Proposal Summary
One school, two campuses, addresses the differing developmental and academic needs of students. In this proposal, ninth and tenth graders will be housed at JDHS, where parking is limited. This will become a closed campus school, structured around small learning communities, exploratory learning, and the developmental levels and brain-based strategies for this age group. Increased opportunities for activities and sports at this level will include intramurals, while also allowing for younger students to participate on the competitive athletic teams if they so choose.
Juniors and seniors will be housed at Thunder Mountain High School, which not only has more parking, but is closer to the University of Alaska SE, allowing for more focus on post-secondary education with partnerships, internships, and advanced studies. It is anticipated that this will be an open campus to accommodate such partnerships or internships which occur off school grounds.On both campuses, developing a caring, developmentally appropriate culture with strong relationships among student-student, teacher-teacher, and student-teacher will be an explicit expectation.
A significant number of people at the community forums indicated an interest in the idea of one school, two campuses. This proposal clarifies the athletic question of hosting one competitive team. It also clearly delineates which school students attend based on grade level rather than geographic locations
Section I: Description of Proposal
Overall Description of Program Proposal
This proposal is in response to the comments and requests made by community members as stated in the Public Forums. This proposal brings forward for consideration a one high school with two campuses model: Juneau Douglas High School with the Thunder Mountain and Downtown Campuses. The rationale behind this proposal is the desire of the community to not have two high schools or to create inequity between the two school facilities.
This proposal is based on the idea that all Juneau students would attend both campuses in their school career and the ability for the administration and staff to focus curriculum, instruction and program development based on grade level requirements, developmental growth, and personal educational needs of the student population it would serve.
Goals of Program Proposal
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Systemic approach to providing small learning community for all students at each campus
- Equity/access to all programs for all learners
- Focus on 9th grade student success
- Address achievement gap among sub groups at both campuses
- Provide small learning communities
- Collaborative work environment
- Maximize use of both campuses
What would the program look like from a student’s viewpoint?
Sports programs would stay the same and be expanded to include intramural sports programs to be developed between both campuses; at the same time, it allows current sports programs to continue with expanded possibilities to use both facilities.
- “I’m a part of this campus for two years, then I move to the 11-12 campus.” Transition is clear to the student.
- All students will attend both schools.
- 9-10 campus – closed campus= no parking or limited parking
- 11-12 campus – open campus = parking space available
- Still the Bears! Very important to student culture viewpoint. School culture would stay the same – The Crimson Bears mascot and school colors for both schools is maintained.
Alignment with Best Practices & Research
- National requirements for increased rigor by aligning curricula with college admission standards and workplace expectations. Increase the number or required courses in science, mathematics, English and require all students to complete a college-prep curriculum/and/or work readiness curriculum.
- Special Needs of 9th grade students – Research Brief: “The Principals’ Partnership.” One critical component is for them to have their own physical space, whether that is a specific 9th grade wing, community, school–within-a-school, or separate building. Ease academic and social transition to high school–bound students.
- 21st Century Workplace Skills and Technology for the Information Age.
- Small Learning Communities development at each campus and career academies.
Model for Program
- Small Learning Communities developed at each campus that are age/credit/grade level appropriate.
- Allows staff to focus on goals specific to age/grade.
- Allows for future expansion of grade levels programs in each building – 8,9,10 or 11,12,13
- Very focused and purposeful alignment of all aspects of the system to improve student achievement.
- Flexible use of time and space/structure – facilities.
- Implement new models of professional development to support and build program that is based on student achievement and individual personal learning needs of students.
- Personalized learning strategies – like career –focused tracks or career academies, student-driven action plans, individual graduation plans that blend academics and other learning experiences, more rigorous coursework, personalized daily schedules.
- Smaller schools, work based learning, with guidance and mentoring.
- Students could be on track with, ahead of, or behind their cohort. Can also vary the number hours, days, or years necessary to complete high school. Some can finish in three, mixing college courses, credit recovery options or allow extra time to complete or revisit difficult components of a course offering them flexibility instead of failure, can provide consistency of programs across schools ensuring that all students complete a measurable, designated core curriculum.
- 12th grade program- career academies with rigor, prep for post secondary program
How Program Addresses Data and Implications
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Equity issues and concerns that the community has stated in community forums
- Provides choices
- Provides team leadership and development
- Use of community resources and partnerships
- 9th grade drop out rate
- NCLB data – state and district assessment – 10th grade HSQE
- Transition from 8th to 9th
- 12th grade -Transition to Post Secondary Career and College
Description of Classroom Instruction
- Small learning communities established at each campus drive instruction; curriculum development by teams of teachers
- 9th grade focus – re-capture, re-direct, re-focus at-risk 9th grade students
- Smaller class size
- Special Education Program staff / team collaboration- resource staff know students for two years- loop with students
- 12th grade rigor, internships, career orientation programs, college prep programs, foreign exchange programs, vocational/technical prep, school to work programs.
