Part I.  High Tech High – Friday Harbor High School – “An Island of Opportunity”

I.a.  School Leadership

In the spring of 2001 the San Juan Island School District and Friday Harbor High School sought a new high school principal with a vision for a high tech high school.  The District Search Committee found a person who believed in a “high touch, high tech” high school concept that would move the high school community toward embracing a technology approach that would preserve a sense of humanness while rejecting a technology that might intrude upon creativity and personalization.  (High Tech, High Touch, 1999, Nasbitt.)  Friday Harbor High School had the wonderful opportunity at this time to make a change. The Search Committee sought a leader who would set a mission, establish goals, and implement a vision for a high tech high school without being entrenched in negative traditions. 

Ms. Marilyn Luckman, an administrative leader with a depth and breadth of experience in the State of Washington and in the Issaquah School District was unanimously selected by the Search Committee.  She came to Friday Harbor High School with a strong background in setting the course for school improvement through staff development and technology programs.  These improvement programs were formed from within.  Individual staff members and teachers worked within the school culture itself to make improvements by collaborating and mentoring and sharing and reflecting upon practice with one another.  They used data and research to form the pathways for improvement.  Her school had been funded by the Stuart Foundation’s Northwest Initiative for Teaching and Learning (NWIFTL) for nearly seven years.  She was selected by the Stuart Foundation and the University of Washington (UW) as a leader with the courage, vision and energy necessary to lead a school improvement effort.  She was selected by the Washington State Library and Media Center Specialists as the Teacher of the Year because of her support of technology as a part of school-wide improvement.  This candidate’ experience matched the Search Committee’s criteria.

Presently, Ms. Luckman serves on the PEAB Boards for teacher and administrator training at UW and City U.  She teaches at City U in the Educational Administration Graduate Program. 

During her first year at Friday Harbor High School, she worked with the staff to identify and strengthen their skills, to collaborate on improving the school culture, and to further develop the Advisory Program.  She involved the staff in the Learning Improvement Plan.  She encouraged the staff to push themselves technologically by helping them recognize that technology can be an integral part of the learning process for themselves as well as for their students.  She brought to the Friday Harbor High School staff the belief that the creative part of one’s imagination, dreams and aspirations, and one’s desire to improve and advance and change must be intentional.  She also brought the practice that the principal, the teachers, and the staff must always model the belief that all students can learn. 

The School Board and the Superintendent, who were also a part of the selection process, appreciated the candidate’s ability to be practical and make sense of the important implications within the teaching and learning process. They were also able to determine that her values and self-knowledge would affect the cultural norms they desired for Friday Harbor High School. The belief they held, that all students can learn and grow and improve and become contributors to society as a whole fit the candidate’s belief, as well.

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The new principal came to Friday Harbor High School with strong ethical beliefs related to the empowerment of students as well as staff.  She recognized that art, story, play, religion, nature, and time are equal partners with the formal learning process, which also involves technology. These humane areas nourish the soul and fulfill the yearnings, while technology becomes the tool to express these yearnings.  As a leader, to be able to recognize the interplay of these components as they relate to teaching and learning, keep an organization focused, and maintain high academic standards simultaneously, is a creative gift.  What follows from this leadership style is personalization in the workplace, and the expectation that there will be mutual respect and the acceptance of a common responsibility for “the good of the order” for all.   The new principal hired has a gift to bring meaning to the mundane and decision making that emerges in a typical school day where teaching and learning becomes intertwined with the school culture.  Ms. Luckman uses these small daily opportunities or teaching moments to model the high expectation that she holds for herself as well as for the staff and students.

Mr. Michael Soltman was hired as the new superintendent for the San Juan Island School District in the spring of 2002.  His leadership style, belief systems, and respect for innovations and reflective practice matched perfectly with those of Ms. Luckman, who had a collaborative and pro-active leadership style, as well.   He recognized and honored her gift to communicate shared purposes and goals with staff.  Both desired to “make a difference” in the San Juan Island School District and both came from effective high performing school settings.  They brought new knowledge to a school setting “ready” for school improvements.

