Introduction
Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning.
The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis.
The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis.
Description of School
R. B. Stall High School currently serves 1,388 students in grades 9-12. The school is located in North Charleston close to the county line between Charleston and Dorchester counties, only a mile from Fort Dorchester High School. It is one of only two full-service high schools in North Charleston, which also contains several magnet schools (Academic Magnet, School of the Arts, and Garrett Academy of Technology) and charter schools (Greg Mathis and Palmetto Scholars). R. B. Stall is the most ethnically diverse high school in Charleston County, comprised of 56.8% Black, 27% Hispanic, 12.6% White, and 3.6% mixed race/other. The poverty index is 80%, and the school qualifies as a CEP (community eligibility program) school, allowing all students to receive free breakfast and lunch. The overall student population of the school has grown from below 900 only seven years ago and has grown by over 200 just in the past two years. It is projected to keep growing by another 100 students next school year.
The largest growing population has been Hispanic students, which grows proportionately more each year. More of these students are coming from Central American countries, often arriving with little or no English and having had no formal education since sixth grade. This presents obvious challenges in teaching academic English in a short period of time to these students, as well as in communicating with their families.
R. B. Stall draws from a 20-mile long attendance zone running from near Summerville to Dorchester Road. While this attendance zone contains the Air Force Base and is growing with new middle class neighborhoods, it contains many high-poverty, high-crime areas and is a highly transient area. This presents challenges for the school in meeting the needs of students who come with high social and emotional needs, as well as academic ones.
Also, R. B. Stall is still working hard to attract the middle class students who have abundant educational choices in the area. The school has greatly improved its climate and culture, but old reputations of being a "rough" school still persist in the community.
R. B. Stall's staff and students are proud of the progress they have made in turning the school around. They embrace their diversity, and when interviewed, students often say they believe that is a strength of the school.
The largest growing population has been Hispanic students, which grows proportionately more each year. More of these students are coming from Central American countries, often arriving with little or no English and having had no formal education since sixth grade. This presents obvious challenges in teaching academic English in a short period of time to these students, as well as in communicating with their families.
R. B. Stall draws from a 20-mile long attendance zone running from near Summerville to Dorchester Road. While this attendance zone contains the Air Force Base and is growing with new middle class neighborhoods, it contains many high-poverty, high-crime areas and is a highly transient area. This presents challenges for the school in meeting the needs of students who come with high social and emotional needs, as well as academic ones.
Also, R. B. Stall is still working hard to attract the middle class students who have abundant educational choices in the area. The school has greatly improved its climate and culture, but old reputations of being a "rough" school still persist in the community.
R. B. Stall's staff and students are proud of the progress they have made in turning the school around. They embrace their diversity, and when interviewed, students often say they believe that is a strength of the school.
School Purpose
Stall's purpose statement, or vision, is to "be an innovative learning community that inspires all to build a better future." Each day begins with a pledge, "I will graduate!" (Perhaps a given in more affluent suburbs, but many of Stall's students become the first in their families to graduate from high school.) In embracing Capturing Kids' Hearts as its cultural core, staff uses the EXCEL model to build classroom community and inspire students to achieve. EXCEL stands for Engage, eXplore, Communicate (high expectations), Empower (students to reach those high expectations), and Launch (from class with inspiration). To pursue innovation, Stall became part of a Race to the Top grant and acquired 1:1 technology in the form of iPads for every student, a game changer for students who did not have access to such technology on a daily basis. Teachers now regularly have students keeping us with classwork on Google Classroom and Schoology and using iPads to gather research and develop presentations to the class. Stall has greatly enhanced program offerings in the arts and academics. Before Stall moved into its new facility in 2010, it had only art classes, but quickly added a chorus and a full band, both of which have won high honors in state competition. In addition, a Steel and African Drums program was added, which now enjoys performing at numerous events in and out of school. Career and technology programs have expanded to include Aerospace Engineering, Digital Art and Design and Multimedia, and Early Childhood Education. Advanced Placement offerings have grown from three courses to ten, and onsite Dual Credit classes have been offered the last two years. For students who are struggling and falling behind on their credits, a new Success Academy was begun this year to give them more individual attention, motivation, and a chance to catch up in their core English and math credits.
Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement
In the last three years, Stall has been recognized for several state and national awards. For its exemplary implementation of Capturing Kids' Hearts, Stall has been recognized for two years in a row as a CKH National Showcase School, and as such, it has hosted visits from schools as far away as Massachusetts who give high marks to our school culture and climate. For its innovative use of technology, Apple Corporation has named Stall an Apple Distinguished School, one of only two in the district. Also, TransformSC, a network of schools dedicated to sharing innovative practices in project-based learning, blended/personalized learning, and competency-based education, invited Stall to join its network this year. In the process of improving, Stall significantly raised its graduation rate and EOC scores from earlier years and left the ranks of "at-risk" schools.
