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Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School

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Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Mar. 10 Agenda

Opening: Reading: Becoming an advocate for school change; Pair/share what feels
important in the context of our study group’s charge
Agenda Review
Issues raised between sessions: (study group’s mission, clarifications about selection
of readings, data packet from case study schools, data “look for’s” related to study
group recommendations)
Discussion: The process of consensus within the study group and the faculty (%
needed to move forward)
Further discussion, clarifications, testing, and checking for consensus:
Priority 2: Course offerings, career clusters, etc.
Priority 3: 9th grade initiatives
Priority 1: Culture of belonging, community, and connection
Next steps for next session:

Accomplishments
Clarifications:
• Houses/neighborhoods serve as a structure for saturated academic,
postsecondary, and social support (this creates the opportunity to systematically
track, monitor, and coach every students’ progress).
• Increasing acknowledgement that there is a collective and individual
accountability to all students
• Greater understanding of the difference between the decision in principle and
decision in detail
• Better understanding of the study group’s charge and the faculty’s participation
in the planning process next year

Options for approval of draft recommendations:


1I’m really good to go
2I’m in agreement
3I feel like it’s good enough for now
4I have real objections
5No, under any circumstances

Priority #2 (Course offerings and career clusters)


92% 7 two’s, 5 three’s, and 1 four

Priority #3 (Freshman initiatives)


93% 5 one’s, 7 two’s, 1 three, 1 four
12 a’s (85%) 13 b’s (93%)

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Priority #1 (Culture of belonging, community, and connection – saturated academic,


postsecondary, and social support) Rich discussion with agreement to table
recommendation until the next meeting after further investigation of possible options;
may consider bringing options to whole faculty for a recommendation.

Opportunities
The opportunity to have a dialogue about how we are going to case manage every kid.
The opportunity to define consensus for making study group decision and faculty
decisions
The opportunity to think about being an advocate when we make these
recommendations to the faculty
The opportunity to think about the larger faculty roles and responsibilities in building
out the details for the recommendations
Consider having the whole faculty decide on the most effective structures and
practices that support saturated case management and a sense of belong and
community
Next Steps
• Meet with study group members who were absent
• Reach a decision about the most effective structure for providing saturated
social, academic, and postsecondary support (case management for all students)
• Examine the multiple options related to school-wide systems of case
management
• Research and discuss the final two core elements: 4. Academic learning
supports/ interventions; and 5. Core curriculum and instructional strategies that
close the gap and ramp up engagement
• Meet with Principal Calzada to review draft recommendations and how they
align with the A/B schedule
• Prepare for conference hour presentations to the faculty

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Course offerings, career clusters,


Faculty priority(2)
and a wider range of learning opportunities to meet the
interests of a wide array of students and capture students’ engagement.
Option 1: Academic/Career Option 2: Academic/Career Option 3: Learning Options
Academies Endorsements & Variety Pack
(All students choose an academy in Certificates (Students develop personal learning
either 9th or 10th grade and enroll in (In grades 11 and 12 students may plans that meet their needs and
a signature strand of courses choose to earn an endorsement or interests, choosing courses and
offered within their academy. certificate by enrolling in a strand of learning experiences from a wide-array
advanced courses aligned to a of options: quarter and semester
Teachers are assigned to a specific
particular discipline, electives, ½ day semester colloquia,
academy and teach most of their winter intersession for one week
courses to students within that interdisciplinary theme or CTE
saturation courses, internships and
academy.) specialty; participating in a set of
shadowships; interdisciplinary and CTE
benchmark learning experiences, courses, on-line learning; independent
and producing a capstone project or study, college courses, etc.)
portfolio)
Study Group Recommendation:
• Open electives for Grades 9 – 10
• Students can continue taking a “variety pack” of electives in grades 11 – 12
OR
• Choose an academic or career endorsement in grades11 – 12 to a) meet goals of mastery, in-depth
learning in one discipline or interdisciplinary theme; b) exhibit qualities of perseverance and self-discipline
by pursuing a single focus area to demonstrate excellence; c) choose an opportunity to explore a career
aspiration in depth.
Decisions in Detail that can involve any interested faculty during 2010-11 planning year:

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

(1)Criteria and standards for academic and career endorsements.


(2)Identification of academic and career endorsements to be offered.
(3)Application process for admittance to a specific academic or career endorsement.
(4)Signature courses, capstone projects, performances, products, and course and co-curricular learning
experiences associated with each academic or career endorsement
(5)Data collection, measurements of success, benchmarks, etc.

