East Fairmont High School
Innovation Zone Grant
December, 2009
A. Cover Page
B. Information of Applicant:
Entity Applying for Innovation Zone Designation A school
X
One or more schools acting as a consortia
A group of schools seeking designation across the same subdivision
or department of the schools
A school seeking designation of a subdivision or department
A higher education institution
Name of Entity Applying: East Fairmont High School
County: Marion
Superintendent: Mr. Thomas Deadrick
Number of Professional Personne1:56
Number of Service Personnel: i8
Institution of Higher Education:
County Location:
C. Narratives for the Innovation Zone Application:
The faculty of East Fairmont High School is interested in exploring the
possibility of implementing more problem-based learning instructional strategies
across curricular content areas. As a Professional Development School in the
Fairmont State University Collaborative, we have initiated some exploration of
this concept through the partnership. This type of instruction is routine within
New Technology High Schools is intriguing to the East Fairmont community.
These strategies have demonstrated success with students as they strive to
understand how classroom learning will apply to real-world situations within
their lives. East Fairmont High School faculty would like to learn more about the
instructional design that occurs within this type of school in order to decide if it
would be beneficial to model in our school. Students, members of the Local
School Improvement Council (parents, school personnel, and business partners),
the board of education, Fairmont State University College of Education, and the
school's faculty have expressed support of this endeavor.
• Project Design:
o The narrative shall indicate the results of an assessment of the improvement
needs of the eligible applicant.
Analysis of WESTEST data suggests the following problems and challenges:
o Students have problems applying their knowledge to real-world problemsolving situations.
o Students cannot transfer application skills learned to application skills
tested.
o The WESTEST does not test beyond a Depth of Knowledge (DOK) of a
level '3' and therefore instructional focus is limited beyond level 3.
Failure of this transfer may suggest students are not finding significant
relevance.
o Teachers need more planning time and flexibility in daily schedules to
integrate that transferability.
o Absence of problem-based learning strategies impedes transferability and
relevance of the curriculum.
o Patterns of daily attendance suggest chronic engagement problems.
o Provide the goals and objectives of the project.
o Teachers become facilitators and coaches who guide students as they take
charge of their own learning.
o Empower students to with learning opportunities.
o Graduate collaborative, self-directed, critical thinkers who are capable of framing and solving the problems that will shape a collective future.
o Teach students how to have a voice in campus leadership with trust,
respect, and responsibility.
o Students learn to handle long, complex tasks and manage their time.
o Students acquire subject-matter knowledge and the skills they need to
thrive in college, career, and life.
o Students and teachers alike have ownership of learning experiences and
are equally responsible for success.
o Teachers will design rigorous projects tied to state and district standards
and customized to the interests of students.
o Teachers model team-based collaboration.
o Integrate project-based learning (PBL) using technology and inquiry to
engage students with issues and questions relevant to their lives.
o Describe how the innovation is expected to work.
o The innovation is going to give teachers an opportunity to explore new
teaching strategies to better prepare students for the Global 21 Society.
o Teachers will facilitate the learning process, as well as empower,
encourage, and shape student-focused learning.
o Students will take responsibility for their learning through collaboration,
student-directed group projects, and self-assessment.
o Students will hold themselves and their peers accountable; they will
manage their time, take academic risks, and question the learning
process.
o How does the innovation solve the stated problem or create a new idea?
o The innovation will help students transfer their knowledge and apply it to
a real-world situation.
o The innovation will help create and support teachers who are facilitators
and instructional coaches and who empower, encourage, and shape
students.
o The innovation will help create and support students who take
responsibility for their learning and assessment, who manage their time
wisely, take risks, hold themselves and their peers responsible, work well
on a team, and make responsible decisions.
o By creating more instructional practices of increased depth of knowledge
that integrate problem solving and collaboration, the students will be
better prepared to transfer and apply knowledge.
o Describe the methods or strategies to be used to achieve the goals and
objectives of the innovation.
