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CASS HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION PROJECT

J. A. WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL

Lac La Biche

Introduction

J. A. Williams High School (JAWS) in Lac La Biche employs three school

administrators, 22 teachers, eight Educational Assistants, and nine other support staff to serve a

student population of approximately 530. In 2011, the school was selected as the site for a High

School Success Project initiated by a partnership involving Northern Lights School Division,

Alberta Education, the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS), an external

researcher, and an external expert in assessment for learning. The project was originally designed

to run for three years, from September 2011 to June 2014.

The professional learning model that accompanied this school improvement project was

designed around the following eight guiding principles, each supported by compelling research.

1. Professional learning activities for educators must be based on perceived needs,

district priorities, and special issues in the context of the school. They must also

be linked with standards, appropriate research, and current best practices.

2. The core of professional learning is the extent to which it is adapted and

developed into a locally-owned and locally-recognized program.

3. Professional learning must be based on adult learning principles that highlight an

ongoing commitment to the application of new skills, knowledge and dispositions.

4. The development of a professional learning community of practice is the single-

most important building block of this initiative.

5. Reflection is a key determinant of the extent to which teachers-as-learners

successfully use their experiences to improve their practice.

6. Flexibility and timeliness are key factors in establishing a continuous professional

learning system.

7. Effective professional learning must provide participating adults with a variety of

strategies and techniques so that their individual learning styles are addressed.

Experiential learning is fundamental to adult learning and growth methodology.

8. Responsibility, feedback and accountability are integral to effective professional

learning.

In practice, the project has challenged staff members at J. A. Williams High School to

take advantage of professional learning activities delivered regularly on-site, and commit to a

form of professional practice characterized by changing norms, experimentation, courage,

resiliency, and creativity, to achieve the following outcomes:

(1) Enhanced student engagement and achievement

(2) Increased high school completion rates

(3) Reduced dropout rates.

CASS High School Completion Project J.A. Williams High School, Lac La Biche

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Baseline measures, derived from the October 2010 Provincial Accountability Pillar Results,

included student achievement, acceptable and excellence rates on Provincial Achievement Tests

and Diploma Exams, and overall levels of satisfaction with education in the school.

In May 2012, when Dr. Pascarelli (the external researcher) was unable to continue with

the project, I was invited by representatives of Northern Lights School Division and CASS to

take over his role. It was clear from the beginning that I could not do everything the way Dr.

Pascarelli had done, and it was particularly noticeable that some members of the J.A. Williams

staff were reluctant to commit to working with a new and different external researcher.

Nevertheless, meetings with staff in May and August resulted in decisions that allowed the

project to continue with virtually the same planned outcomes.

It should be noted here, and it will be mentioned throughout this report, that much of the

critically influential work of this project has been done, on-site, by Dr. Pat Sachse, from the

Alberta Assessment Consortium. Dr. Sachse was present at J.A. Williams High School every

month during the 2011 - 2012 and 2012 - 2013 school years, visiting classrooms, providing

coaching and support as teachers sought to implement new ways of assessing student learning

and enhancing student engagement. She earned the trust and respect of most teachers on staff,

and was identified by many as the one person whose work was integral to the continued

improvement of teaching and learning at the school. Although Dr. Sachse discontinued her work

with JAWS in the 2013 - 2014 school year, a majority of teachers on staff continued to be

regularly involved in peer coaching.

The Culture of J. A. Williams High School

Students

J.A. Williams High School is a multicultural centre for 500+ adolescents and young

adults striving to find their way, learn from their experiences, and make their own contributions

to their community, their province, and their nation. When this project began, FNMI students

comprised 45% of the student body, and the remaining students represented a great variety of

nationalities and ethnicities. By project’s end, the FNMI population had risen to almost 60%.

Like many other Alberta high schools, JAWS endured years of below average student

performance and above average staff frustration that helped define the reputation of the school as

a difficult place for both teachers and students. A negative image of JAWS was reconfirmed

every time another set of provincial achievement or diploma exam results were made public.

Staff morale always suffered, along with student attitudes and parental support. It was a vicious

cycle, one that eventually led to a decision to initiate this project.

