RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS Annual Report 2008 The

RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS Annual Report 2008 the ChoiceStudents • Teachers • Parents • Community Our Mission: Richmond Public Schools will educate our students to become highly successful, contributing citizens in a global society. Our Vision: Richmond Public Schools will become a premier learning community that is the first choice for all in Richmond and recognized nationally for student excellence. O u r G o a l s : • Student Achievement • Safe and Nurturing Schools • Strong Leadership • Professional Development • Collaborations with Stakeholders • Parent and Community Satisfaction Dr. Yvonne W. Brandon Superintendent Superintendent’s Message It’s been said that the secret of success is constancy of purpose. To underscore the truth of this statement, one need look no further than to the success en- joyed by Richmond Public Schools in 2008. Indeed, no school district in the nation remained more constant in its purpose or committed to its mission to guarantee student achievement than did Richmond Public Schools. Simply put, our move from competence to excellence is in focus, on target and on time. The district’s New Direction initiative redefined and refocused our instructional plan to better develop the whole student. The plan stresses relevant and rigorous academics that move beyond the state’s basic Standards of Learning (SOL) and combines technology with other instructional elements to enhance creative and critical thinking. The New Direction initiative continues the district’s remarkable journey of progress and academic growth – one that has carried us from the abyss and precipice of low SOL scores and non-accredited schools to the glorious heights and pinnacle of fully-accredited schools and increased student achievement. In fact, nearly nine out of every 10 Richmond City schools (87.5 percent) earned full accreditation in 2008, a record high for the district. Of course, academic progress takes place when motivated students are taught by outstanding teachers. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that “nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” and that “enthusiasm is the powerful engine of success.” In Richmond, our classroom success has been fueled by enthusi- astic and talented teachers who start with the premise that every student can learn, that every young person is valuable and that every child wants to succeed. In 2008, this premise served us well. On the pages that follow, you will read about some extraordinary educators and students who are helping to transform Richmond Public Schools into one of the nation’s premiere urban school districts. Their commitment to academic achievement not only shapes our constancy of purpose but also gives voice to its rise. 1 2 ChoiceE x for c e l l e n c e in urban public school education Richmond’s dedication and commitment to educational excellence is transforming perceptions of public education. Educators from Harvard to the Netherlands are looking to Richmond because of the district’s remarkable gains in the face of incredible challenges common among most urban environments. This fidelity of purpose and focus on student achievement is illustrated throughout the district. Open High, for example, was named a 2008 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, and for the second year in a row, both Open and Richmond Community high school were ranked among America’s best by U.S. News and World Report. Fairfield Court, George Mason and Mary Munford elementary schools earned the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence, the state’s highest performance honor. Henderson Middle School was one of 11 schools in the nation to receive the 2008 National Excellence in Urban Education Award from San Diego State University’s National Center for Urban School Transformation. Beyond national acclaim, however, the numbers—the hard data—speak for themselves and tell the story of the phe- nomenal achievement being experienced in each and every classroom everyday. Forty of the district’s 48 schools or 83 percent met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP require- ments of the federal government’s No Child Left Behind Act. Richmond’s AYP results exceeded the state average of 74 percent. District-wide, 89 percent of Richmond’s elementary schools and 87.5 percent of its high schools met the federal government benchmark scores. At the state level, the district’s Standards of Learning 3 ChoiceE x for c e l l e n c e in urban public school education (SOL) scores were even more impressive. In fact, the district reached a record high as 42 of 48 Richmond City schools (87.5 percent) met the SOL benchmark scores in English, mathematics, history and science. And, for the third straight year, every Richmond City high school earned full accreditation. In addition, Richmond is home to three of the only high schools in the region that earned perfect scores of 100 on any of this year’s Standards of Learning tests. With regard to the district’s on-time graduation rate, nearly 65 percent of the students in the 2004-2008 cohort graduated on time, an increase of 10 percent from the 2003-2007 cohort. 