69969 US 31 South Lakeville, IN 46536

Transcription

1 North Central Association (NCA)/PL 221 School Improvement Plan and Professional Development Program LaVille Jr-Sr High School US 31 South Lakeville, IN Tel: Fax: Point of Contact: Mr. Nathan McKeand, Principal October 2013 LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School

2 PRIDE - RESPECT - ACHIEVEMENT October 2013 Introduction: Community Data and Information Union North United School Corporation services a total of 84.6 square miles in the combined townships of North Township in Marshall County and Union Township in St. Joseph County. There are a total of 7290 people living within the school corporation. The corporation contains two main towns, Lakeville and LaPaz, but is mainly a rural community with only 8% of its students coming from farms. Light industrial jobs are available within the school corporation but most of the population commutes to South Bend or neighboring towns. Four mobile home parks, located within the jurisdiction of the school corporation, house eight percent of the school s students. The school enrollment figures are affected by the transience of these students. The corporation services kindergarten through 12 th grade, with a total enrollment of 1190 students. Union North School Corporation was organized July 1, The Lakeville and LaPaz School systems consolidated in 1964 and in the school year, the LaVille Jr. /Sr. High School was occupied. It is governed by a five member elected Board of School Trustees. The Union North United School Corporation s primary tax revenue is derived from land and personal assets of large farms and small business. Free and reduced lunch levels have been rising during the last five years Free lunch Reduced Lunch LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School is located 15 miles south of South Bend on U.S. 31. It had an enrollment during the school year of 523 students. In the school year, the ethnicity of the high school was.07, with the minorities being Hispanic, Native American, Black, and multiracial. The attendance rate in the school year was percent. There were 70 students in the special education program. The percent of seniors completing a Core 40 diploma in and the graduation rate have yet to be determined. The school had 27 support staff and 45 certified staff members for the school year. School Data Available at Following Website

3 Description and Location of Curriculum LaVille Jr.-Sr. High offers students a curriculum that will prepare them for success whether they enter the world of work or continue with postsecondary study. The curriculum is comprehensive in that it provides programming that is academic, cocurricular, and extra-curricular in nature. Our program of studies is aligned with the academic standards of the state of Indiana. The three diploma types are CORE 40, CORE 40 with Academic Honors, and CORE with Technical Honors. A Basic Diploma supersedes the CORE 40 only in cases in which a CORE 40 cannot be achieved. Parents and students must sign a waiver if this basic diploma is requested. Our core academic departments consist of English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Courses of study range from help courses to regular courses to honors courses. Our elective academic departments consist of World Languages, Business, Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, Physical Education/ Health, and Fine Arts. Courses of study offer students personal choice depending upon interest or career focus. We also have a Special Education Department that provides services for students with special needs. Our students can also participate in co-curricular opportunities such as band and choir. These courses provide students with experiences both inside and outside the classroom and allow practical performance opportunities in real life settings. Our students can also involve themselves in extracurricular activities such as boys football, tennis, soccer, basketball, wrestling, track, golf, cross-country and baseball; or girls cheerleading, soccer, golf, volleyball, basketball, track, cross-country, softball and tennis. Other extracurricular offerings include academic competitions and various clubs. Again, students are provided with a menu of activities that will allow them to practice and build upon their specific talents or participate just for enjoyment and personal satisfaction. We also provide our students with a guidance and counseling curriculum. Our guidance and counseling program not only serves the academic needs of our students but also addresses their social and emotional growth. The guidance and counseling staff use a developmental guidance model when working with students and the choices these students are involved in making. Mistakes have consequences but are also seen as opportunities to grow and mature. The Union North United School Corporation s central office, the principal s office, and the guidance and counseling department are the locations for the school s curriculum.

