Executive Summary. William B. Travis High School

Transcription

1 Austin Independent School District Mr. Ty Davidson, Principal 1211 E. Oltorf Street Austin, TX Document Generated On October 31, 2012

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? is a high school in the Austin Independent School District. Travis opened in 1953 and was the first high school in Austin south of the Colorado River. Located in south central Austin, Travis High School is in the Travis Heights neighborhood and serves students as far south as the Dove Springs Neighborhood. Travis is a comprehensive high school with a variety of programs to meet unique student needs. For 2012, Travis was Academically Acceptable for the State of Texas accountability system but did not meet adequate yearly progress in the areas of Performance Reading, Performance Math and Graduation Rate for No Child Left Behind. Travis High School is surrounded by multiple institutions of higher education including St. Edward's University just a few blocks south of Travis. Travis has developed multiple relationships with colleges and universities in the area such as The University of Texas at Austin, Austin Community College and Texas State University. Other area universities include Huston-Tillotson University, Concordia University and the Art Institute of Austin. The demographic makeup of the district is 60.2% Hispanic, 8.7 % African American, 24.9% White, 6.2% other and 63% of those students are identified as being economically disadvantaged. Travis currently has 1368 students with 83% Hispanic, 10% African American, 3% White, 4% other and 90% of those students are economically disadvantaged. The staff at Travis High School consists of 12% African American, 21.3% Hispanic, 3% other and 64.6% White. The Austin ISD is divided into vertical teams. The William B. Travis Vertical team is composed of Fulmore and Mendez Middle Schools and Becker, Dawson, Linder, Travis Heights, Huston, Rodriguez and Widen elementary schools. Travis High School is divided into smaller learning communities or academies. The current academies are the FRESH, BEST, PATHS and InK academies. Each has a specialized focus and students will have elective offerings in career strands. The FRESH academy is composed of freshmen students and focuses on transitional activities to improve the educational experience of students as they progress from middle school to high school. The BEST - Business, Education, and Service Training - Academy includes coursework in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Business Management and Ready Set Teach. The PATHS - Public Services and the Health Sciences - Academy contains coursework in Health Sciences, Criminal Justice and ROTC. The InK - Innovative Knowledge Academy for College Readiness - Academy focuses on the Visual and Performing Arts, Multimedia and Instructional Technology. In response to critical learning gaps in subsets of Travis Students, a plan was created to strengthen the educational foundation of Travis High School. During the school year Travis implemented strategic tutoring in Math and Science. Participants in the ninth, tenth and eleventh grades were selected by core area teachers, instructional specialists and administrators. The selection process was based on previous TAKS scores, benchmark data, six weeks grades and attendance. Participation was voluntary, but students who missed sessions were contacted by administration to encourage attendance. The strategic tutoring took place during the school day. This method was selected because of student's responsibilities, both academic and personal, that limited the amount of time for tutoring before and after school. The majority of students were pulled from electives, but additional local credit courses were also affected. Page 2

