
the school’s students throughout the year, both during and after school hours.
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During the 2013-2014 academic year Old Saybrook High School had 495 students enrolled, with fiftythree teachers, eight of who were on various, reduced full-time equivalents (FTEs). Two school
counselors, two school psychologists, and two administrators made up the remainder of the 59-member
faculty in 2013-14. A student-teacher ratio of 17:1 existed during the 2013-14 school year. The regular
day schedule is an eight period, forty-three minute per period day, with four minute passing between
classes. Students are required to carry six and one-quarter credits for the school year. Full-time teachers
teach five periods, and have one duty period. Teachers carry an average load size of 84 students. In
core courses, students are enrolled at the basic, college prep, honors, or Advanced Placement level.
Students are required to complete a minimum of twenty-four credits for graduation from Old Saybrook
High School. All students are required to complete four credits in English, three credits in math, science,
and social studies, one credit of physical education, world languages, applied arts and fine arts, and onehalf credit in health and multi-media. A minimum of six elective credits is also required for each
student.
Old Saybrook High School has many co-curricular activities available for students as well. More than
half of the students at the school are involved in a minimum of one co-curricular activity. More than
half of the student body is a member of one of our twenty interscholastic sports teams. There are six
interscholastic sports teams in the fall season, five in the winter season, and nine during the spring
season. The nature of a small school results in many of the students who participate in interscholastic
sports do so for two or three seasons of the school year. Another popular co-curricular activity at Old
Saybrook high school is the drama/musical production program. A large segment of the student
population is involved in the production of the fall play and the spring musical. Beyond athletics and
drama, many more students at the school are members of one or more of the thirty clubs and activities
available to students. A source of pride at the school is the fact that a large majority of the coaches in
the department of athletics, and advisors in the various clubs and activities are teachers at the school.
Upon graduating from Old Saybrook High School, approximately eighty percent of the graduates attend
a four-year or two-year college. Among the 130 graduates of the class of 2013, 107 (82%) attended a
four-year college and 12 (.09%) attended a two-year college. Five graduates (.03%) entered the
workforce, and three graduates (.02%) entered trade school and three more enlisted in the military. The
percentages reflected for the class of 2013 are very similar to the numbers for the graduating classes that
preceded it over the previous decade.
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The administrative structure for the Old Saybrook public schools includes the superintendent, a district
director of curriculum, assessment and instruction, and a district director of pupil and professional
services. Old Saybrook High School administration includes the principal and one associate principal.
There have been transitions both at the district and school level the last five years. Jan Perruccio
became the superintendent July 1, 2013, replacing Heston Sutman who served as an interim for the
2012-2013 academic year in place of Joseph Onofrio, who retired June 30, 2012. Sheila Riffle was
hired as the high school principal August 15, 2013. She replaced Oliver Barton as principal who had
served in the position for four years. In July 2009, Mr. Barton replaced an interim principal, Tara
Winch, who served in the position for five months after replacing Scott Schoonmaker, who resigned as
principal to become the superintendent of North Branford (CT) schools in January 2009.
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Old Saybrook High School Mission and Learning Expectations
The mission of the Old Saybrook Public Schools is to educate and prepare
students to achieve their highest aspirations, care for others and the
environment, and contribute to a global society by working in partnership
with families and the community, and by engaging each learner in a
rigorous personalized, and meaningful educational program.
We believe that…
• Everyone is unique and has the capacity to learn
• Individuals are responsible for their choices and actions
• Everyone thrives in an environment of high expectations and rigor
• Increasingly independent work and collaborative learning help all
students build the skills necessary for life in an interconnected
global community
Old Saybrook High School Students will:
1. Acquire and process information effectively
2. Think critically and analytically
3. Communicate effectively through various means
a. Speaking/Presentations
b. Persuasive Writing
c. Expository Writing
4. Collaborate to tackle important and authentic work
5. Solve complex problems
6. Demonstrate active involvement within the school, local, and global
communities
7. Maintain a safe school environment that supports the overall wellness
and diversity of the high school learning community
P.R.I.D.E.
Finalized 2013 - 2014
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COMMITTEE ON
PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
TEACHING AND LEARNING
STANDARDS
CORE VALUES, BELIEFS, AND LEARNING
EXPECTATIONS
CURRICULUM
INSTRUCTION
ASSESSMENT OF AND FOR STUDENT
LEARNING
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Teaching and Learning Standard
1
Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations
Effective schools identify core values and beliefs about learning that function as explicit foundational commitments to
students and the community. Decision-making remains focused on and aligned with these critical commitments. Core values
and beliefs manifest themselves in research-based, school-wide 21st century learning expectations. Every component of the
school is driven by the core values and beliefs and supports all students’ achievement of the school’s learning expectations.
1.
The school community engages in a dynamic, collaborative, and inclusive process informed by current
research-based best practices to identify and commit to its core values and beliefs about learning.
2.
The school has challenging and measurable 21st century learning expectations for all students, which address
academic, social, and civic competencies, and are defined by school-wide analytic rubrics that identify,
targeted high levels of achievement.
3.
The school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the culture of
the school, drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in every classroom, and guide the school’s policies,
procedures, decisions, and resource allocations.
4.
The school regularly reviews and revises its core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based
on research, multiple data sources, as well as district and school community priorities.
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Conclusions
The Old Saybrook High School community continually engages in a dynamic, collaborative, and inclusive process,
informed by research-based best practices, to identify and commit to its core values and beliefs about learning. In
October 2010, a Strategic Planning Team comprised of thirty-four members of the school and town community,
including students, parents, faculty, school administrators, and community members, created an updated school
district strategic plan, outlining seven Action Teams. Initial professional training for the Action Teams occurred in
November 2010 and they developed timelines for completion of team tasks, assignments of responsibility and costbenefit analyses. In June 2011, the board of education, based on the work of the Strategic Planning Team, approved the
strategic plan. In 2012, the faculty drafted a core values and beliefs document. Parents and other stakeholders were
given the opportunity to review and comment on the document before it was issued in November 2013. The core
values are clearly stated in a mission statement and core values, beliefs, and learning expectations document. The 21st
century learning expectations are as follows: Acquire and process information effectively; Think critically and
analytically; Communicate effectively through various means - Speaking/Presentations, Persuasive and Expository
Writing; Collaborate to tackle important and authentic work; Solve complex problems; Demonstrate active
involvement within the school, local, and global communities; and Maintain a safe school environment that supports
the overall wellness and diversity of the high school learning community. This document is on the Old Saybrook High
School (OSHS) website and on posters throughout the school building. Because Old Saybrook High School’s core values
and beliefs about 21st century learning were created in a dynamic, collaborative, inclusive process based on current research-based
best practices, they are identifiable common beliefs of both the town and school community and as such serve as the basis for a
productive, ongoing decision-making process. (department leaders, self-study, teachers)
Old Saybrook High School has challenging and measurable 21st century learning expectations for all students,
which address academic, civic, and social competencies, and are defined by school-wide analytic rubrics that
identify, targeted high levels of achievement. The faculty has been engaged in an extensive process to create and
revise school-wide rubrics. In January 2013, a representative of LEARN trained the faculty in rubric creation.
Professional development ensued in April 2013 and rubric teams were formed. Academic rubrics were piloted in
April and May 2013. Student, faculty, and administrative feedback led to three separate revisions before the
current rubrics were released in January 2014. The academic rubrics cover all seven academic learning
expectations on a four standard scale that identifies targeted levels of student achievement as “exceeding,
meeting, approaching and below” for each expectation for student learning. The administration and faculty
devised a three-year plan for the implementation, review, and revision process of the rubrics. The 2014-2015
school year is year two of that plan. Teachers have been directed to continue to use the rubrics in their instruction
and assessment at least once in each semester during the current school year with the goal that use of school-wide
rubrics would become pervasive in year three. Examples of student work indicate implementation of school-wide
rubrics is underway. However, teacher interviews indicate that the implementation process is inconsistent, both
within and across departments, for instruction and assessment purposes. Teachers across content areas are working
toward utilizing 21st century analytic rubrics consistently throughout instruction and assessment, and when analytic
rubrics are fully incorporated in both formative and summative assessments in all classes throughout the year, all students
will be challenged in a more equitable manner. (student work, teachers, panel presentation)
The Old Saybrook High School’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively
reflected in the culture of the school. Seventy-nine percent of the faculty agrees that the core values, beliefs, and
21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the school’s culture. This information was supported by
meetings with school leadership, teachers, and was evident through student shadowing. Students cited several
activities, events, and academic opportunities, which clearly reflect Old Saybrook’s core value of stakeholders
being responsible for their choices and actions. These include Wise Individualized Senior Experience (WISE),
internships and externships in the community, extracurricular opportunities in sports, music, theater, club
activities, and Virtual High School. The advisory program that is scheduled to meet every other week provides
opportunity for faculty and students to develop respectful relationships, and to explore academic, civic and social
decision-making to promote a positive environment. Student shadowing provided many opportunities to witness
the respectful and helpful interaction among the students, and student interviews revealed that students feel safe
and involved in the school community. During parent meetings, most parents reported their children’s
experiences at OSHS were in alignment with the core values and beliefs. Both parents and students spoke about
activities and events students participated in or helped organize that had positive impact. Examples of this are
WISE, an academic graduation requirement that includes a community benefit component, and Perfect Pals, a
club in which non-disabled students establish rich relationships with students with special needs. A referendum
was supported by the town to upgrade the athletic fields to include a multi-purpose turf field, new track, and
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tennis courts and many stakeholders, including students and faculty, used that example as evidence of the pride
and belief in the school. OSHS core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the
culture of the school. (parents, student shadowing, Endicott survey)
The Old Saybrook High School’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations drive instruction
and assessment in a limited way in some classrooms, and sporadically drive curriculum. Classroom
observations reveal that not all instructional methods are aligned with the 21st century learning expectations.
While some classes exhibit the core values with collaborative activities, personal inquiry, or critical thinking
approaches to the material, others exhibited teacher-centered methodology for the majority of the class. Students
and parents discussed the different levels of expectation observed between course levels. According to the
Endicott survey, 50 percent of students report that their teachers explain how to apply the course information to
other learning experiences in school or to life experiences outside of school. During the course of student
shadowing, observed instructional strategies and conversations with students indicated inconsistency in the rigor
of the learning expectations from classroom to classroom. Although resources have been allocated for
professional development and common planning time, analysis of student work provides evidence of uneven
adherence to 21st century learning expectations. A small portion of the student work from 2013-2014 was
accompanied by the school-wide rubrics, whereas most student work reviewed was accompanied by contentspecific rubrics. When the core values and beliefs drive instruction and assessment for all students in all courses, they will
serve as the foundational commitment to students and the community. (student shadowing, teacher interviews, student
work)
The Old Saybrook High School’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations actively guide the
school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource allocations. The school’s policies and procedures reflect a
strong and positive school culture with an emphasis on civic behavior and community involvement. The
condition of the school reflects student respect for their environment. The school tour revealed examples of this
pride through student artwork displayed in the cafeteria and hallways. The history of uncontested school
budgets by significant margins and the additional passage of bonding for facility upgrades in separate referenda
is evidence of community support for resource allocations to support the school’s core values and beliefs. Above
politics, the needs of the children are the top priority for the board of education. Respect is evident throughout
the building. Implementation of the advisory program, Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (PBIS), the
collegial and professional atmosphere among administration and educators is mirrored in the attitude of the
student body. Efforts at transparent communication have resulted in greater ownership and trust between
stakeholders. Administration has made significant efforts to increase communication between the school and
parents through the use of the U. S. postal service, emails, Naviance, the school’s website, PowerSchool, social
media, and the School Messenger system. These examples of policy and procedures are signs of the respect,
honesty, integrity, and humility which OSHS states is the foundation of effective relationships. This provides an
environment in which all students can thrive and reach their potential. Because the Old Saybrook High School’s core
values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations actively guide the school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource
allocations, the students are able to reach their potential. (facility tour, board of education, school leadership)
The school is developing a plan to regularly review and revise its core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning
expectations based on research, multiple data sources, as well as on district and school community priorities.
School leadership at Old Saybrook High School has identified the need for a process for regular review and
revision of its core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. In the two- and five-year plans for improvement,
OSHS has identified the need to establish a process for the utilization of school-wide rubrics in assessing student
mastery of learning expectations. In addition, the Building Leadership Team has identified development and
utilization of a regular process for evaluating the school mission and core values as a priority. Among the
priorities discussed by the OSHS leadership is the establishment of an ongoing process whereby teachers will
assess student achievement, disaggregate the resulting data, and analyze results so as to inform instructional
strategies and support student growth. This will require a significant investment of time and resources to train
personnel and implement effectively, which the district and leadership is willing to do. OSHS has identified the
need to review and revise its core values and beliefs based on research and multiple data sources, and when this process
transpires, validation of student achievement of 21st century learning expectations will be facilitated. (self-study, school
leadership, panel presentation)
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Commendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The inclusion of all stakeholders in a dynamic and collaborative process to articulate meaningful core
values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations with which the Old Saybrook community strongly
identifies
The identification of core values and beliefs that accurately align school and community with common
goals
The principal’s leadership in driving the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations as the
foundation for all decision-making
The creation of school-wide rubrics that align with the school’s 21st century learning expectations
The connectedness of the schools core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations with the
district’s core values
The completeness of the school wide analytic rubrics
The involvement of students in the development of the 21st century learning rubrics during the advisory
periods
Recommendations:
1. The school establish a regular process to continue the collaborative review and revise process of
its core values and beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based on research, multiple
data sources, as well as district and school community priorities
2. Prioritize data collection and analysis for measuring individual and group student achievement
of 21st century learning expectations
3. Develop and implement a process to ensure the core values and beliefs, and 21st century
learning expectations drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in all classrooms and
within all content areas
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Teaching and Learning Standard
2
Curriculum
The written and taught curriculum is designed to result in all students achieving the school's 21st century expectations for
student learning. The written curriculum is the framework within which a school aligns and personalizes the school's 21st
century learning expectations. The curriculum includes a purposefully designed set of course offerings, co-curricular
programs, and other learning opportunities. The curriculum reflects the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning
expectations. The curriculum is collaboratively developed, implemented, reviewed, and revised based on analysis of student
performance and current research.
