Adminstrative Assistant Re-Approval Self Study

Administrative Assistant Re-Approval Self Study

12. Describe the student attendance policy.

Every student has a right to educational opportunities that will help develop his or her fullest potential. Regular attendance maximizes the student's interaction with his or her teachers and peers, contributes to increased academic achievement and is a prime factor in school success.

Successful implementation of any attendance policy requires cooperation among all members of the educational community, including parents, students, teachers, administrators, and support staff.

Good attendance, along with good instruction, enables a student to:

Under the New York State Education Law, parents are responsible for the regular attendance of their children.

13. Describe the following: graduation requirements, promotion requirements and/or retention policies.

A student must fulfill all diploma and test requirements to receive a diploma. To earn a diploma, students must earn the following:

English 4 units

Social Studies 4 units

Math 3 units

Science 3 units

Health ½ unit

Art/Music/DDP 1 unit

Foreign Language 1 unit

Physical education 2 units

Sequence, Course and Electives 3.5 units

Total 22 credits

A minimum of 5 points is required each school year to move up to the next grade

Students who are otherwise eligible to receive a high school diploma in June 2015 and thereafter must take and pass four required Regents Exams or Department-approved alternative assessments (one in each of the following subjects: English, math, science, and social studies) and either pass a comparably rigorous assessment for a fifth required exam, or in lieu of a fifth exam, complete the requirements to earn the CDOS Commencement Credential. Students may meet the fifth assessment required for graduation by passing a Department-Approved Pathway Assessment in Career and Technical Education (CTE) following successful completion of a CTE program approved pursuant to §100.5(d)(6) of Commissioner’s regulations. The following assessments and cut score requirements have been approved for use as Department-Approved Pathway Assessments in CTE.

The Microsoft Office Specialist tests require at least a 700 to pass.

14. Describe the philosophy, process and/or procedures utilized in the development of the master schedule. Please include the student course selection process, development of the master schedule and resolution of scheduling conflicts.

Students meet annually with a guidance counselor to discuss the specific graduation requirements and the student’s career goals. Once the courses are selected they are inputted by the Guidance Counselors into the SCSD master system called Infinite Campus. The master schedule is then produced and conflicts are resolved manually by the Guidance Counselors. The philosophy will remain the same though some procedures and details might change.

15. Describe the school's procedures for monitoring student progress (e.g., deficiency reporting, grade reporting, competency reporting).

Students receive an Interim Progress Report halfway through the quarter (approximately 10 weeks). The progress is entered into the Infinite Campus system by the teachers and mailed to the parents.

Parents that have registered for the Parent Portal also receive real time updates instantly and may check their child's grades at their convenience.

Students also have access to Infinites Campus and can download an app to view teacher grade books, attendance and discipline information. The app can also send alerts to students phones when grades and attendance data is entered.

16. Describe the school's homework policy.

The school has no official homework policy. It is at the discretion of the individual teacher.

17. Describe the school's response to educational reform initiatives and explain how it has affected or will affect the instructional delivery system.

The District Administration and the Teacher’s Union have been proactive in response to educational reform. Our building has been working with the NYU-Technical Assistance Center on Disproportionality to examine our discipline procedures and policies.

At the high school level we have been using the Power of Peace. This is a Student Leadership and anti-bullying program. We also have a Peer Mediation Program and Restorative Circles Initiative (targeting students attendance improvement).

We have also been at the forefront of teaching students with trauma, and are a trauma sensitive school. We are currently reading "Help for Billy" at the high school level which provides teachers essential methods for addressing the school-room behavior of the child with complex trauma. Some initiatives around this at SHS are our "Iceberg room" and mindfulness in the classroom and schoolwide books study.

The SCSD and SFT have worked together to come up with numerous APPR plans and revisions as the rules have changed in very fluid ways. Many of these top-down reforms from NYSED and the Federal Department of Education have had very detrimental effects on the students in our programs. Additionally the persistent underfunding of the Schenectady City School district by New York to the tune of over 50 million dollars each year has eroded our programs and opportunities for students in very serious ways.