This last year has been an exciting time for Friday Harbor High School staff, in large part because of this leadership change.  Together the new principal and the staff merged their visions with the desire of the district to have a special and unique and effective high school that the community could look to with pride.  Now, with the new Superintendent here, and the sense of empowerment given to the staff, there will be little, if anything, to stand in the way of change and improvement.

In conclusion, the only limitations that the present Superintendent and the Board of Directors would hold for Ms. Luckman as the school leader and principal of the High Tech High concept would be the limits required by State Law and Board Policy.  Both the Superintendent and the Board have already supported and approved major change and improvements in physical education, technology, off-campus classes, semester approaches, multi-age classes, visual and performing arts improvements, technology TV and video agreements, and many other small program improvements that have moved Friday Harbor High School toward more personalization, more academic choice, more rigorous project-based learning.

Please note in the Attachment #1 letters of full support from the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors and the Superintendent of the San Juan Island School District, Mr. Michael Soltman. 

I.b. Design Principles

We are definitely at the beginning of a new era in education – one in which research will provide strong, explicit guidance for the classroom teacher.  The Gates Grant, “An Island of Opportunity,” will be utilized at Friday Harbor High School to improve both teaching and learning.  Research is crystal clear.  The most important factor affecting student learning is the teacher.  In addition, we know from the research, that there is a wide variation in effectiveness among teachers.  The immediate and clear implication is that seemingly more can be done to improve education by

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improving the effectiveness of teachers than by any other single factor.  Also, effective teachers appear to be effective with students of all achievement levels, regardless of the level of heterogeneity in their classrooms.  (Wright et al., 1997, p. 63)  The money received from the Gates Grant will be centered upon the Friday Harbor High School teachers, school practices and procedures.  School practices and procedures that will be utilized are as follows:

·        FHHS teachers will aim their efforts explicitly at the achievement of measurable learning goals.  (WASL, ITBS, Learning Improvement Goals, Subject Area Goals, classroom generated goals)

·        FHHS teachers will work in teams to reach their goals.  Teachers will talk to one another about their work; they will get together regularly to analyze successes and failures, share materials, and refine their instruction.  (Critical Friends, “Love & Logic” Groups, Tech Peers)

·        FHHS teachers will make regular use of the WASL, ITBS, and other achievement data to identify and address areas of concern.  Teachers will routinely assess student progress to target deficiencies and build on strengths. (Writing, Reading, and math.  Use of 7^th grade tests for grades 9 and 10, design of new approaches, courses, strategies.)

We will continue to work at FHHS in a simple and straightforward manner intertwining the three elements of effective pedagogy: the instructional strategies that teachers use, the management techniques related to those instructional strategies and the curriculum design itself.  The Gates Grant will allow us to utilize the best of what we already know and what we can learn from effective schools and systems throughout the country.  For the most part, however, we will build on the internal expertise among our staff and on the fruits of their teamwork and collaboration.  We will utilize this teacher collaboration through topical, teacher taught seminars.  Some of the themes that will “run through this teaching and learning process” include:

·        Learning to demystify good strategies and best practices.

·        Working to make test-driven measurable substantive improvements.

·        Using “lesson fairs” to showcase teacher’s collaborative efforts to create and refine lessons in reading and writing and math across the curriculum and with project based learning and technology integration.

·        Building simple procedures around an ethical core of beliefs that honor all teachers and students (teaching and learning for all, including the principal). Leadership is as leadership does!

·        Prioritizing the use of the Gates Grant funds to create more opportunities for both leadership and responsibility which will bring about results in – making improvements in student achievement and in building an infrastructure and tradition that will be in place at FHHS long after the Gates “Island of Opportunity” has moved on to other sites.

