Embracing high standards
Educators at Covington High School not only want
their students to graduate from high school. They
want them to graduate with the skills they need to
be successful and competitive in the global economy. “It’s important to push our students to meet
those expectations and exceed those expectations,”
one teacher said. “We want to prepare our students
not only to compete in Covington…but to compete
globally.” These high standards are reflected in an
emphasis on preparing students for postsecondary education and career, the school’s expectation
that every student will make academic growth
every year, and the availability of interventions
and programs for any student who is not responding well to traditional instruction. Covington also
prioritizes strong outreach to families to ensure that
they partner with the school to promote student
success. “Our goal is to make sure everyone can do
what they want to do. And try to give them some
dreams,” said Murdock.
Preparation for postsecondary education and
career. Preparing students for success after
high school is an important part of Tipton County
Schools’s mission as well as Covington’s. For the
district, motivating students to think about their lives
after high school is where the conversation about
postsecondary begins. Beginning in middle school,
students are provided with opportunities to visit
colleges and attend camps, such as the Memphis
Belle Aviation camp, that expose them to potential
future occupations. Once they arrive at Covington,
the emphasis on postsecondary is reinforced and
supported through a variety of activities.
• Preparation for the ACT. Covington faculty have
spent time analyzing the areas that are measured
by the ACT and have modified their curriculum to
ensure that they provide instruction that reflects
the knowledge and skills that the exam expects
students to acquire. Every teacher allocates 20
minutes of their lessons to prepare students for
taking the exam. The standards for mastery are
posted on classroom walls so that students can
compare their performance to expectations. Students use the information to refocus their learning
in areas in which they performed poorly. Every
student is aware of his/her level of performance
and encouraged and supported to perform better
in every course. In common areas where students have not yet reached mastery or their ACT
predictions are low, the school goes into action
to improve the test scores, scheduling afternoon
ACT tutoring and other one-on-one sessions.
These sessions include training on skills that students will use throughout their educational and
professional careers, such as how to take notes
effectively.
• Mentoring. Project EXCELL, a district program
that connects at-risk students with education
support services, pairs students with college-attending alumni. Through one-on-one sessions
and small group meetings, the alumni discuss
their experiences in college and help Tipton
students develop a sense of efficacy and envision
their own success. There are 120 participating
students in the program, many of whom will be
first generation college students. Mentoring is
also provided by a Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) counselor housed at the
school. REDI counselors meet with individual
students to help them determine their strengths
and career plans. The counselors also connect
students with individuals from the community
who help foster a desire for postsecondary education, advise on potential career paths, and assist
in completing required college applications and
financial aid forms.
• Financial aid. REDI also provides “last dollar”
scholarships to students whose financial aid
package from a college is less than the cost of
college attendance. The scholarships make up
the cost difference so that finances are not a barrier to attending an institution of higher education.
Career and technical education. The vast majority
of Covington’s students participate in the school’s
Career and Technical Education (CTE) program,
which reinforces academic achievement and provides students with concrete skills for employment.
Students who major in the CTE program not only
have the same academic course requirements as
all students in the school, but they also enroll in
four courses in one of five CTE concentration areas,
which include agriculture, family and consumer
sciences, Future Business Leaders of America,
health sciences, and marketing. For example, students majoring in CTE Health Occupations Students
of America (HOSA) take courses in emergency
medical training, community emergency response,
diagnostic medicine and forensic science, and
clinical medicine. In addition, the students work
directly with medical professionals. The school
partners with emergency health service providers
to create opportunities for students to learn and
practice emergency medical techniques. Certified
teachers work with students and prepare them for
career areas such as emergency medical services.
Pathways to the Prize
Lessons from the 2012 SCORE Prize School Winners
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