1.
The curriculum is purposefully designed to ensure that all students practice and achieve each of the
school's 21st century learning expectations.
2.
The curriculum is written in a common format that includes:
! units of study with essential questions, concepts, content, and skills
! the school’s 21st century learning expectations
! instructional strategies
! assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic and course-specific rubrics.
3.
The curriculum emphasizes depth of understanding and application of knowledge through:
! inquiry and problem solving
! higher order thinking
! cross-disciplinary learning
! authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school
! informed and ethical use of technology.
4.
There is clear alignment between the written and taught curriculum.
5.
Effective curricular coordination and vertical articulation exist between and among all academic areas
within the school as well as with sending schools in the district.
6.
Staffing levels, instructional materials, technology, equipment, supplies, facilities, and the resources of the
library/media center are sufficient to fully implement the curriculum, including the co-curricular
programs and other learning opportunities.
7.
The district provides the school’s professional staff with sufficient personnel, time, and financial
resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum using
assessment results and current research.
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Conclusions
Although the current curriculum documents have yet to be purposefully designed to ensure all students
practice and achieve each of the school’s 21st century learning expectations, opportunities exist for many
students in each grade level, and in almost all courses, to practice and achieve at least five of the seven school
learning expectations. By October 2014, each curriculum area will have responsibility for one or more of the
school’s learning expectations as evidenced by conversations with teachers and the self-study; clarity is needed by
grade level and course as to where students specifically practice these 21st century learning expectations. There
has been no determination of how a student needs to perform across his/her entire high school experience in
order to meet the 21st century learning expectations prior to graduating. A review of student work reveals that in
most courses students are asked to communicate effectively through persuasive and expository writing and to
acquire and process information effectively through researching and compiling evidence. Conversations with
teachers and examination of student work shows that students are asked to solve complex problems and to think
critically in applied academics as well as in core areas. For example, in chemistry, students take notes on complex
topics and then apply the concepts to real science in a laboratory setting; in English, students frequently think
critically by evaluating texts as well as by self-assessing their own writing. Students are asked to communicate
specifically through speaking and presenting as part of the Senior Project and the Multimedia course, but also
more informally in Socratic seminars and as part of classroom discussions and PowerPoint presentations.
Through extensive curriculum revision, teachers will be guided to provide students with more opportunities to
collaborate and to tackle important and authentic work beyond the school-to-career program, which provided the
most evidence of this standard. Assessments using department rubrics are common, yet the school-wide rubrics
are only now being introduced. The English department is clarifying connections between course content and the
school’s 21st century learning expectations. Some teachers collect and review student data using the Inform
Database, but the student data within the database is not actively used to make decisions to add or delete courses
or units from the curriculum. All faculty members have undergone training in using the Inform Database to
guide instruction, however further training is needed. Completing a structured and purposefully designed curriculum
for every content area will ensure that the school can meet its commitment to ensure that all students practice and achieve
each of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, teachers, panel presentation, student work)
Old Saybrook High School teachers in the core departments have begun writing curriculum in a common
format; completed English and math department documents include units of study with essential questions,
activities, concepts, skills, curricular materials, depth of knowledge level, vocabulary, and assessments;
however, these curricula are not yet connected to the school’s 21st century learning expectations, and learning
objectives, and do not describe assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic or coursespecific rubrics. Conversations with building specialists and K through 12 coordinators reveal a district focus on
Rigorous Curriculum Design and the template is being used for future curriculum development. Curriculum
revision began in 2013 and continued during the summer of 2014; however, the written curriculum for most
subject areas reflects curricula from a previous curriculum cycle, which does not include the school’s 21st century
learning expectations. Curriculum from a previous cycle reflects Connecticut State Standards as well as units of
study with essential questions, concepts, content, and skills. Instructional techniques and detailed assessment
practices vary by department. Project Lead the Way, internships, Senior Project, and AP /ECE curricula reflect
the school’s 21st century learning expectations of thinking critically and analytically, solving complex problems
and tackling important and authentic work. Currently, the 21st century learning expectations, school-wide
analytic rubrics, and course-specific rubrics are not referenced in these written curricula. The curriculum director
stated that assessments and learning expectations are not currently documented within some of the newly
developed English language arts and math curriculum documents because the curriculum is still a work in
progress. Completing curriculum documents in the common format and aligned with the school’s 21st century learning
expectations across all content areas will result in a clear, consistent, and focused curriculum that will enhance student
achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (teachers, self-study, department leaders)
The OSHS curriculum allows for emphasis on depth of understanding and application of knowledge through
inquiry and problem solving, higher order thinking, cross-disciplinary learning, authentic learning
opportunities both in and out of school, and informed and ethical use of technology, but to date is
inconsistently implemented among the departments. The district is currently revising curriculum to align with
Larry Ainsworth’s Rigorous Curriculum Design; when completed, these curriculum documents will address
application of knowledge through inquiry and problem solving, higher order thinking, and authentic learning
opportunities; however these elements are not reflected in all content areas at this time, as curriculum documents
are not yet consistent among departments. Math and English language arts have revised many curriculum
17
documents and created units using Ainsworth’s model. Teachers stated that other departments are following the
previous cycle’s curriculum documents posted to the district’s curriculum wiki pages; these documents consist of
curriculum maps, suggested activities and resources and topical pacing guides using the former standards of each
discipline. These documents pre-date the Connecticut Core Standards by up to six years, and do not yet identify
depth of understanding, application of knowledge or assessments. However, Advanced Placement (AP) and
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) and the Algebra I curricula are formalized and provide for detailed guidelines for
instruction, high order thinking, and problem solving. In conversations with students and teachers as well as in
examples of student work, higher order thinking and cross-disciplinary learning is occurring at the classroom
level even where it is not formally documented in curricula. The history and English departments’ American
Studies course, for example, provides students with the option their junior year to concurrently take a history
course alongside an English course that aligns the study of American history through literature studies and social
studies. Student work reviewed from math and science courses shows evidence of inquiry and problem solving.
For example, students in the physics course complete a lab in which students use tubes and tuning forks to
investigate resonance and determine the speed of sound in air. Inquiry and problem solving is asked of the
students throughout the process involved in the mandatory Senior Project. Most courses require students to use
technology to create papers, PowerPoint’s, or videos; however, few courses give students the choices necessary to
make these projects authentic. The school’s Multimedia course, which is a requirement for all students, provides
multiple opportunities of informed and ethical use of technology. The course incorporates a project that asks
students to create public service announcements in which they create three-to-five minute videos using digital
equipment to inform their peers of a prevalent community issue. Similarly, in the French 2 classes students have
the choice of how to present their daily routine in French. The library media specialist also provides ninth grade
students with guidelines for effective research and plagiarism avoidance through the English classes. Outside of
the core classes students have the opportunity for authentic learning in the school’s school-to-career program
through the completion of internships their junior and senior year. When the curriculum of every department is
written to reflect the practices of higher order thinking, depth of understanding, authentic learning, cross-disciplinary
learning and the informed and ethical use of technology, all students will be able to meet and personalize the school’s 21st
century learning expectations. (student work, teachers, self-study)
At OSHS some alignment between the written curriculum and the taught curriculum is evident. All curricula
will be written in a common format by the faculty in the coming years as part of a five-year curriculum cycle to
meet the Connecticut Core Standards and the school’s 21st century learning expectations. The Endicott survey
data indicates that 82.5 percent of teachers agree, “The written and taught curriculum is aligned, “ yet the written
curriculum for most content areas reflects pacing guides and activities but does not include assessments, rubrics,
Connecticut Core Standards alignment, or components of the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
Nonetheless, problem solving and higher order thinking are evident in many classrooms and student products,
including science labs and math performance tasks. These skills are monitored by the administrators through the
teacher evaluation process in which teachers are to identify within their taught lesson where the lesson aligns to a
unit within the curriculum. Socratic seminars, student presentations, and research in many English and social
studies classes show evidence of students’ depth of understanding through inquiry and address learning
standards of acquiring and processing information and communicating effectively through speaking and
presenting. In interviews with faculty, it is clear that common assessments are used in mathematics; other
departments are working on developing and implementing common assessments. In the fall of 2014, teachers
began using school-wide rubrics; however, these rubrics are not used for reporting student achievement and are
typically used in conjunction with separate departmental rubrics. Students report that rubrics are utilized in all
their classes, but they are not all necessarily school-wide rubrics. Teachers do not regularly observe other
teachers’ classes but some collaboratively examine student work during common planning time. A standardized
process for creating a clear alignment between the written and taught curriculum in all content areas will guide all teachers
in delivering a common curriculum to ensure student achievement of the school’s learning standards. (student work, selfstudy, teachers)
At the district level, and with the sending school, vertical articulation has a formal structure; while some
curricular coordination between departments and academic areas within the school exists, it is not formalized.
The Connecticut Core Standards have dictated the need for vertical articulation in all core content areas. The selfstudy indicates that members of the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Team (CIAT) are responsible for
the coordination and articulation of all curricula. CIAT is comprised of building specialists, district specialists,
and the curriculum coordinator; high school science is the only content area not represented on the CIAT. The
team formally meets five times a year and the building specialists, as well as department faculty, meet with
faculty members of the sending school by department twice a year. At the building level, common planning
18
periods are utilized for core departments and in addition to common planning; departments formally meet after
school ten times throughout the school year. Currently, there is not a unified or formal process for those meetings
and for determining how that time is spent. In addition, there is no formal time in which departments can meet
and collaborate with other departments for cross-curricular planning. The district has a clearly identified fiveyear curriculum review cycle process district-wide, as well as a district curriculum guide and compensated time
over the summer devoted to the development of the curriculum; however, with the vertical alignment structures
that are in place, it is not evident that the allotted time within these structures is spent using data to review and
evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum. Since elective teachers do not generally plan collaboratively at the
high school and rarely meet with their colleagues in the sending school, limited effective curricular coordination
and vertical articulation among these exist. Increased and more effective coordination within and among all content
areas and with the sending school will result in a stronger progression so that all students will be more effectively prepared to
meet the 21st century learning expectations. (teachers, panel presentation, district leadership)
Staffing levels, instructional materials, technology, equipment, supplies, facilities, and the resources of the
library media center are sufficient to fully implement the curriculum, including the co-curricular programs
and other learning opportunities. According to the Endicott survey, 56 percent of the teachers agree with the
statement, “Student load and class size enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students.”
Although there is some imbalance due to the many elective offerings, most core content, non-elective classes have
enrollments below 25 students; also, 57.9 percent of teachers agree, “The school has sufficient professional staff to
implement the curriculum including the co-curricular program and other learning opportunities.” Two school
counselors, 2 school psychologists, a reading specialist, a library media specialist, a numeracy specialist, and
school-to-career coordinators serve the OSHS population of 475 students. Faculty report the library media
specialist is helpful in supporting the curriculum by providing research resources and access to reliable electronic
resources and guidance on how to access information; the reading specialist evaluates the universal screening
data to assist with SRBI placement of students. The library’s nonfiction print collection’s average publication age
is 2007; one database is purchased for student research and the fiction collection is updated yearly. A video
database is also being purchased. Budget for curriculum consultants, summer curriculum writing, and district
professional development has increased almost threefold since 2011. Facilities including the new science wing,
music department addition, art addition, and auditorium, support the enhanced learning opportunities and
curriculum offerings. A strong majority (82.8 percent) of students agree, “My school provides me with the
instructional materials (textbooks, computers, equipment, and supplies) I need for each of my courses.” The band
room houses a full recording studio, soundproof practice rooms, and a sound engineering studio with state-ofthe-art equipment. Each department has a substantial budget for supplies and equipment is budgeted where
needed. Some departments indicate a need for additional hardware once the technology infrastructure has been
upgraded. In addition, an inventory of technology is currently being completed. The provision of adequate
technology in conjunction with the already extensive facilities and resources at OSHS will aid staff in fully implementing the
curriculum and other learning opportunities so that students can achieve the 21st century learning expectations. (self-study,
Endicott survey, students)
The district provides the school’s professional staff with sufficient personnel, time, and financial resources for
ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum using assessment results
and current research. The district dependably provides time during the day and after school throughout the year
for collaboration and curriculum review as well as affords financial compensation for summer work. The district
has a comprehensive professional development calendar including the study of research-based strategies for
improving instruction and curriculum, and a five-year curriculum review cycle overseen by the director of
curriculum. Content area teams meet monthly for planned formal meetings in the building and twice per year
with the sending school. The district-wide Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Team (CIAT) meets five
times per year; formalized protocols ensure these meetings make efficient use of the time. Core course areas are
provided 43-minute common planning periods each day during which they are expected to work with their
department to develop, evaluate, and revise the curriculum in addition to examining data and student work. The
principal is in the process of developing protocols and expectations for these meetings. The English department is
currently using common planning time to revise and refine the scope and sequence in real time using an online
tool. After-school department collaboration time is also built in once a month. Some, but not all, building
specialists were given training on the district’s Inform Database so that longitudinal student data can be
evaluated in order to use this information for curriculum revision and improvement of instruction. No evidence
exists that departments have previously utilized data to advise curriculum decisions. A new curriculum design
process was put into action in 2012 and was formalized in 2013. In the coming years, building specialists and
curriculum specialists will be expected to lead instruction, guide data analysis protocols, and foster collaboration
19
among department members. In return, curriculum specialists and building specialists do not have a duty and
receive a stipend. The curriculum specialists are a part of the teachers’ contract and do not have evaluative
responsibilities. Proper utilization of structured time, guided by the principal’s vision of improved instruction, will
facilitate the collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum that will help students achieve the school’s
21st century learning expectations. (teachers, self-study, school leadership)
Commendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The effective work of the curriculum director and school teams to adopt Rigorous Curriculum Design
(RCD) and to create a common district-wide curriculum format with implementation through the fiveyear curriculum cycle
The board of education funding opportunities for summer curriculum work by the CIAT team
The collaboration on and revision of the English department’s curriculum document
The English and math departments’ curriculum and unit development
The 2007 renovation of science labs, art and music areas, and auditorium to enhance the opportunities for
delivery of a 21st century curriculum and co-curricular activities
Recommendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Provide further training for all faculty on the use of Inform Database to analyze student data
Develop a structured, written curriculum for all content areas using the RCD template and include the
school’s applicable 21st century learning expectations and rubrics, inquiry and problem solving, higher
order thinking, cross-disciplinary learning, authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school,
and informed and ethical use of technology
Work collaboratively in all departments on curriculum improvements to allow teachers to share
resources and to effectively use the guides for instruction so that the curriculum will emphasize depth of
understanding and the application of knowledge through inquiry, higher order thinking, and authentic
learning opportunities
Provide formal protocols for common planning time to allow for collaboration around lesson planning,
analyzing data, and examining student work to drive curriculum development
Use student achievement data to evaluate curriculum implementation
Align the written and taught curriculum with 21st century learning expectations and Connecticut Core
Standards
Using protocols, formally examine student work to inform decisions regarding curriculum, instruction
and assessment
Support continued professional development for faculty to create challenging curricula that uses 21st
century learning expectations
Prioritize policies and procedures to imbed the use of analytic school-wide rubrics across all curricula
20
Teaching and Learning Standard
3
Instruction
The quality of instruction is the single most important factor in students’ achievement of the school’s 21st century learning
expectations. Instruction is responsive to student needs, deliberate in its design and delivery, and grounded in the school’s
core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. Instruction is supported by research in best practices. Teachers are reflective
and collaborative about their instructional strategies and collaborative with their colleagues to improve student learning.
