NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

REPORT OF THE VISITING COMMITTEE

R. W. Traip Academy Kittery, ME November 16 – November 19, 2014

Linda Van Wagenen, Chair Dean Hall, Assistant Chair Eric Waddell, Principal

New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100 Burlington, MA 01803 TOLL FREE: 1-855-886-3272 TEL. 781-425-7700 FAX 781-425-1001

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STATEMENT ON LIMITATIONS

THE DISTRIBUTION, USE, AND SCOPE OF THE VISITING COMMITTEE REPORT The Committee on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges considers this visiting committee report of R. W. Traip Academy to be a privileged document submitted by the Committee on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to the principal of the school and by the principal to the state department of education. Distribution of the report within the school community is the responsibility of the school principal. The final visiting committee report must be released in its entirety within sixty days (60) of its completion to the superintendent, school board, public library or town office, and the appropriate news media. The prime concern of the visiting committee has been to assess the quality of the educational program at R. W. Traip Academy in terms of the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. Neither the total report nor any of its subsections is to be considered an evaluation of any individual staff member but rather a professional appraisal of the school as it appeared to the visiting committee.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Statement On Limitations Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 5 School and Community Summary .............................................................................................. 7 School’s Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations ...................................................... 9 Teaching and Learning Standards ............................................................................................ 10 Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations............................................................. 11 Curriculum…………………………………………………………………………………..15 Instruction ................................................................................................................. 21 Assessment of and for Student Learning.............................................................. 30 Support of Teaching and Learning Standards ............................................................ 36 School Culture and Leadership.............................................................................. 37 School Resources for Learning ............................................................................... 43 Community Resources for Learning ..................................................................... 49 Follow-Up Responsibilities ............................................................................................ 54

APPENDICES A. B. C.

Roster of Visiting Committee Members Committee Policy on Substantive Change List of Commendations and Recommendations

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INTRODUCTION The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is the oldest of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States. Since its inception in 1885, the Association has awarded membership and accreditation to those educational institutions in the six-state New England region who seek voluntary affiliation. The governing body of the Association is its Board of Trustees which supervises the work of four Commissions: the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE), the Commission on Independent Schools (CIS), the Commission on Public Schools which is comprised of the Committee on Public Secondary Schools (CPSS), the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions (CTCI), and the Commission on Public Elementary and Middle Schools (CPEMS), and the Commission on American and International Schools Abroad (CAISA). As the responsible agency for matters of the evaluation and accreditation of public secondary school member institutions, CPSS requires visiting committees to assess the degree to which the evaluated schools meet the qualitative Standards for Accreditation of the Committee. Those Standards are: Teaching and Learning Standards Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations Curriculum Instruction Assessment of and for Student Learning Support of Teaching and Learning Standards School Culture and Leadership School Resources for Learning Community Resources for Learning. The accreditation program for public schools involves a threefold process: the self-study conducted by the local professional staff, the on-site evaluation conducted by the Committee's visiting committee, and the follow-up program carried out by the school to implement the findings of its own self-study and the valid recommendations of the visiting committee and those identified by the Committee in the Follow-Up process. Continued accreditation requires that the school be reevaluated at least once every ten years and that it show continued progress addressing identified needs. Preparation for the Accreditation Visit - The School Self-Study A steering committee of the professional staff was appointed to supervise the myriad details inherent in the school's self-study. At R. W. Traip Academy, a committee of ten members, including the principal, supervised all aspects of the self-study. The steering committee assigned all teachers and administrators in the school to appropriate subcommittees to determine the quality of all programs, activities and facilities available for young people. In addition to faculty members, the self-study committees included nine students and two parents. The self-study of R. W. Traip Academy extended over a period of 17 school months from December 2012 to June of 2014. The visiting committee noted that students and parents joined the professional staff in the self-study deliberations. Public schools evaluated by the Committee on Public Secondary Schools must complete appropriate materials to assess their adherence to the Standards for Accreditation and the quality of their educational offerings in light of the school's mission, learning expectations, and unique student population. In addition to using the Self-Study Guides developed by a representative group of New England educators and approved by the Committee, R. W. Traip Academy also used questionnaires developed by The Research Center at Endicott College to reflect the concepts contained in the Standards for Accreditation. 5

These materials provided discussion items for a comprehensive assessment of the school by the professional staff during the self-study. It is important that the reader understand that every subcommittee appointed by the steering committee was required to present its report to the entire professional staff for approval. No single report developed in the self-study became part of the official self-study documents until it had been approved by the entire professional staff. The Process Used by the Visiting Committee A visiting committee of 16 evaluators was assigned by the Committee on Public Secondary Schools to evaluate the R. W. Traip Academy. The Committee members spent four days in Kittery, Maine, reviewed the self-study documents which had been prepared for their examination, met with administrators, teachers, other school and system personnel, students and parents, shadowed students, visited classes, and interviewed teachers to determine the degree to which the school meets the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. Since the evaluators represented public schools, central office administrators, school administrators, school board members, and teachers, diverse points of view were brought to bear on the evaluation of R. W. Traip Academy. The visiting committee built its professional judgment on evidence collected from the following sources: •

review of the school's self-study materials

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49.3 hours shadowing 16 students for a half day

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a total of 32 hours of classroom observation (in addition to time shadowing students)

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numerous informal observations in and around the school

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tours of the facility

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individual meetings with 30 teachers (all full-time teachers in the school) about their work, instructional approaches, and the assessment of student learning

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group meetings with students, parents, school and district administrators, and teachers

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the examination of student work including a selection of work collected by the school

Each conclusion in the report was agreed to by visiting committee consensus. Sources of evidence for each conclusion drawn by the visiting committee appear in parenthesis in the Standards sections of the report. The seven Standards for Accreditation reports include commendations and recommendations that in the visiting committee’s judgment will be helpful to the school as it works to improve teaching and learning and to better meet Committee Standards. This report of the findings of the visiting committee will be forwarded to the Committee on Public Secondary Schools, which will make a decision on the accreditation of R. W. Traip Academy.

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SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY REPORT Located at the mouth of the Piscataqua River across from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Kittery is Maine’s southernmost community and the site of the first Maine settlement in 1622. Rich in tradition and beauty, its eighteen square miles consists of a blend of rocky Atlantic seacoast and rolling hills and forests. R.W. Traip Academy was the only public school in Kittery when it opened in 1905. Now the town of Kittery has three public schools, Traip Academy, Shapleigh Middle School, and Mitchell. The original building of Traip has been enlarged since July 1990. Kittery is a predominantly upper middle class town, approximately 96 percent white, with a population of approximately 9,500. The median estimated income was $47,760 in 2011 compared to $46,033 for the state. The average home value is $261,771. Kittery is 50 miles from Portland and 60 miles from Boston. Major employers in the area include the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Pease International Tradeport, Liberty Mutual, tourism related enterprises, and businesses in the Boston and Portland areas. There are three schools in the Kittery School District, all located in Kittery. Mitchell Elementary is a K-3 school, with an enrollment of 406; Shapleigh Middle School is a grade 4-8 school, with an enrollment of 421; and Traip Academy houses 274 students in grades 9 through 12. A recent study indicates our enrollment to be on a slow and steady decline. Based on free and reduced lunch figures, there are 373 students district-wide who receive free and reduced lunch. Kittery spent an average of $13,777 per secondary student compared to the state average of $11,078 for the 2011-2012 school year. Kittery’s expenditure increased to $13,783.63 per secondary student for the school year 2012-2013, and the state average is, as of yet, unavailable. Kittery is in the top 25 percent for school spending. Twenty percent of the operating budget is derived from state subsidies and self-generated revenues; the rest is from local taxes. According to the annual Kittery Town Reports, 58 percent of the total town budget was allocated to education for 2012-2013 and 56 percent for the 2013-2014 year. Traip Academy’s average dropout rate, according to the Maine Department of Education, was 1.81 percent for the 2010-2011 school year, 1.8 percent for the 2011-2012 school year, and 1.5 percent for the 2012-2013 school year. The graduation rate was 91.01 percent for the 2010-2011 school year, 93.94 percent for 2011-2012 and 93.94 percent for the 2012-2013 school year. The student attendance rate was 93 percent for the most recent school year. Teacher attendance rates were 95.28 percent for 2011-2012 and 92.79 percent for 2012-2013 year. The class of 2011 had 70 percent attend a four-year college and 16 percent attend a two-year college. Eleven percent entered direct employment, and three percent entered the military. The class of 2012 had 64 percent of students attend a four-year college, 15 percent attended a two-year school, three percent joined the military, and 17 percent entered the workforce. The class of 2013 had 62.5 percent of students attend a four-year college, 19.5 percent attended a twoyear school, five percent joined the military, and 13 percent entered the workforce. Traip students and community member have a wide range of education opportunities available to them. Students may take dual enrollment courses at local colleges. The main school that students take dual enrollment courses at is York County Community College due to proximity and low or no cost. The dual enrollment program earns students high school and college credit. Students have taken dual enrollment courses at University of Southern Maine and Great Bay Community College, and Traip will accept credit from other colleges but few have taken any outside these local schools. High school students may also take advantage of the Early College for ME program at York County Community College (YCCC). Students can also take online courses for credit at Traip Academy. Most students take online courses through Virtual High School (VHS), but Traip will accept accredited online courses from other schools. The school pays for VHS courses if students complete the course. All Kittery residents may take courses offered through Traip Adult Education, which offers a robust program of personal enrichment courses, academics, and a GED program. Numerous students take part in Project Search 7

each year through UNH. Students have participated in a number of summer programs, both national and international. The high school has numerous business partnerships as demonstrated by the junior year Career Quest program. The Student 2 Student program (working with the shipyard and Kittery Rotary) is very active at the high school, participating both in and out of the school’s boundaries. The robotics team works with Portsmouth Navel Shipyard and Pratt and Whitney. York Hospital partners with student services for substance abuse programs. Fair Tides Thrift Shop and Rice Public Library provide opportunities for life skill students to have outside work experiences. Student recognition programs are varied. Once a month, a variety of students are recognized as Traip Students of the Month for individual academic achievement and classroom effort. The National Honor Society is very active. Athletic awards are handed out at the end of each sport season, and the Boosters sponsor an all sports banquet in the spring. Students are also recognized in the spring for academic success and for co-curricular activities at underclass award assemblies and senior assembly.

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R. W. TRAIP ACADEMY CORE BELIEFS & VALUES The Traip Academy community believes that all students ➢ can and want to learn. ➢ learn in different ways and at different rates. ➢ can and want to become effective members of the greater community. ➢ can and want to set and reach personal goals for their own success. The Traip Academy community values ➢ perseverance and adaptability. ➢ individuality and collaboration. ➢ responsibility and integrity. ➢ creativity and curiosity. As a result of those beliefs and values, Traip Academy educators will ➢ meet the educational needs of all learners every day. ➢ meet all learners at their personal learning level. ➢ challenge all learners to reach their full potential. ➢ ensure all learners are provided with multiple pathways (both inside and outside of the classroom) to be successful. As a result of those same beliefs and values, Traip Academy learners will ➢ engage in and contribute to their learning community. ➢ challenge themselves to reach their full potential. ➢ demonstrate the 21st century skills and academic competencies necessary to succeed as productive and engaged citizens. 21st CENTURY LEARNING EXPECTATIONS To be successful in the 21st century, all Traip Academy graduates will be ➢ creative and practical problem-solvers. ➢ clear and effective communicators. ➢ responsible and collaborative citizens. ➢ integrative and informed thinkers. ➢ reflective and dedicated learners. Approved by the Traip Academy faculty: November, 2013 9

COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

TEACHING AND LEARNING STANDARDS

CORE VALUES, BELIEFS, AND LEARNING EXPECTATIONS CURRICULUM

INSTRUCTION

ASSESSMENT OF AND FOR STUDENT LEARNING

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Teaching and Learning Standard

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Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations

Effective schools identify core values and beliefs about learning that function as explicit foundational commitments to students and the community. Decision-making remains focused on and aligned with these critical commitments. Core values and beliefs manifest themselves in research-based, school-wide 21st century learning expectations. Every component of the school is driven by the core values and beliefs and supports all students’ achievement of the school’s learning expectations. 1.

The school community engages in a dynamic, collaborative, and inclusive process informed by current research-based best practices to identify and commit to its core values and beliefs about learning.

2.

The school has challenging and measurable 21st century learning expectations for all students which address academic, social, and civic competencies, and are defined by school-wide analytic rubrics that identify targeted high levels of achievement.

3.

The school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the culture of the school, drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in every classroom, and guide the school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource allocations.

4.

The school regularly reviews and revises its core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based on research, multiple data sources, as well as district and school community priorities.