It is a plain fact that not every student who passes through the doors of JAWS arrives

with a full measure of opportunity, commitment, good will, or potential. Many students have

never had the benefits of an advantaged standard of living; a lot have already experienced

conditions and circumstances that could severely limit their chances of success. Yet, in the three

years covered by this project, changes in student culture contributed significantly to overall

measures of school improvement that, if sustained, will surely show that JAWS has become a

school of which students and community can be justifiably proud. Specifically, pronounced

changes in overall student behaviour with regard to their attendance and engagement in class,

their willingness to help each other, their evolving respect for adults, and their determination to

try harder formed the basis of many observations conducted frequently throughout this project.


~ 3 ~

Staff

For the way they have dealt with many of those students, staff members at JAWS,

collectively, deserve commendation. They have shown genuine compassion and concern for

students who have had to face tough personal battles, or who have had difficulty accommodating

to the rules and expectations that are part of the reality of high school. Time after time, staff

members have gone the extra mile for students in their care, keeping them in school against the

odds, helping them make better decisions, finding ways to involve them that built character and

self-esteem. It’s not an easy matter, being an adult role model for students whose needs are

great—and there is no implication in this commentary that staff members at JAWS have been

unfailingly perfect in their work with students—but the extra efforts and the extra successes that

resulted from the purposeful work of staff members need to be honored.

Over the course of three years, the culture of the JAWS staff was seen to change.

Increasingly, staff showed a greater willingness to engage with their students in more productive

ways. This is an important point, one that was confirmed frequently by students who reported

that “our teachers listen to us more”; or “they always ask us if we need more help”. This

attention to the needs of students also showed in teachers’ use of appropriate humor; in teachers

taking time to talk to students informally; in teachers more often using appropriate language in

offering suggestions or directions to students; in teachers’ increased attention to lesson planning

and assessment; and in teachers’ more timely contacts with parents.

In addition, teachers and other adults became more respectful of each other. The last year

of the project saw very few examples of adults becoming angry, or raising their voices in the

course of their work. Rather, there was an obvious increase in adult-to-adult collaboration that

included co-planning of lessons, activities and events; peer observations; and team teaching.

They listened to each other more respectfully in meetings, shared greetings more freely, smiled

more, and joked more.

Last year in this report it was noted that:

[JAWS] is a staff not yet completely comfortable with setting school goals and following

through on the achievement of those goals in ways that complement rather than diminish

the efforts of others. It is a staff on which the loudest voices still can prevail over the

thoughts and the will of the majority and, it must be said, a staff that gives evidence,

occasionally, of a lack of willingness to deal with issues squarely, to resolve conflict

productively, and to show respect for the opinions and values of others.

In the final year of the project year, the cultural shift was more noticeable, as many more

staff members showed commendable commitment to their professional duties. It can fairly be

claimed that the staff is now working intentionally towards the achievement of goals, working

more in teams, and sharing responsibilities more effectively than at any other time in the past

three years. Moreover, the teaching staff has become more confident in their use of a variety of

teaching strategies, proven assessment practices, and all the various types of data that can inform

the work of a school. Accordingly, their students have benefitted, results have improved,

attitudes have improved, and morale has improved. The JAWS community has succeeded in

breaking the cycle of low performance!

In this last year, a lot of time and attention was required to assist with construction of the

new J.A. Williams High School. It could easily have become a major disruption in the life of the

school. To the credit of the JAWS staff, they did not let any of the issues and concerns related to


~ 4 ~

the new building interfere with their primary purpose --- helping their students have the most

successful year possible.

All the foregoing comments notwithstanding, the staff at JAWS contains a few

contrarians, men and women who “do not like to be told”; who do not accept any authority

easily; and who still prefer to do things “their way”. They have not come willingly into the

collaborative culture that JAWS has been becoming for the last three years. Like Cassius,

perhaps, they have been reluctant to “follow anything that other men begin.” It could be argued

that any high school embarked on an improvement project will always need a few resisters, or

skeptics, even if only to ensure that competing points of view receive appropriate attention and

consideration as the initiative moves forward. However, there were times in the life of this

project when it appeared that differences of opinion on staff, and different levels of appreciation

for new practices and policies, could have caused the project to stall. That didn’t happen, thanks

in part to the solidarity of the school leadership team, to the strength of commitment of a

majority of staff and, it must be said, to the real contributions of some of the contrary ones. In

their own ways, they made success more possible for scores of students for whom they set clear

expectations, and to whom they provided a high quality of educational service and, at times,

personal caring, albeit in their own way!

