Pomona High School

School Information

School Name: Pomona High School
District Name: Jefferson County Public Schools
School Address: 8101 West Pomona Drive, Arvada, Colorado  80005
School Phone: 303.982.0710
School Fax: 303.982.0709
Principal: Dan Cohan
Principal E-Mail: dcohan@jeffco.k12.co.us
Web Address: http://jeffco.k12.co.us/high/pomona/

Demographics

Number of Students: 1600
Percent Eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch: 20.1%
Percent of Limited English Proficient: 3%
Percent of Special Education:  11%
Racial/Ethnic Percentages:

• White: 73.7%
• Black: 3.2%
• Hispanic: 19.1%
• Asian/Pacific Island: 3%
• Other: 1%

 

Student Achievement Data:

This chart shows the Rankings in the state of Colorado for Growth on the Colorado Student Assessment Program for Pomona High School compared to all large high schools in the state.

 

	2006 Rank	2007 Rank	2008 Rank
Reading	8th	1st	2nd
Writing	2nd	1st	1st
Math	1st	1st	1st

The Colorado Department of Education now tracks the amount of “growth” every student achieves in the state in Reading, Writing and Math, relative to his/her peers who scored similarly the previous year.  Average growth (a “year’s worth of growth”) is the 50th percentile.  Pomona students have, on average, year after year, achieved much more than a year’s worth of growth in each grade and every measured area:  Reading, Writing and Math.  In fact, Pomona is in the Top 1% for growth scores in the state of Colorado for large high schools the last 3 years in all 3 areas:  Reading, Writing and Math.

Also, Pomona’s Low Income and Minority Students often have growth scores at or above their Pomona peers and well above state averages.  Please see the graph below:

This chart shows Pomona’s 9th grade performance on the CSAP compared to state averages.

Grade 9	2005 State, Pomona	2006 State, Pomona	2007 State, Pomona	2008 State, Pomona
Reading	65%, 70%	66%, 78%	66%, 79%	66%, 80%
Writing	52%, 50%	52%, 59%	49%, 56%	49%, 63%
Math	33%, 39%	38%, 48%	35%, 49%	38%, 50%

While Colorado state scores have been relatively stagnant or even falling, Pomona High School students have consistently improved performance on the CSAP every year.

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

We are committed to our collaboratively developed Mission Statement at Pomona High School, “We ensure the highest levels of learning while valuing every student…”  Our Vision is Graduation with Choices for the future for every Pomona student.

As a result, Pomona students are taking more Honors, AP and Dual Enrollment courses and are supported by teachers to be successful in these courses.  We have almost doubled the number of students taking these classes in just three years.  Also, the number of students taking AP tests has increased from 94 to 185.

In three years Pomona has reduced the following achievement gaps:

• 9th Grade Writing White-Hispanic Gap from 17 pts to 6 pts.
• 10th Grade Writing White-Hispanic Gap from 17 pts to 7 pts.
• 9th Grade Reading White-Hispanic Gap from 18 pts to 10 pts.

Double-digit increases, to 74%, in the percent of students feeling safe, accepted and free from discrimination, bullying and harassment, as indicated on the Make Your Voice Heard survey.

In Algebra 1, traditionally the class with the highest failure rates, Pomona’s failure rates have dropped more than 10%.

In four years, Suspensions have declined 30%, Attendance has improved 22% and Graduation Rates have risen 5%.

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

1. Monitoring student learning on a timely basis.

At Pomona High School, our students begin their high school learning program before high school starts.  We collaborate with the feeder middle schools during the 8th grade year to understand the learning strengths and weaknesses of all incoming 9th graders, then we identify over 100 incoming 9th graders (and growing every year) to attend a free summer “Jump Start” program before they start high school.  The students are taught specific Reading, Writing and Math skills by their future Pomona High School Language Arts and Math teachers.

On a weekly basis Pomona staff members analyze multiple sources of data from summative and formative assessments to improve instructional practices and student learning outcomes.  Throughout the year we analyze state assessment and growth data, ACT and PLAN scores, “Make Your Voice Heard” student survey results, Acuity™ (progress monitoring data), School Accountability Reports, AYP, grade data and failure rates, attendance information, and college remediation rates; often disaggregated to the individual student level.  We are, however, always cognizant of the dangers of “paralysis by analysis” and so we adhere tightly to another core value:  Keep It Simple and Monitor It.

