Taking a proactive approach, students are identified prior to the beginning of the school year and are enrolled in a summer academic enrichment program before starting school in the new school year. They attend for four hours per day for five weeks and are provided with focused instruction by highly qualified teachers in mathematics and language arts literacy. Students gain valuable skills that are needed for them to succeed and excel in these and other content areas.

Describe specific programs in place to ensure that families are involved in the success of your school and students.

It is well established that partnerships with parents and the community improve student academic performance. As result, the school initiated various activities that occur throughout the year to help parents change the home environment and have a strong influence on children’s school performance.

There is a heavy emphasis on communication in which parents can have real-time access on their children’s progress in all classes, including information on specific assignments for each course. By accessing this information from the student information system using the Internet, parents can take immediate steps to help their children. This includes coaching their children and contacting the instructors or counselors via email or phone. By constantly monitoring the progress of their children, students respond in a timely manner and improve their performance. Communication is also done via mailings, robo calls, and emails.

Newark Tech has an active PTSA, which conducts meetings throughout the school year. Parents are informed of the progress of the school and the activities and programs that enhance the education of their children. They participate in training on topics such as the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards, FAFSA, High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA), Financial Aid, Income tax Return and other components of the No Child Left Behind Act.

The school has also nurtured a very good relationship with parents by having attractive activities such as dinner, fashion shows, plays, school fairs and relevant workshops. Using a theme (bullying, alcoholism, drugs, violence) parents participate in preparing props, costumes, character building in assisting students to perform plays afterschool.

In addition, Newark Tech has established good partnerships with the other stakeholders in the community that support the school. These include New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), Essex County College, United Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and the Newark museum. Companies also hire seniors on work-study programs that offer a career path after graduation. Students participate regularly in community events, especially those in the County.

Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen the ties to your community.

Newark Tech has initiated many parental involvement initiatives over the past few years. However, a very successful activity is its annual dinner and fashion show. In this activity, parents work collaboratively with the staff and students to plan and execute a show that has always been successful. Working with established designers and parents, students display their talent in areas such as dancing, singing and speech while at the same time dress in attire that depicts a predetermined theme. Designers volunteer their time to work with students and parents in preparation for the event. Over the years, themes such as Fashion Misfit, Inaugural Ball (coinciding with President Obama’s inauguration), Harlem Renaissance Cotton Club, Self Respect Fashion Show and Media thru our eyes were used. The evening is always exciting and competitive with students competing for the top spot. A panel of judges hailing from the fashion industry selects winners.

The event is planned and presented by the senior class and the school’s Parent Teachers Students Association. Teachers support them, especially the music teacher who provides the necessary background music including Jazz. Invitees pay a nominal entrance fee and are served with dinner prior to the show. The event is always well attended.

Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.

As the educational leader, I believe that one must lead by example in transforming a school. I believe that school safety, the instructional process, and timely communication are three components that are essential to student academic and social success. Students, faculty and staff will not embraced change if I do not practice what I preach. I envision my school as a place where students can learn, where teachers can teach, and where everyone is committed to excellence. Initiatives implemented in school reform are done with staff input and continuous consultation with their representatives. In transforming Newark Tech into a learning community, emphasis is placed on collaboration from all stakeholders, especially students on whose strengths the school is built.

What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?

In the 2012-13 school year at least 90% of the students will demonstrate proficiency in Mathematics and Language Arts Literacy on the NJ High School Proficiency Assessment.

In the 2012-13 school year, at least 80% of the instructors will receive a performance rating of proficient or distinguished on the teacher observation instrument.

What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?

One of the success factors at Newark Tech is the use of a comprehensive and ongoing assessment program, which provides individual student performance data that inform instructional decisions. Students are assessed regularly with standards based assessments (local and vendor driven) so that their strengths and deficiencies in the various standards are identified early. The performance data in each assessment is disaggregated for each class period and teacher using the various NCLB subgroups. Instructors are provided with the disaggregated data for each class so that they can address the individual weaknesses of each student with various intervention programs provided for them. Follow up support is provided by the district in the form of one-to-one coaching with the instructors.

Emphasis is placed on the quick feedback of performance data to instructors and students. To expedite the process, the e-learning platform, Moodle is sometimes used to administer the assessments. This platform offers instant feedback to instructors and students, including item analysis so that intervention strategies that address individual needs can be implemented. The frequent monitoring of student progress by staff and students has significantly improved transparency and student outcomes.

Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement.

