This presentations provides an overview of the basic elements of Smaller Learning Communities Design and Implementation.

1. Smaller Learning Communities Duval County Public Schools Jacksonville, Florida

2. Overview and Structure Smaller Learning Communities

3. What is an SLC? A Smaller Learning Community (SLC) is a smaller division within the large high school where groups of students are assigned to a dedicated administrator, guidance counselor, teacher team, and support staff.

4. What is an SLC? The primary purpose of an SLC is to create a personalized learning environment to meet the individual needs of students. Each SLC should have grade level interdisciplinary teacher teams (Math, ELA, Science, Social Studies, Elective) that share the same students.

6. Freshman Academies or Ninth Grade Academies

7. Community Plan or House Plan

8. Schools-Within-a-School

11. Career Academies (Medicine, Finance, Logistics)

12. Interest based programs (ROTC ,The Arts)Each SLC has the required curriculum, rigor, and relevance for student achievement and promotion.

14. Discussions focus on student success

15. All about “what works with shared students”

16. Data discussions focus on academics, attendance, and discipline of shared students

17. Team members represent subject area and fill gaps in subject area knowledge

18. Discussions focus on curriculum

19. All about “lesson studies”

21. Discuss relationship building

22. Modeling teaching behaviors around classroom management

23. Based on student schedules with shared students

24. Create common assessments and common lesson plans based on learning schedules

25. Discuss data from common assessments

26. Modeling teaching behaviors around subject area

28. Ensure that all teachers and administrators will participate in staff development

29. Translate in-service concepts into classroom practice

31. Increase proficiency in mathematics

32. Increase the 9th grade promotion rate

33. Increase the graduation rate

34. Increase enrollment in postsecondary education

35. Increase enrollment in AP courses

36. Increase scores of 3 or higher on AP examinations

37. Increase percentage of dual enrollment students

39. SLC Configuration All upper division students will have access to all accelerated courses. Schools will differentiate based on career focus/major area of interest. Early College High School Engineering Career Academy Math/Science School Humanities School Upper Division Career Connection College Level Work Transition Program Capstone Course/Project Grades 11-12 Grades 11-12 Grades 10-12 Grades 10-12 Lower Division Keystone Course/Project Electives and Physical Education Shared by All Schools Lower division focus will be on core academics. Grade 9 Grade 9 Grades 9-10 Grades 9-10

40. Schools Within Schools All students will have access to acceleration courses. Career Academies within a Community Omega Community Math/Science Community Humanities Community Grades 11-12 IB program AP courses, standard courses Grades 10-12 Grades 9-12 Grades 10-12 Upper Division Career Connection College Level Work Capstone Project for Career Academy students JROTC, AICE Scholars programs Lower Division Keystone Course/Project Electives Shared by all Communities, but can be associated with one Community Grades 9-10 Pre IB, Standard, Honors, Keystone 9th grade academy prep 9th Grade Program Lower division focus will be on core academics, personalization, and identifying with the community. Proposed Staffing: Assistant Principal, Guidance Counselor

42. College-level course work

45. Teacher teams built around core academic courses by grade level

46. Teacher certification

47. Limit course preps where possible

49. Availability of intensive courses in each SLC

50. Open access to accelerated and enrichment courses in each SLC (honors, AP, AVID)

51. Themed electives driven by the SLC focus

53. SLC Meetings When At least twice monthly Who All members of the Smaller Learning Community Where House Administrator designates according to meeting goals

54. SLC Grade Level Team Meetings When Formal weekly meeting Additional informal meetings as needed Who Grade Level Interdisciplinary Team Members Where Consistent location determined by the grade level team

56. Teams often meet more often on an informal basis during this time

57. Establish team expectations

58. Acclimate new members

59. Develop an awareness of shared students

61. Promotion rate becomes the grade level team’s main focus

62. Interventions to meet student needs are established

63. Academic performance, discipline, and attendance are frequently discussed

65. Bubble students become main focus

66. Closely monitor promotion rate

67. Closely monitor progress toward grade level team SMART goal

68. Incentives and Recognition

71. Respecting one another

72. On-time

73. Prepared

74. Parent contact rules

76. Conversations stay solution-focused

81. Counselors

82. Administrators

84. Monitor progress: academics, attendance, discipline

85. Encourage students to be aware of their promotion status

86. Solidify relationships with students

88. Measurable

89. Attainable

90. Relevant

92. Adjust for your own learning curve

93. Compare your goals to the school, district, and state goals

94. How will your goals be measured?

96. Thank You

97. Smaller Learning Communities Duval County Public Schools Jacksonville, Florida

98. Participants and Their Roles SLC Team Meetings

100. Recorder

104. Topics of Discussion SLC Team Meetings

106. Interventions and RtI

107. Collective team responsibility for student success

109. Agenda

110. Meeting Expectations

112. Decision Making/Consensus

114. Decision Making/Consensus

115. Promotion/Retention

117. Use of Data Data is used to assist interdisciplinary grade level teams in meeting the needs of their shared students. SLC Specialists, SLC Administrators, SLC Guidance Counselors, and Instructional Coaches play a vital role in supplying data not readily accessible to grade level teacher team members.

119. Standardized Test Scores / Cluster Breakdowns

120. Demographic Profiles

121. Discipline Records

122. Attendance Records

123. ESE Status

124. ELL / ESL Status

125. Free and Reduced Lunch Status

126. Grades

128. NCLB classifications, including lowest performance quartile designations

130. Sigma 9th Grade Bubble Students Reading Find your bubble students. Have you had a data chat with these students? Sigma 9th Grade Bubble Students Reading

131. STUDENT DATA: ADS

133. Designing approaches to meet the SMART Goal

134. Evaluate effectiveness of instruction

135. Differentiate instruction

136. RtI

137. Set individual student academic, disciplinary, and performance goals

139. Session Activity Using Data as a Grade Level Team to Design Student Interventions

140. Student Meetings SLC Grade Level Teams

142. 10-12 minutes per student

143. The team provides suggestions for student goals and incentives

144. Students complete and sign student success plans

147. Clear expectations

149. Proficiency in coordinating Success Plan Meetings

150. Having a common vision

152. Encourage students to take ownershipfor their education.

153. Meet the cognitive, social, and affective needs of each student.

155. A Process That Works SLC Grade Level Teams

156. Outcome Data Tardies: Sigma 9 for 2010-2011 Q1 Q2 Q3

157. Outcome Data First Coast High School Disciplinary Record Since Implementation of SLCs

158. Outcome Data Sigma 9 Attendance Compared to other IT at FCHS (2010/11)

159. Outcome Data There is an increased promotion rate on interdisciplinary teams that meet and discuss students on a regular basis. Evidence: Retention Rate/Promotion Rate Sigma 9: 1.4% 9thgrade retention rate for the 2010/2011 school year.

160. Final Q & A Question & Answer Session

161. Thank You