Executive Summary. Bryant Alternative High School

Transcription

1 Fairfax County Public Schools Larry Jones, Principal 2709 Popkins Lane Alexandria, VA Document Generated On February 7, 2013

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 4 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 6 Additional Information 8

3 Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning. The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis. Page 1

4 Description of the School Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves?, along with its satellite school, Landmark Career Academy (LCA), offers an educational option for Fairfax County students whose life circumstances have interrupted their schooling. The school serves English language learners, older students working toward a high school diploma, students who have been administratively placed, pregnant and parenting teens, and students who need a flexible program to accommodate work or family obligations. Bryant students come from diverse backgrounds and are provided with additional counseling and mentoring support that will enable them to succeed and earn their high school diploma. Some students are referrals from other schools because of attendance issues, discipline problems, or lack of academic progress. Others are pregnant or returning to school after dropping out. Bryant serves as the base school for a number of 11th and 12th grade students who have been recommended for expulsion by their previous schools. These Hearings Office placed students, during their probationary period, are not permitted to attend any other FCPS traditional high school. Bryant's mission is to provide these students with a second, and in some cases, a final opportunity to graduate. Compared to United States, Virginia, and Fairfax County demographics, Bryant students are more likely to live at or below the poverty line and to be members of one-parent families and/or have parents with little or no formal education. The National School Lunch Program Free and Reduced Price Eligibility report shows that 73.5% of Bryant students are eligible. Current data indicates that 39% of Bryant students are non- native English speakers. They and their families face challenges of adjustment to their new country and learning a new language, while at the same time providing for themselves and their families in a new culture. Student data indicates the majority of students work long hours to support themselves and their families, and more than half do not have health insurance and, as a result, miss school frequently because of their own or family members' health issues. In addition, other challenges have impacted our students. Fifteen percent of the students currently at Bryant have been placed by the Hearings Office. Nine percent of Bryant students have an IEP and participate in general education classes with support and accommodations from special education. Thirty-nine percent of the students receive ESOL services. Despite these limitations and, in some cases, challenging learning experiences in the past, Bryant students plan for graduation. More than eighty-one percent of students enroll in post-secondary education, join the military, or obtain a full-time job. Data from September 14, 2012 Number of Students Enrolled Limited English Proficient (39%) SPED - 28 (9%) Students Ages 21 and over - 99 (31%) Hearings Office Placement - 49 (15%) Concurrent Students from other FCPS schools - 22 (7%) Pregnant or Parenting Teens - 50 (16%) is located in the Hybla Valley, a region of Fairfax County, Virginia, which is an area of lower socioeconomic population. Bryant students come from diverse backgrounds and countries. Current data shows that many of the students at Bryant are not native English speakers. Some of them come from such countries as Afghanistan, Somalia, and Sierra Leone, where they may have experienced the hardship of war and/or genocide. The largest group of the immigrant population at Bryant comes from Central America, followed by Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Many have been driven by poverty and a search for better life opportunities. Also, Page 2

5 Bryant is unique in that some of the student population is married and are pregnant or single parents. More than half of the students are over 18 years of age. Bryant High School encourages a broad sense of civic responsibility through school and community activities. In order to meet the needs of the students, the staff includes 94 professionals who are committed to providing services and the best education possible for all students. There are 37 teachers and 9 resource teachers in the classrooms as well as 5 counselors in Student Services. The administrative team includes the Principal, 2 Assistant Principals, the Director of Student Services, and the Dean of Students. Support staff and security staff help to ensure a safe and organized environment. Students also have the option of alternative paths to graduation through other programs in the building including a GRANTS program to pursue a G.E.D. diploma. Page 3

