The Rest of the Story: Understanding the Numbers

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Tim Markley

 

 A wise friend once told me never to pick fights with people who buy their ink by the barrel. I have generally lived by this and do not respond to media articles. The Star News article on the achievement gap in last Sunday’s paper is an exception. The news article presented data comparing student proficiency over the past decade. While the numbers presented were technically correct, they were misleading at best.  The initial test results from 2002 were based on a very different test than the one administered in 2011. It is difficult to compare data from the 2001-2002 school year with the 2011-2012 school year due to the differences in the assessment content, assessment specifications, and assessment performance standards as depicted in Table 1. 

Table 1: Comparison of 2001-2002 and 2011-2012 Assessments

Without considering the differences in the assessments, the news article compared percentages for schools with students in Grades 3-8 that are based on the number of students scoring at or above Level III in both reading and mathematics on the End-of-Grade tests. Therefore, scores of students who demonstrated proficiency on one of the two assessments were omitted from the reported percentages, and therefore, some student successes were inadvertently omitted from the news report.

Furthermore, student progress was omitted, which reveals more clearly the learning from year to year. When analyzing student data, proficiency (passing) is only one facet; growth needs to be analyzed in order to clearly assess progress. Students are making progress. When conferring with parents, we discuss both proficiency and progress, because parents want to know if teachers are moving their children forward.

Therefore, a better representation of student progress can be gleaned from analyzing student performance data that is based on the same curriculum standards, the same assessment specifications, and the same assessment performance standards. From 2008-2009 to 2011-2012, students were assessed on the same standards in both reading and math; meaning the content, assessment specifications, and assessment performance standards were constant.

By digging deeper into the data; delineating for both reading and math; and analyzing student performance data based on the same assessment standards, the results indicate that during a period from 2008-2009 to 2011-2012, all student groups made progress, but at different rates. Although there continues to be achievement gaps among all student groups, we, as educators, are not discouraged because students are making progress as indicated in Table 2.

Table 2: Student Proficiency Comparisons in Math and Reading:
2008-2009 and 2011-2012

Although the progress varies for each child, a comparison from 2008-2012 indicates that Black student proficiency in reading increased from 43.9 percent to 51.1 percent, a percent increase of 16.4. In math, Black student proficiency increased from 60.5 percent to 66.5 percent, a percent increase of 9.9 during the same time period as indicated in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Percent Increase in Math and Reading: 
     2008-2009 and 2011-2012

We are making progress. New Hanover County Schools is committed to a rigorous and comprehensive plan to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction so that students are prepared for success in post-secondary education and the workforce.

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Public Education Under Assault by Dr. Tim Markley

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Tim Markley

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education.” – John F. Kennedy

Horace Mann, the great American educator, wrote that “education, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men.” Mann argued that the bridge between the divisions of rich and poor is public education. Education, he said, “gives each man the independence and the means by which he can resist the selfishness of other men.” Public education allows for social mobility, it is the tool by which any person can change their circumstances and improve their life. I have grave concerns that this great equalizer is under assault here in North Carolina. As Nobel Prize winning economist Gunner MyDral said, “Education has in America’s whole history been the major hope for improving the individual and society.” A review of three bills in particular that are currently working their way through the state house illustrate my point. Each has the potential to seriously undermine our public education system.

These bills are a purported fix for problems in a system that is not broken. Consider these facts:

  • North Carolina’s public education system is graduating students at its highest rate in history-80.4%.
  • North Carolina public schools are among the top 11 participating education systems in the world for 4th and 8th grade math scores on the 2011 “Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).”
  • North Carolina public school students are 22nd in national ACT scores.
  • North Carolina public school students are 12th in national 4th grade math NAEP scores.
  • 24th in national 4th grade reading NAEP scores.

HB 944: Opportunity Scholarship Act: This bill would give $4,200 in taxpayer money to private schools per student. The total bill for this would be $40 million per year. There is no accountability for these dollars; there is no requirement that private schools have to accept all students thus allowing them to restrict access. Experience shows that those who would most benefit from a voucher program would be excluded. The amount of the voucher would not be enough to help low-income parents in many cases. Here in New Hanover County, a private school can cost in excess of $15,000 per year. A $4,200 voucher is not enough to make that viable for most low income parents.

Instead of vouchers, school choice should continue under the existing public school structure. These choices include charter, magnet, early college and specialty schools.

HB 935: NC Pre-K Changes: This would reduce the income eligibility of the NC Pre-K program by changing the definition of an “at-risk” child from that of a child in a family with an income of 200% of the federal poverty level, to that of a child in a family with an income of 100% of the poverty level. This makes no sense when you consider the voucher bill allows families up to 300% of the poverty level to take advantage of Pre-K programs. This bill also would not allow school systems to serve as the contract administrator. The intent is to limit the access of some of our neediest parents to high quality Pre-K services.

SB 361: Excellent Public Schools Act: This bill would grade schools on an A-F scale basis only on proficiency, and it would not include any growth component. North Carolina pioneered the growth-model accountability system that assesses gains in individual student performance from year to year. This model not only has won the state national acclaim, but also is being adopted by other states and is part of the proposed revisions to the federal No Child Left Behind law that has been criticized for not acknowledging student growth. Assigning letter grades to schools largely on test performance will be misleading to the public, overly-punitive to the schools, and ultimately will erode the parental and community support that is crucial for the continuing viability of a school.