Leadership

The formal leadership of the school experienced quite a transformation over the course of

this project. The three administrators learned to work more effectively as a team, sharing duties

in ways that maximized their individual strengths. They each expanded their leadership

knowledge and skills, especially in areas as diverse as coaching, conflict management,

interpersonal relations, curriculum and instruction, and the leadership of a learning community.

As they learned to work together more effectively, they developed greater trust in each other,

greater respect for each other’s challenges, and a greater sense of responsibility around the work

of school improvement. Each school leader became more useful to more teachers, and better able

to help the school achieve its main goal of increased high school completion.

When the project began, the three leaders appeared to be spending a lot of time dealing

with student behavior, and staff concerns. Students were often brought to the office by teachers

who wanted one or other of the administrators to “deal with the problem immediately”. It did not

seem that teachers, collectively, were taking full responsibility for dealing with student behavior

as it occurred in their classrooms, or in the hallways. Many office meetings were interrupted by

teachers demanding their administrators take some kind of action, or by students presenting

themselves for some sort of discipline.

Early in the second year the school leadership team, with the support of a group of

teachers, introduced a new policy that more clearly outlined graduated responses to student lates,

attendance, and overall behavior. While many teachers welcomed the changes, nearly as many

argued and fought against them. The implementation of the new policy had a rocky beginning

but, because the school leaders were becoming more confident, and more sure about the direction

they wanted to follow, they were able to ensure that the new policy had its chance. Staff

members could see they were now dealing with a united leadership team that was able to listen to

concerns yet still pursue its vision for dealing with difficult students. I believe that was a turning

point in this project. It saw the transformation of the old suspension room into a Positive

Behavior Supports Centre. The change in language influenced a shift in culture. It challenged

teachers to find more appropriate alternatives to simply “kicking kids out” of class. It raised


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clearer expectations about the language adults should be using in their interactions with all

students, and when it was desirable for teachers rather than administrators to make contact with

parents and other care-givers.

The purposeful use of Professional Growth Plans was still another factor that helped

create a cultural shift. Early in the project, the school leaders decided they would each develop a

growth plan that they called a Professional Learning Guide. On it they recorded goals, questions,

strategies, and outcomes they felt would guide their own professional growth for each year. In

the first year, a few teachers also used such a plan. In the second year, most teachers were invited

to submit a growth plan to the principal, and be willing to have a conversation about their

progress with one of the administrators twice during the school year. By the third year, most

teachers were using a Professional Growth Plan for purposes beyond mere compliance, including

regular conversations about their yearly goals. The process was growing within the culture of the

school and, while it was less than perfect, it was also contributing to a slight shift in teacher

commitment.

The weekly Bits ‘N’ Bites Newsletter published every Monday morning by the school

principal, Terry Moghrabi, had its impact on school culture in any number of ways. It always

highlighted the best of JAWS --- whether that was student success, student effort, teacher

contributions, adult commitment, or community relations. With photographs and short, positive

notes, Terry has produced a valuable chronicle of life in JAWS and the people who make it

better. From reporting on sporting events, Aboriginal Awareness Week, visiting artists and

dignitaries, Round Dances, the annual school musicals, to academic results, special events, or the

successes of graduates, the newsletter has unfailingly appealed to the best of JAWS culture,

school spirit, and people.

Data From Teachers

In November 2012, halfway through this project, all teachers responded to the following

survey question: What changes have you made in your professional practice to help improve

high school completion rates?

Fourteen (14) teachers indicated they were concentrating on promoting more

positive relationships with students.

Ten (10) teachers reported they were providing more opportunities for students to

experience various forms of peer tutoring.

Ten (10) teachers stated they were making a greater effort to encourage students

to hand in all their assignments.

Nine (9) teachers said they were spending more one-on-one time with students.

Eight (8) teachers noted they were using more formative assessments.

Seven (7) teachers reported they were spending more time helping students set

goals.

Seven (7) teachers indicated they were finding more ways to encourage students

to keep trying.


~ 6 ~

These were powerful, positive statements that continued to guide most staff members for

the next two years. In some particular instances, the teachers’ commitment to student success

was seen to increase with the passing of each semester. In only a few cases, did teachers not

make connections between the existence of the school improvement project and their own

professional practice.

