School Leadership Team Handbook

Independence High School Self Evaluation Form

Self Evaluation Form

2015-2016

• Very diverse student body
• Successful academic program
• Focused on global awareness – Academy of International Studies – Ms. Katie Willett
• All Freshmen enter one of our three Academies when they arrive
• Use of Professional Learning Communities (core academic teams with common planning) to meet the needs of students
• Distance Learning Lab that serves over 100 students each semester (AP courses, college courses, new course work)
• Large Comprehensive high school with a variety of options for students to find their niche
• Academy of Engineering, full implementation 2015-2016, serves approximately 120 students
• “In-house” literacy and DDI professional development monthly at faculty meetings
• Large number of students involved in extracurricular activities
• Large number of staff members with higher level degrees, National Board Certification.
• Participation in College and Career Promise program and College Experience

• How do you know?

• Increased Graduation Rate from 88.6% to 89.9%
• A 6.31% student proficiency increase in Biology (63.31 to 69.61)
• Exceeded expected growth in every EOC 2013-14 (19.67)
• Increased Composite in ACT results from 17.6 to 18.3 (2014-15)
• Increased AP enrollment
• Increase CCP enrollment
• LEP graduation rate increased by 17% in 2015

• What are your school’s notable strengths?

• Highly Qualified and effective teachers in all classrooms
• Professional Learning Communities in Core academic areas
• Double blocking students that need extra help
• Approximately 400 courses taken and approximately 1200 credit hours earned last year with the College and Career Promise
• After school tutoring
• Effective teacher leadership
• Most effective teachers in tested areas
• Dedication of staff to total school program
• Common Planning for all core subject areas and Freshman Academy teachers

• What are your school’s main areas for improvement?

• Increasing rigor in every classroom
• Continuing to create a college bound culture at Independence by making information accessible and exposing students to opportunities
• Increasing student attendance
• Parent/Community Involvement
• Continuous improvement in the graduation rate
• Refine programs/approach for LEP and EC students
• Campus cleanliness
• School Safety
• Increase enrollment in AP and Honors classes
• Increase studentpassing rate in all classes
• Increase data driven instruction to improve student outcomes

• How do you know?

• Increase in ACT composite and content area averages for our Juniors.
• Student AP exam scores are not fully aligned to AP final grades reflecting more research around the rigor of the AP class work
• Graduation rate continuously improving each year
• PSAT and PLAN scores improving
• Growth continues to be a driving factor at Independence each year

• In which subjects and grades do students do best, and why?

• English II-prior EOC results
• Biology – prior EOC results
• Stability of teacher corps, common planning and effective department leadership, using data to strategically place students
• Use of Data Driven Instruction

• In which subjects and grades is improvement needed, and what action is currently being taken?

• All EC/LEP performance on ACT, and graduating on time
• Action
• Remediation program in math and literacy through extended day
• Increasing the number of students being promoted from the 9th to the 10th grade
• Implementation of the Credit recovery plan

• Is there evidence of disparities in student achievement by subgroups? If so, what action is being taken?

• EC – intentional IEP goal setting, after-school tutoring, Inclusion/Resource, Parent Assistant
• LEP – SIOP, PEPs, ESL consultation, Power school Parent Assistant, Extended Day, Inclusion ESL classes
• Freshman Academy implementation

• How is your school addressing the specialized needs of EC and LEP students?

• EC Coordinator/Compliance facilitator
• OCS Credit Recovery
• API hand schedules these students
• LEP Coordinator and LEP Committee
• SIOP training and coaching
• OCS and SBS Blended Learning
• Smaller class size
• AP/Honors classes, university alliances
• Differentiation Academy
• Structure of the Learning Lab
• LEP clusters in mainstream classes with teachers that are SIOP trained

• How does your school use student performance data to take and adjust actions to improve student achievement?

• After school tutorials –all teachers
• Extended Day
• Common assessments
• Students are scheduled based on prior performance
• Teacher Effectiveness reports used for formative teacher conferences
• Departments complete item analysis

• How does your school allocate available resources to improve student learning and achievement?

• Springboard English I and English II
• Support EOC tutoring through Extended Day
• Use experienced/successful teachers to provide professional development and to mentor teachers
• Triumph for SAT/ACT tutoring

• How do you know?

• Topic, Essential Questions, Standard and the agenda are posted daily.
• Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies
• PLC’s use common assessments
• AP teacher training and calibration of final grades with student AP exam grades to ensure rigor
• Appropriate placement in classes allowing relevant pace

• How is alignment with the Common Core and Essential Standards ensured?

• Lesson plans
• Objectives and Agenda listed on the board
• 3 minute Walk Through/ Formative and Summative Observations/Evaluations
• Common Planning and Common Assessments
• School improvement and school decision making driven by SIP
• Essential Standards Chart

• How does your school ensure a broad range of learning experiences?