1.
Teachers’ instructional practices are continuously examined to ensure consistency with the school’s core
values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations.
2.
Teachers’ instructional practices support the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning
expectations by:
! personalizing instruction
! engaging students in cross-disciplinary learning
! engaging students as active and self-directed learners
! emphasizing inquiry, problem solving, and higher order thinking
! applying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks
! engaging students in self-assessment and reflection
! integrating technology.
3.
Teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of each student by:
! using formative assessment, especially during instructional time
! strategically differentiating
! purposefully organizing group learning activities
! providing additional support and alternative strategies within the regular classroom.
4.
Teachers, individually and collaboratively, improve their instructional practices by:
! using student achievement data from a variety of formative and summative assessments
! examining student work
! using feedback from a variety of sources, including students, other teachers, supervisors, and parents
! examining current research
! engaging in professional discourse focused on instructional practice.
5.
Teachers, as adult learners and reflective practitioners, maintain expertise in their content area and in
content-specific instructional practices.
21
Conclusions
Teachers’ instructional practices are continuously examined in some areas to ensure consistency with the
school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. The English department is responsible for
administering the Senior Project. The Senior Project is graded with rubrics that measure 21st century learning
expectations. Other content areas reported that the rubrics for 21st century learning expectations are being utilized
in conjunction with department-specific rubrics to assess assignments, but some teachers are still unclear as to
how the skills assessed transferred to grades. The central office staff indicated that they expected to see more
integration of core values, beliefs, and 21st century skills through the implementation of the new teacher
evaluation document this year. It was noted in the self-study that teachers regularly referenced the school’s core
values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations; however, there needs to be more alignment of these beliefs
to direct instruction. When teachers’ focus on aligning instruction to the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century
learning expectations in all disciplines, there will be consistent implementation in the school. (student work, central office
personnel, self-study)
Many teachers’ instructional practices support the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning
expectations by personalizing instruction, engaging students as active and self-directed learners, emphasizing
inquiry, problem solving, and higher order thinking, applying knowledge and skills to authentic
tasks. However, engaging students in cross-disciplinary learning, self-assessment, reflection, and technology
integration is only occurring in some areas. Teachers are consciously working to personalize instruction; for
example, world languages teachers use learning style inventories and student interest surveys to help design
project choice and formats, and language teachers periodically conference with students individually and in small
groups to address learning needs. Similarly, the literacy specialist provides interventions using core class content
materials. In Woodworking class teachers personalize instruction according to what students choose to
build. During classroom observations of a number of honors courses, instruction clearly reflected deliberate
effort to include inquiry, problem solving, and higher order thinking in assignments. In English classes
sophomores use the Socratic method to discuss the writing of John Updike. In World History students gather in
groups to use independently prepared homework to support their ideas in discussion with their peers. Following
a period of circulating and monitoring, the teacher uses deliberate questioning to engage these students further
through careful questioning and challenges their thinking. For the Senior Project, students conduct an in-depth
study of a particular topic culminating in a formal presentation for audiences beyond the classroom and at times
beyond the school. In the fine arts, engineering and other applied arts courses problem-solving skills are
emphasized. Teachers spend sufficient time on units to allow students to understand and pursue related
concepts in depth. Students create original artwork, 3D printed items they design on the computer, furniture,
and machinery to demonstrate what they have learned. Self-evaluations, enhancements and improvements were
also observed in these elective areas. The science department also provides opportunities for students to apply
skills learned to authentic tasks. In biology class, students apply real-world knowledge of vectors. Also in
biology, students engage in meaningful project work; for example, in the “Endangered Species Project,” students
have to adopt a species, research its background and convince a mock “Congress” why it should gain endangered
status. Some teachers ask students to reflect on their own work. When students are asked to apply rubrics to
evaluate their work as a form of reflection, it is unclear if students understand that assessment is part of the
learning process or is simply an evaluation at the end of an activity. Although some teachers use technology to
enhance instruction, a limited number of teachers integrate technology as a means of involving students in
inquiry or problem solving. In meetings with teachers, colleagues indicated that other than specific individuals in
the math department and the multi-media specialists, SMART Board technology in most classrooms is used for
projection rather than as a highly effective interactive collaborative tool. While there are some examples of crossdisciplinary learning at Old Saybrook High School, it is not a major focus of instruction at this time. Students
experience cross-disciplinary instruction encouraging them to connect learning in some departments to include
topics from other content areas. The American Studies course combines the study of American history, culture,
and literature from the Civil War to Vietnam. When students are studying the Civil War in U.S. History classes,
they are reading The Narrative of Frederick Douglas in English classes. Other examples of cross-disciplinary work
are evidenced in individual students’ Senior Projects more by student choice and teacher support than by
instructional design. When teachers devote more time to implement cross-disciplinary learning, integrate technology and
engage students in self-assessment and reflection, it will more effectively support student achievement of the school’s 21st
century learning expectations. (self-study, teacher interviews, student work)
22
In some areas, teachers are adjusting their instructional practices to meet the needs of each student through
purposeful grouping of learning activities and the use of additional support and alternative strategies, but
teachers only sporadically use strategic differentiation and formative assessment as a means of adjusting their
teaching strategies during instructional time. Student shadowing and classroom observations support the fact
that grouping is regularly used, but the grouping is only deliberate and purposeful in some areas. In the Endicott
survey, more than 81 percent of teachers and students report that group learning activities are a regular part of
classroom learning at Old Saybrook High School. However, in an examination of compiled student work, few
assignments showed that teachers use purposeful grouping to meet the needs of students. An exception was
found in an earth science class students were grouped purposefully based on ability level and had to remain in
that group throughout the assignment. In a 12th grade humanities class the teacher assigned group work to assess
whether students understood Shakespeare’s use of soliloquy in Hamlet. Although the assignment demonstrated
depth of understanding and high order thinking, there was no clear evidence that students of varying ability
levels were paired by design. During classroom observations in social studies, groups were randomly selected
when students drew numbers from a bowl and moved to new locations. Again collaboration to accomplish a goal
was intentional, but informed strategic differentiating was not evidenced. Teachers do regularly assess each
student’s learning during instructional time employing a variety of assessments. There is little evidence to
indicate that teachers regularly analyze formative assessments and other information collected about individual
students to devise and employ instructional strategies to specifically help individual students learn targeted
concepts or skills. Although teachers pair and group students for maximum learning, it is not clear what
information drives their decision-making. During instructional time some teachers are using formative
assessments and giving specific and immediate teacher feedback for the purpose of student improvement as
opposed to assigning a formal grade. A few teachers in the science department give access to an online
diagnostic self-test for students in order to give them immediate feedback. Students in a 10th grade biology class
were observed completing a review packet in preparation for an upcoming summative assessment. Students
submitted their work and the teacher immediately reviewed it and offered the students an opportunity to revisit
areas of concern. In Culinary I, the teacher assessed students while they demonstrated use of paring knives by
creating “apple birds” garnishes. Through this type of formative assessment, the teacher received immediate
information so that instruction could be personalized and modified in a timely manner to guide the student
toward success. In mathematics classes SMART Board technology practices ensure that students are receiving
specific and immediate feedback on their learning while teachers alter instructional practices based on student
need. This discrepancy is also reflected in the self-study, which noted that some teachers might not know how to
adequately differentiate in both delivery of content and assessment. Teachers do provide extra-help sessions for
students who need additional time to learn and are often available to students well after instructional hours. The
consistent use of strategic differentiation, purposeful grouping, additional classroom support and alternative strategies, and
regular formative assessment during instructional time will allow teachers to adjust their instructional practices in a way
that is responsive to the needs of students and will increase students’ opportunities to achieve the school’s 21st century
learning expectations. (classroom observations, Endicott survey, student work, self-study)
Teachers, individually and collaboratively, rarely improve their instructional practices using student
achievement data from a variety of sources, including students, other teachers, supervisors, and parents, or by
examining current research and engaging in professional discourse that focused on instructional practice. All
9th grade students take the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test. This data is analyzed by the SRBI literacy specialist
and used to identify students in need of support. This data is also shared with the English teachers to help
identify reading levels. Teachers have a regular formal time to meet within their content areas, however they
have been given little guidance as to how to best utilize the time. Although teachers do not formally review
common assessment data, individual assessment data or assessments, which employ the school-wide rubrics,
some departments are piloting a process for reviewing student work. According to the Endicott survey, only 21
percent of parents report they have been asked for input regarding teachers’ instructional practice. Several
teachers reported they collect survey data from students and stated the information is used to modify instruction.
Neither common plan time nor departmental meeting time is specifically designated time for teachers to share
and discuss instructional improvement. Teachers reported that the use of feedback is an important part of
instructional improvement in the school and also plays a role in developing the positive climate and culture of
Old Saybrook High School. Teachers participated in a one-time peer review process and provided feedback to
one another. Some teachers reported that this process was welcomed and beneficial to improving instruction.
However, the peer review process has not yet been incorporated into the professional culture of the school. There
is no current evidence that the faculty as a whole reads and reflects on journal articles, books on current research
and/or best practice literature. In addition, there is no evidence of formal time designated to engage in and
review current research and best practice literature. Decisions made in the school by the principal are, however,
23
made based on best practices and current research. The principal reported that in the two- and five-year plan
formal processes are going to be implemented that focus on the formal data team process, analysis of student
work, and other areas involving professional discourse among faculty members. As formal processes and protocols
for analyzing student work, and student achievement data are implemented, instructional practices will improve and will be
focused on identified areas of need. In addition, when the faculty of Old Saybrook High School engages in professional
discourse about current research and best practices, instructional practices will improve student learning. (teacher
interviews, parents, self-study)
Teachers, as adult learners and reflective practitioners, across the school consciously maintain expertise in
their content area and in content-specific instructional practices. Teachers at Old Saybrook High School are
afforded multiple opportunities to engage in professional development and to maintain expertise in their content
areas; for example, world languages teachers attend the Connecticut Organization of Language Teachers
conference, math teachers attend the Association of Teachers of Math in Connecticut, and Science teachers attend
both state and national conventions. In addition, several science teachers have attended a summer fellowship
program at Yale. Teachers indicate they have access to PD 360 and regional professional development offerings
throughout the year. PD 360 is an online tool that is maintained by the Association for Curriculum and
Development and part of the Connecticut teacher evaluation system. The Old Saybrook Board of Education stated
that allocating funding for teacher professional development is a priority and provides financial support for
teachers to attend conferences and meetings. Endicott survey results indicate that 91 percent of teachers are able
to maintain expertise in their content area and in content-specific instructional strategies. Teachers also report
they regularly engage in conversations with colleagues and solicit feedback from peers regarding instructional
practices. Teachers, as adult learners and reflective practitioners, across the school consciously maintain expertise in their
content area and in content-specific instructional practices in order to improve student learning. (school leadership,
Endicott survey, teacher interviews)
Commendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The implementation of common plan time for teachers in core subject areas
The use of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test to determine literacy levels of all 9th graders
The principal’s dedication and emphasis on the incorporation of best practices and current research into
the two- and five-year plans
The availability of multiple opportunities for professional development, as well as for opportunities to
attend content-specific professional meetings/conferences
The multi-media specialist’s and math department’s usage of SMART Board technology as an interactive
tool in the classroom
Recommendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Create and implement a formal process for analyzing student work to improve instructional practices
Create and implement a formal process for examining current research and engaging in professional
discourse that is focused on instructional practice
Align instruction to specifically target core values, beliefs, and learning expectations in all content areas
Develop and implement a procedure for examining instructional practices to ensure consistency with the
school’s 21st century learning expectations
Develop more opportunities to engage students in inter-disciplinary experiences, self-reflection, and the
integration of technology
Provide opportunities for professional development in classroom technology and for the effective use of
district system technology
Ensure teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of students through purposeful
grouping strategies, strategic differentiation, and effective formative assessment to meet the needs of
students
Create and implement a plan that specifically focuses on improving curriculum, instruction, and
assessment
24
Teaching and Learning Standard
4
Assessment of and for Student Learning
Assessment informs students and stakeholders of progress and growth toward meeting the school's 21st century learning
expectations. Assessment results are shared and discussed on a regular basis to improve student learning. Assessment results
inform teachers about student achievement in order to adjust curriculum and instruction.
1.
The professional staff continuously employs a formal process, based on school-wide rubrics, to assess
whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
2.