As a point of fact, Friday Harbor High School teachers have been working for some time to develop curriculum that is academically and intellectually rigorous, personalized, and performance based, and focused on university level standards.  With the Gates assistance, teachers will learn to invite all students to learn and will be able to make sure that each student is able to make a positive tangible difference in the classroom.  Teachers and students will be partners in the classroom via real world immersion projects (work experience, community service learning projects, internships, mentorships, collaborations).  It is within this learning environment where learning takes place for all young people.  Project-based, technologically enriched and in-depth learning approaches need students to be engaged as partners in the learning process.  The impetus to learn generally does not come first from the content itself, but rather because the teachers and now, because the teachers and the students together, will make the classroom inviting.  Students will receive affirmation that they significant in the classroom.  Because of our connection with the “Island of Opportunity” community projects, students will contribute to the world through their San Juan Island community connection.  They will be able to make a difference.  Students come to school in search of purpose.  They will work together with teachers and the collaborative culture will be clear.  This is what we do here!  We do significant “stuff” here!  What we do here reflects on the world and we make a difference!

Students will also be empowered.  They will see that what they learn at FHHS is useful to them and that their choices contribute to their success.  They will learn what ‘quality work looks like,’ and how to create ‘quality work.’  They will find at FHHS dependable support for their journey in each classroom with each teacher.  And last, but certainly not least, FHHS students will be challenged and stretched.  They will work hard and succeed and they will be accountable for their own growth and contribute to the growth of others.

In conclusion, the messages of learning invitations that teachers give will be as varied as the teachers themselves: “I want to know you.”  “I have time for you.”  “I’ll try to see things through your eyes.”  “This class is ours, not mine.”  But in the end we all know that what teachers actually say to students is less important to invitational learning than are the collective experiences found in the classrooms and in the school where the students are.  Students will respond because the actions of the FHHS teachers and staff consistently convey an invitation to learn.

 I.c. Attributes of High Achievement Schools

Friday Harbor High School is a school that set the goal to work on school culture as a major piece in their Learning Improvement Plan.  The Learning Improvement Team (LIT) is composed of parents and students and teachers who validate and refine the direction and improvement plans set by the staff in a collaborative mode.  

The LIT team, the FHHS staff, and the Search Committee assigned to select a new principal for the high school, agreed that they wanted a principal who would work with the staff to improve attendance and tardies to class and support and reinforce adult staff actions that demonstrate to students that the adults are about learning.  These groups recognized that high school students care about learning and they appreciate teachers who not only care about learning, but also care about students as persons, as well.

Teachers have agreed together to follow the guidelines, procedures and expectations.  Everyone bought into what they collaboratively formulated as the standard in August, prior to the school start-up.  A revised set of teacher behavior standards was formulated at that time.  Passive aggressive responses were “passé.”  Open and honest communication was “in.”  Teachers and staff became mutually and collectively responsible for student behaviors and student responses.  “Love & Logic” training started, continued, and is still in process.  Staff meetings are used for staff development, sharing, and proactive problem solving.  Teachers are honored.  The principal will not let all the grind of daily schedules or the apathy and negativity of one or two diminish the zest for teaching or the enthusiasm for the students they teach.

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Respect is the order of the day.  Listen, listen, listen and utilize “Love & Logic” principles.  Students must be respectful and productive and responsible.  They must “clean up their messes” and “take care of business” in a appropriate fashion.  Teachers model this.  We teach that which we want them to learn!

Friday Harbor High School staff are making a conscious effort to recapture their original passions and idealism related to why they went into teaching in the first place.  Staff are working to find fun in their work.  They are doing this by incorporating their personal passions in the classroom and in their advisory as an advisor.  This is rejuvenating their spirits and creating opportunities for authentic engagement with students and with each other.  Prior to the new principal coming a year ago, the staff had built the foundation for a wonderful organization.  They had formed an Advisory Program.  They had agreed together to make writing and reading across the curriculum a Learning Improvement Goal.  They offered credit to students for internships, work experience, and independent study projects.  They offered rigorous courses in AP U.S. History, AP English, AP Physics, and AP Calculus.  They were into their first year with a Rosetta Stone World Languages Program and an Accelerated Reader Program for high school students.  They were using data to analyze their work, particularly in writing.  A school-wide writing rubric is presently in place and is used across all content areas.  In addition, a common language has been established for all teachers to use when evaluating and teaching about writing (The Six Writing Traits and Jane Schaefer’s Writing Workshop).  As a result, there is a common focus and a strong sense about what an effective and clear and well-organized piece of writing looks like.  A realistic and life skills approach in writing has also been adopted and the staff have agreed upon research styles (MLA guidelines) to be used in all content areas.  ACT guidelines are used in the teaching of foreign languages and Howard Gardner’s multi-intelligences practices are utilized throughout the teaching ranks.  In addition, the principles of “Love and Logic” are accepted by the staff as their classroom management and school-wide behavior management tool and philosophical approach