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Conclusions

The R. W. Traip school community engaged in a dynamic, collaborative, and somewhat inclusive process extensively informed by current research-based practices, and identify and commit to beliefs about learning and 21st century learning expectations. Input was sought from stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, parents, support staff, and a small group of students throughout a four-year process culminating in the Vision for the Future document that would later be refined into the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. The school began the process in 2009 when a group of parents and community members approached the Kittery School Committee about closing Traip Academy and sending students to surrounding schools. A committee was formed to identify educational goals and to devise a process to achieve the desired results. The committee consisted of one teacher, one building administrator, one district administrator, two students, two school committee members, and five community members. The committee researched the positives and negatives of school closure and presented the findings to the school community. Ultimately a non-binding referendum was held, and an overwhelming majority of the community voted to keep the school open. The committee then collaborated on writing the Traip Academy Vision for the Future (Vision) with the help of an outside consultant. Various faculty members and administrators engaged in considerable research, including attending a workshop on Redesigning the American High School at Plymouth State, the 21st Century Learning Conference, and a five-day consortium, Mass Customized Learning, run by the Marzano Research Lab. The leadership team also visited neighboring schools, conducted research online using the websites for 21st century learning standards including 21st Century Schools and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The school committee adopted the Traip Academy Vision for the Future after numerous staff discussions and community forums. The Redesign Implementation Team (RIT) was tasked with implementing the vision. Concurrent with the redesign work, the school began to prepare for the decennial visit. Using the Vision for the Future, a small group of teachers and two students extracted a set of core beliefs and values along with the 21st century learning expectations. The Traip Academy faculty adopted the core values in November 2013, and the school committee approved the document in December 2013. The school’s beliefs, core values, and 21st century learning expectations are posted in every classroom as well as on the school’s website and in the program of studies. Using a dynamic, collaborative, and completely inclusive process informed by current research will enable the entire school community to identify and commit to Traip Academy’s core values and beliefs about learning. (self-study, parents, school committee, teacher interviews, student shadowing, Endicott survey, self-study, school leadership team, Standard subcommittee meeting) The school has some challenging and measurable 21st century learning expectations for all students that address academic and civic competencies in which social competencies are implied, and that are defined by analytic rubrics that identify targeted levels of achievement in some areas. However, no formal social expectations are articulated, and no rubrics exist for social expectations. There are five school-wide rubrics designed to measure the stated 21st century learning expectations including integrative and informed thinker, creative and practical problem solver, clear and effective communicator, reflective and dedicated learner, and responsible and collaborative citizen. Teachers and administrators acknowledge that the school-wide rubrics are new in 2014-2015. Teachers report that they are trying to use the school-wide rubrics, but there is no formal process or system to govern how often they will be used, how data is to be collected, and how data will be reported to individual students, parents, and to the community at large. Data collected during student shadowing and through examination of student work indicate minimal use of the school-wide rubrics. While the academic and civic expectations are defined by school-wide analytic rubrics that identify and target high levels of achievement, social expectations are absent other than being implied in the responsible and collaborative citizen school-wide rubric. The school-wide rubrics are inconsistent in their structure, and the language used makes the rubrics difficult for students and parents to read, understand, and identify the learning targets. In addition to the school-wide rubrics, teachers use a variety of other tools that they call rubrics, but frequently these rubrics are lists of expectations, checklists, and assignment 12

standards, rather than student friendly evaluative tools with clear learning targets. When R.W. Traip Academy creates explicit social expectations with corresponding analytic rubrics that are used along with revised academic and civic analytic rubrics across the school, they will be able to efficiently and explicitly define and target high levels of achievement on the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (classroom observations, self-study, student shadowing, panel presentation, facility tour, student work, teacher interviews, teachers, students, parents, school committee, community members, department leaders, school leadership team, school support staff) The school’s core values, beliefs, and the 21st century learning expectations are somewhat reflected in the culture of the school, but do not yet drive curriculum, instruction, or assessment in most classrooms. The core values, beliefs, and the 21st century learning expectations were drawn from the work done on the Vision, which is beginning to drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in some classrooms as well as frequently guiding the school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource allocations. The process involved in creating the Vision was highly dynamic and collaborative, and the school’s core values, beliefs, and the 21st century learning expectations were extracted from the Vision document, but they have not yet been made explicit to all stakeholders. When asked, students, staff, and parents could not articulate the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. Because Traip Academy is concurrently using terms such as vision, core values, competencies, proficiencies, standards, and habits of work, there is a great deal of confusion between and among these concepts and the posted core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. The posters displaying the identified core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations posted in every classroom and in other areas of the building were seldom referenced by students or staff either during instruction or in conversations/interviews. Twenty-first century learning expectations rubrics have been developed for school-wide use beginning with 9th grade classes, however they are incomplete and not entirely useable documents. The expectations reported on the 9th grade report card use completely different language. The use of habits of work (HOW) language (independent practice, meeting deadlines, being present, participating effectively) on the report card instead of the identified 21st century learning expectations (creative and practical problem solver, clear and effective communicator, responsible and collaborative citizen, integrative and informed thinker, reflective and dedicated learner) adds to the confusion with what one parent described as “educational buzzwords.” While many positive changes have been implemented (including the success center, senior capstone, humanities bridges, combined math and science) and significant work has been done to revise the curriculum, it has been done, in the words of the selfstudy, to “support the Vision.” When Traip’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are explicitly taught and embraced by students and staff, they will be reflected in the culture of the school enabling them to drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in every classroom. (self-study, panel presentation, classroom observation, students, parents, teachers, school leadership team) The school does not yet have a formal plan to review and revise its core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based on research, using multiple school-wide data sources, as well as on district and school community priorities. The annual program of studies review has been established as the time for an annual review of the core beliefs and values statement, and the 21st century learning expectations, however no committee has been formed nor has a formal inclusive process been established to complete this task. When R.W. Traip Academy develops and implements a plan for regularly reviewing and revising its core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations based on research, using multiple data sources, district and school community priorities, including student voice, the positive beliefs about teaching and learning informally reflected in the culture of the school will be explicitly reflected in the school’s core values, beliefs, and the 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, Endicott survey, panel presentation, classroom observations, students, school leadership team) 13

Commendations: 1. The extensive work on the Vision for the Future document with student and community involvement which served as the basis for development of Traip’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations 2. The program decisions including the success center, senior capstone, humanities bridges, and the combined math and science course, that highlight the beliefs that all students can and want to learn and that all students learn in different ways and different time frames 3. The willingness of the administration and school committee to make policy changes and resource allocation decisions that support the beliefs reflected in the Vision and that are beginning to be reflected in the culture of the school 4. The strong use of research and stakeholder input in the development of the 21st century learning expectations as well as the support of these expectations by the school committee 5. The posting of the 21st century learning expectations in all rooms of the school and on the school’s website Recommendations: 1. Ensure that all members of the school community have embraced, are committed to, and can articulate the core values and beliefs that were extracted from the Vision for the Future document 2. Develop and implement a plan for ongoing review and revision of the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations, based on research, multiple data sources and taking care to include parent, student and teacher voices in the process 3. Ensure that the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the culture of the school, drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in every classroom, and guide the school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource allocations

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Teaching and Learning Standard

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Curriculum

The written and taught curriculum is designed to result in all students achieving the school's 21st century expectations for student learning. The written curriculum is the framework within which a school aligns and personalizes the school's 21st century learning expectations. The curriculum includes a purposefully designed set of course offerings, co-curricular programs, and other learning opportunities. The curriculum reflects the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. The curriculum is collaboratively developed, implemented, reviewed, and revised based on analysis of student performance and current research. 1.

The curriculum is purposefully designed to ensure that all students practice and achieve each of the school's 21st century learning expectations.

2.

The curriculum is written in a common format that includes: § units of study with essential questions, concepts, content, and skills § the school’s 21st century learning expectations § instructional strategies § assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic and course-specific rubrics.

3.

The curriculum emphasizes depth of understanding and application of knowledge through: § inquiry and problem-solving § higher order thinking § cross-disciplinary learning § authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school § informed and ethical use of technology.

4.

There is clear alignment between the written and taught curriculum.

5.

Effective curricular coordination and vertical articulation exist between and among all academic areas within the school as well as with sending schools in the district.

6.

Staffing levels, instructional materials, technology, equipment, supplies, facilities, and the resources of the library/media center are sufficient to fully implement the curriculum, including the co-curricular programs and other learning opportunities.

7.

The district provides the school’s professional staff with sufficient personnel, time, and financial resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum using assessment results and current research.

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Conclusions Traip Academy has begun the process of creating a purposefully designed curriculum to ensure that all students practice and achieve each of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. The school is using a software program called Template Object Driven Curriculum Mapping (TODCM) and has developed and posted a clear list of skills to be covered, but there are no references to or guidance for instruction that will ensure that all students practice and achieve each of Traip Academy’s 21st century learning expectations. When all the documents are clearly and purposefully designed and aligned with the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations; when the school-wide rubrics are used more extensively; and when a process is in place for reviewing data and results to make decisions to add and delete courses or units from the curriculum, teachers will have clear guidance for designing instruction that will enable all students to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (teachers, district’s website, curriculum software (TODCM), self-study) The written curriculum at R. W. Traip Academy is incomplete, but the school has adopted a common format using the Template Object Driven Curriculum Mapping (TODCM) software which enables the school to include units of study with essential questions, concepts, content, skills, the school’s 21st century learning expectations, instructional strategies, and/or assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic and course-specific rubrics. TODCM is a web-based software program, purchased by the district in 2013-2014, which allows all teachers to input the information to create a full curriculum guide written in a common format. The template in TODCM also allows teachers to record additional resources and unit reflections. Currently, the Kittery standards and competencies have been mapped for all courses of study, but there are few of the other components of a complete curriculum. According to the self-study, the plan was to have completed first semester documents for all courses of student by January 2015. Many teachers believe that this is an unrealistic goal because they have not been given sufficient time to upload anything beyond the standards and competencies. When the curriculum is entirely articulated in TODCM, staff will be able to clearly communicate the curriculum to all stakeholders and consistently measure student progress toward meeting the 21st century learning expectations and course competencies. (TODCM, self-study, teachers, district administrators) The taught curriculum at Traip often emphasizes depth of understanding and application of knowledge through inquiry and problem-solving, higher order thinking, cross-disciplinary learning, authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school, and informed and ethical use of technology. According to the Endicott survey results, 76.5 percent of staff members agree that the formal curriculum emphasizes inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking. Over 80 percent of students and 75 percent of parents agree that the content of the courses they take challenges students to think critically and solve problems. AP and honors courses are rigorous and challenging. The robotics course fosters problem-solving and higher order thinking while building students’ capacity to view failure of one solution as just the beginning of a redesign process. There are a number of cross-disciplinary learning opportunities at Traip Academy. There are multiple humanities courses that are co-taught by English and social studies teachers. In addition students may elect experiential classroom course, and students with lagging math skills participate in a co-taught math and science course. In regard to cross-disciplinary learning across all courses and grade levels, the Endicott survey results show that 61.8 percent of students agree that their teachers include 16

topics from other subject areas in their classes. Also, 61.7 percent of staff members feel the curriculum emphasizes cross-disciplinary learning. There are many authentic learning opportunities available to all students at Traip Academy. Examples include the themes in advisory (sophomore service learning project, junior job shadow and the senior capstone project) and the general idea of expanded learning opportunities (ELOs). An ELO coordinator draws upon community resources, such as colleges, community organizations, local businesses, museums, and employers to make connections with Traip students and to assist them in particular ELOs. ELOs at Traip include internships with employers, independent study, and group or teamwork that occurs in school or in community settings. Informed and ethical use of technology is expected of all students at Traip Academy. According to policy IJNDB-R/IJNDB, students are informed of all computer and Internet usage rules. Students, parents or guardians must sign a form stating they have read and will adhere to the policy. According to the Endicott survey, 88.8 percent of students agree that they are knowledgeable about the ethical use of technology. Through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), all students have access to a Macbook Air. Administrators indicate that all students have Internet access at home. This allows for deeper learning and understanding to take place through things such as flipped classrooms and having constant access to communicating with teachers. As Traip continues to build a curriculum that emphasizes depth of understanding and application of knowledge through inquiry and problemsolving, higher order thinking, cross-disciplinary learning, authentic learning opportunities both in and out of school, and informed and ethical use of technology, the students will have meaningful and engaging learning experiences that will enable them to practice each of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (Endicott survey, classroom observations, teachers, student shadowing, student work, school’s website) There is some alignment between what appears on the written TODCM curriculum map and the taught curriculum, but this alignment is implicit rather than explicit. Additionally, most of what appears in TODCM is the content standards for each course. Student work, classroom observations, and teacher interviews indicate that specific skills/content standards associated with meeting the 21st century learning expectations are being taught. The self-study states that Traip Academy is in the process of implementing strategies to ensure clear alignment between the written and taught curriculum, but there are few specifics as to how this is being carried out. Teachers did mention that team leaders developed mid-year and final exams, but there are no processes or procedures for using these to ensure that the written and taught curriculum is aligned. School-wide rubrics have been created but are not fully implemented across grade levels. When the curriculum is formalized with clear reference to 21st century learning expectations, and when there is a systematic strategy for ensuring the alignment between the written and taught curriculum, teachers will be better able to ensure all students have ample opportunities to practice and achieve the 21st century learning expectations. (TODCM, student work, classroom observations, teachers, self-study) There is somewhat effective curricular coordination and vertical articulation between and among academic areas within the school as well as with sending schools in the district. A K-12 curriculum guide is available on the Kittery schools’ website, but according to the self-study this is becoming increasingly outdated. With the introduction of proficiency-based learning there is the 17

challenge of K-12 implementation. The staff has done work to input the curriculum, competencies, and learning targets into a web-based format via TODCM, but there is little vertical articulation with the sending schools. There is nothing in TODCM for the sending schools. The curriculum coordinator for the district has been working to review and revise the curriculum through meetings with groups from each of the schools in the district. In the summer of 2014 the curriculum academies met, and teachers were trained in proficiency-based learning. High school teachers entered the competencies into the TODCM program, but there is no work in TODCM below grade nine. Additional time for vertical teams to work on curriculum has not yet been provided, and there is no plan to do so. There are meetings amongst teachers who collaborate in cross-disciplinary classes, especially in the humanities and freshman math and science. Some teachers of humanities and math have common planning time, so there is opportunity for discussions regarding curriculum. Informal discussions are held in content areas once a month, and there was some mention by teachers of vertical articulation in upper level math classes. While professional learning groups exist, teachers are not specifically given a directive to devote their time to develop, review, and evaluate the curriculum. In addition, meetings with sending schools for the purpose of articulating the curriculum were once held at least twice a year, but due to the redesign this is no longer the case. When there is a clear and systematic review cycle and a comprehensive plan for the development, review, and evaluation of the curriculum, Traip Academy’s teachers and staff will be able to create a complete, well-articulated, coordinated curriculum that enables all students to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (TODCM, district’s website, self-study, teachers, central office administrators) Staffing levels, instructional materials, equipment, supplies, and technology are sufficient to fully implement the curriculum, including the co-curricular programs and other learning opportunities, but facilities and the resources of the library/media center at Traip Academy are lacking. Extensive weeding of the print collection in the library and the lack of significant involvement in curriculum development by the library media specialist has resulted in sparse library resources to support the curriculum. Class sizes are small, and current staffing levels are sufficient to support what the principal calls a “traditional high school program.” To achieve the Vision for the Future and implement the Traip Redesign Implementation Plan, the community will need to invest in additional staffing according to the principal and teachers. Technology is a strength for the school with extensive resources throughout the building. Although the school premises lack athletic fields and an auditorium, the school makes use of community facilities as well as the fields located at the middle school nearby. Favorable class sizes and ample instructional materials, equipment, supplies, and technology support Traip Academy students in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. When the resources of the library media center are updated and when the library media specialist becomes an active participant in the development of the curriculum, the library media center will serve as a valuable resource and support for students in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (principal, teachers, parents, students, classroom observations, Endicott survey, library media specialist) The Kittery School District provides Traip Academy with personnel, time, and financial resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum, but is inconsistent in using assessment results and current research to do so. The district has a director of curriculum and technology responsible for district and school-level curriculum coordination and articulation. The director offers summer professional development opportunities and forms committees for faculty interested in curriculum review. Money is made available for other summer work, and the 18

