Accreditation for Growth
Self-Study Document
for
Selinsgrove Area High School
Representing the combined efforts of
the faculty, administration, students, and
parents of our school
November 15, 2007
This document was prepared with the assistance and contributions of the members of the Selinsgrove Area High School Middle States Planning Committee. All deserve recognition and appreciation, and so are listed here:
Internal Coordinators
Mr. Larry Lawson
Mrs. Donna Gavitt
Administration
Mr. Reed Messmore, Principal
Mr. Charles Longwell, Assistant Principal
Mr. Chad Cohrs, Curriculum Coordinator
Department Representatives
Mr. Alex Gruenberg, Language Arts
Mr. Joe Schmitt, Mathematics
Mrs. Tracy Hepner, Science
Mr. Bill Switala, Social Studies
Additional At-Large Faculty
Mr. Ray Moyer, Mathematics
Mrs. Truly Zimmerman, Social Studies
Students
Mr. P. J. Adams, Class of 2008
Ms. Abby Yavorek, Class of 2009
Representative of SASD Board
Dr. Jeff Whitman
Parents
Mrs. Annette Gray
Mr. Garth Shipman
Mrs. Karen Stauffer
Community
Ms. Christine Jaegers (also a parent)
Mr. Chris Markle (also a parent)
Table of Contents
Section A: The Context of the Institution 6
A.1 – The geography, history, and demographics of Selinsgrove and surrounding communities 6
The Selinsgrove Area School District 7
The history of the Selinsgrove Area High School facility 7
Social, economic, and political factors that affect our ability to achieve our mission, as
well as our growth and improvement objectives 7
The climate for teaching and learning in Selinsgrove Area High School 8
Selinsgrove’s professional and support staffs 8
Selinsgrove’s student population 8
Locally developed assessments 9
Unique components of the educational system 9
Financial resources 10
Key trends and/or changes in the institution’s community 10
Relationship of AFG to other institutional initiatives 11
Other programs involving parents and the community in the school’s decision-making
and planning process 11
Section B: Self-Assessment of the Middle States Standards for Accreditation 12
B.1 – The Standards Self-Assessment Process 12
B.2 – Relationship of Standards to the Content of the Plan for Growth and Improvement 13
B.3 – The Standards Self-Assessment Report 14
The survey process 14
Standard #1 – Philosophy, Mission, Beliefs, Objectives 14
Standard #2 – Governance and Leadership 18
Standard #3 – Organizational Design and Staff 21
Standard #4 – Educational Programs 26
Standard #5 – Learning Media and Technology 29
Standard #6 – Student Services 33
Standard #7 – Student Life and Student Activities 39
Standard #9 – Health and Safety 45
Standard #11 – Assessment of Student Learning 53
Section C: The Planning Process 59
C.1 – Commitment Form 59
C.2 – Composition of the Planning Team 60
C.3 – Planning Team Operation 63
How the Planning Team makes decisions 64
The role of the Planning Team in current and ongoing education growth and
improvement activities 64
Orientation of new Planning Team members 65
Relationship of the Planning Team to Action Plan and Implementation Teams 65
Leading the community in celebrating our successes 66
C.4 – Planning Team Feedback 67
C.5 – Role of Administration 70
C.6 – Role of the Governing Body 70
C.7 – Role of the Internal Coordinators 70
C.8 – Role of the External Coordinator 71
C.9 – Communication and Awareness Activities 71
Methods used to inform constituent groups on the planning process and the
content of the plan 71
The initial survey 73
Indicators of the institution’s and the community’s awareness of the planning
process and the content of the plan 74
Ways in which Selinsgrove Area High School has encouraged two-way communication
and input into the plan 75
Initial communications and future plans 75
Communicating and celebrating the success of Selinsgrove Area H. S. 76
Communication between the Planning Team, the Action Plan Teams, and the
Implementation Teams 76
C.10 / C.11 – Action Plan and Implementation Plan Teams 77
Selection of members for each Action Plan team 77
Members of each Action Plan team 77
Roles and responsibilities of the Action Plan teams 78
C.12 – Annual Review Process 79
Section D: The Content of the Plan 80
D.1 – Relationship to the Strategic Plan 80
Summary of the Strategic Plan 80
D.2 – Institution’s Mission Statement 81
D.3 – Institution’s Beliefs 82
D.4 – Profile of the Selinsgrove Area High School graduate 83
D.5 – Accreditation for Growth Student Performance Objectives 84
Rationale 84
D.5b – Technical Reviews, as completed by Middle States Staff 88
D.5c – Student Performance Objectives, with updated data 111
D.5d – Copies of Assessment Tools Used To Measure Each Objective 113
D.6 – Internal Scan (Optional) 114
D.7 – External Scan (Optional) 114
D.8 – Non-Accreditation for Growth Objectives 115
How the Action Plans were developed 116
How the Action Plans support the mission and objectives 116
How the necessary resources will be committed to ensure the success of each
Action Plan 116
Action Plan 1.1 118
Action Plan 1.2 119
Action Plan 1.3 120
Action Plan 1.4 120
Action Plan 1.5 121
Action Plan 1.6 123
Action Plan 2.1 124
Action Plan 2.2 124
Action Plan 2.3 126
Action Plan 2.4 127
Specific Comments from Faculty Survey regarding Middle States Standards 128
Specific Comments from Parent Survey Regarding Middle States Standards 141
Specific Comments from Student Survey Regarding Middle States Standards 146 Specific Comments from Initial Community survey (“external scan”) 153