2008 Model Schools Conference Orlando, Florida Changing a High School Culture: Moving from a Good School for Some to a Great School for All Donna Salazar,

2008 Model Schools Conference Orlando, Florida

Changing a High School

Culture:Moving from a Good School for Some to a Great School for All

Donna Salazar, Principal Doug Bluth, Assistant Principal

La Quinta High School

http://www.dsusd.us/schools/LQHS/

Presentation Overview

• LQHS Profile/Demographics/Recognitions

• The Need for Change

• Changes Made and How Implemented

• Results

• Practical Advice for Overcoming Obstacles and Creating a Culture of Change

• Next Steps in Continuous Improvement

LQHS Snapshot

• Location: Southern California Desert, near Palm Springs, California – Riverside County

• Comprehensive High School• Opened: 1994• 2,950 students 9th – 12th• 182 Staff Members: 127 certificated

75 support• Graduation Rate: 95%• Attendance Rate: 96%

LQHS Demographics

• Hispanic: 52%

• White: 40%

• African-American: 2%

• Asian: 2%

• English Learners: 9%

• Poverty: 35%

• Students w/ Disabilities: 7%

LQHS Recognitions

• CA Distinguished School: 1999, 2003, 2005-Exemplary CTE Programs• Newsweek’s America’s Best High Schools, 2006, 2007, 2008• County HS Model of Excellence • Selected by State Superintendent as one

of 75 schools in U.S. to participate in the Gates Initiative with ICLE’s Successful Practices Network “Promising to Proven”

Test Scores• API Gain of +44 points

– API 746 (702 to 746) State goal of 800– Avg. gain county high schools +2 points– Exceeded target by +39 points– Gains in all content areas, all grade levels– Gains in all subgroups

• AYP Met all targets for all subgroups• CAHSEE increased pass rate

– Overall 90% ELA, 87% Math census administration– All subgroups higher than county & state

(except EL math)

State Rankings

• State Rank Increase

* 6 to 8 – two decile growth

• Similar Schools Rank Increase

* 2 to 6 – four decile growth

* Out of a scale of 1-10

Looking Back – The Need for Change

• Modest test score gains overall• Increasing performance targets• Changing demands of post-HS world• Divided faculty• Perception of “Haves” vs. “Have-nots”• Unfocused leadership • Settling for status quo of “pretty good school”• 2005 decline in test scores• Teaching in isolation

Our Association with ICLE

• Selected as 1 of 75 Gates Initiative “Promising” Schools in fall of 2005

• Attended High School Reinvention Symposium in Washington D.C. Oct. 2005

• At Reinvention Symposium, we chose two Action Areas:

1. Using Data

2. 9th Grade Transition Year

Our Association with ICLE• Attended Model Schools Conferences in 2006, 2007• Attended Whole School Reform Symposium, 2008• Professional Development Focus on Rigor, Relevance

and Relationships over past three years:*Daggett, McNulty, Quaglia information

and materials*PLC training and development *Quadrant D Gold Seal Lesson Training-Jim Miles

*Teachers enrolled in CORR*Ray McNulty scheduled for August, 2008

• Principal participated in ICLE Leadership Institute, 06-07

Pretty Good

There once was a pretty good studentWho sat in a pretty good class

And was taught by a pretty good teacher Who always let pretty good pass

…The pretty good class that he sat in

Was part of a pretty good school,And the student was not an exception:

On the contrary, he was the rule….

The pretty good school that he went to Was there in a pretty good town

…The pretty good town in our storyWas part of a pretty good state

Which had pretty good aspirations And prayed for a pretty good fate.