o The teachers will investigate and teams will visit schools where this type
of instruction is happening more regularly (i.e. New Technology High
Schools).
o Interdisciplinary teacher teams will be developed to incorporate more cross-curricula learning emphasizing collaboration and team work.
o Instructional practices will place more focus on students working in teams
and collaborating with each other.
o Describe how the provision of greater flexibility and control assists the
school in meeting the needs of the school's students.
o Greater control and flexibility over the school schedule will help meet the
needs of the school's students by providing more time for team planning
and team assessing.
o Easing the rigidity of time structures in the school will allow students to
complete an entire process before moving to a new one. Instruction will
be more fluid for the student.
o Include an estimation of the number of students affected by the project
design, and an estimation of the number of professional staff and service
personnel affected by the project design.
o
Long term goal is to impact all students and professional personnel within
the school. During the planning phrase, various integration methods will
be explored, such as a Freshman Academy, inter-departmental team
teaching, and school-wide implementation.
o How will the proposed innovation change how the school is currently
operating?
o The implementation of the innovation may change the structure of the
day and the schedule. Effective use of instructional time will be a key
factor as this innovation is explored.
o The implementation of the innovation will change the typical teacheractive/student-passive approach to a teacher-active/student active
approach.
At this time we do not anticipate needing a waiver of any state or local code or policy to
implement this exploration.
Literature Review
The West Virginia Department of Education has developed a
21st
century learning plan
that calls for students to develop information and communication skills, thinking and problemsolving skills, and personal and workplace productivity skills (Global
21,
2009). As East
Fairmont High School's faculty has worked to explore pedagogical practices to become better
prepared to deliver this 2181 century learning to the students, an interest has developed in
project-based learning and cross curricular instruction. This type of instruction provides the
students with choices and more responsibility for their learning and use of time. Noddings
(2007) explains that education needs to prepare students to make well-informed choices in the
future and identifies that a new concept of education could move toward a "problem and theme
organization that emphasizes values, attitudes, flexibility, working in teams, and critical
thinking" (p. 18).
As searches for information about this type of instruction were conducted, one design
that emerged as using problem-based learning extensively is the New Tech Network design.
The New Tech Network originated in Napa, California in 1996. Currently the network is
comprised of 41 schools in nine different states. The schools utilize project-based learning as
the primary instructional approach. The network identifies key elements of their instructional
process as: engaging learners, empowering students and teachers, and integrating technology
(New Tech Network, 2009). As called for in the Global
21
plan, the students are active learners
who learn to complete complex tasks in a designated amount of time to complete a project. The
students work in teams and have responsibility that is similar to what they would experience in
a work environment.
The network boasts success at various sites. In California, the Napa New Tech School
has an average of 95% of students enrolling in post-secondary education compared with other
Napa Valley high schools only having about 4o% enrolling in post-secondary study. In the
California school 40% graduate in a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career
path. Three New Tech schools in Texas reported Reading pass rates of 9o% or higher on the
statewide TAKS test (New Tech Network, 2009). Such achievement results in this mode of
instruction are encouraging.
The Global 21 initiative calls for self-directed learners who will be successful adults. As
responsible educators, this faculty is ready to explore new practices and realizes "we must
change how we operate if we expect to change what and how children learn" (Global 21, 2009).
Exploring options such as this will help determine the best change to make to meet the needs of
students.
References
Global 21. Retrieved on December 29, 2009 from
http : //wvde. state.wv. us/glob al2i /overview. html
New Tech Network. Retrieved December 1, 2009 from
http://www.newtechfoundation.org/about.html
Noddings, N. (2007). When school reform goes wrong. New York: Teachers College Press.
Activity
Teacher visits to New Technology High Schools
(Teachers will visit in teams of 6)
Expenses per trip:
Hotel rooms (3 rooms for 2 nights)
Rental car to travel to visit
Gas money and travel expenses (parking, tolls, etc.) Substitute teacher for 3 days for each visiting teacher Food expense for 6 teachers for 3 days
Total estimated cost per trip
Bring educator(s) to EFHS who are experienced
in this type of instruction.
