– Unknown Introduction Jefferson High School plays a central role in the economic development potential of our community. Together, we must aggressively respond to significant changes in 21st century public education. Meeting the needs of all children extends beyond state and federal mandates; it should be a common belief and commitment shared throughout the Lafayette community. However, the challenges are significant. From funding shortfalls to changing demographics and emerging populations with exceptional needs to limited student enrollment growth potential and increasing demands of higher education and the workplace, our children, now more than ever, are relying on us to help them acquire the skills and resources necessary for success in a high-tech, global economy. The stakes are high; excuses are unacceptable; and failure is not an option. Our children deserve our very best effort. Unquestionably, we are at a crossroads in public education. It is generally accepted that consumers are better served in a competitive, open marketplace. Elementary economic principles suggest that absent competition, consumers may be subjected to higher prices, inferior customer service and lower quality products. It is reasoned that the preservation of consumer choice will encourage organizations to invest significant resources in producing higher quality products and delivering acceptable customer service at reasonable prices. These economic principles have not yielded to educational delivery systems. A competitive educational marketplace, or “school choice,” has evolved with home schools, distance learning, parochial schools and privatization. Most recently, charter schools and vouchers have been introduced. Similar to other sweeping changes throughout history, we can accurately predict that organizations failing to respond to consumer needs, governmental controls and technological advances will experience catastrophic results on their bottom line. While some organizations have been crippled during times of change, others have reinvented themselves, emerging as visionary leaders in their market. Our bottom line is represented by the success of our children. And our objectives are clear: to maintain a culture of high expectations; to continue providing our children with exceptional programs, a world-class faculty and staff, and state-of-the-art facilities; and to sustain Jefferson High School’s national prominence and position as the local school of choice. Build the Future reflects our passion for excellence, our commitment to being a partner in the economic and cultural advancement of our city, our mission to reinvent ourselves by adapting to a dynamic educational climate, and our effort to create synergy among Jefferson alumni and friends to help us achieve our goals. On behalf of our current and future students, faculty and staff, and our more than 30,000 alumni that span the globe, thank you for your continued support which makes a significant difference in the lives of children. – T. E. Lawrence from his Seven Pillars of Wisdom Return to the top
Community Belief Statements The Jefferson High School community believes that all students deserve
Build the Future Goals Goal 1: Learning - Attain and preserve excellence in learning through quality programs in every academic discipline. Goal 2: Opportunities - Evaluate and expand programmatic and curricular offerings to meet the diverse needs and interests of our students. Goal 3: Faculty and Staff - Recruit and retain a diverse, world-class faculty and staff. Goal 4: Partnerships - Develop and nurture partnerships with public and private agencies, organizations, local school districts and individuals to respond to a variety of social, environmental and advancement needs. Goal 5: Technology - Implement and maintain cutting edge technology to enhance instruction, professional development and student preparedness for post-secondary endeavors in a high-tech, global economy. Goal 6: Facilities - Update and develop facilities that address student, community and programmatic needs. Goal 7: Resources – Secure external resources to fund strategic plan and to position Jefferson High School for future growth and prosperity. – Unknown Return to the top Goal 1 - Learning Attain and preserve excellence in learning through quality programs in every academic discipline. Key Strategies: 1.1 Implement School Improvement and Achievement Plan. 1.2 Develop and implement assessment plan to assist in the identification and proper placement of at-risk students and language minority students, and to measure annual performance growth. 1.3 Identify and address achievement gaps that may exist among student subgroups. 1.4 Communicate the value and requirements of the Indiana Academic Honors Diploma and the Core 40 curriculum to students, parents and staff, and encourage students to pursue a more rigorous curriculum. 1.5 Expand alternative delivery systems to meet the needs of all students. 1.6 Evaluate academic, co-curricular and extra-curricular programs on a regular basis. 1.7 Create mentor/positive support programs for all students. 1.8 Provide resource centers and opportunities for students to receive tutoring and remediation outside the classroom. 1.9 Enhance the standardized testing preparedness program. Metrics: M 1.1 Increase the percentage of students meeting or exceeding Graduation Qualifying Exam cut scores in each demographic subgroup. M 1.2 Increase the percentage of students earning Academic Honors Diplomas and completing Core 40 curriculum. M 1.3 Increase SAT and ACT scores. M 1.4 Increase the number of National Merit Scholarship finalists. M 1.5 Increase graduation rate. M 1.6 Decrease the achievement gap among student subgroups. M 1.7 Increase attendance rate. – Thomas Jefferson Return to the top Goal 2 - Opportunities Evaluate and expand programmatic and curricular offerings to meet the diverse needs and interests of our students. Key Strategies: 2.1 Expand Advanced Placement, dual credit and honors program. 2.2 Implement International Baccalaureate Diploma program. 2.3 Introduce new curricular offerings as appropriate. 2.4 Introduce clubs and activities to address student interests. 2.5 Implement academies. 2.6 Provide funding to assist students eligible for reduced price lunches. 2.7 Expand scholarship endowment to assist students pursuing post-secondary education. 2.8 Provide funding for students to take standardized tests, i.e., AP, SAT, ACT, PSAT. 2.9 Provide emergency loan program to assist Jefferson students and families. 