Beyond these bills, the legislators have eliminated funding for some truly beneficial programs. Among these is the Teaching Fellows Program which was a scholarship program designed to bring our best and brightest into the profession. The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching is also being threatened. This long-standing program has provided critical training for teachers across the state in both traditional and charter schools.

The end result of all of this is a gradual undermining of public education in favor of privatization. As Diane Ravitch, a former education expert in the Bush administration says: “Privatizing our public schools makes as much sense as privatizing the fire department or the police department.” My own life is a testament to the value of public education. Both of my parents were high school dropouts; however, they recognized that if I was to live a better life than they had, I would need an education. They, along with my teachers, pushed me to succeed and to go on to college. Without an excellent free public education, it would have been impossible for me and millions of others to achieve the American Dream.

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Online Learning Expanding in New Hanover County Schools by Wendy Kraft, Supervisor of Online Learning

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Valita Quattlebaum
“Any time, any place, learn at your pace” is an approach to teaching and learning that is changing the way in which many of our students interact with their coursework in New Hanover County Schools (NHCS).

Virtual Courses-NCVPS
Rather than sitting in “brick and mortar” classrooms with 25-30 peers and one teacher, many students are now engaged in virtual classrooms with certified NC teachers and classmates from around the state. This is an exciting learning opportunity that all NHCS middle and high school students can access through our partnership with North Carolina Public Schools (NCVPS). These online learning experiences allow students to access courses that might not otherwise be available.

All NCVPS coursework is web-based, which allows students to work from school, home, or any place that the internet can be accessed. Instruction and activities are presented in an asynchronous format, which allows students to work on the weekly assignments at a time that is most convenient.
Courses such as Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, African American Studies, SAT Prep, and many others are now available to our middle and high school students. Over 100 courses are currently accessible through NCVPS to support on-level, honors, Advance Placement (AP), and credit recovery coursework.

NCVPS Blended courses provide both a face-to-face and a virtual teacher for select courses including those in the Occupational Course of Study (OCS) and Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pilot. All NCVPS courses offer engaging, rigorous instruction and activities aligned to the Newly Redesigned Standard Course of Study (Common Core/Essential Standards), and are facilitated by virtual teachers who are NC certified.

NHCS began implementing NCVPS courses with high schools students in 2007. Between 2007 and 2010, we supported 350 students in online learning courses. Our selection process was rigorous, the course offerings were few and school-level support to students was limited. As we began to expand online learning opportunities, we realized that additional school-level supports were critical. New Hanover County has nearly 1800 students enrolled in NCVPS coursework for the 2012-13 school year. These enrollments reflect both middle and high school students, even though the majority of the NCVPS courses are high school content (with the exception of Success 101 for Middle School). We are proud to share that our district average is above an 80% pass rate for each of the first two quarters of the year.

Beginning this fall, students participating in NCVPS courses at our traditional high schools and Mosley PLC will have the benefit of the Virtual Academy. The Virtual Academy provides a strategic system of supports to ensure that students receive assistance with navigating online platforms (Moodle or Blackboard) as well as managing time and communicating with virtual teachers and classmates. These supports will be provided to students participating in their online coursework in a school computer lab as well as to those who are accessing their coursework off-campus. In unique circumstances, high school students may be approved to access an entire semester, year or career of coursework via NCVPS without having to attend classes on campus.

With summer quickly approaching, current middle and high school students may access NCVPS courses for credit recovery or to gain additional credits towards high school graduation. Based on previous experience with online learning, students may be required to attend daily lab sessions on campus. Summer courses begin June 10th and end August 2nd. Registration has already begun.
The NC State Board of Education recently voted to require that beginning with the graduating class of 2020 (current 5th graders), all students must successfully complete at least ONE online course prior to graduation. This places North Carolina among those states leading the charge in online learning nationwide. In April of 2006, Michigan became the first state to require online learning for high school graduation. Since that time, Alabama, Florida, Idaho, and Virginia have added requirements.

While North Carolina and specifically, NHCS are committed to ensuring that all students have access to high-quality online learning opportunities through NCVPS, this is not all that’s happening in the world of online learning in our district!

Blended-APEX
Blended learning is a formal process in which a student learns through both online content delivery and face-to-face instruction. These courses are facilitated by a certified teacher and incorporate some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace. Our high schools are utilizing Apex digital curriculum to supplement their face-to-face instructional delivery. Through this model, teachers are better able to differentiate instruction, allowing students to work at their pace.

Video-Conferencing-NCSSM
Another online learning opportunity for NHCS high school students involves participating in interactive video conferencing courses through North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM). Available courses include advanced science, math and humanities courses such as Honors Aerospace Engineering, Honors Genetics and Biotechnology, Honors Statistics and Honors African American Studies. Students enrolled in these courses must be scheduled in the computer lab on their campus for a 90-minute block daily. Here they will interact with their distance classmates through webcams and specialized software. Students will participate in discussions, collaborate on projects, and complete activities facilitated by an NCSSM teacher.

