DRAFT 1/28/16dvs.davincischools.org/.../DVS-2016-WASC...1-28-16.pdf · Habits of excellence & 21st Century Skills Habits of excellence 21st Century Skills Reflected upon by students

DA VINCI SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL MIDCYCLE PROGRESS REPORT

DRAFT 1/28/16

13500 Aviation Boulevard

Hawthorne, CA 90250

Visit Date: March 15, 2016

Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Midcycle Progress Report 2016

9 10 11 12

Math

Science

Social Studies

English

Languages

Arts &

Engineering

Admin & Office

Carlos Hurtado

Algebra & Geometry

Frank Divinagracia

Algebra 2Andrew McGregor

Pre‐Calculus

Katie Kondo Calculus

Yamara Barba

Resource

Jamie Larson

Physics Jessica Muratalla

Chemistry

Saya Wai Biology

Gerard Besina

Anatomy & Psych Chelan Gabor Resource

Schehrezade Lodhy English 9

Megan Flower English 9

Wendy Cha English 10

Darcey Brown English 12

Molly Chace

College Writing

Julie Ichiroku World History

Crystal Macaraeg Government & Econ

Corinne Valle

College Counseling

Steve Anderson

US History

Amy Sy

11th & 12th Spanish

Erika Magana

10th grade Spanish Roland Hendrix Sign Language

Francisca Marquez College Counseling

Merily Hernandez 9th grade Spanish

Kate Steeper Engineering

Kat Ramos Engineering

Aaron Tostado Engineering

Melissa Martin Academic Coach

Michael Prendergast Digital Art

Alex Creencia

Academic Coach

Liz Diaz

Front Office Jalishia Sanders Academic Coach

Alex Orozco

Academic CoachJonathan McIlroy Academic Coach

Albert Gonzalez

Custodian

Brittany Alvarez Back Office

Season 7 Cast

Lynn Rodriguez Counseling

Travis Wimer English 11

Steve Wallis Principal

Erin D’Souza Assistant Principal

Season 7

Habits of excellence & 21st Century Skills

Habits of excellence 21st Century Skills

Reflected upon by students in each Presentation of Learning Taught & assessed in each project, one focus per grade level

rowth mindset ● feedback ● reflection ● pursuit of personal best

Ommunication ● listening, speaking & writing professionally

Esilience ● courage ● endurance ● optimism

Ollaboration ● cooperation ● feedback ● dependability

Ntegrity ● accountability ● commitment to quality ● honesty

Hiseling ● time management ● consistent practice ● persistence

Aking responsibility ● initiative ● citizenship ● gratitude

onnection ● problem solving ● application ● evidence ● creativity

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Da Vinci Science ACS WASC Midcycle Progress Report

CONTENTS

I: Student/Community Profile Data 1

II: Significant Changes and Developments 29

III: Ongoing School Improvement 32

IV: Progress on Critical Areas for Follow‐up/Schoolwide Action Plan 33

V: Schoolwide Action Plan Refinements 45

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I: Student/Community Profile Data

Include the following:

● An updated student/community profile that includes the following: a brief, general description of the school and its programs; the school’s vision, mission, and learner outcomes; student and faculty/staff demographics; and student achievement data for a three‐year period. ● An updated summary of data with implications, identified critical learner needs, and important questions for staff discussion.

Overview

About Us

The Da Vinci Schools opened in August 2009 as independently governed and operated public charter high schools serving the Wiseburn community and children from 45+ zip codes. Da Vinci Schools are a nonprofit independently governed Local Education Agency authorized by the Wiseburn Unified School District and approved by the California Department of Education. Da Vinci Schools and the Wiseburn Unified School District operate as two legal entities to take advantage of operating flexibilities and significant resources, but with one common purpose. Both organizations are fundamentally focused on providing an outstanding educational experience for the Wiseburn community and other families.

Da Vinci Science (“DVS”) is a small, public charter high school in Los Angeles authorized by the Wiseburn Unified School District and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). DVS offers a real world, project‐based curriculum with an engineering focus through the national Project Lead the Way program. All DVS students take University of California (UC)/California State University (CSU) approved college‐prep courses. Project Lead the Way curricula, Project Based Learning, Mastery Based Grading, and personalization of student experience give students a four‐year learning experience that is both broad and in‐depth. These strengths translate into college‐ready students. Ninety‐eight percent of the class of 2014 successfully completed their “a‐g” requirements for admission to a UC or CSU school; 100% of graduates were accepted to college; and 84% were accepted to a four‐year college or university. Serving diverse students from 80 zip codes across Los Angeles County, Da Vinci Science is located in the heart of aerospace country. Several major STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)‐focused companies such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Boeing, Chevron, and The Aerospace Corp are located within blocks of Da Vinci Science. Da Vinci Science capitalizes on this opportunity by having engineers and scientists work directly with students and teachers. These industry experts help students master the real‐world knowledge and skills that do not appear in the Common Core education standards. Da Vinci Science is a member of the Coalition of Essential Schools and is a certified charter school of the California Charter Schools Association.

In 2010, Da Vinci Schools received full accreditation by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC). In 2013, Da Vinci Design and Da Vinci Science were reaccredited by WASC for 6 years, the longest accreditation term the organization grants to any institution.

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http://www.wiseburn.k12.ca.us/new/default.html

http://essentialschools.org/

http://essentialschools.org/

http://www.ccsa.org/schools/da-vinci-design.html


Mission & Vision

Da Vinci Science High School’s mission is to provide our students a rigorous, relevant, and hands‐on college preparatory education which emphasizes science & engineering in a safe and supportive school family. Our vision is that Da Vinci Science High School will be recognized by colleges, local industry, and the Wiseburn community as a top engineering high school in California, where students master the content of all disciplines. In 2013, Da Vinci Science was certified as a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) school. PLTW is the leading provider of rigorous and innovative STEM curricula used in middle and high schools across the U.S. In a recent Huffington Post article, Dr. Vince Bertram, the president and CEO of PLTW, called Da Vinci Science "a global model for STEM education." Da Vinci Science students take a rigorous, college preparatory curriculum that is integrated with hands‐on, real‐world learning and career pathway classes that focus on the knowledge and skill sets needed for 21st century jobs. Through hands‐on, interdisciplinary projects, students are challenged to think like scientists, engineers, architects, designers, and programmers and to solve real‐world problems through a process of inquiry, teamwork and design. Examples of recent projects can be found in the DVS Project Book, a compilation of projects from every course that was completed in the spring of 2015. Student progress is measured and assessed through traditional assessments as well as public presentations of learning, exhibitions, and digital portfolios. All teachers use Mastery‐Based Grading based on identified essential skills and a common gradebook architecture. Da Vinci Science has formed extensive partnerships with local companies, universities and nonprofit organizations including Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Chevron, Raytheon, SpaceX,

