M O B I L E C O U N T Y Pu B L I C S C H O O L S Y S T

M O B I L E C O U N T Y P U B L I C S C H O O L S Y S T E M Annual Report

20062006--20072007 MISSIONMISSION

The mission of the Mobile County Public School System is to produce a literate, life-long learner who is a visionary and productive, aware of self, accepting of cultural differences, sensitive to others and who applies knowledge to make morally responsible decisions in an ever changing global society.

We will accomplish this by providing a challenging, relevant, multicultural, integrated curriculum taught by a caring, com- petent, motivated, accountable staff.

STATEMENTSTATEMENT BOARDBOARDBOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS Mr. Ken Megginson Commissioner, District 1 Mr. Megginson was elected to serve on the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners for Distinct 1 in November 2006. The former educator taught at Murphy High School and LeFlore High School. While at Murphy, he was chosen as Alabama PTA High School Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Judy P. Stout Commissioner, District 2 Dr. Stout has served as Commissioner for District 2 since May 2005. She was unanimously appointed by the Board of School Commissioners to fill the vacant seat. Dr. Stout is a product of the Mobile County Public School System. Her teaching positions include Dauphin Island Sea Lab and the University of South Alabama. Mrs. Hazel H. Fournier Commissioner, District 3 Mrs. Fournier is a veteran member of the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners. Beginning in November 1990, she has served three consecutive terms on the School Board. Mrs. Fournier began her career teaching at Dawes- Union High School and retired as Assistant Superintendent of the Student Services Division in 1987. Rev. Fleet L. Belle Commissioner, District 4 Reverend Belle is a product of the Mobile County Public School System. He attended Caldwell Elementary School, Northside Elementary School, Dunbar Junior High School and graduated from Central High School. In May 2006, he was appointed by the Board of School Commissioners to fill the vacant seat.

Mr. William S. Meredith Commissioner, District 5 Mr. Meredith was elected to represent the citizens in District 5 in November 2004. He is a retired Air Traffic controller and served as a supervisor and facility manager with the Federal Aviation Administration. MEMBERSMEMBERS ABOUTABOUTBOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS

THE MOBILE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM...

is governed by 5 School Board members elected by constituents of the districts.

has a superintendent that oversees the daily operations of the system and carries out Board policies.

has a strict uniform policy that is set and enforced at the local schools.

is one of the largest school districts in the country with a Wireless Internet Network county wide.

in 1997 began an extensive building program that included 3 high schools, 3 middle schools, and several new elementary schools.

USUS OTHEROTHER

Our DIVERSITY:

African-American………………………………………………… 49.31 % Asian……………………………………………………………….. 2.12 % Caucasian…………………………………….……………………. 44.50 % Hispanic…………………………………………………………… 1.33 % Native American…………………………………………………… .99 % Not Reported………………………………………………………. 1.75 %

Our TRANSPORTATION: Total number of buses……………………….………… ...742 buses in fleet Buses assigned to regular routes……………...………. ………...575 buses Miles traveled daily……………………………………………23,957 miles Total number of students transported daily……………...29,633 students Fuel used annually……………………………………...1,118,997.3 gallons

Our CHILD NUTRITION: Breakfasts served daily …………………………………………….17,000 Lunches served daily………………………………………………. 45,000 FACTSFACTS STRATEGICSTRATEGIC 1.Student Achievement- All children can and will become proficient learners who will graduate. 2.Quality Leadership- A highly trained staff, administration and board will provide excellence in teaching and learning for every student. 3.Communications- We will create a new story about public schools to build parental and community involvement. 4.Governance- We will establish governance that provides evidence of accountability, trust, compliance and responsiveness to key communities. 5.Equity- We will ensure that all schools have equal access to needed resources to enable every student to meet high standards.

PLANPLAN ACADEMICACADEMIC

Adequate Yearly Progress Teachers, staff and students have worked very diligently to improve their academic performance. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is the term used to describe whether a school has met its annual accountability goals. Federal law requires schools to be evaluated in Reading, Mathematics and an additional academic indicator. State assessments are used to determine whether a school achieves AYP. For Alabama, this indicator is attendance in elementary and middle schools, and drop-out rate for high schools. The number of Mobile County Public Schools that make AYP continues to grow. In 2004, 41 schools made AYP, 61 in 2005, 82 in 2006, and 85 in 2007.

The MCPSS District Made AYP and Is Not In School Improvement!

• All schools met 90% or more of the AYP Goals.