An Advisory Program is just beginning its second full year.  Students will have the same advisor throughout their four years of high school.  Each advisor has approximately 18 students and the Five-year Plus and Senior Culminating Project Programs will be curriculum pieces within Advisory.  The goal this year, related to the Advisory Program is to have the Program be meaningful, useful, and beneficial for all students.  We want students to attend Advisory and feel like they really missed something if they weren’t in Advisory.  The “Island of Opportunity” Grant activities will be coordinated, for the most part through a strong personalized Advisory Program that is already fully functioning and well beyond a “start-up” stage.

We have also been funded by the National Newspaper Guild to begin a newspaper in collaboration with the Journal.  This Project is “up and going” with 22 students involved.  Our Literary Magazine will become a full-fledged part of the curriculum for credit this year and the Grant will contribute to the Magazine becoming a strong part of the school program.

Now staff are taking time to step back a bit and reflect on “where they are and where they came from.”  They are also seeking to further personalize the teaching and learning for the students.  In addition, they are ready to take on new challenges related to making Friday Harbor High School the best small high school in the State of Washington. They are also interested in creating a strong high achievement high school that is a wonderful personalized and caring learning place for students and for themselves.   As a result of the “Island of Opportunity” Grant, the staff will bring fresh energy, new experiences and a creative approach to the everyday things in the school.  Out of this creative personalization a community of care arises.  These practices are all aligned with research-based suggestions for improving high schools.

Students at Friday Harbor High School must earn 22 credits to graduate and the required courses and areas of study are substantive and rigorous.  See Attachment #2.  The WASL and other teaching and learning assessments are used as the standards for instruction.  Portfolios are now being implemented in Advisory for writing, reading and math classroom teachers in the visual and performing arts and physical education areas are sharing ideas on performance based assessments with staff in core areas.  End of course assessments are bring developed and are in process.  An “At-Risk” committee meets weekly to monitor students’ academic progress, attendance, tardies and behaviors.  The SEARCH approach from Minneapolis, Minnesota is used by the group to analyze student needs and set forth plans of assistance by building on positive student assets.  The Family Resource Center Counselor, the FHHS Guidance Counselor, the principal, and the attendance secretary meet weekly to communicate and collaborate on individual students.  These meetings and this communication have brought about a monitoring system that helps our students be pro-active and take charge of their lives.  We have developed an Alternative Program for students who meet the criteria for this small, personalized program.  In addition, we have a credit retrieval program for students who have failed a course and need to make up a credit(s) in order to graduate.  These courses are becoming more rigorous and are designed to meet the individual needs of students by making sure that skills are being taught.

Information – use of standardized tests and assessments of every kind will be taught to teachers and students alike who will analyze their own progress through data analysis and goal setting. 

Pre-registration and registration data is used to schedule students in the spring.  This data is used to inform teachers of students’ interests and needs and it helps teachers form course offerings and plan for improvement.

The staff at Friday Harbor High School hold high expectations for themselves and for their students.  They have completed a plan for integrating technology into the core curriculum.  See FHHS Tech Matrix Attachment #3.  The Gates Teacher Leadership Project teachers have agreed to lead the staff in the further training for integrating technology into the curriculum as a tool.  As a group, the staff have supported the use of the software program Basmati to communicate to students and parents student progress and they have empowered students throughout the process, as they hold students responsible for tracking their progress and then communicating their progress to their parents.  Next year we will put into place a parent/student conference component.  In addition to Basmati, both teachers and students are completing homework pages for both parent and student use.  Students who leave the Island early for games and activities and field trips are finding these tools to be useful. 

