DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 419 305 EA 029 124

TITLE New American High Schools: Preparing Students for Collegeand Careers. Seventh Annual Business Week Awards forInstructional Innovation.

INSTITUTION McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, NY.; Business Week, NewYork, NY.; National Center for Research in VocationalEducation, Berkeley, CA.

SPONS AGENCY Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington,DC.

PUB DATE 1998-00-00NOTE 29p.; For profiles of the same ten schools, see EA 029 111.AVAILABLE FROM McGraw-Hill Educational and Professional Publishing Group,

1221 Avenues of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; phone:212-512-6512; fax: 212-512-4769.

PUB TYPE Guides Non-Classroom (055) -- Reports Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Adolescents; Curriculum Development; Educational

Improvement; *Educational Innovation; *High Schools; Models;Student Development; *Theory Practice Relationship

IDENTIFIERS New American Schools

ABSTRACTA "New American High School" is a place that prepares

students for a global, knowledge-based economy, helping them to be effectivecitizens, parents, and workers. Case histories are provided for 10 highschools that received awards for instructional innovation. These schools werechosen by the United States Department of Education and the National Centerfor Research in Vocational Education as leading examples of New American HighSchools. This type of school, where students achieve high levels of academicand technical skills, prepares students for college and careers. The schoolsprovide opportunities for learning by doing--in classrooms, in the workplace,or through community service. The students often learn in the context of acareer major or other special interests. Students may work with teachers insmall schools-within-schools, they may receive extra support from adultmentors, and they typically have the support of a caring community. Theprofiles examine the schools' philosophies, focusing on what they have doneto fashion a curriculum that meets the needs of their students. Careerexploration is an important part of these educational philosophies, creatingan environment where students learn by doing. (RJM)

********************************************************************************* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document. *

********************************************************************************

Seventh Annual

Business Week Awards

for Instructional Innovation

NEW ALAMERICAN

HIGH

CHOOLSPREPARING STUDENTS FOR

COLLEGE AND CAREERS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUC IONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

This document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.

Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

Points of view or opinions stated in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy.

SPONSORED BY BUSINESS WEEK AND MCGRAW-HILL

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING

GROUP IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL

CENTER FOR RESEARCH IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

AND THE OFFICE OF VOCATIONAL AND ADULT

EDUCATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

2The McGrawHill Companies

SEVENTH ANNUAL BUSINESS WEEK AWARDSFOR INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATION

NEW AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLSPREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS

Developed byThe McGraw Hill CompaniesJames H. McGraw IVVice PresidentStrategic ProgramsBusiness Week

Business Week salutes the followingcorporations for their advertisingsupport in "The Race is on toPrepare Today's Students forTomorrow's Workplace"(October 30, 1995) whichmade funding for the SeventhAnnual Business WeekAwards possible:

Members of the NationalSelection Committee for the 1996Business Week Awards:

Charlotte K. FrankVice PresidentResearch and DevelopmentMcGraw-Hill Educationaland ProfessionalPublishing Group

BellSouth CorporationGeneral Motors CorporationIBM CorporationLincoln National Life Insurance Co.Matsushita ElectricThe McGraw-Hill CompaniesPhillip Morris Inc.Siemens Corporation

National Center for ResearchVocational EducationBrent BoultinghouseOk-Kyun ChungMargaret EllibeeLani HornSvjetlana MadzarLaura MunozShannon NuttallWayne ShipleyDavid SternDiane H. SteinbergJim StoneMayo Tsuzuki

Consisting ofMcGraw-Hill (College)Macmillan/McGraw-HillGlencoe/McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill School SystemsSRA/McGraw-HillCTB/McGraw-HillMcGraw-Hill/London House

Students In Free EnterpriseToshiba America Information

Systems, Inc.United States Holocaust

Memorial MuseumZenith Data Systems Corporation

in Office of Vocational and AdultEducation Secondary SchoolReform TeamRon CastaldiJackie FriederichIvonne JaimeChristine KulickPatricia McNeilGeorge SpicelyNevzer StaceyPariece WilkinsJim WernsingPeggi Zelinko

SEVENTH ANNUAL

BUSINESS WEEK AWARDS

FOR INSTRUCTIONAL

INNOVATION

NEILiMPARRIANPAS

THE NEW AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL:Imagine a High School Where Students...

achieve high levels of academic and technical skills

prepare for college and careers

learn in the context of a career major or other special interest

learn by doing in classrooms, workplaces, or communityservice

work with teachers in small schools-within-schools

have the support of a caring community

receive extra support from adult mentors

access a wide range of career and college information

benefit from strong links between high schools and

postsecondary institutions

use technology to enhance learning

Nr4-Jk

New American high schools are preparing students for a global, knowledge-based economy. To

be effective citizens, parents, and workers in this new economy, all young people will need a higher

level of academic, technical, communications, and information-processing skills. Students will need

to be able to identify and solve problems, work in teams, and make effective decisions. The mass-

production learning of the industrial age is ill-suited for the information age.

We at Business Week and McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company feel that it is impor-

tant to recognize and applaud schools that are striving to provide this kind of preparation for stu-

dents. We are therefore honoring ten outstanding schools as winners of the Seventh Annual

Business Week Awards for Instructional Innovation. These schools were also chosen by the United

States Department of Education and the National Center for Research in Vocational Education as

leading examples of New American High Schools.

New American High Schools are preparing students for college and careers. They are the places

where students achieve high levels of academic and technical skills. The schools provide opportuni-

ties for learning by doing in classrooms, workplaces, or community service. Students often learn

in the context of a career major or other special interests. Students may work with teachers in small

schools-within-schools; they receive extra support from adult mentors, and they have the support of

a caring community.

It is our hope that more schools will become inspired by the ten examples presented here. Please

call these schools' principals or superintendents for more information and strategies. They are eager

to share what they have learned, and as their excellence is passed on, we as a community benefit.

Peter JovanovichPresident

McGraw-HillEducational and Professional

Publishing Group

249Timothy Dyer

Executive DirectorNational Association of

Secondary School Principals(NASSP)

David G. FermPublisher

Business Week

Paul HoustonExecutive Director

American Association ofSchool Administrators

(AASA)

Gene CarterExecutive Director

Association for Supervision andCurriculum Development

(ASCD)

ic)

Patricia W. McNeilAssistant Secretary-DesignateU.S. Department of Education

David SternDirector

National Center for Researchin Vocational Education

5

CONTENTSTHE NATIONAL WINNERS OF THE SEVENTH ANNUAL BUSINESS WEEK AWARDS

FOR INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATION

NrCHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL FOR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCESChicago, IllinoisBarbara Valerious, PrincipalSherye Garmony-Miller, Regional Education Officer

DAVID DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOLPortland, OregonJohn Harrington, PrincipalRon Russell, Superintendent

ENCINA HIGH SCHOOLSacramento, CaliforniaTom Gemma, PrincipalRay Tolleson, Superintendent

FENWAY MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLBoston, MassachusettsLinda Nathan, Co-directorLarry Myatt, Co-directorThomas Payzant, Superintendent

GATEWAY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYSt. Louis, MissouriSusan Tieber, PrincipalDavid J. Mahan, Superintendent

HIGH SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCENew York, New YorkSusan de Armas, PrincipalSteven Gutman, Superintendent

SUSSEX TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLGeorgetown, DelawarePatrick Savini, PrincipalGeorge Frunzi, Superintendent

THOMPSON SCHOOL DISTRICTLoveland, ColoradoThompson Valley High School, Ben Hix, PrincipalLoveland High School, Craig Loper, PrincipalBerthoud High School, Len Sherman, PrincipalDon Saul, Superintendent

WALHALLA HIGH SCHOOLWalhalla, South CarolinaJohn Hostetler, PrincipalBuddy Herring, Superintendent

WILLIAM TURNER TECHNICAL ARTS HIGH SCHOOLMiami, FloridaJohn A. McKinney, PrincipalOctavio Visiedo, Superintendent

