Charleston County School District School of Innovation Waiver Request for North Charleston High School Item 1 Demonstrate how the proposed programs, strategies, or approaches are new, innovative, and more flexible than current district programs, strategies, or approaches. We believe strongly that our students will realize greater levels of success if we have the latitude to design strategies based upon the North Charleston community’s unique needs and context. We are requesting greater autonomy to create more innovative, engaging, and flexible ways of educating the students we serve. In return, we commit to improving student outcomes by: ● Recruiting, retaining, and supporting talent, ● Engaging students and their families, and ● Enlisting partners to provide wrap-around services and supports. This proposal will outline the educational design choices we propose at North Charleston High School that are based upon best practices research, are tailored for our community, and empower teachers to assume a leadership role in the development and implementation of the plan’s components. Recruit, Retain, and Support Talent Research has long reported on the powerful influence of the teacher in positive student learning outcomes, and while many factors can impact student learning, teachers matter more to student achievement than any other aspect of schooling. Because of the critical role of teachers, our plan places primary importance on recruiting, retaining, supporting, and empowering talented teachers. As we think about the human capital required to actualize this plan, we have thought about “Re- Commitment” as a component of a school. Staff will need to commit or recommit to the mission and action steps that NCHS has developed to transform the educational environment in the school. In the following table, we outline the strategies and flexibilities we believe are necessary for success. These strategies may include but not be limited to the following: Recruit Retain Support Aggressively recruit top Focus on Professionalism - Develop a school-based talent Implement strategies for professional learning plan that teachers to lead program is aligned to the school- evaluations, strategies for developed goals change, and opportunities to collaborate Determine contract length Pay for the courses Design structures to effectively for key staff positions necessary for teachers to be implement job-embedded, qualified to teach identified during the day professional dual-enrollment courses learning opportunities Establish and expand Time for collaborative Ensure all professional learning partnerships with higher planning during the day that is meets the six-core principles of education institutions to teacher-led effective professional learning: attract and retain a diverse 1) Content & Pedagogy, 2) teaching staff Active Engagement & Inquiry Based; 3) Collaborative; 4) Sufficient Duration; 5) Sustainable; and 6) School Context Support Determine staff Allow time for virtual Partner with institutions of compensation utilizing articulation meetings both higher education as well as factors such as the number within content areas and cross- experts in the field to plan and of contract days and hours curricular during the day that implement strong professional is teacher-led learning opportunities Create new or revamp staff Focus on Professionalism- Utilize train-the-trainer models positions internally allow teachers to develop and where staff in-house assume revising job descriptions implement structures that some of the responsibility for and hiring criteria, and foster professionalism, training and professional processes that include professional growth, and learning teachers in the design and recognition in the Charleston implementation Metropolitan Region Offer signing Focus on Professionalism - Create a paid summer bonuses/longevity bonuses engage teachers in leadership experience for all first-year structures that actively engage teachers and teachers new to them in the school NCHS for onboarding, and also compensate teachers for required summer training The NCHS Instructional Team Extend essential collaborates with and staff contracts to allow for empowers teachers to lead onboarding new teachers, data- Professional Learning analysis, and planning during Community meetings and the summer and prior to school professional learning start opportunities Structures will be put into Create a full-year teacher place that create leadership residency in collaboration with higher-education insitutitions opportunities for staff that for students completing their may include: student-teacher internship with ● School Leadership slots for a competitive Team (MTSS) application process governed ● Department Teams by the school and a stipend ● Teacher - each semester Administration Advisory ● Strategy Teams (4 Elements of Plan) It is evident throughout this proposal why we chose to focus on talented staff as the foundational component for our plan. Each of the other three components are dependent on recruiting, hiring, supporting and retaining talented, leadership-oriented staff. While we are committed to retaining current staff who opt in to this plan through a “Re-Commitment” or addendum to their contract, we are also seeking approval from the CCSD District Leadership and CCSD Board of Trustees for these plan components. The next three components of the proposal are contingent upon deeply engaging students, parents, and the community, as well as leadership by capable, talented staff. For these strategies to be woven into the culture at NCHS and impact student learning, they must be supported by a community-wide effort. Engage Students & Their Families North Charleston High School’s efforts to engage students and their families are built upon three key components: ● Developing and facilitating student agency - students owning the learning, ● Creating meaningful engagement opportunities for students and families, and ● Providing relevant, personalized experiences for students and families based on identified needs. We believe that what matters gets measured, and the first step in improving student and family engagement is to ask students and parents what is working and what is not. Feedback will be utilized to develop and implement strategies that may include, but not be limited to those listed. To ensure that staff, parents and families, and the external community are meaningfully engaged and help guide these efforts, advisory cabinets, teacher groups, School Improvement Council, and Student Leadership Teams will be actively involved in the planning and implementation efforts. Additionally, faith-based, business and industry, and local leaders in North Charleston will be provided opportunities for engagement in these efforts. The administrative team at North Charleston High School will seek input and utilize research-based best practices to develop and implement a blueprint that will provide the foundation for active stakeholder engagement. The staff at North Charleston High School will design a comprehensive action plan that may include but not be limited to the following strategies: Engaging Students Engaging Families Partner with an organization that provides schools, Develop and implement a strategic plan districts, and communities with tools and strategies focusing on parents as partners that for absenteeism and student engagement includes: ● Frequent Communication Redefine “student success” to more than just Between School & Home academics using the SC Profile of a Graduate as a ● Strategies for Creating a guide as well as the local Talent Demand Study Welcoming Environment published by the Charleston Metro Chamber ● Feedback from Parents to design activities ● Student-led Parent-Teacher Conferences ● Workshops and Activities Based on Parent Interest ● Offer Parent Focused Classes That Pertain to Identified Interests ● Assist students in connecting with service agencies for support and assistance ● Leadership & Influence Opportunities ● Virtual Resource Center Foster learner agency - Individual goal setting, voice Offer a Parenting Hub - for parent & choice support & assistance staffed by parenting coordinator Implement research-based best practices pertaining Offer Bi-lingual Services in the Parent to the concept of every student having a mentor that Hub meets the criteria of “Trusted Adult” who engages with students not just around academics, but also the skills and life and career characteristics outlined in the SC Profile of a Graduate Partner with the local and regional business Host Digital Literacy Sessions for community for real-world problem solving Parents opportunities that are woven into the curricula Host weekly morning “Target Talk” that functions Provide College & Career Supports almost like a pep rally to celebrate what is going (FAFSA, Resumes) well at NCHS and reinforce positive discipline strategies, core values, and what it means to be a NCHS Cougar Offer career pathways by building out courses and Offer Adult Education Services on Site content tied to the region’s business and industry. Courses could include aeronautics, computer science certification, medical and health terminology and coding. Partnering with the Center for Advanced Studies that is next door and expanding our course options opens a world of possibilities for NCHS students Flexible scheduling during the day that may include Provide Wrap around Services for a digital learning lab staffed with certified teachers Families who can provide personalized support ● Mental