Columbus Monthly / May 2011 / Upper Arlington: Schools

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Upper Arlington: Schools

21st-century students

 

The Upper Arlington City School District—consistently acclaimed for a tradition of excellence in academics, the arts, athletics and professional commitment of staff members—proudly upholds its mission “to prepare, inspire and empower all students to be lifelong learners and socially responsible citizens, able to communicate and to lead with confidence in an ever-changing global society.”

Since its establishment in 1918, Upper Arlington Schools has been a leader in education. For the 19th consecutive year, SchoolMatch bestowed UA with its “What Parents Want” award, given to only 10 percent of school districts nationwide. Upper Arlington Schools also achieved a perfect rating on the Ohio Department of Education’s report card for the 10th consecutive year.

Does all this success just happen? “No way!” says superintendent Dr. Jeffrey W. Weaver. “We are conscientious and careful about every move in the Upper Arlington Schools, and that’s because we are guided by our strategic plan, which helps with our vision of fulfilling the district’s mission.”

The outstanding staff also contributes to the success of Upper Arlington’s schools. School personnel are recognized by local, state and national professional organizations for contributions not only to students, but also to their professional peers. UA teachers have an average of 14 years of professional experience, and more than 70 percent have earned master’s degrees or higher.

The schools enjoy strong parental involvement and community support as well. Parent Teacher Organizations and school staff work hand in hand to find new and creative ways to bring education to life for students. This translates into noteworthy student achievement. Among the student accomplishments so far this school year:

• Seventeen UAHS students have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists, and one has been selected as a National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalist

• A Hastings Middle School student won the national Scholastic Book Clubs’ Essay Contest

• A UAHS senior won the 2010 TechColumbus Innovator Scholarship

• Three girls’ sports teams won state championships: water polo, team tennis, and swimming and diving.

 

Strategic planning

Strategic planning begins with a vision of a preferred future and succeeds with a process for achieving that future. “In Upper Arlington, our strategic plan is the beacon that guides our actions,” says associate superintendent Dr. Debora Binkley. “In keeping with the board’s directive to develop the district’s fourth strategic plan, a dedicated and industrious group of teachers, support staff, administrators, parents and community representatives convened for three arduous yet rewarding days of collaboration, commitment and camaraderie to forge a new direction through 2014.”

After the plan was developed, another group of educators and community members participated on eight teams to develop action plans. The eight strategies of the new plan, which may be viewed at uaschools.org, will provide specific directives for the district to successfully realize its vision and mission.

 

21st-century learning

Strategy two of the plan calls for the district to “develop and implement a systemic plan to imbed and support 21st-century skills in all areas.” When American students graduate from high school, they are thrust into a globally competitive world where the abilities to collaborate, design and solve problems are critical. Increasingly, jobs require flexibility and technological savvy, and project teams are fluid and demanding. With that in mind, Upper Arlington convened a committee of community members, business leaders and educators to devise a plan to prepare all students for this changing world.

Led by Ken Kay, executive director of EdLeader 21, this group identified the critical skills that spell success in the 21st century. Upper Arlington wants every student to be a communicator, complex thinker, collaborator, creative thinker and innovator, self-directed individual and global citizen.

Six 21st-Century Integration Coaches work with teachers to build educational experiences that challenge students and teach them new skills that support classroom content and prepare them to be future leaders. National educational organizations have recognized Upper Arlington as a progressive leader in education.

 

Service learning

The third strategy of UA’s strategic plan states: “We will provide opportunities for students to engage in meaningful community service, with instruction and reflection.” Service learning is a method of connecting community service to the classroom curriculum. Upper Arlington projects have created classroom connections to learning units about nutrition, economics, social studies, history, science, math and more.

Service learning takes a worthwhile act of service to a new level. Jeanne Gogolski, service learning coordinator, gives an example: Students who visit with World War II veterans are performing a service. Students who study World War II in their social studies class are learning. Students who visit with World War II veterans, document their stories and archive the stories at the state historical society are completing a service learning project. “You engage kids,” Gogolski says. “Not just their minds, but their hearts and then their hands.”

UA is a Learn and Serve Ohio Model District. Each year it receives this designation as well as a $30,000 grant for service learning projects. The schools and students have been recognized by numerous organizations for their outstanding projects. For example, UAHS and Hastings and Jones Middle Schools have been recognized as national leader schools. In November 2010, Barrington Elementary students received the Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy award from the Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals for their project benefiting ovarian cancer research. And ninth-grade classes at UAHS won this year’s State Farm Youth Leadership Excellence Award for Service-Learning for their “Lost Boys of Sudan” project.

