Final NEASC Report
 The New England Association of
Schools and Colleges Report on the
status of Sharon High School.
 Full final report available on Sharon
website:
http://www.sharon.k12.ma.us/school/shs/shsmain.html
Reader’s Digest Version
7 Major Areas Studies







Expectations for Student Learning
Curriculum
Instruction
Assessment of Student Learning
Leadership
School Resources for Learning
Community Resources for Learning
Expectations for Student Learning
 Commendations
• Regarding the Mission and
Student Learning Expectations:
 Broad participation in its development.
 Wide publication and display.
 Provision for annual review.
 Recommendations:
• Greater community exposure to specific
student learning expectations.
• Wider use of school wide rubrics by
teachers so students understand purpose.
• Use data from rubrics to make decisions
about curriculum, instruction and
assessment.
Curriculum
 Commendations:
• Dedication in planning/delivering a challenging
curriculum
• Widespread course-specific expectations to
promote higher order thinking.
• Frequent use of Essential Questions.
• Interdisciplinary opportunities for students.
• Common Planning Time for teachers.
• Rigorous expectations for students
of all ability levels.
Curriculum
 Recommendations:
• Ensure that all departments use
academic, social and civic
expectations for student performance.
• Integrate school wide rubrics into
written curriculum.
• Identify instructional techniques in
written curriculum that fulfill
expectations.
• ($$) Provide leadership for all depts.
Curriculum
 Recommendations:
• Implement school-wide template for
curriculum development that includes
instruction, assessment, expectations.
• Gather & track assessment data using
rubrics
• ($$) Ensure continuation of CSL
• ($$) Provide appropriately equipped
classroom space (i.e. Science)
• ($$) Provide technology throughout bldg for
itinerant teachers
Curriculum
 Recommendations:
• ($$) Offer additional courses to meet the needs
of all learners & a variety of skills
Instruction
 Commendations:
• Strong Culture of teaching & learning.
• High Expectations across all levels.
• Common planning and Professional
Development time for core subject
teachers.
• Evidence of applied learning.
• Enthusiastic and knowledgeable
professionals.
• Teachers who dedicate time and effort
to personalizing instruction.
Instruction
 Recommendations:
• Provide resources for school-wide PD
based on instructional needs.
• ($$) Address needs of depts lacking in
formal leadership & collaborative
time.
• ($$) Ensure classroom access to
instructional technology.
• Expand school-wide “best practices”
discussions for consistency.
• Expand opportunities for student
metacognition and self-reflection.
Assessment of Learning
 Commendations:
• Widespread use of rubrics and classrm
scoring guides.
• Variety of assessment strategies
across disciplines.
• Extensive opportunity for
departmental collaboration to analyze
assessments.
• Development and implementation of
common assessments across courses.
Assessment of Learning
 Recommendations:
• Assess school-wide student progress using
the school-wide rubrics.
• Develop systematic data collection to
measure achievement of civic and social
expectations.
• Ensure communication of the results to
students and families.
• Develop a system to track student
achievement and train teachers to collect
and analyze data to inform instruction and
curriculum development.
Leadership
 Commendations:
• High degree of commitment and
professionalism during periods of transition in
school and district administration.
• Enthusiasm, energy and high visibility of the
principal and his willingness to promote
change and growth.
• Admin commitment to common planning time.
• District’s commitment to maintaining
student-teacher ratio to support learning.
• Regular & authentic celebration of student
accomplishments.
• An engaged, invested & motivated student body.
Leadership
 Recommendations:
• Develop/implement procedures to build
consensus about fulfilling learning
expectations.
• Ensure clear procedures for communication
and protocols for resolving conflicts.
• Provide procedures for depts w/out leadership
to have an equitable voice in decision-making.
• Practice safety and crisis intervention and
response procedures.
• Develop a formal ongoing program to assure
each student has an adult to go to who knows
the student well, in addition to the guidance
counselor.
School Resources for Learning
• Commendations:
• Variety of supportive SPED programs
for social, emotional, acad. needs.
• Effective communications about
support services to parents & staff.
• Range of effective services
offered by Guidance.
• Spacious and welcoming library.
• Strong and supportive student/staff
relationships in student services area.
• Collaboration among dedicated &
hardworking support services staff.
School Resources for Learning
 Recommendations:
 ($$) Increase library staffing to serve
students and curriculum development.
 $$) Assess student services regarding
loss of Academic Development Center.
 ($$) Provide funding to increase the
number of library resources and access
to the collection.
 ($$) Provide time for instructional aides
to collaborate with special education
and regular education teachers.
Community Resources for Learning
 Commendations:
• Wide variety of venues for parental
involvement.
• Teacher initiative that includes service
learning as part of classroom
instruction.
• Wide variety of programming that uses
all parts of the building.
• Improvement to the facility by providing
the new Library/Media center and SHS
TV production studio.
Community Resources for Learning
 Recommendations:
• ($$) Develop a DW fiscal plan to address
projected enrollment, space use and
required funding.
• ($$) Ensure dependable funding to
ensure programming and staffing levels.
• ($$) Develop and fund a regular
maintenance plan for SHS.
• ($$) Develop a plan to assure adequately
equipped classrooms.
Community Resources for Learning
 Recommendations:
• ($$) Undertake a regular comprehensive
testing plan to confirm air quality and
mold-free areas.
• ($$) Ensure all members of the school
community have a voice in formation of
the school budget.
• ($$) Address building and site issues:
Community Resources for Learning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
($$) Building & site issues:
Reduce hallway crowding.
Provide adequate locker storage.
Clean and maintain bathrooms.
Improve lighting in classrooms.
Paint classrooms and common areas.
Provide care of courtyards, fencing,
etc.
Provide adequate lunch facilities for
students and staff.
Clean/replace water-damaged items.
Community Resources for Learning
($$) Building & site issues:
• Replace carpet in classrooms,
auditorium and other areas.
• Provide properly controlled heating
and ventilation throughout the bldg.
Conclusion - No Surprises!
• Many areas that are “Commended”
are the result of the work of many
over the past 10 years in Sharon.
• Many areas that are
“Recommendations” have been
identified as district and school
wide goals or are “on our radar”.
• Overall we are in good shape but
need to continue to move forward
in creative and challenging ways.