4 Assessment Instruments The faculty, staff, and community of LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School use a variety of learning assessments, both group and individual in nature, to measure levels of competence, higher order thinking skills, and performance. These learning assessments range from traditional to alternative and include the following lists. Classroom and extra-curricular activities: Classroom participation and verbal response In-class assignments Group participation Homework Written quizzes and tests Book reports Oral presentations and speeches Labs Use of technology Projects in science, industrial technology, and family and consumer science Leadership opportunities Academic competitions Artistic performances in music and displays of art work Athletic competitions Statistics: Graduation rates Number of each type of diploma earned by graduating seniors Attendance Number of returning fifth-year seniors Behavior reports Number of graduates attending college Accelerated Reader Program Assessment Instruments: PSAT (10 th -11 th grades) SAT (7 th -12 th grades) ACT (7 th -12 th grades) Formative Assessments ISTEP (7 th and 8 th grades)

5 End-of-Course Assessments (Proficiency required for graduation in Algebra I and English 10; Biology I for NCBA; English 10 and Algebra II for college-readiness) A.P. Exams: Chemistry, U.S. History, Calculus, English (10 th -12 th grades) End-of-semester school-wide final examinations in all courses (7 th -12 th grades) Senior research papers (12 th grade) MISSION STATEMENT The mission of LaVille Jr. /Sr. High School is to assist students in becoming productive, responsible members of society and in having a lifelong desire to learn and improve. We believe that: 1. All individuals can learn. 2. Individuals learn differently. 3. Each individual has immeasurable value. 4. Each person is entitled to the opportunity to reach his or her potential. 5. The family is the primary influence on the individual s development. 6. While education is the shared responsibility of family, students, staff, and community, the ultimate responsibility rests with the student. 7. The attitude of the individual always affects performance. 8. All students should have the opportunity to learn in the most productive environment. 9. Each student has a responsibility to contribute to society. 10. Learning is a lifelong process. A Graduate of LaVille High School is a person who...

6 1. Learns and Applies Critical Knowledge exhibits a knowledge of the basics exhibits ability to locate needed information demonstrates ability to move from factual recall to practical applications applies information, knowledge, and skills demonstrates ability to problem solve and plan effectively utilizes appropriate technology Communicates Effectively in All Content Areas 2. applies the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and illustration in correct forms 3. Is a Self-Directed Learner demonstrates initiative, personal responsibility, and pride in completing tasks learns for the purpose of personal growth responds positively to constructive suggestions 4. Shows Respect for Others demonstrates an ability to work cooperatively understands the rights and responsibilities of citizenship demonstrates the importance of community service through volunteer work 5. Prepares for a Career demonstrates employable skills contributes to society

7 transfers academic success to life understands the value of continuous learning Mission Statement Description of Process The mission statement committee researched and studied the mission statements of many similar schools. During our research, we decided that our present mission statement was quite adequate; therefore, we decided to just modify it slightly and to make it more grammatically correct. Several committee members discovered that many schools had incorporated a statement of beliefs with their mission statement. After obtaining several examples of schools utilizing a statement of beliefs, the committee decided to develop its own. We agreed that such a statement of beliefs would specifically explain the general points of the mission statement. Finally, the committee discovered that many schools included an even more detailed list of desired goals. We labeled our list A Graduate of LaVille High School Is a Person Who... The list consists of five broad areas: 1) learns and applies critical knowledge 2) communicates effectively in all content areas 3) is a self-directed learner 4) shows respect for others 5) prepares for a career We also must emphasize that these goals are for the ideal graduate, and we realize that not all students will meet all of these criteria upon graduation. Our mission statement committee initially consisted of five instructors, two administrators, and a career counselor. These eight people performed the above work. After developing the mission statement, statement of beliefs, and what we believed the ideal graduate from LaVille should accomplish, Mr. Lee Dennie, committee chair, discussed the entire document with approximately forty of his U.S. Government and History students. For the most part, an overwhelming majority gave high marks to the document. The next step included sending copies of the document to approximately thirty parents. Once again the response to the new document was positive. At this point, Mr. Dennie presented the

8 committee s document to the entire faculty. Based upon their reaction, the committee felt comfortable that we had produced a good product. Using the evaluation rubric scale rating of one, two, or three points for mission statement criteria, our committee believes we should rate our document as follows: #1 Appropriate involvement of entire community in the development of the mission statement. (2 points) Stakeholders from at least three of the aforementioned groups were involved in the development of the mission statement. #2 Mission statement identifies what is to be developed within students. (3 points) The mission statement identifies knowledge, abilities, habits and attitudes that are developed within students. #3 The mission statement is equitable, futuristic, clear, usable, and inspirational. (3 points) The mission statement has all the aforementioned characteristics. #4 School staff is committed to the mission statement. (3 points) All faculty members can articulate how the school s mission is addressed in their classrooms. According to our assumptions we rate 11/12, which according to the above scale, rates our product exemplary. There was some disagreement on characteristic #3 in regard to the word inspirational. However, after discussing this item thoroughly, we felt that the section devoted to the ideal LaVille graduate meets these criteria.

