Bulkeley High School, Lower School

School Information

School Name: Bulkeley High School, Lower School
District Name: Hartford Public Schools
School Address:  300 Wethersfield Ave, Hartford, CT, 06114
School Phone:  860.695.1000
School Fax: 860.722.6601
Principal:  Oscar Padua
Principal E-Mail:  paduo001@hartfordschools.org
Web Address: http://www.hartfordschools.org/

Demographics

Number of Students: 704
Number eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:   100% (CT - 30%)
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  22%
Percent of Special Education:  18%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

• White: 5%
• Black:  20%
• Hispanic: 63%
• Asian/Pacific Island:  <1%
• Other: 11%

Student Achievement Data

Percentage of Students Passing: Bulkeley/State of CT

Grade 5	Math	Reading	Writing	Science	Social Studies
2003-04	82/80	90/80	75/80	80/88	87/90
2004-05	85/86	92/85	78/84	84/83	89/88
2005-06	84/80	94/80	85/80	89/84	92/90
2007-08	40/80	49/83	42/81	62/88	NA

Please feel free to comment on any aspect of the data that you feel is particularly significant.

The 2008-2009 school year was the first year of  Bulkeley High School’s redesign into the New American High School model which divided the school into two smaller schools: The Upper School (11th and 12th grade) and the Lower School (9th and 10th grade).  In 2009 the percentage of students scoring at Proficiency for Math in Connecticut Academic Performance Tests (CAPT) increased by 19.7 %.  This increase was a result of the focus group intervention system that was implemented for Math during the 2008-2009 school year. Therefore, during school year 2009-2010, the focus group intervention system was implemented for all subject areas and resulted in significant increases in the percentage of students scoring at Proficiency.  These increases ranged from 9.5% to 20.3%  across the subject areas.   Furthermore, between the 2009 CAPT and 2010 CAPT, all required AYP sub-groups showed an increase in the percentage of Proficiency scores. Increases from these sub-groups ranged from 10.6% to 30%. 

These increases reflect the following changes in the school between school years 2009 and the present: The use of interdisciplinary and curricular area teaming; The use of academic intervention focus groups and micro focus groups, (which allowed teachers and students to target specific skills in a decreased student to teacher ratio setting), the implementation of academic reviews for teachers and students, and the creation of the “Got Points” system, which allowed for continual monitoring of individual student progress by students, teachers, and administrators.  In addition, the “Got Points” system allows students to understand how a scale score can be converted into a raw score and teaches students how to use data and school wide strategies to increase their achievement.  This process teaches students how to effectively use data for their own learning.

The following represents the percentage increase of Bulkeley students versus the state in each subject area from 2008-2010:

Math: Bulkeley 38% versus  State -1%
Reading: Bulkeley 21%  versus State -1%
Science: Bulkeley 6% versus State +1%
Writing: Bulkeley 0% versus State -2%

Please present any additional information that indicates your efforts to build a professional learning community have had a positive impact upon students and/or teachers.

Teachers are grouped in grade level teams and content area data teams. During the school day grade level teams meet four times per week, while content area teams meet once a week in order to analyze and evaluate the needs of individual students, as evidenced by student work, unit exams, baseline assessments and Common Formative Assessment. Teachers use this data to determine the best strategies to meet student needs. Teams also analyze and evaluate individual student’s academic progress as it relates to mastering the school wide instructional strategies.  At these meetings parents and students are invited to express their input and concerns.  This process results in the creation and implementation of individual student learning plans.

Teachers regularly participate in academic review sessions and lesson studies. During grade level and content area meetings, teachers collaboratively analyze the data from the academic reviews and lesson studies to identify strategies for improving instruction.  In addition to academic reviews, administration conducts walkthroughs using a rubric reporting system.  The data is shared with teachers for the enhancement of instruction. All teachers use data walls for continuous monitoring of student progress.  Curriculum and instruction are adjusted accordingly. 

The school has a Teacher Leadership Team.  This team of master teachers works closely with administration to analyze the school wide learning data and identify research based strategies and create systems of implementation that will best address the learning needs of the students.  These master teachers work with all staff on developing school academic goals and provide Professional Development based on the immediate needs of our staff.