Project Lead The Way, El Camino College, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Antioch University Los Angeles, and many others. These STEM professionals provide mentoring, internships, project support, work experience opportunities, and software training, as well as help us identify the real‐world knowledge and skill sets that students need to know that do not appear in the Common Core State Standards. DVS students also have the opportunity to enroll in Early College/Dual Enrollment classes that count for both high school and college credit through Antioch University LA and El Camino College.Our community partners play a vital

role by helping to align our projects to industry expertise and standards. Success in the 21st century requires new skill sets and a different approach to learning. All of us in the Da Vinci community ‐‐ students, families, staff, board members, community partners and supporters ‐‐ are committed to ensuring that every Da Vinci student graduates with the knowledge, skills, confidence and compassion needed for success in college and the global workforce.

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http://www.pltw.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vince-bertram/a-global-model-for-stem-e_b_5953014.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education

http://davincischools.org/pdfs/DVS_career_pathways.pdf

http://davincischools.org/projects.shtml

http://davincischools.org/communitypartners.shtml

http://www.northrop.com/

http://www.boeing.com/

http://www.chevron.com/

http://www.chevron.com/

http://www.raytheon.com/

http://www.spacex.com/

http://www.pltw.org/

http://www.elcamino.edu/

http://www.calpoly.edu/

http://www.calpoly.edu/

http://www.antiochla.edu/

http://www.elcamino.edu/


Mission Why we exist as an organization; enduring truths about our organization that have no expiration date

Da Vinci Science High School exists to provide our students a rigorous, relevant, and hands‐on college preparatory education which emphasizes science & engineering in a safe and supportive school family.

Core Principles What we believe; fundamental values that are central to our organization and reflect how we want to move toward our mission

The Da Vinci Schools believe the following components are critical to student success: Personalization • Depth over Breadth • Real‐world context for learning • Student Demonstration of Mastery •

Learning‐by‐Creating • Collaborative Problem‐Solving • Equity & Access for All • Industry & University Partnerships • Integrity, Respect & Trust • Community Building • Commitment to Growth by All • High Expectations • Accountability

Vision

A look into the future: Where our organization will be 5 years from now Da Vinci Science High School will be recognized by colleges, local industry, and the Wiseburn community

as a top engineering high school in California where students master the content of all disciplines.

Signature Practices

The structures and practices through which we seek to achieve our vision Project‐based Learning • Teacher‐designed projects • Mastery of Essential Knowledge & Skills • Mastery Grading •

Meaningful feedback for students & teachers • Revision & Peer Critique • Use of Rubrics for Assessment • Student leadership • Advisory • Digital Portfolios • Student‐led conferences •Community Service •

Public Presentations of Learning • Industry partnerships • Internships • Early College • Community‐building • Collegial Coaching • Systematic Study of Student Work • Extensive Professional Development

Outcomes & Results

What we seek for our students and how we will measure our success Habits of Excellence

Growth Mindset Feedback ● Reflection ● Pursuit of Personal Best

Resilience Courage ● Endurance ● Optimism

Integrity Accountability ● Commitment to Quality ● Honesty

Taking Responsibility Initiative ● Citizenship ● Gratitude

21st Century Skills

Communication Listening, Speaking & Writing Professionally

Collaboration Cooperation ● Feedback ● Dependability

Chiseling Time Management ● Consistent Practice ●

Persistence

Connection Problem Solving ● Application ● Evidence ●

Creativity

Metrics of Success

Net Promoter Score Attendance Rate

Average GPA & Course Pass Rate SAT & ACT Scores Graduation Rate

UC/CSU Eligibility Rate College Acceptance Rate College Graduation Rate

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Major Achievements ● Da Vinci Science is called a "global model for STEM education" in a Huffington Post article penned by Dr. Vince Bertram, the president and CEO of Project Lead The Way. ● Class of 2014 graduates are college ready and career prepared with 98% of graduating seniors having met UC and CSU “A‐G” requirements for admission and 84% of whom received four‐year university offers. Close to 500 students have gained valuable work experience as part of Da Vinci’s Real World Learning program since its inception. ● Da Vinci Science graduates have been accepted to every UC and CSU university, as well as Yale University, MIT, Stanford University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, Purdue University, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, Reed College, and many more. ● In 2014, Da Vinci Science was invited by Los Angeles Unified School District to serve as a best practice demonstration site for establishing a regional real world learning model as part of a $15 million Career Pathways Grant from the state's Department of Education for programs linking learning and career and technical education. ● Da Vinci Science FIRST Robotics Team 4201, the "Vitruvian Bots," finished 5th out of 66 teams in the 2014 Los Angeles Regional Competition, and their alliance finished in third place. In addition, Da Vinci won the Imagery Award and the Motorola Quality Award. ● Three Da Vinci Science 9th graders captured 2nd place in the 2014 Chevron Design Challenge state finals coming within one point of the first place team. The freshmen trio of young women won the Chevron Design Challenge regional competition, beating out 16 teams from Southern California, many of whom were juniors and seniors. ● In 2013, Da Vinci Science earned recognition as a Project Lead the Way Certified School.

● Four Da Vinci Science students have been named named Gates Millennium Scholars (three in 2013 and one in 2014), a nationally competitive and elite scholarship program that provides full financial support for undergraduate and graduate school programs for 10 years. ● Da Vinci Science was named among an elite group of Schools That Can. ● In 2013, Da Vinci Science was reaccredited by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges for six years, the longest accreditation term granted by WASC.

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Student Demographics

Enrollment

In 2015‐2016, Da Vinci Science High School serves 516 students, as of the California Census date (October 7, 2015). 305 of this year’s students are male (59%) and 211 of are female (41%).The ethnic breakdown of the Da Vinci Science student body is as follows: 285 Latino (55%), 97 White/Caucasian (19%), 51 African American (10%), 48 Asian/ Pacific Islander (9%), 29 students who are of two or more races (6%), and 6 students of Other races or who Decline to State their race (1%). In terms of our significant subgroup populations, 47% of our students are considered Socioeconomically Disadvantaged, and 9% of our students receive special education services. Although English Language Learners do not represent a significantly large group at only 3% of our population, our Redesignated Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students do represent 18% of our total population. Total enrollment numbers, as well as grade level enrollment, have remained stable over the last five years as well, with the exception of a larger than average class of students who graduated in 2013, and a smaller than average graduating class of 2014.