9 Conclusions-Curriculum/Instruction/ Assessment LaVille Jr.-Sr. High has focused its curriculum, instruction, and assessments on the Indiana and Common Core Standards. We continue to work on alignment in all subject disciplines with a special focus in English Language Arts in the areas of reading and writing. The school will continue to challenge our students to challenge themselves and will provide learning supports at the low, middle, and high ends of the skill range. Reading and Math (focusing on Algebra) will be our primary areas of school improvement focus. Multiple measures are used frequently to monitor student proficiency with the standards. End of course exams were implemented for the school year. Teachers will meet in department level teams as a professional learning community to discuss student work and learning process. There will also be ongoing training in the RISE evaluation program. Parental Participation at the School LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School Parent participation at the school has been traditionally low. Parent attendance at the school s open house and parent-teacher conferences has been minimal. The school does not have a parent-teacher organization, although a number of parents were involved with FUN, Families of Union North, for the school year. There will be an attempt during the school year to have an open house for parents. The administration is currently working with local parents to re-establish a PTO. Recently, the school has incorporated a monthly newsletter to communicate with its parents. The newsletter will be one means of notifying parents about what is occurring within the school, and inviting them to get involved. In past years, the school has held a Meet the Principals night. This was another forum to welcome parents to the school and provide them with opportunities to engage in a parental involvement role. It is also an avenue for these stakeholders to have input on the priorities and longrange goals of the school. The school has also installed an electronic message board in front of the school to communicate school news to the community. The school has parents who serve on the school improvement committee each year. Parents are also able to view their child's grade via the Power School program on a daily basis.

10 TECHNOLOGY AS A LEARNING TOOL: LAVILLE JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY MISSION STATEMENT With the emergence of the Information Age, the mission of the Union-North United School Corporation is to enhance learning for all members of the LaVille community by carefully blending technology and instruction to accomplish educational goals that are significant, durable, and transferable. DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE The Union-North United School Corporation Technology Committee meets regularly to determine short-range and long-range goals, to develop policies, to evaluate progress, and to give direction to staff development. Committee members stay abreast of current developments in educational technology. The committee has utilized a wealth of resource surveys in order to assess the needs of the corporation. The committee reviewed the PBA/NCA reports from both the elementary school and the junior senior high school, the ISTEP and SAT outcomes, the Three-Year Technology Plan, Internet contacts, and state resource materials in order to analyze the needs of the corporation. The purpose of this evaluation is to diagnose the present status of technology and to visualize the future for the needs considered important for continued student advancement. Resources: The President s Educational Technology Initiative: the Four Pillars Indiana s K-12 Plan for Technology: seven key strategies Technology foundation standards for all students StaR Chart Self-Diagnostic Tool Indiana DOE School Technology Profile Indiana DOE Technology Plan Grant Guidelines My Target self assessment tool Plugging In: Choosing and Using Educational Technology, NCREL Computer-Based Technology and Learning: Evolving Uses and Expectations, NCREL CONTENT LaVille Jr. Sr. High School will provide modern software for the following hierarchy of student applications: Drill and practice Synthesis