district is supportive of professional development regarding curriculum. Outside consultants were hired to help the transition to proficiency-based learning and for adopting the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, there is a cycle for district-wide curriculum review, and according to the selfstudy, curriculum meetings happen about twice a year. Furthermore, departments meet twice a month for an hour at a time and have been able to use approximately one of those hours to discuss curriculum. While some faculty are involved in the curriculum review committee, there is no formal structure in place for faculty to assume leadership roles surrounding curriculum development, review, and articulation. Data from SATs, PSATs, ACTs and other standardized tests are provided to the faculty. A consultant has been hired to review results of SATs, PSATs and ACTs with the science, math, and English departments, but teachers did not find this valuable nor did they think data of any sort was used to significantly drive curriculum review and revisions. When there is specific, purposefully designed time devoted for building and district-wide coordination and articulation of the newly developed curriculum, a clear process for reviewing data, a commitment to using current research surrounding curriculum, and an establishment of leadership roles for faculty involving curriculum review, teachers at Traip Academy will have a sense of ownership of the written curriculum that will enable them to align their teaching to it and will help students meet the 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, teacher interviews, panel presentation, teachers, central office administrators, building administrators) Commendations: 1. The TODCM program that provides a common template, is simple to navigate, and has the potential to display clear curriculum maps 2. The humanities courses, the co-taught math and science course, and the experiential classroom that exemplify authentic and/or cross-disciplinary learning opportunities 3. The use of technology in some courses, particularly the flipped classroom model 4. The expanded learning opportunities available for all students 5. The district’s commitment to providing summer academies for purposes of curriculum development under the direction of the district’s curriculum coordinator Recommendations: 1. Develop and implement a plan to complete the curriculum using a common format that includes units of study with essential questions, concepts, content, and skills; the school’s 21st century learning expectations; instructional strategies; and assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic and course-specific rubrics 2. Develop and implement a plan to ensure alignment between the written and taught curriculum 3. Develop and implement a plan to ensure that there is effective curricular coordination and vertical articulation between and among all academic areas within the school as well as with sending schools in the district 4. Develop and implement a plan to build the collection of print and non-print resources of the library media center to support the curriculum and to ensure that students have ample opportunity to practice and apply the school’s 21st century learning expectations 5. Develop and implement a curriculum review and revision cycle to ensure that the school’s professional staff has ample time and financial resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum 6. Ensure that all curriculum revision reflects current research and responds to assessment results

19

20

Teaching and Learning Standard

3

Instruction

The quality of instruction is the single most important factor in students’ achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Instruction is responsive to student needs, deliberate in its design and delivery, and grounded in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. Instruction is supported by research in best practices. Teachers are reflective and collaborative about their instructional strategies and collaborative with their colleagues to improve student learning. 1.

Teachers’ instructional practices are continuously examined to ensure consistency with the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations.

2.

Teachers’ instructional practices support the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations by: § personalizing instruction § engaging students in cross-disciplinary learning § engaging students as active and self-directed learners § emphasizing inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking § applying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks § engaging students in self-assessment and reflection § integrating technology.

3.

Teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of each student by: § using formative assessment, especially during instructional time § strategically differentiating § purposefully organizing group learning activities § providing additional support and alternative strategies within the regular classroom.

4.

Teachers, individually and collaboratively, improve their instructional practices by: § using student achievement data from a variety of formative and summative assessments § examining student work § using feedback from a variety of sources, including students, other teachers, supervisors, and parents § examining current research § engaging in professional discourse focused on instructional practice.

5.

Teachers, as adult learners and reflective practitioners, maintain expertise in their content area and in content-specific instructional practices.

21

Conclusions Most teachers at R.W. Traip Academy continuously examine their instructional practices, gather feedback from colleagues and students, and reflect upon that feedback, but they do not yet use this reflection to ensure alignment with the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. Faculty and students report that teachers reflect on their practice frequently. Student feedback is sought through pre- and post-unit surveys, conversations during and outside of class, and required mid-year and end-of-year student surveys. Teachers also actively solicit feedback from peer and administrator observations. Reflection on this feedback is routine, and schedules, lesson, and unit plans are adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, teachers are familiar with Traip’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations. A list of each appears on the wall in all classrooms. Students seem less familiar, but do report having heard of the terms, although no students asked could identify any value, belief, or expectation. Despite this awareness among teachers and familiarity among students, over 40 classroom observations indicate that core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations were rarely tied to instruction. Additionally, a document narrating the process of development of Traip’s interdisciplinary humanities course indicates that while the process was broad and thorough in terms of content, little attempt was made to link development of the new course to the school’s core values, beliefs, or 21st century learning expectations. While explicit references to Traip’s core values, beliefs and 21st century learning expectations are lacking during instruction, some of the expectations are implicit. For example, many instructional practices emphasize the 21st century learning expectation of clear and effective communication. But this connection is not explicitly stated, nor is there evidence of this connection factoring into teachers’ reflection on their practice. When teachers at Traip continuously and explicitly tie examination of their practice to the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations, instruction will be more clear and student engagement and achievement of the 21st century learning expectations will improve. (students, teachers, self-study, classroom observations) Most teachers personalize instruction, engage students as active and self-directed learners, emphasize inquiry, problem-solving, and higher order thinking, and integrate technology into instruction on a regular basis, but only some teachers engage students in cross-disciplinary learning, engage students in applying knowledge and skills to authentic tasks, and engage students in selfassessment and reflection. Sixty-two percent of observed classes had some form of personalized learning. Personalization of learning was far more prevalent in observed AP/honors level and elective classes than in lower level classes. Students in flipped math and chemistry classes watched and took notes on lectures for homework, and during class worked on problems or a lab, with constant, personalized teacher feedback. In a pre-calculus class, the teacher carried small whiteboards around as she met students at their desks, worked problems out on the whiteboard, then left the boards with the students to use as a reference as they completed the problem. In a Spanish class, students created an oral story in the target language. Each contributed a piece to the story, and the teacher’s expectation was that the contributions would fluctuate in length and complexity according to the student’s skill level. In a physical education class, students took turns designing a lesson plan around their own interests. A student designed a class around the book, The Hunger Games. During instruction, the teacher offered her targeted feedback and reassurance, as well as encouragement to class members who struggled with particular skills. Parents, teachers, and students all praise the school’s success center as an essential tool in the differentiation required with the new ninth grade proficiency-based curriculum. 22

In addition, students and teachers report that all teachers meet with students during breaks, after school, and during study halls to review material and offer retakes. Consistent personalization of instruction in all classes will enable all students to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Some teachers and content areas consistently engage students in cross-disciplinary learning. Cross-disciplinary instruction varies by content area. English and social studies content areas require a combined humanities course for sophomores and juniors. Courses are team taught with a teacher from each content area. Units are thematic. For example, in the honors American humanities course students read The Things They Carried while studying the Vietnam War. Similarly, at the freshman level a combined physical science and Algebra I course was designed to meet the needs of students whose deficient math skills prevented success in physical science. Continued exploration of cross-disciplinary instruction will increase student engagement and transfer of skills from one discipline to the others. Traip Academy students are often active and self-directed learners, sometimes work in cooperative groups, and occasionally do independent research. In classroom observations, 47 percent of activities involved active learning. In a math class, students viewed a flipped classroom video for homework and filled out a note-taking template. They came into class, immediately settled in, noted their assigned problems on the board, and got to work. They were actively engaged all class, working through problems. Likewise, a senior English class completed a WebQuest at the beginning of class. The Total Physical Response Storytelling (TPRS) method is used in all Spanish classes. Students move around the room and actively create Spanish throughout the period, applying higher level thinking skills including creation, production, and role-playing. In addition, the senior capstone project is inherently self-directed and active. A number of assignments provided as evidence were group assignments, including the AP Calculus legacy project, and the work done in robotics class and by the robotics team on the VEX competitive robot project. Classroom observations indicate that group work frequently occurs in science and humanities classes. As Traip Academy teachers continue to foster an environment where students work in cooperative groups and can be active and self-directed learners, and when they increase opportunities for students to engage in independent research, all students will benefit from a variety of work structures, and learn important group dynamic skills they will need in post-secondary education and the work force. Teachers often emphasize inquiry, problem solving, and sometimes emphasize higher order thinking. Samples of student work indicate that many assignments are organized around key themes and push students to solve problems, rather than simply to remember information. The personal polynomial project from Algebra 2 asks students to create their own polynomial and, using two factors of the polynomial, to create and solve a series of problems. Likewise the senior capstone project demands inquiry. Senior capstones often involve trial and error, and the failure implicit in that method. Students must solve problems to figure out solutions to their errors. Additionally, at the conclusion of the capstone project, higher order thinking skills such as integration and synthesis are necessary. Inquiry and problem solving also happen on a more micro level daily in Traip classes. In an American humanities class, while watching a video about America’s involvement in the Vietnam War, and before learning about French colonialism, students were asked to surmise why the Vietnamese spoke French. In band class students were asked to decide which instrumental section was playing the wrong note by listening repeatedly to the section. These small but significant opportunities for inquiry and problem solving happened in almost all classes observed. Higher order thinking was evident in about 25 percent 23

of observed classes and generally occurred in honors or AP classes and electives. When Traip Academy teachers begin to emphasize problem-solving and higher order thinking in all levels of classes, students will have more opportunity to practice and achieve the 21st century learning expectation of being an integrative and informed thinker. Some teachers frequently provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills to authentic tasks. Theater students participate in productions attended by the Kittery community. Music classes perform regularly for the community. All students are required to do ten hours of community service each year. As sophomores, students do a service learning project through advisory. As juniors, all students participate in the Traip Academy Job Shadow Program. Additionally, Traip’s expanded learning opportunity (ELO) coordinator helps students draw upon the resources of the community including internships, independent studies, and learning opportunities at local colleges. Although humanities classes schedule an end-of-year extravaganza to showcase student work for parents and community members, there are few opportunities for students to present project work within the classroom and to an outside audience in core academic classes. Traip Academy’s multiple opportunities for students to apply their knowledge outside of school, and their many music and theater productions will be enhanced by the addition of opportunities for students to showcase academic work to the community and to apply their learning with authentic tasks in the regular classroom setting. Some teachers frequently engage students in self-assessment and reflection, while some teachers do so only occasionally or not at all. In sophomore humanities classes students do pre- and post-unit surveys and reflections for every unit. In band class a summative assessment asks students to record a section of a piece, listen to the recording, reflect on the performance, and then re-record, improving and correcting where needed before sending the teacher the final recording. A reflective journal or blog is a requirement of the senior capstone project. However, reflection is not common to all courses. There are limited opportunities for reflection in math and science. Likewise, student reflection is encouraged to different degrees in English and social studies classes, dependent on the individual teacher’s preferences. While reflection is a familiar concept to Traip students, and in some classes a frequent occurrence, regular use of self-assessment, self-evaluation, and self-regulation/goal setting by students will increase the capacity of students to be reflective, independent, and self-regulated learners. All teachers incorporate technology into their instruction, often in meaningful ways. The decision to be a part of the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) at the high school level is integral to day-to-day learning at Traip Academy. All students and faculty have laptops, and there is Apple TV or LCD projector in all classrooms. Many classrooms also have interactive whiteboards. Students and teachers use email to communicate, send assignments, and give/receive feedback. Teachers frequently remind students to check their homework calendars if they forget the assignment. Electronic correspondence is a simple use of technology, but it allows teachers to meet students on their own levels. It facilitates the easy relationship very evident between Traip faculty and students. While all Traip faculty use technology to communicate with students and make assignments available online, some teachers use technology in innovative ways that encourage higher level thinking. The flipped classroom is only possible because of the 1:1 laptop program. Students and teachers find this method of instruction helpful in fostering personalized instruction and individualized feedback. Math classes use graphing software, music classes use Garage Band or other recording software, and technology classes use Adobe Photoshop. Laptops allow differentiated and active learning. In one non-honors English 24