4

6

S

10

12

14

16

18

20

ealE tO

CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL FOR

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCEScStuclEntl at tfiE efiica90 S'efioof foT c.-49Tieuftwzaf cSeiEncEl

n-zigfit 9Tapfi a eoTnfiEfcl in 'nag efali OT w'titE a TEporct on ayci-

galinEll cn Erz9filfi og9Tieuftw-cal leiEneE woo-En into aftarcEal of tfiE euvziaufunz at TErnarckagly lueeEldfuf lefioof.

t first, the idea of an agricultural school in themiddle of one of America's major urban centers may seema bit odd, but there is nothing odd about this school'saccomplishments with inner-city students. The ChicagoHigh School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS) has limit-ed resources, and most of its mainly African-Americanand Latino students are classified as "at risk." Yet its part-nership of faculty, business leaders, community members,and energized school leaders has achieved high rates ofattendance (92%), graduation (93%), and student place-ment in four-year colleges and universities (72%). Theschool generates more than one million dollars in scholar-ships, and most of its students go on to major in agricul-ture-related fields. How is all of this possible? The successof CHSAS is built on six foundations.

PHILOSOPHYThe principal believes that the philosophy of the school

"has always been a little bit different from most of whatyou would call vocational schools...in that it was alwaysdesigned to be both academic and vocational, and that thetwo were not considered as one being better than theother....This is a community partnership that still believesin developing a youngster who can think and a youngsterwho can do: the true Renaissance person."

HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND HIGH STANDARDSThe faculty at CHSAS emphasize a strong academic

curriculum that provides students with all the coursesrequired for entrance into colleges and universities. Everystudent is assumed to be preparing to go to college to con-tinue his or her career development. Because of this, stu-dents graduate with 31 credits, while the required mini-mum for the state of Illinois is 20.

2

The students set high expectations for themselves aswell. Sheree plans a pre-med pursuit; Terence is going toIowa State to study Food Science and Technology; Everettwill be attending a culinary school; Karisse hopes for acareer with the USDA; Veronica will be attending theUniversity of Nebraska in food science; and Kimberlywants to major in elementary education.

CURRICULUM INTEGRATION

From its beginning in 1985, CHSAS was designed withan integrated curriculum in which agriculture is as impor-tant as English. Agricultural science is woven into all con-tent areas of the curriculum, and teachers work to comple-ment the subjects being taught in each other's classes.Students enthusiastically describe how this works fromtheir viewpoint. They tell of the French teacher whoassigns a report on agriculture in France, and the Englishclass in which they research and write about careers inagri-business. Math teachers use landscape examples orhave students graph cornfields and create productioncharts. An accelerated geometry class uses an applied-agricultural approach. In science classes students doresearch projects, sometimes teaming up with industryleaders like Armour Foods to investigate subjects such asthe fat content in meat. Science classes have also used theschool farm to study soil erosion.

A number of teachers combine their efforts each year inthe preparation of a Thanksgiving dinner. The primaryfocus is, of course, preparing the food, but the teachershave incorporated at least twenty related activities, suchas writing a newspaper article; doing a nutritional analysisof the meal; supplementing the meal with ethnic, low-fat,and vegetarian foods; and developing recipes.

7

WORK-BASED LEARNINGBetween thirty and thirty-five students (mainly seniors)

have the opportunity to participate in a research appren-ticeship, where they spend six weeks on a college campusworking with a professor on his or her research. They earna stipend and maintain a journal of their experiences.

Everyone participates in one work project during thesummer, many of them on the school farm. Betweentwelve and fifteen other students are involved in summerwork on a production farm. Still other students work injobs and internships through the Agricultural CooperativeEducation (ACE) program.

An example of an ACE opportunity was one student'ssummer internship at the Brock's Candy Factory. As a lab-oratory assistant, she tested the fat content of milk, theparticle size of chocolate, and the moisture levels in differ-ent hard candies. She learned to measure glucose viscosi-ty, and to extract fat from milk so that it would meet fed-eral and state requirements.

PARTNERSHIPS

The school has substantial relationships with manyexternal partners. Monsanto and American Cyanamidhave taken up to thirty faculty for extended in-servicetraining at their home facility. The Chicago Board of Trade

ti

Nr

9

ev

participates in the ACE program. The USDA, Eli's CheeseCake, the Department of Soil Conservation, and QuakerOats are just some of the partners who contribute to thesuccess of CHSAS.

The school presently has a "2+2" agreement withTruman Junior College, allowing students to earn dualcredit, or advance placement in a two-year associatedegree program, for classes taken in the eleventh andtwelfth grades. With Daley Junior College, CHSAS isdeveloping a tech-prep relationship in horticulture. Athird college, Harold Washington, is being developed as a2+2 opportunity in finance.

STAFF DEVELOPMENTStaff development is a major focus in the school.

Teachers are not only qualified in their particular subjectarea, but are well informed in the field of agricultural sci-ences. All teachers are expected to participate in a varietyof activities outside school, and bring their experienceback to the students. The principal is active in keepingthem informed of opportunities for such activities, whichrange from making corporate contacts to attendingMinorities in National Resources and Related Sciencesconferences, to taking students on a trip to Russia.

c4)

For more Information:Barbara Valerious, PrincipalChicago High School for Agricultural

Sciences3807 West 111th StreetChicago, IL 60655Telephone: (312) 535-2500Fax: (312) 535-2507Regional Education Officer: Sherye

Garmony-Miller

Despite limited

resources the CHSAS has

high attendance, gradua-

tion, and college-

placement rates.

ealE JiL torty

DAVID DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOLgfiE c4i9fi eSofioof alE1 CounlEfir29, arzcil-on pTo-

/Ect1, and an Empfialil on tEcnology to plEpaTE ltadEntl fort tfiE

futurtE. ..StudEnt-tun, lafioof-galEd EtZt£V2711£1 InCrUdE a gank, a ltoTE,

and a TEltawzarzt, tgifE paTtnErzlfig21 witfi artEa /21.00-idE

ltUdE/2t1 UTig VarLlagrE EXpETIEI2CE and 12£W ways to fEartrz.

n the fall of 1993, David Douglas High School andthe Oregon Business Council (OBC) joined in a partner-ship to design a high school program that would meet theexpectations of the Oregon Education Act for the 21stCentury, and successfully develop a model that could beused by other districts and communities. Their vision wasan eight-point plan of action which included both theDavid Douglas Model District Partnership (a K-12 effort),and the site-based Project STARSa high school effort toprepare students for college and the world of work. Whatresulted from this partnership was a multi-faceted, long-term strategy for school restructuring that involved com-munity and business leaders, parents, students, schooladministrators, and teachers. Together, these stakeholdershave redefined David Douglas High School and embarkedon a journey that is making a significant difference in thelives and futures of all students.

Located in east Portland, David Douglas High Schoolserves 1,852 students, who reflect Oregon's urban commu-nity well. The school represents a population with a vari-ety of special needs and interests; in response to this, itoffers a comprehensive program of study while at thesame time preparing students for an increasingly competi-tive job market.

ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL SKILLS

David Douglas is a state pilot site for the CIM(Certificate of Initial Mastery) and CAM (Certificate ofAdvanced Mastery) programs outlined in the state'sEducation Act for the 21st Century. These proficiency-

4

based certificates are designed to provide added value tothe traditional high school diploma. Work on completingthe details of the CAM is still in progress at the state level,but David Douglas is already piloting the CAM throughits career paths. Beginning with the Class of 1999, all stu-dents will have to earn a CIM to graduate. In order toreceive the CIM, students must be proficient in all CIMninth- and tenth-grade required courses, which includeEnglish, social studies, math, science, wellness, PersonalFinance and Careers, and technology. Students must pre-sent three work samples for each of the CIM skills, andscore in the average-to-proficient range on standardizedtests.