Apart from the emphasis placed on improved teaching and learning with high quality instruction, there is a strong focus on offering additional academic support in a timely manner to at risk students. With over 70% of the incoming students performing below grade level in mathematics and language arts literacy, Newark Tech has recognized the need for students to improve their skills in order to succeed in their regular courses and be ready for college or a career by the time they graduate. With the Academic Support program, students benefit from increased instructional time that addresses their specific learning needs before and during the school year.

Taking a proactive approach, students are identified prior to the beginning of the school year and are enrolled in a summer academic enrichment program before starting school in the new school year. They attend for four hours per day for five weeks and are provided with focused instruction in mathematics and language arts literacy by highly qualified teachers. Students gain valuable skills that are needed for them to succeed and excel in these and other content areas. In addition, there is a heavy emphasis on the use of technology, which students use to extend their learning outside of school. This program also helps students to transition smoothly to a high school environment and its additional academic demands.

During the school year, students are further identified for support using the comprehensive assessment program. These students attend classes in mathematics and language arts for an additional hour before or after school where they receive individual assistance with experienced instructors. In addition, students experiencing severe challenges are offered an additional period of instruction during the school day. Emphasis is placed on individual success and offering students all the necessary resources for their improvement.

The academic support program has also improved the culture of learning in the entire school. Students and instructors focus on improved academic outcomes and students recognize that the staff cares for them. The program has given the students who initially lagged far behind, the opportunities to succeed and even excel in mastering the curriculum standards in the various content areas.

Explain how Title I funds have supported your improvement efforts.

Newark Tech has implemented a school-wide program (over 86% of the students receive free or reduced lunch) and Title I funds are carefully expended so as to meet the educational needs of all the students, including the English Language Learners (ELLs). This includes funding for high-quality academic assessments, teacher preparation and training, curriculum, and instructional materials and supplemental programs.

The instructional program is given a huge boost with the use of Title I funds. Because many students (over 70%) perform below grade level when they attend as 9th graders, they are asked to attend a 5-week academic enrichment program in the summer, prior to the beginning of the school year. The program addresses specific deficiencies in mathematics, language arts literacy and the use of technology to enhance academic performance. Highly qualified teachers provide students with focused instruction in these content areas for four hours per day. The program significantly improves student performance so they can be successful in their regular classes during the school year. The instructional materials, salaries for instructors are funded by Title I. Students who struggle in mathematics and literacy during the school year are also identified and asked to attended academic support programs that address their learning gaps. Instructional supplies that support the successful implementation of programs are also obtained with the use of Title I funds.

Identified students also attend academic support programs in mathematics and language arts during the school year in the before and after school programs. More academically challenged students are offered additional instruction in these content areas during a period in the school day. These programs are funded by the Title 1 grant. In addition to the support provided to ESL students with Title III funds, Title 1 funds are also used to offer further enhancement of programs for these students.

Because they are many struggling students, the school provides web-based supplemented programs to give them the opportunity to master specific skills in mathematics, science and language arts. This programs significantly increases the learning time outside of the school day for students. Programs such as MY ACCESS writing, CATCH_UP math, SkillsTutor and Read 180 are evidenced based and are funded by Title I funds. These programs address the learning needs of students during the school day and beyond the regular school hours.

Title I funds are also used to provide high quality professional development for instructors so that they can improve their craft in designing and delivering lessons in mathematics and literacy that address the common core standards. Instructors get the benefit of on-going, job-embedded professional development in areas such as using formative assessments in classroom instruction, implementing the common core standards and using technology to enhance learning. This is further boosted with the recruitment of expert outside consultants in the core content areas who work closely with instructors.

In addition, Title I funds are used to fund the mentoring program for new teachers, which results in a higher teacher retention rate. New teachers are provided with collegial and administrative support throughout the year. They engage in on-going coaching sessions after school, which entails compensating mentors and mentees for the additional time.

In the revision and alignment of local curricula to the common core and New Jersey state standards, funds are coordinated in compensating teachers to complete such initiatives. Teachers work in teams to accomplish this task and are compensated at their contractual rate. Title I funds are used to fund these initiatives in the core content areas.

Newark Tech has implemented a comprehensive assessment program that is funded by Title I. Assessments such as Measures Of Academic Progress from North West Evaluation Association (NWEA) and Terra Nova from McGraw Hill are made possible with the use of these funds. Assessing the student to determine their strengths and weaknesses is a vital component of the instructional program.

A concerted effort is made to provide students with the resources that will improve their performance. Funds are carefully monitored and coordinated so as to adhere to the guidelines of the grant and not to supplant programs funded by the district.

Identify the professional development activities you use to improve the teaching portion of the teaching and learning process.

