High Schools That Work
High Schools That Work is an educational reform initiative that emphasizes the integration of academic and career and technical studies and thereby raises the achievement of all students. The goals of High Schools That Work are to increase the mathematic, science, communication, problem solving, and technical achievement and the application of learning for career bound students to the national average of all students. The initiative focuses on the blending of essential content of traditional college preparatory studies with quality career and technical studies. The framework for accomplishing these goals consists of the following key practices:
* High expectations - setting higher expectations and getting more students to meet them.
* Vocational studies - increasing access to intellectually challenging vocational and technical studies, with a major emphasis on using high-level mathematics, science, language arts and problem-solving skills in the modern workplace and in preparation for continued learning.
* Academic studies - increasing access to academic studies that teach the essential concepts from the college preparatory curriculum by encouraging students to use academic content and skills to address real-world projects and problems.
* Program of study - having students complete a challenging program of study with an upgraded academic core and a major.
* Work-based learning - giving students and their parents the choice of a system that integrates school-based and work-based learning. The system should span high school and post-secondary studies and should be planned by educators, employers and employees.
* Teachers working together - having an organization, structure and schedule giving academic and vocational teachers the time to plan and deliver integrated instruction aimed at teaching high-level academic and technical content.
* Student actively engaged - getting every student involved in rigorous and challenging learning.
* Guidance - involving each student and his or her parents in a guidance and advising system that ensures the completion of an accelerated program of study with an in-depth academic or vocational-technical major.
* Extra help - providing a structured system of extra help to enable students who may lack adequate preparation to complete an accelerated program of study that includes high-level academic and technical content.
* Keeping score - using student assessment and program evaluation data to improve continuously the school climate, organization, management, curricula and instruction to advance student learning and to recognize student who meet both curriculum and performance goals.
Visit the national HSTW Web site:
http://www.sreb.org/programs/hstw/hstwindex.asp
Currently, Northview High School has completed a year of planning and is currently implementing educational reforms that are based upon the ten key practices. The following initiatives have been introduced and incorporated into the Northview learning environment:
*Advisor/Advisee - a program that pairs a small group of students with one
teacher, who acts as an advisor, for the students' entire high school career.
The session topics for the 00/01 school year include: team building, study
skills, career planning, and good decision making skills.
*Career Pathways - The Northview High School program of studies has been redesigned to link academic studies with career aspirations. The career
pathways provide checklists of classes that should be scheduled each year.
Through the use of this program, students should be able to create and
complete a definite four year plan.
*Academic Assistance Center - An academic assistance center has been devised which hosts a math teacher and English teacher all periods of the day.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of this center during their free
periods during the day.
*Academic Freshman Block - A pilot program consisting of 90 freshmen has been implemented this year. Students share the same English, Math, and Science teachers, where the curricula are integrated.
For more information contact:
Amy Schloegl, HSTW Coordinator at synv_aca_as@nwoca.org