• Twelve of the 85 schools did not meet the Attendance Rate Goal of 95% and therefore did not meet overall AYP Status. (Attendance is calculated on the first 20 days after Labor Day)

GOALSGOALS GOALSGOALS METMET Schools Making AYP for 2007 Alba Middle Hall Elementary Allentown Elementary Hankins Middle Austin Elementary Hollingers Island Elementary Baker High Holloway Elementary Belsaw - Mt. Vernon Howard Elementary Blount High Hutchens Elementary Booth Elementary Indian Springs Elementary Brazier Elementary Lee Primary Elementary Breitling Elementary Lee Intermediate Elementary Bryant High LeFlore High Burns Middle School Leinkauf Elementary Burroughs Elementary Lott Middle Calcedeaver Elementary Montgomery High Calloway Smith Middle Maryvale Elementary Causey Middle McDavid-Jones Elementary Chickasaw School of Mathematics and Science Meadowlake Elementary Citronelle High Morningside Elementary Clark School of Mathematics and Science Murphy High Collier Elementary Old Shell School of Creative and Performing Arts Council Traditional School Orchard Elementary Craighead Elementary Phillips Preparatory Middle Dauphin Island Elementary Robbins Elementary Davis Elementary Saraland Elementary Davidson High Satsuma High Dixon Elementary Dodge Elementary Saint Elmo Elementary Dunbar School of Creative and Performing Arts Scarborough Middle Dickson Elementary Semmes Elementary Eichold-Mertz Elementary Semmes Middle Eight Mile Elementary Shaw High Fonde Elementary Shepard Elementary Fonvielle Elementary Spencer Elementary Forest Hill Elementary Theodore High Glendale Elementary Thomas Elementary Grant Elementary Westlawn Elementary

100%100% GRADUATIONGRADUATION

The graduation rate is a major focus in the Mobile County Public School System. Progress is being made in meeting the Federal and State standards for measuring the graduation rate as well as meeting the number one goal of the Mobile County Public School System – “All children can and will become proficient learners who will graduate.”

The State of Alabama uses a graduation rate formula to determine the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status for high schools. Based upon that formula, eleven (11) of the fourteen (14) MCPSS high schools met or made adequate progress toward achieving the AYP goal of a 90% graduation rate.

RATERATE NEXTNEXT STEPSSTEPS

The Mobile County Public School System has worked collaboratively with the Mobile Area Education Foundation, the City of Mobile and the University of South Alabama to receive a planning grant from the Carnegie Foundation. This grant was used to formulate a plan to ensure that all students have access to a high quality, rigorous education and to improve academic results for the high schools.

Plans are being designed to:

• Increase Academic Rigor

• Develop Career Pathways Secondary Program/Rigorous Curriculum

• Develop and Implement Career Pathways PreK-12 Curriculum

• Provide Systematic and Systemic Dropout Prevention Programs

• Implement Feeder Pattern Collaborative Graduation Support

• Focus on Workforce Development and Career Technical Education

• Calculate MCPSS Graduation Rate Based Upon Freshman Class Data

FORFOR SUCCESSSUCCESS SCHOLARSHIPSSCHOLARSHIPS Our graduating seniors shine in the scholarship arena. The amount of monetary awards earned by our students has increased from $54,791,977 in 2005-2006 to $71,730,276 in 2006-2007.

Total number of students receiving awards……………. 977

Total amount of award funds…………………. $71,730,276

Academic awards ……………………………..$48,849,894

Athletic Awards ……………………………….$ 6,711,252

Leadership Awards…………………………….$ 816,938

Military Awards……………………………..…$11,871,127

Performing Arts Awards……………………… $ 1,341,540

Other Awards…………………………………. $ 2,139,525

FORFOR SENIORSSENIORS WRITING……....WRITING…….... Noteworthy Improvements in Elementary Writing

Mobile County Public School System students continue to WOW us with their writing skills. For the first time, two elementary schools scored in the 90’s on the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing (ADAW): Calcedeaver Elementary jumped from 65% to 94% of students meeting standards, and Davis Elementary sailed from 86% to 91% of students meeting standards. Thomas Elementary improved 46 percentage points scoring 43% in 2006 and 89% in 2007. Other schools showing significant gains include: Wilmer, + 21 percentage points; Hall, + 20; McDavid-Jones, + 14; and Glendale, + 13.

NOTESNOTES IMPROVINGIMPROVING

For the first time, ALL middle schools showed improvement on the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing (ADAW) from the previous year. Three middle schools had more than ninety percent of their students meeting standards: Phillips - 97%; Dunbar - 95%; and Clark - 94%. Four other middle schools made gains of more than twenty percent from the previous year: Alba Middle went from 51% of their students meeting standards last year to 76% of their students meeting standards this year; Denton, Grand Bay, and Hillsdale's students improved 21% from the previous year.

