In defense of the new Audenried
by Guest blogger on Feb 15 2011 Posted in Community voices
We have another guest blog today, this one from a group of teachers at Audenried High School, in response to planned changes at their school.
On January 25, the new Audenried High School was identified as a “Renaissance School” and slated to become a charter under outside control. Before the 11th graders take the new school's first-ever PSSAs, before the inaugural graduating class of 2012 accepts their diplomas, and before we send our students off to pursue colleges and careers, our present renaissance is being cut short.
When the new Charles Y. Audenried High School opened in Grays Ferry in the fall of 2008, the School District of Philadelphia hailed it as “a fresh start for this community, […] a fresh start for not only the kids who are here now, [but for] the kids who are coming in the future.” Over the past two and a half years, Audenried has defied the reputation of the old school and created an identity of success that speaks to the dedication of the staff, but especially to the drive and tenacity of our students.
As teachers, students, and community members, our concerns are twofold: First and foremost, Audenried is not a failing school; and secondly, the School District of Philadelphia has not been transparent about the data they used to identify our school as one in need of drastic turnaround measures.
In our first year, students competed in the George Washington Carver Science Fair at Temple University and won a special award for excellent collaboration and community-building. Audenried students have also earned distinction in Internet design, in lacrosse, in golf, and in essay contests.
Under the leadership of Coach Tina Wiggins, in its first year of varsity basketball, our students yet again separated themselves from the old Audenried, trumping the former school's historic best and winning their division.
In academics, our predictive scores indicate that we will meet our AYP goals, making us the only school scheduled for turnaround that will make AYP. As incoming 9th graders, only 15 percent of our current 11th graders were proficient or advanced in English and a mere 3 percent were proficient in mathematics. This year, the second round of predictive testing shows an estimated 38.9 percent of 11th graders scoring mastery or above in English and 37.2 percent scoring mastery or better in mathematics. Gains like these are a testament to the success of our rebirth as the new Audenried.
Given the absence of a School Performance Index (SPI) score and PSSA data for the new Audenried, the School District explained its decision by arguing that our attendance and on-track to graduation data place us at the bottom of all Philadelphia high schools. They also admitted to using data from the old school, which ceased to exist in 2005.
As a staff and as a community, we take issue with their justification. Our daily attendance rate is 83.8 percent, only it is a few percentage points below the average for all non-Promise Academy District High Schools at 87 percent. However, calling it "one of the lowest in the whole district" would be incorrect as other comprehensive high schools such as Fels, Strawberry Mansion, Rhodes, and Roxborough, have attendance data lower than ours. Most importantly, our attendance rate increases with grade level, proving that students become more invested in our new school community as they advance.
In addition, School District officials cited data indicating that only 52.1 percent of last year’s freshmen earned the five or more credits needed to advance. While it is unclear how this number was calculated, this does not explain our 9th grade promotion rate of 92.8 percent in the school year 2009-2010. The predictive data mentioned earlier shows our students scoring at least 14 percent above both of the District’s current Promise Academies in both math and English on the PSSA.
In light of the data, will the District reconsider trying to fix a school that is not broken?
Signed,
Hope Moffett
Brynn Keller
Pete Coyle
Daniel Eppihimer
Lauren Murphy
The guest blog section is a place for people, other than our regular cast of bloggers, to share their views. (See our "About Our Blog" note at the top, right.) Got something you'd like to write about? Email us with a pitch, idea, or a completed post.
Comments (10)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 14:49.
We hear the teachers but where are the voices of the Audenried administration?????
Oh, wait...I already know the answer.
The "New" Audenried is done. Sad to say, but the teachers who worked so hard the last three years building that school from the ground up will have to move on. Nobody is listening to what you have to say. The deal has been brokered and the palms have been greased. Keep fighting the good fight...
Submitted by Ron Whitehorne on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 16:45.
