To the ASB Community:
Principal’s Report on the State
of Assumption-St. Bridget School
June 2005
School Progress
Report
During the 2005-2006 school year
we will again
have a
visiting team conduct an on-site visit for renewal
of our Northwest Association of
Schools and Colleges/Western Association of Catholic
Schools accreditation. This
means that
during the 2004-2005 school year we
conducted our self-study. Once again, it
is an appropriate time for me, from the administrator’s perspective, to reflect on the progress made on the school improvement (five-year) plan
developed by our community during the last
self-study. These are
the areas
that we, as
an entire community, identified as the key issues for our school. I encourage
you to reflect on our progress and
prepare to share
your thoughts in order to make our
year of preparation for the self-study productive. The first edition of this School Progress
Report was made
to the ASB community in May of 2003. Sentences in italics indicate
progress made by 2003-04. Underlined
sentences indicate progress made in the 2004-05 school year.
Faculty Attraction
and Retention:
- Enhance working environment: This goal
aimed at
enhancing the work environment
for faculty and staff
through a variety of strategies. All staff
now have phones and computers in their rooms, making email
and voicemail communications
more accessible and efficient.
With the introduction of wireless internet access
in the building as well as the previously stated
goal of providing computer access for home use, we should investigate a
laptop program for all teachers. We have added
lap tops for teachers who have
additional
administrative
duties or who move between rooms to teach.
With the addition
of rooms for music and drama,
those specialists no longer have to teach
all of their classes by moving from room to room.
- Provide competitive compensation: We have a salary scale
that is somewhat competitive with the state scale
and is extremely competitive
with other Catholic and private
schools. The scale and
stipends are not as competitive with the actual salary scales
and compensation structures of actual local
school districts. The School
Commission and Governance Council have
supported continuing to keep salaries at
a steady
increase. This has
resulted in a very low teacher turnover rate.
In the current
school year, the ASB salary scale
and benefits are very competitive with Seattle Public Schools. We still are
not, however, comparable when including the additional pay
structures available
to public school teachers. This
is an area that
could be identified as one that we want
to continue to address in our
next school improvement plan.
- Strengthen benefits program. This is an area that
could be enhanced by a strong endowment. The
school does place serious
weight on assisting staff to meet the extraordinary needs of their families
in times of crises or challenge. With the utilization of No Child Left Behind Funds in concert
with other Seattle Catholic Schools, teachers
have been able to pursue master’s
degrees and other professional development at
no personal cost.
- Encourage
professional development
efforts: We have
consistently addressed this area
in a very proactive manner. Professional
development funds for workshops and
classes, as
well as to help offset costs
for graduate
degree classes, are available
to staff. Additionally,
professional development
instruction has been made available
to the entire staff in areas
such as the integration of technology in the classroom, addressing
the needs of all learners, and
developing core values. This is a
commitment that I believe
should be a sacrosanct
budget item each year. Through “No Child Left Behind” funds, as well as
operating funds, the school has expanded
faculty development to include ethics
across the curriculum training during the summer of 2003. We have
committed to scheduling additional training
in this area as
well as in differentiated instructional
strategies during the summer of
2004. Three teachers are
being supported by these funds in master’s
degree programs at no cost to themselves of the school. The school has taken
the leadership in planning a
deanery series of inservices around best practices
in instruction. Additionally, two more staff
members have begun master’s programs
funded through Twenty-first Century Learning. Additionally,
three teachers have undergone training
to create a school ministry team,
which aims to ensure Catholic identity, traditions
and practices
in the school.
Curriculum
- Articulate and refine outcomes: Part the growth and improvement process
of any healthy organization is the continual reflection upon and
refinement of its outcomes and goals. We have dedicated ourselves to that
process, working as an entire faculty directed by a three person curriculum
committee.
- We developed our School-wide
Learning Expectations using three documents: our revised mission statement, our
revised philosophy and our graduation goals. For the mission and philosophy
statements, as well as our SLE’s, input and comment was sought during
2003-04 from faculty and staff, parents, students, School Commission,
Parent Board, and Governance Council. During the shareholders’ meetings in
the fall of 2004 parish and community members will also have the
opportunity for input and comment.