18. Describe the school’s curriculum development process.

The Director of Instructional Support oversees all curriculum development. In addition, there is a new Council on Professional Practices and Growth, replacing the old curriculum committees, made up of the Director of Instructional Support, elementary and secondary level teachers and administrators and district-wide administrators chosen collaboratively by the President of the SFT and the Director of Instructional Support. This committee meets monthly and on an as needed basis to ensure a continuous improvement and development of curriculum in the School District. All curriculum is developed in accordance with the New York State Standards and other appropriate measurements.

Within the Administrative Assistant program we use the NYS curriculum guide for Career and Financial Management and the college syllabi to develop the curriculum. From these, the business department develops UBD unit plans that are mapped to CC and other appropriate standards. From these unit plans, lesson plans are developed based on the individualized needs of the students within the classes.

19. Describe the level of budgetary support of the curriculum development process.

The process of supporting the curriculum development initiatives is recognized as a critical process in the overall development of student program offerings and achievement. This area is given the full support of the District Administration as well as the School Board.

20. Describe the school’s equipment replacement and modernization plan which includes physical plant considerations.

Infrastructure renovations in present facilities are regularly assessed and include compliance with state and ADA codes, as well as upgrades such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, replacement of furniture and flooring.

21. Provide the school’s educational technology plan.

Technology Plan 2013-2016

22. Explain how adequate time is provided to ensure that an integrated program is ensured and that program objectives are met in the following areas: applied academics, technical education, student services, special education, student support services, student activities, English as a second language, and bilingual education.

Though we do not offer any integrated classes as the state defines them, we do have SPED and could have ELL students integrated within our CTE classes at any time. Students are provided with many after school programs to ensure that program objectives are met. ESL and Special Ed Students are integrated into classes where teachers apply multiple teaching techniques to reach a diversified student body.

23. Explain how the school encourages innovative and experimental programs designed to serve the needs of students and to contribute to the school’s stated mission.

The plan reflects changes in philosophy as well as programming changes and new initiatives, organizational and structural changes, increased resources and supports, increased staffing and enhanced professional development.

To Improve the School Environment and Student Behavior:

24. Explain how Individual Education Plans are implemented and maintained on file for each special needs student.

II. Educational Program: Self-Study Narrative - Part II must be completed by each department within the school responsible for curriculum and the delivery of instruction. That includes, but is not limited to, technical, academic, bilingual, special education, and other or unique programs.

Curriculum

1. Describe the school’s technology plan and explain how it is consistent with the school’s mission and curriculum.

2. Describe how the Program Advisory Committee is effectively utilized to recommend program modifications based on changing technology; assist with the development of an equipment acquisition plan; assist in the development of the educational technology plan; review both the technical and academic curricula and communicate recommendations to the appropriate authority.

The Administrative Assistant Advisory committee meets three times during the school year. The committee is committed to achieving all of the objectives required to ensure the program’s success.

3. List the names of advisory committee members by program. Include their titles and business affiliations.

4. Describe how advisory committee minutes are developed and maintained.

Minutes will be maintained by the scribe of the advisory committee. A section of the CTE website includes the minutes.

5. Explain how the program design ensures that every student, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity and disabling condition is offered a quality education.

The academic portions of the Administrative Assistant Program combine the skills needed to function independently in the workplace through a curriculum designed to align with the current NYS Learning Standards. This provides all students with the skills necessary to be successful in the workforce. Resources are available to meet students’ individual needs regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or handicapping condition.

6. Describe the process used to devise, update and revise or modify scope and sequences for your program.

The business teachers will seek continuous improvement by modifying the scope, sequence and levels of curriculum to meet the needs of the population. The advisory committee will make recommendations on the curriculum to meet industry and business standards. Updates, revisions, and modifications will be done in a like manner and with input from the advisory committee.

7. Explain how your curriculum design creates opportunities for students to understand educational expectations, to receive recognition for achievement, and guidance to improve performance.

The Administrative Assistant program will provide clear and concise expectations to all students.