The leaders at Newark Tech recognize that the primary in school factor that has the most impact on student learning is instructional quality, which can be improved with focused professional development. Hence, there is a strong emphasis on high quality, ongoing professional development to all instructional staff throughout the year. The school and district devote resources to content-rich professional development that is connected to the vision and goals of the school.

A central focus has been the use of formative assessments (effect size is the highest in improving student outcomes) to enhance teaching and learning. With the implementation of school based professional development, expert consultants trained teams of teachers in the process. The teachers then turnkey the training to their peers in small group settings. School leaders follow up in their visits to classrooms and feedback given on lesson plans. Implementation is also assessed by analyzing data from the teachers’observation instrument (Framework for Teaching)

Emphasis is also placed on using technology to improve lesson design and delivery. Instructors were trained to use various forms of technology that is available to students. Teachers were initially trained in small groups and then supported throughout the year with personalized coaching. With this targeted support, teachers are able to use an e-learning platform, Moodle to create and share content, along with administering assessments and getting quick feedback on assessment results. This promoted quick turnaround for teachers to use the performance data to inform instructional practice. Smart board technology is also incorporated in the training as well as the use of document cameras and graphing calculators. In addition, the use of latest software has enabled teachers to ‘flip’ the classroom in many content areas in trying to create a 21st century learning environment. These initiatives are facilitated and made more seamless with support from the technology staff in the school.

Instructors also engage in collaboration with each other in their respective professional learning communities. With over 14% of the students in the Limited English Proficient subgroup, many of whom are in regular education (inclusion model) classes, teachers meet to discuss ways they can learn from each other in addressing the needs of their respective students. They share instructional strategies, best practices and work together to improve their craft. Discussions also center on using disaggregated student performance data to improve instruction and selecting intervention strategies to address individual deficiencies.

Professional development is also provided to the newly hired teacher- there is a robust mentoring program where ongoing support is provided to them. Veteran teachers serve as mentors to specific instructors throughout the year in a one to one setting. There are frequent in-school meetings, along with monthly feedback sessions with mentors and mentees at the district level with key members of the professional development committee. This support has not only improved the success of the new teachers but has improved the teacher retention rate at Newark Tech.

With funding from Title I and Title III, the school was able to recruit outside expert consultants in the core content areas. The consultants delivered demonstration lessons to targeted staff on effective pedagogical strategies using various content related topics. Teachers observe the lessons and then use this experience to plan lessons with input from the consultants. Consultants also observe teachers and give them meaningful feedback in coaching sessions. They also provide in-class support to instructors so that they can improve their instructional design and delivery.

As a professional development initiative teachers also engage in revising and aligning the various curricula to the common core standards. This gives them further opportunities to improve content knowledge of the standards as they prepare students for career or college readiness.

Emphasis is also placed on using the rubric of the Framework for Teaching in improving instructional practice. Instructors were provided face-to-face training in small groups on the attributes of each component of the rubric so that their performance can be enhanced. The Framework for Teaching is used as a model for instructional practice, which will improve student outcomes. Further training is provided to teachers using Teachscape, a management and reporting system that uses performance is identify trends so that programs can be strengthened.

Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.

Newark Tech has placed a strong emphasis on the use of data to inform the decision making process. Data is collected, disaggregated and analyzed on the various programs implemented in the school - curriculum, assessment, instruction and professional development so as to determine their effectiveness and to make adjustments, if necessary.

The school has implemented an ongoing comprehensive assessment program that is used throughout the year to identify students’ academic strengths and deficiencies. Using an assessment schedule, students are frequently assessed in the core content areas using standards based assessments. The performance data is then disaggregated for each class and teacher using the subgroups so as to identify and address students’ deficiencies. The disaggregated data is provided to instructors who address the individual needs of the students with specific intervention strategies. Instructors also offer students customized assignments using research based supplemental programs such as Skills Tutor, MY ACCESS writing, and CATCH UP math to address specific skills the student may need to learn. In addition, instructors use item analyses to drill down and address specific standards students may find challenging. Struggling students are offered academic support in the before or after school program and the support classes during the school year. Periodic snapshots of student performance in all courses are also provided to school leaders who mobilize support staff to intervene in a timely manner.

Students also monitor their academic progress by accessing their performance data from the teacher’s grade book using the Internet. Students check their progress in the various classes and make the necessary adjustments for their personal success. Parents have the same access to their children’s performance. With parental support, instructors are able to provide accelerated learning opportunities that benefit students. The transparency of information has raised standards.

