DOCUMENT RESUME PS 030 104 ED 460 788 Fager, Jennifer AUTHOR Highland Elementary School. Learning by Example Series. TITLE Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR. School INSTITUTION Improvement Program. Department of Education, Washington, DC. SPONS AGENCY NWREL-Ser-3 REPORT NO 2002-00-00 PUB DATE 41p.; Figures may not reproduce well. NOTE ED-01-00-0013 CONTRACT Northwest Regional Eductional Laboratory, 101 S.W. Main AVAILABLE FROM Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97204. Tel:.503-275-9615. e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.nwrel.org/scpd. Research (143) PUB TYPE Reports MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Change Agents; *Change Strategies; Educational Development; DESCRIPTORS Educational Improvement; *Educational Practices; *Educational Quality; Elementary Education; Elementary School Curriculum; 'Elementary School Students; Limited English Speaking; Magnet Schools; Parent School Relationship; *Partnerships in Education; Profiles; Program Descriptions; *Reading Achievement; School Community Relationship; State Standards; Student Evaluation; Student Improvement; Teamwork Salem Public Schools OR IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT As part of a series of stories about real-world schools that have achieved substantial success in school improvement over multiple-year periods, this report provides an in-depth look at one school's efforts to improve student learning. The school profiled is Highland Elementary School, located in Salem, Oregon, serving a student population of kindergarten through fifth graders that is primarily low-income and Hispanic, with Spanish as their first language and has a high mobility rate. The report begins with a description of the situation at Highland and the improvements in third and fifth graders' achievement from 1998 to 2000. Changes in practice contributing to school improvement are identified as teaming schoolwide, emphasizing reading schoolwide, forming partnerships with numerous community organizations and parents, extending learning time through the use of a year-round calendar, and aligning the curriculum to standards and student assessments. The key topics addressed in this report are: gaining schoolwide focus for improvement, improving student performance in reading as the cornerstone for all learning, meeting student needs through a bilingual magnet program, and obtaining resources to support school improvement. The report notes three principles underlying education at Highland Elementary: promotion of student learning above all and no excuses for failure; (2) inspired leadership by a principal who is an instructional leader; and (3) continuous staff learning. (Contains 31 references.) (KB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. 00 oo d enta SthocA Learning by Example U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND Office of Educational Research and Improvement DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) This docum ent has been reproduced as ). received from the person or organization 11)01pactyitIc originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or opinions stated in this INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. AVAILABLE BEST COPY tn. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory / School Improvement Program This publication has been funded at least in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education, under contract number ED-DI-CO-0013. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Deportment of Education nor does mention of trade names, commer- cial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government. This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced and disseminated without permission. Reproduction for sale is not permitted. Please acknowledge NWREL as the developer. © 2002 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory 3 r L e a a Learning by Example is a series of stories about real-world schools that have achieved substantial success in school improvement over multiple-year periods. Each issue in the series provides an indepth look at one school's efforts to improve student learning. In most cases, this success is the result of not just one, but a combination of factors. Learning by Example The purpose of Learning by Example is to Story 3: Highland Elementary School support schools as they work to improve learning for the students they serve. The stories are not Key Topics Addressed in This Issue intended to serve as how-to manuals, but rather Gaining Schoolwide Focus as real-world idea banks for educators interested Improving Student Performance in Reading in engaging in improvement efforts of their own. Bilingual Magnet Program Resources To Support School Improvement Changes in Practice: Teaming Schoolwide Schoolwide Instructional Emphasis on Reading Community Partnering Extending Learning Time Aligning Curriculum to Standards and Assessments .....i.. \ '' .,?. ''' :::,.:,,, ''',,', A.,, ' ::,- s .4:3,0=> ,x,...:. 1: t a 4 4 by Jennifer Fager Highland Etementary School Snapshot (1999-2000) K-5 Grade Levels Served: Total Number of Students: 528 Percent Free/Reduced-Price Lunch: 94% Ethnic Diversity: Hispanic/Latino 59% White 28% Other * 13% * (including African American, Asian, and Native American) Mobility Rate: 34% Community Description: Highland is located in the northeast part of Salem, Oregon's capital and second largest city. Highland serves a stu- dent population that is primarily low-income and Hispanic. Most students' native language is Spanish, making Highland the site of its district's largest bilingual program. r. n g According to education experts, Highland Elementary has many reasons not to be success- ful. The school's poverty rate, for example, looms around 95 percent, as indicated by free and reduced-price lunch numbers. Examine the Salem, OregonTo explain why, exactly, High- schobl's 34 percent mobility rate, evidence land Elementary School is so successful would showing constant transition and flux. Perhaps be like trying to recreate an ocean wave with the fact that 47 percent of Highland students a cupful of sea water. So many factors have con- speak limited English would convince many tributed to the school's success; so many