2.10 Provide funding for study abroad program for students. Metrics: M 2.1 Increase the percentage of students taking Advanced Placement exams and earning college credit through the AP program. M 2.2 Increase the number of college credits earned by students during high school. M 2.3 Align student interests with the introduction of new programs. M 2.4 Increase the percentage of students pursuing post-secondary education. M 2.5 Increase the percentage of students taking the SAT, PSAT, ACT, and PLAN. – Advice of Brutus to Cassius in Julius Caesar Return to the top Goal 3 - Faculty and Staff Recruit and retain a diverse, world-class faculty and staff. Key Strategies: 3.1 Provide relevant and personalized professional development. 3.2 Provide faculty scholarships and incentives for continuing education and research. 3.3 Participate in professional development school with Purdue University. 3.4 Enhance faculty appreciation and recognition program. 3.5 Implement faculty recruiting team and expand recruiting efforts nationally. 3.6 Provide ancillary services for faculty and staff. 3.7 Provide faculty and staff with technology, curricular resources and administrative support. 3.8 Create professional development institute for best practices in teaching, learning and technology. 3.9 Recruit highly qualified candidates for student teaching assignments. 3.10 Implement “Aspiring Teachers Program” to encourage exceptional candidates to pursue teaching as a career. Metrics: M 3.1 Increase the number of applicants for all positions at Jefferson High School. M 3.2 Become the school of choice for potential candidates. M 3.3 Maintain retention rate of 98% (excluding retirements). – Robert F. Kennedy Return to the top Goal 4 – Partnerships Develop and nurture partnerships with public and private agencies, organizations, local school districts and individuals to respond to a variety of social, environmental and advancement needs. Key Strategies: 4.1 Enhance alumni relations by cultivating alumni interests, improving communication and involving alumni with students and in school programs. 4.2 Create staff position for community relations and alumni development. 4.3 Create coordinator position for volunteer services and community partnerships. 4.4 Encourage parental involvement and participation in the Jefferson Advisory Council. 4.5 Improve communication to all stakeholders by implementing a systematic approach to community relations. 4.6 Expand school-to-college program to include post-secondary articulation agreements, dual credit courses, and certification opportunities with state universities. Metrics: M 4.1 Increase parental involvement. M 4.2 Increase business and community partnerships. M 4.3 Increase alumni association memberships. M 4.4 Increase percentage of parents accessing webpage. M 4.5 Increase the number of articulation agreements with post-secondary institutions. – Gale Kvam, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Return to the top Goal 5 – Technology Implement and maintain cutting-edge technology to enhance instruction, professional development and student preparedness for post-secondary endeavors in a high-tech, global economy. Key Strategies: 5.1 Enhance the use of technology in all curricular areas. 5.2 Incorporate a capstone experience, including a senior project and an electronic portfolio, for all students. 5.3 Evaluate and implement emerging technologies consistent with instructional needs. 5.4 Employ full-time technician. 5.5 Implement faculty/student technology advisory team. 5.6 Provide technology and Internet access for economically disadvantaged students. 5.7 Use distance learning to expand internal and external programming. 5.8 Develop and implement departmental technology plans. 5.9 Develop an interactive webpage. Metrics: M 5.1 School increases student outside-of-school computer and Internet access to one hundred percent. M 5.2 Seniors’ end-of-course projects include technology component. M 5.3 Students develop and maintain electronic portfolios. M 5.4 Students develop and maintain personal web pages. M 5.5 All faculty regularly use technology for direct instruction. – Tom McCool, Director of Marketing, Community College of Indiana Return to the top Goal 6 – Facilities Update and develop facilities that address current and future student, community and program needs. Key Strategies: Phase I 6.1 Develop long-range site plan for Jefferson campus. 6.2 Construct a spirit shop in the corral. 6.3 Construct a single multi-purpose outdoor facility to accommodate band, physical education football (high school and middle school), men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s track and field (high school and middle school), weight training and community activities. 6.4 Expand and renovate the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. 6.5 Construct Jefferson Alumni and Family Center. 6.6 Relocate men’s baseball complex. Phase II 6.7 Update classrooms: technology, electricity, carpeting, painting, signage, doors, cabinetry, desks and seating. 6.8 Relocate women’s softball complex to Jefferson campus. 6.9 Renovate tennis courts: resurfacing, lighting and seating. Phase III 6.10 Construct aquatics center with 50m x 25m pool, locker rooms, and spectator seating. 6.11 Convert existing aquatics center to gymnastics facility. 6.12 Develop faculty and staff wellness center. 6.13 Develop childcare center. Phase IV 6.14 Construct multi-purpose fieldhouse to provide indoor practice facility for physical education, band, tennis, track and field, baseball, softball, football and soccer. Metrics: M 6.1 New construction project starts. M 6.2 Completed projects. – Anonymous Return to the top Goal 7 – Resources Increase external resources to fund strategic plan and position Jefferson High School for future growth and prosperity. Key Strategies: 7.1 Develop educational foundation under provisions of section 501(c)(3) of the United States Tax Code. 7.2 Develop marketing plan to encourage capital contributions for planned projects. 7.3 Establish grant writing team to research grant opportunities and develop proposals aligned with strategic plan. 7.4 Reallocate existing resources for implementation of strategic plan. 7.5 Develop planned giving program to position Jefferson High School for future growth and prosperity. 7.6 Expand membership and participation opportunities in the Jefferson Alumni Association and Friends. Metrics: Phase I M 7.1 Grant funding target: $1,000,000. M 7.2 Planned projects target: $20,000,000. M 7.3 Annual alumni association revenue target: $100,000. Phase II M 7.4 Scholarship endowment target: $15,000,000. Phase III M 7.5 Planned giving target: $25,000,000. – Anonymous Return to the top Lafayette, Indiana 47905 VOICE: 765-772-4700 FAX: 765-772-4713 |