Last but not least, it should be noted that because of our dedication to online learning, our district has made all of these online learning opportunities available at no cost to our students and families. NHCS remains committed to providing options and choices to schools and students as we work together to equip each student with the skills and tools necessary to achieve full potential.

For more information about any of the online learning opportunities available to NHCS students, please contact your school administration, visit the NHCS Online Learning website or contact Wendy Kraft, Supervisor of Online Learning at (910)254-4235.

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We’ve Come A Long Way with Technology by Dawn Brinson, NHCS Chief Technology Officer

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Valita Quattlebaum
As we go from school to school, we are inspired by all of the innovative ways that students and teachers are seamlessly incorporating technology into their day. No longer is technology use optional – it is essential and will only become more so. In the past, aversion to technology use was not uncommon. Now, we hear more about how teachers want to use it but are limited by lack of equipment, infrastructure, and time to put creative ideas into practice. For the past three summers, our teachers have showcased their innovative ideas at our Summer Technology Institute. We have come a long way.

Over the past three school years, the amount of technology in schools has grown exponentially. Mobile laptop labs, iPads, interactive whiteboards, handheld voting devices, document cameras, and other devices used for MClass assessments…the list of equipment goes on. Behind the scenes, there have been other district-wide undertakings such as server upgrades, Novell to Active Directory conversions, Sagebrush to the Destiny library system, and the shift to Google Apps for everything from storage and email, to teacher webpages. Adhering to the district’s strategic plan has meant the expansion of wireless networks to ensure all schools have wireless access. It has prompted the mounting of interactive whiteboards and projectors in classrooms across the district. The addition of mobile carts in anticipation of online assessments and keeping up with the growth in school populations is also part of our district plan. Bottom line, the equipment increase has outpaced the personnel who support the technology both at the district level and in the schools.

Currently, the Technology Department supports:

● 17,769 computers and iPads
● 98 physical servers
● 96 virtual servers
● 855 wireless access points
● 42 telephone systems
● 41 intercom systems
● Computers per client service technician = 2,733:1
● Over 14,000 pieces of audio visual equipment
● Over 2,100 printers
● Over 1,000 whiteboards and slates

Between 2008 and 2012, there was a 26.6% increase in computers and tablet devices. Be mindful that those numbers just include computers and tablet devices. The numbers do not include interactive whiteboards, projectors, document cameras, printers, and televisions – items commonly found in classrooms across the district. It also does not include the infrastructure necessary to make things work such as servers, intercom and phone systems, and wiring. Halfway into the current 2012-2013 school year, over 2,000 new devices have been purchased – and we still have four and a half months left.

Also, while the volume of technology is increasing, between 2008 and 2012, the Technology Department experienced a 3.57% decrease in personnel. During this same time, school site Technology Assistants (TA) and Computer Resource Teachers (CRTs) have been given other duties that increasingly limit their time for technology troubleshooting and support. Due to the enormous growth of technology in the district, we are presently looking at a 1:433 ratio of TAs/CRTs to computers and iPads alone. That is an average. At a typical high school, the CRT could be responsible for over 1,000 devices in addition to supporting a large faculty and staff. It’s not just about the devices – acquiring and maintaining the equipment is only one part of the picture.

What matters most is how the devices are used. Technology cannot magically transform a classroom, but it can help differentiate, assess and engage students. It helps keep parents and students informed. It has the potential to create global learning communities. It is transforming our schools and libraries into 24/7 places of learning. Instructional support for the ever increasing equipment and programs is arduous and the need is constant.

At this moment, teachers are making the transition to Google docs and to a new platform for their web pages. Our media specialists have all been trained, and are still learning, a new software inventory and circulation system. Science teachers have been trained on Discovery Techbook. The move to a state initiative called “Home Base” is coming soon and students will be assessed using the Smarter Balanced Assessments. Governor Pat McCrory recently signed a bill that created a vocational pathway for a high school diploma, so there will be a greater need for support for the Career and Technical Education Department’s newly-revised curriculum. The list of devices and applications our district supports grows daily.

There is no doubt that supporting creativity and innovation will pay off. Students and teachers today have a multitude of educational and instructional options they didn’t have a few years ago. It is imperative that we systematically implement tools and resources to assist teachers in creating a learning environment that ensures every student has opportunities to discover, discern, and apply the appropriate tools in order to make them career and college ready. We have come a long way. However, without adequate personnel to support the influx of technology, are we limiting how far can we go?

Mrs. Brinson expresses her thanks and appreciation to the Technology Department staff and the Technology Instructional Specialists for their contributions to this article.

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Passionate, Hungry, and Driven: Earning Our PHD at New Hanover High School by Todd Finn

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Valita Quattlebaum
Back in 1997, I was working as a teacher assistant at a tiny high school just west of Boston, Massachusetts. I was finishing up my Bachelor Degree so that I could one day become a history teacher, getting my foot in the door as an assistant basketball coach at this particular high school, and somehow finding a way to get by.