class, students did independent work while the teacher circulated. Some did a WebQuest about Shakespeare, others read about Shakespeare, and still others (students with an educational technologist and presumably an IEP or 504 plan) wrote answers to questions about Shakespeare. While many teachers routinely use technology to differentiate, to actively engage students, and to pursue concepts in depth, a few do not use laptops for much besides communication, citing a lack of training and confidence in the use of technology for instruction. Effective integration and use of technology to enhance and personalize instruction lends itself well to the practice and achievement of Traip Academy’s 21st century learning expectations. Student learning is enhanced when instruction is purposefully designed to meet the individual needs of students as they strive to achieve the 21st century learning expectations. (capstone project description, classroom observations, teachers, ELO coordinator position description, school calendar, job shadow program, students, humanities course documents) Across the school teachers adjust their instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students in a variety of ways. In humanities classes students engage in peer editing and daily warm up activities. World languages teachers often use bell work to target vocabulary, and math teachers use individual white boards to check for concept understanding. Other techniques include exit tickets, verbal check-ins, and daily self-evaluation checklists. In music class the teacher used frequent formative assessment targeting all sections of the band with quick verbal questions, requests for repeat solos, and asking for reading of the sheet music. A chemistry teacher engaged in multiple formative assessment during a periodic table lab involving metals, solutions, and reactions by moving from group to group, asking questions, checking explanations, and stopping the lab at one point for a quick whole-class instruction when directions needed clarity. Strong and varied formative assessment practices across disciplines enable Traip Academy teachers to adjust their instruction to meet the needs of each student. Some teachers at Traip Academy differentiate their instruction on a regular basis. A geometry class offers students an honors option for advanced work. The freshman composition instructor allows text choice on some reading units. In a special education support class some students receive one-onone guided instruction while others need quick verbal checks and still others rely on checklists and organizational modeling. One parent commented that in an elective class her daughter asked to demonstrate her learning in a different format and the teacher agreed. The student produced a series of short films for her final project. The humanities extravaganza final project demonstrates the epitome of differentiated instruction at Traip Academy. Teachers work individually with students on a multigenre product over the semester. Students must address an essential question but have choice of reading tasks, written and visual products, and presentation modes. Strategic differentiation of instruction in a variety of classes and levels enables Traip Academy students to reach their own potential in light of the 21st century learning expectations. Most teachers at Traip Academy organize group learning activities to enhance learning across the block class time and to extend learning beyond the classroom. The Endicott survey indicates that 89 percent of students feel teachers adjust instruction with a variety of group learning activities. This impressive percentage was supported during classroom visits and student shadowing. Many classes in various subject areas mixed a blend of whole-class instruction, small cooperative group activities, student pairs and independent seat work. For example, government classes group students to work on 25

a model U. N. unit, creating a presidential debate and mock election. Humanities and English classes pair students to peer edit essays. Science labs are conducted via lab partners or small groups of three or four. Flipped math classes frequently utilize small groups via individual white board activity in the latter third of the block to support learning. A senior college and career seminar uses small group discussion on mock common applications, then brings the group back for class debate and reflection on the admissions process. Sophomore advisors support students during an out-of-school service learning experience and then organize a specific service learning project in the community for their advisees. In some classroom observations, purposeful organization of group learning activities was not observed. The frequency and variety of group learning activities at Traip Academy leads to improved student engagement and achievement. Most teachers at Traip Academy provide additional support and alternative strategies within their regular classrooms to improve instruction. Some classes such as modern world humanities, modern American humanities, freshman science and math, and customized math are co-taught by members of the two disciplines or math and special education teachers in the latter example. Such classes offer selected students a unique, truly inter-disciplinary learning experience with additional teacher support, and greater flexibility of instruction. The numerous flipped math and science classes allow teachers to act as coaches, often resulting in one-on-one guidance to students who need extra support. Educational technicians support special education students in regular classrooms. Senior students act as teaching assistants in some classes. More specifically, educational technicians in a chemistry lab and a flipped finite math class were observed to be instrumental in supporting small group activities. All freshman classes are now operating on a competency-based learning model, which allows students multiple chances to hit learning targets. Teachers consistently offer students support outside the regular classroom setting. Many teachers are available before school, after school, and during learning lab blocks or prep periods. Special education teachers offer academic support via organized study halls for their identified students. Of special note, freshman students attest to positive support offered in the Traip Academy success center. Parents commend the extra effort of Traip Academy teachers to support and connect with their sons and daughters. The Endicott survey validates these observations as 84 percent of parents agree that teachers offer additional support to their students. The frequent use of alternative strategies and pervasive efforts of most teachers to offer additional support at Traip Academy enable the vast majority of students to achieve the 21st century learning expectations. (Endicott survey, parents, teachers, classroom observations, self-study, student shadowing, student work, school committee, Standard subcommittee members) Nearly all teachers regularly improve their instructional practices individually by using student achievement data and examining student work, and some teachers and departments do so collaboratively. Frequent use of formative assessment allows most teachers to adjust instruction during class to meet students’ needs. Examples include verbal check-ins, quick student self-evaluation checklists, and individual white board activities. In a modern American humanities class students use Moodle to respond to essential questions posted by co-teachers. As students work individually, one teacher monitors the room and answers questions as the other responds to student answers digitally. This is effective 21st century, interdisciplinary formative assessment. Some teachers also use summative assessment data to inform and alter instructional practice. Teachers attest to individually reviewing student work such as unit exams, projects, and summative assessments to inform their own practice. Collaboration by subject teams to review summative assessments or student work and reflect on 26

practice is limited. Twice monthly content area meetings after school are the only formal time for all staff to do so. This year, the four math teachers have common planning time. Humanities teachers credit common planning time and review of course assessment data as integral in the development and redesign of this class. Writing skill deficiencies noted for first semester freshmen led to the creation of the freshman composition course as well. Teachers seldom used standardized assessment data such as the Accuplacer, ReadiStep, PSAT and SAT, to inform instruction. According to the Endicott survey, only 50 percent of staff feel that they have formal opportunities to examine student work to improve instruction. R. W. Traip Academy teachers have improved instructional practice when given the opportunity to reflect on assessment data and student work. When the school structures and provides opportunities for all staff to collaborate on improving instruction based on assessment data and student work, student achievement will increase. Many teachers at R. W. Traip Academy use feedback from a variety of sources to improve instruction. Students attest that many teachers consistently seek out and listen to their needs for additional time, further clarify, and add specifics on assignments and scoring rubrics to help learning. All teachers utilize student feedback forms, designed with creative license by each department, to gather mid-year and end-of-year reflection. Review of this student feedback has led to alteration of major units of study, along with mid-year and end-of-year assessments in several courses. The principal stresses staff review of student feedback data when developing individual professional goals each year. At this time three professionally trained experienced teachers serve as formal mentors for all probationary teachers at R. W. Traip Academy. Mentors offer feedback on instructional practice as these individuals, new to the school or new to the profession, hone their craft. One humanities teacher cites his mentor as instrumental in the development of his professional goals for the year and in offering specific instructional adjustments to his practice. More specifically, the addition of pre- and post-assessment tools and student self-evaluation has improved his instruction “drastically.” All teachers receive feedback on instructional practices via formal evaluation and supervision. Probationary teachers set goals within their content area and are observed three times per year by central office staff, administrators, and content leaders. Professional staff also set individual professional goals with content leaders and those on cycle (every three years) also receive feedback via formal observations. Although the self-study indicates that a majority of parents feel teachers have sought their feedback on instructional practices, the Endicott survey indicates that only 30 percent of parents agree that teachers seek their input on instruction. The pervasive use of feedback from students, other teachers, and supervisors helps R. W. Traip Academy teachers improve instruction to increase student achievement. Teachers at R. W. Traip Academy engage in professional discourse to examine current research to improve instructional practice. The recently created professional learning groups (PLGs) are vehicles to encourage professional discourse in an interdisciplinary setting. PLGs have been organized around topics such as competency-based learning (CBL) and the capstone project, both new initiatives in the ninth and twelfth grades respectively. Although teachers report welcoming the opportunity to engage in these groups, they have alternately expressed frustration about finding time to organize these meetings. Many teachers have completed required PLG hours during the summer. The district also holds summer academies (professional development workshops) on initiatives such as competencybased learning for ninth grade teachers and curriculum development in light of the Common Core State Standards. Professional discourse at the specific course level occurs during common planning 27

time, but only for math and humanities teachers at this time. Aside from the twice-monthly content area meetings, which are often utilized to discuss new initiatives and other school issues, professional discourse for much of the staff must be organized on personal time. Many teachers avail themselves of professional development to improve instruction by attending workshops, conferences, and classes during the school year, at night, and over the summer. The list of workshop certificates, professional trainings, conferences, and classes attended by staff is impressive and speaks to the commitment of staff to maintain expertise in their content area and in content-specific instruction. Within the last two years, staff have attended TPRS seminars, College Board and AP workshops, multiple MLTI workshops, NESSC redesign conferences, and NEASC visiting committees, as well as the National Science Teachers Association convention, and the National Council for Social Studies conference to name just a few. Although individually teachers are continually striving to improve their instructional practices, when more opportunities for collaborative discussions are provided, students will benefit from enhanced instruction. (self-study, parents, teachers, Endicott survey, students, Standard subcommittee meeting, building administrators) Traip teachers maintain expertise in their content area and content-specific instructional practices. The district reimburses for university courses at the University of Maine rate, and most teachers take advantage of this opportunity to remain up to date in their content area. Administrators encourage teachers to attend conferences and programs designed to improve their instructional practice. All teachers are part of content-area teams that meet regularly. In teams teachers sometimes share and reflect on activities and practices particular to their content area, but there is not enough time to do so as much as is needed. The variety of conferences and workshops attended by Traip teachers enable them to maintain their expertise and empowers them to more effectively help students meet their learning expectations. (teachers, content-area minutes, school committee, Standard subcommittee members, building administrators) Commendations: 1. The commitment of the faculty to build positive, productive relationships with students 2. The additional support and alternative strategies available to students to improve learning within the school day, including the willingness of staff to meet with students outside of class and the school day 3. The availability of the humanities course and other purposely designed cross-disciplinary courses 4. The regular personalized and differentiated instruction 5. The expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) program and coordinator 6. The success center where students can engage in guided study to achieve learning targets in the new standards based curriculum 7. The broad and integrated use of technology 7. The frequent use of formative assessment to adjust instruction 8. The variety and purposeful organization of group learning activities to engage students across the block and outside the school 9. The use of student feedback, both formal and informal, to improve instruction 10. The extensive efforts of staff to remain current in their content area

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Recommendations:

1. Establish formal opportunities for teachers to examine student work and assessment data to drive instructional change 2. Dedicate time in formal opportunities for teachers to engage in professional discourse and to examine current research to improve instruction 3. Develop and implement professional development around technology, including using peer teachers and students as resources for technology education 4. Ensure personalization, differentiation, and high level thinking instruction in non-honors level classes

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Teaching and Learning Standard

4

Assessment of and for Student Learning

Assessment informs students and stakeholders of progress and growth toward meeting the school's 21st century learning expectations. Assessment results are shared and discussed on a regular basis to improve student learning. Assessment results inform teachers about student achievement in order to adjust curriculum and instruction. 1.

The professional staff continuously employs a formal process, based on school-wide rubrics, to assess whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

2.

The school’s professional staff communicates: • individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to students and their families • the school’s progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to the school community.

3.

Professional staff collects, disaggregates, and analyzes data to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement.

4.

Prior to each unit of study, teachers communicate to students the school’s applicable 21st century learning expectations and related unit-specific learning goals to be assessed.

5.

Prior to summative assessments, teachers provide students with the corresponding rubrics.

6.

In each unit of study, teachers employ a range of assessment strategies, including formative and summative assessments.

7.

Teachers collaborate regularly in formal ways on the creation, analysis, and revision of formative and summative assessments, including common assessments.

8.

Teachers provide specific, timely, and corrective feedback to ensure students revise and improve their work.

9.

Teachers regularly use formative assessment to inform and adapt their instruction for the purpose of improving student learning.

10.

Teachers and administrators, individually and collaboratively, examine a range of evidence of student learning for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice, including all of the following: • student work • common course and common grade-level assessments • individual and school-wide progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations • standardized assessments • data from sending schools, receiving schools, and post-secondary institutions • survey data from current students and alumni.

11.

Grading and reporting practices are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and beliefs about learning.

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Conclusions Traip Academy’s professional staff does not yet provide a continuous formal process, based on school-wide rubrics, to assess whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. The move toward competency-based learning beginning with the class of 2018 has been a focus, and teachers report that this is a priority. The school-wide rubrics are relatively new and are being implemented by some teachers in some classes. Students indicate a lack of awareness of the learning expectations and few students had ever seen the rubrics. Parents also were unaware of the school-wide rubrics. When Traip Academy develops a formal process, based on the school-wide rubrics, to assess whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations, teachers will have sufficient data to drive instructional improvement that will improve students’ achievement of the 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, two- and five-year plans, classroom observations, students, parents, teachers) The school’s professional staff does not yet communicate individual or school progress using the language of the 21st century learning expectations to students and their families or to the school community. Teachers, students, and parents have a general awareness of the learning expectations, but it is clear that the specific content of the learning expectations is not part of the language that is used to communicate student outcomes to individual students or to the school community. When Traip Academy communicates individual and school progress to students and their families and to the school community using the language of the 21st century learning expectations, all stakeholders will be better informed and able to make decisions to improve programs, instruction, and curriculum resulting in increased student achievement. (self-study, teachers, parents, students, classroom observations) The professional staff at Traip Academy collects, disaggregates, and analyzes data to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement. The professional staff has the means to collect data from a variety of standardized assessments, including ACT, SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, MHSA, and ASVAB. The staff also uses student grades, work products, and other informal assessments in content areas to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement. Focused interventions include the student success center as well as the “bridges” classes offered to students for remediation in the core content areas. Teachers also collect formative data to adjust instruction and respond to student needs within the classroom. There is no systemic, school-wide process for collecting, disaggregating, and analyzing data to make school-wide decisions that may be sustained as students move through the grade levels. When a formal process is implemented to collect, disaggregate, and analyze student data at the wholeschool level, the school may be more effective in developing a sustainable and coherent response to inequities in student achievement. (classroom observations, evaluation documents, self-study, teachers, building administrators) Most teachers communicate unit-specific learning goals to be assessed, but they seldom make reference to the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Most teachers provide students with unitspecific learning goals in the form of checklists and rubrics. Occasionally exemplars are provided to students. There is, however, only sporadic use of the rubrics created to assess the 21st century learning expectations. The curriculum mapping software program, TODCM, contains a few references to the 21st century expectations. Many teachers report that the 21st century learning expectations are implicit in “good instruction,” but there is limited evidence that the expectations are explicitly taught or assessed. 31