Travel expense per visitor
Stipend for sharing expertise Total estimated cost per visitor
Professional development for current
EFHS faculty to understand how to implement
successful PBL practices and strategies into
specific content areas
Literature resources
Attendance at local university conference Teacher stipends for extra work Substitute funds for teachers to attend conference Substitute funds to discuss implementation possibilities Total estimated cost for EFHS professional development Total Requested
Quantity
Estimated Price Each
4
4,570.00
6
i
i
18
18
200.00
300.00
100.00
135.00
30.00
3
1,700.00
1
1
1,200.00
500.00
1,700.00
Subtotal
18,280.00
1,200.00
300.00
100.00
2,430.00
540.00
4,570.00
5,100.00
11,875.00
15
15
20
20.00
100.00
200.00
15
135.00
30
135.00
Total Cost
11,875.00
300.00
1,500.00
4,000.00
2,025.00
4,050.00
11,875.00
35,255.00
Certification
School/Schools Staff Commitment
Department/Departments/Subdivision/Subdivisions
Staff Commitment
Use this form to report the staff commitment regarding the innovation application and plan. A
copy must be forwarded to the Innovation Zone Committee with the application and the plan.
School: East Fairmont High School
Department (If Applicable):
Notice of Meeting (Date provided to Faculty or Department/Subdivision): November 24, 2009
Meeting Date: December i8, 2009
Faculty Senate Elected Officers:
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Signature:
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Signature:
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Signature:
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Signature:
President: (Name) Marvin Wilson
Vice-President: (Name) Rachel Merrifield Secretary: (Name) Jessica Duling
Treasurer: (Name) Tammi Musgrove
Other: (Name)
r
Service Personnel Representative:
Name: Barbara Golden
Position: Secretary
Signature:
Parent Representatives:
Name: Mike Sarsfield
Name: Dina Hudson
Name: Wendy DeVault
Signature:
Signature:
Signature:'
We certify that 8o percent of the faculty affected by the application/plan has voted to support the
application/plan.
(This report certification is not required of institutions of higher education in their application or plan).
8 of 9
County Board or Boards
Report on Innovation Application/Plan
Use this form to report the county board or boards and superintendent's support or concerns,
or both, about the innovation to the principal and faculty senate. A copy must be forwarded to
the Innovation Zone Committee with the application and the plan.
School: East Fairmont High School
Department (If Applicable): NA
Date of School/Department/Subdivision Receipt of Application: December 1, 2009
1. Application/plan must be accompanied by Staff Commitment Certification (Phase 1 and 2)
2. Support evidence from students, parents, local school improvement council and school business
partners for the application (Phase 1)
Date of Regularly Scheduled County Board of Education Meeting: December 8, 2009
County Board of Education Elected Officers:
President:
Rev. James Saunders
Signature:
Members:
Name: Dr. Babette Simms
Signature:
Name: Michael Welty
Signature:
Name: Mary "Sis" Murray
Signature:
Name: Richard Pellegrin
Signature:
Report:
Concerns:
Report of the local education agency must be forwarded to school/department/subdivision for submission to
West Virginia Board of Education with their application/plan.
(This report certification is not required of institutions of higher education in their application or plan).
9 of 9
MARION COUNTY
II)
OARD OF EDUCATION
200 GASTON AVENUE
THOMAS K. DEADRICK
FAIRMONT, WEST VIRGINIA 26554
TELEPHONE
(304) 367-2100
FAX: (304) 367-2111
SUPERINTENDENT
East Fairmont High School
Innovation Zone Grant Application
December 2009
County Board Report on Innovation Application/Plan (Page 9)
Attachment to Concerns
To Whom It May Concern:
At the meeting of the Marion County Board of Education on December 7, 2009, each
Board Member committed on their support of the proposal of the East Fairmont High
School Innovation Zone Grant Application. No concerns were noted.
