Superintendent's Message

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• July 5, 2009: Response to Schwarz Academy article

   

  On Sunday, June 27, The Times-Picayune of New Orleans published a front page article that included numerous allegations about Schwarz Academy, the district’s alternative school. RSD Superintendent Paul Vallas’ full response to the article follows:

   

  Sunday’s front page article, “Is Schwarz a Safe Alternative?” failed to accurately portray Schwarz Academy, in particular, and the Recovery School District’s (RSD) alternative programs in general.
  
  The article was unbalanced, and ignored our real challenges, our many successes, the scope of services currently offered by the RSD and our plans to expand our alternative services to better meet the needs of this challenging population of students. Not only did the article misrepresent Schwarz, it failed to recognize other programs that the RSD has put in place to support this population of students, including our transitional program for over-aged students, our GED program for dropouts and other support programs that we have implemented through community partnerships. This information was provided to The Times-Picayune, but was not reflected in the article.
  
  Here are the facts:

  ·         The RSD provides the ONLY alternative schools for Orleans Parish. The District not only serves the children who have been expelled from our direct-run schools, but also those expelled from Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) schools and charter schools.

  ·         Schwarz serves the most troubled students in our community; most have arrest records, and all were found guilty of committing serious or violent offenses in their previous school, such as possession of weapons on campus or assault and battery.

  ·         Our aim at Schwartz and our other alternative programs is to offer these students an environment that is safe and appropriate given their history. But more importantly, from our perspective, we intend to provide them with an educational experience that focuses on their future potential and assists them in transforming their lives.  At Schwartz, we put in place a system to give these students unprecedented academic and social supports, and put many students on a better path. Indeed, over the course of the year, 75 Schwarz students were transitioned out of the alternative school because they met strict criteria: 80 percent attendance, a GPA of 2.5 and no behavior infractions.

  ·         And despite the fact that 92% of the students enrolled in Schwartz had been retained at least twice during their academic career and 87% of students were performing at least two grade levels below their placement, the students showed marked gains in their academic achievement during the 2008-2009 school year.

  ·         Overall, students at Schwarz showed significant growth in all areas and on all parts of the state’s LEAP, iLEAP and GEE tests.

  ·         RSD’s assessments tracking individual student progress in reading and math showed that in the 16 assessments that were administered to 6th-11th grade students, students showed an average grade level gain of at least one year in 11 of the assessments, and in five of those cases their academic gains were nearly at or above two years.

  
  Of further note, this year the Louisiana Department of Education, Division of Dropout Prevention, Adult and Family Services visited our district and audited Schwarz. In LDOE’s written appraisal of Schwarz, the agency included the following comments:

  ·         The administrator is knowledgeable and takes a hands-on approach.

  ·         Instruction is student-centered and takes into account the needs of individuals.

  ·         The environment is conducive to learning.

  ·         Teachers are actively engaged in lessons.

  ·         There is an alternative plan developed for individualized instruction.

  ·         The Camelot model was innovative, and students seem to strive to achieve goals set forth within the model.

  ·         Students take pride in their school.

  ·          The environment is safe and secure.

  ·         Faculty, staff and administration take an active role in all components of the students’ lives (i.e. academically, socially and emotionally).

  
  No compliance issues were noted in LDOE’s report. The auditors made note of the computers, materials and textbooks that were in place and being utilized, commented that all requirements of the state grant were being met and recommended an increase in grant funding for the 2009-2010 school year. The monitors did, however, note that space was a major issue facing the program. Next year, the RSD will address this concern with a second alternative high school and a new alternative elementary school.

  
  Although we acknowledge that Schwartz is an old building (built in 1925), we disagree with the assertion that the building is “crumbling.” Multiple photographs published from The Times Picayune photographer’s half-day visit to the school showed conditions that are typical of the school buildings the RSD inherited. Our district made repairs in 2007 and in the summer of 2008 to improve conditions in the school, including work on the school’s roof, air conditioning and woodwork damaged by termites.  Termites and other facility challenges at Schwarz and many other school buildings throughout Orleans Parish are the result of decades of neglect, and this school is a prime example of why the RSD and OPSB collaborated to develop a Master Plan to renovate and rebuild dozens of schools throughout our community.
  
  Also, the article implies that young teachers were a problem at Schwarz. Nothing could be further from the truth. These were teachers who wanted this challenge and were dedicated to educating students.  The percentage of certified teachers at Schwarz last year was 92 percent. Overall, staff attendance was 95 percent and the retention rate over the course of the year was 98 percent. We had far more veteran teachers in the first year of Schwarz, but many were unmotivated and their attendance was dismal.
  