PROJECT "STARS"Project STARS (Students Taking Authentic Routes to

Success), structures the school's learning environmentwith an eye toward identifying and planning for long-term educational and career goals. Every student enteringthe school begins an initial career exploration in middleschool. This is followed by an intense semester of careerexploration in the ninth and tenth grades. A flexible, indi-vidualized education plan is developed for the high schoolyears, as well as the steps beyond. A number of pathwaysare articulated between David Douglas and local commu-nity colleges, especially Mt. Hood Community College.

Much like a college curriculum, the ninth and tenthgrades are devoted primarily to general study, reflected inthe CIM courses, and the eleventh and twelfth to workingwithin a major area of study, or a CAM. All David

Douglas students participate in one of seven broad careerareas, called "constellations," which reflect the six careerareas established in the state legislation and an additionalHospitality constellation created at the school. These are:Social & Human Services, Health Sciences, Business &Management, Industrial & Engineering Systems, NaturalResources, Arts & Communications, and Hospitality,Tourism & Recreation.

All ninth-grade students have a faculty mentorateacher or administratorwho works with the student tosupport academic success and to manage the student'sCIM portfolio. Additionally, David Douglas staffs a CareerResource Center for students who wish to do independentcareer or college exploration.

Teachers from different constellations have the oppor-tunity to work together, allowing for creative interactionand opening up new areas of cross-training for studentsand teachers alike. Many teachers at David Douglas worktogether on coordinated projects or team-taught courses.An example is the Health Sciences course for juniors andseniors, team-taught by Joe Bushman and Sharon Webster.In this course, students learn all aspects of the industryincluding ethics, communication, and financeas well ashealth skills. Teachers, school administrators, and businesspartners have also joined together to form interdiscipli-nary CAM design teams which meet regularly to establishcurricula, set policy, and determine how to best serve thestudents enrolled in each career constellation.

LEARNING BY DOINGStudents participate in learning experiences through a

variety of hands-on projects, including the operation ofnumerous school-based enterprises; job shadowingand internships with the school's external partners;and class and community service projects with peerteams and outside adult mentors. For instance, in the

Creative interaction

among teachers opens up new

areas of cross-training for

students and teachers alike.

Business and Management constellation, students run aschool store and the Bank of David Douglas, which is asatellite branch of a commercial bank open to the entirecommunity. Students in the Arts and Communicationsconstellation are developing a graphic arts business andare writing and producing their own plays. In HealthSciences, students learn to be trainers of first aid and car-diopulmonary resuscitation skills. One class in the NaturalResources constellation is transforming Midland Park intoan environmental education park by designing and build-ing ecosystem displays. Students in Social and HumanServices spend forty hours in community service work,which may include shadowing a sheriff's deputy or a dis-trict attorney, studying forensics, or operating a communi-ty preschool for needy families and teen mothers. Allschool-based enterprises and projects are supervised by anelected student board and business professionals, withteachers acting as mentors and advisors.

For more Information:John Harrington, PrincipalDavid Douglas High SchoolMarybeth Stiener, School Improvement Coordinator1001 S.E. 135 AvenuePortland, OR 97233Telephone: (503) 261-8300Fax: (503) 261-8399Superintendent: Ron Russell

Nr5

CalE

ENCINA HIGH SCHOOLc.Snaii lefioof-vaigin-a-lefioof aeaciErrziEl pIOCTICIE tfiE Cli(TET1E lti,LCIEtth

toci, at Eneina wig a itagE, nartitaing EnviTonmEnt gat ErzfiarzeEl

ituciEnti. ability to aefiiEv-E.

Three years ago, Encina High School in Sacramento,California, embarked on a journey of organizationalchange. In an intensive two-day seminar called the SearchConference, stakeholders such as staff, students, parents,administrators, district Board of Education representa-tive's, industry partners, and others from the communityexplored the past history, present situation, and desiredfuture direction of the school and its community. Fromthis conference and five million dollars of hard-earnedgrants emerged a career-related reform plan for Encinathat has been implemented with remarkable success.

Encina High School, located in the west end ofSacramento County, is a diverse school. The student popu-lation is 18% African-American, 8.5% Asian-American,24% Hispanic, 46% Caucasian, and 3.5% other. EncinaHigh is a magnet center for English as a Second Languagestudents in the district; thirty different languages are spo-ken, and almost 25% of the students speak English as theirsecond language.

THE SCHOOL OF CAREER ACADEMIESThe seven-year-old Health Careers Academy at Encina

High is the model for the rest of the academies in theschool. The three-year academy enrolls 100-150 studentsand provides a "rigorous academic education with ahealth care focus." It integrates academic classes, career-related technical courses, and extensive partnerships withthe health industry. Students take core courses in English,social studies, math, science, and a vocational seriesHealth Technology I, II, and III. By the time a studentgraduates, he or she is prepared for post-secondary educa-tion and for entry-level employment.

The stakeholders at Encina High School decided that allstudents could benefit from being in one of five acade-mies. There is a Freshman Academy, which includes all

6

ninth graders and facilitates their exploration of careerpossibilities. The tenth- through twelfth-graders have achoice of one of four academies: (1) Health CareersAcademy, (2) Graphic Arts Academy, (3) Academy ofBusiness Careers, and (4) Academy of Career Exploration.The Academy of Career Exploration includes studentswho are interested in criminal justice and human develop-ment, or who are not yet ready to focus on health, busi-ness, or graphic arts.

CURRICULUM RESTRUCTURING

Encina High School has revised the focus of its curricu-lum and implemented new teaching strategies. Encina'sentire staff actively supports the school's transition toblock scheduling, greater faculty collaboration, the inte-gration of academic and vocational courses, work-basedlearning, and the use of technology to enhance learning.All of these reforms help students see the relevance andconnectedness of their curriculum.

The schedule at Encina High School has four ninety-minute periods per day on Monday through Thursday.On Fridays, students attend all eight of their classes forapproximately thirty minutes each.

During one ninety-minute period each week, teachersfrom all of the core academic disciplines and technicalcourses meet together to discuss individual student'sprogress and inter-disciplinary curriculum development.Each academy has at least one integrated project per yearthat combines career themes with academic classes.Academic teachers are required to go out into the work-place during the summer to learn about their academy'sprofessional field.

The academies at Encina High School offer studentsworkplace mentors, job shadowing experiences, paid andunpaid apprenticeships and internships, and field trips to

1,1

worksites. According to Pat Lyons, the Health CareersAcademy Coordinator, work-based learning experienceshelp students with the difficult transition from being ahigh school student to being a responsible team memberat a worksite.

Finally, Encina High School uses the latest technologyto enhance learning. The computer instructor, StuartFreedman, advises teachers, students, and communitymembers before, during, and after school in a computerlab with thirty state-of-the-art computers that provideaccess to the Internet.

COMMUNITY SUPPORTThe Alliance for Excellence, composed of Encina High

School and its feeder middle and elementary schools, hasimplemented a growing system of support and social ser-vices, including health, social, counseling, and educationalservicesfor students and families in the community.Advance 2000 is a program that provides educational andsupport services for students and families who are notEnglish-language proficient.

For more Information:Tom Gemma, PrincipalEncina High School1400 Bell StreetSacramento, CA 95825Telephone: (916) 971-7544Fax: (916) 971-7555Superintendent: Ray Tolleson

4..

IThe ultimate goal ofEncina High's educational

and support services is to

achieve an economically

and socially stable, pro-

ductive community.

,fr

.5: r, itutilt44OEM two( tun

elf 4111111TS

'2.1' &tabu Academy at Buolno3s Careers

Nr7

ea 3...E c.)/Ltor,

FENWAY MIDDLE COLLEGE

HIGH SCHOOLgfiE ICfi0Otto-(17 Ortk COM12012£12t 11 CEntlar to siEnviya9 pw9Tam, UTLLh

ltuclEntl in ECTETy 9TacIE uToTkin9 gE 1Cfi0Ot paltnErcl,

and lEntoll compfEtin9 a lix-w-EEk fuff-timE S'kttclEnt poTt-

foliol and fiarzcii-on fEartnin9 prcofEet1 gay a fa79E fait in ltaciEnt

aliEllmEnt, and 9Tacluation pErtforananee- TatfiErt tfian ercEclii-galEd.