 

Elementary schools

Barrington Elementary, built in 1939, recently completed an extensive renovation by adding a new library, gymnasium and several classrooms. Barrington offers two instructional choices: the Contemporary and the Informal programs, which “enable the faculty to best meet the individual needs of each student,” says principal Jason Fine. Both instructional methods follow the same curriculum and assess student progress through common state and district standards, while maintaining a focus on 21st-century learning.

Greensview Elementary, home to almost 400 students, is one of the most culturally diverse elementary schools in Upper Arlington. It has built a community of acceptance and a culture of family over the years. “Through monthly town meetings that are run by the students, we are able to share our social and academic learning celebrations together,” says principal Jason Wulf. “We constantly work to embrace and embed our character education program—P.R.I.D.E.: Positive Attitude, Respect, Integrity, Duty and Empathy—in our daily lessons.”

While rigorous and exciting learning takes place within the walls of Tremont Elementary School, students have opportunities to learn beyond Tremont as well. “Most notable is the recent addition of a community garden on the north side of the school,” says principal Tom Bates. Collaborative efforts among students, teachers, parents, the PTO and the school grounds crew have resulted in a raised-bed vegetable and flower garden. Science and math concepts are applied as students plant and tend to tomatoes, beets, eggplant, carrots, radishes, green beans and a variety of herbs. Families volunteer a week at a time to care for the garden during the summer months. When harvest time comes in the fall, many of the grown items are donated to local food pantries.

Windermere Elementary “is extremely proud of the opportunities offered to our students in a wide variety of career education and service learning projects,” says principal Steve Scarpitti. To kick off the year, all students were involved in service learning workshops during grade level assemblies with the guiding question, “How can you help?” Activities include the Spring Wish Run, Green Team, a food drive for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and making cards for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Windermere was in the national spotlight in November, when “CBS Sunday Morning” televised a morning kindergarten class for a segment on handwriting.

The Informal Program in Upper Arlington celebrates its 40th birthday next year, and Wickliffe Progressive Community School continues interpreting its philosophy in today’s educational setting. In 2005, Wickliffe began a partnership with the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero. Principal Chris Collaros explains, “The ‘Making Learning Visible’ study seeks to understand how documentation of student work deepens and extends learning for children and adults. In 2009, Wickliffe received a dissemination grant from the Ohio Department of Education for the purpose of sharing with others the work around documentation practices.” A staff-authored book and accompanying DVD entitled The Ohio Visible Learning Project: Stories from Wickliffe Progressive Community School will be published this spring.

 

Middle schools

For the past few years, Hastings and Jones middle schools have been implementing programs geared toward preparing students for life in the 21st century. The main vehicle to accomplish this readiness is the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. The IBMYP takes existing core content established by the state of Ohio and the Upper Arlington School District and increases its rigor through purposeful alignment of study and activities geared to enhancing student learning experiences. Upper Arlington’s emphasis on building 21st-century skills is embedded within each IBMYP unit of study.

“At Hastings Middle School, our learning community makes a commitment to excellence through three key tenets: character, challenge and community,” says principal Robb Gonda. Character education is undertaken through activities that promote open-mindedness, risk-taking and caring. The second tenet, embracing challenges, is seen in a rigorous curriculum that includes a comprehensive global language program at the sixth- through eighth-grade levels, as well as all courses implementing IBMYP units of study. The final piece of the puzzle is the celebration of community. “At monthly town hall meetings, our class officers and staff members recognize students who exemplify our Pillars of Ethical Behavior in and out of class through PAWS (Pillars Alive Within our School) awards,” Gonda explains. “This time is also used for student presentations and guest speakers to bring learning alive outside of the classroom.”

Jones Middle School is learning and growing as a community through the district’s defined 21st-century skills and IBMYP. “These overarching themes help teachers and students engage in relevant and authentic learning experiences in eight rigorous content areas,” says principal Matthew Petersen. The idea of design has permeated the curriculum as students have become designers of tennis shoes and chairs, singer/songwriters and creators of political campaigns and line dances. Through these projects, they learn not only the content in their classes, but also the skills required for success in this ever-changing society.

