WET CEMENT: AN OVERVIEW OF OUR SLC STRUCTURE

The KHS Academy Design Team has been hard at work this first quarter planning for the integration of Academies in Grades 10-12 over the next few years. Working with both Mike Neubig and Michelle Swanson to crystallize our vision has been challenging but inspiring. We are excited to present what the overall structure will be with our two academies, HOPES and IDEAS that build upon the skills and knowledge our students will gain in Grade 9 from their Hui experiences. Across the board we are committed to helping our students have meaningful options aligned with their interests and strengths upon graduation. The image above outlines the progression of students from Grade 9-12 highlighting their pathway options as the move through our school. The plan will be explained to Grade 9 students and parents over the next several months to ensure appropriate academy selection. Look for more news soon!

Glimmers of Hope

Today our 9th grade Hui teachers were treated to a day long workshop with SLC expert Michelle Swanson. Michelle is full of "treasures" when it comes to strengthening teams. She stretches us to consider how we can become more intentional with our work particularly when it comes to student support and deep learning. We spent time discussing high yield strategies, were introduced to the concept of performance assessments to promote deep learning, and considered more systemic approaches to student support.

The morning started with Michelle asking us to stop and reflect about our progress after one quarter of SLC implementation in Grade 9. Although we have had some glitches and challenges, overall we definitely feel we are on the right path as evidenced by the "Glimmers of Hope" our 9th grade teachers shared today. So far we have experienced/noticed the following, "Glimmers of Hope"

• Great support/collaboration within and across the Hui
• Greater support working with other teachers in the Hui
• Our 6th period is a wonderful example of positive classroom culture/community.
• Good collaboration among the 4 English teachers in 9th grade. This has led to more focused planning and effective lessons/units
• Establishing relationships with individual students
• Kids are not slipping through the cracks like they used to thanks to a grade level counselor and ongoing Hui teacher discussions
• Most of our students are eager to learn!!
• I love our students! They have such great personalities and senses of humor!
• Students seem more conscious of their grades - ENGRADE is wonderful
• Seems like learning styles are being addressed.
• We are using technology for learning such as mobile devices
• Interactive Notebooks Rock!
• Students are enjoying the labs and seem to be learning the scientific method.
• Team teaching is decreasing negative student behaviors
• Collaboration and Ohana are found in our Hui.
• Majority of students come to class
• Truancy, Referrals and Fights are all down in the 9th grade.
• We had over 100 parents at 9th grade orientation.
• The Freshmen have been seen. (by the counselor)

This simple exercise, reminded all of us as to WHY we embarked on the SLC journey in the first place. As we work towards expanding the SLC model into Grades 10-12 in the form of academies, it seemed important to share our learnings/reflections with the greater school community so that teachers, parents and students can all understand the potential of common students, common teacher and common planning!

Building Dreams - Academy & Hui Updates

This year our overall theme as a faculty is "Building Dreams". Our dream is to transform Kapa'a High into the premier high school in the state by implementing smaller learning communities in the form of interest based Academies to build upon the strength of the Hui smaller learning communities in Grade 9. School started the first week of August, it's already mid-quarter and already we are seeing the fruits of the 9th grade Hui and charging ahead with Academy Planning.

Hui

We can already see that last year's planning to improve the transition to high school and the entire freshman experience is paying off. Our 260 freshman have been moved down to lower campus and divided into two Hui, Onipa'a and Ikaika, each with a team of dedicated math, English, social studies and science teachers. A counselor has been dedicated to Grade 9 with a VP assigned to each Hui. Hui Teachers have common planning time to discuss student challenges, progress, joint projects and other aspects of their work. So far we have integrated common assessments, project based learning, a no zero policy and AVID strategies focusing on strengthening basic organizational and study skills. Additionally, all of the 9th graders will participate in the Leadership Challenge curriculum designed to help them explore their values, interests and strengths. This work will become part of their Personal Transition Plan designed to help them transition from high school to their post high school educational and career plans more smoothly.

Academy

Since we already see the benefits of the Hui concept in terms of our ability to respond to student needs, there is a sense of urgency to create smaller learning communities for our 10th - 12th grade students to improve rigor, interest and overall achievement. Our Academy Design Team this year includes all of our department chairs, an additional representative from each department, various support staff and administrators. All in all, we are about 20 people with a shared dream. We recently spent a second collaboration day with Mike Neubig refining our HOPES and IDEAS Academies with course sequencing for the four strands in each academy.

HOPES

Health- Health/Wellness

Organic Farming– Natural Resource /Agriculture

Public Service - JROTC

Entrepreneurship – Culinary & Hospitality

Service & Sustainability - ALL

IDEAS

Industrial Technology: Auto or Building Construction

Design: Digital Media & Graphic Design

Entrepreneurship: Virtual Enterprise

Arts: Visual & Performing Arts

Service & Sustainability - ALL

Our next steps will be to present to our entire faculty, address our burning questions with Mike Neubig on September 13th, examine different schedules that might better serve our students with these new structures, educate and engage our parent community in September and October, educate and straw poll our students, create new registration materials, reach out to university, business and government partners and train our teachers for this transition. Our plans are to launch the SLC's for our current 9th graders in Fall 2012. Our dream is that by Fall 2014, every student will be enrolled in a smaller learning community providing structures and support for a more rigorous, more personalized, more relevant and more successful high school experience.