The Mobile County writing goal is for all schools to score 50% or higher on the ADAW. To achieve this goal, at least 50% of the students in an individual school must score in levels 3 or 4 on the state assessment. All but one middle school met this goal and that school still improved 9%. In 2007, 67% of Mobile County’s middle school students met standards on the assessment. This is an 11% improvement over 2006. The teachers and the students deserve a pat on the back for all their hard work.

SCORESSCORES TORCHBEARERRTORCHBEARERR The Torchbearer School Program was created in Alabama in 2004 to honor and recognize high-poverty, high performing public schools. These schools have overcome the odds to become shining examples of learning. Six of our schools received this recognition for the 2006- 2007 school year:

Booth Elementary Griggs Elementary Calcedeaver Elementary Saint Elmo Elementary McDavid–Jones Elementary Turner Elementary

Torchbearer Principals and State Superintendent Morton HONORSHONORS BLUEBLUE RIBBONRIBBON In 2002, the United States Department of Education created the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School Program to honor schools that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement. Only 200 schools nationwide received the honor for the 2006-2007 school year. These schools set high goals and standards for their students.

Two of our schools earned the Blue Ribbon.

Calcedeaver Elementary

Mary B. Austin Elementary HONORSHONORS ANOTHERANOTHER Booth Elementary was recognized as an award recipient of the Eighth Annual National School Change Awards. Only six schools in the country received this honor. It is co-sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators and Fordham University. The program was initiated in 1999 to recognize schools that have risen from being underperforming to exemplary and to reward the dedication and the effort of the staffs, students, and parents focusing on the academic success of all students in the schools. It is the only award of this type in the nation that bestows national recognition to schools that have worked hard to achieve effective school improvement.

Booth Elementary BIGBIG AWARDAWARD DEVELOPINGDEVELOPING

Systematic, needs-based training is critical for effective leadership in today’s schools. The Mobile County Public School System has established a variety of research-based learning opportunities for meaningful, professional growth. Sessions focus on the needs of aspiring school leaders in the Quality Leadership Academy, new principals in the New Principal Mentorship Program, novice principals in the Principal Induction Program, and seasoned school leaders with on-going offerings available to fine-tune specific skills.

Quality Leadership Academy (QLA) Three levels of leadership preparation are available through the MCPSS Quality Leadership Academy. The Quality Leadership Academy Year 1 encompasses fifteen sessions focused on five research-based factors for school effectiveness: guaranteed and viable curriculum, challenging goals and effective feedback, parent and community involvement, safe and orderly environment, and collegiality and professionalism.

When asked the most valuable part of their participation in QLA-1, a participant responded, “It was a life saver for me. The overall program was excellent. As a first year Assistant Principal, every component was an excellent resource, especially the networking aspects.”

The Quality Leadership Academy Years 2 and 3 focuses on topics such as “Creating a High Performance Learning Culture,” “Leading Assessment and Instruction,” and “Using Data to Lead Change.” Sixteen participants engaged in the practical, interactive activities led by a team of certified district presenters during the QLA Year 2 and 3 sessions. “The colleagues working together have been great, and I feel our experiences will be long lasting,” was one of the program evaluation comments.

GREATGREAT LEADERSLEADERS MENTORSHIPMENTORSHIP

New Principal Mentorship Program

The Mobile County Public School System appointed seven new principals during the 2006-07 school year: four elementary principals and three middle school principals. District leaders selected seasoned principals to mentor these new principals and guide them through their first year as instructional leaders. Training and support was provided to the mentors during the year. The principal pairs connected at least five times throughout the year, in person as well as by phone and/or email. The mentor principal guided the mentee through the various aspects of MCPSS building administration and instructional leadership.

Principal Induction

Twenty-six new/novice principals participated in the 2006-07 Principal Induction which focused on modules that included: “Prioritizing, Mapping, and Monitoring the Curriculum,” “Building and Leading Effective Teams,” and “Communicating Effectively in a High-performing School.” Activities were designed to enhance understanding and application of the leadership concepts. “The information has been valuable, the activities beneficial, and the networking exceptional,” responded a participant of this program component.

INDUCTIONINDUCTION NEWNEW TEACHERTEACHER The Mobile County Public School System recognizes the importance of employing excellent teachers, and the importance of keeping those teachers. Staff development plays a big role in this area. During the 2006-2007 school year, approximately 568 teachers participated in at least one of the components of the New Teacher Induction program.

