Nauset Regional High School
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Feasibility Study
January 2016
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction and Project Background...... 4
Terms of Reference...... 5
Nauset Community Profile...... 5
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme...... 14
Statement of Transparency...... 16
Specific Constraints to Overcome...... 17
School Positioning and Feasibility Participant Recruitment...... 18
Feasibility Study Governance...... 18
Precedent Research...... 19
Gap Analysis...... 20
Market Demand Analysis...... 25
Financial Resource Analysis...... 27
Implementation Plan...... 31
Statement of Feasibility...... 34
Executive Summary
This feasibility study report presents information to support an informed risk-management decision with regard to the Nauset Regional High School’s (NRHS) application for candidacy and subsequent authorization to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The report addresses the internal readiness of the NRHS, the potential of the internal and external environments, and the resources and steps needed to advance this program through an analysis of the positional gaps, marketability and financial resourcesprior to applying for candidacy in the IBDP.
While the results are major points addressed by the feasibility study committee, they do not encompass the fine details that cannot be anticipated in a project of this magnitude in frontier territory. They do demonstrate a collaboration and flexibility in approach that modelsthe spirit of the IBDP and supportsa successful implementation. The core of this report corresponds to the organizational gaps between the status quo and implementation with regard to scheduling, course development, and course sequence. The feasibility committee acknowledges that the IB application for candidacy and authorization is a substantial commitment in terms of time, effort and district resources that will add value to Nauset Regional High School.
Key findings in this study
- Approximately 21% of current NRHS students are interested in the IB Diploma Programme.
- Parent support for this program mirrors student interest based on meetings.
- A demand exists to obtain IB DP authorization in a timely manner based on parent feedback.
- A core group of teachers are interested and willing to engage in course construction and instruction.
- Changes to the current course schedule would initially be minimal and evolve with market choice based on the addition of seven classes (6 subjects groups and Theory of Knowledge).
- Faculty and student concerns exist about limited number of electives allowed in IBDP.
- An implementation time-frame demonstrates adequate planning time to accomplish task.
- A financial analysis of projected program costs and funding are determined feasible.
Introduction and Project Background
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was first investigated by Principal Thomas Conrad approximately 7 years ago. Several teachers who previously taught in IB settings presented their ideas and feedback to Mr. Conrad about the potential for an IBDP at Nauset Regional High School. It was through this culmination of interest that a speaker presented the program to faculty in 2011. District financial resources and capacity were restricted2010-2012. Therefore, the IB movement did not gain momentum until 2013 when both Nauset Regional Middle School and Nauset Regional High School began to explore the possibility further with visits to other schools in New England. After two years of conversation, the school district has the momentum in the form of teacher interest coupled with support from the administration to move forward. At this point, Nauset Regional High Schoolis currently engaged in a feasibility study and candidacy application to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Our school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World schools share a common philosophy, framework and commitment to a high quality challenging, international education thatNauset Regional High Schoolbelieves is an important opportunity for our students.
Stakeholders:
Nauset Regional High School Students, Parents, Faculty, Staff and Administration
Feasibility Study Members
Thomas Allen, German
Airami Bentz, English
Kate Blascio, Math – Algebra & Pre-Calculus
Lisa Brown, EARD – Social and Cultural Anthropology
Andrew Clark, AP Art History
Kaitlyn Dombrowski, Chemistry & Biology
Ross Johnston, Biology & Chemistry
Amy Kandall, Visual Arts – Clay, Paint, Sculpture
Maura Kerse-McMillin, English
Julie Kobold, AP Psychology
Michael McNamara, AP Government
Ricardo Pollo, Physics and Earth Science
Amy Roberts, Spanish
Noelle Smith, English
Taidje Tang, Mandarin
FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME AT NAUSET REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
- Introductionto Terms of Reference
About Nauset Regional High School and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
- Nauset Regional High School (NRHS) is located in Eastham, Massachusetts. As a regional high school, it serves Brewster, Orleans, Eastham and Wellfleet. Provincetown and Truro students may choose to attend Nauset. In addition, a limited number of choice students select are enrolled as prescribed by the Nauset Regional School Committee. The Nauset Mission statement is “We exist to educate each student to the highest attainable levels of academic excellence, social responsibility, and cultural awareness. Our vision is to be an exemplary public school system. That is, the Nauset Schools will continue to set standards of teaching practice at optimum levels of effectiveness. Nauset's member communities provide the resources necessary to achieve this vision. The Nauset Schools are accountable to those communities for excellent educational practice and student achievement. This partnership requires the commitment of students, parents, and staff in an educational contract which acknowledges concerted efforts by all.” Situated in the heart of the National Seashore Park, the campus retains much of the wild and fragile beauty of the Cape’s earlier landscape. Nauset derives its name from the Native Americans who first inhabited the peninsula. The arts play an important part in the lower Cape communities. The areas’ exquisite vistas inspire creative expression and have been a destination for artists of all kinds for over a century. Because of its rich and vibrant art and cultural scene, Cape Cod has been voted one of the top-ten art destinations in the country. Nauset’s Fine Arts program reflects the needs of its students to express themselves harmoniously in this context.