Papers, Coffee, and Court Time

In order to coach that JV team after school, I chose to supplement my extremely low income by waking up at 4:00 a.m. each morning to deliver 150 Boston Globe Newspapers before their affluent recipients woke up in their suburban Boston homes. My beat up Geo Metro could never be seen in that Acton, Massachusetts neighborhood when the sun was up: (folks would’ve called the police). After that, it was back to my tiny apartment to change, off to the high school to work that TA job, and then back to the university to go to a class. After that class, it was right back over to the gymnasium for basketball practice. Somewhere along the way, I picked up Dunkin Donuts coffees for the coaches, and in turn they gave me some court time with the players while they sipped away from the coffee cups I could not really afford to buy.

I always got those coaches “larges” because it gave me more court time.

When practice ended, I would get my nose in the books, study a while, read a few chapters of my Rick Pitino coaching and motivational books, and then hit the hay. The days were long, nights of sleep were short, the pay was nominal, and it was all I ever wanted to do.

If I had to, I’d do it again.

Turning the Tables

Four years later, I was walking out of the brand new locker room at Babson University, following the collegiate men’s team of whom I was now the Head Coach: the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Granted, it was only a Division III gig, but it may as well have been the Boston Celtics for a guy who was delivering newspapers and fetching coffees for high school coaches just a short while back.

Especially when our winning box score was in that newspaper that I used to deliver.

I knew that the Big Guy upstairs had a sense of humor when those very same coaches were sending me their players’ recruiting tapes. I always smile when I think of that.

How I got from the hardwoods in Providence to the Principal’s Office at 1307 Market Street in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a story for another day. What can never be lost, however, is the PHD Mentality that Coach Pitino wrote about in those books which I still keep in my office.

“PHD” was not a degree to Coach Pitino. It stood for Passionate, Hungry, and Driven. I guess that’s what I still try to bring to the table in this position at New Hanover High School. Maybe I simply believe that the PHD mentality will make that next dream a reality at this level.

The Mindset

Before I get into some of the things we have been able to pull off at New Hanover High with our PHD mindset, let me preface everything by stating that it wasn’t necessarily broken when I got there in 2011.

But it wasn’t mine, either.

Like those basketball teams I loved to coach years ago, the fact of the matter is that NHHS was going to be reflective of the personality of this principal before too long. The reality of that statement is scary if you have ever spent any time with me. For an up-tempo coach who led the conference in technical fouls for three years in a row, that meant that the entire school was getting ready to go sky diving, HALO style.

If we were going to be a passionate, hungry, and driven school – and if we were going to win in this business of saving kids – we weren’t going to wait for the success fairy to come and sprinkle turnaround dust on us. We were going to wake up early, deliver those papers, work with our kids, learn about our craft, earn some court time in the classrooms, and try to get better every day. Of course, somewhere along the way we – would be incorporating coffee.

Lots and lots of coffee.

The Critical 200

We start each day off at Hanover with a good morning, stating the school vision, pledging our allegiance to the flag and republic, telling the kids that they will always come first, and our school motto: “Respect Self, Respect Others, and Respect Tradition.” Sometimes the order varies, but we make every effort to fit those fundamentals in to start the day.

You see, this very brief interaction is part of what we call the “Critical 200,” or the 200 minutes when they are not being taught the Common Core or Essential Standards in a classroom. In fact, on any average day, we supervise the students for about 560 minutes in a typical high school. 360 of them are in a classroom. The other 200 minutes? You guessed it. That is why they are so critical.

A good teacher will have a lesson planed, carry out that lesson in a manner that engages the students, while keeping them all safe and cared for in the classroom. Most principals would agree that a teacher who consistently does this work has a place in their school. The thing is that the PHD teacher does all of this and more. We emphasize the importance of being in the building at least 30 minutes prior to that pledge of allegiance. We stress the non-negotiable practice of stepping into the hallways between classes and greeting kids, encouraging students to move to their next class, and having a passion for being a presence in each sector of the building. Three class changes per day at six minutes each? That’s a total of 18 minutes of engagement each day.

Saying hello.

Giving a high five or a fist bump.

“Hey, great game last night.”

“Nice work on that painting in the display case.”

Encouraging that young man to pull up his pants, because Mr. Finn may be right around the corner.

Never allowing a group to form, a student to post up against a wall, or voices to be raised at above indoor levels.

Give me 18 minutes of that each day, and I will show you 104 teachers who get it. I will also guarantee that we had a collective, good day to put in the books before we all go home for the night.

Did I mention that in our school, we don’t even ring bells? We haven’t since the day I arrived. Teachers dismiss the students on their call, and the students then move quickly to the next class. If we do what we are supposed to do, it is impossible to be tardy for class. Imagine 1,623 students changing classes with no bell.

PHDs can pull that off.

We decided to take the two hours allotted for lunches and move from three, 40-minute lunches to five, 24-minute lunches. The result? Faster lunch lines for kids, more time with friends at an actual lunch table, a smaller crowd to supervise, and exponentially fewer incidents in the cafeteria. This takes five teams of five teachers, an administrator, and a team of SROs to ensure it actually works. But the PHD mentality is what makes it all happen. Does it work? Ask the child nutrition staff.

Smooth as silk and chocolate milk.