people educators to steer clear of the school. It used have done so much. to be that way. Their success can be verified by just about It used to be that teachers who worked at any measurement. Want improved test scores? Highland were pitied, and the school wasn't the They've got them. Want demonstrated parent and top choice for many local parents. Test scores community involvement? It's evidenced on a daily wallowed near the bottom, students came and basis. How about a highly committed staff? From went, and so did staff. However, things have instructional assistants to veteran teachers, the changed at this inner-city school. Nothing is instructional team at Highland is unwavering in quite the way it used to be. its dedication to helping children learn. What about strong administrator leadership? Principal Ruby Price has demonstrated this. If it's valida- tion through outside sources that's important, Highland has that, too. Look at the number of The grounds of Highland Elementary School grants the school has received during the past do double-time as playground and city park. few years or at the school's Oregon Department Situated in northeast Salem, the school is sur- of Education excellent rating (only one other rounded by largely low-income neighborhoods Salem school received this rating on Oregon's that are home to the bulk of the city's Hispanic recent statewide school assessments). immigrants and migrant workforce. Two play- Any way you slice it, good things are hap- grounds flank the school's north and east sides. pening at Highland Elementary School, although Coated with fresh bark chips, the playgrounds all these positive elements may not be visible to sport red, blue, and yellow structures offering the average passerby. Those who know the "old" calorie-burning, giggle-producing play options. Highland, however, sit up and listen when they Fields wrap around the south side of the school, hear about the school's renaissance. They can't while the school's west side faces Salem's busy believe that test scores have increased so much, Broadway Avenue. Winding sidewalks, mature or that attendance is so steady, or that parent trees, and well-kept flower bushes punctuate night participation is so high that the school the school's grounds. gym can scarcely contain the people who come. 6 School Improvement Program NWKEL / The building itself is a three-story brick danger in such assumptions, for they are guesses structure, erected in 1912. To accommodate informed by past experience, and the past is growing enrollment, the school purchased two irrelevant at Highland. This is a school that modular classrooms several years ago and these works not because of circumstances, but in spite now sit on the school's west side. Through the of them. Results have been impressive. front doors and up a short flight of concrete Third Grade. From 1998 to 2000, the stairs a sign greeting visitors reads: Highland percentage of Highland third-graders passing Patents & VolunteersAlways Needed, Always state math standards jumped from 33 percent Welcome in English and Padres Y Voluntarios to 72 percent (see chart in Figure 1). The 2001 De HighlandSiempre Les Necesitamos, Siempre results show a dip to 54 percent passing, not Son Bienvenidos in Spanish. As a bilingual an unusual phenomenon in improving schools. magnet school, Highland works to facilitate As would be expected in a school with a high communication in both English and Spanish. percentage of English language learners, reading The hallways are filled with displays of student is a greater challenge. Growth has been unsteady, work, student recognition notices, and informa- with 50 percent passing in 1998, and an amazing tion for parents. Unlike many other schools, 81 percent passing in 1999. The percentage of nearly everything is written in both languages. third-graders passing the reading standard dipped Outside one third-grade classroom, each back to 46 percent as of 2001. Again, this student's goals for the school year are displayed. pattern of performance is not unusual, but it Commonly-held student goals include Learning is a cause for concern. multiplication tables and being a good student. Fifth Grade. Fifth-graders have shown a Depending on a student's language strength, steadier pattern of improvement (see Figure 2). the goals are written in English or Spanish. In math, the percentage of students passing Highland was built in an era when schools were state standards grew from 8 in 1998 to 55 in regarded as no-nonsense institutions, where 2001, with no dips yet. From 1998 to 2000, the neutral walls and concrete floors prevailed, percentage of fifth-grade students passing state but now the school has pale pink walls more reading standards increased from 11 to 56, then congruent with the school community's desire dipped back to 40 percent in 2001. Other than to be warm and welcoming. a dip to 9 percent passing state math problem- solving standards in 1999, growth has been steady in this area, increasing from 16 to 38 percent passing during the 4-year period. To understand why Highland Elementary has made such impressive gains, it is important to One would assume, of course, that all the factors that challenge Highlandhigh mobility, understand the philosophicl foundation of the high poverty, limited-English speakerswould school. From there, all begins to make sense. point to a school in distress. There is an inherent n g a I ig. 1 ''0.0 0 There's something in the air at Highland .0* $11 $ Elementary. You hear it over the loudspeaker LO% each morning when the school pledge is recited: I believe in myself and my ability to do my 60% best at all times. 72% I will act in such a way that I will be proud b2% 60% of myself and others will be proud of me too. 51% 54% I will not waste this day because this 46% 40% day will not come again. 