• Teachers use differentiation to meet the needs of diverse learners
• Observation
• Field trips, clubs, community events, community service, field experiences, internships, competitions, athletics

• How do you know?

• HQ staff with a low turn-over rate
• Team planning with subject specific team meetings
• 17 National Board Certified Teachers
• 38% teachers with Advanced Degree’s

• Which are the strongest features of teaching and learning and why?

• Students appropriately placed in classes to maximize student achievement
• Diverse staff provides role modeling for all students
• PEAK strategies, Programmatic, most teachers have Promethean Boards, SIOP and Inclusion trained staff
• Differentiation Academy

• What aspects of teaching and learning most need improvement and what action is being taken?

• Differentiation
• Incorporate more strategies for better use of the 90 minute block
• AP/Honors level rigor
• Communication between home and school –challenge of keeping track of current addresses, phone #’s, and email addresses, etc.
• Focus on college and career preparation and readiness

• How do teachers assess students’ achievement of learning objectives and adjust instruction with assessment information?

• Formal and Informal Assessments
• Teachers use a variety of student products based on multiple intelligences to assess learning:

• How do you know?

• Teacher Survey Data
• Insight Survey
• Low teacher turnover rate
• High interest in teachers’ advancement into Administration
• Opportunities for teachers to pursue leadership within the school

• Which are the strongest aspects and why?

• Principal dedicated to effective administrative management model based on strengths, needs and professional development
• Shared leadership model
• Administration is strategically local throughout the building and focused on the areas in need of support
• Department Chairs are instructional leaders
• Principal is knowledgeable regarding best teaching practices
• Principal provides an “Open Door Policy” for both staff and parents to express concerns and achievements.

• What most needs improvement and what action is being taken?

• More teacher empowerment/collaboration
• Systems for monitoring and providing meaningful feedback to staff
• Consistency and communication through systems
• Staying true to vision/mission/beliefs and priorities
• Systems to monitor facility upkeep and cleanliness
• Administration and staff calibrating the Standards of the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument

• How do you know?

• Evidence of a student centered environment
• Front office staff provides positive customer service.
• Agenda on board in classrooms allows administration and visitors to see the pace and level of learning taking place.
• Induction Team – New Teacher Support
• Freshman Academy

• Which are the strongest aspects and why?

• Opportunities for blended learning

• Common Planning/ PLC Common Assessments
• Implementation of Data Driven Instruction
• Freshman Academy teams
• Freshmen are hand scheduled to ensure there is a balance of core courses each semester
• Extended Day and Credit Recovery program

• What most needs improvement and what action is being taken?

• Facility and school cleanliness – Horticulture classes project facelift, custodial monitoring, school cleanliness initiatives with students, parent/ PTSA/SLT, school beautification projects
• Increased enrollment in AP and Honor’s classes
• Increased AP pass rate
• Increased enrollment in college classes in our distance learning lab
• Increased focused on ACT improvement
• Increased participation in the “Triumph” program
• More focus on creating a college bound environment – parent and student workshop
• Improve professional feel of main office – building service upgrades/customer service training for secretaries, monitoring

• How do you know?

• Parent participation/attendance in Open Houses, curriculum nights and Patriots on Parade, Patriot Life-Line orientation program
• Connect Ed messages have allowed for communication without depending on students to bring home information.
• School website is updated weekly regarding information, dates, etc.
• Parent participation/membership in booster clubs
• Minimal parent participation/membership in school PTSA
• PTSA plans programs for parents with marginal parent participation
• Variety of Partners –Meck Ed, MS/Elementary schools, Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce, Cheval Real Estate

• Which are the strongest features of communication between home/school about the school’s work and about each student’s achievement? Why?

• Connect Ed.
• Powerschool Parent Assistant
• Newspaper
• Website – Bigibelieve.com
• Email
• Teacher Wiki/Weebly

• What most needs improvement and what action is being taken?

• Creating a college bound culture – # of graduating seniors going to college
• Image/reputation of the school in the community
• Safety and Security
• Cleanliness of the facility
• Vertical Teaming
• Partnerships with businesses – New Meck Ed partnership with Career Advisor

• What aspects of the school’s work to involve parents/guardians and the community in the life of the school work best? Why?

• College Information Nights
• High School 411 workshops
• PSAT/PLAN parent workshops
• Partnership relationships with clubs/programs
• All Booster Clubs
• Latin Night
• Open House/Curriculum Nights/Patriots on Parade/Registration – well planned and publicized
• Consistent communication message via a variety of media outlets
• Fall Festival
• Senior Citizens Breakfast
• Academy of Engineering Design Team and Board of Directors

• What needs improvement and what action is being taken?

• PTSA Membership
• Volunteer activism and volunteer activities