Thank you for all your work on behalf of your students, for your well reasoned response, and your courage in publicly speaking out.
Submitted by Meg (not verified) on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 16:57.
I applaud your attempt to reason with our current tyrant. Your points are valid and logical. Your growth comes through not only in the data but in the tone of your post.
We tried such a logical, polite tact when we were thrown onto the empowerment list. The result was a lecture for our principal. We were told we did not have the right to ask for any new evaluation or meetings even to discuss the issues. We would not get such rights until every child in the school was scoring proficient or advanced.
I have hope for you, but the quote running through our building now is "You work for the Philadelphia School District... Stop thinking. It will only frustrate you."
Submitted by Teacher Action Group (not verified) on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 18:16.
Teachers across the District are recognizing that the District's reforms are plowing ahead, without taking the time to find out the ideas and solutions that educators, students, parents, and communities already have been developing for positive school transformation. It should make ALL of us stop and ask these important questions of our leadership.
Under a half-billion dollar budget deficit, why are schools like yours still being handed over to private companies for management? Where is the data, the strategy, the sustainability, and the answers?
Congratulations to you all for saying that "enough is enough." And power to your students for walking out today!
Teacher Action Group supports you! It's time to mobilize for education justice for ALL students. Teachers can be part of the solution.
www.tagphilly.org
tagphilly@gmail.com
Submitted by Hope Moffett (not verified) on Tue, 02/15/2011 - 22:21.
Come support us at the SRC meeting tomorrow at 5 PM. It's inspirational to have reason to believe that students and teachers can have a voice about education.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/16/2011 - 17:54.
"In academics, our predictive scores indicate that we will meet our AYP goals, making us the only school scheduled for turnaround that will make AYP. As incoming 9th graders, only 15 percent of our current 11th graders were proficient or advanced in English and a mere 3 percent were proficient in mathematics. This year, the second round of predictive testing shows an estimated 38.9 percent of 11th graders scoring mastery or above in English and 37.2 percent scoring mastery or better in mathematics."
I don't agree that private companies should take over schools and I'm glad to see progress. I'm sure given more time those numbers will continue to improve. I wanted to say that so my intentions regarding my next statement weren't misinterpreted.
These numbers are depressing, and for those predicted numbers to be 'better' than other schools in the district is insane. An overhaul of this entire district is needed. for so many people in the public to be so defensive of these schools is baffling. It appears this district is in no condition to NOT make sweeping changes. However, I believe someone else should be the one to do it as I don't agree with Ackerman's decisions.
I want to note, I think these teachers are great for all of their work that they've done to take the school to the point it is at and this is in no way trying to say that their opinion is wrong or that they are not great at their professions.
Submitted by Hope Moffett (not verified) on Thu, 02/17/2011 - 00:49.
It is absolutely appalling that the numbers are this low and the District should have taken drastic measures years ago to make sure that students have access to great education. The problem is, when students came as Freshmen to a brand new Audenried, the former 8th graders from Alcorn Elementary had had nothing but long term substitutes in all but one of their subjects. What we don't want for the students is for a takeover to bring chaos and teacher turnover like it did at Clemente and at West Philly. I guarantee you that this will not bring student achievement.
Submitted by Acourt (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 06:57.
These teachers are standing up for their students. I personally think it's wonderful that the students also stood up for themselves. The students were going about their protest in a very peaceful manner and the earlier reports mentioned that after they had had their chance to speak with district representa tives, they went back to class saying that they needed to also show that they were good students. These students will become adults that have ethics and will work towards a better ideal. What more could we ask for. What I think is the worst tragedy is that these students' academic merit will be judged on tests they will be taking soon. Tests where other students at other schools have dedicated teachers like Hope helping them prepare while these have a district substitute who probably means well but cannot give these students the targeted and differenti ated instructio n they need. The students are the ones who are suffering through the districts' actions. They care about their teacher and I am sure that this is way more distractin g to them than organizing a protest.
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