New Teacher Induction The New Teacher Induction (NTI) program addressed the needs of new and novice teachers as well as experienced teachers new to the district. There were multiple components to the 2006-07 NTI program: New Teacher Orientation (August or January for all new hires), Curriculum and Instruc- tion for New Teachers (throughout the year for all new hires), and the New Teacher Late Hire Sur- vival Course which provided essential information and support for first year teachers hired in Janu- ary or February. Seventy-four teachers participated in this course and will participate in the New Teacher Academy in the fall of 2007.

New Teacher Academy New Teacher Academy for first year teachers with less than a semester of experience provided eighteen sessions for our new teachers. These sessions provided guidance on practical topics such as building community in the classroom, classroom behavior and management, multiple intelligen- ces, differentiated instruction, student assessment, and the development and implementation of a classroom-based mini-grant. Ninety-six percent of the NTA teachers surveyed responded that they planned to teach next year with eighty-four percent stating that they planned to teach in the same school within the Mobile County Public School System.

New Teacher Induction Year 2 (NTI2) The NTI2 program component offered novice teachers training in an array of research-based best practices each semester ranging from programs in classroom management to the use of technology for instruction. Approximately 264 teachers participated in this second year program. Networking with other novice teachers and sharing what was working for them in their classrooms was frequently cited as one of the benefits of their experiences.

New Teacher Late Hire (NTIL) Teachers hired in January and February were offered a New Teacher Late Hire Survival Course to provide essential information and support. Seventy-four teachers participated in this course in 2007. These teachers will participate in the New Teacher Academy in the fall of 2007. INDUCTIONINDUCTION OUROUR Inside Education is a vital part of our commitment to keeping the public informed on the daily happenings of MCPSS. From “In Perspective” pieces that delve into important issues such as safety to “Across the Board” which takes the viewer to many exciting and educational activities in our schools, the 15 minute show continues to inform and educate. Schools are often highlighted which brings pride to the students and invites the public inside our facilities.

The 7:20 Bell heard on 710 AM gives listeners 1-2 minutes of good news within our schools. We have so many great stories to tell. This gives us a perfect venue.

Homeroom interviews are 15-minute taped, radio interviews that you can hear on Clear Channel Radio Stations during the weekend. The interviews range in subjects from transportation issues to explaining student attendance and everything in between.

The MCPSS website continues to expand and give visitors to the site the important information they need. Parents find it an invaluable tool that includes uniform information, calendar, the student code of conduct and much more. Parents are able to log onto STI Home to find out how their children are doing in school, check assignments, project schedules, school supplies, and class schedules to name a few. Make sure you check out the Mobile County Public School System website at www.mcpss.com and that will also take you to every school website. STORYSTORY COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY Parental and community support are vitally important to the success of our students. Our Partners in Education program with the Mobile Area Education Foundation continues to grow with more than 1,100 businesses not only giving financial support but also manpower.

“Children Are The Future, Share The Vision” was our theme for Parental and Community involvement for the 2006 – 2007 school year. We invited our parents and community members to visit our schools and participate in the “great” things our schools were doing. This was also the beginning of several great partnerships as we went into different communities to increase “Home-School-Community Awareness.” Several partnerships were formed and established to share in the Mobile County Public School System’s goal to create a new public story with community involvement:

Mt. Hebron Baptist Church Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Minister’s Coalition Office Depot (Community Relations)

Office Depot Community Relations donated 200 book bags to our pre-kindergarten program. Each unit will receive four book bags to distribute to students who are in need of one. The Mobile County Public School System’s Office of Home-School-Community Involvement is excited about the 2007 – 2008 school year as we continue to create that new public story with home, school, and community involvement. We also salute and celebrate the over 65,000 “Parents – The Link to Success,” of the Mobile County Public School System!

• Partnership Conferences

Elementary schools – fourth and fifth grades Middle schools – sixth, seventh, and eighth grades High schools – students who have not passed any portion of the Alabama High School Graduation Exam All schools must have mandatory partnership conferences for the students in the grades listed above before the end of the first semester. Teachers and administrators discuss individual student data and progress. All parents must sign and receive a copy of the partnership conference form.

PARENTSPARENTS PARENTPARENT

Parent University 2007 “Children Are The Future, Share The Vision”

Denton Middle School was the setting for the second annual Parent Univer- sity. There were over 600 parents in attendance who participated in sessions for early childhood, elementary, middle and high school. The parents were very excited and went home with a wealth of information and contacts necessary for a student’s success. Planning is already in progress to address the needs and concerns of the parents of Mobile County Public School System students. Parent University has been so successful the past two years, MCPSS is in the process of proposing a “Quarterly Parent University,” a collaborative effort between the Office of Home-School-Community Involvement, the District Attorney’s Office and the Juvenile Court System of Mobile County (Judge Edmond Naman). The goal is to communicate with and engage parents and families regarding how to be more involved as partners in the educational process of their children, and to address immediate needs and concerns. This is a response to a request to provide classes in the Parent University format more than once a year.

UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY PREPRE--KK

Pre-Kindergarten Pre-Registration

More than 300 pre-kindergarten students (four year olds) were pre-registered March 2, 2007. A total of 864 students have been placed in 48 pre- kindergarten units across Mobile County with over 350 students on waiting lists. The state of Alabama’s pre-kindergarten programs received high marks for the 2006 – 2007 school year. Students must be four on or before September 2, 2008.

Back to School Rally

The Mobile County Public School System, Board of School Commissioners and Bel Air Mall sponsored the first “Back to School Rally” the rally was successful as over 200 parents visited booths set up by 92 schools, several MCPSS divisions, and community agencies. The parents were enthusiastic as they received information from schools and greeted local school administrators. Several administrators were able to meet possible teacher applicants to fill vacancies. Superintendent Dr. Harold Dodge and the board members were on hand to meet and greet parents and employees of MCPSS. The rally was a great start to the 2007 – 2008 school year!

REGISTRATIONREGISTRATION FINANCIALFINANCIALBOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS Our BUDGET: General Fund (2006-2007)…………. $396,619,191.76

Per Pupil Expenditure……………………….$8,066.02

Beginning Teacher Salary……………… .. $33,737.00

Average Teacher Salary…………………...$37,863.00

BUDGETBUDGET SCHOOLSSCHOOLS

During the last ten years, considerable building and renovation have been going on in the Mobile County Public School System. During 2006-2007, the Facilities Division wrapped up 16 million dollars in Hurricane Katrina repairs to approximately 100 schools. Grand Bay Middle School suffered the most damage. A new 22 classroom addition, new kitchen and cafeteria will be finished in 2008.

Governor Riley visits Grand Bay Middle School

Repairs are underway! FACILITIESFACILITIES SCHOOLSSCHOOLS

Students who had been attending the former Blount High School while Vigor High School was being built walked through the halls of their new school May 6, 2007. The new Vigor boasts 44 classrooms and many new areas for the students including biology and chemistry labs, a media center, and computer labs.

A new wing and athletic building were built at Montgomery High School.

Hamilton Elementary students now have a new multipurpose room.

Students who had attended Alba Elementary School walked through the doors at the new Anna Booth Elementary in the spring of 2006.

FACILITIESFACILITIES SCHOOLSSCHOOLSBOARD OF SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS • A new Council Traditional School was completed in December of 2006.

• A ten room classroom addition to Phillips Preparatory school is giving students, teachers and staff the room they need.

• Satsuma High School was renovated for six million dollars.

• Thirteen buses filled with students from Meadowlake, St. Elmo and Nan Gray Davis Elementary arrived at the brand new Pearl Haskew Elementary School April 24, 2006.

As the 2003 bond project comes to an end, 32 projects will have been completed worth 124 million dollars. The state of Alabama is awarding the Mobile County Public School System 51 million dollars to be used for facilities. Decisions will be made in 2008 as to how the money will be spent. FACILITIESFACILITIES THETHE BIGBIG December 2006, the Mobile County Public School System purchased the Konica Minolta complex off Schillinger Road in west Mobile. Barton Academy, home to the system’s administration was to be vacated and staff would relocate to the new facility.

The complex which is located on 78 acres covering 2,795 square feet cost 12.4 million dollars. The big move began in March and throughout the next several months employees packed up and headed west.

The move was necessary for several reasons: the school system had outgrown the space at Barton Academy, Divisions would be on the same campus instead of spread out throughout the county, the deterioration of Barton was becoming a safety factor and the center of the county had shifted west.

MOVEMOVE

EDUCATION IS NOT THE FILLING OF A PAIL BUT THE LIGHTING OF A FIRE William Butler Yeats

The Mobile County Public School System does not discriminate in its education and employment programs on the basis of religion, age, color, national origin, gender, marital or parental status, or disability. This district complies with all federal and state laws and regulations regarding discrimination. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed as follows: For student inquiries contact Andrea Barbour, Assistant Superin- tendent, P.O. Box 180069, Mobile, AL 36618 or call 251.221.4545. For employee inquiries, contact George Smith, Employee Relations Administrator, P.O. Box 180069, Mobile, AL 36618 or call 251.221.4531.