Academy Tour 09/30/14 Dr. Shuler Pelham, Executive Principal
JOHN OVERTON HIGH SCHOOL
Slide 2
Welcome and Overview Introduce JOHS Staff Review agenda for the
tour General overview of our school A little bit about our journey
Breakout sessions Tours Wrap upQuestion and Answer
Slide 3
In The Beginning During the early 2000s MNPS recognized we were
not serving needs of every studentmany slipping through the cracks
Applied for and received a multi-million dollar Federal grant for
High School redesign. After much research, the SLC and Career
Academy model was selected Overton was not part of this grant After
first 2 years of implementing, non-grant schools were brought in to
the movement
Slide 4
In The Beginning Schools began with Freshmen Academies and grew
students into Career Academies Decision made early as a district
that all schools would be wall to wallevery student would be part
of an Academy Schools used employment data from Chamber of
Commerce, surveys of parents, students, staff to determine the
Academies they would have approved at the District Office
Slide 5
Our District (2007-2008 year in crisis) 2007-2008 School year
was one of great change and uncertainty Director of Schools
resigned District placed under State supervision Interim Director
of Schools Career Academies just beginning in most schools
Uncertainty if this would be supported by new leadership Overton
Executive Principal removed in summer of 2008 Overton preparing to
implement first Career Academies Lack of understanding and
confidence by many
Slide 6
How Much Change? (2006-2014) Superintendent: Pedro Garcia,
Chris Henson (InterimState supervision), Jesse Register Director of
High Schools: Jim Overstreet, Jim Briggs, Jay Steele SLC/Academy
Director: Jim Briggs, Karl Lang, Starr Herman, Chaney Moseley
Executive Principal: Monica Dillard, Bill Gemmill, Shuler Pelham
Academy Principal: Craig Hammond, Steve Sheaffer, New* Academy
Coach: Gini Pupo-Walker, Steve Sheaffer, Laura Davis, Mary York
Academy Counselor: Marissa Buchanan, Stephanie Pate Academy Lead:
John Marshall, Sarah Wolf, Melissa Wrenne
Slide 7
How Much Change? (2008-2014) Freshmen Academy Principals
T-Shaka Coverson Jill Pittman Mary Jo Morton Celia Jolly Academy of
Engineering Craig Hammond Steve Sheaffer New* Academy of Music
Perf. None Steve Sheaffer Academy of IT Mary Jo Morton Jill Pittman
Molly Sehring Health Science Academy Chalonne Parrish Deaundra
Jenkins T-Shaka Coverson Interim (Terry Strickland) Erin Anderson
Peggy Brodien
Slide 8
It Wasnt Just the Adults That Changed 1999-20002013-2014 85%
white 13% Free/Reduced Lunch No ELL students School located in
center of school zone Most students lived in Crieve Hall Enrollment
1258 35% white, 27% Hispanic, 23% Afr.Am., 10% Asian 76%
Free/Reduced Lunch Almost 70% NELB, most of any school in TN 63
countries, 38 languages School in corner tip of school zone
Enrollment 1914
Slide 9
Our District (2008-2009getting focused) State endorses
continuing with Career Academies New Director of Schools endorses
continuation and expansion of Career Academies District hires Mr.
Jay Steele as new Director of High Schoolsbrings clearer vision and
plan of implementation High School move to common scheduling Some
academies tweaked or refined to eliminate gaps and overlap in focus
and mission Business partnerships become more focused Marketing
plan developed and implemented
Slide 10
Getting Focused Five Characteristics of an MNPS Graduate A plan
for post-secondary education and career At least a 21 composite
score on the ACT A work-based experience, service-learning, or
capstone research project At least one course completed online for
high school and/or college credit College credit and/or a
nationally recognized professional certification
Slide 11
Getting FocusedFord Next Generation Learning We introduced the
Ford NGL concept and began working the three strands of
transforming every aspect of learning.
Slide 12
Overton AcademiesGrowth and Transitions Decided on a three year
phase in plan Year 1 (09-10): structure and supervision of staff
and admin. Move to A/B block scheduleacademy based Year 2 (10-11):
structure and supervision of students and counselorsa counselor for
each academy, retain senior counselor, improvements to A/B block
schedule Year 3 (11-12): physical plant and elimination of senior
counselor Some pathways adjusted and academies tweaked due to
Student interests Strategic business partnerships Prescribing and
reducing in master schedule Staff changes (Admin, counseling,
pathway teachers, Academy Coach, team leads)
Slide 13
Overton Academies TodayOur Mission and Vision The John Overton
High School Faculty and Staff will prepare every student to
graduate college-ready, career-ready, and life-ready Mary York,
Academy Coach Dr. Shuler Pelham, Executive Principal Mr. Steve
Sheaffer, Academy Principal Engineering and Musical Performance
Melissa Wrenne, Lead Debbie Burton, Lead Ms. Peggy Brodien, Academy
Principal Health Science Denise Wigginton, Shannon Alexander, Leads
Ms. Molly Sehring, Academy Principal IT Trey Stephens, Lead Ms.
Celia Jolly, Freshmen Academy Principal Katie Mills, Freshmen
Lead
Slide 14
John Overton High School Today Academy of Engineering Pathways:
Engineering and Technology Urban Agriculture Business Partners: LP
Products Stantec Metro Water Vanderbilt School of Engineering
Trevecca University Tennessee State University Academy of Musical
Performance Pathways: Instrumental and Vocal Performance Adding
Sports and Entertainment Management Business Partners: Nashville
Symphony Nashville Musicians Association Trevecca University School
of Music Academy of Health Sciences Pathways: Diagnostic Services
Therapeutic Clinical Services Business Partners: Tri-star Southern
Hills Medical Center Lipscomb College of Pharmacy American Home
Patient Kestner Family Chiropractic Academy of Information
Technology Pathways: Networking Systems Computer Programming Web
Design Business Partners: Deloitte Jackson National C3 Consulting
Trevecca University David Lipscomb University Tennessee State
University Trinisys Advent Results Snapshot Interactive
Slide 15
Overton Academies TodayThe Power of our Structure We are in our
sixth year of an Academy-based, A/B block schedule. Provides for
horizontal and vertical teaming Common planning time on A day for
Academyweekly meetings for review of data, interventions,
cross-curricular planning, business and community engagement B-day
planning by content, common for most or all core subject
classesconsistency in pacing and materials, vertical alignment of
content, collaboration of planning, assessments, interventions This
has been part of the key to shifting the culture to one of teaming
and collaboration