The school’s professional staff communicates:
• individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to students
and their families
• the school’s progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to the school
community.
3.
Professional staff collects, disaggregates, and analyzes data to identify and respond to inequities in
student achievement.
4.
Prior to each unit of study, teachers communicate to students the school’s applicable 21st century learning
expectations and related unit-specific learning goals to be assessed.
5.
Prior to summative assessments, teachers provide students with the corresponding rubrics.
6.
In each unit of study, teachers employ a range of assessment strategies, including formative and
summative assessments.
7.
Teachers collaborate regularly in formal ways on the creation, analysis, and revision of formative and
summative assessments, including common assessments.
8.
Teachers provide specific, timely, and corrective feedback to ensure students revise and improve their
work.
9.
Teachers regularly use formative assessment to inform and adapt their instruction for the purpose of
improving student learning.
10.
Teachers and administrators, individually and collaboratively, examine a range of evidence of student
learning for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice, including all of the
following:
• student work
• common course and common grade-level assessments
• individual and school-wide progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations
• standardized assessments
• data from sending schools, receiving schools, and post-secondary institutions
• survey data from current students and alumni.
11.
Grading and reporting practices are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s
core values and beliefs about learning.
25
Conclusions
At this time, the professional staff recognizes the need for a formal process, based on school-wide rubrics, to
assess whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning
expectations. Old Saybrook High School (OSHS) is just beginning the process of implementing school-wide
rubrics. In the fall of 2012, the faculty engaged in a series of professional development sessions to facilitate the
revision of school-wide rubrics addressing the academic, civic, and social development of students and the
school. Integrated teams of representatives of the different departments drafted a set of analytic rubrics for each
of the 21st century learning expectations. In the spring of 2013, there were seven rubrics written for the learning
expectations. These rubrics included communicating effectively with persuasive writing and expository writing;
acquiring and processing information; thinking critically and analytically; communicating effectively (speaking
and presenting); collaboration; solving complex problems; and a rubric that looked at the civic and social
expectations. The rubrics were piloted in the spring of 2013. These rubrics underwent some revisions and then
were used the following year (2013-14) with the exception of the civic and social learning rubric. Some
departments have been better than others at incorporating the rubrics into their curriculum. The teachers have
tried to make them user friendly. This fall the Building Leadership Team (BLT) has asked the teachers to decide
which rubrics they want to focus on in their courses. In October 2014, the BLT will tell departments which of the
rubrics they will be responsible for implementing to ensure that all 21st century learning expectations will be
covered. The elective classes will be charged with covering the civic and social rubrics due to the nature of their
programs and singleton classes. Upon completion of implementation of a formal process, the school will be able to ensure
that all students leaving OSHS will have achieved the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, teachers,
central office personnel)
The school’s professional staff plans on beginning to communicate individual student progress in achieving
the school’s 21st century learning expectations to students and their families and the school’s progress in
achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to the school community. As stated before, the 21st
century learning expectations and school-wide rubrics have only recently been revised and adopted. The teachers
are in the beginning stages of using the rubrics, but there is no formal process to use them to collect the data.
OSHS intends to evaluate and track student data using the school-wide rubrics. Once data collection has begun,
the school plans to formalize policies on grading and reporting. The BLT is in the process of developing a plan to
roll out communication on progress to students and families within the next two years via PowerSchool. OSHS is
in the process of formalizing communication of the individual student progress to students, their families, and the school
community. As a result, students, families and the school community are will be made aware of the progress being made by
students on the 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, teachers, board of education)
Most of the professional staff collects, disaggregates, and analyzes data to identify and respond to inequities
in student achievement. Building specialists and teachers collaborate and analyze standardized testing
information to look at areas of weakness and respond to the issues. The school responds to inequities in student
achievement in a variety of ways. Guidance counselors review academic grades along with behavior and
recommend that students in need of more attention switch to structured study halls. In academic study hall,
students receive direct assistance and study skills coaching. This provides academic intervention to increase
achievement. Students who earn grades lower than 1 D on a Progress Report or Report Card are assigned to a
Mandatory Study Hall that meets after school three days a week. Students involved in extra-curricular activities
who are assigned to Mandatory Study Hall are required to attend in order to continue participating in their
activity. Academic support programs are available to all students that may include a SRBI math class, a
numeracy lab that pre-teaches and reteaches students for their algebra class, a CAPT science skills lab, and a
literacy lab. Identified students with an IEP or 504 are placed in Academic Support Skills class. English language
learners (ELL) are provided with a non-certified tutor for additional support. The English department has been
working with the literacy specialist to collect student data and analyze student progress during planning period.
As a result, department members make instructional decisions and revise curriculum based on assessments and
student work. When all of the professional staff collects, disaggregates, and analyzes data, the school will make progress in
identifying and responding to inequities in student achievement. (teacher interviews, students, self-study)
Prior to each unit of study, some teachers communicate to students the school’s applicable 21st century
learning expectations and related unit-specific learning goals to be assessed. For example, in social studies, a
teacher posts the unit-specific and 21st century learning expectations on his SMART Board. Some teachers in the
26
English department post the information on their wiki sites and the Multimedia classes have examples of lesson
plans stating the 21st century learning expectations. Many teachers including the art and engineering departments
introduce course-specific learning objectives at the beginning of a unit or lesson. Examples of teachers posting
learning expectation rubrics on their individual teacher websites at the beginning of a course include AP
Psychology and math classes. Other teachers are developing ways of connecting 21st century learning
expectations to each course. However, there is a lack of consistency of this occurring in all classrooms.
Inconsistencies exist across disciplines and as a result, students are not always aware of applicable 21st century learning
expectations and related unit-specific goals to be assessed which may result in less success in the unit of study. (student
work, teacher interviews, students)
Prior to summative assessments most teachers provide students with the corresponding rubrics. Teachers are
providing a rubric for larger summative assignments such as projects, presentations, research papers, group
work, lab reports, and portfolios. Rubrics are used in this manner to provide information and at times, for
grading purposes. Examples of this exist in art, Multimedia, Senior Project in conjunction with the English,
science, world languages, and math departments. Teacher use of rubrics to provide prior information before a
summative assessment is further supported by the students’ response on the Endicott survey. Over 75 percent of
students respond that their teachers use rubrics and a significant majority of students also respond that they
understand the rubrics. The frequent and consistent distribution of rubrics prior to summative assessments ensures that
students are aware of expectations before completing the assessments. (student work, Endicott survey, self-study)
In each unit of study, teachers extensively employ a range of assessment strategies, including formative and
summative assessments. Methods of formative assessment include use of exit slips, warm up questions, “do
now’s”, peer editing, circulating around the classroom, practice of similar activities, homogenous grouping at
ability level, peer questioning, review games, and personal white board activities. Examples of summative
assessments include performance assessments of particular tasks and skills in classes such as music, art, culinary
and engineering; also, portfolios in English, document-based questions, English term papers, pre- and post-tests
in many different classes, midterm and final exams, Senior Projects, community internships, and a culminating
English assignment. Since teachers consistently employ a range of assessment strategies, they are able to evaluate student
mastery and engage in reteaching of concepts when necessary. (classroom observations, teacher interviews, student
shadowing)
Teachers regularly collaborate in formal ways on the creation, analysis, and revision of formative and
summative assessments, including common assessments. The common planning time between core and cotaught classes has been reinstated for the 2014-2015 school year. During this time, teachers collaborate by subject,
grade levels and co-teachers to develop lesson plans, common assessments, and cross-curriculum projects. To
date, no formal expectations have been put on departments for use of this time. Although some elective teachers
do not have a common planning period during the school day to do this, the staff uses after-school meeting time
to create projects and is beginning to align use of school-wide rubrics. In addition at monthly department
meetings, faculty discusses use of formal common assessments and informal assessment strategies that have
shown to be successful in their classes. An example, the English department has worked with a language arts
consultant to develop Smarter Balance modeled assessments that also align with the Common Core State
Standards (CCSS). This allows for ideas to be shared and courses to be aligned. In addition, the board of
education has funded summer curriculum writing to bring curriculum and common assessments in alignment
with CCSS. The common planning period applied to teachers’ schedules this year has created time for teachers to collaborate,
but not formally for formative and summative assessments; however when this time is formalized there will be an increased
opportunity to revise curriculum and to help students meet 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, teacher
interviews, teachers)
Some teachers provide specific, timely, and corrective feedback to ensure students revise and improve their
work. These teachers use feedback on papers, lab reports and independent projects. For examples in English,
students have the ability to rewrite papers that are graded at a “C” or below. Students are also given feedback on
all portfolios and are allowed to rewrite two of their papers at the end of the school year. In math, performance
tasks can be redone to ensure understanding of the application of concepts. In other subjects, test corrections are
practiced on a regular basis. In science some students have access to an online diagnostic self-test to give them
immediate feedback. The student work samples show that corrective feedback is occurring in math, science,
special education, social studies, world languages, and English. However, there is a lack of evidence that it is
happening in the elective areas. While some teachers provide specific, timely, and corrective feedback; the adoption of this
27
process by all teachers across all disciplines will allow for all students to improve their work in all courses. (teacher
interviews, students, teachers)
Many teachers regularly use formative assessment to inform and adapt their instruction for the purpose of
improving student learning. For example, science teachers ask students who are struggling with material to stay
after school for a reteaching session before retaking a test. Several special education teachers use in-class
formative assessments to determine the concepts to be reviewed in academic support and in the numeracy lab.
The literacy coach works with English teachers to analyze assessments and adapt instruction almost on a daily
basis. They use this process to change scope and sequence for future instruction. In the SAIL program, the teacher
makes connections between general education courses to his self-contained classroom to improve student
understanding of concepts and student ability to process information. Throughout the school, many teachers use
formative assessments such as entrance and exit slips, short quizzes, and five minute drills to not only inform
themselves of student difficulties, but to have students self-assess their understanding. The use of formative
assessment is apparent throughout OSHS and allows teachers to identify areas of difficulty for students and drives their
instruction to improve student learning. (teacher interviews, self-study, classroom observations)
Some teachers and administrators, individually and collaboratively, examine a range of evidence of student
learning for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice, including some the
following: student work, common course and common grade-level assessments, individual and school-wide
progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations, standardized assessments, data from
sending schools, receiving schools, and post-secondary institutions, survey data from current students and
alumni. Some teachers now informally use common planning time for analyzing student work, common course
and common grade-level assessments, and standardized assessment data. The math and English departments
post how the common planning time will be used during the week. This allows them to look at student work and
to revise curriculum to improve instructional practice on almost a daily basis. In addition, English portfolios,
from sending schools, allow ninth grade English teachers to determine ability levels of incoming students before
they start the school year. The principal meets with students in large groups to review whole school standardized
test data.. The data results are given to subject area teachers to help plan curriculum and instructional strategies.
The data program INFORM helps track students’ progress throughout their school career. The data is currently
available, but not all teachers are accessing that data. All teachers have received training to use this information,
however there may be a need for further training to be sure all teachers can and do access the data to improve
student learning.. When implemented, this data will be accessible to the entire faculty for the purpose of
identifying trends, revising curriculum, and improving instructional practice. Currently, survey data from alumni
is not collected. Examining a range of evidence of student learning, both individually and collaboratively, for the purpose of
revising curriculum and improving instructional practice is occurring inconsistently in the building which results in a loss
of opportunity for all teachers to improve instructional practice. (teachers, self-study, school leadership)
Formal grading and reporting practices are infrequently reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the
school’s core values and beliefs about learning. The self-study indicates that it is a priority to develop a process
to regularly review the school’s grading and reporting practices to ensure alignment with the school’s core values
and beliefs. The school believes that this is due in part to the recent revision of the core values, the changes in
administration that include three principals in five years, two superintendents and one interim superintendent.
The current mandates in curriculum and instruction by the state department of education has also impacted the
continuity of this process. This has been confirmed as an area of need by the new administration and central
office. When the review and revision of the school’s grading and reporting practices to ensure alignment and improve
student learning is practiced regularly, students will have an enhanced opportunity to achieve the learning expectations.
(self-study, teachers, principal, central office personnel)
Commendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The creation and piloting of school-wide rubrics based on the school’s core values and beliefs
The variety of methods used to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement
The frequent use of providing rubrics to students prior to a summative assessment
The varied summative and formative assessments used to provide students with the opportunity to
showcase their knowledge
The progress of departments that have created, implemented, and analyzed common assessments
28
6.
The teachers in various departments who frequently use formative assessments to adapt instructional
strategies to ensure all students understand concepts
Recommendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Ensure the implementation of a formal process based on school-wide analytic rubrics to assess individual
student progress and school-wide progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations as
soon as possible
Create and implement a formal process for communicating individual student progress to students and
their families, and whole school progress to the school community on achieving the school’s 21st century
learning expectations
Collect, disaggregate, and analyze data from current students and alumni in order to collaboratively
examine evidence for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instruction
Develop and implement in all courses a plan to incorporate and communicate to students the applicable
21st century learning expectations and related unit-specific learning goals prior to each unit
Formalize the common planning time to ensure all teachers collaborate regularly to create, analyze, and
revise formative and summative assessments including common assessments
Develop and implement a plan to analyze individual and school-wide progress in achieving the 21st
century learning expectations
Review and revise grading and reporting practices to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and
beliefs
Support continued professional development for faculty to create challenging curricula that
uses 21st century learning expectations
9. Utilize school-wide rubrics as a reporting tool for individual and school-wide student achievement
10. Ensure that all teachers receive additional training so that they can fully access the INFORM data base
29
SUPPORT STANDARDS
SCHOOL CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP
SCHOOL RESOURCES FOR LEARNING
COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR LEARNING
30
Support Standard
5
School Culture and Leadership
The school culture is equitable and inclusive, and it embodies the school's foundational core values and beliefs about student
learning. It is characterized by reflective, collaborative, and constructive dialogue about research-based practices that support
high expectations for the learning of all students. The leadership of the school fosters a safe, positive culture by promoting
learning, cultivating shared leadership, and engaging all members of the school community in efforts to improve teaching and
learning.
1.