120 minutes of lunches, 18 in the hallways, 30 before school, 30 after school for supervision and tutoring, and maybe two minutes to pray that it all works out each day.

There you have it. The Critical 200, made possible by 104 PHDs with a common vision.

Not-So-Subtle Changes

I could probably go on to list a dozen other things we refocused on in order to evoke a cultural shift at New Hanover. We no longer have assigned parking for teachers or administrators. The “best spaces” go to those who get to school first. How many folks are in the building at 7:45 a.m. now? On any given day, mostly all of my PHDs are. Do you know who benefits from that? You guessed it: those early arrivals that now have a place to go.

As a lifelong learner who is always refreshing his PHD, I have come to believe that there is nothing more powerful than a teacher, (or a group of teachers), with a collective PHD mentality, a plan to help kids love school, and the will to make it happen. We empowered a group of 12 teachers and an energetic guidance counselor last spring to create a Freshman Academy for first-year, 9th grade students. They called it “The Odyssey Academy.” After just one semester, I challenge anyone from DPI to tell me that those kids are displaying behaviors or performance levels that are typical of freshman students. I have had more folks tell me that many of them act like juniors. They have only been in high school for five months.

Surrounded by motivational quotes (chosen by last year’s freshmen) hand-stenciled in hallway walls by teachers, our Odyssey students are engulfed by positive thoughts. These are emphasized in bright, orange banners with bold block letters depicting the Ron Clark Excellent Eleven words of power, and wrapped up in the collective arms of PHD teachers who love to teach freshman students.

How could anyone fail in that environment?

Not to mention that this phenomenal group of kids will move up from the 9th grade Odyssey Freshman Academy to the 10th grade Iliad Academy next fall. Twelve more teachers already have this project planned out. Truth be told? They’ve got this.

We are a safer school. We are a constantly improving school. We are a school where even if it isn’t broken, we break it and build it a better way for kids. We are a school where teachers who share the vision, to “form young leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion,” are empowered to make this vision a reality.

We are a destination school.

We are a school of PHDs.

Are we perfect? In no way, shape, or form will we ever be perfect. We are getting outcomes that are encouraging and results that prove we are on the right track. EOC scores are up. Graduation rates have increased across the board. Suspensions are down. Police are reporting fewer offenses. Enrollment is up. Dropouts are almost non-existent.

Yet we have so very far to go. Not everyone is convinced that the vision we seek to attain is the way to go. And do you know what? That’s OK, too. It gives me that extra something that I need to strive for, like delivering newspapers at 4:00 a.m. so that I can coach at 4:00 p.m. We are only seventeen months into what will be a 48-month trek, so to speak. I gave this team four years to realize our vision, so 31 months from now, we will have a much better idea as to how we really did. Maybe by then, we will know whether or not we created a better place for kids to go to school, and if the PHD mentality really worked at New Hanover High School.

So, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out. But I don’t need to see a scoreboard to know that we are winning this battle. Anyone who walks in our halls can sense that we are up by two with the ball and the arrow.

Yet we are still shooting three’s and pressing.

Tomorrow, I am going to get up early and head down to Market Street. I am going to read over the notes I took on Friday when I got to meet one-on-one with 11 teachers to talk about their individual weeks. By the time 7:45 a.m. rolls around, my game plan for the week will be set, and I will come out of that locker room like I did on that October night at Babson University, ready to compete and expecting to win.

I am so fortunate to lead this team of passionate, hungry, and driven teachers who believe they are the hardest-working team in America.

Are they the hardest-working team of educators? Who knows?

But as long as we believe we are, and keep striving to prove it to ourselves and for our kids, that is all that matters in the end.

We are New Hanover:

Home of the PHD Educator.

We are making a difference.

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A Letter from NHCS Superintendent Dr. Tim Markley: The Safety and Security of Our Students and Staff is Our Top Priority

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Valita Quattlebaum

Dear Parents, Staffs and Community Members:

We extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to all of the families involved in the Newtown tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. In the meantime, we will remain diligent in providing security and protection here in the New Hanover County Schools.

I believe it is important for us to come together as a community in the aftermath of the horrific tragedy that occurred last Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This is a difficult time for us all and especially for parents with school-age children. When something like this occurs, it is understandable that we would have concerns. I have included a link with some information which you may find beneficial from the National Association of School Psychologists about helping children cope.

http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/CaregiverTips.pdf

Please be assured that the safety of all students in New Hanover County Schools is and always will be our first priority. As we prepare for this final week before the winter holiday break, we have reviewed and increased our safety plans. The following is a list of precautionary measures we are taking:

1. All of our high schools and middle schools have Sheriff’s Resource Officers (SROs) on duty.

2. We are working closely with the Wilmington, Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and Kure Beach Police Departments, as well as the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. They will increase patrols around our elementary schools.

3. Central Office administrators will be at schools during the week to provide additional support.

4. If students need additional counseling, our team of counselors and social workers are ready to support and assist them.

5. All schools are reviewing their safety procedures including lock down and check-in procedures. Each of our schools has a safety plan and participates in regular lock down drills.

NHCS Safety Officer David Spencer and law enforcement assist with the drills and work with the schools to improve the process.

If you have any questions regarding the safety procedures of your child’s school, please contact the principal.