In June 2014, twenty teachers responded to an invitation to describe any ways the project

had influenced teaching and learning at JAWS. Their responses follow:

It kept us on track; made us more responsible; made us more accountable

Visits with colleagues had a positive impact

Visits with colleagues helped me improve

It kept me focused on what’s best for students

I have been more reflective

It helped us shift to a more student-centred model of instruction

Collaboration and reflection have allowed me more opportunities for

improvement

I’m using more differentiation in my practice

It has helped me hold students more accountable

We are now catching students in grade 9 who would otherwise be falling through

the cracks

I’m a little more reflective but it hasn’t impacted my teaching very much

I don’t think it has made any difference

It has made me more aware of the good things I’m doing

It has made me more conscious of my own professional development

It has made no difference

It has prompted more discussion among staff

It has created slightly better attitudes among staff, and greater consistency of

expectations

It has allowed me to talk to colleagues and get new ideas

It has provided help with a new collaborative project

Outside eyes and ears are always a great benefit to learning and growing

(Three teachers did not respond.)

When teachers (N = 20) were asked to rate their own impact on student learning over the

last ten months (using a scale of 0 -10, with 0 indicating “no improvement” and 10 indicating

“dramatic improvement”), their responses produced a mean score of 7.0 (20 responses; mode =

7; high score = 10; low score = 2). When the same teachers were asked to rate their own

contribution to students’ high school completion, using the same scale, their responses produced

a mean of 7.7 (19 responses; mode = 8; high score = 10; low score = 2).

These responses may indicate that teachers’ beliefs about their effectiveness in

influencing student learning stayed fairly constant throughout the project, but their perception

that they were doing more to influence high school completion increased.


~ 7 ~

Data From Students

Diploma Exam results and Grade 9 Provincial Achievement Test results were identified

at the beginning of this project as key measures of project success. Logically, if high school

completion rates were to increase, some of the evidence of that increase should be seen in better

results by more students on high school exams.

The following set of tables presents student results on all PATs and PDEs from the period

2009-2010 to 2013-2014. Baseline data for this project was established as the results achieved on

external exams at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

Table 1. Grade 9 Language Arts

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14

Sch Prov Sch Prov Sch Prov

Enrolled 102 43,654 104 42,344 38,586

Writing 91 (89%) 96 (92%) 76 (92%)

Absent 10 7 N/A

Excused 1 1 N/A

PAT Results:

Standard of Excellence 3 (3%) 15% 11 (12%) 16% 1 (8%) 17%

Acceptable Standard 58 (64%) 79% 67 (70%) 90% 55 (74%) 86%

Below Acceptable Standard 33 (36%) 12% 29 (30%) 11% 21 (27%) 16%

NOTE: All scores appearing in Tables 1 - 17 are based on the Number of Students

writing the test. In all cases, percentages have been recorded to the nearest

whole number.

Table 2. Grade 9 K & E English Language Arts

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 19 1587 24 1657 1223

Writing 14 (74%) 82% 19 (79%) 80% 12 (79%) 80%

Absent 5 (26%) 13% 5 (21%) 14% N/A 14%

Excused 0 0 N/A

PAT Results:

Standard of Excellence 1 (7%) 9% 0 8% 0 4%




~ 8 ~

Table 3. Grade 9 Mathematics

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 101 21,184 102 39,454 76 38,586

Writing 91 (90%) 92% 96 (94%) 89% 70 (94%) 89%

Absent 9 (9%) 3% 13 (3%) 6% N/A 6%

Excused 1 (1%) 0.5% 3 (3%) 5% N/A 5%

PAT Results:

Standard of Excellence N/A N/A 11 (12%) 20% 7 (10%) 19%

Acceptable Standard N/A N/A 55 (57%) 73% 60 (86%) 75%

Below Acceptable Standard 41(43%) 26% 3 (5%) 26%

Table 4. Grade 9 K & E Mathematics

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 18 1,882 25 1,920 25 1,920

Writing 15 (83%) 87% 21 (84%) 87% 13 (93%) 88%

Absent 3 (17%) 8% 4 (16%) 7% 4 (16%) 7%

Excused 0 0 0

PAT Results:

Standard of Excellence 1 (7%) 17.5% 3 (14%) 18% 0 15%



Table 5. Grade 9 Science

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 103 40,805 110 39,844 N/A 39,205