The school community consciously and continuously builds a safe, positive, respectful, and supportive
culture that fosters student responsibility for learning and results in shared ownership, pride, and high
expectations for all.
2.
The school is equitable, inclusive, and fosters heterogeneity where every student over the course of the
high school experience is enrolled in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core course
(English/language arts, social studies, math, science, or world languages).
3.
There is a formal, ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to
the school counselor, who knows the student well and assists the student in achieving the school’s 21st
century learning expectations.
4.
In order to improve student learning through professional development, the principal and professional
staff:
! engage in professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning
! use resources outside of the school to maintain currency with best practices
! dedicate formal time to implement professional development
! apply the skills, practices, and ideas gained in order to improve curriculum, instruction, and
assessment.
5.
School leaders regularly use research-based evaluation and supervision processes that focus on improved
student learning.
6.
The organization of time supports research-based instruction, professional collaboration among teachers,
and the learning needs of all students.
7.
Student load and class size enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students.
8.
The principal, working with other building leaders, provides instructional leadership that is rooted in the
school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations.
9.
Teachers, students, and parents are involved in meaningful and defined roles in decision-making that
promote responsibility and ownership.
10.
Teachers exercise initiative and leadership essential to the improvement of the school and to increase
students’ engagement in learning.
11.
The school board, superintendent, and principal are collaborative, reflective, and constructive in
achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
12.
The school board and superintendent provide the principal with sufficient decision-making authority to
lead the school.
31
Conclusions
The school community continuously builds a safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture that fosters
student responsibility for learning and results in shared ownership, pride, and high expectations for all.
During the 2013-2014 school year, students in conjunction with faculty and staff developed a new school motto:
PRIDE (perseverance, respect, integrity, dedication, excellence) through their student advisory groups. The
PRIDE motto is displayed throughout the school. During interviews, students expressed feeling safe in school,
and in the Endicott survey, 78.4 percent responded positively when asked about feeling safe in school. Students
and teachers frequently discussed the independent studies and internships as opportunities to foster student
responsibility for learning. Fifty-six juniors and seniors are signed up to participate in internships this year
partnering with community businesses for a minimum of a semester. There are numerous Advanced Placement
and Early College Experience courses available to students. In addition, if an Advanced Placement course is not
offered at the school, students are permitted to take it online. Teachers contribute to a positive school culture by
making themselves available to meet with students, advise clubs, and coach sports. Students participate in a
wide range of clubs; over twenty clubs are available and represent a diverse range of interests. The principal is
frequently in the hallways and the cafeteria during lunch greeting students. Several students noted that the
principal knows students by name and is often seen at a variety of events. Students and parents discussed that
the high school does a good job communicating and providing programs to help freshmen and new students
transition to the new environment. Freshman students are taken to Camp Hazen for two days and participate in
team-building activities within the first few weeks of school. The principal and teachers focus on creating a positive
school culture and provide multiple opportunities for student involvement and learning, therefore students feel supported
and show pride in their school. (teachers, students, parents, Endicott survey)
The school is equitable, inclusive and fosters heterogeneity where every student over the course of the high
school experience is enrolled in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core class. Core courses are
leveled with the exception of the first two years of Spanish and French. Because the school requires one credit of
world languages for graduation, this is often the only experience that students have to take a heterogeneously
grouped core course. Students indicated that work in the college prep classes is not nearly as rigorous and does
not require as much work. Teacher interviews indicated that students with individualized education plans
including students in the SAIL and Life Skills programs enroll in core courses such as civics, geography and
biology with modifications and/or paraprofessional support. Perfect Pals (formerly “Best Buddies”) is a popular
student club that fosters friendships between students with disabilities and their high school peers. Forty-seven
students participated last year. Students with disabilities are expected to achieve the school-wide learning
expectations as measured with the school-wide learning rubrics. When an increased number of heterogeneously
grouped core courses are available, more students will be exposed to more equitable and inclusive courses. (teacher
interviews, student work, student shadowing, classroom observations)
There is a formal, ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to the
school counselor, who knows the student well and assists the student in achieving the school’s 21st century
learning expectations. During the 2010-2011 school year, a formal advisor/advisee program was implemented
that meets one or two times per month for thirty minutes. Teachers and students spoke positively about the
program and stated that it provides an opportunity to get to know students that they may not encounter
otherwise. Advisory activities have included developing the new school motto, creating student success plans,
discussions about mental health, bullying, and behavioral expectations. Groups range from 10-12 students and
students remain with the adult advisor for all four years. Students also stated they feel connected to multiple
adults in the building through their academic courses, sports, clubs and activities. Teachers and students both
noted that due to the small size of the school, there is a greater sense of familiarity. There is a standing advisory
committee chaired by the associate principal. This committee meets once a week to determine activities and
themes with student input. Parent feedback on the Endicott survey, indicates only 57 percent of parent
respondents agreed there is a formal advisory program in place. School leaders are looking to increase parent
communication about the goals and activities of the advisory program. Through the implementation of a formal
advisory program, adults and students feel more connected and supported in achieving the 21st century learning
expectations. (self-study, teachers, students)
In order to improve student learning through professional development, the principal and professional staff
engage in informal professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning. They
use resources outside of the school to maintain currency with best practices and dedicate formal time to
implement professional development. The principal and the professional staff apply skills, practices, and
32
ideas gained in order to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment. It is clear that professional
development is a priority district-wide. The board of education members reported they feel there is nothing more
important than providing multiple opportunities for professional development. They recently added seven halfday professional development sessions in addition to six full days. They have prioritized professional
development for paraprofessionals so they can better support students. The district director of curriculum has
coordinated regional professional development for small departments or singleton positions (school counseling,
psychologists, fine arts, etc.) in an effort to create more meaningful opportunities to enhance their practices.
Several teachers indicated they feel supported by administration and central office when seeking professional
development opportunities outside of school. The director of pupil personnel services communicates weekly
about various workshops that might be of interest. The high school master schedule was adjusted to include
common planning time every day for core departments. The principal recognizes the need to formalize this time
by incorporating the use of protocols or structures to look at student work and analyze data to increase student
learning and to develop consistency in grading and instructional practices. As a result of district and building
leadership providing dedicated time and resources for professional development and collaboration, teachers are able to engage
in professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning to improve curriculum, instruction
and assessment. (board of education, teachers, panel presentation)
School leaders regularly use research-based evaluation and supervision processes that focus on improved
student learning. Beginning in the fall of 2013, school leaders use the state-mandated Connecticut System for
Educator Evaluation and Development (SEED) to supervise and evaluate teachers. School leaders must evaluate
teachers based on student learning outcomes and teacher practice and provide an overall rating. This requires
multiple observations, reviews of practice, timely written and verbal feedback, and at least three conferences with
every teacher throughout the year to discuss goal setting, progress on goals and standards of practice. Teachers
recognize this requires a large amount of time for the school leaders. The superintendent sent a letter to all
faculty members in the fall of 2013 assuring them the new process would be collaborative and complimented
administrators and teachers on their positive attitudes. The principal continually reassured teachers that the
process is focused on growth and development to improve student learning. She and the associate principal are
engaging in a process to observe some teachers together, compare write-ups and develop consistency and
alignment in communication with teachers. Professional development was provided for school leaders, and it is a
regular topic of discussion for the District Leadership Team. The supervision process is focused on teacher growth and
development to improve student learning. (self-study, teachers, school leadership)
Old Saybrook High School’s organization of time supports research-based instruction, professional
collaboration among teachers, and the learning needs of all students. The school has implemented common
planning time in the core subjects of science, math, social studies, world languages and English. The Building
Leadership Team stated they enjoy the opportunity to have common planning time. The time allows the core
departments to review curriculum and plan department activities, but it is dependent upon the building specialist
on how this time is used. For example, the math department has created themed days including Movie Monday
(analyze math video clips to use for instruction), Team Tuesday (mentors and mentees meet), Working
Wednesday (working on curriculum), Reflection Thursday, and Free Time Friday. Other departments are not as
organized and structured. The principal has yet to set specific expectations for how the common planning time
needs to be utilized. The principal discussed working with building leaders to create norms, expectations, and
outcomes for common planning time. The core area department leaders stated the literacy specialist frequently
works with core area teachers to either reinforce or pre-teach literacy skills and concepts. The district has set
aside seven half days and six full days for professional development. Topics have included PBIS and
instructional practices. As this process is refined to formalize common planning time, teachers will be able to meet the
learning needs of all students. (panel presentation, teachers, self-study)
Student load and class size enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students. According to
the Endicott survey, 83 percent of students and 56 percent of teachers agree that class size is manageable.
Teachers and students expressed that manageable class size allows them to meet the needs of students. This was
evidenced in a physics class of 17; the teacher was able to check in with each student to assess understanding of
material. According to the enrollment summary, core class sizes are less than 25 students. When class sizes remain
stable and manageable, teachers are better able to meet the learning needs of individual students. (teachers, students,
Endicott survey, self-study)
The principal, working with other building leaders, provides instructional leadership that is rooted in the
school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. The principal models and lives the core values found in
33
the school’s mission. Teachers stated that the principal is concerned with developing the whole child. This is
illustrated by her strong connections with students and the school’s connection with Youth and Family Services.
She continues to support the work of the existing advisory program and, along with other district leadership, has
developed a goal of 100 percent student involvement in a co-curricular activity. New this school year, there is a
full-time director of athletics and activities whose goal is to support this endeavor. Students and staff both noted
her visibility in the building and knowing every student’s name. Given that the principal’s focus has been
primarily on school climate and building relationships, she stated she feels ready to begin focusing on
improvement efforts in the areas of curriculum, instruction and assessment as evidenced in the two- and five-year
plans. Because the principal has made a focus of building relationships and organizing structures she provides
instructional leadership that is rooted in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. (teachers, school
leadership, classroom observations, students)
Teachers, students, and parents are involved in meaningful and defined roles in decision-making that
promote responsibility and ownership. Although the Endicott survey indicates that only 33.8 percent of
students and 56.1 percent of parents feel they have input in important decisions made at the school, there is
evidence to support an increased number of opportunities. The board of education includes two student
representatives. Their responsibilities include sharing celebrations, giving reports about school events and
activities, and providing feedback, but they do not vote. The principal and the superintendent have a student
advisory committee that meets monthly during which they discuss information about the school and solicit
feedback from students about activities and issues. This committee represents a diverse range of students so they
can better understand how all students are feeling about the school. The development of the district-wide
strategic plan that took place from 2010-2012, included seven action teams comprised of students, parents,
teachers, school and district leaders and community members. These teams met over the course of two years to
discuss needs and develop action plans in the areas of assessment of programs, communication, social and
emotional needs, data and differentiated instruction, character education, critical thinking, and personal success
plans. In addition, parents, teachers and students comprised the make-up of the NEASC self-study committees
on each of the seven standards. The principal is working more closely with the Parent-Teacher Organization and
beginning to develop a Parent Advisory Board to look at various issues connected to the school. Students,
teachers, and parents serve on multiple school and district committees. For example students and parents are
included on interview committees throughout district. Because teachers, students, and parents are provided with
opportunities to be involved in meaningful and defined roles in decision-making, responsibility and ownership is promoted.
(teachers, self-study, Endicott survey)
Teachers exercise initiative and leadership essential to the improvement of the school and to increase
students’ engagement in learning. Evidenced in school documentation, teachers are given the opportunity to
create and develop new classes. A new science class called Veterinary Science was developed and currently
offered according to the program of studies. Teachers are encouraged to create and develop new clubs and
activities. Teachers reported that one of the school goals includes 100 percent student involvement in cocurricular activities. As evidenced in a student shadow, the school psychologist visited an academic support class
and sat with individual students to ask what clubs or activities they were involved in. Teachers feel strongly that
when a personal invitation is extended to a student, he/she will be more likely to join as evidenced during the
parent interview when the choir teacher sought out his son to join chorus. There are various school and district
committees that provide opportunities for teachers to assist in decision-making such as district strategic planning
and the school scheduling committee. Teachers feel supported to attend outside professional development, but
may not always formally report back what they have learned with their colleagues. At present, there are several
teacher leadership roles that include building specialists, Building Leadership Team, K through 12 district
coordinators, Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) mentors and various committee chairs. The principal
has acknowledged expanding the role of the Building Leadership Team to improve instructional practice. A
committee of teachers has led the effort in developing a Positive Behavioral Intervention and Strategies
framework. While planning the second year training schedule it was decided that re-teaching some of the year
one training would be the most effective way to move the process forward. There are multiple opportunities for
teachers to exercise initiative and leadership essential to the improvement of the school and to increase student engagement in
learning. (self-study, teachers, school leadership)
34
The school board, superintendent, and principal are collaborative, reflective, and constructive in achieving the
school’s 21st century learning expectations. The relationships between and among the board of education,
superintendent, and building principal are supportive and collaborative. The board feels strongly that their role
is not to micro-manage building level decisions but to oversee district policy, support building leaders and focus
on creating the best environment for students. The principal states that she feels very supported by the board and
the superintendent. Efforts to collaborate include overseeing the hiring of building leaders, approval of
curriculum and textbooks, and the development of the district strategic plan. The principal noted that several
board members are parents of current students, so they are often involved at the school level in a variety of ways.