There once was a pretty good nation Pretty proud of the greatness it had,

Which learned much too late,If you want to be great,

Pretty good is, in fact, pretty bad.- Charles Osgood

What Did We Do?Changes Made:

• Expanded Personalized Learning• Created Teacher Collaboration/PLC’s• Forged Strong Shared Leadership• Focused on 9th grade Transition Year• Emphasized Rigorous & Relevant Inst.• Reached out to the Community• Created Tools for Wise Use of Data• Planned Focused and Sustained Professional

Development• Created Supports for Struggling Students

Expanded Our Personalized Learning

Communities• Career Academies

Health AcademyPublic Service Academy Culinary Arts Institute Education Pathway Jr. ROTC

• International Baccalaureate Programme• AVID• Special Ed. In-class Collaboration Model• Special Ed. Workability Program

Created Committed Professional Learning

Communities• 32 Content Teams • Meet 3 to 4 times per month• Tuesday morning PLC 40 minutes• Structured and Accountable

*Group Norms*Protocols for:

-selecting key standards-data analysis/goal setting-selecting instructional

strategy/differentiating-examining student work-sharing best practices

Forged Strong, Inclusive Leadership

Teacher-leaders with broad involvement:• Shape vision• Create courses and Master Schedule• Problem solvers for all school issues• Create testing schedule, discipline/attendance

policies• Help hire teachers• Plan Professional Development • Lead PLC’s in data analysis, instructional

strategies and best practices and work with county team (TRAC Team)

9th Grade Transition Focus

• Intervention Courses – READ 180 and Alg. Support

• Mentoring Program – Link Crew

• Dedicated Counselors

• Middle School Outreach

• Extra Tutoring

• Proven Teachers w/ Neediest Students

Emphasis on Rigorous and Relevant Instruction

• Entire staff trained by ICLE to use Quadrant D Gold Seal Lessons

• Teachers enrolled in CORR • R & R Framework Poster in every room• Staff members submit to

Gold Seal Lesson repository• Expectation set for Gold Seal Lessons• IB & Honors courses open to all students• Principal walk-through questions for students

Partnerships with the Community

• CTE AcademiesMentors

Job shadowing Internships Advisory committees

• CV Economic Partnership Articulation of local needs Scholarships

• Local Service Organizations

Favorite Quote

“Good carpenters measure before they cut and after they cut.”

-Dr. Sandy Sanford

Educational Consultant,

Eduneering, Inc.

LQHS Uses Data to…• Decide what and how much to teach • Create curriculum maps/pacing guides• Create common assessments • Identify problems in student learning• Improve and differentiate instruction• Identify students that need extra support• Prompt sharing of best practices • Determine courses/teaching assignments• Improve student engagement • Improve relationships throughout the school• Encourage leadership and risk-taking in students• Present a comprehensive picture of our students

Deciding What and How Much to Teach

Data Sources/Tools • ICLE Curriculum Matrix • National Essential Skills Study • State and National Content Standards• Test Blueprints/Curr. Maps/Pacing Guides• Test Results/Strand Analysis• Pre-assessment results• Common Assessment results• Local community needs

Task Sequence Agenda Time

Opening: Review and confirm commitment to group norms

2 minutes

Selecting a Key Standard:

Select a standard based on:Frequency in blueprintPacing guideCurriculum mapHigh impact standard (carry-over)ICLE Curriculum MatrixNESSData indicatorDemographic impact

10 -15 minutes

Instructional Strategies: Select specific strategies the team will use to teach the standardDetermine which EL strategies will be most effective

15 minutes

Parking Lot: Address off-topic items that came up during the process

3 minutes

Agenda Setting: Determine the focus and required resources for the next meeting

2 minutes

Parking Lot •Address off-topic items that came up during the process

TBD

Guiding Questions:1. What is the weight of the standard on common assessments? (State, district, or content area)2. Is the standard foundational in vertical weight?3. What does the student need to know for success post-high school?

