Self Evaluation Form
2013-2014
{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
Independence High School Contact Information
School:
Independence High School
Courier Number:
426
1967 Patriot Drive
Phone Number:
980-343-6900
Charlotte NC 28277
Fax Number:
East Learning Community
School Website:
Address:
Learning Community:
Principal:
Amy Dellinger
Learning Community Superintendent:
Tonya Kales
www.bigibelieve.com
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Total Students Enrolled:
Race
Ethnicity
Exceptionality
McKinney Vento
504 Plans
Suspensions:
Retentions:
Non-Hispanic
Hispanic
African American
American Indian
Asian
More Than One
Pacific Islander
White
General Education Students:
Exceptional Children Students:
Academically Intellectually Gifted Students
Limited English Proficient Students:
Total
2291
1,781 (77.7%)
510 (22.3%)
755 (32.8%)
339 (14.7%)
124 (5.4%)
187 (8%)
2 (0.1%)
865 (37.6%)
1,835 (79.7%)
209 (9.2%)
256 (11.2%
226 (9.9%)
23 (1.0%)
71 (3.1%)
Male
1,229
%
Female
1,062
Male
53.6%
Female
46.4%
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
What is distinctive about your school?
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Very diverse student body
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Successful academic program
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Focused on global awareness – Academy of International Studies – Syndie Fleener
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Freshman Academy implementation 2012-13
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Use of Professional Learning Communities (core academic teams with common planning) to meet the needs of students
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Distance Learning Lab that serves over 120 students each semester (AP courses, college courses, new course work)
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Large Comprehensive high school with a variety of options for students to find their niche
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Academy of Engineering – YOP 2013-14
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“In-house” professional development monthly at faculty meetings
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Large number of students involved in extracurricular activities
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Large number of staff members with higher level degrees, National Board Certification.
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10 teachers actively involved in professional organizations and with special projects such as the Charlotte Teacher’s Institute
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Participation in College and Career Promise program and College Experience
How effective is your school?
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How do you know?
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Increased Graduation Rate from 79.35% to 84.4%
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ACT composite increased from 17.0 to 17.6
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SAT scores increased
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AP enrollment increased from 277 to 320 with students taking at least one AP class. 520 students enrolled in AP classes
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AP exam pass rate from 73% to 77%
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92 students enrolled in CCP during the spring semester (196 courses taken, 183 credits earned with a 93% pass rate)
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LEP graduation rate increased by 17% in 2013
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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What are your school’s notable strengths?
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Highly Qualified and effective teachers in all classrooms
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Professional Learning Communities in Core academic areas
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Double blocking students that need extra help
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Approximately 400 courses taken and approximately 1200 credit hours earned last year with the College and Career Promise
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After school tutoring
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Effective teacher leadership
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Most effective teachers in tested areas
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Dedication of staff to total school program
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Common Planning for all core subject areas and Freshman Academy teachers
What are your school’s main areas for improvement?
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Increasing rigor in every classroom
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Continuing to create a college bound culture at Independence by making information accessible and exposing students to opportunities
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Increasing student attendance
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Parent/Community Involvement
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Continuous improvement in the graduation rate
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Refine programs/approach for LEP and EC students
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Campus cleanliness
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School Safety
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Increase enrollment in AP and Honors classes
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Increase student passing rate in all classes
1. How effective is your school in ensuring high quality achievement for students in all grades, especially in the core subjects?
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How do you know?
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ACT scores and SAT test scores are below the district, state and national average – intentional procedures are in place to increase scores
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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In which subjects and grades do students do best, and why?
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Algebra I- prior EOC data
Biology – prior EOC data
Stability of teacher corps, common planning and effective department leadership, using data to strategically place students
In which subjects and grades is improvement needed, and what action is currently being taken?
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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
PSAT and PLAN scores improving
SAT scores increased by 10 points on the avg. from last year
AP enrollment doubled this year
All EC/LEP performance on ACT, SAT and graduating on time
Action
o Remediation program in math and literacy through extended day
o Increasing the number of students being promoted from the 9th to the 10th grade
o Implementation of the Credit recovery plan
Is there evidence of disparities in student achievement by subgroups? If so, what action is being taken?
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EC – IEP/PEP - After-school tutoring, Inclusion/Resource, Parent Assistant, Inclusion ESL classes
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LEP – SIOP, PEPs, ESL consultation, Power school Parent Assistant, Extended Day, ESL
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Freshman Academy implementation
How is your school addressing the specialized needs of EC and LEP students?
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EC Coordinator/Compliance facilitator
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API hand schedules these students
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LEP Coordinator and LEP Committee
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SIOP training and coaching
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Classes are scheduled and provided based on the needs to the student
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Smaller class size
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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AP/Honors classes, university alliances
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Differentiation Academy
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Structure of the Learning Lab
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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?
