tj town hall meeting

June 6, 2012

Clarify the facts Describe breadth of root

causes Provide an overview of

interventions Review speculations about

academic achievement at TJ Next steps Q&A – index cards Exit slip suggestions – index

cards

Students Teachers Administrators Parents Counselors Staff FCPS Officials

The math performance of the Class of 2015 is lower than previous years, although not by SOL “pass advanced” standards

15% recommended for the “watchlist” compared to 8% Down to 11% (2015) and 7% (2014) this quarter This might be a one year anomaly We have used some four year trends to identify

patterns in students “at risk” – another 15% We have many interventions in place 99.5% success rate due to teacher, counselor,

administrator, and parent support

Admissions criteria and test difficulty

Acceleration of math curriculum grades 3-8

TJ regarded as a “prep” school rather than a STEM school

SoLs don’t emphasize problem solving

The meaning of an “A” from middle school varies

Lack of study skill development

Instructional approaches to challenge all students adequately

Setting accountability standards that might be too high

Parent and peer pressures to accelerate

8th period open tutoring: (W/F)

8th period small group “stickies” (M)

8th period peer-tutoring (M) 8th period study skills

sessions Individual meetings with

counselor and teacher Preassessment for SOL

readiness with review of trouble spots

Watchlist if cumulative unweighted GPA is below 3.3

Individual student plans created by counselor, teachers, admin, parent, student

Address study skills, work habits, tutoring, etc.

Meeting with principal to review progress and offer suggestions

Speculation My thoughts

Students admitted to TJ define our school success

TJ standards have declined

Nature and nurture both count

TJ diploma, “frosting” in curriculum, “decoration” affected by variability in performance

This metric is based solely on the ratio of number of APs: the total enrollment of students for a single year and does not account for differences in four year schools to two-year academies or APs taken during sophomore or junior year.

Speculation My thoughts

New teachers have lower grades than other teachers.

TJ has remedial classes

Consistent grade distributions

All math/science classes are honors level, we offer remedial support to lift students

Speculation My thoughts

Students are not prospering like they did in the “good ole days”

The interest to attend TJ has changed

Students who earn B’s and C’s don’t belong here

Standardized metrics exceptionally high, research advancement, increase in junior AB calculus enrollment

US News ranking, perceived college gateway

We provide intervention support. Students not meeting the 3.0 average often have C’s, D’s, and F’s in math/science

Opening two extra help sessions before final exams: June 6 from 6-8pm, and June 9 from 8am-12pm in Rm 243.

Distributing an end-of-year survey to students to obtain a representative sample of good experiences as well as ideas for improvement

Posting online modules for summer practice based on the final exam item analysis

Recommending students take the FCPS online trigonometry course if they did not perform well in 4th quarter algebra II/trig

Making a commitment for unified Blackboard resources next year in algebra II/trig

Providing an online algebra diagnostic assessment over the summer, and then offering a boot camp based on results

Issuing a pre-assessment to algebra II/trig students in the fall to provide interventions before grades are released

Piloting a new instructional model – “flipping the classroom” – to provide attention to wide variability in student readiness

Parent-based support systems - TBA School district officials dialogues to address root

causes and policy changes - TBA

All problems become smaller if you don’t dodge them but confront them

- Admiral William Halsey