A4+Narrative

A4 Narrative

Narrative Introduction
toc Below you will find Draft 1.0 of the narrative that was created by the WCEA-WASC Core Team, temporarily formatted in this Wiki. All comments and edits should be included at the **bottom of the document** below the narrative. In order to allow for continuity of the document and clarity of revisions, all focus group members should write bulleted notes below the narrative.

Category A: Organization for Student Learning

A4: Staff Criterion

To What Extent... Are the school administration and staff qualified for their assigned responsibilities? Are the school administration and staff committed to the school’s philosophy and mission? Does the school administration and staff engage in ongoing spiritual and professional development that promotes student learning? Do the administration and staff lead by example and work to create a community of faith?


 * __Focus Group Findings__

Faculty, Staff, and Administrative Qualifications A key element for high student achievement is the quality of instruction. Moreau Catholic High School is proud of the depth and breadth of experience and qualifications of its teachers and staff. For the 2010-11 school year, of the sixty-nine (69) faculty members, fifty-five (55) have credentials while thirty-seven (37) have master’s degrees and two (2) have doctorates in their subject area. The faculty boasts a balance of experience with thirty members having five or fewer years experience, twenty-two having six to twenty years experience, and eighteen having more than twenty-one years of experience. In addition, Moreau Catholic takes pride in the fact that nine alumni serve as members of the faculty and staff.

Moreau Catholic High School maintains clear policies and procedures in the hiring of staff, instructors, and administrators. First and foremost, qualified faculty and staff are hired according to their credentials and experience. Candidates must also be mission appropriate; able to connect their own philosophy to Moreau Catholic’s Mission and capable of supporting it. In all hiring, a panel comprised of the Principal, Assistant Principal of Instruction, and the appropriate Department Chair screens candidates and conducts interviews. Whenever possible, candidates are required to teach a mock lesson during the interview process.

Beginning in 1999, a mentoring program was established for new teachers. Currently, new teachers undergo a three day New Teacher Orientation prior to teaching in the school. An introduction to the school’s Catholic and Holy Cross mission, effective teaching in the eighty-five minute period, and effective use of technology are key areas of focus. In the first year, a designated Lead Teacher provides ongoing meetings and mentoring for new teachers. In addition, Department Chairs and the Assistant Principal of Instruction are key resources of support for new teachers. The school has partnered with the East Bay BTSA consortium through Newark Unified School District to provide services and mentoring to new teachers. In addition, NCLB funds are used to help teachers access courses to clear their credentials and meet CLAD requirements. MCHS provides the means to implement professional development and the ongoing committment to our mission through a dedicated professional development fund and researching funding opportunities.

Commitment to Mission The school’s faculty and staff and focused and supportive of the school’s mission. A key element in the hiring of all facutly and staff is a candidate’s understanding of, ability, a willingness to support the mission of the school. Embedded within the New Teacher Orientation is an overview on the teachings of Blessed Basil Moreau and the philosophy of Holy Cross education. This relationship with Holy Cross is maintained with other Holy Cross schools through a formal and informal means. Faculty members have the opportunity to attend the annual Holy Cross Institute; an educational and networking event of Holy Cross schools from across the nation. At each Faculty Retreat a copy of the school’s Mission Statement is symbolically signed as the faculty enter into a new school year. This signifies a deep understanding of the mission of the school, support of it as a Catholic and Holy Cross educator, and imparting it to students as part of their ongoing formation. This signed statements is prominently displayed in the Main Office. Copies of the Mission are displayed in each office and classroom.

Professional Supervision Moreau Catholic High School employs a supervision and evaluation process that promotes collegiality and professional growth. With a focus on constant professional reflection and improvement, faculty are encouraged to improve their practice through peer observations, self-reflection (via Curriculum Mapping) of their curriculum, and formal observations by Department Chairs and school administration. At the conclusion of each semester, students are asked to complete course evaluations. This data is reviewed to identify trends among individual teachers, across courses, and across departments. Data is shared with individual teachers for reflection, as well as with the department, as a whole. This data along with grade spread data and D/F grade data is used by departments for goal setting, to monitor completion of strategic plan goals, and to encourage ongoing improvement.