School leaders use performance data to identify trends at the classroom and programmatic levels. Performance of students in the various periods is analyzed to determine which factors may have an effect on student outcomes. For example, if students’ performance is lagging in the first period, having fewer interruptions with announcements can maximize the instructional time.

Assessment data is also used to identify trends in the success of students with specific instructors. In the scheduling of students, effort is made to match highly effective instructors with the students of high academic need. The goal is to use performance trends to match teacher strengths with the identified needs of students. Hence, struggling students are provided with high quality instruction to enhance their skills.

Using the data obtained using the Framework for Teaching observation instrument, areas of strengths and deficiencies of instructional practice are obtained. This data is used to drive professional development activities for instructors in the school. Areas of deficiencies are addressed with specific initiatives that enhance instructional quality. For example, the need to improve teachers’ knowledge on the use of formative assessments was emphasized in a school year.

The professional development program is also evaluated using data. Specifically, the school uses the Learning Forward’s Standards Assessment Inventory to collect data on all the Professional Development standards. The school’s professional development committee uses the data to make adjustments so that areas of need are addressed. For example, improving parental involvement was identified as an area of concern, which is being addressed.

Performance data is also collected on the various instructional programs so as to evaluate their effectiveness. Each year programs are evaluated to determine whether they should be continued or terminated. The use of supplemental programs to address students’ needs is especially monitored. Data on student attendance is also closely monitored and analyzed to ensure student capitalize on all learning opportunities.

Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.

The culture of the school is very positive. The staff and students are excited about their remarkable transformation over the past few years. The school has made its academic goals for the past six years after being in need of improvement for three consecutive years. With a strong emphasis on student success, Newark Tech has consistently shown improvement in student academic performance. The proficiency rate for Mathematics on the statewide High School Proficiency Assessment rose to 91.8% in 2012 from 39.7% in 2003, while its Language Arts scores improved from 73.3% to 99.4% during the same time period. Of special significance is the exceptional performance of the Limited English Proficient students over the past few years. Despite experiencing severe academic challenges including a language barrier, these students consistently did very well, even outperforming the regular education students. In 2011, 100% of the limited English proficient students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics and language arts. These achievements have made all staff and students feel a sense of pride in their school.

Based on student surveys, most of the students indicated that they like to attend the school and feel safe in the building. They believe it is a good place to learn the skills to succeed and recognize that their teachers want the best for them- teachers care for and listen to them. Teachers are also comfortable in working at the school. They are provided with ongoing collegial and administrative support throughout the year, which has contributed to their success and a decrease in the attrition rate of teachers over the past few years.

Most of the initiatives that are implemented in the school involve the input from teachers. They are empowered to make educationally sound decisions on behalf of the students. With the continuous collaboration of teachers, they experience a sense of ownership and shared responsibility. For example, when the data on the use of a supplemental program seemed to indicate that it should be terminated, one teacher mobilized the support of other colleagues and strongly advocated for its renewal. This buy-in has increased the use of the program, which is positively impacting the learning of students.

Teachers are also given latitude of creating and managing committees in the school that enhance the learning opportunities of the students. Various teams are spearheaded by teachers, who take the lead in advancing their work. For example, there is a team that collects and analyzes data, another for the use of technology, and one that addresses student conduct. In addition, teachers are given the opportunity to advise extracurricular activities such as clubs, the National Honor society, and athletics.

Another small change that had a huge positive impact was the requirement for students to wear school uniform. Although the measure was met with minor resistance, it has brought a sense of community and pride to the school. Students now proudly identify with the school and work hard to maintain the positive performance trend.

Teachers also spearhead the professional growth of their colleagues. The school based professional development committee consists of successful teachers who plan and coordinate the activities that enhance the performance of their colleagues. They regularly meet in professional learning communities to share best practices and share student performance data that lead to improved instructional practice. School leaders and staff share the common goal of improving student outcomes and everyone is committed to that endeavor.

• Category 2

  Selected in 2012

• Grades: 9 - 12
  School Setting: urban
  Town Population: 277,140
  Student Enrollment: 744
  Student Demographics:
  

  Black/African American: 65%
  White/Caucasian: 0%
  Hispanic: 34%
  Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
  Asian: 1%
  Native American: 0%
  Other: 0%
  

  Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:13.5
  % Reduced Lunch: 86.7%
  % ELL Learners: 14.7%
  Founded: 1972
• PRINCIPAL:
  Oge Denis, Jr.
• CONTACT:
  60 Nelson Place
  Newark, NJ 07102
  973-412-2060
  mpennella@essextech.org