low enrolment secondary school focus group meeting

Educating for Success!

Low Enrolment Secondary SchoolFocus Group Meeting

Clarke High School

Kawartha Pine Ridge DSBFebruary 9, 2015


Clarke High SchoolFocus Group Participants

February 9, 2015

Trustee Cathy Abraham Chairperson of the Board, Municipality of ClaringtonSarah Bobka Municipality of Clarington

KPRDSB Silvia Grdovic Principal, Clarke High School (CHS)

KPRDSB Roberta Youngs-Ransom Vice-Principal, CHS

KPRDSB Karen Duke Principal, The Pines Sr. PS

KPRDSB Kelly Potts Principal, Newcastle PS

KPRDSB Lynn Prince Principal, Orono PS

KPRDSB Susan Wilks Principal, Kirby Centennial PS

School Council Joanne Clark CHS

School Council Jody Darrach CHS

School Council Shane Hartwell CHS

School Council Carrie Barr Kirby Centennial PS

School Council Robin Blesse The Pines Sr. PS

School Council Julie Kellman Newcastle PS

Municipal Carlos Salazar Municipality of Clarington,

Community Member Jane Black Newcastle & District Chamber of Commerce

Student Jacob Burnett, CHS

Student Mackenzie Clark, CHS

Student Cory Sinclair, CHS

Teacher Melissa Colville, CHS

Teacher Marc Paxton, CHS


Purpose of Focus Groups

• Discuss and gather feedback from our school stakeholders on the strengths and ongoing challenges faced by low enrolment secondary schools as a result of declining enrolment

• Share school enrolment data and future trends to help support our discussion

• Gather information, ideas and questions related to programming and to inform our long-term accommodation planning


Agenda

1. Welcome and Overview

2. Introduction - Co-Facilitators - Steve Girardi and Greg Ingram,Superintendents of Education: Student Achievement

3. Purpose of Community Focus Groups / Background Information

4. Clarke High School Overview

5. Historical and Future Projections

6. Secondary School Programming and Scheduling

7. Focus Group Feedback on Clarke High School

8. Question Period

9. Adjournment


Low Enrolment Secondary School

• Less than 500 students

• More difficulty meeting the academic needs of all students

• May have difficulty offering co-curricular and extra-curricular programs


Format for the Evening

• The meeting is public but it will be a working group meeting.

• Stakeholders participating in the meeting include local trustees, municipal and community representatives, the Clarke High School principal and vice principal, parents and students, elementary feeder school principals and parents.

• Table conversation will be recorded and shared with the entire group as well as general audience.


Format for the Evening

• Audience members will have the opportunity to provide comments and ask questions throughout the evening, through the response form at your chair as well as through the KPR website: www.kprschools.ca

• Minutes from each community focus group will available on our KPR website

http://www.kprschools.ca/

It is the goal of Clarke High School:

• To provide a friendly and secure environment for all students in

order that they may achieve their intellectual, social, emotional

and athletic potential

• To provide learning experiences, both formal and informal, which

prepare students for post-secondary education and/or the world

of work

• To help students acquire the appropriate skills, values and

attitudes to cope with a rapidly changing world

The staff of Clarke High School strives to provide success for all

students through:

• Our teaching

• Our connection with students

• Our connection with parents/guardians

• Being role models


Clarke High School

2014 – 2015 School Year:

26 teachers

Approximately 375 students

3.5 Secretaries

1 School Retention Counsellor

1 School Board Counsellor (shared with The Pines, Newcastle, Kirby, and

Orono Public Schools)

Among the 26 Teaching Staff:

1 Student Success Teacher

1.5 Resource Teachers (Special Education) per semester

.67 Guidance Counsellor

.17 SHSM Co-ordinator/E-Learning

1 Teacher Librarian

1.5 Co-operative Education Teachers


Grade 9 and 10 Programming

Grade Compulsory Courses Optional Courses

Grade 9

*combined

class

English (*applied & locally

developed)

Math (*locally developed with

grade 10)

Science

Healthy Active Living Education

French (*applied & academic)

Geography (*applied & academic)

Visual Arts (*with grade 10)

Construction

Music – Instrumental

Introduction to Information Technology

(2015-2016)

Individual and Family Living (2015-

2016)