Sincerely,

Tim Markley, Ed.D.

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The Season of Giving and Helping Others by Dr. John Welmers

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Valita Quattlebaum
Somewhere around Halloween, we begin to be bombarded by the sights and sounds of the holidays and by Thanksgiving, the season reaches a peak which will last through to the New Year. Regardless of why you celebrate or if you celebrate at all, it is almost impossible to escape the hype of the continual sales, the music, the television specials (each now airing five times), whether it will snow and the jewelry will be free, and that it’s fine if we gain ten pounds. I too was feeling a little bit “seasonally overwhelmed” when a friend of mine put it in perspective as she was trying to wait on all the shoppers packed in her small downtown store. She told me that she loved the holidays, not because of the sales she would ring up, but because of the energy and kindness of the individuals she dealt with. Sure, she said, some people can be difficult, but right now almost everyone takes on a persona of good. Her observation was that during this time of year, we treat each other with a degree of respect and kindness that she just doesn’t normally see. We are friendlier, we smile more, and each person wants to do something good for someone else. For each of our own personal reasons, the holiday season brings our need to help others much more into focus. Maybe it is a combination of the hype and our own individual memories associated with the season, maybe it is our individual faith or belief, but overall we want and like to help others.
As educators, we should know that the holiday season is not just about the hype. Charlie Brown will pick the same underachieving tree each year – which can now be purchased online – and each year, through love, understanding and a little work, it will grow into something beautiful, representing much more than merely a tree. Don’t we practice that same thing? Don’t we either make or help to make those individual differences each day with each student we teach and reach? We know that a school’s overall test scores, the equivalent of seasonal hype, tell us little about the true success of our students. Instead, we get to see individual students, sometimes just like that underachieving tree, light up in so many beautiful ways.
A beginning teacher and I were talking about the holidays and she explained how even as special as it is, she is concerned about the personal needs of so many of her students. She felt the holidays magnified those needs. This was obviously frustrating for her and she asked me about why our society doesn’t do something better to meet people’s basic needs. She believes if those basic needs were met, we would be in a better position to do our jobs as educators.
The teacher’s questions are challenging and the answers are complex. I remember asking a similar question many years ago to a principal that I worked with in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. The poverty in Appalachia was overwhelming and there was very little help available to most of the folks there. Beyond an education, our public schools provided many students with the only food, medical services, and the opportunity for change, that they would ever have. Sound familiar? All our high schools had private showers, washers and dryers for students to use to clean up as many had no running water or electricity at home. I was helping some special education teachers wash a load of students’ clothes one day when the principal, Mr. Moore, walked up to check on us. In the same vein, and for all the same frustrations as I was asked by our teacher, I asked Mr. Moore why our society didn’t do more to help these student’s families and then let us do our jobs in the classroom. I have never forgotten what he said and to this day; it is still my simple answer to that difficult question. He didn’t hesitate for a moment. He said, “Our society did do something for all of those families. They sent them you. You and all these people working with you are the answer. Make it count.”

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The Principal’s Role in Transforming Education

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Tim Markley
No position in education has been transformed more over the last two decades than that of a school principal. The role has transitioned from being a building manager, to being an instructional leader. A former mentor of mine, who is now retired, remembers when he began as a principal and what the expectations were from his superintendent. Those expectations included keeping the building clean, making sure parents did not call the central office, and ensuring that all the blinds in the front of the building were closed and level at the end of each school day.

Now as a superintendent, I have a different set of expectations. For me, safety and managing a building are baseline expectations. Principals should be able to handle buses, books and students who require more discipline than others; because if they can’t, then there can be no real improvement in student learning. Ensuring that students learn is their most critical role. A recent report by the Mid-Continental Research for Education and Learning (McREL) examined hundreds of studies about the principal’s role and found that a good principal can help raise student achievement by at least one standard deviation. When a good principal is matched with a good teacher, they can move an average 50th percentile student to the 90th percentile. A poor principal can hinder a great teacher.

How does this happen? There is no easy answer, because great school leaders come in many forms. Some are consensus builders, some are very direct, some build capacity in others, and some are old school. Whatever their style or approach, a great leader has a unique ability to get 50 to 100 adults to move in one direction. When everyone is moving in the same direction with the same focus, you see great results. There are some common themes among great principals. First and foremost, they have a clear vision of where they want the school to go. Great principals put students first and make student-centered decisions. They monitor the right things, such as teacher instruction and preparation. Great principals learn very quickly to say no, and make sure that limited resources are put to their best use. Great principals are also good coaches who work to make their teachers better. They understand good instruction and find ways to impart this to their teachers.

The modern principal has so many jobs that there is not time to do them all. Therefore, the principal must learn to delegate effectively. However, delegation does not mean abdication. The principal is still responsible. Students have more needs; parents are more vocal; teachers require more time; and, the rules and regulations continue to mount. A school is a multi-million dollar enterprise, more complex than many small businesses. Principals manage budgets, personalities, student behaviors, facilities, and district expectations. The best make it look easy, but it is not. They decide what is most important, and focus on that and do not allow distractions to interfere with their goal. A great principal I once worked with knew that if she wanted to get the best out of her teachers, she needed to be in their classrooms observing what was going on and coaching them. To achieve this, she made sure that a large part of her day was scheduled in classrooms and unless the building was burning, this time was not to be interrupted. Parents and staff learned quickly that this time was not to be interrupted. This practice also had a secondary effect on the assistant principal who learned to deal with a variety of mini-crisis situations.