4 ChoiceA New for Direction By implementing its New Direction initiative in 2008, the district made a commitment to teach beyond the SOLs by stressing relevancy and rigor in academics. The cornerstone of the initiative provides an educational framework that adopts a holistic view of education. A key element of New Direction calls for students to have an Individual Learning Plan that stresses relevant and rigorous academics. New Direction features: •Core Knowledge Academies Launched at J.B. Fisher and Overby-Sheppard elementary schools during the 2008-2009 school year, Core Knowledge Academies develop cultural literacy and expose students to a broad range of historical, scientific and cultural topics. •Foreign Language Elementary School Spanish Program Richmond Public Schools is one of only 23 school districts in the state to provide Spanish instruction in all elementary schools. •Kindergarten Spanish Immersion Classes This program was piloted in two kindergarten classes at William Fox and Southampton elementary schools in 2008-2009. •Rigor in Mathematics: Johns Hopkins Algebra I Study, a federally funded study designed to provide ninth-graders with a double hour of instruction, evaluates two ways to teach algebra. One strategy, the “Stretch Algebra” class, has students attend a yearlong, 70- to 90-minute course each day. The second strategy, “Transition to Advanced Mathematics”, is a sequence of two courses also taught in extended class periods. •Distance Learning Distance learning labs, located at four comprehensive high schools and the Richmond Technical Center, offer foreign language, technology, SAT prep and AP math and science 5 ChoiceA New for Direction classes. •Expanded AP, Dual Enrollment and CTE Offerings The district expanded advanced placement offerings and dual enrollment opportunities in 2008. Two Richmond City high schools, Thomas Jefferson and Richmond Community, were among a group of 14 in the state selected to receive five-year Advanced Placement Project grants. The program, part of the National Math and Science Initiative, provides selected schools with yearly grants ranging from $70,000 to $150,000 to fund teacher training, financial incentives, new equipment and materials, and ongoing support services from Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS) specialists. •Individual Learning Plan In 2008-2009, the district piloted its Individual Learning Plan (ILP) at two schools. The ILP is a comprehensive plan that combines student goals, assessments and achievements to design a path that will allow for the development of the whole child. •Character Education Offered at every school, this program included formal lessons, modeling of positive behavior by staff and a focus on positive affirmations. •Environmental Science and Conservation Initiative This comprehensive program extends student investigations, based on the state’s SOLs, from kindergarten through grade 12. All schools have recycling bins and every student must complete a conservation or environmental science project during the school year. 6 Choices tfor u d e n t s If a school district is judged by its graduates, then Rich- mond Public Schools surely ranks among the top, thanks to Jessica David, a graduate of the International Baccalau- reate program at Thomas Jefferson High School. Jessica compiled an impressive 4.85 grade point average to rank first among the 1,200 members of the Richmond Public School Class of 2008. She attends Duke University as a 2009 freshman. Of course, Jessica is not alone when it comes to postsecondary plans. As a group, nearly 72 percent of the Class of 2008 planned to attend two- or four- year colleges and universities and received more than $13 million in scholarships and grants. More than 96 percent of the 2008 senior class graduated, with Richmond’s 2008 valedictorians posting a combined 4.4 grade point average. Two Richmond Community High School seniors, Jona- than Crawley and Lynwood Spell, were selected to take part in last year’s Constitution Project, a two-day program created to expand students’ understanding of the nation’s democratic institutions. As participants in the Constitu- tion Project, Crawley and Spell met with United States Supreme Court justices and other Constitutional scholars. 7 Choices tfor u d e n t s The project was coordinated by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Virginia. Seniors were not the only RPS students to excel during the 2007- 2008 school year as others showcased their skills and talents in venues and competitions ranging from Junior ROTC cadet challenges to regional art and writing competitions. Nine Richmond City cadets, including seven from Franklin Mili- tary Academy, won individual awards at the 2008 JROTC Cadet Leadership Challenge held at Fort Eustis, Va. Franklin’s Kendra Harris and Brandon Osborne both earned Distinguished Cadets honors by placing in the top eight percent for overall performance.

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