Please elaborate strategies you have found to be effective in the following areas:

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Several systems are in place to monitor student learning.  Monthly diagnostic assessments are given in each curricular area. Student progress towards learning goals is monitored using a comprehensive school wide cross-curricular data wall. Each classroom has a data wall to monitor individual student progress within that content area. Performance PLUS, a data based computer program, enables teachers to use and input student scores to generate various reports for data driven decision making.   Additionally students are taught how to monitor their own progress and are provided with strategies to improve their levels of achievement.

Bulkeley High School, Lower School (BHSLS) is structured after the New American High School model.  Under this model student mastery of skills and standards is closely monitored which allows students to move into new skill sets at an individualized pace.   A system of progress monitoring follows a school wide curricular pacing guide that integrates time for re-teaching and re-assessment.

Additionally, baseline, mid-year and end-term assessments, which are in alignment with CAPT are part of the school’s formal plan to monitor individual student success and to determine power needs; Common Formative Assessments are used to gauge student progress in meeting these power needs. At BHSLS a rubric system that is aligned to the New American High School model is used. The staff has created units of study that replicate the rubrics that will be used to assess student mastery of skills. The creation of rubrics has provided staff with additional ways to focus in on monitoring student progress. These rubrics are used as a tool to assist students in reflecting on their academic work. The staff also uses standard unit assessments to determine level of skill mastery. This enables staff to create rubrics that measure students achieving the school’s academic expectations.

2. Creating systems of intervention to provide students with additional time and support for learning.

In school year 2009-2010, the school followed an extended day schedule.  During the 2010-2011 school year, an eleven-month program for the class of 2014 is being implemented.

BHSLS implements Response to Intervention using a system of focus groups based on the book The 5-Step Way to Raise the Test Scores: Using Data to Drive Your Instruction (Sort the Data, Target your Teaching, Add Practice Time, Respond to Individual Needs, See What Happens). In this system students who are identified as in need of academic assistance attend a focus group session during the school day.  The focus group session uses a two teacher to fifteen student ratio through which targeted instruction takes place.  Students in need of further academic support attend micro focus groups during their correlating content area class.  Micro focus groups consist of a student teacher ratio of no more than one teacher to three students and address the individual students’ identified lagging academic skills.

Students in the 9th and 10th grade whose reading skills are below grade level are placed in the reading intervention programs Scholastic System 44 and Scholastic Read 180. These programs use differentiated instruction, high interest literature, and student-centered software in order to address skills in phonics, reading, writing and vocabulary development. Data from these programs shows that students are increasing their reading scores by several grade levels.  As students’ reading skills increase, content area curriculum and instruction is adjusted.

An after school academic center is available to all students regardless of their academic needs.  The academic center is open every day for one hour after school.  Teachers from each subject area are available to assist students in learning content, homework or other academic needs.

3. Building teacher capacity to work as members of high performing collaborative teams that focus efforts on improved learning for all students.

Building teacher capacity is an on going area of concentration.  All teachers are part of interdisciplinary and content area teams which meet regularly during the school day. Allowing teachers of varying levels of experience and expertise to meet daily provides teachers the opportunity to learn from each other.  All teachers and support staff regularly participate in academic reviews.   The academic review is a monitoring process in which teachers reflect with each other and then with administration as to how their teaching practices and strategies are impacting the learning of all students.

Departments and content area data teams use an on going Common Formative Assessment model. The team collaborates in choosing specific, research based strategies and lessons to support the students’ mastering identified power needs.  Then a common formative assessment is given to measure the students’ progress.  Depending on the results of the assessment further instruction may be needed. Students who need supplemental tutoring and instruction are identified and mini lessons are created.  Students identified as needing further support attend focus groups, micro focus groups or tutorial assistance is given within the classroom. 

BHSLS recognizes that the professional needs of teachers vary. The Teacher Development Committee works to identify the capacity of each teacher and then creates appropriate differentiated professional development and peer coaching opportunities so that all teachers, regardless of experience and expertise can continue to grow. The Teacher Leadership Team with administration conducts daily walkthroughs.  During the walkthroughs a rubric is completed and is used to provide feedback to the teachers.

List any Awards and Recognition Garnered by Your School

- Rising Star Award for significantly improved scores in the Hartford Public School district
- AYP status put on hold due to increase on test scores