11 Authoring Learning/searching Simulation Understanding Analysis Synthesis (construction) Demonstrating/teaching Each of these separate applications has a role in fostering student achievement. Group projects that are interdisciplinary can be used to move up the hierarchical ladder. In the implementation of technology applications in education, we must always ask the question, How will this application impact student learning? School goals and curriculum should define the selections of applications. In the classroom, the emphasis is placed on the learning process and not on hardware or software. The most important question to consider is, What are the learning outcomes? Attention is given to thinking, problem-solving, and learning-to-learn skills within and across all content areas. Technology can be utilized in the following ways: (1) as a learning tool, (2) as a means of instruction, and (3) as a delivery medium for curriculum instruction. With their birth into the high-tech culture, students need to be involved to the greatest extent possible in technological avenues of learning and expression. Some of these involvements may include the following: 1) demonstrating interdisciplinary projects using multimedia technology by: a. accessing the school media center resources electronically from the classroom b. accessing the wealth of resources from the Internet and incorporating these resources into products c. electronically incorporating personal resources into class projects d. augmenting current projects at home e. creating an electronic portfolio f. collaborating on class projects with others, both inside and outside of school, and/or g. communicating class products with peers, friends and relatives 2) experiencing diverse cultures outside the boundaries of the school community by accessing the Internet to: a. explore traditional topics of learning b. communicate with pen-pals through c. contact experts in fields of study d. participate in interactive remote projects e. participate in distance learning courses f. contact colleges and trade schools, and/or g. exchange videos 3) properly applying appropriate technology tools to specific educational tasks such as: a. learning technique and forms for projects in a laboratory setting with an instructor, and b. continuing individually in the classroom projects initiated in the computer laboratory.

12 HARDWARE AND CONNECTIVITY Today s student learning, teacher productivity, and administrative support all demand sophisticated computer equipment, data networking, and internet access. LaVille provides all classrooms with high speed internet access. Students can utilize the internet for classroom activities as well as individual or group research. Educational software programs that previously required purchase and installation are now becoming available without cost via the internet. The school provides a portal on the school website to direct students toward useful internet links. The school network connects all classrooms to the school media center materials, and individual documents and files. The school currently provides a 15 Mbps connection, which is provided by the Department of Education and paid through our Federal E-Rate program. The district currently maintains a 1000mb district-wide data network. The network includes a high level firewall and an internet filtering system. The district maintains a website; teachers are able to have web pages for their classes. The school year brought a paradigm shift to a one to one learning environment where each student has been provided a laptop device. LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School maintains a school-wide multimedia environment that provides unlimited space and equipment needs for yearbook, newspaper, mass media, and television broadcasting. We continue to install interactive white boards in classrooms along with TV s and projectors with distance learning capabilities built in. Students are encouraged to develop projects based on the previous mentioned capabilities in our one to one learning environment. This would include developing podcasts, interactive presentations, and utilizing digital equipment. The school provides the necessary equipment to address the learning goals of students with special needs, as well as the software and equipment to meet defined goals for all grade levels and for students of all abilities. During the school year, the focus was to implement the infrastructure to sustain a 1:1 learning environment, which would provide a reliable source for access to resources. The infrastructure consisted of thirty access points, 650 laptops, upgraded servers and space capacity, and new online books and tools. The addition of Mac OS X servers and infrastructure has also been key for allowing teachers, students, and staff to produce podcasts and other various activities thru many multimedia applications. The next phase of our development of 1:1 learning will be not only to provide greater professional development but to also upgrade our internet bandwidth and network switches in order to increase our speed and develop greater network reliability. ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT AREAS Schools require a wide diversity of support areas. LaVille provides administrators and office personnel with appropriate technology to support the learning environment. Workstations, printers, networking, and peripherals will be placed in the most productive manner. All office personnel will have internet access to support their work.

13 Software is selected for functionality, reliability and ease of transfer of data. A routine for regular backup of data will be maintained. A disaster recovery program for essential data will be maintained and reviewed annually. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, HUMAN, AND LEGAL ISSUES The district has adopted an acceptable use policy for Internet users. The policy is reviewed periodically by the technology committee. The technology committee also publishes Classroom Internet Use Guidelines and Professional Use Guidelines that are reviewed annually. This district meets federal requirements for internet filtering. Teachers will actively promote online safety to students. Online safety resources will be available on the school website portal. The curriculum will include ethical and socially responsible use of technology and the internet. Legal issues, including copyrighting, will be covered. Students should understand the benefits of technology as well as its shortcomings and dangers. A staff development plan which is sensitive to the needs of every teacher is essential in nurturing the beginner, while at the same time, maintaining the interest of advanced learners. We will provide staff development opportunities which permit each teacher to learn at his or her own rate while moving through logical and sequential steps to a predetermined end. The school professional staff includes people with a comprehensive grasp of these individual topics in technology. We plan to tap into their talents, as they will not only serve as course instructors, but also as mentors for their colleagues who participate in the workshops. The instructors will provide opportunities for individual as well as group instruction, practice of newly acquired skills, and development of confidence in the use of new technology. The LaVille staff development program will meet teachers where they are. Through the change in working hours of the staff, we will provide development opportunities during the common planning time as needed.

