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Accountability and flexibility are hallmarks of Gwinnett County Public Schools' success. Key to that success is ensuring that each school community understands the progress being made by its schools, as well as what plans will drive improvement. Each school creates a collaborative Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI) to increase student achievement results, with targeted goals based on the four strategic priorities within the district’s Blueprint for the Future: Empathy, Equity, Effectiveness, and Excellence. All schools across the district will focus on goals 2A- Multi-tiered Systems of Support and 2B- Opportunity and Access. Additionally, schools are required to select one goal from each of the other strategic priorities. LSPI goals are dynamic, like our schools, and are updated to reflect changes that occur in schools. Multiple data points are used to determine areas needing improvement and to identify specific, measurable, annual objectives. Schools then determine how to use research-based strategies to achieve these goals, using flexibility as needed. The LSPI development process involves teachers, parents, students, and community members, so the entire school community has the opportunity to be involved in conversations about school improvement.

 

2023 - 2024 Local School Plan for Improvement (LSPI)


School: PHOENIX HIGH           Principal: Niki Ross

District Strategic Priorities/Goals Rationale Action Steps
(Implementation Design)
How will you measure growth?
Growth Factors (Baseline & Targets)
Empathy 1.B - Staff and Student Well Being

Phoenix High School will promote student and staff wellbeing through prioritizing self-care, physical and mental health, and social emotional learning to ensure that the focus is on the whole individual.

  1. Activities to reduce stress and encourage connection between students and staff, such as but not limited to: Phoenix Fall Fun Week, Winter Games, March Madness, and Spring Fun Week.
  2. W.I.L.D. Out Wednesdays (Wellness, Independence, Life Skills, Discovery) – Advisement/Social and Emotional Learning activities
  3. Phoenix Health Fair
  4. Simon Youth Foundation Student Center – games, mural coloring stations, puzzles
  5. Open gym during common lunch
  6. College and Careers Fairs for planning for the future
  7. Post-secondary planning - individual and small group to relieve stress about the future
  8. Academic Coaches – providing support for class work, schedule, and load of classes

Percent of students responding positively to the following student wellbeing EES Student Survey items (weighted average):

  1. I enjoy coming to this school (75%). Target: 77%
  2. I am hopeful about my future (74%). Target: 76%

Percent of staff responding positively to the following staff support EES Staff Survey items (weighted average):

  1. When there is a problem in my school, we talk about how to solve it (84%). Target: 86%
  2. My principal/administrator cares about me as a person (92%). Target: 94%
  3. My principal facilitates systems/processes to support school improvement (98%). Target: 99%
Equity 2.A - Multi-tiered System of Supports

 Phoenix High School will implement a comprehensive framework to fully operationalize a multi-tiered system of supports to address academic and non-academic student needs and remove barriers to success. Further, Phoenix High School will use this multi-tiered system of supports to increase the Cohort Graduation rate by 3%. 

Academic Interventions include, but are not limited to:

  1. Flexible scheduling which includes student choice with teacher, time of day, and structure of learning environment
  2. Individualized, self-paced mastery learning
  3. Multiple attempts at tests and assignments
  4. Extended learning opportunities on Fridays and Saturdays for students to catch up, get extra help, or get ahead
  5. Using a variety of technology to enhance student learning
  6. Communication with students and parents about tutoring, extended learning opportunities, and academic coaching sessions
  7. Progress checks and goal setting with teachers and Academic Coaches
  8. Student Contact Database

Supportive Community interventions include, but are not limited to:

  1. Daycare for teenage parents 
  2. Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies
  3. Student choice in the hours he/she attends school
  4. Registration/on-boarding process with an administrator and counselor including goal-setting and planning for the future
  5. Student Contact Database
  6. Dedicated Academic Advisor
  7. Connections made with teachers through the student well-being activities

 

  • Implementation of PBIS
  • Cohort Graduation Rate (21%). Target:  24%
  • Graduation Rate of Students who receive a Senior Letter (regardless of years in high school)(78%). Target: 80%
  • Number of courses passed (half-credits earned) each mini-semester. Target: 900 courses passed  
Equity 2.B - Opportunity and Access

Phoenix High School will expand student opportunities to engage in and have access to high quality, rigorous, culturally relevant curriculum, and enrichment activities.

  1. Quality and rigor checks of courses within each subject and department
  2. Emphasis on document-based writing in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
  3. Regular use of Common Assessments
  4. Dual-enrollment in college
  5. College and Career Advisors and Counselors will meet with 12th graders to create plan for next steps.
  6. Implement Restorative Practices and PBIS to reduce disruption of learning resulting from exclusionary discipline practices.
  •  Percent of 12th graders who graduate with a documented post-secondary plan of one of the following: enrolled in a post-secondary or technical institution, enlisted in a branch of the armed service, or employed (80%). Target: 85%
  • Cohort Graduation Rate (21%). Target: 24%
  • Total Graduation Rate of all students who receive a Senior Letter (regardless of years in high school) (78%). Target: 80%

 

Effectiveness 3.B - Talent Management

Phoenix High School will transform human resources function into a strategic talent management organization that supports educators and staff to achieve district goals.

  1. Goal setting and collaboration
  2. Small class sizes
  3. Meaningful professional development
  4. Teacher led small groups in problem solving and input in school matters
  5. Community building activities and volunteer activities
  6. Staff Autonomy (attire, schedule)

 

  • Retention rate of non-retiring certified staff with 6+ years of experience (63). Target: 100%
  • Placement preference process (2022-23  Total requests to Transfer Out = 0. Total requests to Transfer In = 64.) Target: 0% transfer out

 

Excellence 4.A - Preferred Education Destination

Phoenix High School will be the first choice of students and families for excellent schools and the employer of choice for educators and staff to fulfill their careers to ensure that both students and staff feel valued and accepted.

  1. Classes offered from 8:10 AM – 8:10 PM Monday – Thursday
  2. Student choice of schedule
  3. Individual Conferences with parents and students with Administrators available from 8:00 – 8:00
  4. Individual educational plans for each and every student
  5. Devoted Academic Advisor for student goal setting
  6. Communication made to parents in English and Spanish
  7. Student choice in learning environment

Retention rate of all non-retiring staff (83). Target: 100%

 

Percent of families responding positively to the following family satisfaction EES Family Survey items (weighted average):

  1. The principal of this school is committed to quality education (91%). Target: 93%
  2. I believe adults in this school care about my student (92%). Target: 94%
  3. This school is doing a good job of preparing my student for a successful future (80%). Target: 82%

 

Percent of students responding positively to the following student satisfaction EES Student Survey items (weighted average):

    1. Adults in this school help me plan and set goals for my future (85%). Target: 87%
    2. Work I do in this school is useful and interesting to me (74%). Target 76%
    3. This school is doing a good job of preparing me to succeed in my life (85%). Target 87%
    4. I feel proud of my school (86%). Target: 88%