13% You hear it when music teacher Nancy Wil- 20% hite pumps her accordion and leads the children in a rousing rendition of Highland's song. You 0% hear it from the kids themselves. Five-year-old Math Reading Seren talked quietly to himself recently about [71 2000 ET_ 1998 doing his best as he searched through a maga- 2001 1999 F.] zine for the Letter "M." When asked to repeat himself, he said, "The lady on the speaker says Fig. 2 you should do your best at all times and do your hardest." And, you hear it from the staff as they continually use words such as "relentless," "committed," "respect," and "we." IC0% The motto at Highland is "Reach for the 80% Stars." Not surprisingly, star symbols are every- where. The kids know that each point on the star 63% 55% stands for an expectation. Students are to be: 56% 1. Respectful 40% 40% 37% 2. Responsible 30% 29% 24% 3. Safe 20% 15% 4. Proud of their personal best 9 . 8% 5% 4% 0% 5. Positive V 4 Math Pichlein Lvnc Wri Matti RN cling Beyond these five expectations for behavior, there aren't many rules posted in the school. Li 1998 2000 That's not to say that behavior problems don't 1999 2001 exist; in fact, there seem to be quite a few some days. However, Highland educators choose not to School Improvement Program NWRLI / get bogged down with discipline. Education realized that to communicate effectively with all experts would say that the "something" in the air students and staff she needed to learn Spanish. at Highland is a healthy school climate. It's what Unable to take the time for a formal class, she happens when teachers feel good about teaching managed to become fluent within a couple years and students feel good about learning. It's what of self-study. In 1997, Price was named the new pumps this school's heart and sets the tone of principal at Highland. She replaced a highly regarded administrator who had been at Highland success. for many years. Admittedly, she found it difficult to come in as the unknown, untested principal. In her unfailingly positive way, Price says that when she came to Highland Elementary, however, she "came home." She saw potential: "a school Not that she would admit it, but keys to that had so many possibilities and strengths that the success of Highland Elementary can be found were hidden from view." in the hands of Ruby Price, principal of the school from 1997-2001. When asked about the school's success, she tikes to credit the fine staff who supported her during her four-year tenure, or she points to the strong parent group that is actively involved-at the school, or to her prede- Price points out that she 'merely built on a foundation already laid by other leaders. cessors who began much of the work now in place. Certainly, all are critical pieces for a suc- She cites school programs such as Family Book cessful school, but the power of a strong leader Adventure Nights, reading tutors, the pre-K to effect change should not be underestimated. program, and the school's Schoolwide Title I designation, which were in place under other Price's early years in education were a mix- ture of time spent as a preschool teacher and administrators. Her staff is equally quick to time helping to manage a youth camp. Looking point out, however, that none of the school's back, she recognizes this as a formative period current success would have happened without in her growth as an educational leader. During her. "She was the right person at the right this time she realized learning should behas time," says Highland's Instructional Facilitator, to befun to truly engage children. She also Judy Hansen. Teacher leader Jessica Smith realized she thrived on a combination of adminis- remembers the school before Price was at the tration and instruction. helm. She describes the school, with its low achievement and limited parent involvement, For Price, the years that followed provided as having a mixed tonesome staff members additional education: five years as a reading specialist, two as an assistant principal, and were justifiably burned out, some were content three years as a principal/district Title I coordi- with things as they were, and some yearned for nator, all in Salem, Oregon. Along the way, Price a successful school with fire and vision. Price, 9 in r e a L wasn't a given. A supportive home of course, shared the latter view- Highland environment where young children point. She came to the school with a were read to, received homework couple of simple educational Elementary assistance, or had access to school philosophies and found that many of supplies was true luxury. Obstacles the staff shared them. They are: (1) was "a seemed unending, so to make it No excuses will be made for student school that concrete Julius had the staff list all failure, and (2) Student learning will the obstacles they noticed. Togeth- be at the heart of all decisions made had so many er, staff members brainstormed in the building. A third belief every barrier to Highland's success. became the instructional foundation: possibilities They itemized the list according to Reading is the gateway skill upon and strengths factors they could control or which all other academic success is change, and factors that were out of built. that were their control. They also listed school To solidify these principles in strengths and positive attributes everyone's hearts and minds, Cori hidden from associated with Highland. With lists Julius, teacher leader at the time, complete, the staff'acknowledged led the staff through a series of sim- view. they could not affect those things ple exercises. For many Highland that were out of their control. Staff educators,-the exercises were a jointly agreed not to dwell on these defining moment on their road to things any longer. Staff began to shift their reform. They all knew numbers of things blocked focus toward Highland's strengths and things academic success for Highland students. For that could be changed. This was a process of many students, just getting to school was a letting go and of stating things to come. challenge. Coming clothed, fed, and healthy A last exercise also involved generating N a list. It was a List of dreams. They called it "a wish list." On it were things like a school- wide reading curriculum and extra days for staff development. Certainly, in the whole scheme of ' wishes, they weren't asking for muchjust the two things most schools are shortest of, money and time. Yet, having-it all in front of them, talking about it, dreaming about what the school could be, got everyone thinking and believing somehow it could all really happen. Here the Highland Elementary story departs from similar school reform testimonials. Com- Principal Ruby Price, right 10