When students are provided with both the unit-specific and 21st century learning expectations to be assessed prior to each unit of study, students will have a clear understanding of what they will be expected to do and how levels of competency will be assessed. (evaluation documents, students, teachers, self-study, classroom observations, TODCM) Prior to summative assessments, students are often provided with rubrics. Many of the work samples provided included a course-specific or project-specific rubric. The humanities department has created and implemented the use of a department-wide analytical writing rubric that is provided to the students prior to all written assessments. Students confirm that they receive rubrics prior to assessments, but in many cases what was actually provided to the student were practice tests, review packets, and checklists. Teachers have a wide variety of understandings regarding the use of the school-wide rubrics and the use of rubrics in general. Some teachers never use the school-wide rubric, opting instead to take snippets of the language of one or more rubrics and incorporate those in a course-specific or project-specific rubric. When the school-rubrics become a more routine part of the assessment process at Traip Academy, all students will have a clear understanding of the 21st century learning expectations, and student achievement of the expectations will increase. (self-study, students, teachers, student work) In each unit of study the R. W. Traip Academy teaching staff employs a wide range of assessment strategies including formative and summative assessments. Formative assessment occurs regularly in most classrooms both formally and informally. Teachers employ daily writing prompts, bell-ringer activities, games, performance-based assessments, and traditional paper-and-pencil formative assessments such as quizzes, exit slips, and questionnaires. Students are expected to produce both expository and creative written work such as essays, lab reports, and stories. Additionally, students may make movies, participate in debates, simulations, oral reports, and presentations. Nonlinguistic communication of competency is accepted and encouraged. Students produce games, quizzes for peers, political cartoons, and illustrations. Assessment plans often include rubrics and extensive scaffolding materials. Some plans are documented on TODCM. Over time assessment work will produce a fully aligned system of assessment options that will have a positive impact on student learning. The use of a variety of formative and summative assessment options at Traip Academy gives students an array of opportunities to demonstrate what they know, understand, and are able to do with the content. (classroom observations, teachers, students, self-study) Some teachers collaborate regularly in formal and informal ways to create, analyze, and revise assessments. Collaboration for the purpose of creating, analyzing, and revising formative and summative assessments occurs by design in the humanities department where instruction is a collaborative effort by both teachers. For example, the wording of a sophomore-level assessment was modified after both teachers agreed that student achievement was being impaired. In the mathematics department formal collaboration occurs, as time allows, for the purpose of ensuring that midterm and end-of-semester exams have common expectations and similar levels of rigor. Informal collaboration occurs as needed during common planning time and after school. Monthly team/department meetings are used for a variety of tasks, including work on assessment. Teachers and administrators agree that time for formal collaboration is limited given the plethora of initiatives currently underway at Traip. As additional time is allotted to teachers for the purpose of creating, analyzing, and revising formative and summative assessments, including common assessments, the teaching staff will better understand the 32

extent to which a student is proficient with the learning objectives. (self-study, teachers, building administrators, Standard subcommittee members) The majority of teachers provide specific, timely, and corrective feedback to students for the purpose of revising and improving their work. According to the Endicott survey, over 73 percent of students and parents agree that teachers assess work in a reasonable amount of time and offer helpful, corrective feedback. Feedback to students is provided in a variety of ways. Both teachers and peers provide positive and constructive feedback verbally and in writing. Teachers confer with students during and after school to offer personalized feedback on assessments. Written feedback in the form of notes and narratives are included on returned student work. Some teachers also employ the use of technology for providing timely and corrective feedback. Teachers and students report that most teachers allow for and encourage the revision of work. In some courses, students are required to revise work until it meets the expected level of competency. Two students commented that the quality and timing of the feedback created a less stressful school experience. Most students appeared to be very receptive to the feedback they received. As teachers become more proficient with the use of technology and other feedback strategies, students will continue to receive specific and timely feedback that will result in improved work habits and learning. (teachers, students, student work, classroom observations, Endicott survey, parents, self-study) Teachers in all departments regularly use formative assessment to inform and adapt their instruction for the purpose of improving student learning. Student work reflected improvement on specific skill development as a result of deliberate teacher feedback. Strategic questions during wholegroup instruction provide teachers with the means to assess and adapt instruction and pacing to individual student needs. In the visual and performing arts, students receive immediate and ongoing feedback to improve competency. Teachers regularly use marker board practice and check-in exercises in math and sciences as well as the monitoring of hands-on activities in science and technology courses to monitor and adjust instruction. Strong formative assessment practices at Traip Academy enable teachers to respond to student needs by adjusting instruction. (classroom observations, self-study, teachers, students, student work) Teachers at Traip Academy have limited opportunities to examine a range of evidence of student learning for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practices. Only 17 percent of teachers believe that teachers and administrators examine work and assessment data to revise and improve curriculum and instruction. English/language arts teachers engage in conversations with eighth grade teachers regarding student placement into regular or honors English classes. Students take a placement test at the end of eighth grade to determine placement into the appropriate freshman math class. Also, Readistep aggregated results are used to inform instruction of freshman students the following year. Teachers rarely collaborate with administrators to examine student work or assessment data, and there is insufficient time allotted for analysis of assessment data to revise and improve curriculum and instruction. When teachers and administrators engage in regular, collaborative examination of a range of evidence of student learning, the staff will be in a better position to make adjustments to the curriculum and instructional practices that will have a positive impact on student achievement. (teachers, building administrators, Endicott survey, Standard subcommittee meeting, self-study)

33

Grading and reporting practices are not regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and beliefs about learning. The grading and reporting practices at R.W. Traip Academy are currently in the process of revision and implementation. As a result of the Vision for the Future report, the Traip Redesign Implementation Team was established to align its policies and practices, including grading and reporting practices, with the core values and beliefs that were approved in late 2013. As the school transitions to the competency-based approach to instruction and assessment, a lack of uniformity in the grading and reporting practices at R.W. Traip Academy exists. According to the Endicott survey, 70 percent of teachers disagree with the statement that grading and reporting practices are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and beliefs. During the 2013-14 school year, a competency-based model for instruction and assessment was piloted in two freshman content-area classes (Algebra I and physical science). This model is gradually being adopted throughout the school, so there is a current lack of uniformity in grading practices. Every stakeholder is aware of the complexity of the issue and the need to address this issue over time in a highly collaborative manner. Individual teachers are providing feedback to students on their progress in meeting standards or articulated course requirements. The regular review and revision of grading and reporting practices will ensure that all stakeholders have a sound understanding of student achievement in order to develop and plan revisions to curriculum and instructional practices which will lead to improved student achievement. (teachers, Standard subcommittee meeting, self-study, Endicott survey, parents) Commendations: 1. The commitment of teachers, administrators, and support staff to improve individual student outcomes 2. The frequent and effective communication of student achievement with parents 3. The development and use of unit-specific and course-specific rubrics 4. The wealth of timely and corrective feedback provided to students for the purpose of revising and improving learning 5. The use of formative assessment processes that enable teachers to adjust instruction to meet the needs of students 6. The use of specific questioning strategies which formatively assess student understanding within the classroom to adapt to specific student needs 7. The broad range of creative summative assessment practices that enable students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways 8. The senior capstone project that requires graduating seniors to demonstrate proficiency on all 21st century learning expectations Recommendations: 1. Develop and implement a formal process, based on the school-wide rubrics, to assess wholeschool and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations 2. Develop and implement a plan to communicate individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to students and their families on a regular basis

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3. Develop and implement a plan to communicate the school’s progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to the school community 4. Adopt and implement a protocol for collecting, disaggregating, and analyzing student data to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement 5. Clearly, explicitly, and consistently use the language of the 21st century learning expectations in communicating unit-specific learning goals to students 6. Ensure that teachers collaborate regularly in formal ways on the creation, analysis, and revision of formative and summative assessments, including common assessments 7. Develop the capacity of teachers to use technology in order to provide feedback for students in a more efficient manner 8. Ensure that teachers and administrators collaborate to examine student work and assessment data for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice 9. Ensure that grading and reporting practices are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and beliefs about learning

35

SUPPORT STANDARDS

SCHOOL CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP

SCHOOL RESOURCES FOR LEARNING

COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR LEARNING

36

Support Standard

5

School Culture and Leadership

The school culture is equitable and inclusive, and it embodies the school's foundational core values and beliefs about student learning. It is characterized by reflective, collaborative, and constructive dialogue about research-based practices that support high expectations for the learning of all students. The leadership of the school fosters a safe, positive culture by promoting learning, cultivating shared leadership, and engaging all members of the school community in efforts to improve teaching and learning. 1.

The school community consciously and continuously builds a safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture that fosters student responsibility for learning and results in shared ownership, pride, and high expectations for all.

2.

The school is equitable, inclusive, and fosters heterogeneity where every student over the course of the high school experience is enrolled in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core course (English/language arts, social studies, math, science, or world languages).

3.

There is a formal, ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to the school counselor, who knows the student well and assists the student in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

4.

In order to improve student learning through professional development, the principal and professional staff: § engage in professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning § use resources outside of the school to maintain currency with best practices § dedicate formal time to implement professional development § apply the skills, practices, and ideas gained in order to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

5.

School leaders regularly use research-based evaluation and supervision processes that focus on improved student learning.

6.

The organization of time supports research-based instruction, professional collaboration among teachers, and the learning needs of all students.

7.

Student load and class size enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students.

8.

The principal, working with other building leaders, provides instructional leadership that is rooted in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations.

9.

Teachers, students, and parents are involved in meaningful and defined roles in decision-making that promote responsibility and ownership.

10.

Teachers exercise initiative and leadership essential to the improvement of the school and to increase students’ engagement in learning.

11.

The school board, superintendent, and principal are collaborative, reflective, and constructive in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

12.

The school board and superintendent provide the principal with sufficient decision-making authority to lead the school.

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Conclusions The R.W. Traip school community has successfully and continuously built a safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture that fosters student responsibility for learning and results in shared ownership, pride, and high expectations for all. Students at Traip get along well and are accepting of each other. Students indicate that there is virtually no bullying at Traip. Students, staff, and parents describe the strong relationships built between students and teachers. According to the Endicott survey, 77 percent of teachers report that the school culture is safe, positive, and supportive. Parents indicate that there is a sense of pride in the community for Traip. When it appeared there might not be funding to keep Traip open, most community members supported meeting the funding challenges to keep it open. The school has a school resource officer who is shared among the schools in the district. The Kittery School Department has a comprehensive crisis plan updated each summer. The Traip Academy Student Handbook includes policies centered around expected student behavior and conduct. The Kittery School Department Employment Handbook is informative and documents employment policies, employee conduct/duties and responsibilities, leave policies, employee benefits, compensation/pay practices, disciplinary policies, and separation policies. Because the school community fosters mutual respect and student responsibility for learning while providing a safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture, it ensures a sense of pride, shared ownership, and high expectations for all. (parents, teachers, students, student handbook, faculty handbook, crisis plan, Endicott survey) Traip Academy is equitable, inclusive, and fosters heterogeneity where every student over the course of the high school experience is enrolled in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core course. All students at Traip Academy are required to take a number of heterogeneously grouped core classes including geometry, America and the world, American government in the modern world, and Spanish. Students are also heterogeneously grouped in most elective classes. There are also honors, AP, and remedial courses offered. According to the Endicott survey, 70 percent of teachers report that the school requires every student to enroll in a minimum of one heterogeneously grouped core class over his or her high school career. Because Traip Academy is committed to offering every student a varied selection of heterogeneously grouped classes, all students have equal opportunities to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (teachers, students, self-study, Endicott survey) There is a formal, ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to the school counselor, who knows the student well and who is working in the area of assisting the student in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Teachers at Traip make meaningful, lasting connections with students. Each teacher has at least two or three students with whom they are connected throughout each student’s high school career. Students indicate that they are very comfortable with their teachers and feel that they take the time to get to know them. The students state that they have at least one adult in the school with whom they have a positive relationship. The school has an established an advisory period that meets for 15 minutes every day. This advisory program has been in existence for over ten years in varying forms. The overarching themes that are aligned to the 21st century learning expectations for each grade level are grade 9 transitioning, grade 10 - service learning, grade 11 - preparing for career and college, and grade 12 capstone project. Although the themes of the advisory are designed to support the 21st century learning expectations, the connections between the themes and the core values were not explicitly made during 38

the observed advisory periods. Because of the strong relationships between students and adults at Traip Academy along with the formal advisory program, each student has at least one adult in the school in addition to the school counselor, to guide and assist the student in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (students, parents, faculty/staff letter, self-study, classroom observations, student shadowing) The school does not yet provide sufficient formal time designated within the school day for staff to engage in professional discourse for reflection, inquiry, and analysis of teaching and learning. Professional development is primarily done through professional learning groups (PLGs) work. Teachers are expected to form their own groups and work for a number of hours outside contract time in exchange for compensation days. Finding time to work together has been a challenge, as it is not purposefully scheduled into the normal time requirements. Professional development time and resources are being dedicated to prepare for the proficiency-based program. Only 42 percent of teachers believe that the school’s professional development programs enable teachers to acquire and use skills to improve instruction and assessment. Additionally, only 14 percent of teachers feel that they have sufficient time to be engaged in formal curriculum evaluation, review, and revision work. When Traip Academy provides the time and opportunity for ongoing professional development and collaborative application of professional learning, staff members will be able to provide students at Traip Academy with the highest quality educational experience possible and achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations will improve. (teachers, building administrators, self-study, Endicott survey) School leaders use research-based evaluation and supervision processes that focus on improved student learning. The evaluation system at Traip Academy is in transition at this time. District administrators are looking at a new research-based evaluation system to have in place for next year. The current system places teachers into one of four cycles. Each of the four cycles includes selfassessment, goal setting, and peer observations. Probationary teachers are formally observed three times each year by a team of district and school administrators. Pre- and post-conferences are held, and probationary teachers are given a summative evaluation at the end of each year. Continuing contract teachers are observed formally at least once every three years and receive summative feedback from their evaluator. Peer evaluation has been part of the system used in the past, and teachers hope this will continue. Only 42 percent of teachers report that input from supervisors evaluating their teaching plays an important role in improving their instruction. When Traip Academy implements a research-based evaluation and supervision process that provides teachers with the feedback and follow-up necessary to improve instruction, teacher effectiveness and student learning will improve. (teachers, building administrators, Endicott survey) The organization of time does not fully support research-based instruction, professional collaboration among teachers, and the learning needs of all students. Common planning time is not widely and purposefully scheduled in the day, but most departments do have two or more teachers with the same planning time throughout the day. Although limited, there is some intentionality in scheduling common planning time where appropriate and possible. Additional common planning time is provided for one cross-curricular team to meet every other day. Some content areas meet regularly in order to develop common materials and align curriculum. Personalized PLG time is expected of each teacher for a specified amount of time outside of contract hours. When Traip Academy better organizes 39