14 Safe and Disciplined Learning Environment LaVille Jr.-Sr. High LaVille Jr.-Sr. High believes students deserve a safe environment for learning. The school Code of Conduct as well as the school motto of Pride, Respect and Achievement, helps to reinforce with staff and students what the expectations are in the building. We emphasize to students to be the best person and learner they can be. Individual classroom teachers establish classroom management plans that fit within a larger building framework of promoting a learning culture at the school. Teachers are expected to manage minor behavior issues with the student first and then the parent second. Persistent minor behavior issues and major behavior issues should be forwarded to the administration for processing. In all cases, mistakes have consequences but are also seen as opportunities to learn. A progressive discipline program is followed. The parent-school partnership and the belief that all staff is responsible for all students support the concept that discipline is a community effort. Safety within the building is maintained during the school day by having all of the doors locked. A buzzer system with video identification is in place at the main front office for visitors who then must report to the main office to sign-in and obtain a name tag. If student has early dismissal and does not drive, an adult in the main office will dismiss the student to their guardian. The school has also initiated policies eliminating the use of bags and purses in the classroom. There has also been a new freeze out policy that reduces student traffic in the hall during class periods. LaVille Jr. Sr. High has a comprehensive safety and security plan in place. The School Safety and Security Manual are on display and on file so that all staff may review it. In addition, the administration reviews this plan at the beginning of each year. A crisis intervention team is in place for emergencies. Fire, storm, code blue, and crisis drills are practiced routinely. A staff phone tree has also been established. Recently, the school has accomplished the following safety procedures: 1. acquired five dedicated telephone lines for the key staff 2. clearly identified the external building entrances/exits with letters 3. reworked the building map and distributed this to local emergency personnel 4. provided consistent emergency management procedure signage as well as consistent location in each classroom 5. purchased a new public address system 6. established a one bell schedule for the building 7. established a key card entry system for all doors 8. the video surveillance system has been updated 9. the school has also established a student arrival time 10. The basement and tunnel area has been cleared of asbestos as will be used as a storm shelter.

15 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OBJECTIVES AND GOALS/AREAS NEEDING IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENT/ BENCHMARKS FOR PROGRESS Goal 1: Analyzing data of English Language Arts ISTEP+, English Language Arts ISTEP+ Writing Applications, End-of-Semester Exam scores in English classes, and the State of Indiana End of Course Assessment results will help LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School monitor school improvement in writing applications. The school will use percent mastery on English Language Arts ISTEP+ results of writing applications from the school year to serve as baseline data for the next three years as we attempt to move toward and beyond the state percent mastery. The school will apply methods of the 8 Step to Success process which also monitors student progress through the use of data analysis which is gathered through miniature benchmarks given at the end of all teaching windows. The English department will implement team time in which members of that department will have one class period a day in which they will team teach or assist a fellow English teacher in order to better remediate and enrich student learning. The school has participated in the English Language Arts 10 End of Course Assessments for the past five years. This data will be analyzed and students required to retake the exam will be offered remediation classes both before and after school prior to the testing dates. Summary of data and evidence upon which this goal is based: For the school year, the percent mastery relative to state percent mastery for English Language Arts on the ISTEP+ and ECA is literature and nonfiction. Although a substantial improvement has been made in the area of writing applications over the past three years and in overall ECA scores, students at LaVille now need additional support in both areas of reading and reading comprehension. In , the seventh grade showed a 3% gap from meeting the state standards of percent mastery in literature. While grades eight and ten, on the average met state standards, literature and nonfiction collectively displayed the lowest scores. This data indicates that students must continue to be challenged to improve in the area of reading literature and nonfiction Our goal is that the overall level of achievement as measured by ISTEP+ will fall above the state standard at each grade level and show improvement over the previous year s scores.