2015‐2016 Enrollment

African American

Asian/ Pacific Isl. Caucasian Latino Two or

More Other/ Decline

# of students 51 48 97 285 29 6 % of students 10% 9% 19% 55% 6% 1%

Grade Level 9 10 11 12 Total 2011‐2012 134 131 168 46 479 2012‐2013 139 134 114 153 540 2013‐2014 139 128 137 104 508 2014‐2015 135 139 123 132 529 2015‐2016 135 135 125 121 516

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Ethnicity (5‐years)

African American

Asian/ Pacific Isl. Caucasian Latino Two or

More Other/ Decline

2011‐2012 8% 4% 7% 50% 1% 30% 2012‐2013 14% 11% 14% 57% 2% 1% 2013‐2014 29% 10% 16% 56% 4% 2% 2014‐2015 11% 8% 17% 57% 6% 1% 2015‐2016 15% 3% 11% 64% 5% 1%

Subgroup Enrollment

Special Education

Socioeconomically Disadvantaged

English Language Learners

Redesignated Fluent English

Proficient (RFEP) 2011‐2012 4% 46% 6% 29% 2012‐2013 6% 51% 5% 33% 2013‐2014 7% 48% 3% 28% 2014‐2015 8% 44% 4% 24% 2015‐2016 9% 47% 3% 18%

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Attendance

Average daily attendance at Da Vinci Science has dropped slightly since the school’s opening in 2009. In the last three years the drop in ADA has represented only a 2% change, and continues to remain above 95%. In looking at period attendance data for spring 2015, we see that the highest percent of our tardies occur in periods 1 and 2, which combined represent two thirds (67%) of our overall tardies. Our period absences are relatively stable across periods, which tells us that when students are absent, they are most likely to miss the whole day rather than specific periods.

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Graduate Data

The 129 students in the graduating class of 2015 were accepted into 146 different colleges and universities in California and across the nation. Students had the opportunity to attend presentations by admissions officers from 18 colleges and universities on our school site, as well as to visit numerous college campuses on school‐sponsored college visits. Da Vinci Science believes that all students should have the opportunity to attend and succeed at four‐year universities, and our college counseling supports in place resulted in outstanding graduation and college acceptance results for the Class of 2015.

High School Graduation Rates

2015 2014 2013 2012

Number of Graduates 129 99 151 45

4‐Year DVS Cohort Grad Rate * 86.9% 94.9% 83.3%

4‐Year CA Cohort Grad Rate * 81% 80.4% 78.9%

4‐Year DVS Cohort Dropout Rate * 8.4% 3.8% 7.4%

4‐Year CA Cohort Dropout Rate * 11.5% 11.4% 13.1%

College Preparation 2015 2014 2013 2012 DVS A‐G Course Completion 97.7% 100% 100% 100%

A‐G Course Completion (CA) * 41.9% 39.4% 38.3%

All College Acceptance Rate 98% 95% 99% 98%

4‐year College Acceptance Rate 76% 76% 75% 87%

Most Selective Schools Acceptance Rate 2% 13% 14% 5%

Alumni Data

Da Vinci Science is committed to ensuring that our students graduate from high school ready to enter college and be successful in their careers beyond, but we believe that our work with students is not finished when they earn a high school diploma. We are also interested in how our students do in college, and passionate in working to support our graduates in completing their college aspirations. To that end, we have a newly created an Alumni Coordinator position on our staff to help support our alumni in their college persistence and success. Alumni data is gathered

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from the National Clearinghouse database, and may not include some private and smaller colleges, but it does provide us with individual student data that we can use to help support students in persisting and succeeding in the college setting. Our first class (2012) has just reached the three year mark, and the 4% of students from that class who did earn a 2‐year degree have remained enrolled in school beyond that degree, telling us that they are continuing on the path to a 4‐year degree. Likewise, 2 of the 3% of students from the class of 2013 who have earned a 2‐year degree are continuing on in school. We look forward to continuing to support our students in college and in earning their degrees.

College Matriculation 2015 2014 2013 2012

Attended College 89% 79% 87% 60%

Attended a 2‐year College 34% 28% 30% 20%

Attended a 4‐year College 55% 51% 58% 40%

Did not Enroll in College 11% 21% 12% 40%

College Persistence 2015 2014 2013 2012

Enrolled in College Year 1 89% 79% 88% 60%

Enrolled in College Year 2 * 80% 85% 73%

Enrolled in College Year 3 * * 75% 67%

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Staff Demographics Teaching Staff

At Da Vinci Science we are proud of the dedication and commitment of our staff. We are grateful for their passion and for the experiences and educational outcomes that they provide for our students, and thankful for all of the hard work that they put in every day to ensure that our

students graduate college and career ready with the Habits of Mind and 21st Century Skills that they will need to be successful in their lives beyond high school. As we are committed to ensuring our staff have the opportunities for ongoing learning, collaboration and support, we believe that time must be set aside for these things to be valued and experienced in meaningful ways. Extensive professional development is a

signature practice of Da Vinci Science, and every Friday morning our staff meets from 8:00‐9:15. As an entire staff, we celebrate each other’s work, share best practices, discuss upcoming school business, and share and reflect upon student work. Within this time, teachers also meet in grade‐level teams and job‐alike teams to discuss student work and performance, plan personalized interventions for students, and plan interdisciplinary projects and events. The Da Vinci Science working calendar also includes 18 full professional development days for our staff. All teachers and counselors participate in professional development during these days, which include: ● critical friends groups, featuring protocols for developing project ideas ● recognition and celebration of good work by faculty ● grade‐level & job‐alike meetings (collegial coaching, vertical alignment of content) ● Industry partner visits to align industry needs with curricular expectations

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Counseling Staff Students at Da Vinci Science have access to 2 college counselors and 1 credentialed school psychologist. The counselor to student ratio for Da Vinci students is over twice the County and State average, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring that our students have the supports that they need to be prepared to apply, be accepted, and be successful in college, and that they have the socio‐emotional supports that they need to make this possible as well.

Counseling

Ratios

Da Vinci Science County State

2011‐2012 1:160 1:416 1:499

2012‐2013 1:180 1:406 1:493

2013‐2014 1:169 1:417 1:484

2014‐2015 1:176 1:392 1:459

2015‐2016 1:172 * *

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Achievement Data

2015‐2016 Grade Point Average (GPA) Data

Looking at our Grade‐Point Average data, we see that our females slightly outperform their male counterparts in grades 9, 10, and 11, but that they are equal to the males in grade 12. This data coincides with our SBAC results that indicate the possibility that the females in the class of 2016 may be performing at a slightly lower level than their counterparts in other grades.

