Chardon High School

School Information

School Name:  Chardon High School
School Address:  151 Chardon Ave., Chardon, OH 44024
School Phone:  440-285-4057
School Fax:  440-285-9463
Principal:  Andy Fetchik
Principal E-Mail: ch_fetchik@lgca.org

Demographics
Number of Students:  1,151
Number eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch:  6%
Percent of Limited English Proficient:  0.3%
Percent of Special Education:  11.5%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

• White (97%)
• Black (<1%)
• Hispanic (<1%)
• Asian/Pacific Island (<1%)
• Other (<1%)

Present Student Achievement Data in at least three points to demonstrate trends – for example, three consecutive years or the first, third, and fifth years. The data report should always include the most recent school year and should always offer a basis of comparison (for example, state scores, national scores, similar SES schools).

Scale: % at or above proficient

Source: OH Dept. of Education, 2005–2006

Scores reflect Chardon School % compared to State %

Grade 10

Grade 10	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Reading	98%	98%	98%/89%	97%/87%	98.4/91.9
Science	n/a	n/a	90%/73%	89%/72%	92.5/72.8
Writing	n/a	96%	97%/88%	98.9%/89%	99.3/85.2
Math	93%	94%	96%/83%	92%/81%	97.5/79

Grade 11

Grade 11	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Reading	n/a	n/a	98%/94%	98%/93%	98.4/91.9
Science	n/a	n/a	94%/83%	96%/84%	96.1/83.6
Writing	n/a	n/a	98%/92%	98%/93%	99.6/93
Math	n/a	n/a	97%/89%	97%/89%	96.1/88.2

 

About the Tests

• In 2005–2006 Ohio used the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT) to test students in grades 10 and 11 in reading, writing, math, science and social studies.
• The results for reading, writing, math and science are displayed on GreatSchools profiles.
• Beginning with the class of 2007, the OGT will be a high school graduation requirement, replacing the Ninth-Grade Proficiency Test.
• The OGT is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined by the state of Ohio.
• The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test.

 

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

During the state graduation testing in 2007, our special needs students did not do well in math. Last year we put a plan in place to provide intervention for these students. We used our existing intervention strategies and provided time for these special needs students to work with a teacher two-three days a week during the school day. The students spent approximately four months working with these teachers in preparation for the Ohio Graduation Test. In 2007 we had 52% of our special needs students pass the math test. In 2008, we had 87.5% pass the math test. It is clear from these results that providing time and support to these students during the school day worked.

 

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.

Our weekly subject area team meetings have provided the staff the time to discuss, and plan instruction, write common assessments and analyze the results of these assessments. For the past four years, the teachers have continually improved what they do in the classroom and how they work together. Their weekly “feedback” sheets clearly documents how all of their students are doing and provides each team member with the information (data) that they need. Whether the results are positive or negative, the teams have been able to talk and plan how to proceed.

Our Pyramid of Interventions that we have implemented has provided a positive “safety net” for our students. We have cut down the number of freshmen who do not make it out of ninth grade significantly through our Freshmen Mentoring Program. Our monitoring of their academic progress every three weeks allows us to help them succeed before it’s too late. Helping any student stay organized and complete assignments through our guided study program has allowed more students to pass their courses and experience success. We offer math lab every period of the day where students may go to receive assistance or they may be assigned. Our math teachers provide this intervention for the students.

 

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

Giving teachers the opportunity to collaborate within their contractual day on instruction by subject area has allowed them to really follow and discover whether their students are learning. We use short-cycle assessments, 5–10 questions per common assessment, per team. We have found that this allows 1. The teachers to grade and discuss their findings in a timely basis. 2. The students receive the assessment information back in a timely manner. 3. The teachers may adjust their instruction before it is time to move on to another topic.

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

Freshmen Mentoring Program: By reviewing individual progress reports and report cards every three weeks for our ninth graders, we are able to catch kids who in the past may have “fallen through the cracks.” Our faculty advisors (teachers) in each freshmen group go over the progress report/report card with each freshman individually. If a student is failing or performing poorly, one of our senior mentors is assigned to help that particular student for at least three weeks. Each group of freshmen has one faculty advisor and five senior mentors. (We have 12 “advisories” with approximately 20–25 freshmen, 1 faculty advisor, and five senior mentors—60 mentors all together. Our mentoring program meets every day.) Each student receives a ½ credit in Personal and School Management. This is a course offered through our Family and Consumer Science Department. This teacher visits the “advisories” as we call them, and with the assistance of the five senior mentors, teaches mini-lessons. Our guidance counselors meet with the freshmen twice a week in discussion groups during this time as well.

Guided study: This intervention is offered every period of the day, before and after school for any student who is struggling in completing assignments and staying organized. An adult monitors the students and makes sure that they are keeping up and completing their assignments. Weekly assignments from a child’s teacher are sent electronically to the monitor at the beginning of each week. The students who are referred to guided study have their progress reports/report cards reviewed by the principal and monitor every three weeks. Before and after school, we have teachers who are available for students who do not have time within their schedule for guided study.

Academic Labs : Instead of study hall or cafeteria duty, our math, science, social studies, foreign language and special education teachers are available to help any student who needs assistance in their class. We also will assign students to a specific lab, if they have not passed the graduation test in this area.

National Honor Society Tutoring: Every period of the day, students are available to tutor students. One of our guidance counselors organizes and assigns students based on the requests of teachers and/or students seeking help.

Good Friend: Each spring, our counselors receive the names of “at-risk” eight graders who are coming up to the high school the following year. One of counselors assigns these students a “Good Friend” at the high school. This is a teacher who is asked to take a special interest in this student. Our goal is to provide a chance for a positive relation for that child.

3. Building the capacity of teachers to work as members of high performing collaborative teams who focus the efforts of their team on improved learning for students.

For a school implementing collaborative teaming for the first time, I would start them out easy, but be specific. When we first implemented our teams, they received booklets prepared by me with each of their curriculums. They also received the Ohio State Standards booklet. To start out, I had them compare the two documents/booklets. They were supposed to highlight anything in the State Standards that was not in our curriculum. I asked them to make sure that they cover that standard/benchmark sometime during the year. As the year progressed, I reminded them (which they knew at the start) that they were supposed to write, administer, and analyze four common assessments. As each year has gone by, they have been able to compare their data from year to year, and they have now realized that more short-cycle assessments allows them to closely monitor student learning.

Each team completes a “learning log” or “feedback” form after every meeting. On the form the team will write a “SMART goal, write about topics, products, and outcomes. They may write or have concerns or questions. When they have their data/results, they provide those as well. I read all of these and reply via email. If I have a question or a compliment, I send that as well. These weekly forms allow me to keep track of what and how they are doing.

I attend the weekly meetings. I believe it is important for the teachers to know that the principal is interested, and values this collaborative time. I do not use their meetings as an evaluation tool, rather I sit in to listen, and answer questions.

 

List any Awards and Recognition Garnered by Your School

• 2007- Teachers and principal presented PLC program-at The Ohio School Improvement Institute in Columbus, OH
• 2005—Gene Wenger Building Excellence in Education Award from North Central Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.
• 1999–2007—Chardon High School has been rated an Excellent School by the State of Ohio on the State Report Card.
• 2006—Chardon High School presented PLC program at Blue Ribbon Schools Blueprint for Excellence Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.
• 2005—Chardon High School presented PLC program at North Central National Convention in Chicago.
• 2006—Teachers and principal presented PLC program at High School Transformation Conference at Cleveland State University.
• 2006—Keynote speaker at Ohio Association of Secondary Schools Administrators Assistant Principals Conference in Columbus, Ohio.