16 Goal 2: Analyzing data of Math ISTEP+, Math End-of-Semester Exam scores in all Math classes, and the State of Indiana End of Course Assessment results will help LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School monitor school improvement in Math achievement. The school will use percent mastery on Math ISTEP+ results of problem solving and algebraic equations from the school year to serve as baseline data for the next three years as we attempt to move toward and beyond the state percent mastery. The school will apply methods of the 8 Steps to Success process which also monitors student progress through the use of data analysis which is gathered through miniature benchmarks given at the end of all teaching windows.the school has in place remediation and tutoring sessions for all students. Students who score below cut scores on ISTEP + and End-of-Course Assessment are required to enroll in all remediation sessions. The school has participated in the Algebra I End-of-Course assessments for the last three years. This data will be analyzed and students required to retake the exam will be offered remediation classes both before and after school prior to the testing dates. Summary of data and evidence upon which this goal is based: According to Five Star for the school year, in Algebra I ECA, the pass rate increased but the average score in each standard decreased. In the ISTEP+ scores the seventh grade improved in the area of Computation but decreased in the areas of Number Sense, Algebraic Functions, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, and Problem Solving. The eighth grade ISTEP+ scores improved in the areas of Computation, Algebraic Functions, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, and Problem Solving while decreasing in Number Sense. Our goal is that the overall level of achievement as measured by ISTEP+ and ECA testing will fall above the state standard at each grade level and show improvement over the previous year s scores. This data indicates that the students need to be be challenged in all areas of the ECA standards. In the ISTEP+ test the students need to improve in the Number Sense standard. Goal 3: Compared to the school year we will attempt to raise the graduation rate by 1% a year for the next three years. Goal 4: During the same time frame we will attempt to raise the attendance rate 1.5% a year.

17 LaVille JR.-SR. High School Credit Recovery Program Program Goals: To provide an alternative method of instruction for at-risk students to recover lost high school credit To improve the corporation s graduation rate To decrease the corporation s drop-out rate Program Description: The LaVille JR.-SR. High School Credit Recovery Program is designed to provide an alternative method of instruction for at-risk students to help them recover high school credits which they have not achieved. We will use an internet based computer program called NovaNET that is designed by Pearson Learning Company. This program is based on the Indiana State Standards and allows flexibility for individual teachers to align their curriculum with that offered in the program. This program will be located on the campus of LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School, and students will be placed in the program during the course of the school day. Students in this program are only eligible to recover credit from their core courses (English, social studies, mathematics, and/or science). Students may earn up to one (1) credit for successful completion of a course. Teacher Qualification: The teacher must hold a valid Indiana Teacher s License in one of the following core subject areas: Social Studies, Math, Science, and/or English. Student Qualification: Students who qualify for this program have failed a core course and are in danger of not achieving the credits necessary to qualify for graduation. Students who have lost credit due to excessive absences based upon the attendance policy will also qualify for this program. Finally, the administration and guidance department may refer a student into the program at their discretion. Credit Recovery Program Guidelines: This program will be supervised by the Credit Recovery teacher and administered by the school s administrative team. All students in the program must abide by the school s code of conduct.

18 The Credit Recovery teacher will be able to guide the student to find the assistance needed with curriculum and instruction for content material. The Credit Recovery teacher will monitor logged hours, student progress, and student attendance. This information will be communicated to the administration and guidance department on a regular basis. Students will follow the same attendance guidelines and student code of conduct as students enrolled in regular classes. Students who are off task and not focusing on their academic discipline will be given a warning for the first offense and if the problem continues, they will be removed from the program immediately. This may result in the students being expelled from school. The Credit Recovery teacher will act as a liaison between the students and curricular contacts. If a student does not meet the requirements for a credit recovery in one semester, he or she may re-enroll the next semester, if space is available. Students must meet a minimum of 70% proficiency on each objective to receive a passing mark. If students fail to meet this minimum proficiency, they will not receive credit for the course work Rental Fee: As with every other course a student enrolls at LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School, there will be a textbook rental fee for this course. The textbook rental fee for the student in this program will be $25 per course in which the student is enrolled. CORE 40 Diploma, CORE 40 with Academic Honors Diploma, and CORE 40 with Technical Honors Diploma LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School offers courses in all subject areas to comply with Indiana s high school diploma requirements. As of the fall of 2007, CORE 40 is the minimum diploma which every student entering LaVille must pursue. Additional credits may be earned to professionalize the diploma to an honors status for Academic Honors or Technical Honors. In order to graduate with a diploma requiring less than CORE 40, a student and his/her parents must meet with the school counselor and sign a waiver form which states: I understand that by signing this waiver, I (my child) will earn a Basic Diploma instead of a CORE 40 Diploma. I also understand that a student earning a Basic Diploma in the State of Indiana is not meeting admission requirements of state universities and perhaps private colleges in Indiana. As the student and the parent of this student, we assume responsibility for the possible consequences of this decision to pursue the Basic Diploma curriculum instead of the CORE 40 curriculum.