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After school tutorials – all teachers
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Extended Day
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Common assessments
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Students are scheduled based on prior performance
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Teacher Effectiveness reports used for formative teacher conferences
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Departments complete item analysis
How does your school allocate available resources to improve student learning and achievement?
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Springboard Algebra 1 and English II
Support EOC tutoring through Extended Day
Use experienced/successful teachers to provide professional development and to mentor teachers
PEAK Learning Strategies
USA Test Prep
Great Books training
International exchange opportunities
2. How effective is your school in providing a relevant and appropriate curriculum for all students, grades and sub-groups?
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How do you know?
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Topic, Essential Questions, and the agenda are posted daily.
Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies
AP teacher training and calibration of final grades with student AP exam grades to ensure rigor
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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How is alignment with the Common Core and Essential Standards ensured?
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Appropriate placement in classes allowing relevant pace
Large number of teacher attend summer institutes for common core training (STEM Institute)
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?
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Teachers use differentiation to meet the needs of diverse learners
Observation
Field trips, clubs, community events, community service, field experiences, internships, competitions, athletics
3. How effective is the quality of teaching and instruction in ensuring high quality learning, progress and achievement?
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How do you know?
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HQ staff with a low turn-over rate
Team planning with subject specific team meetings
17 National Board Certified Teachers
35.6% teachers with Master’s Degree
Which are the strongest features of teaching and learning and why?
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Students appropriately placed in classes to maximize student achievement
Diverse staff provides role modeling for all students
PEAK strategies, Brain Pop, most Science and Math teachers have Promethean Boards, SIOP and Inclusion trained staff
Differentiation Academy
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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What aspects of teaching and learning most need improvement and what action is being taken?
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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, 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?
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Formal and Informal Assessments
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Teachers use a variety of student products based on multiple intelligences to assess learning:
(for example “Ticket out the door”, Quizzes, Oral discussions, Projects, Lab Analysis, Presentations)
4. How effective is your school in ensuring high quality leadership and management?
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How do you know?
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Which are the strongest aspects and why?
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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
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?
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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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
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Systems to monitor facility upkeep and cleanliness
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Administration and staff calibrating the Standards of the NC Teacher Evaluation Instrument
5. How effective is the school in creating a high quality learning environment?
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How do you know?
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Which are the strongest aspects and why?
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A welcoming environment is evident upon entering the building and main office.
Composite EOC scores are slightly above district average
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
Opportunities for blended learning
Common Planning/ EOC Core Academic Teams/ PLC/RTI
Freshman Academy teams
Data used to place students in Freshman Academy
Extended Day and Credit Recovery program
What most needs improvement and what action is being taken?
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Facility and school cleanliness – Horticulture classes project facelift, custodial monitoring, school cleanliness initiatives with students, parent/ PTSA/SLT, school
beautification projects
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Increased enrollment in AP and Honor’s classes
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Increased AP pass rate
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Increased enrollment in college classes in our distance learning lab
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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Increased focused on ACT improvement
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Increased participation in the “Triumph” program
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More focus on creating a college bound environment – parent and student workshop
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Improve professional feel of main office – building service upgrades/customer service training for secretaries, monitoring
6. How effective is the school in establishing a high quality partnership with parents, other schools and the community?
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How do you know?
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Parent participation/attendance in Open Houses, curriculum nights and Patriots on Parade
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?
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Connect Ed.
Parent Assistant
Newspaper
Website
Key Communicator – Jeff Jones Email/phone
Email blast
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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What most needs improvement and what action is being taken?
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What aspects of the school’s work to involve parents/guardians and the community in the life of the school work best? Why?
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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
College Information Nights
High School 411 workshops
PSAT/PLAN parent workshops
Partnership relationships with clubs/programs
Booster Club
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 Board
What needs improvement and what action is being taken?
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PTSA Membership
Volunteer activism and volunteer activities
Guidance on completing the form:
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Please be evaluative, rather than descriptive, and make your focus outcomes for students.
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{School Name} Self Evaluation Form
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Include references to where the evidence of your self-evaluation can be found, e.g., “excellent boys’ results in state math tests as shown in annual report to the state”,
“parents’ questionnaires from 2010”.
Be concise; (for example, use bullet points or note form).
Aim to confine your response to no more than eight pages.
Please place an X against the grade (1-4), which most accurately reflects your judgment of overall quality in response to the questions.
You are advised to complete section B last, as this section is summative.
Please omit sections where you feel that you are not in a position to respond.
What approach should we take?
Schools have adopted different approaches.
In some schools the principal and the leadership team have completed the form as a part of one of their regular meetings.
Other schools have devoted part of a faculty meeting as a way of involving all members of staff; this is highly recommended as a means of engaging the whole staff, helping
them to prepare for the review and gathering evidence which reflects the work of the whole school.
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