Grade 10

*combined

class

English (*applied & locally

developed; applied & academic)

Math (* locally developed with

grade 9)

Science

History

Civic/Careers

French

Introduction to Business

Food & Nutrition

Healthy Active Living Education

Music – Strings (*with Grade 10, 11,

12)

Music

Visual Arts (*with grade 9)

Construction

Communications Technology



Compulsory Courses Optional Courses offered

Grade 11

*combined class

in grade 11 or

with a grade 12

course

English (*college & workplace)

Math

Music – Strings (*Grade 11/12)), Music (*Grade

11/12)

Visual Arts (*Grade 11/12)

Introduction to Marketing

Entrepreneurial Studies

Understanding Canadian Law

Aboriginal Beliefs, Values & Aspirations

20th Century History: Global & Regional

Perspectives

Media Studies (*)

French (*Grade 11/12)

Healthy Active Living Education (*Grade 11/12)

Personal & Fitness Activities (*Grade 11/12)

Biology

Chemistry

Environmental Science

Physics (*Grade 11/12)

Fashion (*Grade 11/12)

Parenting (*Grade 11/12)

Introduction to Anthropology, Psychology &

Sociology (*)


Construction Technology (*Grade 11/12)



Grade Compulsory Courses Optional Courses Offered

Grade 12

*combined class in grade

12 or with a grade 11

course

English (*college & workplace) In addition to the grade 12 courses

combined with a Grade 11 course as

indicated in previous slide, we offer:

Literacy (*)

Writers Craft (*)

World Issues: A Geographic Analysis

Canadian & World Issues

History (*)

Math (*Grade 12 university courses

combined)

Biology

Chemistry

Nutrition & Health (*)

Challenge & Change in Society (*)


Communications Technology: Print &

Graphic (*)

Communications Technology: Digital

Imagery & Web Design (*)


Specialized Programs

• Specialist High School Major – Construction

• Specialist High School Major – Health & Wellness

• Music – Strings

• Dual Credit – Run in conjunction with the SHSM program in construction (partnership with Fleming College)


Supporting Students

To support small student population and maximize programming, we timetable students in a variety of ways:

• Combine classes

• Register students in e-learning courses

• Share students with another local high school

• Enrol students in Credit Recovery class

• Enrol students in Gold Collar program offered through BHS

• Dual Credit program (construction)

• Individualized timetabling / Credit Recovery with SST

• Co-operative Education Options (1, 2, 3, 4-credit co-op)

• Offer specific senior courses in alternate years (i.e. Entrepreneurial Studies with Introduction to Marketing)


Extra and Co-Curricular Activities

Sports

Golf Jr. & Sr. Girls Volleyball

Jr. & Sr. Girls Basketball Track & Field

Jr. Boys Volleyball Jr. Boys Basketball

Cross Country Sr. Boys Basketball

Girls Softball Varsity Baseball

Boys Indoor Soccer Badminton (Jr. & Sr. Boys & Girls, Girls Indoor Soccer Mixed Doubles, Doubles, Singles)

Varsity Girls Hockey Jr. & Sr. Girls Soccer

Varsity Boys Hockey Jr. Boys Hockey

Varsity Boys Soccer Ultimate


Clubs/Groups/Activities

Art Club Spirit Days

Drama Club Hallowe’en Dance

Leo Club Semi-formal Dance

Student Council/Leadership Grade 9 Camp – YLCC, Pigeon Lake

Games Club Food Program (healthy snacks)

Reach Team Career Fair

White Pine School-Wide Fundraisers (i.e.Terry Fox, Operation

Christmas Prom Committee Child, 30-Hour Famine)

Lunch Intramurals (gym) Focus Group

After School Homework Club (program funded by Student Success, KPR)

Jazz Band/Concert Bands

Extra and Co-Curricular Activities


Additional Student Supports

Start Date Group Topics Include Target Group

Currently

(Ongoing)

Stomping

out Stigma

(Mental

Health)

Depression, Anxiety, Anti-

Bullying, and Healthy

Relationships.

All Grades

February

(5 Weeks)

Quit4Life A quit Smoking program. All Grades

March

(8 Weeks)

Guys for

Change

Anger Management All Grades.

Males only

April

(8 Weeks)

Girl Talk Self-esteem, Body image,

Relationships, dealing with Stress

and factors that contribute to

Depression.