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Looking at the changes over time in semester GPA, we also see that the GPAs of our male and female students follow a very similar pattern, with the greatest divergence occurring in the fall of 2015, when the average GPA of 11th and 12th grade students was significantly higher than that of the 9th and 10th grade students. The fact that this year’s 9th and 10th grade students earned the lowest average GPA that 9th and 10th graders have since 2012 is cause for concern, and further validation of our goal of supporting struggling students.

The large drop in the average GPA of the class of 2018 and the historically low average GPA of both the class of 2018 and 2019 in the first semester of the current year are cause for concern for us, and we are currently looking at structures and strategies we can use to support and encourage these students in their learning and growth.

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Exhibition and Presentations of Learning (POLs)

National and state standardized tests are not the sole guide for instruction, nor the sole determinate of achievement, at Da Vinci Science. There are two types of school‐wide demonstrations of understanding at Da Vinci Science that we believe provide more meaningful insight regarding how K‐12 students are performing in all classes: Exhibition and Presentations of Learning. Exhibition is an open‐house style evening event that occurs once per semester (first in November and then again in March/April). All stakeholders ‐ families, friends, community members, and classrooms. Inside the classrooms, students showcase one or

more of the projects they completed during the semester. Students are expected to explain the essential knowledge and skills learned in the projects, the process used to arrive at the final product, the Habits of Mind, and the 21st Century Skills that were important in the completion of the project. Projects are another way for students to showcase and highlight interdisciplinary connections across subjects.

The second school‐wide demonstration of understanding at Da Vinci Science are Presentations of Learning (POLs). POLs take place at the close of each semester, at which time up to two weeks are specifically designated for this school‐wide assessment. A POL is a student presentation to a panel of teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders regarding academic growth and progress toward the essential skills and Habits of Mind in each of their courses. Students are required to provide and explain how specific work they have completed (i.e. the evidence) demonstrates growth toward mastery. POLs consist of 12 minutes of student presentation followed with 3 minutes of questions and answers from the panel members. Students’ scores and feedback are completed simultaneously by panel members through Google Docs, and their growth over time, both overall and per subject, is also tabulated and charted. Students who do not meet this benchmark receive no credit for the course, and it is noted accordingly on the transcript.

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Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Results

The SBAC exams were first administered in Spring 2015 for all students. The results below for Da Vinci Science are our baseline data, and we hope to utilize our results, along with other state and local assessments to create a clear picture of our students and what they know and understand. DVS students scored among the highest among all the schools in the region in both the ELA and mathematics.

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SBAC Results by Score

Da Vinci Science students Exceeded ELA standards at a rate 39 percentage points higher than the California state average for 11th grade students, and scored Not Met at a rate 25 percentage points lower. The data reveals that 80% of Da Vinci Science students Met or Exceeded ELA standards, or nearly twice the rate of their state peers. Math scores reveal a similar pattern, with Da Vinci Science students Meeting or Exceeding standards at rates twice that of their state peers, and Not Meeting standards at 27% lower rates.

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SBAC Proficiency by Subgroup

Work toward closing achievement gaps begins with identifying disparities in achievement between various groups of students on campus. Da Vinci Science SBAC results show that while our students outperformed their state peers on both tests in every subgroup, there are gaps between the performances of subgroups on campus. Our Latino students – our largest subgroup ‐ Met or Exceeded standards at 2.5 times the rate of their peers across the state. The gap between our African American students and their state peers are particularly notable with scores for those groups scoring 38 percentage points higher in ELA and 56 percentage points higher in Math. Also significant are our male students who outscored their state counterparts by 32 percentage points in ELA and 65 percentage points in Math.

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SBAC Results by Claim

Digging deeper into where our students’ strengths and weaknesses lie within both ELA and Math, we see that Claim scores from both exams reveal that our student SBAC claim performance aligns with our priorities as a school in interesting ways. In ELA, our students scored above standard most often in Writing, Research and Inquiry, and Reading, which are all elements that are integral parts of our project based learning approach. Likewise, in Math our students were more likely to score At or Near standard in Communicating Reasoning and Problem Solving/Modeling, both of which are areas of focus for our project based approach. Our greatest area of growth in Math is our students’ ability to demonstrate mastery of Concepts and Procedures, where we had the largest number of students who were below standards (16%).

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College Preparatory Exams (SAT/ACT)

All Da Vinci students are encouraged to take the SAT and ACT in the spring of their junior year, as well as in the fall of their senior year, in preparation for their college application process. Because of our college going focus, and our attention to ensure that all students have access to college, that the percentage of our students who take standardized tests are significantly higher than state and national averages. In looking at participation rates over time, over 90% of our students take at least one exam, and over half of our students now take both exams. When comparing DVS student scores on these exams with the statewide averages, therefore, it is important to note that we are comparing the entire DVS class with the top half of the students in the rest of the state.

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SAT Participation Rates and Results

In looking at SAT participation rates and scores school‐wide, we see that while overall Da Vinci Science participation has dipped slightly, it remains well above the state average. Our overall scores dipped slightly between 2013 and 2015, but with the addition of our new SAT/ACT prep course for the Class of 2016, we see that our average SAT score jumped nearly 80 points from the previous year and came in over 20 points above any previous year. Participation rates for various subgroups varies across time, with greater variances in groups with smaller numbers of students overall (African American and Asian/Pac Isl.), and more consistency in larger groups of students.

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In terms of college readiness, after a steady decline in readiness for three years, we saw our overall rates as measured by both the ACT and the SAT increase significantly after offering the prep course to the class of 2016. All subgroups jumped in readiness in 2016 except for Asian/Pacific Islander students, and our African American students have seen the greatest increase in college readiness and are the most college prepared subgroup in 2016.

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ACT Participation Rates and Results

In looking at ACT participation rates and scores school‐wide, we see that our overall participation rates have increased by approximately 20% in 2016 from previous years, and are now nearly four times the state average. DVS has been encouraging its students to take the ACT because the ACT measures skills which are more aligned with the DVS Essential Skills. Our ACT scores have remained relatively static over the last three years for all subgroups, though scores for African American, White, and Male students are increasing. As with SAT, the college readiness indicators for the ACT have increased significantly with the addition of an SAT/ACT prep course for the class of 2016.

