1 brockton high school brockton, massachusetts city of champions
TRANSCRIPT
1
Brockton High School
Brockton, Massachusetts
“City of Champions”
2
Brockton High SchoolI. Who are we?
II. What have we done and how have we done it?
III. What have we accomplished so far?
IV. Questions
3
Who are we?City of Brockton
Location: Southeastern Massachusetts
Population: approximately 95,000
Median Income: $31, 712. Unemployment Rate: 6.0% Major Industry: Health
Services
4
Who are we?BROCKTON HIGH SCHOOL Comprehensive 9 – 12 Enrollment: over 4,300 Poverty Level: 71.5% 30 different languages
represented 1/3 do not speak English as
their primary language Approximately 12%
enrolled in Transitional Bilingual Education Program
Approximately 11% receive Special Education Services
5
Who are we? Brockton High SchoolStudent Population
54.5% Black - includes African-American, Cape Verdean, Haitian, Dominican, Jamaican, and others
29.3% White 13% Hispanic 2.7% Asian .5% American Indian
6
HOW FAR WE’VE COME:DATA: TEST SCORES
MCAS 1998
Failure
ELA – 44%
MATH – 75%
MCAS 2007
Failure
ELA – 9%
MATH – 19%
7
HOW FAR WE’VE COME:DATA: TEST SCORES
MCAS 1998Advanced
ELA – 2%MATH – 1%
ProficientELA – 20%MATH – 6%
MCAS 2007Advanced
ELA – 20%MATH – 27%
ProficientELA – 42%MATH – 24%
8
HOW FAR WE’VE COME:HONOR ROLL
1998
TERM 1
859 STUDENTS
2007
TERM 1
1299 STUDENTS
9
HOW FAR WE’VE COME:
THEN
“Students have a right to fail.”
BHS Principal
NOW“There is no such
right!
High Standards,
High expectations.
No excuses!”BHS Principal
10
What have we done and how have we done it?
Our Restructuring Goals:
1. To improve student academic achievement Core Academic Learning Stretch Learning
2. To personalize the educational experience for every student
Student Engagement Personal Skill Development
11
What have we done and how have we done it?
Essential Groups
Restructuring Committee, our “think tank”
Administrative Leadership Team
Data analysis team
12
What have we done and how have we done it?
Structural Changes
Changing the schedule Changing the curriculum – emphasis on
English and Math Changing the ability levels
13
What have we done and how have we done it?
Changing Attitudes: Everyone is responsible for every
student Believing that every student
CAN and MUST Our responsibility: to figure out how to
help
14
What have we done and how have we done it?
Improving Student
Academic Achievement
Analyzing data to target needs Identified Core Learning
Development of Literacy Initiative Restructuring Committee identified essential literacy
skills Literacy Charts posted in every classroom
15
What have we done and how have we done it? Core Learning
LITERACY CHART: READING
for content ( both literal and inferential ) to apply pre-reading, during reading and post-reading strategies to all
reading assignments, including determining purpose and pre-learning vocabulary
to research a topic to gather information to comprehend an argument to determine the main idea of a passage to understand a concept and construct meaning to expand one’s experiences c Brockton High School, 2002
READING
SOCIAL
SCIENCE
MATH
ELECTIVE
ENGLISH
SCIENCE
16
What have we done and how have we done it? Core Learning
LITERACY CHART: WRITING
to take notes to explain one’s thinking to argue a thesis and support one’s thinking to compare and contrast to write an open response to describe an experiment, report one’s findings, and report one’s conclusion to generate a response to what one has read, viewed, or heard to convey one’s thinking in complete sentences to develop an expository essay with a formal structure
c Brockton High School, 2002
WRITING
SOCIAL
SCIENCE
MATH
ELECTIVE
ENGLISH
SCIENCE
17
What have we done and how have we done it? Core Learning
LITERACY CHART: SPEAKING
to convey one’s thinking in complete sentences to interpret a passage orally to debate an issue to participate in class discussion or a public forum to make an oral presentation to one’s class, one’s peers, one’s community to present one’s portfolio to respond to what one has read, viewed, or heard to communicate in a manner that allows one to be both heard and
understood c Brockton High School, 2002
SPEAKING
SOCIAL
SCIENCE
ELECTIVE
ENGLISH
SCIENCE
MATH
18
What have we done and how have we done it? Core Learning
LITERACY CHART: REASONING
to create, interpret and explain a table, chart or graph to compute, interpret and explain numbers to read, break down, and solve a word problem to interpret and present statistics that support an argument or hypothesis to identify a pattern, explain a pattern, and/or make a prediction based on a
pattern to detect the fallacy in an argument or a proof to explain the logic of an argument or solution to use analogies and/or evidence to support one’s thinking to explain and/or interpret relationships of space and time c Brockton High School, 2002
REASONING
SOCIAL
SCIENCE
MATH
ELECTIVE
ENGLISH
SCIENCE
19
What have we done and how have we done it?