All Grades.

Females only


Clarke High School


Clarke High School

COMMUNITY FOCUS GROUP MEETING

LOW ENROLMENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS


Other SK-12

• French Immersion

• IB

LLS JK-12

• Learning Life Skills

Regular Track JK-12


Other


• IB

• Regular Track


Other SK-8

• French

Immersion

Regular Track

JK-8


KAWARTHA PINE RIDGE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ENROLMENT HISTORY

CLARKE HIGH SCHOOL

2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

PROJECTED

2014-15

AVERAGE DAILY ENROLMENT 510 517 528 566 575 610 605 584 561 536 514 500 457 428 370

-

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

AVERAGE DAILY ENROLMENT

AVERAGE DAILY ENROLMENT


- 200 400 600 800

1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600

Total Feeder School Headcount

Total Feeder School Headcount

KAWARTHA PINE RIDGE DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ENROLMENT HISTORY

CLARKE HIGH SCHOOL

2000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

PROJECTED

2014-15

Total Feeder School Headcount 1,332 1,341 1,327 1,288 1,266 1,227 1,186 1,164 1,158 1,122 1,107 1,060 1,036 1,013 1,017

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

HEADCOUNT

Kirby Centennial Public School 192 176 178 169 164 157 165 143 145 141 142 123 122 100 92

Newcastle Public School 631 641 631 607 610 612 597 600 599 593 590 573 579 594 585

Orono Public School 226 221 208 184 162 160 163 141 140 140 140 133 134 129 124

The Pines Senior Public School 284 303 311 329 331 298 262 281 275 249 235 232 202 190 216

Total 1,332 1,341 1,327 1,288 1,266 1,227 1,186 1,164 1,158 1,122 1,107 1,060 1,036 1,013 1,017


Clarke JK to 6 Feeder Schools Graduating Student - Destination

Data Source - Student Information System

School 2009/10 class 2010/11 class 2011/12 class 2012/13 class 2013/14 class

Kirby PS

Total Students 25 25 14 16 14

Left 0 1 0 0 0

The Pines Senior PS 23 24 14 16 14

Other KPR School 2 0 0 0 0

Total 25 25 14 16 14

Newcastle PS


Left 2 6 3 7 2



Total 74 72 51 71 66

Orono PS


Left 0 0 1 0 1



Total 17 25 18 20 25


The Pines Graduating Student - Destination

Data Source - Student Information System

School 2009/10 class 2010/11 class 2011/12 class 2012/13 class 2013/14 class

The Pines Senior PS

Total Students 128 113 107 119 83

Left 8 9 8 8 10

Clarke HS 117 91 93 103 67

Bowmanville HS 1 1 0 2 2

Clarington Central SS 0 10 4 6 3

Other KPR High Schools 2 2 2 0 1

Total 128 113 107 119 83

Percentage of Students

Left 6.25% 7.96% 7.48% 6.72% 12.05%

Clarke HS 91.41% 80.53% 86.92% 86.55% 80.72%

Bowmanville HS 0.78% 0.88% 0.00% 1.68% 2.41%

Clarington Central SS 0.00% 8.85% 3.74% 5.04% 3.61%

Other KPR High Schools 1.56% 1.77% 1.87% 0.00% 1.20%

Grade 9

Left KPR Board -8 -9 -8 -8 -10

Other Board students attending Clarke 14 8 8 3 5

Net gain or loss 6 -1 0 -5 -5


Clarke High School2009 - 2010 Catchment Distribution of High School Students aged 14 - 17

Children aged 14 to

17 living in

catchment area

% of children

attending Clarke HS

% of children

attending regular

programing at other

KPR schools

% of children

attending district

programing at other

KPR school

% of children

attending other

Boards

864 59% 6% 5% 30%

59%

6%

5%

30%

% of children attending Clarke HS

% of children attending regularprograming at other KPR schools

% of children attending districtprograming at other KPR school

% of children attending otherBoards


Clarke High School

2013-2014 Catchment Distribution of High School students aged 14 to 17

Children aged 14 to

17 living in

catchment area

% of children

attending Clarke HS

% of children

attending regular

programing at other

KPR schools

% of children

attending district

programing at other

KPR school

% of children

attending other

Boards

737 54% 9% 6% 31%

54%

9%

6%

31%

% of children attending Clarke HS

% of children attending regularprograming at other KPR schools

% of children attending districtprograming at other KPR school

% of children attending other Boards


Projected Enrolment Clarke ASG - Headcount

Data Source - Board projection

School

Capacity

(OTG ) 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24

Secondary:

Clarke High School 576 377 391 386 356 374 354 337 346 325 337

Elementary :

Kirby Centennial Public

School 164 92 99 101 100 107 114 122 127 129 130

Newcastle Public School 554 585 609 625 650 664 684 686 694 707 712

Orono Public School 176 124 139 136 136 137 139 139 144 144 142

The Pines Senior Public

School 251 216 197 199 197 178 188 183 183 186 193

Total Elementary 1145 1017 1044 1061 1083 1086 1125 1130 1148 1166 1177

Land Use Clarke Rural Area

Clarington Official Plan


Land Use

Newcastle Village Urban AreaMunicipality of Clarington

Official Plan

Lake Ontario


9001,0001,1001,2001,3001,4001,5001,6001,7001,8001,9002,000

# o

f st

ud

en

ts

Consultant Total Elementary Projection Board Total Elementary Projection

2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30

Consultant Total Elementary

Projection 1,041 1,073 1,099 1,172 1,223 1,287 1,346 1,412 1,479 1,547 1,613 1,674 1,733 1,811 1,890 1,973

Board Total Elementary

Projection 1017 1044 1061 1083 1086 1125 1130 1148 1166 1177

Consultant Projection vs Board Projection for Elementary


Consultant Projection vs Board Projection for Clarke High School

300325350375400425450475500525550575600625

# o

f St

ud

en

ts

Consultant Projection Board Projection

2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26 2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30

Consultant

Projection 383 388 390 371 397 396 399 414 431 462 486 521 542 567 593 619

Board Projection 377 391 386 356 374 354 337 346 325 337


Secondary School

Programming and Scheduling


Programs

All schools must offer a graduating program for students.

A diploma requires the completion of 30 credits

(18 compulsory + 12 electives)

Some schools offer specific programs:


• International Baccalaureate

Some schools have a particular focus:

• Arts

• Technology

• Forestry


Student Course Selection

• In February students choose courses for the next year based on the school course

calendar

• Courses are offered based on compulsory needs and elective choices, past enrolment in a course, interest expressed by students or new offerings by the ministry


Staffing Allocation

• Based on these numbers the central staffing team allocates each school a certain number of teachers.

• Each full time teacher is assigned 6 classes.


Class Sizes

• Grade 11 college classes can have up to 25 students

• Grade 11 university classes can have up to 29 students

• Grade 10 applied classes can have up to 23 students

• Grade 9 locally developed classes can have up to 14 students


Building a Timetable

The school must decide which courses:

• will run

• how many classes of each course

• will not run

• will be combined by grade and/or level


Critical Considerations• Must consider courses required for students to be

successful such as Learning Strategies in grades 9/10

• Must also think about those courses required for post-secondary programs, such as Biology & Physics

• Balance across the timetable:• choices of elective courses• offerings for each stream of study (academic, applied,

open)• the # of courses offered in each period of the day• the # of courses offered by grade in each period


Timetabling

Next we build a timetable, the goal of which, for a secondary school, is to have the least number of conflicts for students as possible –so students are able to take what they need and want!


Student Decisions

• If students have conflicts, they must choose which course to take.

• If a course is cancelled then students must decide on a second choice and possibly a third choice.


Timetables

What do timetables look like?

They vary significantly depending on the size and course offerings of the school.

As schools become smaller, there is less flexibility in the number and types of courses that can be offered to students.


Strategies to Maximize Programming

• Combine classes

• E-learning

• Video conferencing

• Examining programming across the system to share students

• Offer courses every other year


Focus Group Discussion

What is the secondary school experience you want for your children/students?

What are the strengths, areas of growth, and next steps for KPR to consider for Clarke High School?

1. On the individual recording sheet provided to each focus group member, write down 5 things that are most important to you for each section of the discussion.

2. As a group, discuss and record your ideas on the chart paper provided and be prepared to report to the group.


Questions

low enrolment secondary school focus group meeting

Documents