CLEARFIELD – Kevin Wallace, acting principal, told the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors that the 2009-10 High School Improvement Plan will focus on continual student improvement at Monday night’s committee meetings.
Wallace said that although the board will consider the plan for approval next week, it will be amended, as they progress through the academic year.
“Nothing about it is etched in stone. It’s not going to be effective if it’s thrown in a drawer,” he said. He said their essential focus will be continual improvement and the plan will be a working document.
He said that he and administrative staff members have been attending school improvement workshops that are offered by the Central Intermediate Unit #10. He said that the CIU #10 has been supportive of the district.
Wallace said the high school’s improvement plan for reading was highlighted by the reading apprenticeship and Sopris West Reading Program. He said the latter program would be newly implemented for the special education program. He said that the Algebra Resource/Algebra Ready Program would be a math addition for the special education students as well.
During his presentation, Wallace said they’d look at teaching practices.
“We want students to be more active, more engaged. They learn by seeing and doing,” he said.
He also said that students who are slightly above proficient and below would be pulled into tutoring during their study hall periods.
Wallace said the high school’s improvement plan for both math and reading would implement “Standards Aligned Programs.” He said that it’d allow their programs to be aligned with state standards.
In addition, he said both reading and math would have an “Understanding by Design” program. He said it would equip faculty with a template for unit and lesson plans.
Wallace said that their plan had additional initiatives, including dual enrollment, intensive academic guidance services, continuous monitoring of attendance and graduation data, increasing parent communication via School Reach and Power School and community partnerships.
“We want to help every kid be successful,” he said. He said the students’ parents have been very supportive of the district administration and its school improvement initiative.
Dr. Bobbi Pfingstler, of the CIU #10, said through her own observation, school improvement is clearly a concern for the district’s administration. She said many district administrators have been present for their workshops.
“Their leadership allows (school improvement) to happen,” she said. She said the collaboration among the district’s teams was phenomenal.
She noted that during the workshop, James Quick, Jr., principal at Clearfield Elementary School, commented, “We’re going to fly high in the Clearfield Area School District.” She said it was made clear by all who attended, however.
“Kudos to your district,” Pfingstler said.