In the next three years, Stall plans to continue to improve in pursuing its vision of innovating and inspiring learners by developing more effective PLCs, broadening implementation of exemplary project-based learning, using technology to modify and redefine student work, and recruiting families to become more involved in the life of the school. Providing students with more choices in instructional delivery (fully personalized, virtual/blended, and traditional Mastery Teaching Model) will allow students to learn in the way that best suits them. Along with the change in structure will be a focused drive towards college readiness. Students will begin a process of self-evaluation using the CERT assessment to understand and improve their college readiness. Students that are meeting or exceeding their college readiness benchmarks will have the opportunity to accelerate their learning and engage in dual-enrollment or AP classes earlier and more often. R.B. Stall has also accepted the National Math and Science Initiative grant that will offer high-quality professional growth focusing on increasing student participation in Advanced Placement Curricula.
In the years since the implementation of Capturing Kids' Hearts, student and staff expectations for behavior have risen. Consequently, students are more cognizant of negative behavior and expect more from themselves and their peers. In response to this, we are creating a committee that will empower our students and staff to enact and monitor tangible change in student behaviors in the school. R.B. Stall will integrate the PBIS model to assist us continuing to improve our students' experience and inspire our students to develop essential life and career skills.
In the next three years, Stall plans to continue to improve in pursuing its vision of innovating and inspiring learners by developing more effective PLCs, broadening implementation of exemplary project-based learning, using technology to modify and redefine student work, and recruiting families to become more involved in the life of the school. Providing students with more choices in instructional delivery (fully personalized, virtual/blended, and traditional Mastery Teaching Model) will allow students to learn in the way that best suits them. Along with the change in structure will be a focused drive towards college readiness. Students will begin a process of self-evaluation using the CERT assessment to understand and improve their college readiness. Students that are meeting or exceeding their college readiness benchmarks will have the opportunity to accelerate their learning and engage in dual-enrollment or AP classes earlier and more often. R.B. Stall has also accepted the National Math and Science Initiative grant that will offer high-quality professional growth focusing on increasing student participation in Advanced Placement Curricula.
In the years since the implementation of Capturing Kids' Hearts, student and staff expectations for behavior have risen. Consequently, students are more cognizant of negative behavior and expect more from themselves and their peers. In response to this, we are creating a committee that will empower our students and staff to enact and monitor tangible change in student behaviors in the school. R.B. Stall will integrate the PBIS model to assist us continuing to improve our students' experience and inspire our students to develop essential life and career skills.
Additional Information
R.B Stall has worked hard to develop a school staffed by high-capacity educators who are equipped to address the variety of academic and social-emotional needs of our students. We consistently offer personalized professional growth opportunities that encourage educators to take steps forward in the areas they need. These opportunities are often facilitated by our own resident experts in a variety of areas from literacy to technology. As a National Showcase School for Capturing Kids' Hearts, we have and will continue to train every teacher and staff member that works at R.B Stall High School and to have refresher trainings to maintain the momentum. We also completed training for all certified teachers on the eight modules of Personalized Learning prior to the previous school year.
As our school demographics have shifted, we have aligned our resources to equip us to best serve the students and families of R.B. Stall High School. To maintain strong connection to our community, we have strategically hired bilingual parent advocates, clerical staff, teachers, and school administrators. Now our growing Hispanic population knows that when they walk through our doors, they will be able to communicate more effectively with the school.
With our transient and high-poverty demographics, each year R. B. Stall deals with the dilemma of homeless students. Thus, a year ago, with the help of community leaders, we began to explore a way to meet the needs of homeless students. That became the driving force behind Project H.O.M.E., and now property has been acquired, and a home is being built with the expectation of opening to the first group of students in fall of 2017. Project H.O.M.E. will provide students with the emotional support of house parents, the physical support of food and shelter, and the opportunity to continue their pursuit of a high school degree.
As our school demographics have shifted, we have aligned our resources to equip us to best serve the students and families of R.B. Stall High School. To maintain strong connection to our community, we have strategically hired bilingual parent advocates, clerical staff, teachers, and school administrators. Now our growing Hispanic population knows that when they walk through our doors, they will be able to communicate more effectively with the school.
With our transient and high-poverty demographics, each year R. B. Stall deals with the dilemma of homeless students. Thus, a year ago, with the help of community leaders, we began to explore a way to meet the needs of homeless students. That became the driving force behind Project H.O.M.E., and now property has been acquired, and a home is being built with the expectation of opening to the first group of students in fall of 2017. Project H.O.M.E. will provide students with the emotional support of house parents, the physical support of food and shelter, and the opportunity to continue their pursuit of a high school degree.