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II: Significant Changes and Developments ● Include a description of any significant changes and/or developments, i.e., program additions since the last full visit, changes in student enrollment, staffing changes.

● Describe the impact these changes and/or developments have had on the school and/or specific curricular programs.

Since the last full WASC visit in the 2012‐2013 school year, DVS has maintained relatively consistent enrollment and staffing numbers. The staff return rates for the last 3 years are :

Year Total # of Teachers, Counselors, Administrators

# Returning the following year

% return rate

2012‐2013 30 24 80.0%

2013‐2014 31 27 87.1%

2014‐2015 31 23 74.2%

2015‐2016 30

DVS has continued to grow its programs in support of student learning & mastery, as well as in the opportunities students have to pursue their career interests through the career pathways that are described in greater detail below. Supporting Student Learning & Mastery

1) After‐School tutoring: DVS launched an after‐school tutoring program, run by academic coaches (many of whom are DVS alumni) in which students can sign up online and get tutoring, individually or in groups, for any of their classes. Tutoring takes place Monday‐Thursday from 4‐6pm in the college center. Academic coaches also offer ACT/SAT support during this time. This optional help comes in addition to the opportunities students have during office hours on Monday‐Thursday from 8:00‐8:50am.

2) Peer Coaching: Piloted by the 10th grade team in 2014 and launched schoolwide in 2015, teachers in each grade‐level team connect struggling students with strong students as peer coaches. Peer coaches are advised on how to share the various strategies and organizational skills they use in order to be successful. The goal of this program is to emphasize to all students that academic success comes largely as an outcome of planning, organization and consistent practice rather than through “luck” or “intelligence”.

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3) Support Seminars & Study Hall Seminars: DVS students now have the opportunity to receive content‐area support in their seminar classes. DVS now offers support seminars in math, writing, science, Spanish and engineering, in addition to study hall seminars for students who wish to have extra silent study time during seminar. Enrollment in support seminars is made based on teachers’ assessment of need, and is also open to students on a voluntary basis. Enrollment in study hall seminars is voluntary.

4) Credit Recovery Courses: DVS now offers multiple “credit recovery” sections in its master schedule so that students who do not pass a particular course can recover that credit through an individualized course in which the teachers identify the particular essential skills that the student failed to master, and create an individualized plan through which the student can learn and demonstrate mastery of those skills. This investment allows a greater number of students to stay “in grade level” with a customized schedule rather than having to repeat a grade.

5) SAT/ACT Prep Courses: DVS offers intensive SAT/ACT Prep courses to students free of charge twice a year through an independent test prep company (PJ Test Prep). During the winter break, an intensive week‐long course focuses on prep for the SAT, while the summer course focuses on the ACT. These courses feature pre‐tests, direct instruction, practice, and post‐tests with a performance analysis and individual recommendations for further study.

6) Schoolwide Use of Edmodo: DVS teachers now use Edmodo schoolwide as a means of organizing and consolidating content, resources, deadlines and discussion forums into one location for students and parents.

7) School Planners: DVS designed its own customized student planner, which every student receives free of charge at the beginning of the school year. These planners include “GRIT & Growth” checks, reflections on their growth which students complete in their advisory class every 6 weeks.

8) Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Partnership: As part of a grant funded by Northrop Grumman, DVS teachers have worked together with faculty at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to discuss their projects and curriculum in order to make sure that the content and skills that the students learn through the course projects are giving the students the skills they will need at the University level.

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9) Career Pathways: In 2015, DVS launched its 3 career pathways, curricular emphases which students choose as they enter 11th grade. These pathways, when fully completed, will give students opportunities for specialized knowledge and industry certifications in their respective fields and a deeper understanding of the various careers available in these fields through internships and/or work experience opportunities. The most recent progress point has been the launch of a specialized, pilot version of the PLTW biomedical pathway, which was funded by UniHealth and the Margolis Foundation.

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III: Ongoing School Improvement

● Describe the process of engagement of all stakeholders in review of the student achievement data and the implementation and monitoring of the schoolwide action plan.

● Describe the process used to prepare the progress report.

DVS formed a School Site Council in the fall of 2014, and this body of stakeholders (students, parents, staff, industry partners and community members) meets quarterly to approve, monitor, and give feedback to the administration on the Title I School Site Plan (“SPSA”) as well as to give feedback on the LCAP goals, actions and expenditures. This includes the presentation of the student achievement data (as well as school survey data) by the school administration. In addition, DVS staff analyze, reflect and give feedback on student achievement data during professional development meetings and individual feedback and evaluation meetings as a part of the process of evaluating each year’s school site goals and the creation of the goals for the following year. Below are the school site goals for each of the years since the last WASC visit in March 2013:

School Year School Site Goals

2013‐2014 (from 2013 Self‐Study) 1) Analyzing & Using Student Performance Data 2) Supporting Struggling Students 3) Help students optimize performance on standardized tests 4) Improve sustainability for teachers & counselors 5) Increase inclusion of students & families in refining school’s programs 6) Alignment of Essential Skills with Common Core & Next Generation Science Standards

2014‐2015 1) Grow Project Quality 2) Promote “Where I Belong” 3) Cultivate Grit 4) Increase Parent Involvement 5) Educate Families about post‐DV options 6) Supporting Struggling Students

2015‐2016 1) Supporting struggling students 2) Increasing connections between grade levels 3) Growing advisory culture 4) Refining honors program

The DVS staff worked together during the week of winter professional development in January 2016 to analyze the actions & results to date and draft the narratives describing the progress DVS has made in each area of the Schoolwide Action Plan.

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IV: Progress on Critical Areas for Follow‐up/Schoolwide Action Plan

● Provide analytical comments on the accomplishment of each schoolwide action plan section referencing the critical areas for follow‐up addressed through each section; provide supporting evidence, including how each area has impacted student achievement.

● If any critical areas for follow‐up were not included in the school’s action plan, indicate what actions have been taken to address this issue and provide supporting evidence, including the impact on student achievement. ➔ Note: The school’s schoolwide action plan should have incorporated all the critical areas of follow‐up or major recommendations that were stated in the last self‐study visiting committee report.