The principal sees the superintendent as her supervisor and her mentor. She often seeks her out for advice or
feedback on decisions. In addition, the principal and the superintendent share a student advisory committee to
disseminate information and gather information from students to better understand the student perspective of
the school. The superintendent values communication among district leaders as evidenced in weekly District
Leadership Team meetings. Minutes from all district level meetings are shared with everyone in the district. The
board of education, the superintendent, and the principal are collaborative, reflective and constructive and are focused on
student achievement of the 21st century learning expectations. (board of education, principal, self-study)
The school board and superintendent provide the principal with sufficient decision-making authority to lead
the school. The school board has clearly defined responsibilities for the principal in its job description in the
areas of relationships, instructional leadership, organizational materials, communication and inter-personal
relations and professional growth and leadership. The principal stated that the board of education and the
superintendent provide her with the ability to make building decisions to support the mission and learning
expectations of the school. In the principal’s short tenure, her focus has been on establishing relationships with
building stakeholders. Faculty and students concur that she is focused on creating a positive school climate with
the continuation of advisory, goal setting around 100 percent student involvement in a co-curricular activity and
clear communication about student and teacher expectations. Although the principal has not made major
changes in instructional practices in the short time she has been principal, she in consultation with the Building
Leadership Team, have determined two- and five-years goals that involve curriculum, instruction and
assessment. The principal feels she has laid the groundwork in building strong relationships with faculty and
students to begin this instructional work. She expresses confidence that the board of education and the
superintendent will support her in moving these goals forward. The board of education relies heavily on input
from the District Leadership Team of which the principal is a member when reviewing and amending district
policy (budget, attendance, evaluation). The board of education and superintendent provide the principal with sufficient
decision-making ability, which allows for programs to be implemented that directly affect student achievement and school
culture. (school leadership, board of education, self-study)
Commendations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
The positive school culture that fosters a safe, respectful, and supportive environment
The highly developed sense of school pride
The inclusion of all students in a variety of academic and social opportunities
The increased dedicated professional development time throughout the school year
The administrative support for continuous improvement through professional development
The collaboration between the principal and the associate principal in providing consistent feedback to
better support teachers and to create a sense of equity
The collaboration between the principal and associate principal models expectations for common
assessment, common expectations, and common evaluations
The creation of common planning time for core departments
The inclusion of a literacy specialist and numeracy specialist to support students
The multiple opportunities for students and parents to having meaningful and defined roles in decisionmaking
The efforts to ensure 100 percent student involvement in co-curricular activities
The transparency of discussions and actions at district meetings
The professional, collaborative, and constructive atmosphere among district leaders
35
14. The Old Saybrook Board of Education’s continuous financial support of opportunities for teachers to
attend professional conferences/meetings
Recommendations:
1.
2.
3.
Regularly communicate with parents the goals of advisory sessions and offer opportunities for input
Develop formalized protocols and accountability mechanisms for common planning time
Develop and implement a process that ensures challenging academic experiences for all students across
all levels of the curriculum
4.
5.
Ensure the organization of time supports professional collaboration amongst all departments
Develop a formalized process where by teachers share information from outside professional
development opportunities
Provide professional development training for new technology
Design professional development that meets the current and future demands of technology use
6.
7.
36
Support Standard
6 School Resources for Learning Student learning and well-being are dependent upon adequate and appropriate support. The school is responsible for
providing an effective range of coordinated programs and services. These resources enhance and improve student learning
and well-being and support the school's core values and beliefs. Student support services enable each student to achieve the
school's 21st century learning expectations.
1.
The school has timely, coordinated, and directive intervention strategies for all students, including
identified and at-risk students that support each student’s achievement of the school’s 21st century
learning expectations.
2.
The school provides information to families, especially to those most in need, about available student
support services.
3.
Support services staff use technology to deliver an effective range of coordinated services for each
student.
4.
School counseling services have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff
who:
! deliver a written, developmental program
! meet regularly with students to provide personal, academic, career, and college counseling
! engage in individual and group meetings with all students
! deliver collaborative outreach and referral to community and area mental health agencies and social
service providers
! use ongoing, relevant assessment data, including feedback from the school community, to improve
services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
5.
The school's health services have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff
who:
! provide preventative health services and direct intervention services
! use an appropriate referral process
! conduct ongoing student health assessments
! use ongoing, relevant assessment data, including feedback from the school community, to improve
services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
6.
Library/media services are integrated into curriculum and instructional practices and have an adequate
number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who:
! are actively engaged in the implementation of the school's curriculum
! provide a wide range of materials, technologies, and other information services in support of the
school's curriculum
! ensure that the facility is available and staffed for students and teachers before, during, and after
school
! are responsive to students' interests and needs in order to support independent learning
! conduct ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school community, to
improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
7.
Support services for identified students, including special education, Section 504 of the ADA, and English
language learners, have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who:
!
collaborate with all teachers, counselors, targeted services, and other support staff in order to achieve
37
!
!
the school's 21st century learning expectations
provide inclusive learning opportunities for all students
perform ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school community, to
improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
Conclusions
Old Saybrook High School has timely, coordinated, and directive intervention strategies for all students
including identified and at-risk students that support each student’s achievement of the school’s 21st century
learning expectations. During professional development time at the beginning of the school year, teachers attend
group meetings for students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) to go over modifications,
accommodations and strategies. These group meetings go above and beyond the traditional Planning and
Placement Team meeting (PPT). Old Saybrook High School has organized a Student Intervention Team (SIT) in
order to address the demands of Scientific Research-Based Intervention (SRBI). The SIT that consists of the
principal, assistant principal, counselors, school psychologists, school nurse, the school resource officer,, and
regular education teachers, meets weekly. The Director of Special Education is invited and attends if scheduling
allows. The purpose of the SIT is to identify and address strategies for students considered at risk. The process of
teacher referral and collaborative intervention has been an effective strategy in early identification of at-risk
students. SRBI interventions include SRBI English and math classes. Students in grades 10-12 not identified by
SIT that achieve a 78 percent average in all courses attend “privileged” study hall either in the library media
center (LMC) or cafeteria. Those who fall below this standard attend academic study hall where choice of location
is more restricted, the program is more structured, and a teacher pass is required to use the services of the LMC.
While administrators and teachers believe that the strategies are effective, there is no formal data to support these
conclusions. Because of the successful implementation of SRBI programs and the effectiveness of programs, student and
families can be assured that Old Saybrook High School is working to address educational, social, and emotional needs of
students so they can be successful in meeting the school’s learning expectations. (teacher interviews, school leadership,
classroom observations)
Old Saybrook High School seeks to provide information to all families, especially to those most in need about
available student support services. Results of the Endicott survey show that 80 percent of parents agree that Old
Saybrook High School provides information to the vast majority of families. The survey also shows that the
majority of parents are fully aware of the goals set forth in the advisory program. Parents are made aware of
available student services through direct mailings through the U.S. mail, email through PowerSchool and
Naviance, and phone calls through School Messenger. New students and parents receive an information packet
detailing economical insurance plans, and free and reduced lunch benefits. Students and parents also receive
grade appropriate mailings detailing dates for PSAT, SAT and ACT testing, College and Vocational Fair, the
College Planning Process meeting for seniors and their parents, and the Eighth Grade Open House. Families are
also informed of the Post-Secondary Transition Services at an information session where numerous state agencies
that focus on intellectual and developmental disabilities are available to discuss transitional support for
intellectually challenged students. All of these examples of contact also include information as to whether or not
families should expect follow-up individualized communication when applicable. Because of the pervasive and
consistent mailing, emailing, and personal contact, families, especially those most in need, can be assured that Old Saybrook
High School provides information about available student support services that support the individual achievement of each
student. (parents, Endicott survey, students)
Technology is used to effectively deliver services in a variety of ways, and support services staff has
demonstrated a wide range of efforts to explore new areas of technology, although areas remain where
technological capacity could be increased. Student support services staff members have shown a commitment to
the use of technology to more effectively support the needs of students, and in many cases have proven to be
leaders in this area. Health services have recently implemented the addition of student medical notifications in
PowerSchool, which are updated regularly, enabling all teaching staff to be responsive to a student’s particular
medical needs on a daily basis. Teacher interviews have affirmed that this is a welcome development that helps
meet students’ educational needs. The library media specialist has been proactive as a facilitator for incorporating
technology into classroom teaching, as exemplified by a recent unit she co-facilitated with the social studies
building specialist. In this unit, the teachers shared excerpts from a particular history book with the students,
and the culminating activity was a Skype conversation with the book’s author. Counseling has recently adopted
Naviance eDocs as a means of facilitating the transitional planning process more quickly and efficiently, which will
address the needs of a student population in which the great majority is involved in the college application
38
process. Interviews with parents have evidenced the need to accommodate a large number of college applicants
each fall, and this technology has proven to be effective in increasing staff capacity to serve students. And finally,
special education staff has begun to employ the IEP Direct software system that allows them to streamline the
process of tracking students. The use of technology by support services staff will continue to streamline processes and help
students achieve 21st century learning expectations. (classroom observations, teacher interviews, panel presentation)
Old Saybrook High School’s counseling services have an adequate number of certified/ licensed personnel
and support staff who deliver a written, developmental program by design, who in some areas meet regularly
with students to deliver personal, academic, career, and college counseling, formally engage in individual and
group meetings with all students, frequently deliver collaborative outreach and referral to community and
area mental health agencies and social service providers, collectively use ongoing, relevant assessment data to
improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Old
Saybrook High School consists of 474 students and two counselors: a ratio of 245:1, which is within the
commission guidelines. School psychologists visit academic support classes to converse with students with
regularity as supported by teachers. Counselors deliver developmental guidance lessons focused on
social/emotional and academic goal setting and growth. Counselors also organize a College Fair Night once a
year, and a Vocational Fair night once a year. Through the counseling department, Old Saybrook High School has
developed a contractual relationship with the town’s Youth and Family Services to facilitate community outreach
for health and social services. Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services also conduct an asset survey to
determine the personal needs of students to inform the community services for youth. Old Saybrook High School
also administers the BASC-2 BESS universally and uses the data to determine future services needed. The school
counseling services also face several challenges. Counselors spend a great deal of time working with the
emotional needs of students in responsive counseling, and students report that they visit counselors for emotional
counseling more often than the school psychologists. Parents have also expressed through interviews that they
believe that students must seek out counselor support for transition planning and college assistance, and
frequently have reported that the counselors are overwhelmed with their student load. Lastly, the Endicott
survey shows that a majority of students do not agree that they meet regularly with counselors, while a majority
of faculty feel that the students do. Because of the development and implementation of the advisory program community
outreach efforts, and the use of mental health evaluations, the students and their families can be assured that Old Saybrook
High School is working to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of all student, however access to counseling
services may limit student ability to achieve their 21st century learning expectations. (school support staff, student
shadowing, board of education, self-study)
The school’s health services effectively meet the needs of students. Staffing is adequate and a process is in
place that enables students’ individual health issues to be observed and identified, then referred and tracked.
The school’s health services office is staffed full time by licensed staff members, and has demonstrated the
capacity to address all students’ daily health needs, students’ needs are also significantly addressed by the nurse’s
participation on the Student Intervention Team (SIT). This group, which is comprised of the nurse, principal,
associate principal, counselors, school psychologist, school resource officer and regular education teachers, meets
regularly to identify and develop strategies for at-risk students. The nurse’s participation in this wide-reaching
group ensures that student health needs are addressed broadly and individually.
Preventative services are evidenced by scoliosis and vision screenings administered each fall to all 9th grade
students. Athletic-related preventative services such as concussion awareness are addressed through school
sports programs and facilitated by the athletic director, who organizes a yearly concussion-awareness meeting for
athletes and their families. The school nurse, who follows a doctor’s protocol and communicates the student’s
care needs to teachers, provides the actual care and monitoring of concussion victims. Students are seen regularly
through office visits: office logs show that 25-30 students visit per day on average. These visits allow the nurse to
engage students in proactive preventative health services. The referral process is conducted on a case-by-case
basis, and is a component of the SIT meetings, where appropriate individual directives for student health needs
are agreed on. This process is also a component of ongoing health assessments. These assessments of issues such
as asthma are also conducted and monitored via student office visits, providing data that may reveal issues of
concern. This process was referred to as “evidence-based practice.” Data that might affect a student’s academic
performance is communicated to classroom teachers in a variety of ways, including through PowerSchool, which
is a recent advancement for the health office and has been received positively by staff. Because staffing is adequate,
the school’s health services office is able to meet the needs of all students so they can achieve the school’s 21st century learning
expectations. (school support staff, facility tour, panel presentation)
39
Library/media services have an adequate number of certified personnel who is integrated into the many parts
of the school’s curriculum, responding effectively to students’ and teachers’ interests and needs. The LMS
provides an array of print and electronic materials, as well as an important study space that is equipped to
meet 21st century learning expectations. The library media center (LMC) is a busy learning environment staffed
by a professional who is proactive about serving students’ information needs and implementing the school’s
curriculum. The LMC has one full-time certified media specialist and one non-certified assistant who are
available for part of the day. Teachers in a variety of disciplines have done collaborative units with the library,
units that have become an integral part of the curriculum. Such units include a visit from a book illustrator as part
of an art unit and research training for all 9th grade students, a visit from an astronomer as part of a science
research unit, the creation of a multimedia book trailer with English classes, and a digital citizenship unit taught
with the Multimedia class. There are research components embedded in the school’s curriculum, though not all
teachers directly involve the library in research.
The LMC provides a wide range of materials to support learning. Students expressed satisfaction with the quality
of the LMC’s fiction holdings, which were observed to include current and popular titles. Electronic databases are
also made available to students. In addition to being a primary resource for helping students use Connecticut’s
iConn research database, the LMC has recently added a subscription to an additional multi-disciplinary research
database, thus providing students with a depth of quality electronic information resources. In response to stated
teacher needs, it is now in the process of subscribing to a streaming video service designed to enhance classroom
content. The LMC also partners in various literacy programs such as the Summer Reading Program and “Book
Chat.”
The LMC is open for students in individual or classroom groups from 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. allowing students
access both before and after school hours. The library houses a computer lab that is in demand by classes, and
scheduled by library staff. Students state that the library media specialist is responsive, and students feel the
facility is welcoming. Some students have expressed a concern on some recent study hall restrictions initiated to
reduce eating and disruptive behavior in the LMC. This development is currently under discussion, although it is
intended to meet students’ needs in support of independent learning by maintaining an atmosphere conducive to
study.
Assessment of the school’s information needs is conducted in both formal and informal ways. Usage statistics are
compiled and reported, and through this, the currency and usefulness of library materials is evaluated.
Scheduling logs for the computer labs are reviewed to help determine technology needs of students and teachers.