Professional Development <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moreau Catholic High School maintains a firm and resolute conviction that teachers, counselors, and administrators continually develop their professional expertise. Through the use of the school’s professional development account, to the access of NCLB funds, the school encourages requests for professional development.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The school is committed to professional development for faculty, staff, and administrators. Each Spring, the Principal conducts one-on-one interviews with each faculty and staff member to gauge their own professional growth and development. Each faculty member is responsible for their own annual Professional Development Plan (PDP) and asked to submit their plan to the Assistant Principal of Instruction. The focus of the PDP is to enhance teacher’s instructional practice with focus on improving student learning and achievement of the ESLRs. Buoyed by substantially internal professional development funds and funding through No Child Left Behind, Moreau Catholic educators have consistently utilized these funds for attendance at workshops, conferences, and face-to-face/online learning. Each year, faculty in every department attend conferences, workshops, and classes to help improve their practice.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, the faculty engages in whole group learning. Led by the Library team, teachers’ innovative uses of technology tools are spotlighted in short video segments on our webpage (“Teacher Features”) and at faculty meetings with “Tech Roundtables”- this is a unique opportunity for teachers to share expertise and learn from their peers. Over the course of the past two years, the faculty has engaged in topical summer reading and discussions around the issues of homework and grading as part of a Diocesan focus on grading and assessment. During the 2010-11 school year, the entire faculty read Cathy Vatterott’s “Rethinking Homework” and discussed the efficacy of homework policies and practice as it relates to student learning, motivation, and stress within their departments During the 2011-12 school year, the faculty read Ken O’Connor’s “Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades” and spent time examining grading practices in order to identify those that most directly reflect what students know and have learned. All faculty participated in a Diocesan Professional Development day featuring department specific discussions around grading facilitated by Dr. Thomas Guskey. The purpose of the reading and diocesan-wide discussion was to foster individual reflection and discussion at each school site. From individual subject area focus to whole faculty discussions, <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Moreau Catholic educators are constantly engaged in a process of learning and development. Faculty meetings were restructured this year to include a faculty/staff education staff education component. Including 4 dedicated staff development days, this provided the faculty with 16 staff development opportunities over the course of the year.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Leading by Example <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From the administration to non-teaching staff, all work to create a strong community of faith at Moreau Catholic. Administration, faculty, and staff regularly attend and participate in retreats; sharing their faith journeys with students, engage in service projects as part of service learning and the school’s immersion programs, and are active participants and leaders in the school’s liturgies. Embracing a philosophy that all are Holy Cross educators, each adult member of the Moreau Catholic community strives to role model the Holy Cross charisms of educating hearts and minds, building respect, being family, and bringing hope. The adult members of the community actively reach out to support and interact with students as coaches or club moderators and seek to impart lessons beyond the classroom by role modeling respect, actively building community, and being hope filled individuals. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">__Evidence__


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Budget for professional development


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Application process for professional development funds reflects the desire of the school to promote student attainment of ESLRS.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hayward Educational Foundation funds


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">NCLB funding


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Online professional development.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Library staff (available to assist with learning new technologies)


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">results of parent/student survey to teachers and staff for review and evaluation.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Course Evaluations


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Classroom observations.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teacher staff participation/involvement in co-curricular activities.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Personnel files and the statistics.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">WASC Profile Forms.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Professional Development participation.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Classroom observations by administration, department heads, and colleagues.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Course Evaluations.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Job description "binder"


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moreau Catholic learning community mission statement.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Annual survey from Diocese.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Admin and dept leader's observation and appraisals of staff performance.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our communication with the community: Website, On Course, PowerSchool, Back to School Night, 24-hour communication response policy, Updating grades in PowerSchool, Moodle.


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our engagement in ongoing spiritual and professional development, through staff participation in retreats, faith formation opportunities, professional development, Holy Cross Associates, Holy Cross Institute programs, weekly and monthly masses, faculty/staff retreat, community service projects, moderate clubs, committee participation ||

**Focus Group Comments**
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Annually, teachers submit their plan to the Assistant Principal of Instruction. (We don't believe this is true.) See edit- teachers are asked to turn in their plans. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the 2010-11 school year, the entire faculty read Cathy Vatterott’s “Rethinking Homework” and discussed the efficacy of homework policies and practice as it relates to student learning, motivation, and stress. (We may have read it, but there was not a discussion as a faculty.) Correct- discussions were directed to take place in departments.

Give more context to school-wide PDP readings "Rethinking Homework" and "Repair Kit for Grading". Provide opportunity for discussion/questions regarding current homework/grading policies. Read in preparation for secondary diocesan staff day. Might consider specifying when a school-wide discussion may occur. Done