Access for All: Creating a
Comprehensive and Rigorous Academic
Program
MR. TIMOTHY HEAPHY
EASTRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
DR. MIRYAM MATULIC-KELLER
AVID DISTRICT DIRECTOR
EAST IRONDEQUOIT CSD
ROCHESTER, NY
Who Are We?
 Superintendent of Schools – Mrs. Susan K. Allen
 Monroe County


Inner ring suburb of the City of Rochester, NY
55% Economically Disadvantaged
 Student enrollment of 3069 kindergarten through grade 12
 East Irondequoit Middle School First National Demonstration School
in NYS (2014)
2%
19%
52%
21%
6%
Asian
African American
Hispanic
Multiracial
White
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
% Economically Disadvantaged
Economically Disadvantaged
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Where were we prior to 2005?
 Poverty
 Diversity
 Low enrollment in advanced courses
 Underdeveloped curriculum
 Limited professional development
Commitment to Rigorous Programs
Video
East Irondequoit Central School District
Access for All: Creating a Comprehensive and Rigorous 6-12
Academic Program
Fall 2007
Spring
2009
Fall 2014
Spring 2013
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
1st Graduating
Class IB
Students
PLTW
Implemented
EHS Authorized
IB DP School
AVID
Implemented
Spring 2014
Spring 2015
Fall 2013
1st Graduating
Class of AVID
Seniors
EI Middle School
First AVID
Demonstration
School in NYS
EI Middle School
IB MYP
Candidate School
EHS Submits
MYP Application
for Candidacy
EHS Implements
IBCC
EHS Awarded
the IB “Bridging
the Equity Gap”
Grant
MCC Partnership
Agreement
Approved
EI Middle School
MYP
Authorization
Supportive Policies and Practices
 All AP/IB fees paid by the district.
 AVID tutor alumni hired as paid tutors.
 Digital equity, 1:1 iPads 24/7.
 Commitment to professional development.
 College Partnerships.
 SUNY Brockport, Nazareth, Roberts Wesleyan, Geneseo
AVID tutors
 Student teaching placements


Monroe Community College Partnership Agreement (MCC)

Fees associated with dual enrollment courses included/paid by the
district
Eastridge High School
Participation in Rigorous Courses
45%
Total student
enrollment - 963
40%
35%
IB (11 & 12)
30%
25%
AP (10 - 12)
20%
PLTW (9 -12)
15%
MCC Dual Enrollment
(10 -12)
10%
5%
0%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
AVID
Quick Write
Identify the characteristics of a high performing high
school and compare and contrast with the
characteristics of your school. (2 minutes)
Please share with your elbow partners.
East Irondequoit
AVID Student Profile (6-12)
Gender Data 273 Students
56%
44%
Male
Female
East Irondequoit
AVID Student Profile (6-12)
Demographic Data 273 Students
<1%
29%
43%
20%
<1%
6%
Asian
African American
Hispanic
Multiracial
Native American
White
East Irondequoit
AVID Student Profile (6-12)
Free or Reduced Priced Lunch Data 273
Students
43%
57%
Economically
Disadvantaged
Not Economically
Disadvantaged
Percentage of AVID Students
in Rigorous Courses
Grade
Total Number Number & Percentage
of Students in
of Students in
AVID Electives
Rigorous Courses
Rigorous Courses
9
39
17/44%%
Accelerated Math/PLTW
(Project Lead the Way)
10
35
22/63%
AP/Accelerated
Math/PLTW
11
40
37/93%
AP/IB/PLTW/ Monroe
Community College Dual
Enrollment
Courses/Regents Chemistry
12
23
23/100%
AP/IB/Project Lead the
Way/ MCC Dual Credit
Courses
9 - 12
137
99/72%
AVID Student Comments
Video
Think, Pair, Share with a Neighbor
Refer back to your quick write and identify any
common themes with the content of the student video.
Michael and Susan Dell Foundation:
Bridging the Equity Gap Grant
 Goal: Increase the number of low
income students participating and
succeeding in the IB Diploma
Programme.
Schools Participating Nationwide
Student Enrollment
 Eastridge High School, Rochester, NY (949)*
 Denton High School, Denton, TX (2100)
 Marietta High School, Marietta, GA (1975)
 Sonora High School, La Habra, CA (2000)
 Sequoia High School, Redwood City, CA (2013)*
* AVID School
Benefits of the Bridging the Gap
Grant
 Intensive Consultation.
 Reflective Self-assessment.
 Targeted Professional Development.



Leadership
Counseling
Assessment and Curriculum
 Action Steps:


Detrack classes
Reorganize support systems (DuFour’s Raising the Bar and Closing
the Gap (2010))
 Direct connection to AVID’s essential #4.
Pre-reading Strategy
 Think about the following questions, and share with
an elbow partner.

Does your school/district track students? If yes, to what
extent?

How can tracking affect access to rigorous courses?
Critical Reading Task
“When Excellence and Equity Thrive: Why Do We
Tolerate the Curriculum Gap That Results from
Tracking?”
By Carol Corbett Burris
Published online: January 28, 2004
Retrieved October 30, 2015
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2004/01/28/burris.h23.html
Critical Reading Task

Read the text.

Answer the following question, citing specific information
from the text, and share with an elbow partner(s).



Mark the text.

Number paragraphs.

Underline key concepts. Circle key terms.
What similarities and differences exist between the AVID
system’s philosophy and the educational philosophy promoted in
the text?
Generate two text-based questions (level 2 or level 3) to share
with an elbow partner(s).
East Irondequoit CSD
Self-Reflections
 Barriers
 Too many course options
 Lower level options – “If you build it, they will come.”
 Messages
 Sorting mechanisms
 Schedule
 Supports
 Scheduled intentional academic support
 Belief
 Rigor is not a “dirty” word
Senior Celebrations!
Class of 2013
100% Accepted into a 4year College or University
More than $520,000.00
awarded in scholarship
dollars!
Class of 2014
95% Acceptance into a
4- year College or
University
$1,909,616.00 awarded in
scholarship dollars!
AVID Graduates 2015!
Daemen College
Erie Community College
Monroe Community College
Niagara University
SUNY Brockport
SUNY Fredonia
SUNY Buffalo
Utica College
$702,400 in Scholarships
Contact Information
 Timothy_Heaphy@eastiron.monroe.edu
585-339-1450
Mr. Timothy Heaphy Eastridge High School Principal
 Miryam_Matulic-Keller@eastiron.monroe.edu
585-944-1952
Dr. Miryam Matulic-Keller, AVID Consultant, East
Irondequoit CSD AVID District Director