Collection development is also facilitated in an informal manner through emails and conversations with staff and
students. The LMC was observed completing a materials order requested by a teacher in conversation. The school
is small enough that email and one-on-one conversations are an effective means of determining the needs of staff
and students. Because of its role as a provider of access to information, the library media center can continue to provide
resources and technology to all students during and beyond school hours in order to ensure that each student achieves 21st
century learning expectations. (classroom observations, teacher interviews, school support staff)
Old Saybrook High School has support services for identified students, including special education, Section
504 of the ADA, and English language learners, have an adequate number of certified/ licensed personnel and
support staff who collaborate with all teachers, counselors, targeted services, and other support staff in order
to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations across the school, provide inclusive learning
opportunities for all students extensively, and perform ongoing assessment using relevant data frequently.
Old Saybrook High School currently has an adequate number of certified personnel and support staff for
identified students. Students identified under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have an Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) developed by a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) and attend one Academic Support
class where skills, homework, and classwork support are focused upon. Two psychologists service 27 students
with counseling goals as part of their IEPs and 10 students who require counseling as part of their 504s.
Counselors also case manage all 48 students with 504s. A part-time English language learner tutor (ELL) works
with four students over two periods a day. This tutor does not work under the supervision of a certified ELL staff
member. Support staff reviews all 504 and IEP students collaboratively as a school community in order to discuss
accommodation, modifications, and strategies. Services are also targeted through Student Intervention Team.
School leadership and staff have designed an alternative education program for students with emotional, and
behavioral concerns called SAIL with the intention to reintegrate students with their non-disabled peers. Students
in this program attend a shortened day, and take their core classes within the SAIL program. Older students have
40
a required work component. They attend electives and other classes with the regular population. Old Saybrook
High School has also designed and implemented a Life Skills program for students with intellectual disabilities.
This program has a dedicated classroom with a full kitchen, and laundry room. All students in each of these
programs attend a portion of their classes with the general population of Old Saybrook High School. 504s and
IEPs are updated on a yearly basis using data sheets provided by teachers as is required by law. Because of the
sufficient level of support, the initiative shown in the creation of the SAIL and Life Skills programs, and the ongoing use of
data to inform appropriate modifications and accommodations students and families can be assured that Old Saybrook High
School has appropriately developed support services for students, including special education, and under 504 of the ADA,
which will allow for the achievement of transition goals, and the attainment of the school’s 21st century learning expectations.
(self-study, school support staff, student shadowing, classroom observations, school leadership)
Commendations:
1.
The development of an effective SIT procedure that included multiple stake-holders ensuring all
professionals working with students understand the specific needs of those students
2. The use of effective communication tools to provide information to families of available support services
3. The outreach to families when social and health concerns arise
4. The increased use of Naviance, PowerSchool, eDocs and other technology to inform all stakeholders
5. The effective delivery of advisory lessons in a group setting in order to help students with coping skills
and transition plans
6. The inclusion of community service providers for the delivery of services in order to broaden the level of
services provided by Old Saybrook High School
7. The extensive collaborative referral system to mental health agencies
8. The universal use of the BASC-2 BESS as relevant assessment data to improve services and to ensure each
student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations
9. The Book Chat literacy event to provide a stimulating experience for students
10. The development and implementation of in-house alternative education programs such as SAIL and Life
Skills
Recommendations:
1. Develop consistent criteria to transition students in and out of SIT
2. Increase the means of communication to families through alternate and modernized means to inform
them about subjects such as advisory
3. Assess and review each support services including using feedback from the school community to ensure
the needs of all students are being met
4. Ensure transitional health services from all sending schools
5. Continue to utilize SAIL and Life Skills programs to assist identified students in the attainment of the
school’s 21st century learning expectations
41
Support Standard
7
Community Resources for Learning
The achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations requires active community, governing board, and parent
advocacy. Through dependable and adequate funding, the community provides the personnel, resources, and facilities to
support the delivery of curriculum, instruction, programs, and services.
1.
The community and the district's governing body provide dependable funding for:
! a wide range of school programs and services
! sufficient professional and support staff
! ongoing professional development and curriculum revision
! a full range of technology support
! sufficient equipment
! sufficient instructional materials and supplies.
2.
The school develops, plans, and funds programs:
! to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and school plant
! to properly maintain, catalogue, and replace equipment
! to keep the school clean on a daily basis.
3.
The community funds and the school implements a long-range plan that addresses:
! programs and services
! enrollment changes and staffing needs
! facility needs
! technology
! capital improvements.
4.
Faculty and building administrators are actively involved in the development and implementation of the
budget.
5.
The school site and plant support the delivery of high quality school programs and services.
6.
The school maintains documentation that the physical plant and facilities meet all applicable federal and
state laws and are in compliance with local fire, health, and safety regulations.
7.
All professional staff actively engages parents and families as partners in each student’s education and
reach out specifically to those families who have been less connected with the school.
8.
The school develops productive parent, community, business, and higher education partnerships that
support student learning.
42
Conclusions
The community and the district’s governing body provide dependable funding for a wide range of school
programs and services, sufficient professional and support staff, ongoing professional development and
curriculum revision, a full range of technology support, sufficient equipment and instructional materials. The
community and board of education (BOE) have provided quality funding of Old Saybrook High School for the
past twenty years. As a result the school has been able to fund a variety of school programs and services. Over the
last three years, for example, the OSHS budget has increased from $4,822,495.50 (2011-2012) to $5,028,652.00
(2013-2014). Two years ago funding was allocated to add a full-time school resource officer. The teacher-student
ratio is 1:17, illustrating a dedication to small class sizes. Sufficient funds have been directed to professional
development via full and half-day professional development days, reflecting a commitment by the BOE and the
community to ensure a trained staff. The OSHS staff has cited consistent financial support for attending outside
conferences. Additional funding has been allocated to summer curriculum writing. There has been growth over
the past three years in the amount of funding for technology. The school has been provided sufficient equipment
and instructional materials, as evidenced by a 3-Dimensional printer, the engineering lab upgrades, software
upgrades, and more. Dependable funding provided by the BOE and the Old Saybrook community supports achievement of
the school’s 21st learning expectations. (teacher interviews, board of education, self-study)
The school develops, plans and funds programs to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and
school plant, to properly maintain, catalogue and replace equipment, to keep the school clean on a daily basis.
The head custodian and director of operations, maintenance and finance have developed and maintain a planned
maintenance schedule, and short-and long-term maintenance is part of the strategic plan. All custodial personal
have received appropriate professional training in safety, OSHA and HAZMAT policies and procedures for
compliance with local, state and federal regulations. The head custodian and central office maintain records and
logs of equipment and required inspections and maintenance, and complies with all directives as may be issued
by various inspection officials. The teachers and staff report that requests for repairs, which are typically made
informally and formally and are quickly responded to. The building, though old, is exceptionally clean and
maintained. At the end of the year, all major facility equipment is inventoried and catalogued. The custodial and
maintenance staff is comprised of a head custodian present during the school day, another custodian from 12:00
to 8:30 p.m., and two additional custodians from 2:30 to 11:00 p.m. The staff is available for major projects and
after-hours work. Four additional part-time workers work during the summer, and the district retains a full-time
groundskeeper. A properly maintained school facility provides students an environment that is conducive to learning,
makes them feel welcomed and respected, and provides them with an environment to achieve the learning expectations set
forward by the school community. (teacher interviews, facility tour, self-study)
The community funds and the school implements a long-range plan that addresses programs and services,
enrollment changes, staffing needs, facility needs, technology, and capital improvements. The district engaged
in a strategic planning process in 2010 that addressed programs, services, staffing needs, facility needs, and
technology and capital improvements. The planning team was comprised of students, BOE members, district and
school staff, and members of the community. The resulting strategic plan is specific and detailed, and clearly
outlines a vision and path forward for the school. Certain technology infrastructure lagged behind, but recent
focus on wiring and cabling will allow for the addition of more computers for students. A majority of faculty (59.6
percent) believes there are sufficient computers for students, and the strategic plan addresses the needs for
additional technology. School security has been upgraded by the creation of a single-entry front entryway. The
community has provided sufficient funding for implementation of the strategic plan. Each member of the District
Leadership Team (DLT) is responsible for implanting one facet of the plan, which is a regular topic of DLT
meetings. Recent major renovations were completed in 2007, adding additional instructional space, new band and
chorus rooms, new science labs, and many other upgrades to the existing facility. Internal space was reconfigured
to allow the addition of a counseling suite. The community funds, and the school implements a long-range plan that
addresses quality programs and services, adapts to changes in enrollment and staffing needs, commits extensive funding to
facility and capital improvement demands. However, the number of computers available to students, along with network
instability, in the process of being addressed is not sufficient to fully meet students to meet the 21st century learning
expectations. (teacher interviews, self-study, Endicott survey)
Faculty and building administrators are actively involved in the development and implementation of the
budget. The budget process begins mid-October when the principal receives guidance from central office. This
guidance is given to various departments and building specialists for development with their teachers, and then
43
all requests are sent back to the principal for review and prioritization. The budget is then submitted to the
central office. Many teachers report that the administration is responsive to budgetary requests. The principal
then meets with the superintendent to review the principal’s requests, which are then incorporated into the
district budget. The board of education reports the principals have always submitted “responsible” budgets.
Once approved by the board of education, the budget then goes to referendum in May. As a result of an inclusive
budgetary process, teachers and building administrators believe their opinions are valued which facilitates the delivery of
high quality educational opportunities for students. (teacher interviews, board of education, self-study, school
leadership)
The school site and plant support the delivery of high quality school programs and services. Constructed in
the 1968, the building underwent major renovation that was completed in December 2007. The renovation began
following the 2004 NEASC visit. Additions to the school include seven new science rooms and labs, a new music
and chorus portion, and a guidance suite, with renovations to the main office suite, fine arts classrooms, world
languages classrooms, and upgrades to the auditorium and library. Many other, smaller upgrades were also
made, such as new student lockers, resurfaced floors, upgraded doors, refurbished bleachers, and more.
Additional upgrades, currently being completed, include new tennis courts, an outdoor track, and a turf field. A
substantial majority (94.9 percent) of parents believe the school facility adequately supports programs and
services. A high quality school site and plant, a result of continued upgrades and renovations to the school site, make
possible the attainment of high quality instruction and 21st century learning expectations. (teacher interviews, Endicott
survey, self-study, parents, facility tour)
The school maintains documentation that the physical plant and facilities meet all applicable federal and state
laws and are in compliance with local fire, health and safety regulations. The head custodian and principal
maintain local records of inspections and safety reviews, with originals forwarded to the central office.
Maintenance of fire alarms, fire extinguishers, adequate disposal of chemicals and other hazardous materials, are
logged appropriately and in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. Annual and impromptu
inspections are logged, with record of responsive actions maintained at multiple sites. Fire extinguishers are
inspected annually and replaced on a scheduled basis, with inspection tags updated on the extinguisher. The Fire
Marshall inspects the facility regularly, with remediation made promptly and records maintained by the head
custodian and central office. Interior climate can vary, with some classrooms experiencing high moisture,
resulting in slick floors, especially on the second floor. All new additions to the building are ADA compliant.
Unsafe conditions or equipment are reported to the head custodian via informal and formal means and are
addressed in a timely and efficient fashion. Because of the school’s compliance with local, state, and federal fire, safety
and health regulations as documented in multiple and redundant locations, an effective environment, conducive to
attainment of the school’s strategic goals are created. (teacher interviews, Endicott survey, facility tour, parents, central
office personnel)
All professional staff actively engages parents and families as partners in each student’s education and reach
out specifically to those families who have been less connected with the school. OSHS runs established
programs such as Open House and Report Card Nights in the first and third marking periods, and an Open
House for prospective 9th grade students in the second semester of each year. Teachers reach out to parents via
email, phone calls, progress reports and comments. Parents and staff are involved in co-curricular activities and
clubs. Parents are actively involved in the Parent-Teacher Organization, the athletic RAM Boosters, Music
Boosters, and the Grad Night Committee. Automated messages are made to parents and families via School
Messenger. Parents specifically mention the electronic message board maintained near the road at the front of the
building as being a valuable source of information. The principal runs a Twitter feed to connect with students
and families about special events and occasions. Every faculty member is asked to to maintain an active wiki page
to post assignments and connect with students, parents, and families. PowerSchool and wiki pages allow parent
access to student and teacher records and grade books. Families without computer access (as determined by a
systematic attempt to identify parents’ preferred method of communication) are sent direct mailings, and
contacted personally by phone. The student handbook is provided to every student and the school’s website is
updated on a regular and frequent basis. Due to staff use of multiple methods of communication, parents and families are
able to actively engage in each student’s education and facilitate attainment of the school’s learning expectations. (teacher
interviews, Endicott survey, parents, self-study)
The school develops productive parent, community, business and higher education partnerships that support
student learning. The school-to-career program has grown significantly over the past several years, and to date
56 students are actively involved in internship programs. Approximately 60 businesses and organizations in the
44
community have partnered with the school. The tech education department partners with the military and area
businesses to design and build a student-operated submarine that competes bi-annually in a governmentsponsored competition. Individual networks and liaisons are in place, including the Rotary-sponsored Interact
Club, Perfect Pals, REACH Team, Goodwin Buddies. The community provides approximately $100,000 in
scholarships yearly, and students have the option to engage in community-sponsored activities such as Summer
Stock Theater, Tracy Art Center Programs, Health Community Healthy Youth-Camp Hazen Freshman Retreat,
and many other youth initiatives. The Youth and Family Services Department provides emotional and other
support for students and families. The town provides a full-time school resource officer dedicated to supporting
the school community. Students in the Life Skills program work in local business as part of a work-readiness
program. Academic programs have been made available in the past through Wesleyan University, and the
school participates in Project-Lead-The-Way through UCONN’s School of Engineering, Advanced Placement
courses, and ad hoc Summer Enrichment Programs. The school’s many partnerships with community organizations, the
University of Connecticut, and local businesses serve to enrich the educational program to provide needed resources, to
support student learning, and to reflect the core values, beliefs, and expectations of the entire school community. (teacher
interviews, parents, self-study, Endicott survey)
Commendations:
1. The community’s consistent and long-standing support of the school district’s annual budget
2. The additions and revisions to the school facility
3. The collaborative budget process
4. The funding for summer curriculum writing and revision
5. The consistent funding of supplies, equipment, and instructional materials, as well as providing for all
sports and extracurricular activities
6. The open communication between and among administrators, staff members, parents and students
7. The wide range of school programs and services
8. The school site and plant that supports the delivery of quality school programs and services
9. The exceptional level of cleanliness of the facility
10. The school’s highly productive relationship with the business community and town government
Recommendations:
1. Develop a plan for the installation of proper humidity controls to ensure the safety of all members of the
school community
2. Renovate the existing bathroom facilities to ensure adequate handicap accessibility
3. Review and improve the technological infrastructure to improve stability and reliability, and insure
utilization of current technology practices in the classroom
FOLLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITIES
45
This comprehensive evaluation report reflects the findings of the school's self-study and those of the
visiting committee. It provides a blueprint for the faculty, administration, and other officials to use to
improve the quality of programs and services for the students of Old Saybrook High School. The
faculty, school committee, and superintendent should be apprised by the building administration
yearly of progress made addressing visiting committee recommendations.