Course Content to the extent possible, is available online.

During opening days of school students will be provided with the following:

These expectations are further reinforced through timely meetings between teacher, student, guidance counselor, social worker and psychologist.

The Administrative Assistant program will provide students with the opportunity to receive accolades for their achievement on a regular basis. The utilization of interpersonal communication skills between teacher and student will foster an environment that allows for verbal, non-verbal and written feedback concerning student performance. The feedback is delivered individually, in small groups and to the class as a whole. Further recognition of achievement is given by:

The Administrative Assistant program will also provide ample guidance for the improvement of student performance. Students will receive constructive reviews of their performance. This feedback will be delivered in a tactful and efficient manner that boosters student confidence as they continue to progress in the proper direction. Additional reinforcement will be provided by:

8. Describe the competency based system utilized and how it is built upon clearly defined duties and/or tasks.

We will utilize and align the NYS Standard competencies with the curriculum to clearly define duties and/or tasks.

9. Describe how you, as a department, provide for expected student outcomes through your instructional design.

The culinary arts program utilizes the following learning outcomes when creating instructional design:

10. Describe how co-curricular activities within your program are provided to enhance students’ leadership, self-esteem and career awareness.

Students will gain exposure to the business world by working in a team, applying leadership skills as a part of a curriculum and through guest speakers, field experiences and/or internships at local businesses. These experiences help students develop their technical, academic and employability skills.

11. Describe how your instructional program is designed to meet the licensure or certification requirements.

The Administrative Assistant program is designed to meet the competencies aligned with the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Exams and NOCTI’s Workplace Readiness Test. Students are required to pass the Microsoft Office Specialist in Word, PowerPoint or Excel at the completion of the Advanced Microsoft Office course and the NOCTI at the completion of the program.

12. Describe procedures used in your program to promote student participation in school-to-work and cooperative work experiences. (Refer to I.6.)

One of our business teachers has just completed the coursework to be certified to teach the CEIP course to revamp and re-introduce our school-to-work and cooperative work experiences for our students at SHS.

13. Explain those affiliations and/or articulation (i.e., Tech Prep) agreements appropriate to your program.

We have an articulation agreement with Schenectady County Community College. Students who complete the Administrative Assisting Program will have earned 12 college credits.

Instruction

14. Explain how the design of your instructional program reflects the mission of the school.

By offering students real world experiences and exposure to the business world students are given the opportunity to become responsible members of society through a system characterized by those defined in the school district’s mission.

15. Describe the strategies used within your program which provide for the integration of academic and technical instruction.

Below are the strategies used to provide for the integration of academic and technical instructions:

Help students to prepare for learning.

Establish the importance of the topic and the connection to what has been previously learned. Help the student to use prior knowledge about the topic through such questions as What do I already know about the topic?, What do I need to learn?, How does what I will learn relate to what I already know?, What is important about what I will learn?

Help students to organize learning. Show connections among new ideas and prior knowledge, and show how the new knowledge is organized and how parts are related. Call attention to key concepts and issues, and ask students to elaborate on what they are doing.

Help students to control their own learning. Assist students in acquiring the capability to plan their own activity, reflect on their performance, monitor success or failure, alter responses, and take corrective action. Help students to become aware of factors that affect their own thinking, and to take control of their own thinking. Have students identify what they already know and what they need to know. Have students identify the assumptions that they are making, and engage students in self-questioning. Have students determine what cues to look for, and how to tell if a task is satisfactorily completed.

Help students to attach meaning. Ask "why" questions; have students organize what they know into structures. Have students explain differences between their initial ideas and what actually happened, and to compare their explanations with formal explanations. Have students identify and compare their own problem-solving processes with those of an expert, or another student. Have students integrate their ideas into a body of prior knowledge. Encourage generalizations to other situations.

Help students to use learning. Relate what they already know to the to-be-learned information; ask students to go beyond the immediate problem originally addressed to solve related problems. Move in a series of steps to problems that are different from the first problem. Include activities requiring students to use new ideas in multiple contexts. Use the same learning to develop new ideas; have students construct solutions to new problems by recalling concepts previously learned.

