MSAD

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MSAD 11 Academic Audit

• January 17, 2008

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Audit Team Included School Staff, Board Members
and Parents

• Co-Chairs
• Dr. Paul D. Knowles, Superintendent
• Karen Beckler, GRMS Science Teacher
• Karl Swenson, GAHS Science teacher
• Administrators
• Arthur Warren, GRMS Principal
• Chad Kempton, GAHS Principal
• Howard Tuttle, Director of Curriculum/Instruction
• Peg Long, Special Education Director
• Gardiner Regional Middle School Teachers
• Diana Dionne-Morang, Language Arts Teacher
• Andrea Cram, Math/Language Arts
• Gardiner Area High School Teachers
• Laurie Leavitt, Physical Education Teacher
• Jessica Norton, Math/Career Preparation Teacher

• School Board Members
• Kathy Paradee, Gardiner
• Steve Hunnewell, West Gardiner
• Parent/Community Members
• Vicki Kelley
• Patricia Hart
• Consultants/Advisors
• Dr. Gordon Donaldson,
• University of Maine, Orono
• Dr. George Marnik,
• Clinical Instructor of Educational Leadership
  University of Maine, Orono

Data Subcommittee Members
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Team Conducted a Comprehensive Review

• Stage 1- Team Reviewed Education Best Practice
  Manuals and Identified Gaps Between MSAD11 and
  Best Practices
• Stage 2- Reviewed Existing Data on Academic
  Performance
• Stage 3- Conducted Interviews and Survey with
  Staff and Students to Understand their
  Experiences in MSAD 11
• Stage 4- Analysis of Findings from Review of
  Existing Information and Data Collections Stages
• Staff Input Throughout Data Collection and
  Analysis
• Stage 5- Shared analysis of findings with Parents
  and asked for input
• Stage 6- Recommendations to School Board

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Stage 1- Best Practice Review

• Highest Priority- for first stage of the audit
• Learning works best when
• 1learners are engaged through multiple and
  appropriate learning styles and a variety of
  relevant learning experiences.
• 2. ..learners are free of fear (of failure, of
  the unknown, of harm, of social ostracism, etc.)
  when learners feel confident they can learn.
• 3it is relevant (connected) to each learner and
  when it is interdisciplinary and integrated
  around the learners goals and reality.

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Stage 2- Review of Existing Data

• Attendance rates
• Maine Educational Assessment Test data,
• Scholastic Aptitude Test data,
• MSAD 11 Bullying and Teasing Survey data,
• Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey data for
  MSAD11
• MSAD 11 Aspirations Survey
• Census Data
• Student Academic Performance Data

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MSAD 11 Need

• Academic performance at MSAD 11 is low- for more
  than 10 years, MEA scores below state average
• Poorer communities and those with a greater
  proportion of special needs students out perform
  MSAD11 (Waterville, Biddeford, Augusta, Oxford
  Hills, Skowhegan....)

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Proportion of GAHS Students Reporting that they
Do Not Feel Safe in School
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The Good News!

• A Greater Proportion of GAHS Graduates Intend to
  go to College
• MSAD11 Students Are More Likely Than Their Peers
  to Volunteer for Community Service
• GRMS has increased the proportion of students
  reporting that they feel safe in school

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Stage 3- New Data Collection

• Focus Groups October 2006
• Staff (3 groups GRMS, 3 groups GAHS)
• Students (3 groups GRMS, 3 groups GAHS)
• Web-Based Survey- Spring 2007
• Staff (31 GRMS, 46 GAHS)
• Students (416 GRMS, 574 GAHS)

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Teacher/Student Focus Groups

• Process 10 or so invited participants
• Small but good cross-section of teachers and
  students.
• Student groups
• High, Middle, and Low achieving
• Teacher Groups
• Years of Experience
• Content Area

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Major Findings

• Significant differences in engagement between
  high, middle and low achieving students.
• Perceptions on Varying Instruction
• Perceptions on Relevance
• Perceptions on Student Readiness
• A lack of options for students to take courses
  that have built-in hands-on components.
• Loss of Industrial Arts and Tech Programs

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Hidden Findings

• Many teachers were frustrated to find out they
  were not selected to be in a focus group.
• Teachers want to be heard, and included in
  decision-making.

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Students had Positive Experiences Participating
in the Focus Groups

• Students felt empowered by the focus groups
  especially low achieving students.
• One students comment rings true
• He said This has been a good process. We should
  do this more often.

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Students Value Education, But Do Not Think Their
Peers Value Education
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Teachers Outlook On School Climate Is Mixed
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Proportion of Students and Teachers
Agree/Strongly Agree That "Teachers Vary
Activities in Class"
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Belief That Most Students Are "Prepared For
Class"
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Views on Positive Reinforcement in School
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Varying Teaching Style To Learning Approach
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Teachers Make Connections Between Lessons And Life
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Teacher Recommendation Process

• Teachers were given the opportunity to review the
  data from the report at both the middle and high
  schools.
• At the high school, for example, three separate
  sessions were used after school and during early
  release to look at the three priorities and make
  recommendations.
• Recommendations and actions steps were organized
  and prioritized.
• Examples of those recommendations ended up in the
  report.

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Golden Nuggets

• The process itself generates immediate changes.
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Teacher Feedback was positive throughout the
  process
• They want to be included in the process.
• They want to see results

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One Thing You Would Change About School

• Middle School Students
• Less homework
• More discipline
• More challenge
• More hands on activities
• Middle School Staff
• More motivated students
• Better curriculum

• High School Students
• Improve teacher attitude/style
• More hands on work
• Kids with bad attitudes
• Various changes to homework
• High School Staff
• More motivated students
• Better curriculum

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Stage 5- Parent Feedback on Report

• First and foremost, they were DELIGHTED to be
  invited to share their thoughts
• Most recognized that the straight talk and
  chalk method of teaching was not effective with
  all students
• Voiced concerns over teacher sarcasm and
  criticisms and articulated that teachers may not
  understand the power of their negative words
• Overall very supportive of teachers and
  understanding of the challenges of the school
  environment

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Stage 6- Recommendations

• Provide Educational Coherence K-12
• Consistency in expectations for educational
  achievement
• Change instruction practice to reach more
  students
• Provide More Diverse Learning Opportunities
• Make learning opportunities more relevant to
  students abilities and interests
• Create and Maintain a Safe, Fair Responsive
  School Climate
• Create an environment where students and staff
  are respected

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Next Steps

• Share Report
• Prioritize Actions
• Create Action Plan with Measures/Indicators of
  Success
• Implement