What Does It Mean to Be a Viking?
Dave Wedlock's "What Does It Mean to Be a Viking? Collaboration and the Commitment to Continous Improvement as Core Values" is reposted here with permission from the author.
In a recent radio ad, I heard the speaker talking about how important the concept of continuous improvement is to the success of any business or organization. To apply this concept to the school setting, as one example, I reviewed the comments of Donald Rollie in the preface to the 2006 book Keys to Effective Schools: “Increasingly, educational researchers and policy analysts agree that the organizational structures and cultures of schools can either enhance or hinder their effectiveness. There is growing recognition that quality teaching and conditions that support it, such as supportive leadership that builds learning communities within schools and communities, evidence-based decision making focused on student learning, and collaborative problem solving and action, are essential foundations for continuous school improvement” (Rollie IX).
2004
|
2014
|
|
Attendance
|
94%
|
95.70%
|
Dropouts
|
1.70%
|
.001%
|
Percentage of Proficient or Advanced scores on state math exams
|
21.3
|
67.4
|
Percentage of Proficient or Advanced scores on state communication arts exams
|
37.4
|
87.3
|
ACT Composite for FHHS
|
21.9
|
23.6
|
# Students taking the ACT
|
264
|
380
|
# of AP Exams Taken
|
32
|
629
|
% of students scoring a 3 or better on an AP exam
|
47%
|
71%
|
Detentions
|
3184
|
899
|