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Faculty Priority(3) Freshman initiatives to ensure that all Freshmen


are “on track” to graduate in 4 years.
Freshman Tracking and Special courses, Academic and Student-teacher
summer monitoring workshops, behavioral grouping
configurations to
transition and student advisory focus supports and
provide saturated
orientation progress for all Freshmen interventions instructional and
programs 1. What data do we and specific 1. Co-cooning (Social
social
Footsteps collect? groups of and emotional Study Group
1. AHS Seniors visit (Attendance, Freshmen (G and T support) needs to make a
feeder middle Tardies, Grades, kids, students who 2. Bridge Program recommendation
schools (marketing) Referrals, are more than two for one, two, or
2. Maroon Round-up Achievement) years behind in none of the
(social bonding) 2. Who manages the math or ELA, etc.) innovations
1. Success Class
3. Bridge Program data? (Advisor, below.
Case Manager) 2. Exploration Wheel (a) 9th grade
(academic
(Academic & Fine teachers advise
acceleration)
Arts Wheel) students they
3. Workshop Model teach
1:3:1 (b) 9th grade core
academic teachers
meet regularly to
determine shared
practices,
instructional
strategies,
procedures, and
key skills across
the academic

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

curriculum
(c) 9th grade teams
of 150 students
and four or five
teachers

Decisions in Detail that can involve any interested faculty during 2010-11 planning
year:
The details of all initiatives and innovations recommended in the first four columns can be
generated by faculty during the planning year.
Data collection, measurements of success, benchmarks, etc.

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Academic learning
Faculty Priority(4)
supports/ interventions
Key Issues:
• What is a teacher’s responsibility as the first responder when a student fails
at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks?

• What school-wide learning supports should be in place for every student who
is struggling?

• At what threshold of academic difficulty should students have access to


learning supports and interventions embedded in the school day?

• When students’ fail at semester what consistent policies should be in place


for every student who fails?

• When and what kind of communication to parents should be in place when


their children fail?

• Are there special interventions that should be in place for students who fail
multiple courses?

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Core curriculum and


Faculty priority(5)
instructional strategies that close
the gap and ramp up engagement
Key Issues:
• What learning strategies and practices across the curriculum recommended
for teaching and learning in the block? (The instructional team is
working on this issue)

• What will it take to ensure that all faculty expect, insist, and support all
students to complete quality work in every course every semester?

• What are the benefits and costs of regular and pre-AP courses in 9th through
11th grades?

• Should there be one universal core academic curriculum for all students in 9th
grade? 9th and 10th grade? In all four core academic subjects? In some core
academic subjects?

• Should all students take the same rigorous course work in world geography
and English in Freshman year?

• What criteria should be in place to take a foreign language in Freshman


year?

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

• Should struggling readers take biology in Freshmen year?

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© 2009 Educators for Social Responsibility Cambridge, MA
02138
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

Becoming an Advocate for Schools that Serve All Students Well

Unfortunately, changing faculty norms, instructional practices, and school


structures will never happen one teacher at a time. Too often the teachers
who are the most gifted at reaching and teaching a wide range of students
beyond the fully deluxe model can feel isolated. Even though their classrooms
reveal exemplary efforts to engage all students in rigorous student work,
these teachers worry about provoking sneers and jeers from other colleagues.
The self-contained nature of classroom life (one teacher and a group of
students behind a closed door) often leads to exceptionalizing teaching
excellence. It’s commonplace to hear teachers brush off innovative practices
by saying, “Well, she can teach that way, but that’s just her. I could never do
what she does.” Therefore, good practice often goes underground and
unrecognized, while teaching norms that have outlived their usefulness go
unchallenged among the whole faculty or school instructional team.

In addition, it is easier to feel committed and hopeful when your efforts in the
classroom are supported by systemic reforms within the larger school culture.
Being prepared to defend practices and structures that serve all students well
is a big deal. Know why you believe what you believe and do what you do.
Keep asking these questions as you imagine your school as a place where all
kids can succeed academically and graduate ready to pursue their future
aspirations:
“Do our current practices benefit some kids more than others?”
“Will a new structure or program serve all kids, some kids, or a few kids?”
“Do all kids have access to the kind of quality teaching and personalized
support and encouragement that generates our greatest professional
pride?”
Great ideas aren’t enough when large faculties hesitate to vote yes on
anything that shakes up the status quo. High school faculty, in particular, are
often uncomfortable taking on an advocacy position. High school teachers
pride themselves on playing the role of the informed skeptic, a role honed by
training in the liberal arts and sciences that encourages sorting for
differences, looking for what’s missing or wrong, and doubting any idea that
promises too much. After all, these are the same higher-order thinking skills
we want our students to practice and master.

Healthy skepticism involves a deep engagement in critical inquiry and


investigation. However, skepticism can turn toxic if we only rally around what
we stand against and decline to state what we stand for. Letting go of our
practiced ambivalence is hard. But if we don’t let go, we risk being unable to
act. Serious change will never happen if we insist on resolving every last
“yes, but” before saying, “yes”.
Perry Jr., William. G. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In A. W.
Chickering & Associates, Ed. The Modern American College (pp. 76-116). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Future of Austin HS Study Group Austin High School
al
Summary Report: March 10, 2010

William Perry, an ethical theorist, gives us a way out of paralysis without


sacrificing our roles of critical friend and friendly critic. He suggests that,
given the available evidence and an awareness of one’s own values, people
can choose to make a commitment that emerges from a new understanding
of the many sides of the issue. “I will be whole-hearted while tentative, fight
for my values yet respect others, believe my deepest values are right, yet be
ready to learn.” One would be hard pressed to find better advice for
negotiating the change process in schools.

Perry Jr., William. G. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In A. W.
Chickering & Associates, Ed. The Modern American College (pp. 76-116). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.

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