Writing 95 (92%) 89% 105 (96%) 90% 93 (96%) 90%

Absent 7 (7%) 5% 2 (2%) 6% N/A N/A

Excused 1 (1%) 5% 3 (3%) 4% N/A N/A

PAT Results:





~ 9 ~

Table 6. Grade 9 K & E Science

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 21 1,519 21 1,566 N/A 1,297

Writing 16 (76%) 87% 18 (86%) 86% 11 (86%) N/A

Absent 5 (24%) 7% 3 (14%) 8% N/A N/A

Excused 0 0 0

PAT Results:

Standard of Excellence 2 (13%) 17% 5 (28%) 20% 0 17%



Table 7. Grade 9 Social Studies

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 112 41,069 118 39,826 118 38,842

Writing 96 (86%) 90% 106(90%) 90% 88 (90%) 90%

Absent 15 (%) 5% 9 (8%) 7% N/A N/A

Excused 1 (1%) 5% 3 (3%) 4% N/A N/A

PAT Results:




Table 8. Grade 9 K & E Social Studies

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Enrolled 21 1,550 21 1,579 14 1,277

Writing 15 (71%) 85% 18 (86%) 84% 13 (93%) N/A

Absent 6 (29%) 9% 3 14%) 10% 1 (7%) N/A

Excused 0 0 0

PAT Results:





~ 10 ~

In the time frame 2009-2014, Grade 9 results on PATs showed an overall increase in the

numbers and percentages of students achieving the Acceptable Standard in all four core subjects.

The most pronounced increase occurred in Grade 9 Math results. Results on KAE exams have

not sustained the same level of progress. The following information, developed by Vice-

Principal, Conal Donovan, summarizes the Grade 9 trends.

A Summary of PAT Results

LA 9

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 73.7% from the previous 3-year average of 72.3%.

KAE LA 9

The acceptable standard rate has dropped to 50%% from the previous year’s 87.5% and our

previous 3-year average of 60%.

Math 9

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 85.7%% from the previous year’s 73.3% and our

previous 3-year average of 62%.

KAE Math 9

The acceptable standard rate has declined from 53.8% to 62.5% in 2014, and our previous 3-year

average of 57.8%.

Science 9

The acceptable standard rate has declined to 64.5% from the previous year’s 77.2% but this is

still ahead of our previous 3-year average of 61.7%.

KAE Science 9

The acceptable standard rate has declined to 45.5% from the previous year’s 66.7% and our

previous 3-year average of 51.7%.

Social Studies 9

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 59.1%% from the previous year’s 57.1% and this is

significant improvement from our previous 3-year average of 48.9%.

KAE Social Studies 9

The acceptable standard rate has had a slight decline to 53.8%% from the previous year’s 60%

but this is significant improvement from our previous 3-year average of 45.4%.


~ 11 ~

Table 9. English Language Arts 30-1

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14


Number of Students 54 29,318 50 29,330 50 28,671

School Marks

Standard of Excellence 22% 31% 12% 30.5% 28% 31%

Acceptable Standard 96% 97% 98% 97% 98% 97%

Below Acceptable Standard 4% 3% 2% 3% 4% 3%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 7% 10% 8% 11% 8.0% 12%



Table 10. English Language Arts 30-2

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks

Standard of Excellence 0 10% 11% 11% 4% 14%


Below Acceptable Standard 9.0% 8.0% 14.0% 7.0% 4% 5%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 5.6% 9.8% 6.8% 10.7% 4% 13%

Acceptable Standard 81.5% 88.7% 86.4% 89.5% 89% 90%


Table 11. Social Studies 30-1

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks

Standard of Excellence 28% 35% 27% 36% 31% 38%


Below Acceptable Standard 5.0% 2.0% 0 2.0% 0 3%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 3% 16% 7% 14.9% 16% 14%




~ 12 ~

Table 12. Social Studies 30-2

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks




Diploma Marks




Table 13. Pure Mathematics 30

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks



Below Acceptable Standard 10% 5% 10% 5% 0 4%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 2.5% 29.7% 0 27.1% 10% 27%


Below Acceptable Standard 47% 17% 57% 18% 48% 0

Table 14. Physics 30

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks



Below Acceptable Standard 0 3% 15% 3% 17% 4%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 10% 20% 0 30% 33% 34%