Even the most focused principal though has to deal with a myriad of unexpected issues that arise in the course of a school day. These include: angry parents, hurt students, upset teachers, personal tragedies, last minute district requests, public relation moments and many other surprises. What the great principal does is use these as opportunities to reinforce the vision and to drive home the message about what is important in a school. Another former mentor of mine was a high school principal who had to deal with a fire in his school that destroyed a third of his school. Instead of complaining, he used it as an opportunity to rally his staff and community together. They quickly shuffled space and schedules and reopened in two days. At the end of the year, they discovered they had their best year ever when the state testing results were released.

What does all of this mean? For me, it means that if I want to change a school, I have to look at the leadership. One person can make a huge difference and make that difference quickly. I have seen it happen in many places and at all levels. A new leader comes in and changes the culture of the school and the staff starts pulling in one direction. In a short time, the school is transformed and student learning takes place. These types of transformational leaders are hard to find and we look to people both inside and outside the system to find them, and often, we lose them to promotion or other districts who can offer higher compensation. Still, I would rather have a transformational leader for a short time than an average leader forever. I say this because even in a short time, they can put a school on the right track for their successor.

The role of the principal has become harder and more demanding. The principal’s responsibilities have come a long way from the days of my previously mentioned mentor. The average work week is sixty-plus hours with lots of evening work. The summer is simply planning time and gearing up for the next year. A great year is often followed up with a challenging one. Finally, there are no two days alike with new challenges each and every day. With all of this, why would anyone take the job? The answer is easy; great principals relish a challenge and they love to see students and teachers achieving at their highest levels. There is great satisfaction in doing the job and doing it well.

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The Importance of Effective Communication and What It Means for NHCS

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Tim Markley

by Valita S. Quattlebaum, APR
Chief Communications Officer

Effective communication is critical to the success of New Hanover County Schools. In today’s economic climate, it has never been more important for us to tell the story of public education. NHCS is in a unique position. I believe that we are on the verge of going from being a good school district to becoming a great school district, and effective communication is going to help us get there. We are fortunate to have leadership that values and has high expectations for communication. As a result, the district has implemented successful communications policies.

Today’s schools are high-profile organizations under constant public scrutiny. We are unfairly portrayed in documentaries such as Waiting for Superman and movies like Won’t Back Down that spotlight the worst-case scenarios in public education. Public education is under attack, and unfair or not, public perception is important. Therefore, we have to tell the story about how we make a positive difference in the lives of our students every day and how our schools are succeeding overall in spite of dwindling resources. Otherwise, people will form their opinions from limited news coverage, biased films, gossip and rumors.

We have to tell that our graduation rate is up, that we are making gains in closing the achievement gap and that we have some of the most highly-qualified educators in the state working in this district. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have our share of challenges in these and other areas, but it does mean that we are making progress. We must make our voices heard.

It is important for us to communicate with and engage all of our stakeholders including students, parents, legislators and the community-at-large. We face increasing competition from charter schools, private schools, virtual schools and home schooling. Over the past several years, we have faced declining resources and had our budgets slashed about as much as they can stand.

Good leaders understand the importance of effective communication. I don’t think it is a coincidence that some of our most successful schools have the best communications plans. They have appointed a public relations coordinator who works closely with my office to send in the latest news from the field. These principals and directors recognize the importance of effective communication and they use it to help their teams excel. Simply, they make it a priority and a part of their plan for success.

What do I mean by effective communication? In NHCS, effective communication does the following:

  • Keeps parents, the media and the public informed about the latest initiatives and activities.
  • Helps bolster and promote student and staff achievement.
  • Helps foster collaboration among city, county and school officials which is critical to success – especially in tight budget times.
  • Helps build community support, business partnerships and volunteerism in our schools.
  • Provides accurate and reliable information daily – especially during emergencies and crises.
  • Maintains continual engagement with our key stakeholders through community and employee events such as the NHCS Community Job Fair, Vendor Fair and Convocation.
  • Maintains substantive social media messages in today’s 24/7 news cycle to ensure transparency and efficient message dissemination.
  • Recognizes the value of listening well to build positive relationships.

 

We realize that not all of our students’ homes have computers, so we reach out in a variety of ways so that no one misses out on vital information if they are interested in obtaining it. Face-to-face communication is still the best way. Our public feedback indicates that parents appreciate the district’s comprehensive website, NHCS TV, blogs, online surveys, AlertNow, subscription-based html newsletters, email, and social networking including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In addition to all of that, we still do it the old-fashioned way – sending home flyers in the book bags. In other words, if someone is interested in what is going on in NHCS, we make it easy.

