Download - Small Learning Communities
Small Learning Communities
Larry TibbsBrennon Sapp
”The Vision” Video
The Vision
Welcome to Dixie
Our Journey to SOS• District Leadership Initiated Discussions
– Bill Daggett (Successful Practices Network)
– The World is Flat - Thomas Friedman • Freshman Academy• Establish a Vision Team (School Level)• School/Site Visits• Conferences• Building Ownership within the School• Preparing for Implementation• Spreading the Word (Public Relations)• Curriculum Development• Establishing Business Partnership• What’s next?
District Leadership Initiated Discussions
• Rigor, Relevance, & Relationships
• Many students– Unmotivated– Unprepared for the next level of life,
college, work force or vocational
• 15% of students successful in college
• How can we reinvent high school to– Motivate all students– Make high school more relevant– Make high school more rigorous– Involve the community/business
Our Schools of Study
The School of
Visual/Performing Arts and Media (VPAM)
The School of
Visual/Performing Arts and Media (VPAM)
Jobs:– composer– musician– stage director– writer– interior decorator– actor/actress– event coordinator– reporter– artist– photographer– advertisement
executive
Jobs:– composer– musician– stage director– writer– interior decorator– actor/actress– event coordinator– reporter– artist– photographer– advertisement
executive
Characteristics:– complicated– emotional– expressive– idealistic– imaginative– impulsive– independent – introspective – intuitive – nonconforming
Abilities writingmusicalartistic
Science, Technology, Engineering
& Math (STEM) Characteristics:
– analytical– cautious– complex– critical– curious– Intellectual– introverted, – methodical– precise– rational
Jobs:– mechanic– aircraft controller– surveyor– farmer– electrician– biologist– chemist– physicist– anthropologist– geologist – med tech
Abilities mechanicalmathematic
scientific
The School of
Law, Education, Health & Human Law, Education, Health & Human Services Services (LEHH)(LEHH)
The School The School of of
Characteristics:Characteristics: cooperativecooperative generousgenerous helpfulhelpful idealisticidealistic patientpatient responsibleresponsible socialsocial sympatheticsympathetic understanding understanding warmwarm
AbilitiesAbilities socialsocialverbalverbal
emotionalemotional
Jobs:Jobs: teacherteacher religious workerreligious worker counselorcounselor psychologistpsychologist social workersocial worker speech therapistspeech therapist police officerpolice officer lawyerlawyer nursenurse nutritionistnutritionist physical therapistphysical therapist sociologistsociologist
(BIT) Business & Information Technology
The School of
Characteristics: acquisitive adventurous agreeable ambitious extroverted energetic attention-getting impulsive optimistic popular self-confident
Abilities leadershipspeakingclerical
Jobs: salesperson manager business executive television producer sports promoter buyer bookkeeper stenographer financial analyst banker cost estimator tax expert
Freshman Academy
• Team approach
• Most critical year
• Various support programs
• Used as a vehicle to introduce students to the Schools of Study (Decision point)
• Freshman Coordinator and a Freshman Administrator
• Pathways (Advisory)
Establish a Vision Team
• A group to trail blaze the path to the New Dixie Heights High School– Professional development– Time line/steps– Advocates for change
• Hand Picked Committee (12)– Teacher leaders– Representative group– Visionaries
School/Site Visits• South Grand Prairie (TX) sgphs.gpisd.org
• Kennesaw Mountain (GA) www.cobb.k12.ga.us/~kennesawmountain
• Pulaski County (KY) www.pcva.us/schools/pchs/index.html
• Model Schools Conference– Nashville– Washington DC
• National Career Academy Coalition
Conferences
Building Ownership
• Sharing of “The Why”
• Sharing of “The How”
• Site Visits (yes we took teachers)
• Job imbedded Professional Development
Preparing for Implementation• Professional Development
– Two day/district wide – Team of 18 teacher from South Grand
Prairie– KDE Support Staff – Business Partners
• Arrangement of the Building
• Teacher Driven Change– Surveys– School of Study Assignments– School of Study Development
Spreading the Word• “The Vision” – Promotional Video
• School of Study – Websites– Brochures– Videos– Parent Information Nights
• To Students– Surveys– Videos– Freshman Academy (lessons, advisory,
and posters)
• SOS Sample Videos
Curriculum/SOS/Moral Development
• Model Lessons (Group Activity)
• Flavoring of Core Content Classes (Relevancy)
• Collaborative Lessons
• Business/Community Involvement
• Development of New Electives
• Summer Retreat (away from school)
• Use of SOS Lead Teachers
Science Then• Three Required Classes
– Biology (1 credit-freshman)– Earth/Space Science (1 credit)– Integrated Science (1 credit)
• Electives– Chemistry (1 credit)– Anatomy & Physiology (1 credit)– Physics (1 credit)– Environmental Science (1 credit)– AP Chemistry (2 credits)– AP Biology (2 credits)
Science NowThree and a Half Required Classes• Scientific Investigations (1/2 credit-freshman)• Life Science (1/2 credit)• Earth/Space Science (1/2 credit)• Physical Science (1/2 credit)• 1½ credits to be spread out in electives
Electives (all ½ credit, save AP Classes)– Chemistry A & B– Anatomy A & B– Physics A & B– Environmental Science – Forensics– Zoology– Astronomy– Chemistry & Community– Oceanography/Marin Biology
– Medical Science– Radio Technology– Horticulture– Geology– Meteorology– Anatomy for Artist– AP Chemistry– AP Biology
Establishing Business Partnership• Business Partnership Receptions
• Business Partner Liaison
• Externships
• Business Panels
• Marketing and Business Liaison– Aggressive Marketing– Aggressive Publicity– Yes! We are “open” for business– Lesson Connections
A Business Partner
What Else?• Trimesters
• Continued Professional Development
• Continued Curriculum Development
• Continued Morale Building/Support
• Data, Data, Data & Surveys– hard/soft– young/old– interior/exterior
• ??????????????
Questions?
www.dixie.kenton.kyschools.us
bsapp.com/dixie_schools_of_study