~ 13 ~

Table 15. Chemistry 30

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks



Below Acceptable Standard 2% 4% 7% 4% 0 4%

Diploma Marks




Table 16. Biology 30

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks

Standard of Excellence 32.8% 39.7% 27.8% 42.0% 37% 44%



Diploma Marks




Table 17. Math 30-2

2009-10 2011-12 2013-14



School Marks



Below Acceptable Standard 0 8% 0 8% 5% 7%

Diploma Marks

Standard of Excellence 0 13% 0 10% 19% 15%




~ 14 ~

As with Grade 9 core subject results, the Diploma Exam results from 2010-2014 show

improvement in every subject area. The following information, developed by Vice-Principal

Conal Donovan, effectively summarizes the trends that are emerging in J.A. Williams’s Diploma

Exam results.

A Summary of PDE Results

English 30-1

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 80% from the previous year’s 63.6% and our previous

3-year average of 70.7%.

English 30-2

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 89.4% from the previous year’s 88.0.6% and our

previous 3-year average of 87.7%.

Math 30-1

The acceptable standard rate declined from 60% in 2013 to 51.7% in 2014, though participation

rates have increased in this PDE.

Math 30-2

The acceptable standard rate has declined to 81% from the previous year’s 92.6% but this is

significantly ahead of provincial average of 71.3%

Social 30-1

The acceptable standard rate has fallen to 62.5% from the previous year’s 75%, but our standards

of excellence in this category have risen to 15.6%, which is above provincial average.

Social 30-2

The acceptable standard rate had a negligible decline from 75.7% to 75.5%, but this is still above

our 3-year average of 73.5%; meanwhile, our standards of excellence have improved to 4.1%

from 2.9% the previous year.

Biology 30

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 91.8% from the previous year’s 84% and our previous

3-year average of 82.2%. Standards of excellence have risen to 30.6%, which is just below

provincial average of 31.7%.

Chemistry 30

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 75% from our previous 3-yr average of 56.6%.

Standards of excellence have risen to 25% from our previous 3yr average of 14.9%

Physics 30

The acceptable standard rate has risen to 72.2% from the previous year’s 61.9% and our previous

3-year average of 37.3%. Standards of excellence have risen to 33.3% from our previous 3-year

average of 9.1%.


~ 15 ~

FNMI Results for JA Williams School

In the three years since this Project began, the FNMI student population in JAWS has

risen from 45% – 60%. For that reason alone, this report will present more specific data on

FNMI student achievement.

On the J.A. Williams School FNMI Accountability Pillar Summary Report, achievement

was maintained or improved in all areas. The PDE Acceptable Standard rate improved to

78.3% from 70.7% in the previous year, and this was a significant improvement from the

previous 3-year average of 66.1%. It is also notable that the provincial average in this category

is 78.2%. This is a very good indicator of success, supported by an impressive increase in the

FNMI participation rate (students writing four or more PDEs) from 15.5% to 36.5%, as

compared to the provincial participation rate of 18.9%. More FNMI students are now writing

more PDEs at JAWS, and the percentage of students successful on these exams continues to

rise beyond provincial average.

40.8% of FNMI students achieved Rutherford eligibility, which is also higher than the

provincial average of 33%. The 6-year transition rate of 66.8% is more than double the

provincial average. However, the most important indicator is reflective of the school-wide

goal of improving high school completion. JAWS FNMI students have improved to 52.1%

from 43.1%, and this completion rate is higher than the provincial FNMI average of 43.6%.

Moreover, in Grade 9 results, acceptable standards rates have risen to 54.1%, which is now

above the provincial average of 40.9%.


~ 16 ~

Table 18. FNMI Acceptable Standards on PDEs

Table 19. FNMl Grade 9 PAT Acceptable Standards

90

80

70

60

50

40

JAWS

70

60

50

40

30

JAWS

20

10

0


~ 17 ~

Other School Data

Attendance It is virtually a truism of school improvement that academic results are directly linked to

attendance. However, it is never quite so clear which actions on the part of teachers and

school leaders are most likely to exert a positive influence over students’ (and parents’)

attitudes towards attendance.