- During the 2003-04
school year, we have assigned
committees to examine, articulate
and, if needed, establish graduation and
grade level outcomes (what students should know and
be able to do) for each academic discipline. The process involved working in
committees, as grade level teams,
and as
an entire faculty and
staff. The faculty
and staff
dedicated innumerable hours to this process, and we will have
working drafts for every area
by the end of the school year. We
will refine these during the coming two years. Social
studies and religion will be
our academic
areas
for focus for the self-study. And
it is clear from the results of
our self-study process that we
have to develop a more specific and
systematic social studies curriculum. Furthermore, we need to have a
more thorough and systematic process for communicating
among teachers
about what
is being taught in religion at each
grade level.
These are
areas
also need to be addressed as
a part
of our self-study:
Ø There is an
interest on the part of some parents to incorporate
foreign language throughout all
grades. While it has
been suggested that this could be
done by volunteers or as a part of
centers, we need to seriously consider 1) if we should add
a language and
what it would entail, and
2) how to offer a language at levels and
in ways that
are commensurate
with our school standards for other disciplines. While there was
some serious interest about this
topic at the community forum, it did
not come out as a wide interest or concern in the community survey. This will be addressed
in our curriculum work over the next five years.
Ø Thinking skills outcomes across grade levels should be articulated. This
will be addressed in our ongoing
curriculum work.
Ø Teacher professional development objectives should be developed in view of our
School-wide Learning Expectations and
school improvement plan (next five
year plan).
Note:
As we employ measurable School-wide
Learning Expectations and
curriculum outcomes that are clearly
articulated,
we know that many
of the ideals, qualities and
values that
we seek to live out with our students will not necessarily
be measurable
in the same ways
that reading,
writing and mathematic skills are
assessed. We have
found, however, that students can understand
and do have
the ability to identify where and how School-wide Learning
Expectations are
addressed in their learning.
Improve curriculum
communication:
At the
completion of our curriculum work, we will produce a document that will give an
explanation of curricular goals, expectations and outcomes for each discipline
as well as providing an overview for each grade. This is a document that we will include in our family
handbook. We also will maintain a practice with middle school
progress reports that identifies the skills and content covered during each
grading period and how the student has progressed in those areas. We have maintained
the reading and writing continua as both a teaching and communication structure
for grades K-5.
- Create
a special
needs task force: we have
expanded our efforts to
identify, serve and track students with special
learning needs. One of our most intense efforts involved
bringing in a learning specialist,
Cindy Lehman,
to assist faculty in identifying learning
needs or deficits; accommodating these needs; and
referring parents to more specialized services when indicated.
This process of inservice for teachers
needs to continue as we refine
our skills and strategies for teaching
all of the students in our classrooms.
We, like many schools,
find that students come to
school presenting a wide variety of learning
challenges and struggles.
In our school with highly capable students and
with such high expectations, it
is critical that we do not let bright students who have learning
challenges struggle unnecessarily. Individualizing instructional
strategies and activities
needs to be part of the
repertoire of every teacher. To
meet this goal we are undertaking
a professional development program
in differentiated instruction. In the summer of 2004 first grade teacher,
Jeanette
Hurley, undertook training
in Slingerland instructional methodology.
During the 2004-05 school year,
Mrs. Hurley instituted an
instructional support program for first grade. She will continue working with these
students as second graders.
In the summer of 2005 kindergarten
teachers, Ann Nachtigal and
Ann Hawksford, will also receive Slingerland
training. The administration would like to have
all primary
teachers trained in Slingerland
as well as
in additional instructional
support techniques. We continue to
seek opportunities to assist teachers to understand
and to implement differentiation of instruction.
