ABC’S Presentation

Grant County Board of Education

March 25, 2008

Academics/Accountability

ACT EXPLORE (Range 1-25) (comparison to national scores)
8th Grade – October 2007

English Math Reading Science Composite
Nation 14.2 15.1 13.8 15.9 14.9
State 14.3 14.7 13.9 16.0 14.9
County 13.6 14.5 12.9 15.6 14.3
PHS 13.9 14.9 13.1 15.9 14.5

EXPLORE Quartile Report (Percent of Students)
8th Grade – October 2007
Nation English Math Reading Science Composite
75%-100% 21% 31% 18% 25% 22%
50%-74% 35% 28% 29% 29% 34%
25%-49% 31% 15% 29% 37% 19%
1%-24% 13% 26% 23% 10% 25%

ACT PLAN (Range 1-32) (Comparison to national scores)
10th Grade-Fall 2007
English Math Reading Science Composite
Nation 16.9 17.4 16.9 18.2 17.5
State 16.3 16.3 16.5 17.5 16.8
County 16.2 16.8 16.4 17.7 16.9
PHS 16.4 17.0 16.8 17.9 17.1

ACT PLAN Quartile Report (percentage)
10th Grade-Fall 2007
Nation English Math Reading Science Composite
75%-100% 21% 21% 32% 27% 22%
50%-74% 27% 31% 21% 29% 30%
25%-49% 30% 33% 23% 21% 25%
1%-24% 22% 15% 24% 24% 22%

EXPLORE trends over 3 years for individual 8th grade classes

8th Grade - Fall

PLAN trends over 3 years for individual 10th grade classes

10th Grade - Fall

Conclusions

EXPLORE

All EXPLORE scores except Science were below the national mean scores

8th grade math (14.9) score is above the State’s mean score (14.7)

Reading (13.1) is the weakest area for the 8th grade

Better than 50% of the students were in the top two quartiles of the EXPLORE in all of the categories except Reading

8TH grade EXPLORE scores have been generally decreasing since 2005

The most significant drop is reflected in the English and Reading scores (English – 15.2, 15.1, to 13.9; and Reading – 14.0, 13.8, to 13.1)

PLAN

While all 10th grade PLAN scores were below the national mean, all of PHS scores were higher than the State mean

Reading (16.8) appears to be the strongest area in the PLAN for our 10th grade class

PLAN scores were in the top two quartiles in all categories for PHS except in English (48%)

PLAN scores generally increased for 10th grade students from 2005-2007 in Math and Reading

Science PLAN scores increased one year and then declined the next

English PLAN scores dropped significantly after 2005 (from 16.9 to 16.4) and did not improve

General Conclusions/Plans

EXPLORE and PLAN tests compare our students to others in the nation
Investigate the possibility of getting item analysis data for these tests for use
If we can use this data to determine the focus for our instruction, our WESTEST scores should improve dramatically
Our students’ college readiness should also improve

PHS plans to require all students to take Algebra I for a full year (Algebra I, Part I and Algebra I, Part II)
Allow more thorough instruction in Algebra, preparing the students better for Geometry, Algebra II, and other math classes
Allow PHS to add Calculus to our curriculum
Increase students’ preparation for college

If our staffing request for ½ time Spanish teacher is approved we will be able to:
Meet 2510 requirements for offering Spanish to 7th grade students
Increase offerings of Spanish to other students

SCHEDULE TIME FOR REMEDIAL READING FOR INCOMING 7TH GRADE STUDENTS

Note of Concern – Recent determination that we must reduce number of students who take Alternative Assessment will possibly create difficulty for us to make AYP in special education categories

Attendance

Attendance 2006-07 94.6%
Estimated Attendance to Date 92.2%

2007-08 Drop Outs to Date - 16
8th Grade 2
9th Grade 3
10th Grade 3
11th Grade 2
12th Grade 6

Discipline

Year In-School Suspensions Out-of-School Suspensions
Aug. 2006-Mar. 2007 230 48
Aug. 2007-Mar. 2008 162 49

Plans
Faculty is comparing Discipline in current handbook with Levels of State Code of Conduct

Changes will be incorporated into handbook and practices for next year

Faculty is reviewing proposed server based discipline program for level one infractions for next year

New server will make this capable

Technology

Web Page is up and being used

Teachers are starting to use it

All Windows 95 computers have been replaced and most Windows 98 computers have been replaced with Windows XP

Computer lab has 28 new Windows XP computers with flat screen monitors

Two mobile whiteboards, which can enhance interactive learning, with Laptops and Data Projectors are available to all teachers for use in their classrooms

We need to encourage more teachers to use these

Beliefs/Basic Skills

Safety

Crisis Plan for Building

Evacuation Plan still in Progress

Currently discussing how to account for students when evacuation necessary during Lunch/Class Change

Need to purchase radios for sweepers

Had a Code Yellow Drill recently

Sheriff brought in drug dog

Discussing Code Red Drill Possibilities

Showed “First Twenty Minutes”
Good discussion

As we move to crisis planning – need to coordinate with Grant County EOS

Not sure about time frame for EOS

Commitment/Community

Athletic Boosters

Working to combine all athletic booster clubs

Getting By-Laws
Band Boosters need these too

Improve accountability of boosters

Reduce questionable motives/practices

Better coordination of fund raising activities

LSIC and PTO have been very good to work with

Staff Development

Reconfiguration

Department Chairs will be responsible for curriculum and finance

Improve my communication with them and staff

Better planning/budgeting

Should increase team meetings and communication

Discovery/Dreams

Plans

Eliminate 1 minute warning bell

Request cable around parking student parking lot

Control traffic through entrance and exit

Also need to monitor intern and co-op students by specific assignment of parking for them

Decrease damage to grounds

Recent Departmental Successes

Math
Regional Math Field Day
Grades 10-12 Joe Baker 1st place
Nicki Sites 6th alternate
Shaina Wichael 10th alternate
9th Grade Devon Hartman 2nd place
Will George 1st alternate

Science
Science Fair – 3 Regional first place winners
Tech Prep Grant – investigating humidity
Solar Car design and testing

Social Studies
PHS staff have organized the Social Studies Fair for Grant County
Require power point presentations by students in Mr. Mohr and Kuykendall’s classes
Mr. Kuykendall organized a voter registration for eligible PHS students
Participation of middle school students in mock trial last semester
Vocational

FCCLA – community projects: Donations to Toys for Happiness Drive; Collected food for a needy family; took books to nursing home; hand sewing of stuffed animals for ambulance squad (to calm small accident
victims)

FFA – 70% of FFA members showed prime meat products
2 members applying for highest degree in FFA (American Degree)
1 member applying for State Degree
Attended bull branding workshop (funds received from outside donors)
All students in Ag. Class this spring will be PQA certified through the National Pork Board in Illinois
First Semester end of course scores up 60%
1st 8th grade FFA program in Grant County organized (officers elected and functioning)
English – Cross Curricular activities between English,Math, and Social Studies “Call of the Wild”

Fine Arts
Winners of Art Contest “What Diversity Means to Me”
1st place Shaina Wichael, 2nd place Tina Hoggarth, 3rd place Ashley Sites
Participating in Doodle 4 Google Contest (9th grade Eng. And Art)
Plan displays at Grant county Bank
Plan to have the annual “Day in th Arts” field trip
Band, Chorus, Dance, and Theater classes – variety of performances and activities planned for the future

P.E.
Archery programs
Using Dance Dance Revolution to encourage more participation
Hunter Safety taught to 7th grade
Life-Time sport activities in advanced PE