From September – November, 2012 the attendance team in JAWS dealt with 69 at risk

students --- students who had reached 25% of missed classes. For the same period in the

following year, 41 students required attendance team attention. In the intervening time, the

school leadership team had activated a logic model that included a system for identifying

students who were poor attenders, then launched a 5-layer structure of supports and

interventions to identify why students were choosing to skip classes. In addition, a new team

was created to focus on attendance. The team was made up of the two assistant principals,

the two SAC workers, the SST coordinator and the FNMI worker. From September -

November 2014, 27 students made the list.

Table 20. Attendance

During 2013-2014, the following information relative to this high school completion

project was recorded by the school leadership team:

More teachers became committed to the idea that no students should be “allowed to fail’

any subject.

Most teachers were actively involved in the coaching program.

All teachers maintained their commitment to improve the value and authenticity of their

assessment practices.

Relations between school and parents improved. This was never more apparent than on

Graduation Day, when 1400 people attended a ceremony for 100 graduands.

69

41

27

Nov-12

Nov-13

Nov-14


~ 18 ~

Table 21. Discipline

Defiance

2010-2011 52 2011-2012 36 2012-2013 34 2013-2014 43 2014-2015 11

Fighting

2010-2011 20

2011-2012 36 2012-2013 20 2013-2014 22 2014-2015 2

Drugs and Alcohol

2010-2011 35 2011-2012 33

2012-2013 8 2013-2014 21 2014-2015 2

Expulsions

2010-2011 3 2011-2012 6 2012-2013 5 2013-2014 5

2014-2015 0

This table provides some insight into the depth and extent of the difficulties staff

members at JAWS face as they strive to help every student be a bit more successful. It is not

easy!


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Discussion

J. A. Williams High School has proven to be a well-chosen location for this high school

improvement initiative. It is located in a community that expects a lot from its local high school,

a community in which a majority of students and their families do not enjoy high socio-

economic status. The students, collectively, can present serious challenges. Many do not see

great value in high school completion; they often lack motivation to learn, or persevere. Many

others come into high school with limited skills, and negative attitudes. One of the reasons why

J.A. Williams was selected for this project was the persistence of low achievement and low

completion rates among JAWS students, extending over two decades.

In the name of school improvement, this high school completion project challenged

students, teachers, adult staff, parents, and educational leaders to think and act differently about

the part they can play in assuring their own high school success. By focusing on one big goal ---

high school completion --- school leaders were able, over time, to help create a sense of urgency

around the needs of students. Part of the cultural shift that enabled this project to produce

positive outcomes involved a change in focus from mostly just getting through each year to what

was best for students. Of course, that shift is not yet complete, but the most effective teachers in

JAWS are deeply committed to student success. Their comments to the effect that they “won’t let

students fail”, or they’ll “go the extra mile for their students” attest to this change in teacher

attitude that must be credited as an important factor in determining why this project has been as

successful as it has.

Not only did the project have a compelling goal, it also had some additional components

that aided success. The most valuable of these was the work of Dr. Pat Sachse, from the Alberta

Assessment Consortium. For two years her monthly visits to the school, and her workshops as

well, helped consolidate a staff commitment to coaching that became institutionalized. A model

of peer coaching, involving teachers and school leaders, continued in JAWS in a regular way

long after Dr. Sachse had moved to another position. While some teachers may not have received

a lot of benefit from participation in coaching, many others clearly did. The use of coaching was

a critical factor in de-privatizing classroom practice in JAWS; in helping spread new knowledge

and skills, particularly on the subject of assessment; and in helping more teachers help each other

improve their practice.

A third critical factor in assuring Project success was the work of the school leadership

team. In the space of three years, they went from being three individuals, each with his own way

of taking care of his leadership responsibilities, to an effective team, capable of setting clear

directions, managing conflict, dealing with ambiguity and engaging, when necessary, in strategic

conversations with staff members over behavior, attitudes, roles, and responsibilities. They

progressed to the point that they were able to lead a commitment to student learning, by focusing

on the needs, and the results, of every student in every class. In reality, they showed courage in

taking on essential elements of the leadership of learning in the school. At times, they may have

antagonized or upset other members of staff, but they could not be faulted for the strength of

their commitment to students.

