Washington County Department of Education Dr. Doyle Brinson, Director P.O. Box 70632 Johnson City, TN 37614 Document Generated On March 19, 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Description of the School 2 School's Purpose 9 Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement 10 Additional Information 11
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. <br><br> 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
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? Situated in the heart of the Southern Appalachia, Johnson City is the home of University School. University School is the laboratory school for East Tennessee State University's Clemmer College of Education. Since 1996, University School has operated the only year-round, K-12 laboratory school in the nation. The school facility is located on the main campus of ETSU, and faculty and students enjoy use of campus resources. In addition to their course loads at University School, several faculty members also teach undergraduate and/or graduate classes at ETSU. University School has been a part of ETSU since it began in 1911 as a two-year normal school. Originally the school provided for the first seven grades under the direction of four teachers. By 1914, grades extended through eighth grade, and a few years later, the terminal year became the tenth grade. After a program of advanced planning, grade eleven began in 1947, and a grade twelve curriculum was prepared in 1948. In the spring of 1949, the first class graduated from the Training School. The name "Training School" later officially changed to the present "University School" by resolution of the General Assembly on the recommendation of the State Board of Education. Kindergarten became a part of the school in 1993, and today many graduates complete their entire K-12 education at University School. The thirteen year program creates a tight social community where parent support is significant, siblings within the school are common, and the concept of "school family" is promoted. Facilities: The 87 year-old building consists of thirty-three classrooms, including four science labs, four computer labs, and two learning cottages. There are 18 office areas, a gymnasium, a Media Center, a small cafeteria, a conference room, and several storage rooms. The faculty efficiently uses the limited available space. ETSU facilities are also available for wellness and physical education as well as theatrical performances and large school events. The athletic program has some access to ETSU fields and gymnasiums for practices and games and also uses other community facilities. Environmental and Safety Conditions: University School has plans and procedures for the following: - Code Red Lock Down (used to effectively halt school activities in the event of a crisis situation) - Death of Student/Staff/Faculty Member - Fire Drills - Severe Weather Emergencies Each of these plans addresses the procedures and responsibilities for teachers and administrators. These procedures and plans are located in the University School Faculty and Staff Handbook, the Administration Office, and in each individual teacher's room. Teachers have a small flip chart of emergency instructions and phone numbers located on their desks. The school also has a full-time security officer on the premise to assist with security. ETSU campus security assists the school as needed. Page 2
Length of School Year: University School students adhere to the state of Tennessee policies and attend school for 180 days. In addition, the school follows a yearround calendar beginning in July of each year. Students attend four nine-week sessions for a total of thirty-six weeks. Students enjoy a three-week break between each session with a five-week break during the summer. Length of the School Day: University School students attend classes Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with days off for holidays, vacations, faculty inservice, and parent/teacher conferences. The school calendar also includes three half days. Some students voluntarily enroll in our University Singers choral program at 7:00 a.m. each morning. Operating Budget Distribution Equity: Funding for University School comes from state ADA funds through Washington County. However, the University School budget is managed independently from Washington County. The total operating budget for 2012-2013 was $2,966,985. This includes faculty/staff salaries of $2,043,432 and expenditures of $182,030. Per pupil expenditures in 2013 were $8,258. East Tennessee State University provides oversight for the school's operating budget. Student Demographics In 2013, University School had 509 students enrolled. As a microcosm of our geographic area, our ethnic composition reflects 89% Caucasian, 5% African-American, and 6% other minorities. By comparison, Washington County (total enrollment 9,057) has 94% Caucasian and 6% other minorities. Grade Distribution and Enrollment Data for 2013-2014: 17 students in kindergarten 18 students in 1st grade 20 students in 2nd grade 20 students in 3rd grade 25 students in 4th grade 22 students in 5th grade 24 students in 6th grade 45 students in 7th grade 47 students in 8th grade 70 students in 9th grade 65 students in 10th grade 62 students in 11th grade 60 students in 12th grade Class size increases at first, fourth, seventh and ninth grades, with a potential maximum class size of 75 students at the high school level. English Proficiency: Page 3
University School has no students who qualify for English as a Second Language services. Economically Disadvantaged Students: Economically disadvantaged students represent 14% of the University School student body as compared to 8% 5 years ago. Graduation Rate: The graduation rate of University School in 2013 was 100%. Special Education: At University School, 8.5% of the student body qualifies for special education services. These students include the following: - 30 gifted - 8 with disabilities - 5 speech/language impaired Faculty: All but 3 faculty members hold advanced degrees. - 25 faculty members have a Master's degree - 5 faculty members have a Specialist's degree - 3 faculty members have a Doctorate 100% of University School Faculty members are Highly Qualified. Faculty experience ranges from 4 to 41years with an average of 15 years of experience. Approximately 60% of the faculty have been at University School at least 6 years and have earned tenure from East Tennessee State University. Staff: Our staff includes the following personnel: 1 Executive Aide 1 Bookkeeper 1 School Nurse 2 Resource Instructors 1 Part Time Instructor 1 School Resource Officer 1 Web Master 5 Instructional Aides 3 Food Service Workers 1 Custodian Page 4