 

High school

“The faculty, staff and administration take great pride in the accomplishments of Upper Arlington High School students, and they have good reason to be proud,” says principal Kip Greenhill. “During the past two years, 34 students have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists and 41 have earned Commended Scholar status. This is the most of any public or private school in Central Ohio.”

UAHS students consistently score well on SAT and ACT college entrance exams, but ACT results in the past two years have been particularly impressive: Four of the five ACT scores established record highs for the class of 2009, and all five scores set new records in 2010.

Eighty-four percent of this year’s seniors have taken Advance Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes. “The rigorous coursework of IB, coupled with our AP offerings, ensures solid college and post-college preparation challenging all students,” says Greenhill. Each year, close to 95 percent of graduates move on to four-year colleges.

UAHS students also excel in areas beyond the classroom. The UAHS orchestra continues to earn the highest ratings given by the Ohio Music Education Association, and in 2010, three members were named to the National High School Honors Orchestra. The marching band has been selected to perform at the college national championship football game, and the vocal music program is recognized as one of the top programs in Ohio.

During the last two years, nine students have had their artwork exhibited as some of the top 25 art pieces in Ohio in the prestigious Governor’s Art Show.

Golden Bear athletes exceed as well, with more than 1,200 students—nearly 60 percent of the student population—participating in at least one sport. The UAHS athletic program offers 32 varsity sports alone and has won more state championships than any other high school in the state.

 

Special programs

­The Upper Arlington City School District extends its high-quality programs to full- and part-day preschool classes, as well as extended-day kindergarten at Burbank Early Childhood School. BECS is tuition-based and offers year-round programs beginning at age 2 1/2. Professional, long-tenured teachers provide rich learning opportunities in well-equipped and carefully planned classrooms. Children work individually or in small groups on projects involving reading, writing, math, science and social studies, while whole group time builds a sense of community and shared purpose. “Children learn best in a classroom that is rich in diversity and nurtures the whole family,” says BECS director Joe Coffey.

Another innovative service provided by UA Schools is the School-Age Child Care Program. Implemented in 1983 in response to the needs of the changing family, SACC provides a safe, supervised, before- and after-school program in each of the five elementary schools. The experienced staff initiates daily activities that are age-appropriate and free-choice based. With an average enrollment of 425 students annually, the program enables children to have a smooth transition from the classroom to the SACC day. Director Kathy Fickell assures working parents, “You will definitely have peace of mind knowing that your children are being cared for in a safe and fun environment.”

 

Educational support

From the time of its establishment in 1985 as one of the first public school foundations in the country, the Upper Arlington Education Foundation has been enriching the educational experiences of students in Upper Arlington City Schools. With proceeds from the annual Labor Day Weekend fundraiser, the Golden Bear Bash! and designated endowment funds, UAEF trustees are able to support students and staff who look to the foundation for funding of programs, technology and equipment that exceed the district’s budget.

“We like to think that the schools provide the meat and potatoes and we provide the gravy,” says UAEF executive director Joanie Dugger. “We are proud to be the organization to which the community may turn when help is needed to bring cutting-edge and innovative programs and projects to life.” With more than 40 endowment funds that were established for specific purposes and assets exceeding $1 million, the UAEF supports every school in the district with a wide variety of programming and projects. To learn more, visit uaeducationfoundation.com.

Upper Arlington’s Parent Teacher Organizations devote countless volunteer hours to promote the well-being and education of students and staff. The high school alone has more than 700 members in its organization. “Fundraising is a major function of the PTOs, to supplement the district’s budget for the schools. Some of the purchases made with PTO funds include playground equipment, classroom projectors and other technology such as Smart Boards,” says Patti Mikac, chair of the Council of PTO Presidents. Cultural arts activities, service learning projects, field trips, social events, beautification efforts and scholarships are other ways PTOs contribute to the success of UA Schools. “It may be a cliché, but it’s still so very true: We simply couldn’t do it without them,” says superintendent Weaver.

Support for many extra- and co-curricular programs doesn’t end with those organizations. UA parents contribute funds, equipment, resources and countless hours as members of athletic team booster clubs, UA Booster Club Inc., the Vocal Music Boosters and the Band and Orchestra Boosters, to mention just a few. As Weaver says, “An outstanding teaching staff, strong administrators and support personnel, motivated students and a caring community are responsible for the tradition and the excellence we continue to enjoy.” 

 

Dan Donovan is director of communications for Upper Arlington City Schools.