19 A CORE 40 Diploma is a prescribed set of courses that a student must take in the State of Indiana to be considered prepared for the world of higher education or for the world of work. The list of requirements can be found on one of the attached pages. A CORE 40 Diploma with Academic Honors uses the CORE 40 as the baseline and requires additional upper-level coursework as well as proof of a higher standard of achievement. A CORE 40 Diploma with Technical Honors uses the CORE 40 curriculum and then adds required career-technical program completion at a higher standard of achievement. LaVille Jr.-Sr. High School provides courses for each of the honors diplomas: honors classes in English and mathematics; advanced placement courses in U.S. History, chemistry, calculus, and English; thirdand fourth-level world languages; fine arts options in music and art; and courses in a variety of technology programs. As well, extra weight is configured into students GPA s if they enroll in rigorous classes from the following list: Honors English 9, 10, 11; Physics I; Honors Geometry, Honors Algebra II, Honors Pre-Calculus, Discrete Math, Advanced Life Science-Animals, Natural Resources- Management, AgriBusiness Management, Probability and Statistics, French, German, and Spanish III and IV, and all the A.P. courses already mentioned. Students at LaVille are encouraged to take the most difficult classes they are capable of handling. Each eighth-grade student is oriented to the diploma requirements and then is asked to fill out a declaration of the intended diploma. Every effort is made to encourage students to continue with their plans throughout high school even if they need to re-take courses to realize their goals. Additional courses to support students in their diploma pursuits are referred to as help courses. These courses fall under the appropriate state title: Basic Skills Development (used for each level of English, science, math, and reading for Special Education students). Professional Development Professional development of our staff will be important vehicle in moving us toward accomplishing our goals. The staff will be involved in training in the following areas: 1. Multiple strategies for teaching reading. 2. Use and scoring of the ISTEP+ reading rubrics. 3. Test score interpretation and use of data for instructional decisions. 4. Professional learning communities 5. Advanced placement training/acp dual credit training 6. Use End-of-Course Core 40 exams 7. Textbook adoption. 8. Technology instruction. 9. Common Core Literacy Standards training. 10. Training on the RISE.

20 11. Training on the 8 Step process. Cultural Competency Component of School Plan The school shall consider methods to improve the cultural competency of the school s administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students. The school shall identify the racial, ethnic, language minority, cultural, exceptional learning, and socioeconomic groups that are included in the school s student population. In the school s plan the school shall incorporate culturally appropriate strategies for increasing educational opportunities and performance for each group. A school often has difficulty accepting new staff and/or students, not to mention someone who is different. The school will implement a welcoming program for new staff and/or students. Each new staff member will be paired up with a fellow staff member to ease the individual s transition and provide a support system. The parent coordinator will contact new parents to welcome them to the school and community. The parent coordinator can serve as a school liaison to new parents by answering questions only a parent can answer, providing a tour of the facility, and identifying opportunities for parent involvement. There will be a new student meeting prior to school starting so that new students can meet other new students. The Student Council will also provide student buddies to new students that will help provide support at the beginning of school in the hallways, at lunch, and at extracurricular events. The school will implement an all school program such as First Class or Respect-Anti-Defamation to help the school population address the issue of tolerance and differences. The school shall recommend areas in which additional professional development is necessary to increase cultural competency in the school s educational environment. The school will also continue to provide assemblies for the students with a specific focus on the respect/tolerance and difference theme. The school has also adopted a Bullying policy. Statutes and rules to be waived: No waivers of statutes or rules are requested at this time.

21 Three Year Time Line for Implementation, Review, and Revision This plan will be implemented for the school year and will reviewed annually, as well as frequent monitoring of due date points along the way. As necessary, interventions and strategies will be modified and adjusted. Annual reviews will be submitted to the district office and state. By the beginning of the third year of this school improvement plan, a full review and revision will take place.