Finally, all those teachers who were able to put the needs of students first gave the project

the vital energy it required. The project challenged staff members to think and act differently in

the face of a long history of failed efforts, frustration, lack of respect, lack of support, and a lack

of any certainty that the situation could be made better. Most staff members responded with a

strength of commitment that can only be called “outstanding”. Over three years, the quality of


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distributed leadership demonstrated by staff members impacted every layer and every corner of

the JAWS school culture. Without those efforts --- that level of dedication --- this project would

never have been successful.

On most measures, JAWS is an improving school. The steady increase in Provincial

Achievement Test and Diploma Exam results came about because teachers were more

purposeful, and accepted greater responsibility for the success of every student. Diploma Exam

data was identified at the beginning of the project as the most important indicator of goal-

achievement. The 2014 results confirm a positive trend was established and maintained over the

life of this project.

The improvements in FNMI student data also speak to a school becoming more capable

of dealing with issues and challenges that might not be found in every high school. The FNMI

population is growing in Lac La Biche schools. JAWS staff members have responded effectively

to that reality. It is quite possible that in its way of providing educational services to FNMI

students, JAWS has developed some practices, and applied some strategies that could be useful

to other schools across the province. As one example, the focus on positive behavior supports

encouraged more FNMI students to maintain attendance even as it helped teachers find more

productive alternatives to “suspend-and-punish” practices that have rarely worked well.

Conclusion

At the end of this project, the staff and students at JAWS have many reasons to celebrate,

not the least of which is the opening of a brand new J.A. Williams High School in the Bold

Centre complex. At first, the new school was going to be named Lac La Biche High School. That

was before a delegation of students from JAWS made a presentation to the Board of Northern

Lights School Division. The students asked the Board to reconsider the school’s name, arguing

to keep the name J.A. Williams High School. The Board members were persuaded by the

students’ arguments, and the former name was retained.

This opportunity to study a high school as it experiences cultural change has led me to

conclude that this is an area about which the educational community knows too little. Why is it

so difficult to achieve consensus around strategies for improving schools? Around commitment?

Around the role of school leaders, or teachers?

Frequent conversations and observations in the J.A. Williams school community,

conducted as part of my involvement in this project, have led me to some tentative conclusions.

1. School leadership is most important. Leaders must have the skills and knowledge to

lead improvement initiatives.

2. District leadership is almost as important as school leadership. When district leaders

are as obviously committed to success as school leaders, any initiative has a better

chance of accomplishing its goals.

3. Informal teacher leadership is a powerful force in high schools. The teachers who are

supposed to do the most to bring about improvement must be given sufficient say in

what will be done and, in many cases, how it will be done.

4. Language is important. The language used to plan, describe, and implement any

initiative can enhance or inhibit the likelihood of success. For example, the careless


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use of the word change can have dramatically negative repercussions in the school

setting. Teachers are plainly sick and tired of being told that they must change, with

its implication that what they have been doing is “all wrong”. School staffs have

developed many strategies for dealing with people who, they believe, are out to

change them. On the other hand, I sense that teachers are okay with the idea that they

can improve or refine their teaching practice, as a commitment to life-long learning is

something most Alberta teachers accept.

5. An improvement initiative should have a very clear focus, or purpose. The JAWS

project was as successful as it was because school leaders and staff were able to stay

focused on one simple goal --- high school completion.

6. Similarly, an initiative should have a limited number of strategies attached to it. The

JAWS project was successful because the focus on assessment was matched with

professional learning on the topic of assessment; coaching was mostly about methods

to enhance assessment; conversations between school leaders and teachers were often

about assessment; and site visits to other schools allowed JAWS teachers to observe

and discuss assessment practices. It has to do with having only a few “messages”, and

staying “on message”.

7. Those who would wish to help improve high schools should start with “an

assumption of competence” for all professional staff. Teachers and principals do not

want to work in under-performing environments but they often need extra support in

order to deal more effectively with their circumstances. Projects such as this one can

provide that kind of support. With support, and direction, even formerly-reluctant

teachers at JAWS made valuable contributions to high school completion when they

accepted the opportunity to step forward.

8. While it may not be realistic to expect most high schools to improve dramatically, it

seems to be very important to approach improvement initiatives from a perspective of

expectation. An underlying element of this project was that JAWS’ results were

expected to improve; school leaders were expected to become more effective;

teachers were expected to improve their practices; and students were expected to try

harder.

Improvement happens one district at a time, one school at a time, one teacher at a

time, and one student at a time.

.

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