Faculty Involvement in School Leadership: All faculty members serve on a Professional Learning Community (PLC) and many serve on various other committees. PLCs include: - Academic Support - Academic Enrichment - Data Analysis - On-Line Learning - Professional Development Other committees include: - SACS Team - Courtesy Committee - Tenure Committee - Prom Committee - Honors Banquet - Franklin Bowl - Leader in Me - Graduation Committee - Search Committees - ETSU and COE Committees - The Foundation - Buc Boosters - Dress Code Trained and Qualified Mentors: - Four teachers have earned National Board Certification. - Seven teachers have received advanced training in the Responsive Classroom Model. - Two teachers received New Teacher Mentor Training from Washington County. - Experienced faculty members serve as mentors to new teachers each year. - University School faculty members serve as mentors and supervisors for student teachers and field placement students from the ETSU Clemmer College of Education. Curriculum Offerings: Students in grades K-8 receive academic instruction in Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, and specialty areas, including Music, Art, Physical Education, Guidance, Library, and Health. High School Students choose from more than 50 college preparatory courses, including 7 AP courses. Dual Enrollment: Page 5
Local colleges and universities offer dual enrollment opportunities to University School juniors and seniors. Students must meet institutional admission requirements to enroll in college courses. Tennessee offers a grant to qualifying juniors and seniors to offset the expense of dual enrollment courses. ETSU offers an additional grant to students having a GPA of 3.4 or higher and University School gives a stipend of $75 per semester. Gifted students may register for dual enrollment courses at any grade level with IEP team approval and institutional acceptance. University School currently has approximately 80 students taking one or more dual enrollment classes. Post Graduate Education: High rates of University School students attend college. On average 81% of the graduates enroll in 4-year colleges, and 13% enroll in 2-year colleges. The remaining graduates enter military training or the workforce. Enrichment Opportunities: Many enrichment opportunities are offered at University School. - Career Day - Jump for Heart - Hoops for Heart - Spelling Bee - Storytelling Partnership with ETSU - New student orientation - Senior Retreat - Student Government Retreat - Morning Announcements given by students - International Travel Opportunities and Global Partnerships - College Fairs - Before School Health/PE Initiative - Theater Arts Productions - Poetry Out Loud competition - Science Fair - Middle School Multicultural Fair - AMC Mathematics Competition - Chemistry Olympiad - Franklin Math Bowl Athletics: University School offers the following athletic opportunities: Middle School - Boys' and Girls' Basketball - Cross Country - Track High School - Boys' and Girls' Basketball - Golf Page 6
- Cross Country - Baseball - Girls' Softball - Boys' and Girls' Soccer - Track and Field - Cheerleading Parent Involvement: Parent involvement is instrumental to the daily operations of University School. Parent volunteers assist in classrooms and in the Media Center. Parents also have the opportunity to participate on a number of committees that meet on a monthly basis. - The University School Foundation is a parent/faculty group that meets monthly to approve and secure supplemental funding and charitable donations for the school. Monies provided through the foundation are allocated for innovative curricular programs and activities that benefit students along with other initiatives and resources that support the School Purpose Statement. Annual fundraising events organized by the Foundation include: a cookie dough sale in the fall and a plant sale in the spring. Currently, the Foundation is focused on measures to improve safety in our building and also renovation of the stage area to enable our theater productions to be held in our own building. - The Buc Boosters is a parent/faculty group that meets once per month to support the athletic programs at University School with both volunteer service and financial support. Each athletic team has a parent liaison who communicates with other parents to organize team activities and events. Parent or Guardian Demographics: University School is a school of choice and enrolls students from five counties: Washington, Carter, Unicoi, Sullivan, and Greene. The school does not provide transportation for students. The academic focus is college preparatory and thus does not offer a technical program. Due to the aforementioned factors, the parent and student demographics at University School do not reflect the same demographics as the counties we serve. At the present time University School does not collect demographic information from parents. Community Characteristics per the 2012 census Size of Community: Johnson City, with a population of 64,528 is a sociologically diverse community with a sizable industrial base. Washington County has a population of 125,080. Demographic Breakdown of the Populous: The population is made up of 92.6% Caucasian, 4% African American, 1.4% Hispanic, 1.0% two or more races, 0.6% American Indian, and 0.5% other. The total minority population consists of 7.4% of the total population. Median Income: The median income for a household in Washington County is $43,000. The per capita income for the county is $25,381. Page 7
Major Employers: The following employers are ranked from highest to lowest: - Eastman Chemical Co. - Mountain States Health Alliance - East Tennessee State University - Citi Commerce Solutions - James H. Quillen Medical Center - Washington County School System Page 8
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. University School Purpose As a model K-12 school, University School is committed to an integrated academic curriculum emphasizing science and mathematics, which prepares all students and future educators to contribute to and succeed in a technologically oriented and global society. Descriptions of how University School embodies its purpose through it program offerings and expectations for students is embedded throughout the accreditation documents and self-assessments. Page 9
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. Awards and Recognition University School recently received three awards for academic performance. We were named by the state of Tennessee as a Reward School for Performance, scoring in the top five percent of the state, based on our 2012-2013 achievement scores. A silver award from US News and World Report of top high schools was awarded to University School this school year. We were also named a Highly Effective School in 2013 from the Education Consumers Foundation and awarded a Value-Added Achievement Award. Opportunities for Growth and Transition -Full implementation of Common Core Standards and transition to PARCC created assessments by SY 2014-2015 -Review and address growth needs across subjects and assessments -Continue to increase focus on utilizing informational text evidence in written responses across the curriculum -Continue to work on closing achievement gaps for special populations -Continue to revise emergency procedures and update safety measures Page 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. For additional information about University School, please visit our informative web site at www.usbucs.com. Page 11