Fenway Middle College High School is a PilotSchool within the Boston Public School system. The schoolserves approximately 250 students, who have chosen it asan alternative to their neighborhood schools. As a memberof both the Coalition of Essential Schools and the MiddleCollege High School consortium, Fenway dedicates itselfto finding the best ways to serve its students.

AN INTEGRATED HOUSE SYSTEMAll Fenway students belong to one of three houses:

Children's Hospital, CVS Pharmacy, or Cross-Roads (part-nered with the Boston Museum of Science). Fenway'sHouses are founded on the commitment of the businesspartners to the success of the school and its students. Eachof the business partners has funded a job-site coordinatorfor the school, and has committed time, internship sites,and financial resources. This structure does not limit stu-dents' choices. For example, a Children's Hospital studentinterested in architecture can do an internship in theHospital's Planning and Development Office to gain expe-rience with building codes and blueprints.

The Children's Hospital Collaborative is the oldest ofthe three houses. Students in this program study a curricu-lum developed in collaboration with the Hospital staff. Inthis program students learn a wide range of skills, fromcommunication and problem-solving to practical scienceand medical ethics. Additionally, a science curriculumwritten specifically for the Fenway program involvesmany on-site learning experiences. Students study the car-diorespiratory system, for example, and then go to the

8

hospital's exercise cardiology laboratory to witness a real-world application.

The CVS house works with students who are interestedin exploring a career in pharmacy. It requires a seriouscommitment from the students, as additional summercourse work and after-school activities are a key compo-nent of the program. Currently, students in this House areworking with the corporation to open a new store inBoston. This project involves students in the marketingresearch and feasibility studies necessary to undertakeopening a new store.

Students in the Crossroads House give tours to second-graders at Boston Museum of Science as a part of their ini-tial work experience. Students in this house do theirinternships in a variety of settings. For example, one stu-dent began writing the weekly staff memos for the muse-um during his junior year; this led to a senior internship atthe Boston Globe where he could gain experience as awriter.

Each teacher at the school is identified with one of thesehouses and is a member of an academic team. This allowsfor extensive curriculum collaboration and integration ofmath, science, English, social studies, and career interests.For example, the humanities classes combine languagearts, history and social studies. The curriculum then uni-fies grade levels by presenting a single thematic question,such as, "What makes an effective hospital?" Studentsanswer this question by studying the role of technology inmedicine (history, social studies), medical ethics (languagearts, social studies, and history), and child development(language arts, psychology, math, and science).

FIVE HABITS OF THE MINDFenway's curriculum stresses the development of (1) per-spective and viewpoint, (2) evidence, (3) connection, (4)relevance, and (5) supposition. Students demonstrate thesecritical thinking, academic, and technical skills at twomajor exhibitions: the Junior Review and the SeniorInstitute. During the Junior Review, students mustdemonstrate what they have accomplished in their highschool career. They present a portfolio of work to a reviewcommittee, which then determines if they will be able tomove on to Senior Institute. The Institute, which may takeone or two years, consists of seminars, advanced coursework, a major research paper, a senior project, a seniorinternship, and completion of graduation portfolios.

HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCESTo create innovative learning experiences for its stu-

dents, the school has arranged its calendar to accommo-date a number of challenging activities. During ProjectWeek, for example, the city of Boston becomes a giantclassroom in which students are asked to wrestle withquestions such as, "What makes a good museum?" and"What makes Boston a good place to live?"

Seniors participate in six-week, full-time internships,and are required to answer a research question related totheir work experience as part of their Senior InternshipPortfolio. For example, a student working in theChildren's Hospital might research a question such as,"How are children with serious diseases treated by thehealth care system?" Evaluation of work-place perfor-mance during the internship is intensive, and the intern-ship plays a fundamental role in students' education.

STUDENTS WITH DIRECTIONFenway's faculty is constantly searching for ways to

improve its program and to make sure that it meets the

The faculty is con-

stantly searching for

new ways to challenge

students, leading one

business partner to call

Fenway a school "in

perpetual motion."

needs of students. Faculty members want to ensure thatstudents, who may be unclear about future career choices,have the flexibility to change their minds. They also wantto make sure that students gain the academic skills theyneed to be successful in post-secondary education.

Both qualitative and quantitative data point toFenway's success in engaging its students. For example,Fenway's average daily attendance is notably higher thanthat of other Boston Public Schools (95.2% versus 84%).Co-director Linda Nathan's claim that "we graduate ourkids with a direction, whether it's college or work" is sub-stantiated by the college enrollment statistics: 80% ofFenway's graduates go on to college, compared to 60% ofgraduates from other Boston Public Schools.

For more Information:Larry Myatt, Co-directorLinda Nathan, Co-directorFenway Middle College High School250 Rutherford AvenueBoston, MA 02129Telephone: (617) 635-9911Fax: (617) 635-9204Superintendent: Thomas Payzant

9

eaSE c71-11.1torLy

GATEWAY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY_Dal Ed on an anarylii of prtolEctEci 9,tow-tfi artEal

tfiE city clEciciEd to opEn a ma9nEt lcfioof pAEpartiny ltuciEnti.

fOrC Ca2EErC1 Cn En9irzEErcirz9 and fii9fi-tEcfi 1Ci£12CE gEaefiErc tEaml

UiE a 12,-tolEct-galEci tEagin9 trzEtfioci to farrzifiaTizE J.tuclEntl with fag

/2,-tcy'Eatl, tEamw-oTk, computErtil and computErt-cbticTErz EquipmEnt,

w-Eff al mad and lciEncE concEpti.

hen St. Louis was faced with a court order toimprove its desegregation of schools, it decided to replacethree high schools with limited facilities or curriculumofferings, and looked to the future needs of students andthe community. The result was Gateway, a science andtechnology magnet high school that prepares all of its stu-dents for college education and careers in engineering andhigh-tech science fields.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEWThe plan to collapse three old schools and open a new

one was intended to address three problems: (1) meetingthe state court's demand for improvements in schooldesegregation for the district; (2) providing facilities and acurriculum to meet the needs of students in the threemerging schools; and (3) improving the preparation forcollege and lucrative careers of the urban students in thearea. The selection of science and technology as a focuswas based on an analysis of projected growth areas in St.Louis employment. With several large engineering andmedical employers in the area, the school decided to offerfour career majors in the areas of Agriculture, Biology,and Medical/Health Sciences; Engineering Technology;Applied Physical Sciences; and Computer Science andMathematics.

A new principal and faculty were hired mostly from thethree now-closed schools. In the summer of 1992, a teamof the school's educators attended an intensive summerinstitute sponsored by the National Center for Research inVocational Education in Berkeley, California, to developthe new curriculum and course offerings for the studentsentering in the fall. The team of teachers, counselors, andadministrators decided to offer an integrated vocational

10

and academic curriculum focusing on mathematics andscience in the contexts of the four career majors. They alsoagreed that the school would have to make significantinvestments in the area of ongoing staff development, sothat the faculty could remain up to date on technologyand the use of academic content in their chosen areas.

ALL KIDS CAN LEARN HIGH LEVELS OFMATH AND SCIENCE

The school's graduation requirements exceed the state'sby several credits. Gateway requires four years of mathand science along with the usual four years of English andthree years of social studies. Gateway chooses its incom-ing students by lottery, first from its designated feederschools, then from among students at other middleschools who want to attend. Students and teachers oftentalk about the transformation that can occur in studentswho are encouraged by the emphasis placed on hard workand discipline to excel at Gateway's demanding math andscience classes.