6 School's Purpose Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students. SCHOOL - VISION STATEMENT COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, a fully accredited alternative high school, seeks to improve and provide the necessary support for students and staff to grow personally and professionally. COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT Bryant students develop the academic and workforce skills necessary to be successful in their lives. A flexible environment accommodates diverse learning and life situations in which students are encouraged to expand their horizons through the pursuit of further academic, vocational, technical, and career training. COMMITMENT TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Bryant students are encouraged to develop attitudes and skills that will allow them to be effective, productive, and contributing members of their families and communities. Additionally, the cultural diversity of Bryant affords faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to understand and appreciate a myriad of people and cultures. SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT inspires and empowers a diverse student population to earn a high school diploma in a non-traditional setting. SCHOOL CORE VALUES/BELIEFS 's staff believes that common goals are necessary for student success. Our shared values are: 1. Faculty and staff, students, parents, and the community all share in the responsibility for success of the school's mission. 2. Mutual respect and caring interpersonal relationships lead to increased student self-esteem and positive staff morale. 3. A safe and comfortable physical environment facilitates learning. 4. Small, supportive classes allow individualized instruction. 5. A variety of teaching strategies and assessment techniques promotes high academic achievement while providing for different learning styles. 6. Students need the support of specialists such as social workers, career specialists, school psychologists, and health care professionals. 7. Vocational, technical, and career training prepares students to pursue further education and career paths. 8. Ongoing use of technology tools and training enhances teaching and learning. 9. Flexible scheduling and specialized programs accommodate home, academic, and work requirements of our students. 10. The cultural diversity at Bryant contributes to the understanding and appreciation of different peoples and cultures. practices open enrollment, which means that it enrolls new students monthly. The school utilizes flexible schedules where courses are offered between 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. The instructional design uses the semester (4x4) model, and students complete individual courses within a flexible framework based on mastery of all course content. Essentially, students are provided all the time necessary to demonstrate mastery of material before they are completed in the course. Remediation classes such as Expanding Literacies, English 12 with SOL Focus, Reinforcing Foundations/ Developmental Reading (for Special Education students), and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Writing class provide additional support for those students who need more assistance with their academic skills. Bear Block (an additional 40 minute period Monday - Thursday) allows students the opportunity to meet in small groups or individually with their teachers for remediating, re-teaching, and enhancing instruction. Bryant has also developed a credit recovery/new course option program for students attending traditional high schools in the surrounding areas. Students are enrolled Page 4

7 concurrently in both schools and attend afternoon classes at Bryant from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, September through August. Grades are transferred back to the students' base schools, thus enabling them to graduate on time with their cohort class. Bryant offers a unique parenting education program for pregnant and parenting youth called Project Opportunity. Students in this program take focused parenting education, child development, and relationship classes. Project Opportunity is completing its 26th successful year. Within Project Opportunity exists the Jobs for Virginia Graduates (JVG) grant program that assists economically disadvantaged pregnant or parenting teens with supports for graduation, employment, and job retention. The JVG employment preparation curriculum focuses on career awareness, resume writing, and interviewing skills. It also assists students in gaining employment while attending high school and retaining quality jobs after graduation through post-secondary education opportunities (e.g., community college, four-year college, business, trade, or technical programs) and training opportunities (e.g., apprenticeship, military, or correspondence). The JVG grant program has been a component of Project Opportunity at since Specialized programs have been created by staff to assist students. Success Prep and Reinforcing Foundation/Developmental Reading offer focused support in the four core subjects to students who have passed an academic class but not the correlated SOL test. An ESOL Writing Class offers second language learners extra support when necessary. Landmark Career Academy (LCA), located at Landmark Mall, is a satellite of. The program focuses on incorporating high school course work with job-embedded practices. Students in grades 11 and 12 utilize computer based instruction to complete courses as well as internships, resume writing, job-skill building workshops, and on-the-job supervision. Apex, an online computer-based program, is used as a credit/sol recovery intervention for students who have not been successful in a traditional classroom. Students are enrolled in the class, Success Prep, and are monitored and provided additional help from classroom teachers of the curriculum they are studying. The Student Leadership Committee also provides students with opportunities to develop positive leadership traits through school projects and community service projects. The counselors and the career specialist encourage students to participate in workshops dealing with essential life skills. The open campus setting allows adult-age students the ability to have a flexible schedule. Students are taught both academic and social skills aimed at developing self-motivation and self-discipline as they work toward a Standard, Advanced, or Modified Diploma. Page 5