- More course offerings at both campuses
Utilization of School/Community Facilities
- Use of the local university and voc tech centers,
- Downtown campus – link up with UAS voc tech center, T&H Voc Center, SERRCH Center – hospital
- Valley campus – UAS – college prep, Job Center, Alaska Club, etc.
- 9-10 focus provides for innovation of designing and re-defining use of facility, community facilities at both sites with neighborhood resources
- Use of resources at Yaakoosge and downtown, Early Scholars expansion, Choice program housed in main building, move out of Marie Drake programs that need to be in the mainstream.
Section Two: Rationale for Program Proposal
Describe the Proposal’s Alignment with the following:
Action Belief Statements
This proposal is in alignment with the Belief Statements developed for the High School Educational Program 2007… Especially in the area of equity and establishment of small learning communities in each facility that are based on Best Practices and Research regarding student achievement.
Interests of
Community
- Many community voices in the forums expressed that they did not want to divide the community on many levels, sports, access, equity, geography, economic, social, programs
- Many voices expressed a desire to address the racial issues and achievement gap evident in the student population at JDHS.
- Request to think out of the box – do something different
- Sports and student activity is a concern. The interest of the community is to expand and provide more and not limit access to activity or sports.
- MOVING AWAY from status quo structures and addressing the EQUITY issues that the community has voiced in the public forums.
- The desire of the community to have smaller class sizes and a more personal learning environment in having two small schools.
District’s Strategic Plan, Goals, and work JDHS is currently
undertaking
This proposal is in alignment with JDHS visioning work occurring now; this work would continue seamlessly into the two campuses with leadership teams already in place.
- Small learning communities
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9th grade focus
- Team leadership/advisory/building relationships/
- Two principals- shared leadership
Section Three: Implementation and Other Factors
Describe how the Program Proposal will impact and provide guidance in making decisions around the following:
School Boundaries
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No boundaries – all students in Juneau will attend both campuses at some point in their high school years.
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Transportation between both schools to provide access for all students to all activities and programs developed at each school.
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And, transportation for students that may need access to other community facilities based on program development at the campus. For example, an 11th grade student that is beginning a program at the University or a 12th grade student in training for a career in the local mine. Transitions demand more resources in support of the program
Activities & Athletics
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Still the Bears ! This proposal would promote and expand all established current sports and activity programs.
What would be the recommendation for the beginning year and possible school enrollment?
- Downtown campus for 9/10-larger for the bigger 9/10 student population, closed campus, less need for parking
- Valley campus for 11/12 – closer to University, parking, open campus
Describe issues, other obstacles, and questions associated with the Program Proposal.
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Community support by those that support maintaining other proposals that maintain the position of two schools, two teams in this community.
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Transportation between both campuses to provide access to classes and activities.
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Not many school districts are trying this.
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AP course offerings / classes at both campuses.
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Competition for facility use by school and community sport and activity programs.
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Another transition between 10th and 11th grade and the implications for those students that do not earn the credits for 11th grade and have to take the HSQE again before transitioning to the other campus.
Challenge the stakeholders to re-design and re-align with current climate and needs of sports in Juneau. We suggest that all those stakeholders in this arena take this opportunity to begin re-designing and re-visit mission, purpose, goals of sports programs and activities that will expand opportunities and move from a exclusive to inclusive program at both campuses. This model demands that this be re-vamped and re-designed for both campuses and both student bodies.
The community based programs to a certain extent compete with school sponsored sports in use of school facilities, funding, fund raising, team alignment, coaches that coach both community and school sports, etc.
Overall, how will this program proposal meet the needs of all students in Juneau?
Overall, this proposal will meet the needs of all students in Juneau by providing a high school program that will:
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Be what is best for all students in Juneau, Alaska
- Provide expanded learning opportunities and choices for all students
- Systemically address the high dropout rate for 9th grade students
- Provide learning environments accessible for all students
- Flexibility in use of time, space and facilities
- Smaller student populations in both campuses, smaller class size,
- Variety of instruction, curriculum designed and expanded at both campuses
- Clarity for parents and students as to which school the student will attend
- Choice is embedded in the curriculum, and the was they engage at the two campuses- and the development of even smaller learning communities/academies within each campus
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School safety and student protection
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Increased opportunities for recreational, club and sport participation for all students in both campuses
- Developing caring, developmentally appropriate culture with strong relationships among students-students, teacher-teacher, and student-teacher is an explicit expectation
- 9/10 campus is closed, 11/12 campus is open
- Focus on exploratory, brain-based strategies in 9/10, and emphasis on post secondary and university, school to work, intern, vocational/technical career at 11/12
- Curriculum and engagement is focused on the specific developmental needs and levels of the students at each campus and at 9/10 – extra emphasis on 9th grade support
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