Haleyville City School Earns an Outstanding AdvancED Accreditation Score!
We are thrilled to announce that HCS has earned a very impressive AdvancED review Index of Educational Quality score of 373.87! The average score is between a 278 and a 283. What is AdvancED and what does this mean? That is a question commonly asked. AdvancED is the accreditation organization used by the State of Alabama and schools around the world to ensure that we are providing a quality and equitable education for all students. The AdvancED Team comes every 5 years to review our school and determine if we remain accreditation or not. Below you will find an explanation of the review process from AdvancED.
AdvancED Performance Accreditation and the Engagement Review Accreditation is pivotal to leveraging education quality and continuous improvement. Using a set of rigorous research-based standards, the accreditation process examines the whole institution—the program, the cultural context and the community of stakeholders—to determine how well the parts work together to meet the needs of learners. Through the AdvancED Accreditation Process, highly skilled and trained Engagement Review Teams gather first-hand evidence and information pertinent to evaluating an institution’s performance against the research-based AdvancED Performance Standards. Using these Standards, Engagement Review Teams assess the quality of learning environments to gain valuable insights and target improvements in teaching and learning. AdvancED provides Standards that are tailored for all education providers so that the benefits of accreditation are universal across the education community. Through a comprehensive review of evidence and information, our experts gain a broad understanding of institution quality. Using the Standards, the review team provides valuable feedback to institutions which helps to focus and guide each institution’s improvement journey. Valuable evidence and information from other stakeholders, including students, also are obtained through interviews, surveys, and additional activities.
HCS recently completed the review as outlined above and we are thrilled not only with one of the highest scores we have seen, but also with what the team thought about the work we do in HCS. Below you will see the summary the team wrote about our schools and district.
After the review of evidence, interviews, and classroom observations, the Engagement Review Team identified several themes that support the continuous improvement process for the Haleyville City Schools (HCS). These themes present strengths and opportunities to guide the improvement journey.
The extensive involvement of stakeholders in decision-making, as well as in providing feedback and input, is a critical component in the planning and operations processes of HCS. Through focused interviews with the governing board, superintendent, leadership, and teachers, it was broadly articulated that involvement at all levels is promoted and expected. Stakeholder survey results and collaboration developed the system’s mission and vision statements based on the social, emotional, and academic elements conducive to producing a productive individual in the community. The mission and vision statements are prominently posted on the walls in each classroom and provide direction for decision-making. The system’s strategic plan, developed to implement the mission and vision, is truly a living document as stakeholders evaluate, monitor, and adjust it as needed three times a year. At the end of each school year, internal stakeholders attend a retreat to reflect on the previous school year and develop plans for the next year. Community partners, parents, and students confirmed their participation is promoted and expected. Focused community interviews acknowledged opportunities to serve on advisory councils and to provide financial support. Parents serve formally on Title I, code of conduct, and advisory committees, but also informally assisting as needed for classroom events. The system quality factors described additional parental involvement opportunities through events such as meet and greet, open house, parent university, English language (EL) parent night and the art/STEM expo. Students feel they have a voice in decision making at HCS through surveys and taste test days in the cafeteria. Community, parents, and students articulated multiple communications methods as well as an open-door policy of administrators.
A shared set of beliefs and values guides the decisions that are made at all levels of the organization and are manifested in the actions of the stakeholders. District administrators noted support and accountability from the bottom to the top. A board member said, “We will provide the best education we can for every child.” In her overview, the superintendent said, “At HCS, we believe that everything we do, and every decision made should be with the children’s best interest in mind. Therefore, we pour resources into our teachers and staff. They are the key to successful students.” While financial stability was evidenced, the system is committed to being purposeful with its resources, carefully aligning them to the system’s purpose and direction. District leadership interviews disclosed the application and use of grant monies to fund requests deemed “good for the students” but not funded in the budget. Another administrator explained ways HCS uses district personnel and resources to provide installations and repairs whenever possible rather than hire outside sources. The community fully supports the district sponsoring events such as Harvest of Hope at Thanksgiving and a “Fill the Truck” campaign. The community engages students in community service projects and provide resources for the backpack ministry. Teachers confirmed community support saying that a confidential phone call to community members will provide personal needs for students. Although survey results revealed that 90% of the students feel safe at school, and parent interviews substantiated school safety, the system has been proactive to hire a school resource officer (SRO) to ensure an even safer environment for the students. Such support demonstrates the commitment to ensure organizational and instructional effectiveness and reinforces the HCS educational goal to educate students to tackle 21st century issues and not just achievement test scores.