Action Plan Item #1:

Develop & implement a systematic approach for analyzing both internal and external student performance data, and use this data to inform curriculum planning & instruction. Da Vinci Schools now employs a dedicated Data Analysis Coordinator who collects and consolidates internal and external data measures for DVS, including student performance on the SBAC assessments, which 11th grade students took for the first time in the spring of 2015, as well as demographic data of students and staff. This data was studied and reflected upon by the DVS staff during professional development in the fall of 2015, in which teachers studied the data in job‐alike teams and discussed implications for their curriculum planning and instruction. SBAC data was also shared with stakeholders at the DVS School Site Council meeting in January 2015, where parents and students had an opportunity to share their questions and reflections as the council discussed our ongoing plans for improvement, especially in the area of supporting struggling students. Internal data measures (including overall GPA, mastery of essential skills for each course, and performance on Presentations of Learning) are compiled by DVS administration and reflected upon by staff during professional development. Teachers studied the data, disaggregated by each separate essential skill, both individually and in job‐alike teams, and discussed and wrote reflections about how this data informs their curriculum planning and instruction. This analysis complements the work teachers do in monthly professional development and weekly staff meetings throughout the year in job‐alike and grade‐level teams, studying student work using different protocols and reflecting upon the practices that best support students’ mastery on essential skills. In addition to course mastery data, DVS began in the spring of 2015 assessing students using NWEA’s Measures of Academic Performance (“MAP”) test, a computer‐based, adaptive test for both math and ELA. This data is used to make sure that students are appropriately placed in support programs, and to make teachers aware from the outset of the school year which students may need additional supports. A Google sheet is shared with teachers in a common drive that indicates what kinds of support these students may need.

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Implement a consistent system of providing interventions to at‐risk students, students “in the middle”, and students in significant subgroups. The schoolwide growth goal of supporting struggling students has had a major influence in the development of our academic program over the last 3 years. The school’s master schedule now includes credit recovery courses in which students who do not pass a course can receive individualized instruction and coaching in mastering the essential skills they failed to master in the previous term. In addition, content areas now have support seminars in which students who failed a course in the previous term have the opportunity to get over 2 hours per week of extra help and support, including a seminar specifically for English Language Learners. In addition, we have created 2 intensive seminars taught by DVS administrators for students who failed 4 or more courses in the previous term so that the administrators can better assess these students’ needs and provide support using all of the resources available. DVS offers opportunities for academic support both before school from 8‐8:50, when students can attend elect to attend teachers’ “office hours” to ask questions, and after school from 4:00‐6:00, when students can attend free tutoring either individually or in groups.

Office Hours Attendance (Fall 2015)

Subject supported Student Visits % of Visits

Social Studies 1,223 26%

Science 974 21%

English 694 15%

Math** 664 14%

Engineering 349 8%

Spanish 318 7%

Resource 128 3%

Other 263 6%

Total: 4,613 100%

** Missing some Math attendance data, number is artificially low

Recognizing that a common characteristic shared by many struggling students is a challenge with executive functioning and organizational skills, DVS created a student planner which every DVS student receives at the beginning of the year. Teachers in all grade levels use this planner, in conjunction with Edmodo, to make deadlines and resources clear and accessible to students and

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parents. DVS has also launched a peer coaching program in which students in each grade level identified by teachers as having strong study and organizational skills are partnered with a struggling student to provide them weekly coaching and support in developing these skills. Each grade level has modified this peer coaching program to best meet the needs of their students. DVS has also created a dedicated support seminar for our English Language Learners, and purchased Rosetta Stone, which our English Language Learners use to complement the work the English teacher does in supporting them.


Help students develop strategies for optimizing their performance on standardized tests. DVS teachers, particularly those in 11th grade, incorporate effective test‐taking strategies into their curriculum planning and instruction, including strategies for answering both open‐ended and multiple‐choice test questions. In addition, DVS has contracted with PJ Test Prep, an independent test Prep company, to provide free ACT & SAT test prep to students during the winter and summer breaks. To date 252 students, mostly 11th graders, have attended these courses, and we have already seen an improvement in our students’ scores on both the SAT and the ACT.


Implement programs & practices which support long‐term sustainability for teachers and counselors.

Da Vinci Science has implemented programs and practices which support long‐term sustainability for teachers and counselors. One way that DVS has increased sustainability for teachers is through the creation and refinement of grade‐level roles. Grade‐level teacher teams assign one or two teachers to be the leads on the planning and preparation for the following events: the end‐of‐semester Presentations of Learning, Exhibition, and student‐led conferences. Furthermore, two teachers at each grade‐level focus exclusively on supporting struggling students, leading the teaching team on any discussions and interventions involving those students. This intentional division of responsibility allows each teacher to take a different leadership role, preventing a situation where the preparation and planning for all events as well as student support lands on just one or two teachers in a team. The roles have been refined since their inception, with the elimination of the grade‐level newsletter as one change directly supporting teacher sustainability.

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Another way that DVS assists in teacher sustainability is by carving out time for teachers and counselors to share their best practices for effectiveness and efficiency. During Friday morning professional development time, a teacher or counselor shares a best practice that he/she uses that increases his/her effectiveness and efficiency. These best practices help staff members incorporate new ways to manage their workload at DVS. During the January 2016 professional development, DVS held several workshops in which different DVS teachers shared what works best for them to increase engagement and efficiency in the classroom. DVS teachers also have the opportunity to celebrate one another during Friday morning professional development time. The Friday morning meeting begins with Celebrations, time set aside to thank others for their collaboration, helpfulness, kindness, generosity, or performance. This practice helps staff stay connected to one another and enjoy their time at DVS. DVS teachers also celebrate one another when they observe one another’s classrooms. There is an observation challenge set up where teachers visit other teachers’ classrooms in order to gain insight on how they could incorporate effective practices into their own classroom. Teachers are also encouraged to give feedback to one another on their identified growth goals, so the visit also helps the teacher being observed work towards his/her goal. These visits increase camaraderie and encourage celebration of one another’s work. DVS also supports staff unity by organizing social events for the staff throughout the year. Some examples of this are a staff overnight trip to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; a staff outing to Medieval Times; and evening gatherings at the assistant principal’s home and the principal’s home.