8 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years. Bryant High School's Improvement Plan each year includes three student achievement goals: academic, essential life skills, and responsibility to the community. The notable achievements and areas of improvement are the basis for the school plan. Academic Goal The percentage of students who passed the Standards of Learning (SOL) tests has continued to meet accreditation standards of the state of Virginia, and is again fully accredited by the state of Virginia for the school year English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students are required to take the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment Data (WIDA) tests, and the scores increased by 1% from the previous year. Bryant students are also encouraged to enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) Government and Calculus classes and Honors classes in history and English. Seniors are offered an opportunity to enroll in a Northern Virginia Community College course during the school day. is the only alternative high school with a chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS). In the last three years there has been a school-wide commitment to literacy using data and professional research. All staff has embraced the Collaborative Learning Team (CLT) and Professional Learning Community (PLC) ideology to improve academic progress. All professional staff has incorporated SMARTR (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-Oriented, Time-Bound, and Rigorous) goals. Classroom teachers have increased use of 24/7 Learning (Blackboard) in all classes to help students stay organized and on task. Academic electives have been offered in ESOL reading and writing, English (Expanding Literacies), and Special Education classes for remediation for literacy and numeracy requirements. Credit recovery for students who have passed SOL tests but have not received a passing grade in a course has been a focus for the last two years. NovaNET and Apex computer-based courses have assisted these students in a self-paced curriculum to recover the credit for courses. To help students receive remediation and enrichment during the school day, the Bryant schedule has been modified for the last five years. For four years, a Focused Instructional Time (FIT) was scheduled twice a week to offer students time to meet with teachers and classmates to receive help. The positive results of having a time during the school day for students to meet with teachers led to a change in the schedule this year which allows for intervention, remediation, and enrichment time Monday - Thursday during Bear Block, a 40-minute period for all classes. Essential Life Skills Implementation of the Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) to the Bryant School community was established during the school year PBIS is a multi-year school-wide program that facilitates effective staff interaction with students and colleagues and supports positive student behavior. Bryant staff and teachers provide students with information and resources to address student issues such as health care, counseling, legal, alternative diploma options, and other concerns. The Fairfax County Public Health nurse visits weekly, and doctors from Fairfax Hospital visit monthly to discuss issues with Project Opportunity students and other interested students. Lessons on character education through Bear Block will address many of these issues. The full-time social worker provides assistance to students in becoming self-reliant adults who make wise life choices. Classes, workshops and FBLA and FCCLA chapters prepare students for workplace skills. A Dean of Students was appointed to offer additional support to students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community. The parent liaison was added to help bring the parents and community into the school. Attendance continues to be a major challenge at Bryant High School because of family issues and illnesses of students and other family members. Improving attendance through interventions including an In-school Intervention (ISI) program as a substitute to out-of-school suspension is a pilot this school year. Also, the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) students are mainstreamed in non-academic classes to offer an incentive to improve behavior and attendance to students in that program. Page 6

9 Responsibility to the Community Many Bryant students are responsible for their own children, other family members, and work full and part-time jobs. They are unable to extend their school day to participate in school and community activities. Students are provided with opportunities to participate in extracurricular sports, activities, and community service projects during the school day. The Friday Activity Period is scheduled during Bear Block (40 minute period) to provide all students the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities. This is a school-wide commitment to model positive activities in many different areas. Staff shares their talents and interests, and students are given the opportunity to sign up for a different activity every 4 weeks. The mentoring program pairs interested students with staff on a volunteer basis. The purpose is to have a caring adult in the students' lives to support academic and social skills. Mentors and mentees meet weekly to talk about concerns the student may have. Mentors and mentees also meet monthly for lunch or a field trip. Improvement for the next three years The enrollment-completion numbers from the 1st and 2nd semester of school year data showed that Bryant students need more time in a class to complete the standards of the course. Attendance and low reading skills help to inhibit their timely completion of courses. When students were given extended time (blocks 3-8), they were able to complete the courses at a 90% or better rate. Attendance continues to be the major concern for most students. To help improve attendance in , Fairfax County Public Schools provided transportation to include all students. Continuing the school day schedule for students to take 5th period classes and/or leave for work is another option to help with attendance. The afternoon classes (5th period) provide an opportunity for students from other schools to take an additional class. This would also decrease the drop-out rate if students had more flexibility to take classes on their own schedule. Reducing the out of school suspensions through In-School Intervention (ISI) will be an important step in keeping students on the track for graduation. Expanding the mentoring program will also be helpful in this endeavor. The new tests in mathematics and social studies kept the mean scale scores on the SOL tests from increasing last school year. The mean scale scores in other subjects were lower based on the reading readiness of the students. Science and English SOL tests will be more rigorous this year. Students need to be able to comprehend and analyze at a higher level. The support of a reading teacher to continue the reading literacy program will help all students to be successful on these high stakes tests. Page 7

10 Additional Information Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections. has partnerships outside of Fairfax County Public Schools which include Deloitte, Defense Acquisition University at Fort Belvoir, and United Community Ministries. These partnerships encourage a broad sense of civic responsibility through school and community activities including a mentorship program, intern/employment opportunities, and providing materials and manpower to maintain the school property. It would be in the best interest of the school to continue these partnerships and encourage more students to participate in the intern/employment opportunities. has a veteran staff of professional teachers. This has been a positive influence in the past. As time continues, however, it will be beneficial to actively recruit and induct staff members for a smooth transition for those who are retiring. Also, encourages new staff to take on leadership roles. Page 8