to support research-based instruction and professional collaboration among teachers, the needs of all students will be more successfully met. (teachers, PLG plan, common planning summary document) Student loads and class sizes across the school enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students. Class sizes are varied throughout the building and content areas, with the largest being 23 students in a two person department. Science classes average 15 students per section and are capped at 20 students. Most core classes and elective average 20 students. With 31 teachers in a school of 274, the student-to-teacher ratio is low and course loads are manageable. Learning labs are kept small to allow for the teachers to meet the needs of students on an individual level during that time. Most (72 percent) of the teachers agree that the student load and class sizes enable them to meet the needs of individual students. Because of the small class sizes at Traip Academy, teachers are able to meet the learning needs of individual students. (teachers, Endicott survey, building administrators) The principal, working with other building leaders, provides instructional leadership that may be implicitly rooted in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations, but this is not yet explicit across the school. Sixty-one percent of teachers report that the principal with other administrators provides instructional leadership that is consistent with the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations. The principal has created a five-member content leadership team and the Traip Redesign Implementation Team (RIT) made up of seven teachers and two administrators. A seven-member team made up of three teacher leaders, one high school administrator, the superintendent of schools, director of curriculum and technology, and a consultant created the Traip Academy Vision for the Future, which is a plan of action for the future of the school. With the Vision, RIT, the move toward competency-based learning, and the NEASC self-study, there are many initiatives competing for time and attention. As a result, the explicit connection between leadership activity and the school’s core values and beliefs is often lost. When the principal, working with other building leaders, provides explicit and coherent leadership linking the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations to the initiatives of the RIT, competency-based learning, and the Vision, the core values, beliefs and learning expectations of Traip Academy will become an integral part of learning and teaching at the school. (Endicott survey, teachers, school structure document) Some teachers, students, and parents are involved in meaningful and defined roles in decisionmaking that promote responsibility and ownership. Only 33 percent of teachers report that teachers, students, and parents are meaningfully involved in the decision-making to promote responsibility and ownership. Most teachers indicate that they were a part of the process of developing the core values and beliefs, but some teachers feel that the content team leaders are the only teachers with a voice in decision-making at Traip. The school has a leadership team, consisting of seven teachers, who are chosen by the administration after an application process. Some teachers feel that the leadership team disseminates decisions to other teachers but doesn’t purposefully seek input from the teachers they represent. Content team leaders have a role in the budget process. Parents are invited to engage in monthly meetings with the principal to discuss school issues. Extensive efforts are made to inform parents of school initiatives. Many parents indicate that they have had opportunities to give input to decisions. The school has a student council and a student representative team involved in various aspects of the school, although the involvement is not substantial in decisions of the school. According to the Endicott survey, only 40 percent of students indicate that they feel that they have input. When Traip Academy more meaningfully involves teachers, students, and parents in decision-making, it will 40

promote responsibility and ownership. (Endicott survey, teacher interviews, teachers, school leadership team, parents, students, principal’s email) Some teachers exercise initiative and leadership essential to the improvement of the school and to increase students’ engagement in learning. There are a number of examples of teachers leading a student group or initiating the need for a specific course. Seven teachers are members of the leadership team for the school. In study halls, teachers meet with students and review Infinite Campus to ensure expectations for student work are met. More than half of the staff is involved in summer institute work, and the entire staff attended a multi-district conference on differentiation. Continued initiative and leadership amongst the teaching staff is essential to the improvement of the school and increased student engagement in learning. (teachers, self-study, central office administrators, school committee, parents) The school committee, superintendent, and principal are collaborative, reflective, and constructive in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations. The overall working relationship between and among these groups is positive, and they work well together. The Kittery leadership team, made up of central office administrators and the administrators from the three schools in the district, meets weekly to discuss ongoing district and school-specific initiatives. This team also meets with the school committee to align school and district goals. Teachers and parents feel that the relationship is strong and that there is on open dialogue surrounding all initiatives to move the school forward. The Traip Academy Vision for the Future was written in collaboration with school committee members, superintendent, school administrators, and teachers. Because of the collaborative and reflective work of the school committee, superintendent, and principal, the school is working toward meeting its 21st century learning expectations. (administrators, teachers, parents, central office administrators, self-study) The school committee and superintendent provide the principal with sufficient decision-making authority to lead Traip Academy in a positive direction. The principal has autonomy to make administrative decisions at any time to improve the overall experience at the school. The principal has the confidence of the teachers, parents, superintendent, and the school committee. A positive school culture exists among the faculty, staff, and principal. They trust him to make decisions for school improvement. Because of the trust and autonomy given to the principal at Traip Academy by the superintendent and school committee, he has the ability to lead the school in the redesign efforts and to accomplish the goals of the Traip Academy Vision for the Future. (school committee, teachers, self-study, parents, building administrators, superintendent) Commendations: 1. The safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture at Traip Academy that results in shared ownership, pride, and high expectations for all 2. The equitable, inclusive nature of the school community and its commitment to heterogeneously grouped classes 3. The strong, positive relationships between students and teachers

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4. The ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to the school counselor, who know the student well and assists the student in achieving the school's 21st century learning expectations 5. The student loads and class sizes that enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students and to foster relationships 6. The strong Traip Academy advisory curriculum that promote 21st century learning expectations and relationships among students and staff 7. The commitment and support of the school committee for the programs that promote the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations 8. The commitment of teachers to participate in summer institutes for the improvement of school programs 9. The collaborative, reflective, and constructive relationships among the school board, superintendent, and principal in support of the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations Recommendations: 1. Develop and implement a comprehensive K-12 professional development plan to meet the needs of teachers in areas such as improving instruction, integrating technology, using data to drive curriculum and instruction, and the use of the school-wide rubrics 2. Expand or make explicit the opportunities for all teachers to be involved in meaningful ways in decision-making at the school 3. Examine the organization of time in the school to increase opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively both within and across departments 4. Implement a research-based evaluation and supervision process 5. Develop and implement a program to promote student leadership and to provide them with more decision-making ability 6. Ensure instructional leadership is explicitly rooted in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations

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Support Standard

6  

School Resources for Learning  

Student learning and well-being are dependent upon adequate and appropriate support. The school is responsible for providing an effective range of coordinated programs and services. These resources enhance and improve student learning and well-being and support the school's core values and beliefs. Student support services enable each student to achieve the school's 21st century learning expectations. 1.

The school has timely, coordinated, and directive intervention strategies for all students, including identified and at-risk students, that support each student’s achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

2.

The school provides information to families, especially to those most in need, about available student support services.

3.

Support services staff use technology to deliver an effective range of coordinated services for each student.

4.

School counseling services have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who: § deliver a written, developmental program § meet regularly with students to provide personal, academic, career, and college counseling § engage in individual and group meetings with all students § deliver collaborative outreach and referral to community and area mental health agencies and social service providers § use ongoing, relevant assessment data, including feedback from the school community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

5.

The school's health services have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who: § provide preventative health services and direct intervention services § use an appropriate referral process § conduct ongoing student health assessments § use ongoing, relevant assessment data, including feedback from the school community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

6.

Library/media services are integrated into curriculum and instructional practices and have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who: § are actively engaged in the implementation of the school's curriculum § provide a wide range of materials, technologies, and other information services in support of the school's curriculum § ensure that the facility is available and staffed for students and teachers before, during, and after school § are responsive to students' interests and needs in order to support independent learning § conduct ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

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7.

Support services for identified students, including special education, Section 504 of the ADA, and English language learners, have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who: § § §

collaborate with all teachers, counselors, targeted services, and other support staff in order to achieve the school's 21st century learning expectations provide inclusive learning opportunities for all students perform ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations.

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Conclusions

R.W. Traip Academy has timely, coordinated, and directive intervention strategies for all students, including identified and at-risk students that support each student's achievement of the school's 21st century learning expectations. Students can identify at least one individual they can ask for help with a personal problem, and parents confirm that the school provides information about available student support services. Students have a 15-minute daily advisory ensuring daily contact and the building of strong relationships. If students require interventions, there are systems in place to ensure their needs will be addressed in a timely manner. There is a success center in which a staff member provides individualized academic support to students. Ninth and tenth grade teachers who work with the proficiency-based learning model require students to work on summative assignments until they have mastery of the material. There is also a humanities lab where students can receive assistance from the humanities instructors. Students who do not demonstrate proficiency in a course can take a “bridges” course the following year that helps to fill any gaps in skills or knowledge. Students receive special education services or support through section 504 coordinated by the special education team. Students with medical plans are provided with similar supports through the school nurse. For students facing crisis situations, there are two guidance counselors, a school psychologist, and a Sweetser case worker available for all students. R.W. Traip also participates in the Student 2 Student program that fosters a sense of community for both military and civilian students through social interaction and service. These timely, coordinated, direct intervention strategies provide students with a safe, welcoming environment, and promote wellness and lifelong learning. (students, self-study, parents, school support staff) The school conscientiously provides information to families, including those most in need, about available student support services. Support services personnel take advantage of the communication methods available in the digital age, communicating via email, the school’s website, and newsletters. Parents and students are able to access information regarding assignments, grades, and attendance through Infinite Campus. The school's website provides a multitude of information, including the program of studies, departmental information, student services, newsletters, upcoming events, and a variety of school and community resources. The guidance department’s website provides information about courses, the college application process, financial aid, and resources for mental health and social services. The guidance counselors host parent and student information nights throughout the year and meet regularly with students. Using a multitude of communication strategies and mechanisms allows the school to effectively communicate with families, including those in need, regarding available support services. (parents, students, school’s website, teacher interviews, panel presentation) Support services staff members use a variety of technology to deliver an effective range of coordinated services for students. The provision of laptops to every student and staff member and the district-wide implementation of Infinite Campus are two of the tools that enable coordination of services. School personnel routinely use email to communicate in a timely manner with parents and students. Support services personnel utilize attendance and academic information updated regularly through Infinite Campus to communicate information to parents and students. In addition to the use of technology to communicate with one another, all faculty members use technology to communicate with each student to coordinate services. Many classroom teachers maintain information for students via school websites, blogs, and twitter, as well as other web-based programs. Support services staff actively use technology to deliver an effective range of coordinated services for each student to ensure that every student is able to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (counselors, school’s website, teachers, self-study) School counseling services have an adequate number of certified and licensed personnel and support staff who deliver a written developmental program; met regularly with students to provide 45

personal, academic, career, and college counseling; engage students individually and in groups; deliver outreach and referral to community and area mental health and social services providers; but they do not yet use assessment data, including feedback from the students, alumni, and the school community. One full-time and one part-time counselor serve 274 students. One full-time secretary provides clerical support for the counselors. Counselors consistently and effectively use technology to meet the needs of families and students. The guidance department’s website, Infinite Campus, and the piloting of Naviance are examples of counselors utilizing technology to inform the school community about academic, career, and social services resources available to them. The guidance counselors host parent and student information nights throughout the year and meet regularly with students. The guidance department coordinates a thorough program for students. Every fall, freshmen are transitioned into high school, meeting in small groups three times a semester and on an informal, individual basis. Group meetings continue throughout the sophomore year, and by the junior year, students are exposed to a college seminar course to prepare and transition students to college. Students can also choose to take this seminar class again as a senior. Each year students are able to attend an off-campus college visit. By their senior year, students have had the opportunity to go on three off-campus college visits and have had numerous college representatives visit them in class. The guidance department also brings in alumni to discuss their collegiate experiences with students. In the past ten years, the percentage of R.W. Traip Academy students attending post-secondary schools has increased dramatically from 53 percent to 88 percent of the student body. The school is also in the process of reinstating a student support team made up of support staff and other school personnel. Currently, students are referred by teachers or other members of staff and support staff meet to determine what support the student needs for success. By purposeful, thoughtful design, the guidance department delivers a written, developmental program, meets regularly with students to provide exceptional personal, academic, career, and college counseling, engages in individual and group meetings with all students, allowing for greater opportunity for student success. (school’s website, students, counselors, self-study) The school's health services have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who provide preventative health services and direct intervention services, use an appropriate referral process, and conduct ongoing student health assessments, but they do not yet use ongoing, relevant assessment data, including feedback from the school community, to improve services and ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations. The nurse provides vision and hearing screening, first aid, pre-approved prescription and other medications as well as instruction on an individual basis. She provides daily monitoring of students with chronic health conditions. She works in conjunction with the school resource officer (SRO) as well as the assistant principal and local hospital to provide services in the community on a variety of health-related issues. She also joins with the health teacher in instructing certain health-related topics (sexuality, substance abuse, mental health, etc.) in those classes. The school is able to provide a wide variety of health services for its students. The school nurse uses ongoing health assessments to improve services, but the medical records of students are not stored electronically, nor has the school gathered feedback from the school community about the health services it provides to students. Working in conjunction with the school nurse at the Shapleigh School and the district nursing coordinator, the school nurse at R.W. Traip Academy reviews the health records of incoming students in order to provide a smooth transition into the high school. She works with the athletic coaches and athletic trainer to assist students in meeting their wellness goals. She works in conjunction with a variety of community-based organizations in order to expand and improve the health services for students. Once the student medical records are stored electronically, it will be easier to collect and analyze data for improving health services. Referrals to health services are made by teachers, staff, parents, and students themselves. The school nurse maintains a confidential file regarding visits to her office. All members of the school community are able to avail themselves of the resources in the nurse’s office. The health services at R. W. Traip 46