Our Professional Development Model:
Development of Scripts Train the Trainer Interdisciplinary and Department
Workshops Implementation Follow-up/ Monitoring
20
What have we done and how have we done it?
Improving Student Academic Achievement
Professional Development Literacy Workshops:
Open Response - Revised with new rubric to reflect stretch learning
Graphing - Revised to reflect stretch learning
Teaching Multiple Choice Strategies
Using Visuals to Preview a Chapter
Previewing the Table of Contents
Speaking Skills – Graded Discussions
Oral Presentation Rubric
Vocabulary in Context Thinking About Words Non-Fiction Reading
Strategies ELL Training School-wide active
reading strategies Summarizing Assessment
21
What have we done and how have we done it? Stretch Learning SAMPLE QUESTIONS: 2006 MCAS
Life of Henry V: Act IV, Scene III (ll. 1-80)Open Response questionExplain how the excerpt shows that the king is an
effective leader. Use relevant and specific information from the excerpt to support your answer.
(Question is looking for language and style analysis, not simply content).
22
What have we done and how have we done it? Stretch Learning SAMPLE QUESTIONS: 2006 MCASExcerpt from Don Quixote (pp 58-60)Open Response Question Explain how the author creates a humorous tone
in the excerpt. Use relevant and specific information from the excerpt to support your answer.
(Question is looking for language analysis, not simply content).
23
What have we done and how have we done it? Stretch Learning
Improving Student
Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of
special populations Advanced Placement A+ Certification International
Baccalaureate Programme
Medical Translation Program
24
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations:
“Struggling Learners” Special Education
Putting Programs in Place Inclusion
Provides specialized instruction as part of an inclusive model within regular education classes
Students access the general education curriculum Special Education teachers provide accommodations to
meet IEP
25
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations:
“Struggling Learners” Special Education
Putting Programs in PlaceIntervention Strategies:
MCAS Preparation and Remediation Classes Portfolios for Special Education students – designed to
demonstrate the student’s development of skills, strategies for test-taking, and reflective thinking
After-school program for Special Education Students
26
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement: Addressing needs of special populations: “Struggling Learners” Special Education
Putting Programs in PlaceMonitoring Students: Portfolios Faculty: Assessment based on rubrics Department Heads: Collect, assess, and assist
teacher Associate Principal: Collect, assess, make
necessary adjustments
27
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
House Plan School is divided into 4 color coded houses,
each one includes 9-12 Student remains in-house for nearly all classes,
all four years (Scheduling is challenging, seniors more likely to travel throughout school due to electives)
28
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade Freshman Academy
Approx. 100 at-risk Freshmen identified for academic deficiencies. Blocked together for 3 out of 5 periods to include English,
Algebra, and return for the last period of the day for a tutorial with the same teachers/senior mentors.
Flexible scheduling, teacher teams, seniors as tutors/mentors, focus on academic remediation.