Sincerely,
-d4
Thomas K. Deadrick
Superintendent
TKD:ssh
Comments of support from students
I think it would be cool if we had problem based learning at EFHS. So I support this endeavor very much.
Tiffany Jaskulski
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a student at EFHS who is in favor of problem based learning. I feel my education would be
enhanced with real world situations. I would benefit greatly from hands-on situations.
Thank you,
Haley Thomas
East Fairmont High School
1993 Airport Road • Fairmont, WV 26554 Telephone (304) 367-2140
Fax (304) 367-2180
Donna Hoylman Peduto, Innovation Zone Coordinator
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership
Building 6, Room 617
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0330
December 18, 2009
Mrs. Peduto.
At its December meeting, The East Fairmont High School Local School
Improvement Council (LSIC) unanimously passed a resolution of support for
EFHS's Innovation Zone grant application. The LSIC had membership on the
team who helped write the grant proposal and as a group, provided support and
feedback throughout development of the application process.
The LSIC is excited that the faculty wants to explore the New Tech High
School initiative and how it's philosophies can improve instruction for EFHS
students. We are especially pleased that Fairmont State University, one of our
professional development school partners, has committed its support and
resources to EFHS's Innovation Zone initiative.
Respectfully,
L)
Cindy Horner, president
East Fairmont High School Local School Improvement Council
71.
."
FAMMONT
Hi] STATE
UNIVERSITY
School of Education, Health
and Human Performance
1201 Locust Avenue
Fairmont, West Virginia 265542470
Phone (304)367-4241
Fax (304)367-4599
www.fairmontstate.edu
TO:
PDS High School Site Coordinators
PDS High School Principals
PDS Superintendents
PDS High School Liaisons
FROM:
Van Dempsey, Dean
School of Education, Health and Human Performance
DATE:
November 3, 2009
RE:
Informational Meeting
New Tech High Schools
As Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Performance at Fairmont State University, I
would like to invite you to a meeting to introduce the possibility of a professional development
initiative focused on the "New Tech High School" (NTHS) concept. This initiative is the product of a
collaborative effort between the School, the FSU-PDS Partnership, and GEAR UP.
New Tech High Schools are innovative high schools that are built on a set of practices and structures
that have a constructive impact on students and professionals. Currently in operation in 41 schools in
5 states, the NTHS concept focuses on fundamentally rethinking teaching and learning, student
empowerment, creativity and leadership. Three key elements of the NTHS philosophy include:
1) Instructional approaches that engage learners through project-based and problem-based
learning;
2) A culture that empowers teachers and students by building trust, respect, collaboration and
responsibility in the learning process; and
3) The integration and use of smart technology that supports self-directed learning, collaboration
and creativity.
Results from NTHS around the country show that the initiative has positive results on graduation
rates, attendance, participation in post-secondary education, and performance on student achievement
measures across multiple content areas.
We would like to introduce the NTHS initiative to you at a joint meeting of the FSU-PDS high
schools on Thursday, November 19 at 4:00 pm in room 303 Education Building on the campus of
Fairmont State University. At this meeting we will do a preliminary assessment of PDS interest, and
discuss plans for linking with GEAR UP, creating a plan for information sharing across interested
schools, and develop a short term action plan. This plan may include bringing NTHS expertise to
Fairmont State, and setting up potential site visits to current NTHS locations to see the work of these
schools first hand. We have included a short overview of NTHS for your review in advance of the
meeting. I also encourage you to go to the New Tech website at www.newtechnetwork.org .
We hope you will take this opportunity to take advantage of this informational session, and to
examine this potential NTHS might have for your school. Please RSVP to Erica Garrett at 367-4177
or Erica.garrett@fairmontstate.edu by Wednesday, November 11 as to availability for the November
19 meeting. If you are interested, but cannot attend the meeting, please let us know that as well.
Thank you for considering this opportunity. We hope to see you at the meeting.