Entering freshman take an exploratory course, "Careersin Technology," that gives them exposure to the fourcareer majors offered at Gateway and to the kinds of tech-nology they will use in those fields. It is like a physicscourse, but much more hands-on than the physics classesoffered in most high schools around the country.

As juniors and seniors, students take such courses as"Manufacturing Engineering" or "Industrial Chemistry,"or work as interns or on longer research projects, oftenunder the mentorship of scientists, doctors, andresearchers at nearby Washington University, the Barnes-Jewish Medical Center, St. Louis University, or theUniversity of MissouriSt. Louis. In fact, all seniors are

1 5

required to complete either an internship, which involvesworking off-site with a designated adult several hours aweek, or a senior research project, which involves con-ducting new scientific research and writing an extensiveresearch paper for credit in the required senior Englishclass.

By 7:30 every Thursday morning, Norma Todd, a seniordouble-majoring in Pre-Medical and Pre-Nursing/Ambulatory Care, goes to the Barnes-JewishMedical Center where she helps conduct patients' medicalhistories before they receive out-patient surgery. Then sheheads over to a micro and cell biology lab at WashingtonUniversity where she is completing research, begun lastsummer, to search for a fibrillar protein called M-70. Shetalks about her research with her Advanced Biologyteacher, who is helping her prepare it for presentation inthe district science fair.

SMALLER STUDENT GROUPINGGateway uses a structure called "Houses" for the fresh-

man and sophomore classes, to reduce the fear and insecu-rity of the transition from smaller middle schools to thelarger high school. Each House consists of approximatelyone hundred students, either freshmen or sophomores,with four teachers, one each of English, Math, SocialStudies, and Science. The students take their classes with

.er

Nr

the four teachers, so they all get to know each other overthe course of the school year. The teacher teams also use aproject-based teaching method, with all of their classesworking on one large project in teams of four or five stu-dents. The projects require skills and knowledge fromeach academic class, and are integrated so that studentssee the connection between what they learn in one classand what they discuss in another. Juniors and seniors arenot grouped by Houses but by career majors. Classes aresmaller, often ten to fifteen students, and the work atmos-phere is intense and fast paced.

CHOOSING CAREERSGateway believes that it is not only possible but essen-

tial to prepare students for college and careers at the sametime. Unlike some critics who argue that career prepara-tion in high school is for "students who are not college-bound," Gateway's guidance and counseling departmentbelieves that career exploration and awareness are essen-tial components of self understanding. Career explorationbegins as a required class in the ninth grade, introducingall Gateway freshmen to the wide range of high-techcareers associated with each of the four career majorsoffered. This class also helps students identify and devel-op broadly defined work-related skills, such as workethics, team building, and responsibility.

For more Information:Susan Tieber, PrincipalGateway Institute of Technology5101 McReeSt. Louis, MO 63110Telephone: (314) 776-3300Fax: (314) 776-8267Superintendent: David J. Mahan

ateway's philosophy of career

exploration has led to a change in the

traditional roles of the teacher and

counselor in the high school.

11

eaiE Lltoy

HIGH SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

AND FINANCEsiounclEd in 1993 al a cortagoTation gEtWEE12 gE GIVEL47 qjorJ City

EOCitrtd of Education and g fiE glavErE 7,1 o up, lefioof corn

gin CaTEET Education witfi a dEmanclins coffE9E 12TE12arcatmy 12,-to9Tam.

ilti UniqUE GSCInfOrLd (WEiff finititatE grcingl tfiE financial community

into tfiE lcfioof. (Waif ..SirtEEt gEcomEl a La&oTatoly that hEL121 itu-

connEct w-fiat tfiEy fEaTn in lafioof ceitfi tfiE clEmancil of tfiE

GiT01,k1129 UTOTECI.

ocated in the heart of Wall Street, the High Schoolof Economics and Finance offers its students a unique andchallenging environment for intellectual and personaldevelopment. The high school, an outgrowth of the exist-ing Finance Academy in New York City, is unified by itssingle career theme. While at the High School ofEconomics and Finance, students have the opportunity forextensive interaction with the surrounding financial com-munity, primarily through the Sanford I. Weill Instituteand a variety of work experiences.

SUPPORT AND INCENTIVES FOR HIGHACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

The High School of Economics and Finance was builton a commitment to high academic standards for every-one. The student body mirrors the diversity of New YorkCity. All academic courses are offered at the Regents level,requiring every student to study at least three years ofmathematics, science, and a second language. There is notracking, and tutoring for these rigorous classes is avail-able after school. In their first year at the school, studentstake Welcome to Wall Street, where they are introduced tocareers in finance. They learn how to start their own busi-nesses using a curriculum of the National Foundation forTeaching Entrepreneurship. Students progress to moreadvanced work, such as Personal Financial Planning,

Banking and Credit, and International Finance, and maytake up to four undergraduate courses at Baruch College.

Teachers of every academic subject weave the thread ofeconomics into their disciplines to help youngsters under-stand its impact on virtually all aspects of our world. Anextensive training program puts teachers in contact withindustry professionals, enables them to intern in financialfirms, and connects them with colleagues in a national net-work of Academy of Finance schools. Every teacher servesas a "Personal Consultant" for a small cluster of studentsto encourage academic excellence and the development ofeach child's talents.

LEARNING FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITYEvery Wednesday afternoon, students participate in

seminars, field-trips, and workshops at the Weill Institute,many of which are conducted by the school's businesspartners. Seminar topics range from "WomenProfessionals" and "Running a Wall Street Firm" to SATprep and martial arts classes. Seminars run on an eight-week cycle, allowing students to sample a variety of offer-ings in the course of the school year. One option is theQuality Center, run by Lehman Brothers and Dillon, Read.Here, students can apply for a personal instructor foreither remedial or accelerated assistance. For example, onestudent may need extra help in mathematics, and another

12 f17

may be interested in learning Japanese. The business part-ners try to match each student with an employee fromtheir firm who can provide appropriate instruction. TheWednesday workshops also serve as staff development forthe academic teachers, exposing them to more facets of thefinancial world.

VALUABLE WORK EXPERIENCE

All students must go through the following work expe-rience sequence to graduate: 120 hours of community ser-vice, 120 hours of an unpaid internship, and 240 hours of apaid internship. To prepare students for these "real-world" experiences, the school requires a Job SkillsTraining class and a Communications Skills Training class.Students keep a portfolio of their internship evaluations.Positive evaluations for all three work experiences arerequired for graduation. The Weill Institute Manager,Kristie Nguyen, explains that the paid internships are areal incentive to students and are held in high esteem.

Because of the commitment by the business communi-ty, students have opportunities to gain experience thatwould not be available to them otherwise. One student,for example, is completing his unpaid internship atExtra Net. He manages the internal E-mail system at thefirm and is highly valued by his supervisor. Other stu-dents have internships at Republic National Bank, SmithBarney, and Oppenheimer.

Although the school is relatively young (it will gradu-ate its first class in 1997), its design and resourcefulnessare a useful model for other schools.

For more Information:Susan de Armas, PrincipalHigh School of Economics and Finance100 Trinity PlaceNew York, NY 10006Telephone: (212) 346-0708Fax: (212) 346-0712Superintendent: Steven Gutman

The High School for

Economics and Finance is

setting an innovative exam-

ple for education in finance,

insurance, and real estate.

Nr13

CalE AltoTy

SUSSEX TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOLilm127o(fEc prcogTatni. and fii9fiErc tElt co17,E1 fiau-E 12TocrEn tfiE lUCCE11 Of

occupational efuitErcl at GS1.1-11EX aefiniCal CA9fi eSehooL. c.SiudEntl

and tEacfivu TE9Urar4 COfrag O'latE to intEycatE COLLT1E1 witfiin tfiE

0111.11E1.1. ExpEetationl of acaclErnic and tEefinicat agiEu-EirzEnt fiavE

TiiEn OCTET dE COLLTiE Of dE TE107.172 and fiau-E EEE12

n just five years, Sussex Technical High School inGeorgetown, Delaware, has been transformed from anarea vocational school with declining student enrollmentand low academic achievement to a restructured highschool that offers students a challenging, integrated cur-riculum. The school's success in raising expectations andacademic and technical achievement has not gone unno-ticed; it currently has a waiting list and anticipates havingto turn away a growing number of prospective students.