Parish and School
Relations:
- Religious development with parishes:
Since
this objective was established there has
been a change
of leadership twice at Assumption and
once at St. Bridget. Both of the current pastors extend themselves to ensure that they are
knowledgeable about what
is happening with the school and communicating
back parish
information. Kathy Kane
has served as the liaison
with the parishes, working most
extensively with Assumption Parish. There are
distinct differences in sacramental
preparation
and liturgical practices
in the parishes, providing an ongoing challenge
to the school as we work to
integrate religious development
activities. The principal
has made
a concerted effort in weekly
letters to highlight the roles that
parenting and participating in a
faith community have in the formation
of religious values,
sensitivities and beliefs. The Development Committee is actively pursuing avenues
to create structures that would enhance
the spiritual development of parents and
consultative bodies. During the 2004-05 school year, Robin Hendricks
has taken
on the role of liaison with the parishes. Challenges
still remain in operating as
a co-parish
school and there continues to
need to be a clarification
of the relationship of the
school to each parish and
the parishes to one another regarding
the school and its operations.
The parish councils and governance
council are dealing with these issues.
Development
- Publish an annual report; increase
donor fund base; increase development office staff
and resources: These have
been very successfully implemented since the five year
plan was
established. Clearly
the increase in the donor base and
the actual
dollars raised
by the annual fund are
commendable. Additionally,
the energy and commitment of
the volunteer development committee is unparalleled in any
school of which I am aware. There still needs to be an effort to increase
office space for staff. We have,
however, realigned
responsibilities for office personnel to enhance
efficiency and focus of
responsibilities between development, business and
public relations functions of
the office. SCRIP has increased dramatically
during the current year through
the efforts of a four woman team,
who have divided up the
responsibilities for the program. For the past
three years the net profit from
SCRIP has grown.
- Start
a planned
giving program and create an
endowment program These goals need to be examined
and reevaluated in light of both the needs of the school and the capital activities
of both parishes. Both of these are
critical to our financial
stability. Phil Vanderhoef,
development committee member, has
established a task
force to begin the process of creating
an endowment program. Parish capital campaigns must be considered in any development efforts by the school. In the spring
of 2005, the development committee established
the Annual Fund Committee,
whose primary purpose is to create avenues
and opportunities for enhancing the annual fund donations
beyond the parent and parish
community.
Facilities
- Review major maintenance needs: This is an ongoing process that
is becoming more refined. The loss
of our long-time plant manager,
Frank Fisher, as well as
the retirement of long-time custodian,
Bill Landeen, necessitated a
readjustment of plant management responsibilities that continues to evolve. Two very effective steps that have
been undertaken have been contracting
with outside agents to provide
grounds and janitorial
services. We still need to more
systematically manage ongoing, regular
and preventative maintenance activities. With the addition of a
full-time experienced plant manager,
we have identified and addressed
a number of long-term and major
maintenance
preventative actions.
We also brought the management
of the grounds back in-house in
June of 2003. In the spring of 2004 we hired
John West as maintenance
and plant
manager. In the spring of 2005 we created a
facilities and safety
committee comprised of construction and
facilities specialists from both parishes. They are
establishing a facilities
baseline manual;
short and long-term maintenance
priorities; and short and long-term facilities
plans.
An important
component of our facilities plan has
been the development and implementation of school-wide emergency preparedness plan. This plan
was developed under the direction of
professionals in both private and law enforcement who have
expertise in this area.
- Develop
improvement plans: We have
moved in this area more quickly than
anticipated
with the purchase of Mary’s House as
well as the projected two classrooms in the new parish
center and turning of the FAFC
over to the school entirely. These actions have
already
greatly helped in meeting program and
staff needs. Now that
the available footage
for building on the property will be effectively maxed
out, it will be necessary to
undertake a systematic
and thorough review of space availability. We need to have
a clear
vision of what is the best and maximal use of all
space available
to the school. Included in that
assessment should be a reasonable funding plan.
Any process should: consider a
variety of alternatives
that maximize
flexibility and function; clearly distinguish between needs, wants and
wishes; and reflect the five year plan.
This should be a focused
component of our self-study. We took possession of the two new rooms in the church
in the fall of 2004. While a
number of parents expected that the fourth grade
would move here, the rooms are
not adequate
for regular classrooms.
Drama and
music were assigned this space. We
have also
identified potential funding
sources for creating a more useable
and effective space for the arts,
which necessitates even more
clear planning. We have
had some controversy recently
fueled by needs, wants,
perceptions and misinformation.