Academy support each student in achieving the school’s 21st century expectations. (nurse, students, self-study, building administrators) Although there is an adequate number of certified/licensed library/media personnel, the lack of support in the library impedes the ability of the library media specialist to fully integrated into curriculum and instructional practices and collaborate with teachers in the development and design of curriculum and instruction. Some teachers bring their students to the library media center, but because of the lack of support staff, the library media specialist cannot be an engaged partner in the implementation of the school's curriculum during those class visits. Once the a plan has been created to provide coverage for the library media center in those instances, the library media specialist will be able to apply his additional training and experience in the profession and integrate library media skills into the lessons and will be able to make informed decisions about purchasing materials in support of all curricular areas. The library media center does not provide a wide range of materials, technologies, and other information services in support of the school's curriculum. Although the library media center has many print materials, other materials or technologies are not an integral part of the collection. Many materials (print and non-print) have been discarded from the library collection, but there is no collection development plan. The plan for expending funds appropriate to the library media program is nebulous. Once a collection development plan has been formulated, the variety of materials, technologies, and other information services can be expanded and the library media center will be able to strongly support and integrate library media skills into the curriculum. The library media center is open from 7:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. each day, allowing student access before, during, and after school. Students and staff have adequate access to the library media center and its materials. The library media specialist is responsive to students' interests for pleasure reading but is not yet fully knowledgeable about the total school curriculum despite work with the humanities and science departments. The library media specialist is an avid leisure reader and enthusiastically shares information about particular books in informal advice with students. Over 85 percent of students feel that the library staff is willing to help them find information that they need. The library media specialist has surveyed teachers to gather information on their curricular needs, but no comprehensive assessment of library services has been conducted in order to improve library information services and to ensure that each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations. When the library media specialist becomes more actively engaged in the development and implementation of the school’s curriculum and in using ongoing assessment data, including feedback from the school community, services will improve and students will have more opportunities to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (self-study, library media specialist, building administrators, students, teachers, Endicott survey) Support services for identified students, including special education, Section 504 of the ADA, and English language learners, have an adequate number of certified/licensed personnel and support staff who collaborate with all teachers, counselors, targeted services, and other support staff in order to achieve the school's 21st century learning expectations. There are many and various opportunities for students to achieve academic success. These offerings include organized study hall (called learning labs), bridges courses, the success center, humanities lab, and advisory. Students are also assisted toward academic success through the special education IEP process and 504 plans. There are five English language learners (ELLs) who meet with an ELL teacher one day each week. The extended learning opportunities coordinator is able to personalize these learning experiences to student interests, future plans, and goals. R.W. Traip’s variety of support services provide inclusive learning opportunities for all students. Ongoing assessment using relevant data, including feedback from the school community, is used to improve services and to ensure each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations. Information about these support systems is shared via the SST, 47

department meetings, and leadership meetings as well as on an informal basis. This information is also shared on a continual, informal basis among support staff. The use of a variety of strategies and programs that are in place at Traip Academy is used to refine and improve the services offered to students to ensure that each student has the opportunity to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (students, school support staff, central office administrators, facility tour, panel presentation, teacher interviews, students, classroom observations, self-study) Commendations: 1. The personal, academic, career, and college counseling providing by the guidance department 2. The numerous intervention programs and strategies designed to help students achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations 3. The guidance department’s program to bring in alumni to discuss their collegiate experiences with students 4. The dramatic increase (from 53 percent to 88 percent) in the percentage of R.W. Traip Academy students attending post-secondary schools over the past 10 years 5. The success center designed to assist freshman students in the achievement of the competencies and the school’s 21st century learning expectations 6. The use of technology to coordinate services as needed and to disseminate and maintain information about individual students via websites, newsletters, Infinite Campus, and a pilot program for Naviance 7. The collaboration between the nurse, the school resource officer, the assistant principal, and the local hospital to provide services in the community on a variety of health-related issues 8. The collaboration between the nurse and the health teacher in instructing health-related topics including sexuality, substance abuse, and mental health Recommendations: 1. Develop and implement a long-term plan to ensure that the library media center becomes a center for learning and research as students practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations 2. Develop and implement a plan for teachers and the library media specialist to work together to develop curriculum that will be rich in the inclusion of library information skills in support of the Common Core State Standards and the school’s 21st century learning expectations 3. Improve the library’s informational text collection and the collection of ebooks 4. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of library media, guidance, health and support services, gathering feedback from all stakeholders, to improve services and ensure that each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations 5. Develop and implement a plan to use technology as a tool for storing, maintaining, and easy access to student health records

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Support Standard

7

Community Resources for Learning

The achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations requires active community, governing board, and parent advocacy. Through dependable and adequate funding, the community provides the personnel, resources, and facilities to support the delivery of curriculum, instruction, programs, and services. 1.

The community and the district's governing body provide dependable funding for: § a wide range of school programs and services § sufficient professional and support staff § ongoing professional development and curriculum revision § a full range of technology support § sufficient equipment § sufficient instructional materials and supplies.

2.

The school develops, plans, and funds programs: § to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and school plant § to properly maintain, catalogue, and replace equipment § to keep the school clean on a daily basis.

3.

The community funds and the school implements a long-range plan that addresses: § programs and services § enrollment changes and staffing needs § facility needs § technology § capital improvements.

4.

Faculty and building administrators are actively involved in the development and implementation of the budget.

5.

The school site and plant support the delivery of high quality school programs and services.

6.

The school maintains documentation that the physical plant and facilities meet all applicable federal and state laws and are in compliance with local fire, health, and safety regulations.

7.

All professional staff actively engage parents and families as partners in each student’s education and reach out specifically to those families who have been less connected with the school.

8.

The school develops productive parent, community, business, and higher education partnerships that support student learning.

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Conclusions The district’s governing body provides somewhat dependable and adequate funding for a wide range of school programs and services, support staff, a range of technology support, equipment, instructional materials, and supplies. For fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012 there was a zero percent increase in the district’s budget. In fiscal year 2013, the district budget increase was less than one percent, and in 2014 the budget increased by 1.79 percent. As a result of lean funding, electives in the humanities area were eliminated, and there were reductions in the area of special education. Some professional development time was also eliminated, and some curriculum work was postponed. Despite these reductions the program of studies contains a wide range of course offerings, and technology integration opportunities are robust at Traip Academy. Creative use of funds and the elimination of non-instructional items across the district enable Traip to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Ongoing professional development and curriculum revision is worked on through monthly department meetings, resulting in slowed progress. Classrooms have LCD projectors, interactive whiteboards, or Apple TV. The well-respected and appreciated computer technologist provides many staff and students with computer support. A facilities director and an assistant director were hired for the district. The facilities director has developed a long-range plan of repair and replacement. Overall, teachers feel that they get what they need within the parameters of a tight budget. Continuous work by the district’s governing body to promote and approve modest increases in the school budget will allow Traip Academy to maintain or improve its current program and allow each student to practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (budget documents, central office administrators, teachers, school leadership team, student shadowing, self-study, facility tour, panel presentation) Traip Academy has fully developed, planned, and funded programs to ensure the maintenance and repair of the building and school plant and to properly maintain, catalogue, and replace equipment, and keep the school clean on a daily basis. Over 90 percent of staff and parents and 80 percent of students believe that the school is clean and well maintained. The establishment of the facilities director and assistant facilities director positions has enabled the district to create a procedure for reporting needed maintenance and repairs, as well as for maintaining, cataloging, and replacing equipment. There are three full-time custodians to keep up with daily tasks of keeping the school clean. As a result of the commitments and efforts made by the school committee, superintendent, and administration to institute and support a fully funded maintenance and repair program and with the establishment of the facilities director and assistant facilities director positions, the community, staff, and students take great pride in their school facility. (facility tour, facility services staff, self-study, Endicott survey) The community funds and Traip Academy implements long-range plans for facility needs and capital improvements, along with lease programs for technology, but there is little planning for enrollment changes and staffing needs. The facilities director has developed a five-year plan for capital improvements. The funding needed for these has been predicted according to current prices. A twoyear plan looks at possible intervention services to support students who have difficulty reaching the learning competencies. A leasing program is in place for items like photocopiers and laptops through the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) program. There is no defined long-range plan to address enrollment changes and staffing needs. When procedures are set for determining what programs and services continue to be needed as students work toward meeting learning competencies, impacts of enrollment changes and staffing needs will be able to be determined to best meet the needs of the students as they strive to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations. (facility services meeting, two- and five-year plan, school support staff, building administrators, central office administrators)

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While all teachers are actively involved in development of the first step of the budget process, building administrators and department leaders are very involved in the latter development stages and implementation of the budget. The superintendent meets with the principals for their major thoughts and updates on any shifts in programming. The superintendent then meets with the Kittery School Committee and town council. The town council usually gives the superintendent a percentage increase that they are willing to approve. The superintendent then goes back to the leadership team and shares with them the target amount for their budgets. Teachers used Google Docs to make their budget requests and prioritize their requests. They work closely with the content team leaders to ensure that requests are in line with content team goals. The principal meets with the content team leaders and reviews the requests and if necessary determine what they can do without. Because of the involvement of faculty and building administrators in the budget-making process, Traip Academy is able to meet the needs of students in the achievement of the 21st century learning expectations. (teachers, building administrators, self-study, central office administrators) The school site almost always supports the delivery of high quality school programs and services. Traip uses creative ways to compensate for the lack of outside facilities used by the physical education department by installing a climbing wall and ropes course in the gym as well as through the use of fields located at the middle school which is within a there is a half mile of the school. According to the Endicott survey, 78.7 percent of students, 52.9 percent of staff, and 78.9 percent of parents believe the school facility supports the delivery of high quality programs. The science labs are functional and up-to-date with water and gas hook-up and appropriate safety equipment such as fire blankets and eye wash stations. The school is clean and in good repair with no graffiti on the walls or desks. Notable exceptions include the carpet in the music room that is a tripping hazard and is in need of replacement and some of the interior doors that need to be upgraded to meet local standards. The building is handicap accessible with ramps, elevators, braille signs, and parking, but the building does not have an automated door for entering and exiting the building. The heating system and lighting system have been upgraded for energy efficiency. The school site and plant support high quality programs and services to insure that all students are able to achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations (teachers, facility tour, building administrators, self-study, Endicott survey) R.W. Traip Academy maintains documentation that the school meets local, state, and federal state laws, as well as the physical plant and facilities being in compliance with local fire, health, and safety regulations. Evidence of this can be found in the facilities staff office binders, on the fire extinguishers throughout the buildings, and on the State of Maine certificates throughout the building. The Kittery School Department employs a full-time facilities director and assistant who, with the help of the custodial staff, work diligently to ensure that Traip is in full compliance. As a result of this compliance, all students and staff members are provided with a safe environment in which the delivery of effective curriculum and instruction can take place. (facilities director, facility tour, classroom observations, compliance documents) R.W. Traip Academy often engages parents and families as partners in each student’s education. This is done using a variety of methods such as informing parents and asking for input on school core values, parent meetings to educate them on proficiency-based grading, providing timely feedback about student progress to parents through Infinite Campus, and providing parents with a timely response when there is a parent concern. The principal sends a monthly newsletter to the parents, and the website for the school is up-to-date with announcements and information. Sixty-seven percent of parents agree that that staff is actively engaged with families, and there are many opportunities for parents to come to the school for informational nights, conferences, and open house. Parents are also given the opportunity to be involved with the school through fundraisers and as volunteers. The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) is an active group in which the parents can participate. R.W. Traip Academy often specifically reaches out to those families that have been less 51

connected to the school. Several general attempts are made to increase parent participation such as offering food at school functions that include parents, connecting open house and the technology meeting into one night, providing a school webpage to inform parents via the Internet of school announcements and activities, and using Connect-Ed to send school-wide messages to parents’ cell phones. R.W. Traip Academy has provided a supportive and welcoming environment through a variety of methods that has led to an understanding of many of the initiatives of the school and supports the acquisition of 21st century learning expectations. (panel presentation, parents, self-study, school leadership team teachers, school’s website,) R.W. Traip Academy often develops productive parent, community, business, and higher education partnerships that support student learning. Administrators at Traip Academy conducted a number of parent forums to educate parents about the new proficiency-based learning and its accompanying reporting system. The principal holds monthly meetings with parents during which they can identify concerns and be informed about what is happening at the school, and parents receive regular contact from school personnel via phone, email, and Infinite Campus. Community partnerships include the Student 2 Student program, collaboration between the school district and the shipyard with assistance from the rotary club, and the End 68 Hours of Hunger program, which provides meals to Kittery families for the weekend when students are not in school. The school collaborates with the recreational department for extracurricular offerings for the students (lacrosse, drama productions, etc.). They have also created a partnership with York Community College for dual enrollment to increase the school course offerings and enable students to earn college credits. Engineers and professionals from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as well as community professionals have volunteered countless hours to work with the Traip robotics team. The students receive over $70,000 in scholarships in large part from local businesses. Evidence of higher education partnerships are found in the collaboration with the community college to increase course offerings, the New Heights program that works in conjunction with the experiential classroom, and the school’s willingness to support small class sizes so it can offer AP electives such as calculus. Several college representatives visit the school throughout the year, organized by the guidance counselor. The productive parent, community, business, and higher education partnerships created at Traip Academy enable students to expand their learning beyond the walls of the school in their acquisition of 21st century learning expectations. (parents, panel presentation, facilities director, teachers, school leadership team, self-study) Commendations: 1. The facilities director and his staff who take ownership and pride in the maintenance of the buildings and grounds 2. The computer technologist who provides timely and meaningful support to students and staff in the integration of technology across the curriculum 3. The strong technology infrastructure and support throughout the school 4. The efforts made by the professional staff to engage parents and families as partners in each student’s education 5. The many opportunities for parental, community, and business partnerships 6. The school committee, superintendent, and administrators for their continuous efforts to garner support from the community for the school budget as well as their collaborative efforts to stretch limited funding to ensure that instructional impacts of lean budget years were minimal Recommendations: 1. Ensure automated door access for handicapped students 2. Alleviate the tripping hazard in the music room caused by damaged carpeting 3. Continue to upgrade fire doors throughout the building 52