  Even though the reporter spent a day with the educational leader at Schwarz, she asked few questions about educational strategies, classroom management or behavior plans at the school. The reporter sat in on classes where teachers were engaging in meaningful instruction, but those observations were not reported. Teachers at Schwarz spent countless hours after school planning and preparing activities to make sure students remained engaged. It took extraordinary effort on the part of teachers to motivate and build relationships with students before any learning could take place.
  
  On the issue of police responses at Schwarz, students and parents knew that if serious fights occurred or if drugs or weapons were brought into the school, police would be called. Often, grievances that begin in our neighborhoods spill over to our schools. Schwarz implemented mediated sessions with parents and students and a behavior plan that is designed to help reduce negative behavior and help students gain self esteem and self-respect.
  
   When we take our alternative services to a new level next year with an additional alternative high school and a new alternative elementary school, we will be better able to separate students involved in altercations. And we will be able to get the most disruptive students out of our traditional schools and into more appropriate programs.  We already saw improvement this year with a decrease in serious incidents among our general school population. Overall, in all of our schools, serious incidents were down by 28 percent in 2009, compared to 2008.
  
  Behavior interventionists employed by Camelot were trained to intervene in cases where students posed an imminent threat to themselves and others.  During orientation, all parents of Schwarz students were notified of the contractor’s “Handle with Care,” procedures during orientation and the school maintained an open-door policy for parents and community members. Daily visitors included parents, probation officers, youth advocates, and representatives from Families in Need of Services (FINS), Boys Town and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). An open house for parents drew a standing-room-only crowd.
  
  In addition to academic supports, social supports at Schwarz last school year greatly exceeded those in our comprehensive high schools; Schwarz had a social worker, counselor, director of student support services, a transitional counselor and a director of special education, among others.
  
  The student cited in the article “who spent much of her time in the front office assisting the secretary,” was an intern, a senior who took only three classes and worked in the office for the remainder of the day. She and many of our other students participated in student government, and became positive leaders in the school. We introduced the reporter to Schwarz student government leaders, who had acknowledged the poor choices they’d made, but who had also decided to change their lives. These students tell the real story of Schwarz, but their comments were not included.
  
  Finally, we would have liked to have seen more in the article about our plans to improve alternative services next year. Our staffing model will enable us to provide additional wrap-around services for the students at two high schools, a middle school and an elementary school. We will continue the partnerships we established this year (but not mentioned in the article) with social service agencies and the courts.
  
  The RSD acknowledges that improvements need to be made at Schwartz, and the standards we have set for this school and these students are high.  It takes time to build a culture of high expectations among young people who have experienced failure -- but that won’t make us any less determined to do so.
  
  Our challenge, and it is a tall order, is to change the attitudes of these young people and to give them new and better options for their lives.  When we achieve that, we will have succeeded at transforming the school culture and creating the kind of environment we aspire to. But even more important, we will have succeeded at transforming the lives of children who are looking to us, this community, for a better way and a brighter future.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• May 25, 2009: A second straight year of strong growth!

  What a week. Not only did we see big gains in our test scores, we submitted a balanced budget to BESE and had six high school graduations.

   

  I want to begin by saying congratulations to everyone and thanking you for your tremendous work this year. Your efforts were reflected in our substantial test score gains for the second straight year, with dramatic improvement in several areas. We saw growth in every grade and every subject and we outpaced the state in 25 of 30 categories. 

   

  Based on the preliminary results, we’re projecting that at least nine of our direct-run schools and more than 20 of our charter schools could top 60 when the School Performance Scores come out.  We’re also predicting that two of our direct-run elementary schools, A.P. Tureaud and H.C. Schaumburg, will be over 70. This is truly remarkable given the fact that none of our direct-run schools were even close to 60 just two years ago.

   

  I was especially proud of the gains we saw in our middle and high schools, including double-digit jumps in many grades and subjects. When you get double-digit growth in half your categories you are seeing real growth, the type of growth that will quickly close the achievement gap.

   

  Undoubtedly, much of our improvement can be attributed to our longer school day and curriculum and instructional reforms, but the fact remains that quality teaching and school leadership made this growth possible.

   

  While we still have a long way to go, we should be proud of our gains. I want to congratulate our principals, assistant principals, instructional leaders, teachers and support staff, and thank you all for being patient as we institutionalized our reforms. Many of you have gone the extra mile by working long days and weekends, and I greatly appreciate your service and dedication to our children.

   

  As you know, we submitted a budget to BESE that is balanced and greatly limits our reliance on one-time revenue like Restart. We had to balance our budget this year and we worked to do so without sacrificing our core reforms. While we did have to make some difficult adjustments, we’re confident that we can secure additional federal money, such as money to compensate for the Title 1 stimulus dollars we should have gotten, Medicaid reimbursements, TAP money and Race to the Top grants that will allow us to provide our schools with some additional resources.

