+ The Bronx School For Law, Government and Justice

+

New Vision

A New Vision For Bronx School for Law, Government and Justice

Malcolm Robertson

Selena Flores

DanielMayo

Robyn La Guardia

The Team

+Our New Vision

We envision a school where students, parents, teachers and administrators take ownership and have a common shared goal of excellence both within our school and school community. We will graduate civic-minded individuals who have the skills and knowledge to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Vision Statement Our Community

+ Our New VisionWith the creation of a revised school

vision, we have created a plan for communicating the vision to the entire

school community.

Students Staff

Community

Parents

+ Our New MissionWe strive to create an environment that builds character, affirms human values and empowers our students to become responsible, contributing citizens within the community. We set high standards and achieve success when students remain actively engaged in the learning process. Through our rigorous law, government and justice curriculum, we engage students in critical thinking that enables our students to become problem solvers in their school, home and community.

+ Our New Goals

Students will pass all content courses.

Students will pass all state exams.

Students will be academically, socially and emotionally prepared for college.

Students will be responsible and follow all school-wide regulations.

Students will complete at least 25 community service hours by graduation.

Students will attend school every day.

The school will develop partnerships with the surrounding community.

The school will implement a school-wide mock trial program that gives all students the opportunity to participate.

+ The Data

While reviewing the data collected, we noticed that students were deficient in many content areas.

Middle school students did not score well on English Language Arts and Mathematics exams. The passing rates for ELA were 39% in 2011, 54% in 2012 and 18% in 2013. The passing rates for math were 54% in 2011, 63% in 2012 and 28% in 2013. We acknowledge that a state change in the exams (aligning them to the Common Core) created different conditions for 2013, but the passing rate is still considerably low.

A huge percentage of high school students scored in the low range or failed the English Regents Examination.

The passing rates for the two Regents exams most closely related to law and government were not particularly high: 68% (Global History and Geography), 47% (U.S. History and Government).

The school has a high attendance rate of 95%.

The school is made up of 66% Hispanic/30% black/1% White students. 7% of students have limited proficiency in English.

+ The Changes

The original vision of this school emphasized college readiness as a major goal. A look at the New York State Regents Exam results along with the New York State Assessments suggests that not all students may be prepared for that path. College should always be the first option for high school graduates, but it is not the only good option. Some students may be better suited for trade school while others are better suited for advancement in the working field. The language of the revised statement reflects a more open path for each student, which still very much includes college.

Law, government and justice may be the specialty of this school, but not every student may pursue further study in these areas. A look at the 47% passing rate on the U.S. History and Government Regents exam suggests this. The revision helps to define the purpose of the specialized curriculum for this particular student body.

This school has a very high attendance rate (95%). We have heard more than one say that “kids do their talking with their feet.” So something is getting the fannys in the seats. Now it’s up to us to get them to learn. We know that as educators the hard part is trying to move a student who is not there. These kids are there 95% of the time, so attendance is not the problem. We revised the vision to encourage all parties to buy in to an Idea that this is our school, our community, our responsibility. That sense of ownership could be the missing link that could move all parties to achieving greatness.

+ Teachers and StaffTo promote the revised vision statement we would do the following activities with teachers and staff:

Professional development opportunities such as lunch and learn.

Overnight retreats to help promote team building and collaboration among staff.

Create more hands on activities such as scavenger hunts where teachers would break off into teams.

Have seasoned staff be included in hiring committee interviews so as a group they can decide if the candidate is the best fit for the school.

Ensure that new employees understand and are agreeable to the school’s vision

+Parents/Guardians

To promote the revised vision statement we would do the following activities with parents and guardians:

We would host a curriculum night/open house.

Hold parent workshops with the support of our parent coordinator both during the day time and evening.

Create an online school portal where parents and guardians can view and follow events and new information.

Invite parents to a school assembly where they would be able to see their children read a poem, story or sing a song.

+Students

To promote the revised vision statement we would do the following activities with our students:

Have a back to school open house during the summer where students would come in and meet their new teachers and reconnect with friends.

Have a poetry contest where students could create poems based around the school vision.

Students could create songs about the school.

In art, students could draw or paint pictures exhibiting the school community.

Host a whole middle school and whole high school assembly introducing the new vision. Students can also sing their songs or read their poems to the entire school, staff, and parents.

Based on the interests the students have shown toward law, offer more law classes for students.

+ Implementing School Vision & Mission

One of the first things the data indicated to us was that this school has a great attendance rate of 95%. With this in our favor our goal was to motivate the students, staff, and community and get them to “buy into” our Vision of the school. By “buy into” we mean that everyone see’s their part in the whole. The school wide mock trial for example will not just be a departmental project; but a school wide global mission for all.

One of the ways we will spread “collegiality” within the School community is to engage in sample mock trials. First, we can ask teachers to suggest where their specialties and passions can be integrated into helping to better either the defense or prosecution of the mock trial. These skills such as making arguments based on data, public speaking, comparing and contrasting different situations, and making Hypothesis to name a few can all be utilized to help students at the mock trials. The hope is that in time not only will staff and students feel connected and part of the whole, but students will learn the valuable skill of navigating an idea by using multiple points of entry. All too often we find that students feel they must have multiple brains. One for math, another for Social Studies etc. These exercises will help students to grow and become more college ready as well as prepare them for real world experiences that are not compartmentalized.

We will engage in a “Part of the Whole” mentality, which will create an environment where students, and staff continue to grow and become an asset to the surrounding community. As students engage in critical analysis, thinking, and problem solving, they will begin to think critically about the world and community in which they live. Students will see themselves as part of the community and as the student’s positive interactions increase within the surrounding community many will view the school as an asset and positive pipeline.

By instituting a school wide mock trial program, the school will be able to create “Leadership from Within”. By this we mean that we will be able to identify students and teacher who exhibit leadership qualities that they might not have even thought they had. They will also help to scaffold others and allow the best of the best to shine through and represent the school in the actual citywide mock trial events.

Calendar of Events Implementing School Vision & Mission

August New Staff Hiring and Orientation Orientation of New Staff – discuss the Vision & Mission statements of the school Provide and review School Handbook

September

Faculty Meet & Greet New Staff & Current Staff meet to discuss and become familiar with new Vision & Mission of

the schoolOctober Pep Rally for students and faculty

New Vision & Mission Contest for students Students will create a poem, perform a skit, develop a school song or poster dedicated to

the vision and mission statementNovember

Thanksgiving Celebration Posting of School made poster with new vision and mission statements Reminders of the school wide contest

December

Holiday Pep Rally Showcase of artwork, songs, posters, and skits made for the school wide contest Contest winner announced

January Staff meeting exemplifying the work generated and collected around the new vision statement.

Curriculum Night for Middle School & High School ParentsFebruary Vision and Mission themed school day

Professional speakers invited for an assembly around the schools vision and missionMarch PTA meeting discussing progress and next steps for the ongoing implementation of the

vision and mission of the school Suggestions for engaging more parents and the community

April Faculty Retreat Group work based on the next steps for keeping the vision alive and working

May PTA/School lead Community Fair Reminders about the school vision Invited community organizations, health information, guest speakers, games, food and

more!June Commencement Ceremonies

Stepping Up Ceremonies Posting of school vision banner Performance of school song / recital of vision/mission poem