DVS also incorporates systematic ways to get input from the staff on what’s working and what needs improvement. Every staff member has a 15‐minute “check‐in” meeting with both the principal and assistant principal within the first several weeks of the school year, in which they have the opportunity to share any needs or requests for support. Each teacher is observed by the principal or assistant principal at least 3‐4 times over the course of each semester and given written feedback, and at the end of each semester every staff member has a 30‐minute feedback meeting with the principal and assistant principal. During these meetings, staff have the opportunity to give feedback about the support they receive and about the school’s programs. Each January, the staff votes on which topics they would like to discuss during a portion of

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professional development labeled “Critical Conversations.” This means that the administration listens and the staff speaks openly about the topics they have chosen, confronting the brutal facts of what needs to be addressed and improved at DVS. This winter, the topics chosen by the staff were engagement in Advisory and supporting struggling students. Another way that DVS teachers and counselors are able to share their successes and concerns with the administration is through check‐in meetings in September and mid‐year feedback meetings in November. These are private meetings scheduled for 30 minutes in which the principal, the assistant principal, and the staff member meet. DVS offers continuous, diversified support to its new teachers. In the 2015‐2016 school year, DVS had six new staff members. Teachers were given a prep period at the beginning of the day so that they could make sure they had everything together for their classes in the morning. They also had bi‐weekly check‐in meetings with the principal or assistant principal to see how things were going and how they could be best supported. New teachers were also given additional time to work one‐on‐one with veteran teachers, seeking their expertise in project and lesson planning as well as classroom management and the specifics of DVS. DVS also has additional professional development days in August designed exclusively for the new teachers. DVS also supports the long‐term sustainability of its staff by encouraging and supporting their professional growth through reading and discussion. At the end of each year, DVS provides each staff member with a copy of that year’s PD book, which they can read over summer and which

the staff discusses as a part of the professional development weeks in August. These books have included Good to Great in the Social Sector (Collins), An Ethic of Excellence (Berger), Mindset (Dweck), Drive (Pink), Made to Stick (Heath & Heath), Steal Like an Artist (Kleon), Show Your Work! (Kleon), Deeper Learning (Martinez & McGrath), and Practice Perfect (Lemov). The ideas in these books and the staff reflections and discussions they stimulate are an essential element to the long‐term professional growth of our staff.

In August 2015, Da Vinci Schools issued a new compensation plan that addressed concerns staff had regarding the current compensation scale. This plan did the following:

1) Increased the Health Benefit Maximum Contribution from $6,750 to $8,000, an increase of 19%.

2) Increased the 2015‐16 district contribution to STRS and set aside a reserve for future increases mandated by State Legislation. State law requires CMO’s and Districts to increase the retirement contribution for employees STRS pension from the historic annual rate of 8.25%. Each year the rate will increase approximately 1.85% until it reaches 19.1%, with the rate remaining at 19.1%. The intent of the legislation is to provide a secure pension for certificated employees.

3) Salary Increase for employee groups as follows:

a. Classified and Certificated Management ‐ In April, the Board approved a 3% increase for employees. In July, the Board approved an additional 2%, for a total of 5%. In addition, Salary Schedules were developed for both classified and certificated management to clarify salary placements.

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b. Teachers and Counselors ‐ In April, the Board approved a "Step" (now called "Level") increase on the current salary schedule for teachers and counselors. In July the Board approved expanding the salary schedule and also increasing the schedule by 6%. The new starting salary for a teacher is $47,000 (was $44,250) and top salary is now $90,365 (was $75,250). The counselor compensation salary schedule is very similar. c. Teacher Market Factors ‐ Prior to 2014‐15 school year some teachers received "Market Factor points" which resulted in additional compensation. Based upon teacher feedback for a more simple and equitable compensation structure, Da Vinci ceased to give Market Factors beginning in 2014‐15. Market Factors are now being eliminated but teachers with Market Factors are being "grandfathered" into the new Salary Schedule.

Each year, staff are asked to complete an anonymous survey evaluating the climate and culture of the school and the quality of its leadership. The results of the most recent survey that directly pertain to this action plan item are below:

Value Statement Strongly disagree Disagree

Neither agree nor disagree Agree

Strongly agree

Weighted Average

I am committed to the school's mission

0.00% 0

0.00% 0

0.00% 0

6.90% 2

93.10% 27 4.93

I would recommend Da Vinci as a place of employment to a friend or

colleague. 0.00% 0

0.00% 0

0.00% 0

31.03% 9

68.97% 20 4.69

Teachers in my school have sufficient opportunity to influence the decisions that affect them and

their students. 0.00% 0

0.00% 0

3.70% 1

44.44% 12

51.85% 14 4.48

I feel valued as an employee. 0.00% 0

0.00% 0

3.70% 1

18.52% 5

77.78% 21 4.74

The professional development time at my school site has helped

improve my instructional practice. 0.00% 0

0.00% 0

3.70% 1

29.63% 8

66.67% 18 4.63

Complete results from the survey can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/DVSFall2015StaffSurvey .

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http://tinyurl.com/DVSFall2015StaffSurvey



Increase inclusion of students and families as stakeholders in refining the school’s programs. Da Vinci Science has increased inclusion of students and families as stakeholders in refining the school’s programs. One way in which this has happened is the creation of the School Site Council in 2014. Staff, students, and parents are invited to attend the school site council meeting, where progress toward school goals is discussed and input from all stakeholders is valued. Minutes of the school site council meetings show the inclusion of staff, parent, and student voice as programs are evaluated and refined. DVS families are expected to attend school events. At each event, we ask parents to sign in digitally and give us feedback on the event itself. This both allows us to confirm parent presence and get parent feedback. We use this data to send home a personalized parent report card, indicating to parents how well they did in meeting their family commitment at DVS. Listed below are the events that parents are expected to attend each school year:

● Back to School Night ● Fall Family College Meeting (by appointment) ● Fall Student‐Led Conference ● Fall Exhibition ● Fall Presentation of Learning ● Spring Family College Meeting (by appointment) ● Spring Student‐Led Conference ● Spring Exhibition Spring Presentation of Learning

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The Fall and Spring Family College Meetings are small family meetings with the college counselors in which families (both student and parent) are able to learn information about the college application process as well as ask questions about how to best prepare for the future. These meetings are held in English and Spanish, and families are able to ask questions about the meetings and provide feedback for these meetings in the same way that they can provide feedback for the school events. This year’s attendance at the college planning meetings for grades 10 – 12 is as follows: 10th grade ‐ 81% of parents attended; 11th grade – 67% of parents attended; and 12th grade ‐ 92% of parents attended.