The school’s uniquely designed 72-acre campus features modern wood and stone buildings that surround an open courtyard and naturally fit into their environment. Made up of an eclectic, energetic student body and a creative, highly qualified and caring faculty, Nauset is a school community worthy of its special setting. This sense of community encourages responsibility, respect, and independence within the student body, who take pride in the appearance of the property and its 44-year-old facility.
The following information is based on the availability of 2013-2014 data and 2014-2015 data where specified. The year-round population of the four towns is approximately twenty-three thousand seven hundred, with a dramatic threefold increase during the summer months due to tourism and seasonal residents. The decrease of population in a ten-year period from 2005-2015 was 5% following a 1994-2004 increase of 15.17% (STATSCapeCod). The towns are mixed economically, but not racially. The school had a 2014 population of 1024 students, with 11% non-white component, which is representative of the Nauset community with its 2.94% minority population. The largest of the minority groups is of African American origin (3.6%), Hispanic origin (3.3%), Asian origin (2.5%) and Pacific Islander origin (.2%) (DESE). Despite what appears to be a homogenous ethnic profile compared to other Massachusetts towns, diversity abounds at Nauset. Since 2004, the ethnic and racial minority populations have doubled at the school and increased .2% at the community level.
The region’s rich and varied cultural history, enriched by the descendants of such varied groups as French cable workers and Portuguese fishermen, and an unusually broad economic mix are reflected in differing lifestyles, careers, home environments and social traditions. No major businesses or industries are located in the towns served by the Nauset Regional High School region; although there are some small business and retail operations. The occupation of parents of Nauset Regional High School students can be broken down to include: 35.3% management, professional and related, 16.2% service, 20.3% sales and office, 1.2% farming, fishing and forestry, 9.9% construction, extraction and maintenance, and 6.6% production, transportation and material moving (STATSCapeCod). The unemployment rate of 8.1% is 1.9 % above the state average, but varies with the season. The median family income is $58,024, which is nearly $11,000.00 below the 2013 Massachusetts state average (STATSCapeCod). Two hundred ninety-two district families, who represent 18.4% of the local number of families with children less than 18 years of age, currently live below the low-income level established by the Federal Free Lunch Program. The average cost of an existing home in the four communities is $488,455, which is down from $505,000 in 2002-2003 (STATSCapeCod). The per-pupil cost for a Nauset high school student in 2002-2003 was $9,370. Nauset’s per –pupil cost for 2013-2014 rose to $16,818, while the state of Massachusetts’ 2013 average total pupil expenditure was $14,021 (DESE).
Approximately 36% of local tax revenue is spent on public education, the range being a low of 27% in Orleans to a high of 46% in Brewster. 52% of the school’s funding is generated from local resources, 37% from state sources, and 11% from other sources, such as tuition and interest income (Nauset Regional School District Audited Financial Statements for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2014). Five elementary schools are organized K through 5, while Nauset Regional Middle School and the Lighthouse Charter School include grades 6 through 8 and the high school serves grades 9 through 12. In 2013, 1% of the high school students attended private schools; 6.4% (72) attend vocational training programs at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School. Currently, 305 non-resident students from neighboring communities attend Nauset Regional High School under the School Choice and Provincetown/Truro tuition plan. Based on 2013 data, enrollment at the high school has decreased by 7% in the last 10 years as was predicted in October 2004. However, the 2014 enrollment of 1024 was well above the 2004 prediction of just over 800 students. Nauset has retained a 2014 population around 1024 including choice students.Student daily attendance averaged 93.1% in 2014. Average faculty attendance was 96.0% over the same period. School officials attribute this ongoing success to the degree which students find the school to be challenging and supportive. In addition there is firm enforcement of attendance regulations in cooperation with parents who generally support educational goals. Over 27% of the students earn honor roll status on a consistent basis. Students’ athletic successes are recognized at three sports awards nights held throughout the year. Undergraduate and senior awards nights are held to honor academic achievements in all subject areas. In addition, a senior scholarship awards night is held in June; last year it granted 113 graduating seniors over $536,000 (2014 figures) in scholarships.
While Nauset Regional High School stresses training for post-secondary education, the Cape continues to offer opportunities for students who wish to enter the work force at graduation. Because of the lure of immediate economic prosperity, many students start their own business or enter family operations. Figures from the 2015 graduating class indicate that 69% enter four-year colleges and 22% enter junior or community colleges. The remaining students enter business/technical schools (3.1%), other post-secondary training (1%) or the work force (6%). The school’s 2014 rate for graduation (92.6%) remained high while GED (.4%), dropout (1.5%), andnon-completers (1.1%) remain relatively low.