16. Describe how teachers are fully utilizing available technology in their planning, teaching, and data collection, analysis and reporting.

Teachers utilize the following techniques:

17. Explain how the application of computers is integrated within your instructional program.

There are many opportunities to integrate technology into the instructional program by providing opportunities for students to use hardware and software for classroom learning experiences. Some examples include the following:

18. Explain how the learning resources required to implement your instructional program are made available to and utilized by you.

Learning resources are made available through a variety of methods including funding for textbooks and other resource materials through various grant programs.

19. Describe how you demonstrate creativity and initiative and utilize a variety of resources in the delivery of your instructional program.

A variety of resources are utilized to reach students at various levels of learning as well as on multiple intelligence levels. Integrating projects and student interests in the Administrative Assistant courses have allowed for a variety of resources to be used in the delivery of instruction.

20. Explain how instructional materials are developed to address a variety of learning styles and ability levels.

Instructional materials are developed with an emphasis on developing the skills necessary to create meaningful hands-on projects that builds on the skills learned. When presenting information a variety of techniques are utilized to insure that student needs will be addressed based on their learning styles. The learning styles considered as follows:

21. Where applicable, explain how you provide safety instruction, instruction in hazardous chemical awareness, and written and applied safety testing.

In the computer skills course student learn about proper keyboard posture and safety procedures for school are reviewed in all courses.

22. Explain how you utilize IEPs or /504 Plans to maximize students’ success in your program.

The teachers work closely with the Special Ed teachers to insure that the IEPs or 504 Plans are being utilized and that the student is realizing the benefits from the modifications.

Evaluation

23. Explain the student assessment measures you have established to measure the attainment of expected performance levels in your program.

A variety of methods are utilized including student self-assessment, peer-to-peer evaluations, teachers developed tests, textbook exams, industry certification exams, performance-based activities and standardized tests.

24. Explain what measures you have instituted regarding the evaluation of student performance and how they are reviewed periodically to measure student achievement, design curriculum improvement strategies, and improve teaching and learning.

Benchmarks for student achievement and continuous improvement are established to ensure that measured learning is increased year over year. This is done by enhancing the curriculum and teaching techniques each year to improve results.

25. Describe the process you use to review your program(s) to guarantee effective program design.

The program is reviewed annually by the teachers, school and principals, the department coordinator and the Advisory committee.

26. If your state requires high stakes tests, report the testing program score results since the last decennial visit by year, by educational program and by subject area. Indicate how those results impacted the school’s educational program to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

Applied Technology Centers have student populations that are not recorded by state high stake testing programs. That, however, does not excuse the Center from having an assessment program of its own which measures the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

27. In detail, describe how your school assesses the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Provide evidence that your school has implemented an assessment program designed to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning in all educational program areas.

28. Describe the methods/types of assessments and the sources of data used by the school to determine the attainment of student academic and technical achievement.

29. Explain how the school currently evaluates its assessment program and list any possible changes for the future. Give timelines for such changes.

The school evaluates its assessment program through the analysis of the results achieved through standardized testing including the Regents Exams. These results are matched to teacher focused assessments and modifications are made as necessary.

The school has recently begun utilizing and training teachers on PerformancePlus as a way to evaluate its assessment program. This has allowed core content areas to give common assessment on a regular basis.

30. Explain the process utilized to communicate assessment results to parents, community members, teachers and governing boards.

Parent Portal enables parents to get daily access to their children’s school information including attendance records, grades, class work, discipline referrals, teacher contact information and more from their home computers. Students may also access the data through Parent Portal. The district website as well as individual teacher websites are available to communicate information and results of assessments to parents.

In addition, the teachers utilize a variety of methods to communicate assessment results, including, AIS notification, CSE reports, interim reports, report cards, phone calls, email and letters home to parents. The PerformancePlus system allows teachers to access student test data

31. Describe how assessment results have been used to systematically improve teaching and learning. Cite examples of changes that have been made in curriculum and instruction in the last three years due to analysis of student and school performance data.