Among its successes, Sussex Tech considers theimproved quality of programs and higher test scores asevidence that the new system is working. However,improved student and teacher morale and successfulimplementation of clusters and block scheduling are alsohigh on the list of real improvements.

SUCCESSTHROUGH OCCUPATIONAL

CLUSTERS

Sussex Tech has been restructured to promote bothhigh expectations and the integration of academic andvocational education. The school is part of the High SchoolsThat Work project of the Southern Regional EducationBoard, which promotes these ideas. The high school reor-ganized its occupational program into four clusters(Automotive/Diesel Technologies, Business Technologies,Health/Human Services Technologies, andIndustrial/Engineering Technologies). In addition to itstechnical instructors, each cluster has a group of designat-ed academic teachers in English, math, science, and socialstudies. Ninth graders rotate through a series of explorato-ry units and choose their cluster at the end of the year.

14

Each cluster has developed a challenging program ofstudy that includes academic and technical courses. Allremedial and general track courses and study halls havebeen eliminated. The programs of study include advancedmath and science courses in each occupational area. Forexample, all students are required to take three years ofmath and science and four years of Tech Prep Englishcourses. To support this more rigorous course work, thehigh school has instituted an after-school tutoring pro-gram staffed by teachers.

The schedule at Sussex Tech has been radically alteredto accommodate this cluster approach and to promoteintegration. Classes are block scheduled, with technicalclasses meeting each day for 90 minutes and academicclasses meeting for 90 minutes every other day. In addi-tion, related courses have been developed for each clusterand for individual programs in both academic and techni-cal areas (an example is a blueprint skills course for theIndustrial/Engineering Technologies cluster or relatedsociology for the Health/Human Services Technologiescluster). Every morning before school starts, teachers aregiven a 45-minute personal planning period and a 30-minute cluster planning time. Teachers hold formal meet-ings within their clusters once a week, with the remainingfour cluster-planning periods reserved for ad hoc meet-ings among individual teachers.

INTEGRATION PROJECTS FOR ALL

GRADE LEVELS

At Sussex Tech, the teachers take integration very seri-ously. The administrators and teachers have identified an

1,9

6.

tudents at Sussex

Tech are regularly asked

to reflect upon the ways

in which various disci-

plines can be integrated.

integration project for eachgrade level, to include allstudents in that grade.Students in the eleventhgrade, for example, partici-.pate in American historyintegration projects. Studentsenrolled in the Industrial/Engineering Technologiescluster can read about theAmerican Revolution in their

history courses, then fashion tools and implements mod-eled on those of the Revolutionary period.

Finally, all twelfth graders are required to complete anintegrated senior project Over the course of a year, forexample, students in the Industrial/EngineeringTechnologies cluster constructed a house for one of theirprojects All students were assigned math problems aboutthe amount of materials required to complete the projectand the costs of these materials. A community residentmoved into the house after it was completed.

COLLABORATION BETWEEN

STUDENTS AND TEACHERSStudents at Sussex Tech are regularly asked to reflect

upon the ways in which various disciplines can be inte-grated Math teachers ask their students to discuss andwrite about how math is related to their technical area.Teachers and students brainstorm about projects that willintegrate academic concepts into areas of career interest.

For more Information:Patrick E. Savini, PrincipalSussex Technical High SchoolP.O. Box 351Georgetown, DE 19947Telephone: (302) 856-0961Fax: (302) 856-1760Superintendent: George Frunzi

15

CalE C7Liiii0

THOMPSON SCHOOL DISTRICT7qn inu-Eltigation of euv-cEnt rcElEarcofi and JILT( 7 E5, of past iiudEnti [Ed

66 f f

tfiE gfio1 I2lon eSefiOOf riltrciet to Eltagfilfi a CarCEET pagwayl

1-27o9zatrz in filgfi StudEnti. now gEl2Efit ftorrz

CCITEE't and c::74cadEtnic fani, clEuEfol2Ed unciEl

t/E 9uiclaneE Of CO0,121E107.1, tEczefiErti, and partEnti.

hen it comes to educating all students to highstandards, the Thompson School District gives new mean-ing to the word "commitment." For the communities ofLoveland and Berthoud which make up the district,reform meant thinking about educational change and part-nerships from kindergarten through high school andbeyond. Thompson's effort is district wide. It extends toevery school and involves parents, students, teachers,administrators, employers, and community leaders. Themixed suburban-rural district, which is about an hournorth of Denver, Colorado, comprises three comprehen-sive high schools, and an alternative high school and anetwork of four middle schools and eighteen elementaryschools.

CAREER PATHWAYS

This District's effort began seven years ago when it tooka bold step in education improvement by instituting ambi-tious district standards and assessments. The decision toestablish career pathways was made as a result of a con-certed effort to help all students achieve high academicstandards and prepare for the future. It was based onresearch on effective teaching and learning practices,broad community input, and a survey of past students bykey district and school personnel.

All of the district's high schools now operate under asite-based management structure and all students are heldto a demonstrable set of academic standards. The district'scurrent academic standards now exceed those set by thestate. The move to career majors has been a shared effortunder the guidance and support of district administration.Yet each school has approached implementing careerpathways in its own way. For example, some have empha-

16

sized curriculum development and team teaching; othershave focused on developing work-based learning experi-ences for their students. Teachers are infusing career-relat-ed activities into their academic instruction.

SCHOOLS WORKING TOGETHERAccording to district officials, it was the districts'

receipt of federal school-to-work opportunity money thatreally brought everyone together, breaking down the oldmodel where schools used to compete against one anotherand "everyone wanted to grab their piece and run." In thewords of one district official: "[The money] was the ulti-mate unifying force, because when that money came in,the [staff] began to realize it would be better if we workedtogether on staff development, work-based learning expe-riences, and that kind of thing, because we all have someknowledge, but we don't have all the knowledge...andthat really unified us....It was like winning the lotto." Theprincipal of one high school noted that getting staff to buyin also took on a momentum of its own, when staff beganto see the power of school-to-work as a tool to reach stu-dents and make their education more meaningful.

COUNSELING AND CAREER AWARENESSCounseling staff at the schools are key to the district's

efforts, and counselors' jobs have been redefined perhapsmore dramatically than teachers' practices. The counselingstaff participated in the district's surveys of former stu-dents, which precipitated many of the changes that thedistrict has undertaken. Each student now has an integrat-ed Career and Academic Plan (CAP), developed by thecounseling staff, student, parents, and teachers. It is

21

through the development of this plan that studentsexplore the skills and educational requirements of variouscareer clusters. The concepts of career awareness are alsomoving steadily down through the earlier grades in mid-dle and elementary school.

The district utilizes the ACT Discover program, devel-oped around the work of researcher John Holland andothers, as the primary structure for its career pathways.Discover information is recorded in the computerizedCAP of each student. In addition to interest inventories,Discover provides students with computer-accessed infor-mation on specific careers within each pathway, includingeducation requirements, employment opportunities, andcurrent pay ranges. Students are given hands-on experi-ence with Discover in class, and have access to the pro-gram's career database through the school's InformationResource Center .

PARTNERSHIPS WITH EMPLOYERS AND COLLEGES

Through ties to the Berthoud and Loveland Chambersof Commerce, the three high schools have developed busi-ness partnerships with major employers, includingHewlett Packard, McKee Medical Center, Kodak, and

_7-

Bank One. Business partners collaborate with the schoolsto help design budgets, strategic plans, and work-basedlearning programs for both teachers and students. In addi-tion, the district is developing relationships with localhuman service agencies to help provide the range of socialand support services students need.