We have made an
attempt to clearly lay
out what options and obstacles,
face us in making space
decisions. Music has
created a
sound problem for the parish
offices and we need to remedy
this. We also
want to continue to investigate our options for maximizing
and expanding
the space currently used for
fourth grade and extended care.
- Enhance
playground safety: A committee
did study playground safety and
developed procedures for safety. Staffing
during recess times has been
increased as well.
It might be well to examine
scheduling as a means
for reducing playground
congestion further. We will
continue to examine how we can enhance
recess given that we cannot remove the parking
lot.
Technology
We have, through the incredible generosity of parents, established
a wireless network. Additionally,
fund-an-item at
the auction provided nearly forty laptops
and three mobile carts to enhance
the availability to computers to our students. We have
revised our technology outcomes K-8 and
have become much more systematic in planning
for hardware
and software. We have
also increased
the number of staff members who can offer tech support to teachers
and to the system. We have
determined that we need to make our website even more user friendly as well as
a more effective means for communicating
and conducting business with parents. With
the introduction of the laptops as well as
the elimination of the computer lab, more teachers
are integrating
technology into their instruction, which creates
a need for more computers. Additionally,
the need to conduct so much school business on the computer means that
each teacher
should have access
to a laptop
regularly.
Continuing Initiatives and
Projects
v Emergency Preparedness Plan
o
Committee: Karen Hardy, Kathi Hand, Jeri-Su Prewitt,
Jeff Pozarski, Mike Foy, Tia McGinnis, Kathryn Almy, Moira Quint, Mark Howard,
and Mark Johns.
o
Purpose:
to enhance our emergency plan to include articulated procedures for emergency
contingencies including natural disasters, threat to safety, and building
hazards. This plan will be posted on the website and
published in the family handbook in the fall.
v Catholic values and parenting focus
o
Purpose: to systematically draw connections and reveal
opportunities for parents in helping them to instill Catholic and Christian
values and practices in their children.
v Ethics across the curriculum
o
Committee: Jeri-Su Prewitt, Trissa
Rauen, Mike Foy, and Kathi Hand
o
Purpose:
to enhance the integration of ethical thinking based in Catholic, Christian and
human values throughout the curriculum. This program will be expanded to grades K-5
with teacher training and materials provided.
o
Training: Ethics Across the Curriculum K-12/University
of San Diego, funded
by the Weigan Foundation.
v Business and financial operations coordination
o
Committee:
Lyndi Taylor, Diane Kocer, Moira
Quint and Maureen Broom
o
Purpose:
to incorporate all financial functions, including auction tracking, into one
data base and records-keeping system.
v Curriculum articulation across grade levels
o
Committee: Kathi Hand, Jeanette Hurley, Jeff Pozarski,
Mike Foy and ASB faculty/staff.
o
Purpose: to develop comprehensive School-wide Learning Expectations and refine grade level and
subject area outcomes for all academic areas.
v Parent education
o
Committee 1: Rhoda Berlin and Jeanette Whiting
o
Committee 2: Rhoda Berlin, Mike Foy and school
faculty/staff
o
Purpose: to provide information, speakers and support
to parents in areas of topical interest or expressed parental need.
Kindergarten reading readiness
o
Committee: Kathy Kane, Ann Nachtigal, Courtney Arthur, Ann
Hawksford, Lisa Balder and Anne Moshier
o
Purpose: to adjust the kindergarten reading curriculum
to meet the broader range of reading readiness of kindergarten students.
v Way to go/acts of kindness
o
Committee: Initiated by Robin Hendricks this program now
includes all staff and students who wish to participate.
o
Purpose: to recognize and name the ways that
individuals build community through reaching out to others in daily encounters.
v Summer programs
o
Committee for Summer Care: Mary Patneaude and
Robin Hendricks
o
Committee for Summer Learning: Mike Foy, Steve
Dougherty, Peter Folta, Jeff Pozarski, Jan Myers, and Kathleen Conklin.
o
Purpose: to provide support, enhancement and care for
students academically, socially and personally as well as to provide a safe and
productive place for students needing summer care/activities.
v Decision