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Northridge High School • 2901 Northridge Road • Tuscaloosa, Al• 35406
November 30 , 2012 • Volume 10 • Issue 3
Board visits to assist in better learning atmosphere Alex Hauser Editor-in-Chief
During the first week in October, board members scoured the hallway, sat in on classes and talked to students and faculty. Isaac Espy, principal, said the purpose of the visit was to evaluate the school’s instructional program and to help the school do a better job of instruction based on specific recommendations resulting from the audit. “I contacted the superintendent last summer and requested that this audit take place in the fall. It is a very healthy practice, and our faculty and the central office are working together to improve the way we have school,” he said. Paul McKendrick, superintendent, said the visit was not to evaluate people, but processes within the school and that someone from the outside would have more of a “critical eye.” “You look at a process of how [you] solve the problems, [and] the ways that the school addresses organizational issues,” he said. Afterwards, McKendrick said, they look at what instructional program needs to be altered. “The idea is that you aren’t going into an audit saying we’re going into Mrs. Jones’ class because we heard she’s a wonderful teacher. But at the same time, you don’t say you’re going into Mr. Jones’ class because we heard he’s a horrible teacher,” he said. “Nor do you go back to the principal saying they’re a horrible teacher or perfect teacher because this is what we saw,” McKendrick said. Espy said teachers knew there would be walkthroughs. “[The school board] has no bearing other than the general snapshot of elements of instruction that were observed at that particular time,” he said. “In a walkthrough, the learning environment is assessed along with the format for instructional practices, strategies, teacher activities, grouping, student engagement and the level of student work required.” McKendrick said the board came into the audit without a prearranged idea of what the school was going to look like. They looked at data gathered through the observations, the records review and the conversations they had. “[We] try to give a portrait of what the school looks like,” he said. “If it’s something that [we’re] happy with or we think is good, then we say ‘yes, this is what the school is, and this is what the school looks like, and these are the kinds of things that we want in the school,’ [but] if the portrait shows you some blemishes that you really don’t want, then at that point, that becomes an issue.” The board interviewed several students about their view on the school, including Natalie Patton, senior. Patton said they asked her whether she thought the school was safe,
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and how the school could be improved. “I was glad that they were asking the questions, but I don’t think I gave them the answers they were looking for. I think they got mad when I spoke my mind about it,” she said. “I said things like get new textbooks and better security cameras.” Scott Johnson, math teacher, said the faculty was told that the purpose of the audit was to assist us in better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, but the results were “disconcerting.” “Pre-audit, I think we were all on board, although The Classroom of no one really likes to be under a magnifying glass. [But] post-audit, much more was made of the school’s shortcomings than its strengths,” he said. During the audit, Dr. Paul McKendrick observed Johnson said the people who had the “largest several classes, and said he wished he could have hand” in the audit believe not enough is being done visited more. for students who struggle the most. “Because you see some wonderful people that “In their view, the successful students would probably be successful in spite of the teachers and are teaching, and you see children engaged, and curriculum. They tend to work hard regardless,” he you see children enjoying the classes they’re in,” said. “[The evaluators said] our primary concern he said. and direction should be with the students who are at risk of dropping out or graduation with their ‘cohorts.’ While many of us disagree with this pointof-view and believe instead there needs to be a balance of both. I was in [Shane Ashcraft’s] class, and I was Johnson said that, while most of the auditor’s betalking to a 9th grade English class. They haviors were “unobtrusive and professional,” there were discussing To Kill a Mockingbird. were some that I witnessed that were invasive, disI don’t think there was a student in there ruptive and very unprofessional. “Let teachers evaluate teachers. Some of these that did not comment. And they hit on some ‘experts’ wouldn’t last two days in a classroom. really tough questions. They had finished Take the evaluator who pointed out that six students reading the book, and they were discussing were chewing gum. So? Is that against some board policy? Don’t think so,” he said. overall themes, and he had a set number Beth Allaway, science teacher, said the examinof themes throughout that they were ers should have looked for “real teaching” and not discussing. so much for paper work like lesson plans and objectives on the board. “[They should have] stayed in the classrooms longer. That way they couldget an idea of how the See the story on Ashcraft on pg. 8 class flows. There were judgments made on our Behind has some flaws, the results that came from the test critiques that were incorrect because they hadn’t stayed long enough to know. Many of the people who were scores was a good indicator to which students were doing observing had no knowledge or experience in the subjects well, and which ones were doing poorly, and that “everyone supported [it].” they were observing,” she said. McKendrick said that remembering factors that students McKendrick said he thought the audit did what it was should be dealing is a key for educators. meant to do. “There are a lot of children that come [to school] that “I think it gave and will give Dr. Espy what he needs to make some changes. One of the incentives and reasons we have to resolve some kind of issues that are impacting why we went in is because the school did not make AYP,” their instruction,” he said. “And that’s a part of teaching and being an educator because those are issues we have to he said. McKendrick said, although the AYP and No Child Left solve right when they walk in their doors.”
Behind
the Scenes
Look
Shane Ashcraft
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Teachers receive monetary awards for test scores
Students who passed
Raiha Bajwa Managing Editor
AP Exams Marilyn
Stephens
AP Biology AP Chemistry
22 13
Patsy
Lowery
Calculus AB Calculus BC
29 2
Ria
Evans
Physics B
9
T
Scott
Johnson Statistics Trina
Busby
English Language English Literature Mary Ruffin
Moore
English Language
8 21 15 27
he AP grant that grants students a hundred dollars per passing score in any math, science or English class, also gives the teachers in those subjects a hundred dollars per student. Based on previous years passing rates, benchmarks are set for the teachers and if they surpass them one thousand dollar bonus is added. Patsy Lowry, math teacher, had 29 of her 31 AP Calculus students pass the exam, giving her a $3000 bonus, and a total of $5900.
Fame Page 4-5
Page 3 Of Mice and Men
Lowry said she cried when she got the scores because of how hard everyone worked. “I cried not just because of how many people passed, but passed with the highest score they could make,” she said. “Everyone went in and did the best they could, no one drew pictures.” Lowry said in her forty years of teaching that was about the best she’s ever gotten. She said she plans on using the money on a visit to England to see her daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren. “I’m really excited,” she said. “I don’t know if I could afford to go without it
[the AP money].” Lowry said she is concerned about her current AP Calculus class on the new schedule. “This year I’m having to do it in half the time,” she said. “It’s been very challenging for me and the students, but we’ll see how it goes.” Trina Busby, English teacher, said she was happy about receiving the money, but does not fully support the idea. “It’s a grey ethical issue for me; I would do my job the same way regardless,” she said. “Yes it’s a nice incentive, but at the same time it’s not why I want my students to pass.”
Ashcraft page 8