Campus Ratings for Smithson Valley High School Background Information Community & Student Engagement Under House Bill 5 (passed last year by the 83 rd Texas Legislature), all districts are required to evaluate the district s performance and the performance of each campus in regard to community and student engagement. Districts must assign one of four performance ratings Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable or Unacceptable to the district and each campus for overall performance, including the following categories: Fine arts; Wellness and physical education; Community and parental involvement; 21 st Century Workforce Development program; Second language acquisition program; Digital learning environment; Dropout prevention strategies; and Educational programs for gifted and talented students. House Bill 5 requires a local committee or committees to determine the criteria that the district uses to evaluate and assign performance ratings and to evaluate the district s compliance with statutory reporting and policy requirements. In Comal Independent School District, the District Educational Improvement Council (DEIC) developed the rating criteria and the campus sitebased decision-making teams determined the ratings for each category. Under House Bill 5, districts must post the ratings and compliance status for the district and each campus on the school district s website by August 8, 2014.
Smithson Valley High School Comal Independent School District With a focus on learning, Smithson Valley High School is committed to providing knowledge, skills, and experiences for productive and positive lives in a global community. While reviewing the Community and Student Engagement survey, it was determined that Smithson Valley High School demonstrated both areas of strength and areas of opportunity. SVHS has developed an attitude of excellence where no Ranger will be left behind. At SVHS, parental involvement is the key to many of the campus successes. Programs are student-centered and focus on the betterment of the individual. Areas such as the Digital Learning Environment and Gifted and Talented Programs were identified as acceptable; however, there are opportunities to achieve exemplary status, thus creating a meaningful educational experience for all. The overall rating for Smithson Valley High School is recognized. Overall Campus Ratings Overall Community & Student Engagement Rating -- Recognized Fine Arts Wellness & Physical Education Community & Parental Involvement 21 st Century Workforce Development Second Language Acquisition Programs Digital Learning Environment Dropout Prevention Strategies Education Program for Gifted & Talented Students History of Compliance Yes, in Compliance 2 P a g e
Fine Arts Smithson Valley High School offers a variety of avenues for students to participate in the area of Fine Arts. All of the programs provided at SVHS allow students the opportunity to grow in the curriculum and perfect their skills in their areas of interest. Students are afforded the opportunity to compete in a variety of levels from local, area, district, regional, state and national events. Fine Arts are a major focus of the campus and our community s commitment to these programs is valuable and essential to ensure excellence in all areas. Overall Fine Arts Rating -- Exemplary Variety of fine arts activities available during and after school Fine arts certifications and professional development Instruction based on fine arts TEKS and CISD Tiered and Aligned Curriculum Evidence of student artwork in classrooms, hallways, and in art shows at Support Services and throughout the district Leadership and community building though fine arts Student participation in cultural development and community arts partnership events Number of Fine Arts content areas participating in competitions including events sponsored by UIL and VASE Enrollment in sequential fine arts instruction 3 P a g e
Wellness & Physical Education Smithson Valley High School has communicated and developed opportunities for students, community, and staff members to participate in activities that focus on healthy living choices. Many of our wellness events focus on healthy choices and have strong community participation. A vast percentage of our student body is involved in a variety of UIL-sponsored competitions that promote and support healthy lifestyles. Campus nurses and counselors are available to assist and provide guidance to students experiencing difficulty in the areas of social and academic needs. Overall, SVHS has demonstrated an exemplary rating based on the number of student participants and organizations promoting overall health, wellness and active lifestyles. Overall Wellness & Physical Education -- Exemplary Opportunities to learn about making healthy life choices are provided Participation in voluntary health and wellness events Participation in UIL-sponsored competitions Availability of school nurses Availability of school counselors Character education evidenced as part of campus culture 4 P a g e
Community & Parental Involvement Smithson Valley High School's most significant attribute is our community. Community stakeholders are very involved in supporting the programs offered on campus. Parental involvement is the key ingredient to having a successful campus organization. Every campus organization participates in a variety of activities that give back to the community. Students are encouraged to take part in service projects that support not only the community, but also our elementary and middle school campuses. Smithson Valley's overall rating is exemplary based on the student-led events, student-led organizations, and the degree of involvement of our parents and community stakeholders. Overall Community & Parental Involvement -- Exemplary Percent of campus enrollment with parent volunteers who participate in campus activities Number of campus activities that are partnered with community volunteers Number of campus activities that give back to the community Number of campus activities designed to encourage parent participation 5 P a g e
21 st Century Workforce Development Program Smithson Valley High School has delivered to every student the opportunity for participation in classes and organizations that provide real life experiences and applications. By fostering 21st century programs that engage students, activities are hands-on and applicable to our ever-changing and growing workforce. Over the past five years, the number of scholarship recipients has increased to over 10 million dollars and supports an overall rating of recognized. Our areas of opportunities to excel are in increasing the number of CTE students in Career Technology Student Organizations and to increase Advanced Placement course enrollment. Overall 21 st Century Workforce Development Program -- Recognized Number of students participating in real-world experiences Opportunities for career exploration Exposure to colleges and universities Participation in TEA STaR Chart Number of students enrolled in dual credit who are earning transcripted college credit Number of students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses who are earning college credit Number of CTE students participating in Career & Technology Student Organizations (CTSOs) Number of scholarships awarded to students 6 P a g e