Teachers are also reaching out to the new staff that just arrived in September.  Nearly one/third of our staff are new to the high school and new to Basmati.  Guidance and Career staff will be responsible for the technology graduation requirement and the formulation of the pre-high school technology assessment of the incoming 8^th grade students along with the Friday Harbor High School TIP students (Technology in Progress).  The formulation of new technology course offerings will be a collaborative process involving TIP students, staff, the Technology Teacher, the principal, and the Technology Coordinator.  TIP is a program involving a team of students who manage tech resources for a staff of 40 and a campus comprised of four separate buildings.  TIP students will be responsible for setting up the Center for Student Action.  See Attachment #4.

Not only does the staff expect all students to graduate having needed and used technology skills throughout high school experience, they are also expecting that they themselves will use technology skills in effective ways, and so they are challenging themselves at the same time these student expectations are being put in place.  Thus, technology becomes a wonderful metaphor for teaching and learning in a collaborative environment.

Students are now noting differences in their work.  Students are expected to read at grade level and the Accelerated Reader Program is tracking student progress.  More and more performance-based assessments are being used across the curriculum.  Projects are seen, spoken, viewed, tasted, heard, and smelled throughout the building.  Students are urged to make incremental improvements, to set goals in Advisory, to evaluate progress.  There is an excitement for learning and a feeling of safety for succeeding or failing as they work together and are engaged in classrooms throughout the building.  In summary, the use of technology to date has created an atmosphere for hands-on activities, for cooperative group work, for authentic tasks and assessments, and this has resulted in raised expectations and quality workmanship as well as a raised level of student motivation and student responsibility. 

Time to collaborate at Friday Harbor High School is an issue that will need to be addressed by the staff, the principal, and superintendent, and the San Juan Island School Board of Directors.  Presently, the staff does not have ample ongoing time for teachers to plan, collaborate, and develop skills to support our goals.

“Critical Friends,” “Love & Logic,” results oriented leadership, and the involvement of all instructional staff in data analysis and goal setting will be a major part of the weekly 90 minute time periods we will “carve” out of the week in a new schedule, to be implemented in Phase II of the Grant.  A committee proposed of staff, students, parents and the principal will develop a proposal that will create “time in the schedule” that benefits both students and staff.  The purpose of the time in the schedule will be to develop our FHHS core practices, teamwork, the use of achievement data, and planning for measurable goals.  This time will make an immediate and profound difference in student learning at Friday Harbor High School.  Our school improvement efforts will be build around the most potent force in improvement available to us at FHHS – the collective, organized force of teacher intelligence.  The Grant will be and has been the impetus to make this improvement, which will result in better instruction and improved results for students.

I.d.  School Facilities to Promote Learning – A Conversion Plan

It was just three years ago when Friday Harbor High School celebrated the completion of a full campus renovation.  This renovation was costly for the community and district and was supported by over 60% of the voters on San Juan Island.

In spite of this recent renovation, most classrooms in the high school are very small and it is difficult to add computers, projectors, scanners, cameras, etc. to rooms needing desks or tables for up to 30 students.  This problem is due to the fact that the high school has increased in enrollment each year well beyond the projections utilized during the years of the renovation, 1996-98.  There are only so many spaces available for technology additions.  Therefore, the Technology Action Plan

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of Improvement centers its additions upon the curriculum areas and spaces of immediate need and where technology can, in fact, be added.  These spaces are listed below as follows:

• First, Science Labs – Rooms 400 & 403 are large and these spaces can be utilized by all Friday Harbor High School students through the day.
• Second, the Library/Media Center – this space is not only used daily by Friday Harbor High School Humanities teachers and students, it is also used by middle school teachers and students.  This space is also open before and after school to all students.  It is also used by the community.
• Third, the Career and Guidance Center and the Alternative Learning Center are both physical spaces that lend themselves to student use all day long, every period.  The community may also use these two spaces for a range of needs.
• Fourth, Gates Teacher Leadership Projects (TLP) are located in two of the larger classrooms.  TLP teachers will be mentors and “Critical Friends” of their peers and of students.  Therefore, their spaces will be used for teacher training.
• Fifth, the Technology Building as a whole, will become “State of the Art” (at an 80% level) for video and CAD and web pages, and all facets of technology expertise.  The TIP program will be managed out of this space and after renovation, The Center for Student Action will be housed in this building for student and community use.  See Attachment #4.

