Toms River
High School North
Mission
Statement:
The mission of Toms River High School North is to create a student centered environment that focuses on the development of academic excellence, and fosters social and personal growth along with skills necessary to engage students in service to others. Through improved communication and allocation of resources students will expand their appreciation of our diverse and dynamic school community.
Vision
Statement:
Community Service Objective
By June 2010, Toms River High School students will be more responsible and productive members of their community with increased awareness of the importance of and willingness to participate in voluntary community service as measured by:
1) An increase of 3 percentage points annually in the measurement of seniors contributing 50 or more hours of voluntary community service as measured by the Community Service Perceptions Survey.
Baseline Year 2002:
North
38% of seniors contributed 50 or more hours of voluntary community service annually.
15% of freshmen contributed 50 or more hours of voluntary community service annually.
2) An increase of 3 percentage points annually in the total number of student volunteer hours dedicated to community service as measured by the compilation of data by The Service to Learn Committee
Baseline Year 2002:
No data available.*
*The instrument to measure and compile these hours will be developed as part of the Action Plan. To use a different measure here would skew the numbers for our measurement. As soon as this instrument is in place, measurements will begin.
Student Services Center Objective
By June 2010, students will demonstrate an increase in responsibility, leadership, academic achievement and both awareness of and participation in school activities through the development and utilization of a Student Services Center. This will be measured by:
(1). A 100 percent increase in the number of Student Services Center student volunteers who will also serve as our Captain’s Team (school event volunteers as organizers, greeters, etc.) and Peer Mediators.
Baseline: Year 2003
60 students
Goal: Year 2010
120 students
(2). A 20 percentage point increase in the percentage of students earning (#2) or more Student Participation Activities Measurement (SPAM) units for participation in clubs, activities, athletics, and Center-related school services.
Baseline: Year 2004
Data to be collected in June 2004 through the Student Services Center records
Year 2003
3230 SPAM units (data collection method for this total was not through the Center – it is included here as additional information )
A Student Participation Activities Measurement (SPAM) unit is a tool to measure the involvement of students at Toms River North in athletics, clubs, activities and non-mandated school services. Example: a student is involved in 2 clubs, 1 activity, and 2 sports will be measured as 5 SPAM units. The Center will compile the total SPAM hours for North students and also track the number of students who participate in 2 or more activities.
(3). An increase of 20 percentage points of students selecting ‘highly agree’ on the Student Services Survey of 10 questions relating to awareness of school services.
Baseline : Year 2003
36 % of students selected ‘highly aware’ on the Student Services Survey of 10 questions relating to awareness of school services.
This internal measure will be used to gauge the effectiveness of the Student Services Center. We want to monitor the Center’s effectiveness so that managerial adjustments can be made to ensure an increase in student participation.
(4). A maintenance of our high scores on the SATs and HSPAs.
In recent years North has grown by a few hundred students, and we see that growth as continuing.
The development of a Student Services Center will connect more students to the school activities, thus increasing participation opportunities, which will ultimately help students to achieve. Research indicates that students who are involved in their schools, will show a higher academic achievement.
Anne S. Robertson’s (1997) article “If an Adolescent Begins to Fail in School, What Can Parents and Teachers Do?” –ERIC Digest – states “the adolescent may be more likely to experience academic success… [by being encouraged] to participate in one or more school activities.”
Baseline: Year 2002
1053 is the Average SAT score
HSPA
92.7% passed Language Arts
77.7% passed Math
69.9% passed Writing
By the year 2009 11th grade students will be technologically competent in finding information that has been edited, reviewed and refereed to verify that the author(s) followed acceptable research practices. The measured 11th grade students will show a specific percentage increase for each question on the Toms River North Technology Measure as described below:
(1). Each question with an average score of 50% or more will increase 5%
Each question with an average score of 35%-50% or more will increase 10%
Each question with an average score below 35% will increase 15%
Baseline Year: 2003
The following table outlines the percentage of questions answered correctly by the 11th grade sample. (Note: see Toms River North Technology Measure [TRNTM] for actual questions)
Ongoing Review Process
Toms River North’s three distinct AFG objectives will require different modes of review. The Internal Coordinators and the Planning Team will continue to support and monitor the work of the implementation teams, but these review teams will be specialized according to the objective. Feedback in all areas will be sought from the entire staff. Each objective will be reviewed in the late spring, so that any adjustments could be ready for the following September.
The progress of the Community service Global Objective will be measured annually by the STLC (Service To Learn Committee). Log Sheets will be collected throughout the year and the hours totaled and recorded at the end of each school year (June). Any change in the total hours of community service will be analyzed. Adjustments to the collection process will be determined by the STLC. Additionally, the BDCS (Baseline Data Collection Survey) will be administered and the results will be reviewed.
The progress of the Student Services Center Objective will be measured annually by keeping a tally of the SPAM (Student Participation Activity Measurement) units accrued. The Directors of the Student Service Center will collect and keep these records. The Directors and Planning Team will meet annually to review the results and initiate any changes that may be needed. Records of the members of the Captain’s Crew will be kept at the center. If there is not a consistent increase in these student volunteers, the Directors and Planning Team will meet to reevaluate the program. Additionally, SAT and HSPA scores will be monitored annually by the Planning Team.
The progress of the Technology / Research Objective will be measured annually by administering the TRNTM (Toms River North Technology Measure) to the juniors in the spring of the year. This will be administered by the Technology / Research Committee and evaluated by this group along with the Planning Team. Additionally, these groups will review and encourage in-service for staff, which should transfer into student lessons. The Verbal SAT scores will be monitored by the Planning Team as a barometer of the success of this objective.
High School North Middle States Report
The Middle States Association of Secondary Schools sent a Validation Team to Toms River North for four days in October 2003 – at the end of their visit, the Chair in his oral report, recommended the continuation of Accreditation for High School North.
Preparation for the evaluation began in late 2001 and initially involved a Planning Team of 32 people. The number of people working on the Middle States projects at North included over 80 faculty and staff members and a total of 60 students. They developed three projects, all of which were commended by the Validation Team.
Principal John Coleman was commended for taking on the Accreditation For Growth process for the Middle States evaluation. They recognized and praised the accomplishments of the school. The School-within-a-school concept, the Coffee with the Principal and the orientation programs were cited as being successful. The high scores of the students in the AP tests and on the SAT’s were lauded in the report. The Team was especially impressed with the articulate and dedicated students and parents with whom they spoke at North.
The planning process for the Middle States visit was applauded. The Internal Coordinators, Pat Grill and Bill Ryan, were commended for the excellence of their work on the process and on the document. The Chair called them “awesome!”