The high school has 80 full-time teachers, 3 administrators, 14 student support staff and 7 non-professional staff. The student-teacher ratio is 12:1 with the average teaching load of 90 students. The average class size is 18 students, with an average of 18.5 students in courses required for graduation. The testing results of our students both nationally and statewide reflect the success of our curriculum. In the 2014 Massachusetts Curriculum Assessment System (MCAS) exams, Nauset Regional High School placed 43rd in English, 74th in Math and 129th in Science out of 348 schools. In the math portion of the test, 92% of those Nauset students tested were either in the advanced or proficient category; in the English/Language Arts portion of the test, 97% received advanced/proficient standing; or 89% scored advanced/proficient in Science and Technology. The average SAT score for the Class of 2014 was 550 for verbal and 539 for math, while national averages were 508 verbal and 518 math. Advanced Placement enrollment has dramatically risen in the past nine years with 305 students taking 579 tests in 2014 compared to 168 students taking 301 tests in 2005.
Several school initiatives have been implemented at Nauset Regional High School in the last decade. One of the most essential programs established was the Freshmen Advisor/Advisee Program. Incoming freshmen students and their families are introduced to Nauset Regional High School and then supported throughout their entire Nauset career year. The program included course scheduling, touring the facility, and answering any questions related to high school life in an effort to relieve any freshmen anxieties. This program morphed into a four-year academic advisor/advisee relationship for all participants where students remain with their advisor throughout their high school career.
Block scheduling is another such initiative. 85-minute blocks allow teachers to provide more thorough and effective instructional time for their students. This initiative has remained a strong component for efficient use of instructional time.
A community service program that was implemented in order to foster student involvement in the community in 2002 has been augmented in 2015 with the addition of a dedicated staff, Mike Sherman and John Schiffner. “Nauset encourages all students to give back to their communities.
At the End of the Year Award Ceremonies, NRHSrecognizesthose students in grades 9-12 for their documented participation in community service activities. There are two ways to earn Recognition at NRHS: 1) a student must complete a minimum of 40 hours of documented volunteerism each year for 4 years to earn a silver cord to be worn at graduation. 2) A student must complete 100 hours of documented volunteerism in one school year to earn a silver cord and a brick in theHall of Fame. An additional 100 hours in any other school year earns aGold Nauset 'N'on the student’s brick” (Source:
Nauset’s Mentor/Mentee program, the first of its kind on Cape Cod, encourages a smooth transition for teachers who are new to the high school. This program consists of meeting, observations, and programs for the mentored teachers which foster peer support to provide the tacit and explicit knowledge to all professionals new to Nauset Regional High School.
Another new initiative is the dedication of professional development time by teachers to implement and document their curriculum units based on the Common Core on ATLAS. In addition to documentation, the process has allowed a horizontal and vertical alignment of subject content and curriculum. All teachers have been trained, or will be trained, in mapping ATLAS and creating District Determined Measures in courses offered by the district. This course provides all teachers with a common background in the development and application of a more unified standards-based approach to education with students as the focus. It also increases the accountability of teachers by establishing standards for the assessment of student achievement levels. At Nauset, our standard procedure for the documentation of SBE was previously called “Effective Teaching Unit Design” or ETUD. In the last five years, that process has been revised and all Nauset teachers reviewed and aligned their respective curriculum for entry in ATLAS which is designed to electronically map the pedagogy, academic standards and curriculum for individual courses. To create the ATLAS content, Nauset teachers collaborated in grade level meetings, shared materials and strategies, and created blueprints for most effectively meeting the state and local standards for each class.
In 1996, as a result of a reaccreditation report by the New England Association of School and Colleges, Nauset Regional High School embarked upon an ambitious ten million dollar building project. Major renovations based on state-of-the-art technology were approved by district towns to update the aging facility. A new building was constructed with 21 additional classrooms, a guidance suite and administrative offices. Technological capabilities were updated and expanded by cabling both new and existing buildings. Each department was given access to a computer laboratory, and an up-to-the-minute media center was added next to the library. The new facilities and renovations alleviated the overcrowded conditions that Nauset was facing because of increased enrollment, and better accommodated the type of instruction and learning needed to educate our students in a world of technological change. Other initiatives included the elimination of both study halls and early release time for athletic teams. The decision to eliminate these aspects of school life was made in order to provide more time for classroom instruction. Again in 2010-2011, the Nauset community supported a 6.5 million dollar renovation project for Nauset Regional High School.
Over the past two years, NRHS has updated the technological infrastructure in classrooms with Smartboards. As of 2015, all Nauset students in grades 9-12 received 1-1 iPads as well as each teacher. In addition, NRHS hired a new Computer Integration Teacher/Computer Sciences teacher. The chemistry lab was updated. In the Arts department, a new kiln was purchased, and a 3-D printer was purchased through fundraising efforts. The tennis courts have been rebuilt in coordination with the Town of Eastham, the track was resurfaced, and new turf stadium has been installed to support our athletes. A Saturday Academic Academy was initiated to support our students at risk due to attendance or academics.
One initiative that was considered but not previously implemented was a later start time for the high school. Research shows that students of high school age benefit academically if school starts later in the morning. There was district-wide discussion of this initiative in 2003, but transportation and economic issues did not allow the immediate implementation of this change. In 2011-2012, Nauset accomplished the change to a later start time. Tardiness was reduced by 30% in the first semester, failing grades decreased by 53%, and D and F below average grade performance decreased by 38%. The change in to a later start time is considered a success for all students.