Pomona has a comprehensive RTI model to monitor student learning on a timely basis and provide needed support.  See below.

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

Pomona has a comprehensive RTI model, in which we enlist various interventions to meet the individual learning and behavioral needs of every student.  RTI teams comprised of teachers, administrators, counselors, parents and the student meet to problem solve and determine the course of action. 

Over four years, we have collaboratively developed and implemented numerous interventions and cocurricular programs that support the curriculum while meeting individual student learning needs.   We have held tightly to the core value that targeted instruction by teachers or other experts that is not optional for students who need it will meet the additional learning needs of our most at risk students.  We also believe that credit saving is paramount to credit
recovery, such as extended learning opportunities versus traditional summer school.  The Pomona RTI Model, which has evolved from non-existent, now includes: 

• P.A.S.S. Center (Pomona Academic Support Center): A center in the library staffed by teachers to support all students, grades 9 – 12, whenever students need additional time and support, and/or whenever a student is not reaching his/her potential.  Some students are assigned to the PASS center, while others can drop in.  Students move in and out of the PASS center as needs are met. 
• Advisory/Recitation:  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, all students are assigned an advisory/recitation class with a teacher to get additional time and support.  During Advisory, the teacher will check individual student academic and social needs, while providing necessary support and guidance.  Then, during Recitation, students may be allowed or required to visit their regular class teachers for additional learning help.
• Jump Start:  A mandatory summer program for incoming 9th graders focusing on Reading, Writing and Math.
• Week 37:  Identified students not meeting standards continue their school year into the summer and are retaught and reassessed.
• Study Hall:  From non-existent, to 9th graders only, to all 9th and 10th graders.
• PAH:  Pomona Arts and Humanities program for talented and motivated arts students;
• Pomona-Net:  Online credit recovery program offered free during the school day;
• Read 180:  A prescriptive, double-dosing reading program for students 2 grades or more below grade level.
• CU-Succeeds:  Dual enrollment program offered in the four core areas plus world languages.

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

At Pomona High School, Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment serve as the vehicle for translating professional development into individual student learning.  We have implemented a standards-based, “guaranteed and viable” curriculum (Marzano).  Our PLC/content teams meet weekly and work on using the curriculum documents to establish essential learnings for each unit, learning goals for each class period, and active learning opportunities based on best practices.   The learning goals are posted and communicated, and serve as the focus of every lesson, allowing teachers to progress monitor student mastery of essential learnings and provide classroom-based interventions.

The Pomona administrative team serves as Learning Leaders.  Collaboratively with the staff we have developed new evaluation and observation forms and established “partnerships” that require regular administrative participation in department meetings and weekly PLC/content team work. 

We have evolved from two disorganized decision-making groups with little student or parent involvement to a clearly defined, collaborative structure involving all stakeholder groups and marked by more flexibility, a focus on data and school goals, and a commitment to our mission, vision and core values.

All teams, including administrators, now meet at least weekly and focus professional development on modeling the “L” in PLC through progress monitoring of student achievement data, goal development and analysis of best instructional practices.  Each team has the autonomy and resources to implement additional needs, including release days, training, new materials and expert coaches.

List awards and recognitions your school has achieved:

-Pomona is in the Top 1% for growth scores in the state of Colorado for large high schools the last 3 years in all 3 areas:  Reading, Writing and Math.

-School of Distinction Award:  Pomona High School, 2008-2009, Colorado Department of Education.  Awarded to Top Performing Schools on the Colorado Growth Model based on the Colorado Student Assessment Program.

-Accredited - High Performing School 3-Year Recognition:  Pomona High School moved from “Academic Probation” and almost losing its accreditation in 2004-2005 to the highest rating – “Accredited - High Performing” three years in a row, from 2005 – 2008 (2009 results not yet available.)

-High Academic Performance/High Academic Growth Recognition:  Pomona High School has earned this rating from the Colorado Department of Education based on state standardized test results (CSAP.)

-Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Achievement:  May 4th, 2009 – City of Arvada, CO
 
-Creative School of Excellence Award:  Pomona High School, 2007-2008, Kennedy Center Alliance for the Arts

-Celebration of Excellence Award:  Pomona High School, Fall 2008, Jefferson County Public School District

-School of Recognition:  Pomona High School, 2007-2008, 9News-KUSA, Colorado