4. Develop a long range plan regarding possible changes needed in staffing, programs, and services due to students not meeting learning proficiencies and enrollment changes

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FOLLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITIES This comprehensive evaluation report reflects the findings of the school's self-study and those of the visiting committee. It provides a blueprint for the faculty, administration, and other officials to use to improve the quality of programs and services for the students in R. W. Traip Academy. The faculty, school board, and superintendent should be apprised by the building administration yearly of progress made addressing visiting committee recommendations. Since it is in the best interest of the students that the citizens of the district become aware of the strengths and limitations of the school and suggested recommendations for improvement, the Committee requires that the evaluation report be made public in accordance with the Committee's Policy on Distribution, Use and Scope of the Visiting Committee Report. A school's initial/continued accreditation is based on satisfactory progress implementing valid recommendations of the visiting committee and others identified by the Committee as it monitors the school's progress and changes which occur at the school throughout the decennial cycle. To monitor the school's progress in the Follow-Up Program the Committee requires that the principal of R. W. Traip Academy submit routine Two- and Five-Year Progress Reports documenting the current status of all evaluation report recommendations, with particular detail provided for any recommendation which may have been rejected or those items on which no action has been taken. In addition, responses must be detailed on all recommendations highlighted by the Committee in its notification letters to the school. School officials are expected to have completed or be in the final stages of completion of all valid visiting committee recommendations by the time the Five-Year Progress Report is submitted. The Committee may request additional Special Progress Reports if one or more of the Standards are not being met in a satisfactory manner or if additional information is needed on matters relating to evaluation report recommendations or substantive changes in the school. To ensure that it has current information about the school, the Committee has an established Policy on Substantive Change requiring that principals of member schools report to the Committee within sixty days (60) of occurrence any substantive change, which negatively impacts, on the school's adherence to the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. The report of substantive change must describe the change itself and detail any impact, which the change has had on the school's ability to meet the Standards for Accreditation. The Committee's Substantive Change Policy is included in the Appendix on page xx. All other substantive changes should be included in the Two- and Five-Year Progress Reports and/or the Annual Report, which is required of each member school to ensure that the Committee office has current statistical data on the school. The Committee urges school officials to establish a formal follow-up program at once to review and implement all findings of the self-study and valid recommendations identified in the evaluation report. An outline of the Follow-Up Program is available in the Committee’s Accreditation Handbook, which was given to the school at the onset of the self-study. Additional direction regarding suggested procedures and reporting requirements is provided at Follow-Up Seminars offered by Committee staff following the on-site visit. The visiting committee extends its heartfelt thanks to the Kittery community for the hospitality and warm welcome. We found all stakeholders to be honest, frank, and committed to continuous improvement for R. W. Traip Academy.

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APPENDIX A

R. W. Traip Academy NEASC Accreditation Visit November 16 – 19, 2014 Visiting Committee Dr. Linda Van Wagenen, Chair Plainville Community Schools Plainville, CT 06062

Debbie Gahm Lake Region High School Naples, ME 04055

Dean Hall, Assistant Chair Lisbon High School Lisbon Falls, ME 04252

Chandele Gray Buckfield Junior-Senior High School Buckfield, ME 04220

Rebecca Balfour Hollis Brookline High School Hollis, NH 03049

Kaitlyn Haase Biddeford High School Biddeford, ME 04005

Dr. Will Burrow Regional School Unit 4 Sabattus, ME 04280

Trudy Hanson Winthrop High School Winthrop, ME 04364

Meghan Casey Yarmouth High School Yarmouth, ME 04096

Stuart Palmer Mt. Ararat High School Topsham, ME 04086

Dan Clifford Bucksport High School Bucksport, ME 04416

Lawrence Peters, Jr. Sacopee Valley High School Hiram, ME 04041

Allan Crocker Boothbay Region High School Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

Win Phillips Cape Elizabeth High School Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107

Jennifer Fox Lisbon High School Lisbon Falls, ME 04252

Torrey Poland Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School South Paris, ME 04281

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APPENDIX B

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOLS & COLLEGES Committee on Public Secondary Schools

SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE POLICY Principals of member schools must report to the Committee within sixty (60) days of occurrence any substantive change in the school, which has a negative impact on the school's ability to meet any of the Committee's Standards for Accreditation. The report of a substantive change must describe the change itself as well as detail the impact on the school’s ability to meet the Standards. The following are potential areas where there might be negative substantive changes, which must be reported: -

elimination of fine arts, practical arts and student activities

-

diminished upkeep and maintenance of facilities

-

significantly decreased funding

-

cuts in the level of administrative and supervisory staffing

-

cuts in the number of teachers and/or guidance counselors

-

grade level responsibilities of the principal

-

cuts in the number of support staff

-

decreases in student services

-

cuts in the educational media staffing

-

increases in student enrollment that cannot be accommodated

-

takeover by the state

-

inordinate user fees

-

changes in the student population that warrant program or staffing modification(s) that cannot be accommodated, e.g., the number of special needs students or vocational students or students with limited English proficiency

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APPENDIX C

R. W. Traip Academy Commendations: Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations 1. The extensive work on the Vision for the Future document with student and community involvement which served as the basis for development of Traip’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations 2. The program decisions including the success center, senior capstone, humanities bridges, and the combined math and science course, that highlight the beliefs that all students can and want to learn and that all students learn in different ways and different time frames 3. The willingness of the administration and school committee to make policy changes and resource allocation decisions that support the beliefs reflected in the Vision and that are beginning to be reflected in the culture of the school 4. The strong use of research and stakeholder input in the development of the 21st century learning expectations as well as the support of these expectations by the school committee 5. The posting of the 21st century learning expectations in all rooms of the school and on the school website Curriculum 6. The TODCM program that provides a common template, is simple to navigate, and has the potential to display clear curriculum maps 7. The humanities courses, the co-taught math and science course, and the experiential classroom that exemplify authentic and/or cross-disciplinary learning opportunities 8. The use of technology in some courses, particularly the flipped classroom model 9. The expanded learning opportunities available for all students 10. The district’s commitment to providing summer academies for purposes of curriculum development under the direction of the district’s curriculum coordinator Instruction 11. The commitment of the faculty to build positive, productive relationships with students 12. The additional support and alternative strategies available to students to improve learning within the school day, including the willingness of staff to meet with students outside of class and the school day. 12. The availability humanities course and other purposely designed cross-disciplinary courses 13. The regular personalized and differentiated instruction 14. The expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) program and coordinator 15. The success center where students can engage in guided study to achieve learning targets in the new standards-based curriculum 16. The broad and integrated use of technology 17. The frequent use of formative assessment to adjust instruction 18. The variety and purposeful organization of group learning activities to engage students across the block and outside the school 57

19. The use of student feedback, both formal and informal, to improve instruction 20. The extensive efforts of staff to remain current in their content area Assessment of and for Learning 21. The commitment of teachers, administrators, and support staff to improve individual student outcomes 22. The frequent and effective communication of student achievement with parents 23. The development and use of unit-specific and course-specific rubrics 24. The wealth of timely and corrective feedback provided to students for the purpose of revising and improving learning 25. The use of formative assessment processes that enable teachers to adjust instruction to meet the needs of students 26. The use of specific questioning strategies which formatively assess student understanding within the classroom to adapt to specific student needs 27. The broad range of creative summative assessment practices that enable students to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways 28. The senior capstone project that requires graduating seniors to demonstrate proficiency on all 21st century learning expectations School Culture and Leadership 29. The safe, positive, respectful, and supportive culture at Traip Academy that results in shared ownership, pride, and high expectations for all 30. The equitable, inclusive nature of the school community and its commitment to heterogeneously grouped classes 31. The strong, positive relationships between students and teachers 32. The ongoing program through which each student has an adult in the school, in addition to the school counselor, who know the student well and assists the student in achieving the school's 21st century learning expectations 33. The student loads and class sizes that enable teachers to meet the learning needs of individual students and foster relationships 34. The strong Traip Academy advisory curriculum that promote 21st century learning expectations and relationships among students and staff 35. The commitment and support of the school committee for the programs that promote the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations 36. The commitment of teachers to participate in summer institutes for the improvement of school programs 37. The collaborative, reflective, and constructive relationships among the school board, superintendent, and principal in support of the achievement of the school’s 21st century learning expectations

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School Resources for Learning 38. The personal, academic, career, and college counseling providing by the guidance department 39. The numerous intervention programs and strategies designed to help students achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations 40. The guidance department’s program to bring in alumni to discuss their collegiate experiences with students 41. The dramatic increase (from 53 percent to 88 percent) in the percentage of R.W. Traip Academy students attending post-secondary schools over the past 10 years 42. The success center designed to assist freshman students in the achievement of the competencies as well as the school’s 21st century learning expectations 43. The use of technology to coordinate services as needed and to disseminate and maintain information about individual students via websites, newsletters, Infinite Campus, and a pilot program for Naviance 44. The collaboration between the nurse, the school resource officer, the assistant principal, and the local hospital to provide services in the community on a variety of health-related issues 45. The collaboration between the nurse and the health teacher in instructing health-related topics including sexuality, substance abuse, and mental health Community Resources for Learning 46. The facilities director and his staff who take ownership and pride in the maintenance of the buildings and grounds 47. The computer who provides timely and meaningful support to students and staff in the integration of technology across the curriculum 48. The strong technology infrastructure and support throughout the school 49. The efforts made by the professional staff to engage parents and families as partners in each student’s education 50. The many opportunities for parental, community, and business partnerships 51. The school committee, superintendent, and administrators for their continuous efforts to garner support from the community for the school budget as well as their collaborative efforts to stretch limited funding to ensure that instructional impacts of lean budget years were minimal

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Recommendations: Core Values, Beliefs, and Learning Expectations 1. Ensure that all members of the school community have embraced, are committed to, and can articulate the core values and beliefs that were extracted from the Vision for the Future document 2. Develop and implement a plan for ongoing review and revision of the core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations, based on research, multiple data sources and taking care to include parent, student and teacher voices in the process 3. Ensure that the school’s core values, beliefs, and 21st century learning expectations are actively reflected in the culture of the school, drive curriculum, instruction, and assessment in every classroom, and guide the school’s policies, procedures, decisions, and resource allocations Curriculum 4. Develop and implement a plan to complete the curriculum using a common format that includes units of study with essential questions, concepts, content, and skills; the school’s 21st century learning expectations; instructional strategies; and assessment practices that include the use of school-wide analytic and course-specific rubrics 5. Develop and implement a plan to ensure alignment between the written and taught curriculum 6. Develop and implement a plan to ensure that there is effective curricular coordination and vertical articulation between and among all academic areas within the school as well as with sending schools in the district 7. Develop and implement a plan to build the collection of print and non-print resources of the library media center to support the curriculum and to ensure that students have ample opportunity to practice and apply the school’s 21st century learning expectations 8. Develop and implement a curriculum review and revision cycle to ensure that the school’s professional staff has ample time and financial resources for ongoing and collaborative development, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum. 9. Ensure that all curriculum revision reflects current research and responds to assessment results Instruction 10. Establish formal opportunities for teachers to examine student work and assessment data to drive instructional change 11. Dedicate time in formal opportunities for teachers to engage in professional discourse and examine current research to improve instruction 12. Develop and implement professional development around technology, including using peer teachers and students as resources for technology education 13. Ensure personalization, differentiation, and high-level thinking instruction in nonhonors level classes Assessment of and for Learning 14. Develop and implement a formal process, based on the school-wide rubrics, to assess whole-school and individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations 60

15. Develop and implement a plan to communicate individual student progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to students and their families on a regular basis 16. Develop and implement a plan to communicate the school’s progress in achieving the school’s 21st century learning expectations to the school community 17. Adopt and implement a protocol for collecting, disaggregating, and analyzing student data to identify and respond to inequities in student achievement 18. Clearly, explicitly, and consistently use the language of the 21st century learning expectations in communicating unit-specific learning goals to students 20. Ensure that teachers collaborate regularly in formal ways on the creation, analysis, and revision of formative and summative assessments, including common assessments 21. Develop the capacity of teachers to use technology in order to provide feedback for students in a more efficient manner 22. Ensure that teachers and administrators collaborate to examine student work and assessment data for the purpose of revising curriculum and improving instructional practice 23. Ensure that grading and reporting practices are regularly reviewed and revised to ensure alignment with the school’s core values and beliefs about learning School Culture and Leadership 24. Develop and implement a comprehensive K-12 professional development plan to meet the needs of teachers in areas such as improving instruction, integrating technology, using data to drive curriculum and instruction, and the use of the school-wide rubrics 25. Expand or make explicit the opportunities for all teachers to be involved in meaningful ways in decision-making at the school 26. Examine the organization of time in the school to increase opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively both within and across departments 27. Implement a research-based evaluation and supervision process 28. Develop and implement a program to promote student leadership and to provide them with more decision-making ability 29. Ensure instructional leadership is explicitly rooted in the school’s core values, beliefs, and learning expectations School Resources for Learning 30. Develop and implement a long-term plan to ensure that the library media center becomes a center for learning and research as students practice and achieve the school’s 21st century learning expectations 31. Develop and implement a plan for teachers and the library media specialist to work together to develop curriculum that will be rich in the inclusion of library information skills in support of the Common Core State Standards as well as the school’s 21st century learning expectations 32. Improve the library’s informational text collection as well as the collection of ebooks

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33. Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of library media services, guidance, health and support services, gathering feedback from all stakeholders, to improve services and ensure that each student achieves the school’s 21st century learning expectations 34. Develop and implement a plan to use technology as a tool for storing, maintaining, and easy access to student health records Community Resources for Learning 35. 36. 37. 38.

Ensure automated door access for handicapped students Alleviate the tripping hazard in the music room caused by damaged carpeting Continue to upgrade fire doors throughout the building Develop a long range plan regarding possible changes needed in staffing, programs, and services due to students not meeting learning proficiencies and enrollment changes

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