Beyond attendance at school events and family meetings, family feedback is also an important part in including all of our stakeholders in the evaluation and refinement of our school programs and practices. Da Vinci Science families are asked twice a year (fall and spring) to provide us feedback on our school and systemic practices from culture and safety, to our effectiveness with signature practices and instructional supports. In Fall 2015, 261 parents responded to the Da Vinci Science Fall 2015 Parent Survey. With a Fall 2015 enrollment of 517 students, and holding the assumption that each parent response was from a different student, our overall response rate was 50%. This year, DVS also incorporated a parent outreach coordinator whose main focus is to increase our outreach to and involvement of our parents who only speak Spanish. Parent communications now go out to these families in Spanish, and a Facebook group has been created to improve the connections these parents feel to the DVS community. Parent Survey Results (Fall 2015)

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Net Promoter Score

A key metric for Da Vinci Schools as identified by its governing board is the “Net Promoter Score” (NPS). The NPS is calculated using the following question: “How likely would you be to recommend Da Vinci (school name) to a friend or family member seeking a similar school to attend, on a scale of 1‐10 (10 is high)?” Respondents rate this on a 1‐10 scale; responses between 1‐6 are considered “negative”; 7‐8 “neutral”, and 9‐10 “positive”. The NPS is calculated using the formula (positive responses ‐ negative responses)/ total responses.

Relationships

The first of five general survey areas asks parents to respond to a series of questions that evaluate relationships between students, staff, parents, and the school. Respondents rate this on a 1‐5 scale: 1‐ Poor, 2‐ Fair, 3‐ Good, 4‐ Very Good, 5‐ Excellent.

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School Culture The second of five general survey areas asks parents to respond to a series of questions that evaluate the culture of our school in various ways. Respondents rate this on a 1‐5 scale: 1‐ Poor, 2‐ Fair, 3‐ Good, 4‐ Very Good, 5‐ Excellent.

Habits of Mind

The third of five general survey areas asks parents to respond to a series of questions that evaluate the Da Vinci signature practices of Habits of Mind, which are comprised of the following: Evidence, Integrity, Connection, Collaboration, Quality, and Accountability. Respondents rate this on a 1‐5 scale: 1‐ Poor, 2‐ Fair, 3‐ Good, 4‐ Very Good, 5‐ Excellent.

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21st Century Skills The fourth of five survey areas asks parents to respond to a series of questions that evaluate our practices within the 21st Century Skills that will prepare our graduates for their college and career pathways beyond high school. 21st Century skills are comprised of Initiative, Communication, Use of Academic Language, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Use of Technology, and Leadership. Respondents rate this on a 1‐5 scale: 1‐ Poor, 2‐ Fair, 3‐ Good, 4‐ Very Good, 5‐ Excellent.

Safety The final of the five general survey areas asks parents to respond to a series of questions that evaluate their perception of their student’s safety at Da Vinci Science, both on campus and off. For this question only, respondents rate this on a 1‐4 scale: 1‐ No, never, 2‐ Yes, some of the time, 3‐ Yes, most of the time, and 4‐ Yes, all of the time.

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Parent Survey Summary The final summary chart looks across all five general areas of the survey for Da Vinci Science, and brings the overall average score for each area into comparison with those of the other major areas of the survey for an overall view of how parents responded in all areas of the survey.


Aligning of ELA and Math Essential Skills with Common Core Standards, and of Science Essential Skills with Next Generation Science Standards

The job‐alike teams met and completed initial alignment of DVS Essential Knowledge & Skills with the Common Core Standards & Next Generation Science Standards in August 2013. The DVS Essential Knowledge & Skills have been revisited (and revised, in some cases) each semester. Furthermore, in August 2015 the DVS staff shared the Essential Knowledge & Skills identified for each of their courses with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo professors for each academic discipline, asking for feedback regarding the kinds of skills being taught at DVS and whether or not these skills are appropriate in preparation for college courses. Feedback from the Cal Poly SLO professors was used to further refine the skills and develop meaningful curriculum to support our students’ success in college.

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V: Schoolwide Action Plan Refinements

● Comment on the refinements made to the single schoolwide action plan since the last self‐study visit to reflect schoolwide progress and/or newly identified issues. ● Include a copy of the school’s latest updated schoolwide action plan. DVS cultivates and embraces a culture of growth, and as such invests a significant amount of time in professional development time studying and reflecting on our school’s progress on our goals and identifying opportunities for further growth. Below are the school site goals for each of the years since the last WASC visit in March 2013:

School Year School Site Goals

2013‐2014

1) Analyzing & Using Student Performance Data 2) Supporting Struggling Students 3) Help students optimize performance on standardized tests 4) Improve sustainability for teachers & counselors 5) Increase inclusion of students & families in refining school’s programs 6) Alignment of Essential Skills with Common Core & Next Generation Science Standards

2014‐2015

1) Grow Project Quality 2) Promote “Where I Belong” 3) Cultivate Grit 4) Increase Parent Involvement 5) Educate Families about post‐DV options 6) Supporting Struggling Students

2015‐2016

1) Supporting struggling students 2) Increasing connections between grade levels 3) Growing advisory culture 4) Refining honors program

After reviewing our school’s data, we are pleased with the progress we have made in putting systems and programs in place to meet the growth goals of analyzing and using student performance data, improving sustainability for teachers and counselors, increasing inclusion of students and families in refining the school’s programs, and alignment of the DVS essential skills with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. While we will continue to work to sustain the progress we have made in these areas, we have narrowed our focus for improvement to these four goals:

1) supporting struggling students, including helping students master test‐taking strategies in order to optimize their performance of standardized tests

2) growing school culture by increasing connections between grade levels 3) growing advisory culture by implementing strategies to increase student buy‐in on

advisory lessons and activities 4) improving our curriculum by refining the honors program

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Our action plan for addressing these for our growth goals for this year is summarized below:

Growth Goal / Action Item Actions Taken Growth Metrics for Success

1) supporting struggling students, including helping students master test‐taking strategies in order to optimize their performance of standardized tests

∙development of peer tutoring program ∙introduction of study skills seminars ∙creation of advisory unit on “Success at DVS”

∙average GPA ∙course pass rate ∙SAT & ACT scores / college readiness ∙SBAC assessment results

2) growing school culture by increasing connections between grade levels

∙increased incorporation of upperclassmen on freshman overnighter retreat ∙increasing opportunities for advisory families to take off‐campus trips

∙student satisfaction per interviews and student & teacher surveys

3) growing advisory culture by implementing strategies to increase student buy‐in on advisory lessons and activities

∙increasing opportunities for advisory families to take off‐campus trips

∙student & teacher satisfaction with advisory per interviews and student & teacher surveys

4) improving our curriculum by refining the honors program

∙alignment of honors project descriptions within each job‐alike

∙number / % of students successfully completing honors options for core courses

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DRAFT 1/28/16dvs.davincischools.org/.../DVS-2016-WASC...1-28-16.pdf · Habits of excellence & 21st Century Skills Habits of excellence 21st Century Skills Reflected upon by students

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