Step1: Selecting Key StandardsObjective: Indentify 8-10 Key Standards

for each Semester

Example: English I Team

• Compile year-long data from all common assessments and pass on to English II team the areas of lowest performance from English I students as a group to assist English II team in determining Key Standards

Data Analysis and SMART GoalGuiding Questions:

1. Is the data current?2. Are key demographic groups represented in the data?3. Which key standards did students demonstrate proficiency?4. Which key standards did students not demonstrate proficiency?5. Is the SMART Goal Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely?6. Do instructional strategies support all demographic groups and use best practices?7. Are common assessments uniformly applied?

Step 2: Data Analysis & SMART Goal

TBDAddress off-topic items that came up during the processParking Lot:

1 minutesDetermine the focus and required resources for the next meetingAgenda Setting:

3 minutesDefine how it will be determined that students learned the topic.Select specific common assessments as measurements

Assessment Plan:

10 minutesDetermine which instructional strategies reflect best practicesInstructional Strategies:

5 minutesDetermine pre/post assessment criteriaUsing pre-assessment data write a specific team SMART Goal: Define the improvement percentagesDefine the assessment toolSet a target date

SMART Goal:

10 -15 minutesStrengths: Identify areas where most students did wellChallenges: identify areas where students struggledDetermine the SMART Goal

Data Analysis:

10 minutesDetermine which data is essential to student learningDetermine proficiency level

Review Data:

3 minutesBased on priority, select a key standardFocus on a Standard:

1 minuteReview and confirm commitment to group normsOpening:

TimeAgendaTask Sequence

Example: Advanced Algebra Team

• CST data reveals low performance in logarithms and high performance in conics

- pacing guide adjusted for time

• Gold Seal Lesson Rocket Project moved from week before Christmas to after state tests in April and unit on statistics inserted

Example: English II Team

• 1st Qtr. common assessment reveals lowest performance in passive vs. active voice – prompts instructional focus and revisit on next common assessment

• Individual teacher data analysis reveals one teacher’s students particularly low in literary terms and devices – prompts him to seek instructional strategies/best practices from teacher whose students score high in this standard

Example: Chemistry Team

• CST data reveals low performance in organic and biochem standards

- curriculum map rearranged based on

priority of standard and student performance, not textbook organization


2 minutesDetermine the focus and required resources for next meeting.

Agenda Setting:

3 minutesDetermine placement of assessments in the curriculum map and pacing guide

Common Assessments:

10 - 15 minutesIdentify specific strategies to support:EL learnersB, BB, FBB learnersSPED students

Targeting student needs:

10 – 15 minutesDetermine specific instructional strategies the team will useInstructional Response to data:

10 – 15 minutesAnalyze standard and RTQ for:Academic vocabularyKey termsTesting format

Analysis of Released Test Questions: (If applicable)

3 minutesClarify the standardTarget Standard:

2 minutesReview and confirm commitment to group normsOpening:


Guiding Questions:1. Which instructional strategies incorporate best practices?2. Which RTQs target deficient student data?3. Do common assessments target key standards?

Step 3: Working with Key Standards

Example: U.S. History Team

• Spiral information about Constitution throughout the year; students see it repeatedly

• Top 5 questions missed go on next quarter common assessment

• Review results of common assessments with students for multiple purposes:– Re-teach vital content– Teach test-taking skills (academic vocab/stems/distractors)- Team building: “rah-rah we can do this”

Value of Released Items

• Calibration of the teaching of a standard to how that standard is assessed by the state

• For example, consider the following standard

“Calculate perimeters, circumferences, and areas of

various two dimensional figures”

Item 1

1. If a circle has a radius of 4 meters, what is the circumference of that circle in meters?

r = 4 meters

Item 22. The circle below is inscribed in a square so

that it just touches each of the four sides. The square has an area of 64 square meters. What is the circumference of the circle in meters?