The district has also established strong partnershipswith nearby post-secondary institutions, includingColorado State University, the University of NorthernColorado, Aims Community College and Front RangeCommunity College. Students in the high school can takecourses at the colleges while still in high school, and theschools are working to ensure that students can makesmooth and successful transitions from high school to col-lege. For example, students in the lab technicians programin high school can articulate to two- and four-year pro-grams to prepare for careers ranging from lab technicianto doctor of veterinary medicine. One significant mark ofimproved student achievement has been the jump in post-secondary enrollment. Over the last five years, the per-centage of students going on to two- or four-year collegeshas jumped from 45, 50 and 55 percent to 78, 70 and 75percent at Loveland, Thompson Valley and BerthoudHigh Schools respectively.

For more Information:Ben Hix, Principal, Thompson Valley High SchoolCraig Loper, Principal, Loveland High SchoolLen Sherman, Principal, Berthoud High School535 DouglasLoveland, CO 80537District Contact: Nancy WearTelephone: (970) 669-3940 x359Fax: (970) 663-0605Superintendent: Don Saul

.3. a.-

he move to

career pathways has

been a shared effort

by Thompson

schools, with the

support of districtadministration.

17

CalE Alto Ty

WALHALLA HIGH SCHOOLoqt (Wagaffa c7qi9fi S'cfioof, tfiE Community il CO[rag 07-Citing LiTitfi

gulinEll and inclultrty parctnET1 to continuaff3 irrzl2rtoc-E ituclEntl

lafioof- and arortk-galEd EX12£7.1E)2a£1.

Walhalla High School, in the Appalachian regionof South Carolina, has restructured its education programto provide students with meaningful school- and work-based experiences. Student-oriented guidance and coun-seling programs are centered around career clusters andarticulated with the nearby Hamilton Career Center andwith area post-secondary institutions.

COUNSELING AND CAREER GUIDANCEAt Walhalla Middle School, "Planning for a career has

three distinct steps: self-awareness, exploration, andpreparation." In the sixth grade, each student begins todevelop a Career Portfolio, which includes career, extra-curricular, and academic information that each studentmaintains throughout and beyond the high school years.

The middle school Career Specialist ensures that stu-dents and their parents or legal guardians are exposed toand familiar with potential career options and the curricu-lar format at the high school. The career clusters areBusiness, Engineering, Health Sciences, Trades &Technology, and Arts/Sciences/Human Services. Certaincourses in the career clusters award dual credit towardstudents' post-secondary career plans. The academies arethe Finance Academy and the Ford Academy ofManufacturing Sciences (FAMS), which is offered at theHamilton Career Center. Students learn that courses inboth academies allow them to earn college-level credit.Among the methods used to inform students about careerchoices are interest inventories, class presentations of cur-rent and future career information, worksheets, videos,guest speakers, and field trips. In addition, the middleschool hosts a Career Fair where business and industryprofessionals talk to students about their training andexperiences.

18

During the second semester of the eighth grade, stu-dents and parents review the four-year high school courseplan with the Career Specialist. At this time, studentsmake an initial selection from the five career clusters andtwo academies (new in 1995).

After the review process is completed, the middleschool Career Specialist forwards the student's CareerPortfolio to the high school. Communication between themiddle school and the high school does not end with thistransaction. "We're pretty much in constant communica-tion," commented the high school Career Specialist. "Ithink the two schools have just worked beautifully togeth-er to make sure that we're protecting the integrity of theprogram."

At the high school, students review their career planswith a Guidance Counselor and Career Specialist. Sinceboth these advisors confer with the middle school CareerSpecialist, students enjoy an easier transition betweenschools. The Career Specialist conducts information work-shops for students throughout the high school years. Atthese sessions, students go from learning more aboutthemselves in grade nine to learning about filling out jobapplications, interviewing techniques, and creatingresumes in grades ten, eleven, and twelve. The CareerSpecialist also arranges for students, parents, faculty, andstaff members to gain work-based experience through pro-grams including job shadowing and internships.

THE STRUCTURE OF CAREER CLUSTERSRealizing that traditional schooling would not ade-

quately prepare students for their roles in the twenty-firstcentury, the school's principal, faculty, and staff membersused input from the business and industry communities tobegin reassessing their educational programs during the

23

0116._

tf

NrAccording to one

student, "If we under-

stand what's outthere, and we know

what we have to do to

grasp it, that's whatWalhalla High School

is all about."

1987-88 school year. Collaborative efforts with theSouthern Regional Education Board and PACE, thePartnership for Academic and Career Education (a tech-prep consortium), assisted Walhalla High School in initiat-ing a whole school reform program. Later cooperationwith the Hamilton Career Center and Tri-CountyTechnical College resulted in post-secondary articulationagreements.

In concert with State Department initiatives,Walhalla High School has organized the career clustersalong a College Prep and Tech Prep continuum. TheCollege Prep focus provides students with extensive

preparation for college-level work leading to a chosencareer. The Tech Prep focus prepares students for fur-ther technical college training or for immediate entryinto a chosen career. Each focus requires the same num-ber of credits for graduation. The Finance Academy isslated to join the FAMS at Hamilton Career Center, thusbecoming available to other high schools in the district.

A DEDICATED FACULTY AND STAFFWalhalla High School has dedicated and nurturing

faculty and staff members. Not satisfied with the statusquo, they look for ways to improve student careeroptions and experiences. Faculty development activitiesinitiated from the beginning of the reform movementcontinue to include visits to business and industry sites,from which faculty members bring new experiences andknowledge back into their classrooms.

For more Information:John H. Hostetler, PrincipalWalhalla High School151 Razorback LaneWalhalla, SC 29691Telephone: (864) 638-4582Fax: (864) 638-4055Superintendent: Buddy Herring

19

ealE J11,31orc,9

WILLIAM H. TURNER TECHNICAL ARTS

HIGH SCHOOLa-

gUTIZET ach 9oaf L. to initiLL info7mation fiteTacy and lifetime

leartrzing lkiLL1 iltl fiVE acacienziel enagfe ituclenti toIP

Ecan two fort one diploma, aomgininy fiigfi igoof czecliti witfi

itate-certtified caTEET btainin9, 127E/2wzing dem foT coffe9e and OCITE£7.1.

urner Tech, as it is known by its students, islocated in an urban section of northern Dade County,Florida. Turner Tech is a magnet school in the greaterMiami area operated by the Dade County Public Schoolsystem. It draws students from across the entire county,with some students traveling an hour and a half each wayto attend the school.

HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDSThe current school, completed just three years ago, is

wired with state-of-the-art technology, including a televi-sion production facility from which students producedaily broadcasts of school announcements and activities.The brightly colored modern facility is filled with studentsin similarly bright-colored uniformsthe color of theirpolo shirts corresponds to the students' chosen careeracademy.

The school's modern facade belies its humble begin-nings. The current site of the school housed the DadeCounty High School of Agriculture for over 30 years, thepredecessor to Turner Tech's Agriscience Academy. Theschool has integrated academic and technical and gradua-tion standards, making Turner Tech a unique DadeCounty Public School. These standards, coupled withthree years of recruiting efforts at over thirty-four districtmiddle schools, have resulted in the school's receivingnearly two times the number of applicants as it has avail-able seats.

THE TWO-FOR-ONE DIPLOMAOne of the benefits of attending Turner Tech is that stu-

dents can earn a "two for one" diploma. This means that

20

students can earn a traditional high school diploma, quali-fying them for entrance into either two- or four-year col-leges, and at the same time receive state-certified careertraining. The student handbook, included as part of a dailyplanner issued to each student, identifies the focal points ofthe Turner Tech curriculum as developing "information lit-eracy and lifetime learning skills among all students."