32. Indicate who is responsible for ensuring that assessment results and data sources are organized, analyzed, interpreted, reported and utilized in the evaluation of curriculum and instruction.

There is a curriculum review committee that is charged with continuous improvement of curriculum to match assessment results. This committee utilizes data from a variety of sources to analyze and interpret the impact that the curriculum has on the results.

Communication

33. Describe parental involvement in the IEP team process.

Parents are included in the initial process as well as the ongoing evaluation of the student.

34. Explain what measures are taken to insure that parents understand the program developed by the IEP process.

The special education teachers work closely with the parents and other interested parties to ensure that they fully understand the program being administered for his or her child.

III. Follow-up to Previous Evaluations - Part III must be completed by each department within the school responsible for curriculum and the delivery of instruction. That includes, but is not limited to, technical, academic, bilingual, special education, and other or unique programs.

1. Describe changes in your curriculum and instruction over the last three years and the rationale prompting those changes, i.e., previous accreditation evaluations, state educational agency reports, legislation, state or local assessments of teaching and learning effectiveness, follow-up studies, needs assessments, advisory committee recommendations, etc. (Specify the source of the impetus for change.)

Curriculum in the Administrative Assistant Program will be constantly reviewed and revised. Because most of these courses are College in High School Courses offered in conjunction with SCCC there has not been any changes to the curriculum in the last three years. However, during a recent meeting for adjunct instructors at SCCC we learned that they are in the process of proposing changes to the curriculum. We will be working to make those changes to our courses once changes are approved and become official. Instruction continues to evolve and change to meet the needs of the student group and class needs.

2. Describe any recommendations of more than three years standing resulting from accreditation evaluations that have not been implemented and indicate the rationale for those decisions.

Not Applicable

IV. School Initiatives - Part IV must be completed by each department within the school responsible for curriculum and the delivery of instruction. That includes, but is not limited to, technical, academic, bilingual, special education, and other or unique programs. Additionally, Part IV should be completed by the individual(s) most familiar with the overall curricula and the instructional delivery system of the school district. This should be written from a systemic and summative perspective.

Identify any existing or planned program restructuring or other reform initiatives which have implications for the curriculum. Describe the implications for curriculum and/or instruction for each of these initiatives and provide timelines for the changes.

The plan reflects changes in philosophy as well as programming changes and new initiatives, organizational and structural changes, increased resources and supports, increased staffing and enhanced professional development. The whole district recently completed a restructuring in its elementary and middle schools which will have a ripple effect on the High School Programs

Major education strategies include developing:

To Improve the School Environment and Student Behavior:

Employment Strategies:

V. Summary - Part V must be completed by the individual who answered the self-study questionnaire under Roman Numeral I and by each department within the school responsible for curriculum and the delivery of instruction who responded to the self-study questionnaire Roman Numeral II, III and IV. That includes, but is not limited to, technical, academic, bilingual, special education, and other or unique programs. Additionally, Part V should be completed by the individual(s) most familiar with the overall curricula and the instructional delivery system of the school district. This summary should be written from a systemic and summative perspective.

1. Strengths/Commendations

List and prioritize major strengths or areas that warrant commendations with regard to this standard. Identify efforts which will be expended to maintain these.

2. Concerns/Problems to be Addressed

List the major concerns, needs or problems that have been identified in the questionnaire.

3. Recommendations to Resolve Concerns/Problems

List and prioritize major recommendations to address the identified needs, concerns or problems as they relate to maintaining strengths and addressing concerns.

4. Adherence to the Standard

VI. Materials for Accreditation Team

Program of Studies for the current school year

Teacher Handbook

Student Handbook

School Brochure/Pamphlets/Flyers

Competency based curriculum

Vocational Technical Task Listings

Scope and Sequences/Course Outlines

Competency Lists

Master Schedule

Faculty Contracts

Advisory Committee Agendas and Minutes

Advisory Committee Attendance Record by Program

System wide Assessment Batteries

School Technology Plan