Every day I am encouraged by the teachers, teacher assistants, principals, school staffs, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and central office employees who give 100 percent because we care for the children we serve. The examples are endless. Employees do things that go unrecognized and that are not required, such as going into their own pockets for school supplies, bringing in food for hungry students who sometimes miss breakfast and advocating for students every day. We have custodians who use their breaks to tutor students and school nurses who do all they can to take care of our students and have literally – in emergency situations – saved their lives. NHCS principals, teachers and other professionals are increasingly obtaining more advanced degrees and certifications in their areas of expertise.

Educational leadership is challenging, complex work, and it is most important. To quote a colleague from the National School Public Relations Association, “There is nothing trivial about what we do!” In my opinion, education is one of the things that makes this nation great. Effective communication gives leaders the opportunity to tell the story of public education and most importantly, it helps keep NHCS moving in the right direction.

College Park Elementary School's Public Relations team was recognized by the Superintendent and the Public Relations Department for "Excellence in Communications" at an awards ceremony held earlier this year. Pictured left to right: Rita Braswell, media specialist; Maria Greene, principal, and Nadine Batuyios, technology facilitator.

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Remembrances of a Great Librarian

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Tim Markley
I had the pleasure of attending the library dedication at Noble Elementary School this week. The library is being renamed in honor of Mrs. Annette Hall who served there for over two decades. I did not get to know Mrs. Hall well because she retired at the end of my first year here. By the end of the dedication though, I had no doubt that there could not have been a more fitting tribute. There were some great guests who talked about her and how she touched them, but what really made the event special was the story Annette told. I asked her if I could reprint it in my blog and like any great librarian, she was happy to share. So below are her remarks to the audience, I only wish now I could have spent some time in her library.

Annette Hall’s Remarks

Since I am a librarian, I am going to be true to my profession… I am going to tell you a story this evening based on a very wonderful book. The title of the novel is The Hobbit. The author is Tolkien. The book was actually published in September of 1937 – 75 years ago. A movie based on this book is actually being released this December. So you now have plenty of time to go out and buy that book or dig it out of your bookshelves to read before watching the movie! Better still, check it out of the library!

The main character of The Hobbit is Bilbo Baggins. Among many things, this hobbit enjoys flowers, fireworks, maps, geography, his smoking pipe, lots of visitors, plenty of food – most days eating two breakfasts and more often than not, two suppers. I like Bilbo.

Anyway, as the story begins, Bilbo is visited by Gandalf – the great wizard – who alludes that things are about to change in Bilbo’s very comfortable life. And indeed it does. That very next morning following Gandalf’s visit, 13 dwarves knock on Bilbo’s front door and soon his hobbit home is filled with raucous laughter, music, storytelling, and the beginnings of an adventure that could cost each of them their life.

When we think of the characters in this famous novel, we may not remember the names of the 13 dwarves – but we know that their part in this adventure was absolutely necessary to its outcome. To Bilbo’s success.

Several years later in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, history repeats itself as another unlikely hobbit, Frodo, Bilbo’s nephew, is also chosen to be part of a very dangerous quest. You see, The Nameless Enemy has risen once again. The Shire –the home of the hobbits – is threatened as are the people and the land surrounding the Shire and the towns and villages beyond.

Eventually, it is decided at the Council of Elron that the evil forces can only be stopped by destroying the ring of power. While the task eventually falls to Frodo to actually destroy the ring, there are eight other members in The Fellowship, The Fellowship of the Ring. They are absolutely crucial in the success of the quest. For the most part, they are unwavering in their support of Frodo. It is indeed their friendship, their presence, and their participation that eventually defeats the enemy.

Time and again in these books by Tolkien, the unsuspecting hobbits, Bilbo and Frodo, wonder about their situations – Where am I? Why am I here? What was I thinking? Why was I chosen? It is in the first book of the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, that Gandalf answers the question for them and for us, the readers. Gandalf says, “You have not been chosen, Frodo, for any merit that others do not possess.”

The idea of the truth behind that statement is what I want to share with you.

You see, a library program – even with a solid librarian – is only as effective as the administrators who support and fund the program; only as effective as the teachers who embrace the literature and research units; only as effective as the students who actually use the library; only as effective as the parents who volunteer day by day; only as effective as the support people on and off the school campus-the Technology Department, Central Office, and the community-at-large.

Knowing my own strengths and my own weaknesses, of which there are plenty, my vision of the library program at Noble was always to build partnerships within this learning community. The wonderful thing about being a librarian- in my mind – is that I was in a position that enabled me to connect with all of these groups. Through collaboration and participation – on good and bad days – our COMBINED efforts and resources allowed us, I believe, to foster student learning in a holistic manner. I believe that student learning was empowered because of our COLLECTIVE effort.

It has been my very good fortune and great privilege to have been at Noble Middle School for all but one of my 35 years. At this school I have received – on the most part – unwavering support from my principals and assistant principals, my teachers, the students, the parents, our support staff, and the community-at-large. I am grateful for all of them – for all of you.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME GO DOWN A “HOBBIT TRAIL” in telling my story. Like Bilbo and Frodo, I do know that I was chosen for this honor because of the contributions made by many people to the library program. Thank you for your presence here this evening and for your goodwill. In the words of St. Paul of Tarsus, “I thank my God for every remembrance of you.”

Annette, former Noble librarian, with Principal Wade Smith

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