INTEGRATED CURRICULUM IN SEVEN

ACADEMIES

The cornerstone of Turner Tech's instructional strategyis its integrated curriculum. Students and teachers areassigned to one of the school's seven academies:Agriscience, Applied Business Technology, NAF/FannieMae Academy of Finance, Health, Industrial Technology,Public Service/Television Production, and ResidentialConstruction. Teachers work in teams within each acade-my to develop integrated thematic units, which apply corelearning competencies in their respective academic disci-plines within the context of the students' selected careermajor. For example, during a.health awareness fair, fresh-men and sophomores administer eye and hearing examsand take the blood pressure of teachers and staff, whilehealth professionals observe students' work. This healthawareness experience allows students to practice theirskills, with an emphasis on mastery rather than memory.Juniors, having developed their resumes, are interviewedby local health agencies and hospitals at the fair. Teachersmeet regularly during a common planning time to devel-op Integrated Curricular Units, or ICUs.

Students select a career academy when they enter theschool in the ninth grade, and by successfully completing

25

a sequence of core and elective courses, gain certificationin one or more related fields. For instance, under theHealth Academy, students can gain certification in PatientCare Assisting, First Medical Responder, Health UnitCoordinator, Dental Lab Assisting, or Medical LabAssisting. All students compile an active career portfolio,which includes examples of their individual work as wellas a current resume.

WORKPLACE EXPERIENCE AND SCHOOL-BASED ENTERPRISE

Under each of the academies, students participate in avariety of hands-on experiences in actual workplaces andschool-based enterprises. Both students and teachers haveopportunities to "job shadow" employees of many of theschool's business partners, providing students with a rich-er understanding of the types of jobs available in theirchosen career path, and giving teachers greater exposureto how the academic subjects they teach are applied in theworld of work. In their junior and senior years, studentscan participate in more extensive internships and appren-ticeships, and may receive credit toward graduation fromsupervised work-based learning experiences, where

employers provide detailed evaluations of students' on-the-job performance .

Several of the academies also operate school-basedenterprises, which generate money for supplies as well asscholarship funds for the school's graduates. For instance,the Agriscience Academy raises both livestock and horti-cultural stocks, and markets them through public auctionsand sales. Similarly, the Academy for ResidentialConstruction works in conjunction with local homebuilders' associations to design, build, and sell a residen-tial home, the profits from which are used to fund studentscholarships.

STUDENTS TAKING PRIDE IN THEIR SCHOOLYet for all its modern technology and dedicated staff,

the singularly most impressive aspect of Turner Tech is itsstudents' enthusiasm. Students spoke of how their experi-ences at Turner Tech had opened their eyes to a variety ofcareer options and convinced them of the importance ofcontinuing into post-secondary education. "I look at myfriends who stayed in my neighborhood school, and thinkof how lucky I am to be here. Sure I have to work a lotharder here, but I have a plan, a future."

For more Information:John A. McKinney, PrincipalWilliam Turner Technical High School10151 N.W. 19th AvenueMiami, FL 33147-1315Telephone: (305) 691-8324Fax: (305) 693-9463Superintendent: Octavio Visiedo

2G

Wrkplace experi-

ence and school-based

enterprises are an inte-

gral part of education

at Turner Tech.

21

HONORABLE MENTION SCHOOLS

(WE congtatalatE tfiE forfourin9 twEnty-one sefioots urfiiefi tEeEivEd cEltificatEs of olionotafE icrt tfiE SEventfi

ognnual Bail:12E11 (WEEk SIIEux cAnElican c.4119fi .c."-PzEpating SiudEnti fol eoffEgE and CaREE11.

AVIATION HIGH SCHOOLLong Island City, New YorkTelephone: (718) 361-2032Eileen Taylor, PrincipalMargaret R. Harrington, Superintendent

BENSON HIGH SCHOOLOmaha, NebraskaTelephone: (402) 557-3000Frank Hoy, PrincipalNorbert Schuerman, Superintendent

BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICTSpanaway, WashingtonTelephone: (206) 536-7236Marilyn Ash, Executive Director of Applied LearningDon Berger, Superintendent

BRYAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLOmaha, NebraskaTelephone: (402) 557-3100Robert L. Whitehouse, PrincipalNorbert Schuerman, Superintendent

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOLLouisville, KentuckyTelephone: (502) 485-8226Harold Fenderson, PrincipalStephen Daeschner, Superintendent

FLOWER VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOLChicago, IllinoisTelephone: (312) 534-6755Dorothy J. Williams, PrincipalHazel Stewart, Regional Education Officer

GEORGE WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOLPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaTelephone: (215) 961-2001Harry Gutelius, PrincipalDavid W. Hornbeck, Superintendent

GEORGETOWN HIGH SCHOOLGeorgetown, TexasTelephone: (512) 819-0320Michael Cargill, PrincipalJim Gunn, Superintendent

GLOUCESTER HIGH SCHOOLGloucester, VirginiaTelephone: (804) 693-2526C. Hampton Gray, PrincipalJ. Larry Hoover, Superintendent

HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOLMilwaukee, WisconsinTelephone: (414) 541-7720Clark Lovell, PrincipalRobert Jasna, Superintendent

HIRAM JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOLSacramento, CaliforniaTelephone: (916) 277-6300Arthur A. Benjamin, PrincipalTed Kimbrough, Superintendent

LEANDER HIGH SCHOOLLeander, TexasTelephone: (512) 435-8000Charles Rouse, PrincipalTom Glenn, Superintendent

MARITIME AND SCIENCE TECHNOLOGYHIGH SCHOOLMiami, FloridaTelephone: (305) 365-6278Linda Eads, PrincipalOctavio Visiedo, Superintendent

MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLLong Island City, New YorkTelephone: (718) 349-4000Donald J. Freeman, Principal (Acting);Cecilia L. Cullen (on sabbatical)Stephen E. Phillips, Superintendent

ORR COMMUNITY ACADEMYChicago, IllinoisTelephone: (312) 534-6500Cynthia Felton, PrincipalArmando Almendares, Regional Educational Officer

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOLPortland, OregonTelephone: (503) 280-5260Paul Coakley, PrincipalJack Bierwirth, Superintendent

SEBASTIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOLSebastian, FloridaTelephone: (407) 564-4170Fran J. Adams, PrincipalRoger Dearing, Superintendent

STURGIS BROWN HIGH SCHOOLSturgis, South DakotaTelephone: (605) 347-2686Richard Deaver, PrincipalBarry Furze, Superintendent

WALTON HIGH SCHOOLBronx, New YorkTelephone: (718) 364-7400Nicola Genco, PrincipalJoseph DeJesus, Superintendent

WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOLFort Pierce, FloridaTelephone:(407) 468-5405E. Wayne Gent, PrincipalDavid Mosrie, Superintendent

WINNACUNET COOPERATIVE HIGH SCHOOLHampton, New HampshireTelephone: (603) 926-3395Roberta G. Neuman, PrincipalJames Weiss, Superintendent

22 27

AL

AJL

sr-1i

r-

Nr

r

lwa

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

fj

1

4

Ar

CHARLOTTE K. FRANK

MCGRAW-HILL EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHING GROUP

1221 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS

NEW YORK, NY 10020

TELEPHONE: (212) 512-6512

FAX: (212) 512-4769

E-MAIL: cfrank@mcgraw-hill.com

THE TEXT OF THIS BOOKLET IS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON

BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE, AVAILABLE ON AMERICA ONLINE.

LOOK FOR IT IN BUSINESS WEEK ONLINE'S "OFFERS AND INFO" AREA.

FOR A TRIAL AMERICA ONLINE DISKETTE, CALL 1-800-641-4848

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Front Cover Photo; 3rd & 4th from top:Rich Saal, The State Journal-Register

Springfield,Illinois

a

(9/92)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI)

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

NOTICE

REPRODUCTION BASIS

--",a .O. 9 /.= 7/

a

ERIC

This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release(Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing allor classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore,does not require a "Specific Document" Release form.

This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission toreproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, maybe reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Releaseform (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket").