Magnolia High School’s Local School Improvement Council annual report was given to the Wetzel County Board of Education during their regular meeting held Nov. 7. Principal Kathi Schmalz, along with LSIC President and Teacher Amanda McPherson, shared the school’s improvements from last year including meeting Adequate Yearly Progress, and also established goals for the present school year which include raising test scores even higher.

Schmalz began by stating MHS had been meeting AYP every year since the beginning of No Child Left Behind. However, in 2010 the scores took a dive and West Virginia’s Office of Education Performance Audits (OEPA) came to investigate.

In a letter she handed out to all those present, Schmalz stated, “The staff at MHS takes great pride in the educational opportunities we are providing your child. The 2010 test scores were a great disappointment to all of us and we worked hard during the 2010-2011 school year to raise achievement.” She went on to say that following the state audit, the school was devastated by the report. “We knew our students were learning and making great progress,” Schmalz stated. “We believed in our efforts, but most importantly, we believed in our students.”

The entire school year following, the staff at MHS came together and came up with innovative programs. Through data analysis the school soon realized students weren’t at the level at which they had expected.

“OEPA walked out of our school and gave a dismal report,” Schmalz said. “However a lot of things have been done.” The 2011 test scores came back and illustrated how well the students improved. In fact, the school met or exceeded every tested subject in every grade level with the exception of freshman algebra.

Also, Schmalz proudly shared that MHS met a 90 percent graduation rate this past year with a drop-out rate of only one percent. Furthermore, attendance at MHS was rated at 94.4 percent, with the college-going rate of 65 percent. Impressively, according to SchoolDigger.com, a credible Web site containing comparative data of schools across the nation, Magnolia was ranked 17 out of 118 in the state and was named the second most-improved school in West Virginia.

In addition, climate surveys indicate that MHS has a “positive, collaborative atmosphere to foster teaching and learning” Schmalz said in her letter. “These achievements are a testimonial to the dedicated staff at Magnolia who care about students’ success.”

“We’re not looking back, we’re looking forward,” Schmalz resolved.

McPherson then spoke on the goals of the LSIC for the coming year. Under these goals, all students will: be educated in a safe and drug-free environment that supports academic achievement and will master or exceed grade level on the 21st Century educational standards. Additionally, all students in the disability subgroup will demonstrate increased achievement.

The LSIC also plans to utilize new 21st Century technologies to enhance teacher effectiveness, student learning, and communication with parents. Other goals include promoting academic achievement through Academic Assemblies and Academic Lettering.

To promote excellence at MHS, a billboard featuring the school and its entire student body is planned to be displayed in town. It will change throughout the year to promote academic excellence.

Schmalz then noted the achievements of the Teacher Leadership Teams which have been in place for two years. Every teacher in the school is on a leadership team and teams are broken down into the categories of School Leadership, Innovation, Literacy, Technology, and Data Analysis. Under School Leadership and Innovation, team members examine the culture and climate of the school. In Literacy, reading activities and curriculum are developed and implemented. “Literacy is the key to success for students,” Schmalz noted.

She went on to say that in the realm of Technology, the team is continually working with new technologies and providing necessary training to staff and students. And in Data Analysis, team members work hard tearing apart collected data to find ways to better educate the students. “We’re looking at everything students are doing,” Schmalz said.

McPherson then presented the two types of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), those being vertical and horizontal. Noting that every teacher at MHS is a member of one of the PLCs, each PLC has an organized data wall which is color coded and tracks individual students’ progress throughout their time in high school in the areas of test scores, attendance, midterm and nine weeks’ grades, etc. This information is easily accessible to every teacher. Also, on the Vertical Data Wall, data helps teachers diagnose why a student isn’t achieving on the level they should be. Schmalz underlined that seeing all of the testing data, as well as discipline and attendance reports in this convenient format helps the teachers greatly. “We need to look at a number of things when looking into what’s wrong. Data walls are valuable tools in learning what exactly is going on.” She went on to say she had received many moving messages from staff all sharing the sentiment that for the first time, they have the information they need to better help students.

In another matter, Acuity Testing is conducted three times a year in a testing style similar to the WesTest. It takes one week to complete the test. Notably, the test is taken in class and does not disrupt class schedules. Results are then scanned and uploaded.

Schmalz and McPherson went on to explain the pillars of excellence required for a High Performing School System. Each pillar-Curriculum Management; Instructional Practices; School Effectiveness; Student, Family, and Community Support; and Continuous Improvement-represents the facets of 21st Century education and are based on the school’s culture of common beliefs and values where they are dedicated to “Learning for all. . . Whatever it takes.”

Curriculum Management outlines what the school teaches. Those items include Acuity, WesTest Block, Advanced Placement courses, ACT preparation, data analysis, virtual learning, D and F List, dual credit, Acuity benchmarks, pacing guides, WV Writes, formative assessment, writing assessment, PLC, summative assessment, MOVTI, and Edge. Schmalz stated they have the rigor needed to set standards high at the school.

How MHS teaches is described under the next pillar, Instructional Practices. They utilize: student orientation midterms, co-teaching, CPT, CSO, DOK, Links, D and F List, ISE, open house, student recognition, PBL, DI, online lesson plans, IPI, technology use, Literacy Team, quality questioning, and Tech Steps. Schmalz says they work to “allow students to take academic risks” and “provide them with skills needed to think through problems.”

School Effectiveness outlines where the school teaches. Schmalz explained these were environments for students to have “great pride in what they do.” These venues include: PLCs, core beliefs, staff and student surveys, LSIC, IPI, open house, Edline, student focus groups, midterm letters, parent/teacher conferences, freshman orientation, data analysis, and Teacher Leadership Teams.

Who MHS teaches is explained through the Student, Family, and Community Support pillar. Midterm reports, the Veterans’ Day assembly, Sports World speaker, Challenge Program, Service Club, SAT, Relay for LIfe, Prevention Resource Officer program, Partners in Education, wellness, the at-risk survey, vocational, rehab, CTE, class day, report cards, Domestic Violence counselor, student recognition assemblies, Edline, Yearbook, and LSIC are all areas where the school has an opportunity to teach students, parents, and the community. “Our job is to focus on academics,” Schmalz stressed. “When you walk through the doors we want students thinking on what their day is going to be like in the classroom. We want them leaving with more than they came in with.”

Lastly, under Continuous Improvement, Schmalz reiterated, “Great things are happening as the result of the great people walking into the school.” She said the school plans to raise the scores even more and the school motto, “High expectations, high standards, no excuses” applies to everyone in the building, not just the students.