In addition, it is important to note that the Friday Harbor High School Technology Committee, comprised of the technology teacher, Eric Nieland, the Technology Specialist, Robbie Lawson, the Library/Media Specialist, Nancy Sheplor, the Principal, Marilyn Luckman, and four Technology In Progress (TIP) students manage the Friday Harbor High School technology program and all the tasks and activities that have been completed to date.  They will also facilitate the Learning Improvement Team Plan (LIT Plan) and the technology plan for Friday Harbor High School.

Phase I of the Gates Grant “An Island of Opportunity” is listed below:

• A current computer inventory and analysis of district and high school network systems has been completed.  Immediate needs will cost approximately $8,000.  Needs include procurve switch modules, storm ports for the school connection, and three uninterrupted power supplies.  See Attachment #5.
• Purchase, maintenance, and replacement plans have been formed.  See Attachment #5.
• A five-year technology purchase / replacement plan was completed.  See Attachment #5.
• A TIP (Technology in Progress) program has been developed and recruitment and training is in process.  New TIP students have been involved with the Gates Grant process, “An Island of Opportunity.”  TIP students served as facilitators for the Gates community meetings.  They measured and used the CAD systems to create design plans for the Science Labs, the Library/Media Center, the World Language Program Center, and completed design/build plans for the new proposed video lab and TV studio in the technology building and the Center for Student Action.  TIP students will be responsible for the management and administration of the Friday Harbor High School Tech Program with all its various tasks and responsibilities. See Attachment #4.

I.e.  Other Required School Information

The on-site coordinator and evaluator for the Gates “Island of Opportunity” Project will be Mr. Larry Wight.  His office will be located in the proposed Center for Student Action, right on the

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campus facing a busy community street, with easy “in and out” access for students and community alike.  The proposed Center will be located within the Friday Harbor High School Technology Building, taking up space presently occupied by the San Juan Island School District’s Buildings and Grounds Department, the Archives, and the bus repair shop. 

The new proposed Center will be comprised of a video lab and TV studio, a tech design/build area, and a technology “fix-it” shop.  There will also be a computer lab for students and community use, office spaces for the Project Coordinator and other non-profit groups and a Center space for the Project Board of Directors.  In addition to adding entrepreneurship to the curriculum at Friday Harbor High School, there will be classes offered at the Center in entrepreneurship and the principles of building a business for interested community members and students.  Programs and projects and classes will dovetail with existing service learning, mentoring, and vocational programs.  All learning activities and curriculums will incorporate existing Washington State Standards and SJISD and FHHS standards and goals in reading, writing, science, math, social studies and technology.  The proposed Center for Student Action will be the place where community partners come together with students and where community members become a logical source of support for entrepreneurship education at FHHS.  It is within this Center where students and community groups will merge.  Community project needs will be matched to student interests and passions.  This space will become the Center for Student Action related to: internships, community service for credit by individual students, groups, and classes, entrepreneurship, and senior culminating projects.  Students will be empowered to take charge of their learning process.  Advisors and students will work with community non-profits and commercial organizations to identify and prioritize projects for student consideration.  Criteria for credit and Senior Culminating Projects will be developed to facilitate the process.  See Attachment #6 for a proposed outline of the Friday Harbor High School Senior Culminating Project.

It is important to note that both telephone access and e-mail addresses for all students at Friday Harbor High School have been addressed.  The District has agreed to make major improvements in the telephone system at the high school.  The cost will be approximately $18,000.  The District would cover most of this cost.  The “Island of Opportunity” Grant would assist with the approximately 4-6,000 dollars of the cost.  All students will have e-mail addresses and accounts by the end of Phase I of the project.  These accounts will be set up by the TIP student groups.  See Attachment #4.

The proposed plan to support and replace computer hardware and software, developed by the Friday Harbor High School Technology Committee can also be found in the See Attachment #5.

Assurances from both the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors and the Superintendent of Schools have been included in the See Attachment #1.