3 minutesDetermine the focus and required resources for next meeting

Agenda Setting:

5 minutesValidate the effectiveness of common assessmentsAssessment Review:

5 - 10 minutesDetermine re-teaching strategiesRemediation Plan:

5 - 10 minutesSelect instructional strategies to challenge proficient studentsDetermine specific strategies the team will use to support deficient areasDetermine effectiveness of EL, B, BB, FBB and SPED strategies

Responding to the data:

10 -15 minutesStrengths – Identify areas where most students did wellChallenges – Identify areas where students struggled

Student Work Analysis:

2 minutesReview and confirm commitment to group normsOpening:


Guiding Questions:1. Which strategies can be implemented to remediate students not demonstrating proficiency?2. Are best instructional practices implemented to target all demographic groups?

Step 4: Looking at Student Work

Collaboration Notes – Focus PageDepartment: ______________________ Content Team: ___________________Date: ________________Today’s Objective: ____________________________

Our SMART Goal (Specific – Measureable – Attainable – Realistic – Timely)_____ (Who-Group) _________will increase in____(What – Content Specific)_____From ____________(Baseline)______% to _____________(Target)________% as measured by ______(How-Assessment tool) ____ by ______(When-Date)_______.

This SMART Goal is based on: □Response to data □Analysis of key standard □Revisiting previous team goal □Other _______________________________________________________________

Our Group Norms:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Today’s focus will be:□ Selecting Key Standards□ Data Analysis□ Working with Standards□ Looking at Student Work

Attendance Roll:

Summation /Outcomes:

Collaboration Notes – Agenda & Accountability Page

Other:

Team Assignments:

Next Step:

Common Agreements:

Strategies:

Analysis:

Primary Focus:

Notes to Administration:

Department: Visual Arts Content Team: S. Fuller, M. Herrera, T. Kauffman, K. Wheeler, T. Williams

Date: 1/29/08 Today’s Objective: Begin discussion of collaborative project

Our SMART Goal (Specific – Measureable – Attainable – Realistic – Timely)The Visual Arts Department will increase in collaboration on a theme-based project

From 75% to 100% as measured by school art exhibition/rubric by spring 2009.

SMART Goal # 4: The visual arts department will execute a coordinated, theme-based assignment that incorporates California art standards and culminates in a department-wide exhibition for the school community. The standards include Artistic Perception, Creative Expression, Historical and Cultural context, Aesthetic

Valuing, Connections, Relationships, and Application. The final product, the art show, will involve every art student in the department. The coordinated art project will be strategic and specific, measurable, attainable, results-based, and time-bound.

This SMART Goal is based on: □Response to data □Analysis of key standard □ Revisiting previous team goal □Other

Our Group Norms:

1. Time: Tuesday mornings2. Listening: Everyone is given equal time to express their views. 3. Confidentiality: The meeting will be open, but what we say in the meeting will be held in confidence.4. Decision-making: Decisions will be made by consensus.5. Participation: Attendance is mandatory and will be recorded on an official sign-in sheet.6. Expectations: Cooperation is expected and everyone will participate equally.

Today’s focus will be:□ Selecting Key Standards

□ Data Analysis□ Working with Standards□ Looking at Student Work

□ Other Intra-departmental project

Attendance Roll:S. FullerM. HerreraT. KauffmanK. WheelerT. Williams

Please stay on topic with the protocol. Use the Parking Lot for topics best discussed in Department meeting or subsequent content team meetings. Keep this original copy in your folder and provide additional copies to:

1Your Department Coordinator2 Mr. Hicks

Collaboration Notes – Agenda & Accountability Page

Primary Focus: Creating department-wide project that covers a smart goal and specific art standards.

Analysis: Encourages social interaction among the disciplines. Incorporates national standards Content #1, #3, #4

Strategies: Make and trade artistic trading cards using gel transfer, collage, various papers, stamps (alphabet, rubber), recycled materials, old newspaper and magazines, stencils, etc.

Common Agreements: We aim to try the project next year, exhibit, and trade the results.

Next Step: Several teachers will try the project this year. Teachers will amass materials and resources to be used.

Team Assignments: Teachers will collaborate on the procurement of materials and resources.