Second Language Acquisition Programs Smithson Valley High School serves a small group of second language learners. Our programs have met the requirements set forth at the federal, state and district levels. Although the standards and requirements are being met by SVHS, this is a growing population that the staff and faculty have identified as an area that will require prescriptive interventions to ensure continued success. Overall Second Language Acquisition Programs -- Recognized Implementation of second language acquisition programs and progress toward meeting program goals Participation in professional development offered for second language programs Collaboration among teachers during QILT time to align instruction Availability of resources and materials in languages of program Number of campus activities designed to encourage involvement of the community and parent of students who participate in a second language acquisition program 7 P a g e
Digital Learning Environment Smithson Valley High School has implemented a variety of programs that focus on enhancing and creating opportunities with technology. SVHS currently is not on a one to one technology ratio for students. In order to meet the level of exemplary, SVHS must continue to improve instruction that utilizes and promotes technology in all instructional settings. Professional development should focus on enhancing the implementation of technology for all teachers. Digital learning has been identified as an opportunity to excel; SVHS has received the rating of acceptable in this area. Overall Digital Learning Environment -- Acceptable Student access to technology Ratio of students to computing devices Student-led newscasts Participation in technology related professional development Technology Showcase participation 8 P a g e
Dropout Prevention Strategies Smithson Valley High School has established preventative measures to help ensure that all students graduate under the Recommended High School Plan or the Distinguished Achievement Plan. With an extremely low dropout percentage (less than 2%), SVHS receives a rating of recognized for this area. SVHS believes that in order to receive a rating of exemplary, 100% of all qualified graduates must graduate on time and with their academic cohort. Overall Dropout Prevention Strategies -- Recognized The use of early warning indicators, including the 13 criteria for students being at-risk of dropping out of school Availability of high-quality, engaging classroom instruction and extracurricular activities Availability of mentors for students Implementation of positive behavior systems and reduction in rate of student removal from class Students targeted for truancy prevention in response to high number of absences Leaver Team Meetings are held regularly and result in the recovery of students and the reduction of students reported as dropouts 9 P a g e
Educational Program for Gifted & Talented Students Smithson Valley High School has identified an area of focus with the Gifted and Talented (GT) program. Many of our GT students receive services through SVHS's advanced academics program. All teachers at SVHS receive annual updates in the Nature and Needs of GT students, and implement many of these best practice strategies on a daily basis. Campus goals are to improve teacher collaboration, differentiated instruction and critical thinking activities for all students. SVHS has received a rating of acceptable for this area. Overall Educational Program for Gifted & Talented Students -- Acceptable Nomination and identification of underrepresented student populations Implementation of a comprehensive assessment process Structure and implementation of program services Depth and complexity in the general education classroom Development of quality student products and presentations Evaluation and communication of student progress Professional development qualifications for teachers of gifted and talented students Involvement opportunities for the campus and parents of gifted and talented students 10 P a g e
History of Compliance Smithson Valley High School provides students with special needs the support required to appropriately progress in the general curriculum with services and support tailored to their individual needs whether addressed through Special Education, 504 or LPAC services. Additionally, students participate in free health screenings, vaccination clinics and other wellness initiatives such as annual FitnessGram assessments to ensure the physical health of our students. It was determined that Smithson Valley High School is in compliance with TEA in providing our community stakeholders with annual accountability information related to campus performance and growth. Personal Graduation Plans (PGPs) are created to address the individual vocational and educational goals of our students and to ensure that students are enrolled in appropriate coursework to progress toward these goals. Campus Improvement Plans ensure that all school stakeholders collaborate to develop campus goals which will produce students with 21 st Century skills who are employable, adaptable and are life-long learners. Overall History of Compliance YES, in Compliance Campus Improvement Plans included all statutory requirements Individualized Education Program plans for students receiving special education and/or 504 services have been implemented Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) decisions have been properly documented Health screenings available on campus Participation in free vaccination clinics or other health services Participation in FitnessGram and communication of results The Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR) hard-copy book is accessible to the public AND the TEA-prepared School Report Card has been disseminated to parents/guardians by deadline and a printed copy is accessible to the public AND the NCLB Federal Report Card has been disseminated electronically or by hard copy to all parents/guardians by deadline and a printed copy is accessible to the public Personal Graduation Plans (PGPs) are in place for all required students No, not in Compliance Yes, in Compliance 11 P a g e