40 – 50 in each academy (we have 2)
29
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade Academic Support Contracts
Early intervention for 9th graders who are failing major subjects and/or having behavioral issues
Student support teams include housemaster, assistant housemaster, guidance counselor, teacher, parent, student
Team meets to develop Academic Support Contract
30
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
STUDY SKILLS LESSONS FOLLOWING LITERACY OBJECTIVES Reading: Active Reading Strategies- Previewing a text – Using
visuals to preview a chapter Writing: Note-taking – Summarizing Speaking: Street talk vs. school talk – speaking in complete
sentences - Listening Reasoning – Time management, Organizational strategies, Study
strategies
31
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade Stacking and Re-grouping
Scheduling Plan that places 3 of the same level English or Algebra classes during the same period
End of Semester 1 students are regrouped: Those at appropriate skill level Those needing additional support Those who need to restart
32
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade Five Key Orientation Programs
Early March – “High School Expectations & Choices” – 8th grade parents
Spring – “What to Expect at BHS” – 8th grade students at their Middle Schools
Summer – “ Welcome to BHS” – incoming 9th grade (voluntary) run by teachers and high school students
Fall – “The Road to Success”: - 9th grade in their English class, writing assignment follows
Mid-Year – “It’s Not Too Late” – all 9th grade students, small groups, focus on getting back on course, writing assignment follows
33
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
CREDIT RECOVERYGoals: To help those students who have failed the first two terms gain
the skills and meet the learning standards they did not master the first semester.
To keep students engaged so that they have a chance to pass, or at least attend summer school.
To address the academic failure and negative behaviors that often occur after the ninth grade student has failed the firt two terms
34
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
CREDIT RECOVERY Classes conducted eight weeks after school Two sessions for each subject per week Classes are no larger than 12 students Curriculum is developed by departments and
follows identified skills and standards Lessons are prepared in advance; focus on
instruction Grading – pass or fail
35
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
Handbook Course assigned in place of the first detention that a freshman
might get after-school course conducted by the Assistant Housemasters helps students become more familiar with handbook student identifies specific infraction(s) identifies ways to avoid repeating infraction(s)
36
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
Peer Advisory Students who are trained Peer Mediators work
with freshmen who are referred to the office for disciplinary reasons
Coordinated at the time of infraction(s) by Assistant Housemaster
37
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
Access Center Tutorial Center open during the day and after
school Tutorial support provided by teachers and
students
38
What have we done and how have we done it? Personalization and Personal Skill Development
Improving Student Academic Achievement:
Addressing needs of special populations: 9TH Grade
Club Boxer After School extended day Program focusing on
academic support (MCAS) and enrichment activities ( GOALS Program for Career Planning) for 9th and 10th grade students
1- 5 teacher to student ratio (Grant Funded)
39
What have we done and how have we done it? Personal skill development
Personalization Rewards for good
things Senior Good
Citizenship ID’s with privileges
Honor Roll Assemblies
Boxer of the Month
Recognition at School Committee Meetings
Faculty Recognition
40
41
42
Performance Level Data- BHSWhat have we accomplished so far?
Pass Rate for Grade 10 ELA and Math
0
20
40
60
80
100
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Years
Perc
enta
ge of
Stu
dent
s Pa
ssing
Pass Rate ELA
Pass Rate Math
43
What have we accomplished so far?
JOHN& ABIGAIL ADAMS SCHOLARSHIP – 2008
249 Recipients – 25% 62 African American – 25% 21 Asian – 8% 20 Hispanic – 8% 9 Multi- Race / Non-Hispanic - 4%
3 Native American – 1% 136 White – 54 % 101 Low Income – 40% 9 LEP/FLEP – 4% 4 Students w/ Disability – 2%
44
What have we accomplished so far?
External Recognition Massachusetts Compass School
Designation Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory – Schools Making Progress International Center for Leadership in
Education – Model School
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 U.S. Department of Education National
High School Summit National School Change Award - 2006
45
Brockton High SchoolBrockton School District
Plymouth County 470 Forest Avenue
Brockton, Massachusetts(508)580-7633
46
??????? Questions ??????
47
Brockton High School
Dr. Susan E. Szachowicz, PrincipalBrockton High School470 Forest AvenueBrockton, MA [email protected]. com