Task force reports on student success

SET UP FOR SUCCESS- The five-member Student Success Task Force is intent on finding the reasons for high school students' failing grades. Task Force members from left, Sandi Pope, fifth-grade Willow Elementary School teacher; Lesli Stein, parent of an Agoura High School student; Joann Melancon, Calabasas High School parent; Jodi Regan, Agoura High School parent; and Joe Nardo, recently retired assistant superintendent of education. The Las Virgenes Unified School District continues to place student achievement under the microscope.

A school district Student Success Task Force, formed one year ago, studies how students in the district achieve.

The five-member team, which included three parents, a teacher and an administrator, also made 11 recommendations on how the district can improve programs to boost student success.

Joe Nardo, who also worked on the committee, said the idea of studying student success issues was born out of student failure.

Nardo, a recently retired assistant superintendent of eduction, presented a report in May, 2006 that analyzed why so many high school students earned D and F grades on their report cards. The study also stemmed from upset parents as they could not review the tests their children failed.

Close monitoring of students who landed on the D and F lists created a climate for additional support, said Lesli Stein, a task force member.

Highlights of the strides, presented to school board members, included the addition of Link Crew and Coyote Connect, a transition program for eighth-graders moving into high school.

The program was an immediate hit with parents and students at the start of the 2006-07 school year, Stein said. She also noted the parent/student handbook and high school tours for eighthgrade students helped transition issues.

The new class choices also help students achieve more in school, Stein said. The addition of an honors chemistry class, an expansion of alternative education choices and the school board's adoption of the concurrent enrollment/dual credit policy, also boosted student achievement. The policy allows students to take approved college courses and receive credit for the course both at the high school and college levels.

Although the success stories were plentiful, committee members found many ways for the schools to improve. Task force member Jodi Regan said the transition programs should start earlier in the year to ease the fears of students.

Placing eighth-grade students into ninthgrade science classes apparently needs clarification. Regan said some students landed in honors biology and were "stuck." The committee called for a look into how students are placed in classes. She said STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) results and other academic information could be used in placing ninth grade students in science classes.

"The problem is obvious, but somewhat neglected," said Joann Melancon, a task force member. "The student needs to be in the right classes." She said counselors need to guide students in the right direction.

To this end, it was recommended that Agoura High and Calabasas High should compare notes on their programs since Calabasas mandates that all students attend support period, while Agoura High's program is voluntary.

Improvement of the counseling services was also on the committee's list of recommendations. Melancon said a database accessible to all staff members would help with student evaluations. Course descriptions outlining what it takes for success in the class could also help students.

Better communication between teachers, parents and administrators topped the list of recommendations along with eight other suggestions including offering information to parents about tutoring and career information to better use of technology.

For kids who are at risk academically or behaviorally, Melancon said better communication between students, parents and counselors will help.

Sandi Pope, fifth-grade teacher and co-president of the Las Virgenes Educator's Association presented other recommendations to board members, including teaching selfadvocacy skills to students.

"Students need to take responsibility for their learning," Pope said. "Kids need to raise their hands and say, 'I don't get it.'"

Pope also acknowledged the need for parents to access classroom tests and assessments. She explained that while teachers cannot send out final tests regularly, the pretest information can be provided to parents to help their children prepare for an exam. "Once the final test is given, it's after the fact," Pope said.

Pope noted how members of the task force battled out details of what schools need to do to improve student achievement month after month. Teachers and parents all want the same thing- student success, she said.

Boardmember Pat Schulz said the task force underwent a "phenomenal exercise that started with frustration."

"I wouldn't have been aware of this level of concern," said Boardmember Dave Moorman.