The system is comprised of visionary leaders with the common goal to provide the best for students to prepare them for success. The team heard in interviews as well as observed that building capacity at all levels throughout HCS is essential. An emphasis on building soft skills in students was also evident. Students explained how they are hired for Saturday school to tutor and help students who are behind academically. Football players assist at the elementary school on Fridays opening car doors for students. The superintendent’s overview included a student video of a middle school student speaking and demonstrating his artwork at a community club meeting developing his ability to speak publicly as well as gaining confidence to pursue his artistic talent. Additional evidence was provided of opportunities for student involvement in the community through an organized student presentation team comprised of students from all grade levels who join administrators in presenting and marketing the district to various civic clubs and organizations. District personnel described ways they are building capacity in employees under their supervision allowing them additional training for their jobs as well as empowering them to lead meetings. The established induction, mentoring, coaching program including tier 3 mentoring has resulted in positive results and retention of teachers equipping them to better meet student needs. The Career Technical Center has recently changed its name to The Center of Technology. It was observed as an innovative, creative center to prepare students for careers. Students were able to analyze and explain current projects related to real world experiences.
Innovative, challenging, technology-rich learning environments are emerging at HCS. Most classrooms observed were arranged in group settings rather than rows and some collaboration was observed. While teacher survey data showed that 85% of teachers indicate lessons provide opportunities for students to be actively engaged and 92% base their lesson plans on high expectations, only 35% of the teachers, 28% of parents, and 17% of students say that the work is challenging. Further teacher survey results revealed that only 41% of teachers plan lessons that include opportunities to express individual creativity. While classroom observations indicate the presence of a digital environment, there is still need for improvement in creating original digital projects, working collaboratively with digital tools, and communicating through technology. The system is aware of this challenge and has already begun to address it through continued professional development and focused professional learning opportunities discussing rigor in the classroom. One administrator said, “The better the teachers are at understanding rigor, the better they are at teaching rigorously.” The system has also addressed this challenge by hiring a Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) coach at the beginning of the current school year to provide high-quality lesson design and to provide feedback and professional development. Haleyville High School has recently adopted and implemented the A+ College Ready Curriculum to increase rigor and engagement. The implementation of STEAM, a STEAM camp offered during the summer, STEAM days, and the hire of a STEAM coach are promoting opportunities for nontraditional learning opportunities and project-based learning experiences. Financial resources have been allocated for several educational programs to support differentiated instruction and acceleration, to increase rigorous and challenging tasks, and to develop higher order thinking and problem-solving skills. Additionally, the creation of a “Profile of a Graduate” is in the developmental stages. The guide will be a detailed plan of what the students need to accomplish at each grade level in order to graduate with the skills necessary to be truly well-rounded productive citizens. The profile will create an impetus for many implementation strategies necessary to bring the competencies to life for students. HCS is in the process of a pedagogical shift to challenging student-centered learning environments integrated with technology that will better prepare HCS students for their future needs.
The culture of HCS is one of family, community, and servant leadership. “You matter” was a pervasive motto heard from the district and school leadership and seen posted in the schools. Administrators and parents related that everyone in the community has administrators’ cell phone numbers and they are willing to take calls 24/7. Teachers and students both said that everyone who enters the district is treated like family. A veteran teacher said, “We love our school, and we love each other.” A retired teacher who now serves as a substitute said, “After 41 years of teaching in this place, I still can’t go home.” There were endless examples of going over and beyond to support one another and the children in the community. The cafeteria staff knows each child by name and strives to meet their needs. A student in a focus interview commented that the cafeteria staff sincerely cares about the students and their needs. Students were observed supporting a special needs student saying, “We want him to be successful.” Student surveys described teachers as honest, fun, and caring. Parents described teachers as respectful, caring, and supportive. Eighty-five percent of teachers said their colleagues are caring and supportive. Teachers, parents, and students applauded the superintendent and district administrators for their willingness to meet needs and not hesitate to “get their hands dirty.” The hashtag #HCSSLI, used by the system on social media, describes its belief. Stakeholders were aware that the hashtag stands for Haleyville City Schools Serving with Pride, Leading with Confidence, Inspire to Impact Others. Leaders explained their belief that one cannot lead before they serve and then one must lead to inspire. The system has developed the culture that everyone plays a role in educating the whole child “from the bottom to the top” and strive for all stakeholders to understand the role they play in serving, leading, and inspiring others to be their best. All the AdvancED Performance Standards ratings in the Improve and Impact levels on the i3 rubric show complete dedication and commitment from all stakeholders. Continuing this journey of improvement will sustain the momentum that is currently prevalent at HCS.
We would like to thank Mrs. Chere' Fetter for her hard work in preparing for this visit and could not have done this without our amazing students, parents, teachers, staff members, administrators and community members who shared our story with the AdvancED Team and helped us articulate what an amazing school district Haleyville City truly is. You all are appreciated and You Matter!
To view the full report, please click on the link below. We have some areas to work on, but are overall very happy with were we are as a district.
Serve, Lead, Inspire,
Holly
View Full Report Here:
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