  The stimulus money would let us put additional para-professionals, teacher aids or specific teaching personnel like reading interventionists in our classrooms. We would use the Medicaid money to pay for non-academic support services for our schools. We are applying for money through the federal Teacher Incentive Fund to support our Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), which would provide teachers with performance-based compensation.  We are confident we’ll secure money through the Race to the Top grant fund, which was set up to reward districts that are innovative – something we definitely are in the RSD.

   

  Congratulations to the faculty, staff and graduating seniors at George Washington Carver, Joseph S. Clark, Walter L. Cohen, Frederick Douglass, L.E. Rabouin and Sarah T. Reed high schools on their commencement ceremonies last week. This Tuesday, John McDonogh High School will hold its commencement. We are still getting final numbers in from the schools, but it looks like we’ll have another sharp increase in our graduation rate. That’s one more reason to be proud of what has been accomplished this year.

   

  As you know, schools and our administrative offices will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. The last day of our regular school year is May 28, but the work will resume for many on June 1, the first day of our Extended Year program.

   

  I hope you have a restful holiday weekend. Thank you again for all that you do.

   

• April 29, 2009: Simple precautions can prevent spread of Swine Flu

   

  By now, you have seen media coverage or heard of the spread of swine flu in the United States and several other countries. Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses. It occasionally spreads to humans, although human to human transmission has been rare until now. The New Orleans Health Department and the Department of Health and Hospitals are working diligently to keep the public informed. They also are working to make sure that if a local outbreak occurs, it is contained. Every step is being taken at the national level to prevent any catastrophic event.

   

  There are everyday actions that you can take to protect yourselves and your families, while at the same time helping to prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

   

  1.       Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

  2.      Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

  3.      Try to avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, stay home. Limit contact with others.

  4.      Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth because germs can spread that way. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

  5.      If you or anyone in your family feels sick with flu-like symptoms, stay home and away from other people.  Do not send your children to school if they display flu-like symptoms.  Symptoms may include: high fever, body aches, headaches, coughing, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue and chills.

   

  Prevention is the key to controlling a possible outbreak. If you or your child becomes ill with flu-like symptoms, you should contact your physician immediately. Your doctor will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. Notify your school IMMEDIATELY if you are diagnosed with swine flu.

   

  The RSD is working to make sure our facilities, cleanup and transportation teams take extra steps to safeguard areas and protect our staff and students. We are constantly receiving information on the spread of the virus and will keep you informed of any changes or new information.  

   

  Thanks and stay well.

   

   

   

   

   

   

• March 25, 2009: Preparing for testing

  Next week students will begin taking the Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) and the Graduate Exit Exam (GEE), tests given throughout the state to measure student learning. As you know, these are very important tests.  Students in the grades 4 and 8 must do well on the LEAP to advance to the next grade, and high school students must pass the GEE to graduate.  Students in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 will take the iLEAP, which also measures student progress and will be considered as a factor in promotion to the next grade. In addition, seniors must take any portion of the GEE that is required for graduation that they have not previously passed.

  I want to make sure you know that student attendance is mandatory on testing days, April 1-7, 2009. It is extremely important that you, as parents, make sure that students come to school on time prepared to do their best. You should also make sure that students get plenty of sleep each night and eat a healthy breakfast each morning. Because of testing, we will have 3 p.m. dismissal on Tuesday, March 31; Wednesday, April 1; Thursday, April 2; Friday, April 3; Monday, April 6; and Tuesday, April 7.

  We will not have report card conferences on March 31. Schools will send you notice of when and where report cards will be distributed.

  Teachers and administrators have been working very hard to prepare students academically and to motivate students to do their best during testing. Children also need to hear words of encouragement at home. Please take extra time to let your children know that you believe in them as we do.

  State Testing Reminders:

  • Mandatory attendance on testing days
  • 3 p.m. dismissal Tuesday, March 31; Wednesday, April 1; Thursday April 2; Friday, April 3; Monday, April 6; and Tuesday, April 7
  • No report card conferences March 31; report cards distributed by schools

  Thank you for allowing us to provide your children with the quality education they deserve.

   

• January 2009: Welcome to our new Web site

  Welcome to the new Web site for the Louisiana Recovery School District. Our goal is to provide more information about our district and to put more resources at your fingertips.  Here you can learn about the many initiatives we’ve implemented to improve student achievement, get timely news about the district, review the complete RSD Educator’s Handbook with our managed curriculum for every grade and subject, learn about our comprehensive high school redesign efforts, and keep up to date on our progress in rebuilding public school facilities in the city.

   

  As with any Web site, ours is a work in progress. It will continue to grow and evolve in the coming weeks and months to keep parents, students, educators and member of the community engaged and informed.

   

  Our goal is to bring a sense of high expectations for every student in the district. Please visit often to learn about the many good things happening in the Recovery School District. As Superintendent, it is my honor to be a part of the effort to create superior schools for the children we serve.