Other: Order Artist Trading Card Workshop by Berlin, B. ISBN-10:1581808488

Summation /Outcomes: All members have agreed to participate in the project. We will continue to work on it during PLC time.

Notes to Administration: Administrators will be invited to the event next year.

Data – More Than Just Test Scores

What additional data can be used to measure the multiple facets

of our students and to drive continuous school improvement?

The ICLE Learning Criteria, tailored

to La Quinta High School

The Learning Criteria: another Data Tool

• Concrete Data Collection and Analysis • Comprehensive and Detailed• Personalized to Our School• Roadmap for Continuous Improvement• Additional Tool for Managing Data and

Answering the Questions: “How’s business at LQHS?”

and “How do you know?”

The ICLE Learning Criteria

1. Core Academic LearningStandardized State Tests in ELA/Math/Science

2. Stretch Learning Learning beyond minimum requirements

3. Student Engagement Motivation, commitment, relationships

4. Personal Skill Development Leadership, positive behaviors, social skills

The Learning CriteriaLa Quinta High School

Core Academic Learning CA HS Exit Exam Census 10th grade passing

LQHS County BenchmarkedELA 83% 75% +8%Math 84% 72% +12%

CST Life Science 10th Grade meeting proficiencyLQHS State Benchmarked39% 29% +10%

UC/CSU EligibilityLQHS State Benchmarked37% 35% +2%

The Learning Criteria La Quinta High School

Stretch Learning

Enrollment in IB/AP Courses: +129 seats

% enrolled in CTE: Steady @14.9%

% in CTE finish program/graduate: 96%

+1% state

# enrolled in 3+ years Foreign Lang: 16.7%

+1.5% increase


Student Engagement My Voice Student Aspirations SurveyI enjoy being at school: 58.9%2 yr growth Compared to National Sample+10.6% +8.9%

I believe I can be successful: 92%2 yr growth Compared to National Sample+3% +26%

I push myself to do better academically: 79%2 yr growth Compared to National Sample+7.1% +4%

The Learning CriteriaLa Quinta High School

Student Engagement

% Earning D and F Grades

2006 “D” 2007 “D” Benchmarked

15.73% 14.36% -1.37%

2006 “F” 2007 “F” Benchmarked

14.78% 12.03% -2.75%


Student Engagement Participation in co-curricular activities:73% to 74.6% +1.6%

Attendance Rate LQHS: 2006 95.11%

2007 95.48% +.37%Compared to district high schools: +.96%

+.05%


Personal Skill Development

% suspended for fighting/conflict:2005 2006 2007

Benchmarked

1.9% 1.9% .06% -1.3%

% who view themselves as leaders:2005 2006 2007

Benchmarked

55.7% 56.5% 60.0% +4.3%

Focused & Sustained Professional Development

• PD Limited to Three Areas:*Rigorous and Relevant Instruction for All*Wise Use of Data *Improved Relationships

• Use of Daggett’s “Why/What/How” model• Use of Quaglia’s Relationship Materials• Whole Staff All Day Trainings w/ICLE

*R&R Quadrant D – Jim Miles*Literacy Integration – Ray McNulty

Supports for Struggling Students

• Academic Interventions*READ 180*Algebra Support *Extra tutoring in four core subjects

• Mentoring program by upperclassmen• Induction program for freshmen• Parent Institutes for each grade level• Proven teachers with neediest students• In-class collaboration inst. model for SPED• Attitude shift: no longer ok to fail students

Results • Increased Student Learning• Significant Test Score Gains-All Subjects/All Levels/All

Measures– AYP, API, Exit Exam, State & Similar Schools Rank, Diagnostic

Exit Exam, Learning Criteria

• Better Alignment of vision/goals/curriculum/ instruction/assessment• Reduction in D and F grades• Increased Student Engagement• Increased Professional Collaboration• Improved Relationships Schoolwide• Increased Confidence from Community• Teacher requests for at-risk student populations

