Project Title: Inclusion: A Demonstration Model for the New Millennium

Nathan Hale High School Seattle School District Contact: Judith Peterson, japeterson@is.ssd.k12.wa.us 10750 30th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98125 (206) 366 7800

Population	Special Educ	504	Title I/LAP	ESL
1084	138	28	332	176

Nathan Hale: OSPI Inclusion Grant Progress Report 2001

I. Whole School Change: The Nathan Hale High School 9th Grade Academies

The following model may change for the school year 2001-2002. The Nathan Hale 9th grade academies are the result of a multi-year, all-staff educational reform process. They are a key part of a long-term goal to create a school which meets is students' needs more fully than the traditional model. In 1998-99 we focused on the 9th grade class, as the critical bridge between middle and high school.

Structure and Class Size:
The 250 Nathan Hale HS 9th graders are divided into two academies each staffed by six teachers, for a student-teacher ratio of approximately 20:1. Each teacher is a specialist in one or more of the following: science, health, language arts, social studies, special education, or ESL. Academic credit is granted for the first four subject areas. Each academy is divided into a health/science block and a humanities block, with approximately sixty students in each. Students complete coursework in a given block first quarter, then they work in the other block second quarter. This allows more curricular flexibility and more time to focus on specific subjects. The curricula in each block are developed to maximize integration (e.g., While a "health" class studies nutrition, the "science class studies the chemistry of food." Both blocks focus on reading and writing, essential skills for success.

Schedule:
The academies meet during the first three hours of each day. We developed a schedule that consists of two daily academic "periods", ranging from 65 to 90 minutes, plus daily reading time. During the first quarter we schedule twenty minute " all-academy" meetings on Mondays for announcements, team-building activities, and critical thinking skills (each with a weekly focus). Depending on the daily objectives, block one students might meet separately (e.g., 30 in history/LA during first period, then move to second period), work together in a single large group, or break into small groups of 15 to 20 students. A successful model has been to divide the sixty students between two teachers, with the third teacher acting as a "floater." The floater works with students on an individual basis and offers immediate feedback or assistance with skills.

Expectations and Inclusion:
The academies operate on the inclusion principle; all students attend the same classes and meet high standards of behavior and academic achievement. Students capable of doing honors level work have the option of fulfilling requirements as specified in an honors contract. Students who are on IEPs have accommodations overseen and implemented by the appropriate specialist.

Summary:
The academy philosophy is the same as that which drives the school: to create an environment where all students achieve academic success. Key elements include:

• Personalization of learning, specifically, smaller student-teacher ratio and number of students seen by individual teachers, and focused use of mentorship time
• Clear, consistent expectations and policies across the academies
• Clear communication between school and home, facilitated by the mentorship teacher
• Common collaboration time for daily staffing of students and integration of curriculum

Nathan Hale High School 9th Grade Statistics

	1994-1998	*1998-2000
Total Enrollment	281	251
Total Daily Attendance	84%	93%
Total GPA	2.55	2.69
Total Dropouts	6%	2%
Total Transfers	16%	5%
Total Discipline	29%	8%

*Two years of the 9th Grade Academies. The figures above reflect an average

II. The Nathan Hale High School 10th Grade Integrated Studies

The following model may change for the school year 2001-2002. The Nathan Hale tenth grade integrated studies blocks are the result of a multi-year, all-staff educational reform process. They are a key part of a long-term goal to create a school which meets its students' needs more fully than the traditional model.

Structure and Class Size:
The 250 Nathan Hale HS 10th graders are divided into integrated studies blocks of 81 students, or approximately 27 students per class. A team of teachers for biology, history, and language arts will work with the students. Several of the teachers that worked in the ninth grade academy moved to the tenth grade integrated studies blocks. The curricula in each block are developed to maximize integration. Both blocks focus on reading and writing, essential skills for success. Students use logbooks to record daily assignments, activities, and reflections.

Schedule:
The Integrated Studies blocks meet during second, third, and fourth periods. Students take math and electives during first, fifth, and sixth periods. Students have break and lunch with the rest of the student body.

Expectations and Inclusion:
The academies operate on the inclusion principle; all students attend the same classes and meet high standards of behavior and academic achievement. An honors option is available to students who wish to undertake the challenge. Students choosing honors in all three subject areas: biology, history, language arts, will be required to show evidence of exemplary work over the course of the year, earn above 88% in all three subjects, attend three enrichment activities and complete 800 pages of outside reading per semester. Students who are on IEPs have accommodations overseen and implemented by the appropriate specialist.

Summary:
The academy philosophy is the same as that which drives the school: to create an environment where all students achieve success. Key elements include:

• personalization of learning, specifically, smaller student-teacher ratio and number of students seen by individual teachers, and focused use of mentorship time
• clear, consistent expectations and policies across the academies
• clear communication between school and home, facilitated by the mentorship teacher
• common collaboration time for daily staffing of students and integration of curriculum

Nathan Hale High School 10th Grade Statistics

	1994-1999	*1999-2000
Total Enrollment	325	262
Total Daily Attendance	87%	94%
Total GPA	2.7	2.8
Total Dropouts	7%	4%
Total Transfers	10%	8%
Total Discipline	17%	7%

*First year of 10th Grade Integrated Studies The figures above reflect an average

 

Washington State Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)

	Math	Reading	Writing	Listening
1999	32.7	46.3	39.0	70.7
2000	46.7	66.0	39.3	82.4

 

---

Directory of Programs

---

This article is in the public domain and can be freely copied and used in trainings as handouts at parent and community meetings, and in creating your school or district programs. (Please cite all sources of materials you use.)

This information is provided by:
Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Special Education
P O Box 47200
Olympia, WA 98504-7200
(360) 725-6088
Fax (360)586-1631
E-mail: dgill@ospi.wednet.edu