Since it is in the best interest of the students that the citizens of the district become aware of the
strengths and limitations of the school and suggested recommendations for improvement, the
Committee requires that the evaluation report be made public in accordance with the Committee's
Policy on Distribution, Use, and Scope of the Visiting Committee Report.
A school's continued accreditation is based on satisfactory progress implementing valid
recommendations of the visiting committee and others identified by the Committee as it monitors the
school's progress and changes, which occur at the school throughout the decennial cycle. To monitor
the school's progress in the Follow-Up Program the Committee requires that the principal of Old
Saybrook High School submit routine Two- and Five-Year Progress Reports documenting the current
status of all evaluation report recommendations, with particular detail provided for any
recommendation which may have been rejected or those items on which no action has been taken. In
addition, responses must be detailed on all recommendations highlighted by the Committee in its
notification letters to the school. School officials are expected to have completed or be in the final
stages of completion of all valid visiting committee recommendations by the time the Five-Year
Progress Report is submitted. The Committee may request additional Special Progress Reports if one
or more of the Standards are not being met in a satisfactory manner or if additional information is
needed on matters relating to evaluation report recommendations or substantive changes in the school.
To ensure that it has current information about the school, the Committee has an established Policy on
Substantive Change requiring that principals of member schools report to the Committee within sixty
days (60) of occurrence any substantive change, which negatively impacts, on the school's adherence to
the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. The report of substantive change must describe the
change itself and detail any impact, which the change has had on the school's ability to meet the
Standards for Accreditation. The Committee's Substantive Change Policy is included in the Appendix
on page 56. All other substantive changes should be included in the Two- and Five-Year Progress
Reports and/or the Annual Report, which is required of each member school to ensure that the
Committee office has current statistical data on the school.
The Committee urges school officials to establish a formal follow-up program at once to review and
implement all findings of the self-study and valid recommendations identified in the evaluation report.
An outline of the Follow-Up Program is available in the Committee’s Accreditation Handbook, which was
given to the school at the onset of the self-study. Additional direction regarding suggested procedures
and reporting requirements is provided at Follow-Up Seminars offered by Committee staff following
the on-site visit.
The Visiting Committee wishes to express its appreciation to the administration and staff of Old
Saybrook High School for the hospitality extended to the Committee during our visit. Everyone in the
school community was welcoming and gratuitous.
46
APPENDIX A
Old Saybrook High School
NEASC Accreditation Visit
September 21-24, 2014
Visiting Committee
Philip Conrad
Rockport Middle/High School
Rockport, MA 01966
Andrew Rockett, Assistant Chair
Rockville High School
Vernon, CT
Eileen Eustis
Simsbury High School
Simsbury, CT 06070
Barbara Gilbert
Colchester Public Schools
Colchester, CT 06415
Helene Lavigueur
Windsor Locks High School
Windsor Locks, CT 06096
Rufus De Rham
Housatonic Valley Regional High School
Falls Village, CT 06031
Joseph Dobbins
Ansonia High School
20 Pulaski Highway
Ansonia, CT 06401
Gena Spiller
Naugauck High School
Naugatuck, CT 06770
Ingrid Burke
Northwestern Regional High School
Winsted, CT 06098
Beth Simmons
Ellington High School
Ellington, CT 06029
Russ Arrigoni
Valley Regional High School
Deep River, CT 06424
Laurie Somma
Enrico Fermi High School
Enfield, CT
Mary Devaney
Wolcott High School
Wolcott, CT 06716
Seth Galante
Ledyard High School
Ledyard, CT 06339
Kaitlin Johns
Hamden High School
Hamden, CT
Gary Mezzi
Nathan Hale-Ray High School
Moodus, CT 05469
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APPENDIX B
NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS & COLLEGES
Committee on Public Secondary Schools
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE POLICY
Principals of member schools must report to the Committee within sixty (60) days of occurrence any
substantive change in the school, which has a negative impact on the school's ability to meet any of the
Committee's Standards for Accreditation. The report of a substantive change must describe the change
itself as well as detail the impact on the school’s ability to meet the Standards. The following are
potential areas where there might be negative substantive changes, which must be reported:
-
elimination of fine arts, practical arts and student activities
-
diminished upkeep and maintenance of facilities
-
significantly decreased funding
-
cuts in the level of administrative and supervisory staffing
-
cuts in the number of teachers and/or guidance counselors
-
grade level responsibilities of the principal
-
cuts in the number of support staff
-
decreases in student services
-
cuts in the educational media staffing
-
increases in student enrollment that cannot be accommodated
-
takeover by the state
-
inordinate user fees
-
changes in the student population that warrant program or staffing
modification(s) that cannot be accommodated, e.g., the number of special needs
students or vocational students or students with limited English proficiency
48
APPENDIX C
Old Saybrook High School
Commendations
Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations
The inclusion of all stakeholders in a dynamic and collaborative process to articulate meaningful core values,
beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations with which the Old Saybrook community strongly identifies
The identification of core values and beliefs that accurately align school and community with common goals
The principal’s leadership in driving the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations as the
foundation for all decision-making
The creation of school-wide rubrics that align with the school’s 21st century learning expectations
The connectedness of the schools core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations with the district’s
core values
The completeness of the school wide analytic rubrics
The involvement of students in the development of the 21st century learning rubrics during the advisory
periods
Curriculum
The effective work of the curriculum director and school teams to adopt Rigorous Curriculum Design (RCD)
and to create a common district-wide curriculum format with implementation through the five-year
curriculum cycle
The board of education funding opportunities for summer curriculum work by the CIAT team
The collaboration on and revision of the English department’s curriculum document
The English and math departments’ curriculum and unit development
The 2007 renovation of science labs, art and music areas, and auditorium to enhance the opportunities for
delivery of a 21st century curriculum and co-curricular activities
Instruction
The implementation of common plan time for teachers in core subject areas
The use of the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test to determine literacy levels of all 9th graders
The principal’s dedication and emphasis on the incorporation of best practices and current research into the
two- and five-year plans
The availability of multiple opportunities for professional development, as well as for opportunities to attend
content-specific professional meetings/conferences
The multi-media specialist’s and math department’s usage of SMART Board technology as an interactive tool
in the classroom
Assessment of and for Student Learning
The creation and piloting of school-wide rubrics based on the school’s core values and beliefs
The variety of methods used to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement
The frequent use of providing rubrics to students prior to a summative assessment
The varied summative and formative assessments used to provide students with the opportunity to showcase
their knowledge
The progress of departments that have created, implemented, and analyzed common assessments
The teachers in various departments who frequently use formative assessments to adapt instructional
strategies to ensure all students understand concepts
Support continued professional development for faculty to create challenging curricula that uses 21st century
learning expectations
Utilize school-wide rubrics as a reporting tool for individual and school-wide student achievement
School Culture and Leadership
The positive school culture that fosters a safe, respectful, and supportive environment
49
The highly developed sense of school pride
The inclusion of all students in a variety of academic and social opportunities
The increased dedicated professional development time throughout the school year
The administrative support for continuous improvement through professional development
The collaboration between the principal and the associate principal in providing consistent feedback to better
support teachers and to create a sense of equity
The collaboration between the principal and associate principal models expectations for common assessment,
common expectations, and common evaluations
The creation of common planning time for core departments
The inclusion of a literacy specialist and numeracy specialist to support students
The multiple opportunities for students and parents to having meaningful and defined roles in decisionmaking
The efforts to ensure 100 percent student involvement in co-curricular activities
The transparency of discussions and actions at district meetings
The professional, collaborative, and constructive atmosphere among district leaders
The Old Saybrook Board of Education’s continuous financial support of opportunities for teachers to attend
professional conferences/meetings
School Resources for Learning
The development of an effective SIT procedure that included multiple stake-holders ensuring all
professionals working with students understand the specific needs of those students
The use of effective communication tools to provide information to families of available support services
The outreach to families when social and health concerns arise
The increased use of Naviance, PowerSchool, eDocs and other technology to inform all stakeholders
The effective delivery of advisory lessons in a group setting in order to help students with coping skills and
transition plans
The inclusion of community service providers for the delivery of services in order to broaden the level of
services provided by Old Saybrook High School
The extensive collaborative referral system to mental health agencies
The universal use of the BASC-2 BESS as relevant assessment data to improve services and to ensure each
student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations
The Book Chat literacy event to provide a stimulating experience for students
The development and implementation of in-house alternative education programs such as SAIL and Life
Skills
Community Resources for Learning
The community’s consistent and long-standing support of the school district’s annual budget
The additions and revisions to the school facility
The collaborative budget process
The funding for summer curriculum writing and revision
The consistent funding of supplies, equipment, and instructional materials, as well as providing for all sports
and extracurricular activities
The open communication between and among administrators, staff members, parents and students
The wide range of school programs and services
The school site and plant that supports the delivery of quality school programs and services
The exceptional level of cleanliness of the facility
The school’s highly productive relationship with the business community and town government
Recommendations
Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations
The school establish a regular process to continue the collaborative review and revise process of its core
values and beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based on research, multiple data sources, as well as
district and school community priorities
50
Prioritize data collection and analysis for measuring individual and group student achievement of 21st
century learning expectations
Develop and implement a process to ensure the core values and beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations
drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in all classrooms and within all content areas
Curriculum
Provide further training for all faculty on the use of Inform Database to analyze student data
Develop a structured, written curriculum for all content areas using the RCD template and include the
school’s applicable 21st century learning expectations and rubrics, inquiry and problem solving, higher order
thinking, cross-disciplinary learning, authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school, and
informed and ethical use of technology
Work collaboratively in all departments on curriculum improvements to allow teachers to share resources
and to effectively use the guides for instruction so that the curriculum will emphasize depth of understanding
and the application of knowledge through inquiry, higher order thinking, and authentic learning
opportunities
Provide formal protocols for common planning time to allow for collaboration around lesson planning,
analyzing data, and examining student work to drive curriculum development
Use student achievement data to evaluate curriculum implementation
Align the written and taught curriculum with 21st century learning expectations and Connecticut Core
Standards
Using protocols, formally examine student work to inform decisions regarding curriculum, instruction and
assessment
Support continued professional development for faculty to create challenging curricula that uses 21st century
learning expectations
Prioritize policies and procedures to imbed the use of analytic school-wide rubrics across all curricula
Instruction
Create and implement a formal process for analyzing student work to improve instructional practices
Create and implement a formal process for examining current research and engaging in professional
discourse that is focused on instructional practice
Align instruction to specifically target core values, beliefs, and learning expectations in all content areas
Develop and implement a procedure for examining instructional practices to ensure consistency with the
school’s 21st century learning expectations
Develop more opportunities to engage students in inter-disciplinary experiences, self-reflection, and the
integration of technology
Provide opportunities for professional development in classroom technology and for the effective use of
district system technology
Ensure teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of students through purposeful
grouping strategies, strategic differentiation, and effective formative assessment to meet the needs of students
Create and implement a plan that specifically focuses on improving curriculum, instruction, and assessment
Assessment of and for Student Learning
Ensure the implementation of a formal process based on school-wide analytic rubrics to assess individual
student progress and school-wide progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations as
soon as possible
Create and implement a formal process for communicating individual student progress to students and their
families, and whole school progress to the school community on achieving the school’s 21st century learning
expectations
Collect, disaggregate, and analyze data from current students and alumni in order to collaboratively examine
evidence for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instruction
Develop and implement in all courses a plan to incorporate and communicate to students the applicable 21st
century learning expectations and related unit-specific learning goals prior to each unit
Formalize the common planning time to ensure all teachers collaborate regularly to create, analyze, and
revise formative and summative assessments including common assessments
Develop and implement a plan to analyze individual and school-wide progress in achieving the 21st century
learning expectations
51
Review and revise grading and reporting practices to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and
beliefs
Ensure that all teachers receive additional training so that they can fully access the INFORM data base
School Culture and Leadership
Regularly communicate with parents the goals of advisory sessions and offer opportunities for input
Develop formalized protocols and accountability mechanisms for common planning time
Develop and implement a process that ensures challenging academic experiences for all students across all
levels of the curriculum
Ensure the organization of time supports professional collaboration amongst all departments
Develop a formalized process where by teachers share information from outside professional development
opportunities
Provide professional development training for new technology
Design professional development that meets the current and future demands of technology use
School Resources for Learning
Develop consistent criteria to transition students in and out of SIT
Increase the means of communication to families through alternate and modernized means to inform them
about subjects such as advisory
Assess and review each support services including using feedback from the school community to ensure the
needs of all students are being met
Ensure transitional health services from all sending schools
Continue to utilize SAIL and Life Skills programs to assist identified students in the attainment of the school’s
21st century learning expectations
Community Resources for Learning
Develop a plan for the installation of proper humidity controls to ensure the safety of all members of the
school community
Renovate the existing bathroom facilities to ensure adequate handicap accessibility
Review and improve the technological infrastructure to improve stability and reliability, and insure
utilization of current technology practices in the classroom
52