Test Scores• API Gain of +44 points

– API 746 (702 to 746)– Avg. gain county high schools +2 points– Exceeded target by +39 points– Gains in all content areas, all grade levels– Gains in all subgroups

• AYP Met all targets for all subgroups• CAHSEE increased pass rate

– Overall 90% ELA, 87% Math census administration– All subgroups higher than county & state

(except EL math)

746702Total

1717SCF

+44729685Subtotal

+59186CAHSEE Math

+69185CAHSEE ELA

World His+119180

American His

0212110th Gd Science

+6134128EOC Science

+3103100Math

+13198185ELA

Diff2007 Growth API2006 Base API

LQHS Subject Contribution to API

La Quinta High School 8th Cycle APIComponent Analysis

Weight 2006 Base*

2007 Growth* ~Diff*

Schoolwide 702 746 +44ELA 26% 185 +198 +13Math 18% 101 103 +310th Gd Science 3% 21 21 0EOC Science 19% 128 135 +6US History 6% 39 39 +1World History 8% 41 52 +10CAHSEE ELA 10% 85 92 +6CAHSEE Math 10% 86 92 +5

SCF 100% 17 17

La Quinta High School API Micro Component Analysis Percentage Correct

Weight 2005 2006 2007 N9th Gd ELA

26%58% 60% 63% 799

10th Gd ELA 62% 58% 64% 77311th Gd ELA 58% 59% 63% 599Algebra I

18%

37% 40% 41% 813Geometry 52% 47% 53% 497Algebra II 49% 48% 48% 413Integrated I 41% 195Integrated II 42% 88Summative Math 61% 60% 63% 12410th Gd Science 3% 53% 56% 766Earth Science

19%

51% 51% 56% 824Biology 53% 54% 57% 873Chemistry 51% 54% 63% 405Physics 49% 53% 65% 23US History 6% 50% 54% 54% 595World History 8% 49% 48% 50% 766CAHSEE ELA* 10% 74%* 69%* 74%* 998*CAHSEE Math* 10% 73%* 71%* 75%* 992*