5 Preliminary results from a released TAKS test given by our strategic tutoring providers show up to a 70% increase in the number of students who passed the post-assessment as compared to their pre-assessment passing rate. As a campus, we understand fully that the validity of the program will be based on TAKS/EOC results. In the first year of the Algebra I EOC, 78% of our students showed proficiency on their first try which will be the baseline for future years. Additional strategic tutoring time is significant, but student learning and instructional strategies used in the sessions are even more important. The campus used previous student data to make initial tutoring interventions and then proceeded to modify student groups in the tutoring period based on common formative assessments. The hiring of tutors with the right credentials and professional experience was crucial to meeting the needs of our student population. Sylvan was awarded the contract for high dosage tutoring with freshman math. They follow the curriculum road maps for Algebra I and participate in the Algebra I professional learning community. Another component of the plan to strengthen the educational foundation for Travis High School and the Travis Vertical Team is to create a MEDIA vertical team course sequence from elementary to graduation. Known as the Go Pro Media Major Signature Program, students, beginning in elementary school, would take media classes that build upon each other as they continue through school. A specific course sequence will be instituted that highlights technology, journalism, audio and video broadcast, graphic design, and similar areas of study. During the school year, Premier, an alternative graduation pathway or in-district charter school was added to the Travis campus. Premier High School is designed to help students who are struggling to graduate on time, at-risk of dropping out, or have already dropped out. Premier High School assists students in recovering credits needed for graduation. has many challenges as we move forward. Our students are highly mobile and often attend several different high school in a single year. We have 253 students who are identified as English Language Learners and have many more with parents who don't speak English. 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. The vision of William B Travis High School is to offer a supportive and structured learning environment where each child is accepted, respected and inspired. This will be accomplished by exposing students to rigorous curriculum and providing meaningful experiences to prepare them for their individual college and career choices. As young adults, they will use their creativity and independence to become lifelong learners, whose interest in their community surpasses their own self concern. The curriculum at Travis High School is aligned to state standards and assessed in many ways. The District creates curriculum road maps for each core content area. These road maps are used by Professional Learning Communities, (PLCs), composed of content specific teachers, who meet at least twice a week to increase student rigor and success. Tasks during a PLC include UNpacking/REpacking state-mandated standards, developing rubrics and common assessments, conducting student work and assessment audits, reviewing assessment data, creating interventions and enrichments, completing unit planning templates and reviewing and modifying lesson plans. In addition to unit assessments, short cycle assessments and district generated benchmark exams are used to evaluate a student's progress as they prepare for state exams required for graduation. Having a rigorous curriculum is one step in preparing students for college and the future. Participation in Advanced Placement classes has increased steadily for the past four years. Even with increasing numbers of students taking AP exams, AP scores are remaining consistent. In the spring, multiple AP prep classes are held at Travis in collaboration with AP teachers from other AISD AP teachers Last year our AP passing rate in social studies and Spanish increased dramatically. Working with students to ensure they apply to college and secure financial aid is the major focus of the Travis Go Center. Several programs work together in the Go Center to assist students in their journey to college. Through the support of these programs, the rate of college applications completed and numbers of students accepted into college has steadily increased. College Forward provides college access and college persistence services to motivated, economically disadvantaged students, in order to facilitate their transition to college and make the process exciting and rewarding. College Forward accomplishes this by providing an orientation to the college experience, helping students prepare for college entrance examinations, assisting with college applications, assisting in securing financial aid and persistence support for college. The Early College Start program is a collaboration with Austin Community College. It allows high school juniors and seniors residing in the ACC Community College District service area to take up to two ACC courses per semester. Students can earn college credit by taking ACC classes at their high schools, or at any ACC campus. In addition to college credit, students may earn credit toward their high school graduation requirements by completing dual credit courses and the courses are free of charge. Project ADVANCE, Assess, Decide, Visit, Apply, Now for your College Education, allows Travis to address the needs of its students with respect to Texas's "Closing the Gaps" initiative. An ADVANCE Facilitator works to provide individual attention to each and every student's college search, admission, and need for financial assistance. The program coordinates efforts to effectively inform and streamline the college process for seniors. Project ADVANCE strives to disseminate higher education and financial aid information to students and to provide Page 4

7 intensive college advising services to target populations, such as first generation college students, underrepresented minority groups, students with special learning needs, and students with limited English proficiency The Educational Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to and complete their postsecondary education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in and complete their postsecondary education. Another collaboration with Austin Community College is the College Connection program which opens doors to the variety of options that exist beyond high school. College Connection was created in response to the State of Texas' Closing the Gaps initiative. Because many high school students find the college enrollment process intimidating, College Connection provides hands-on, one-on-one support to assist students through each step of the college admissions process. ACC representatives visit area high schools several times per year. Services include details on ACC's programs, free college placement exams, information about how to start at ACC and transfer to a four-year university and assistance with ApplyTexas and financial aid (FAFSA). At high school graduation, participating seniors receive acceptance letters to Austin Community College. This acceptance letter is good for life. Travis has a strong Career and Technology Education Program. The Institute of Hospitality and Culinary Arts prepares students for real world jobs in the hospitality industry and culinary fields. Hospitality students work in area hotels and have opportunities to experience all aspects of the hotel business. Culinary students work with chefs and restaurants around Austin and have travelled to New York and Ireland to improve their skills. Other CATE courses include a variety of computer courses like game design, business information management and graphic design. The Travis Health Science Education program prepares students for a future in a variety of health careers. 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. Travis High School mas multiple areas of needed improvement. The two areas of largest concern are attendance and graduation rate. The programs below address those issues in a variety of ways. Other areas of improvement include increasing AP exam scores, number of students attending post-secondary education programs and increasing number of courses passed the first time by freshmen. Delta/Evening High School Delta is an open-entry, open-exit recovery program designed for students who are behind in credits or who have dropped out of school and are returning. Instruction is individualized and self-paced with the expectation that students will have good attendance and make good use of their time. Students can take Delta as a class during their regular daily schedule. Evening High School is an extended version of Delta with content teacher support Two labs are available for students 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm Monday through Thursday evenings. Students have an opportunity to recover credits not available during daytime Delta. PBS Travis High School has re-instituted PBS (Positive Behavior Supports) on campus this year to decrease referrals and physical altercations and increase our students sense of belonging within our community. The school uses a colored zone and color hall pass system to keep our campus safe. Teachers stand at our doors and in our hallways encouraging students to "Walk on the Right Side" of the halls and to keep moving, which is reducing tardies. We use the classroom as the first intervention place when dealing with tardy students. The school also uses positive behavior rewards such as the Fresh Symposium, Academy awards ceremonies, and more tangible rewards to encourage desired behaviors among our students. Lastly, the PBS team meets every 6 weeks to discuss our system and assess it for improvements and adjustments. Site Based Professional Development Travis has transformed our site based professional development this year by differentiating it based on our department's varying needs. All departments are focusing on improving students' reading and writing skills however each has latitude to develop, target, and implement professional development based on our own unique needs. Instructional specialists and assistant principals implement and create pd for the core academic departments which is delivered during common department time. English Language Arts specialists provided by the district provide professional development for our elective courses during Instructional Fridays as they also work on our literacy goal. These sessions are designed to provide useful literacy strategies and ideas for each elective area. Our PLCs then take the professional development and implement it immediately in lesson and unit plans allowing our faculty to practice the new learning in our classrooms. The ROCK Travis High School has transformed our In School Suspension program this year by prioritizing instruction and using a therapeautic approach in ISS. Every student entering The ROCK (Rebel Opportunity Center of Knowledge) engages in reflection by writing a "Think" sheet which helps them process the behaviors that led to ROCK placement. We have designed an environment that encourages instruction and reflection by installing 30 work centers with desktop computers and decorating the classroom with peace gardens created by our students last year. We also have a quiet study nook in the back of the classroom for private tutoring and a cool down space. The ROCK is staffed by three certified teachers on a rotating basis and recieved support from our security and administrative staff. Our students in long term placements also benefit from AISD support from our Learning Support Teacher and Behaviorist. Finally, using a positive behavior model, students can earn release from The ROCK in certain cases by completing work, making amends, and being positive during their placement. Page 6

