Final NEASC Report

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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.htm
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Readers Digest Version7 Major Areas Studies

• Expectations for Student Learning
• Curriculum
• Instruction
• Assessment of Student Learning
• Leadership
• School Resources for Learning
• Community Resources for Learning

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Curriculum

• Recommendations
• () Offer additional courses to meet the needs
  of all learners a variety of skills

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

12
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.
• Districts commitment to maintaining
• student-teacher ratio to support learning.
• Regular authentic celebration of student
  accomplishments.
• An engaged, invested motivated student body.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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Community Resources for Learning

• () Building site issues
• Replace carpet in classrooms, auditorium and
  other areas.
• Provide properly controlled heating and
  ventilation throughout the bldg.

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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.