Test Score Gains

State Rankings

• State Rank Increase

* 6 to 8 – two decile growth

• Similar Schools Rank Increase

* 2 to 6 – four decile growth

* Out of a scale of 1-10

Exit Exam Pass RateClasses of 2007-2010

76%

78%

80%

82%

84%

86%

88%

90%

ELA Math

Class of 07

Class of 08

Class of 09

Class of 10

3-D Column 5

La Quinta High School AYP 2005-2008Based on 2008 Census CAHSEE

ELA % Proficient Math % Proficient

2005 2006 2007 2008 2005 2006 2007 2008

Schoolwide 56% 51% 57% 65% 51% 52% 62% 57%

Hispanic 45% 40% 44% 42% 43% 50%

White 68% 61% 71% 62% 63% 75%

SED 38% 32% 39% 40% 40% 48%

ELA Diagnostic Exit Exam Results

March 2007 March 2008

Standard % Correct Standard % Correct

10RC2.1 70% 10RL3.8 54%

10RC2.4 70% 10RL3.9 80%

10RC2.5 74% 10RW1.1 66%

10RC2.7 61% 8RC2.1 81%

10RC2.8 70% 8RL3.7 58%

10RL3.1 67% 10WC1.1 69%

10RL3.10 65% 10WC1.2 63%

10RL3.3 64% 10WC1.3 73%

10RL3.4 63% 10WS1.1 63%

10RL3.5 76% 10WS1.2 63%

10RL3.6 65% 10WS1.9 50%

10RL3.7 63%

Standard % Correct Standard % Correct

10RC2.1 79% 10RL3.8 68%

10RC2.4 79% 10RL3.9 85%

10RC2.5 81% 10RW1.1 76%

10RC2.7 74% 8RC2.1 85%

10RC2.8 79% 8RL3.7 67%

10RL3.1 75% 10WC1.1 77%

10RL3.10 75% 10WC1.2 73%

10RL3.3 75% 10WC1.3 81%

10RL3.4 75% 10WS1.1 75%

10RL3.5 79% 10WS1.2 75%

10RL3.6 74% 10WS1.9 67%

10RL3.7 77%

Reduction of D and F Grades

D & F % CP Courses All Grades

0

10

20

30

D Grades F Grades

D Grades 16.68 16.8 15.47 14.96 13.2

F Grades 14.48 19.43 13.43 14.41 10.86

F-0506 S-0506 F-0607 S-0607 F-0708

Resistance To Change

• Complacency

• Fear

• Too many demands

• Not enough time

• Little sense of urgency/need to change

Overcoming Resistance • Educate your staff • Use data to show current status & trends• Use “Why/What/How” format • Share research and professional articles• Invite, invite, invite staff to become leaders• Repeat, repeat, repeat your mantra• Combat fear with combination of:

– Showing– Growing– Mowing

• Staff meetings always focus on vision

Obstacles to Using Data

• There’s too darn much of it!• Lack of user-friendly data structures • Many teachers lack data-analysis skills• Not enough time• Resistance to collaboration • Fear of losing teacher autonomy• Fear that data will be used punitively • Attitude of “This too, shall pass….”

Overcoming Obstacles• Leadership team with key teachers/counselors• Focused, sustained Professional Dev. • Find someone who can explain data to staff• Provide clear directions/tools for data analysis• Create accountability structure for PLCs• Create time in school day for collaboration• Utilize technology to create more time

– PLCs have web-based discussion groups– Email info replaced general staff meetings– Department meetings reduced/combined

Overcoming Obstacles

• Create “Big Picture” vision and keep alive– The Bell Curve article by Atul Gawande– Pretty Good poem by Charles Osgood– Highest Hopes, Worst Fears exercise

Professional writings and research (College Board, IB, Daggett, Reeves, Marzano, Fullan, Collins, DuFours)

Overcoming Obstacles

• Creative Staffing to allow for data analysis

• Inform community of data efforts/results

• Use data from accreditation self studies to

your advantage

• Transparency of data encourages buy-in

• Focus on student learning rather than teacher performance

Next Steps for Continuous Improvement

1. Staffing Plan

2. Universal Literacy Initiative

3. Freshman Seminar Course

4. Uniform walk-through observation instrument

5. Further refinement of PLC’s and data use

6. College Readiness Club

7. Expand CTE offerings

1. Staffing Plan(Building consistency & continuity)

• Hire the “right” people

• Ongoing targeted in-service– PLC– Common assessments– Data analysis– Best teaching practices (Gold Seal lessons)

2. Literacy Initiative(Raising Reading & Comprehension skills)

07-08: Preparation Year• ULI Committee – Planning and Development

• Cross Curricular Team – Guiding & Input• Literacy Coach – Training & Support

08-09: Implementation Year

• August 26 – Ray McNulty staff in-service

• August 27 – Departmental training

3. Freshman Seminar(Building on Read 180 & Algebra Support)

Bridge Course• Focus: Developing academic and social

transition skillsRequired year long course – 9th Grade• Level 1 & 2 on CST• Two semesters of D/F (math and or ELA)• Attendance / Discipline history• Counselor / teacher recommendation• Parent request

Encouragement

“Keep doing what you know is right until you reach a tipping point, or critical mass and all of the sudden, it will change. Don’t worry about the resisters. Change takes time.”

-Dr. Mel Riddle

2006 National High School

Principal of the Year

2008 Model Schools Conference Orlando, Florida

Changing a High School

Culture:Moving from a Good School for Some to a Great School for All

Donna Salazar, Principal Doug Bluth, Assistant Principal

La Quinta High School

http://www.dsusd.us/schools/LQHS/

Documents

2008 Model Schools Conference Orlando, Florida Changing a High School Culture: Moving from a Good School for Some to a Great School for All Donna Salazar,