9 FRESH Academy The Fresh Academy is our Freshmen community at Travis High School and has been created to serve, guide, and support our 9th graders as they transition into their high school experience. The Academy is led by two assistant principals, one counselor, an administrative assistant and almost 30 teachers who work as a team to support freshmen discipline, attendance, enrichment activities and instruction. The teachers in the Fresh Academy are an integral part of our team as they volunteered to teach Freshmen and serve as mentors for our most at-risk students. Our entire team is housed in the same hallway so that our proximity to our students creates a safe and consistent environment for them. We strive to reward our students for positive behaviors through events, ceremonies and rewards as well as counsel and discipline students who need extra support. Our team is devoted to reaching out to families through family conferences and we always have an open door policy with all of our students. REACH REACH is a forward-thinking effort developed and designed to advance AISD's efforts to recruit and retain the very best teachers and principals for Austin's schools. The program offers AISD educators incentives for raising the academic achievement of students and combines significant performance rewards with targeted supports and leadership opportunities. Freshman Seminar To help the transition from the TAKS test to the STARR test and improve student success, the Freshman Seminar program was initiated in the spring of Over 100 students participated for four hours every Saturday from February until the Starr test in late April. Students rotated through the four freshman core classes where they received instruction based on end of course standards as well as test taking skills. Aim Truancy Program To address truancy issues, AISD has partnered with Aim Truancy Solutions to help students improve their attendance and potentially avoid a court hearing. Student are given a special Aim Truancy device they are to keep with them at school and take home. This device will give students a wakeup call every weekday where students respond if they are going to school or not. There are five times during the day that students must check in from their Aim Truancy device. Each student has a mentor who will check in on a regular basis to discuss attendance and see how everything is going at school and home. 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. A few more things about : Recent Graduating Seniors are attending - MIT, Stanford, Syracuse, The University of Texas at Austin, Blinn College, Huston Tillotson, Miami Dade College, Midland College, Navarro College, St Edward's, Stephen F Austin, Temple College, Texas State, Concordia, Texas Tech, Texas Women's University, Texas A&M - College Station, Corpus Christi, Kingsville, University of Houston, University of North Texas, The University of Texas at San Antonio and the Navy Over 20 Travis students have obtained their Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications in the last two years. As a result of these certifications, these students have the experience, knowledge, and skills that today's employers desire. In today's job market, these certifications will ultimately give our students the competitive edge for success. Travis has the only Academic Decathalon team in AISD and the central Texas Area The Travis Hospitality Program was the district CTE pilot program for integrating ipads in the classroom and it was successful. 20 hospitality students volunteered at the annual Feast of Sharing before Thanksgiving, where a Travis assistant principal is a veteran volunteer and coordinator. Around 900 of our students are in Career and Technology classes, receiving articulated credit and certifications preparing them for college and the workplace Travis has been the only AISD high school in several years in AISD to compete in the regional Mock Trial Competition Travis NJROTC earned a Bravo Zulu award for excellence during the NJROTC Area-10 Annual Military Inspection. For ,25 Academic All-District athletes, 50 All-District athletes, two All-Star game athletes, one National Football Foundation Scholarship Athlete, Girls Basketball Coach of the Year, 95% passing rate Page 8