Willow Run school district revamping high school to qualify for state funding
Willow Run’s dismal student achievement numbers may be the key to turning around the eastern Washtenaw County school district, officials said Thursday night.
That’s because the numbers - including a 45 percent graduation rate - place the district’s high school in the lowest 5 percent of schools in the state. And that, in turn, makes Willow Run eligible for between $50,000 and $2 million in state funds each year for the next three years.
To get the money, the district has to get state to sign off on a plan to revamp the high school.
Last month, selected Willow Run sophomores and juniors participated in June Development Day for the new Link Crew Program beginning in the fall.
Photo courtesy of Willow Run Community Schools
"Our plan (is) bold because we can’t do the same thing we’ve been doing year after year,” said Principal Kelly Webb.
The plan calls for establishing a STEMM magnet school inside the high school focusing on science, math and engineering and a cyber school academy.
“Our end result is improving our student achievement in our high school,” said acting Superintendent Laura Lisiscki.
She said the current numbers are “unacceptable.”
Those numbers:
- Only 47 percent of the high school’s 10th, 11th and 12th graders are on track to graduate.
- The graduation rate is 45 percent.
- The average ACT score is 16 points.
- 23 percent of students are proficient on state tests.
Other changes in the plan include more extended day or extended year options for students; getting a 1-to-1 computing for STEMM students; shifting to a project-based learning environment, increasing the safety at the school and involving the community in the school through mentorships, community service and internships.
The goals:
- Increase the percent of students who are proficient on state tests to 70 percent.
- Increase the graduation rate to 85 percent.
- Spend at least 40 percent of instructional time on project-based learning.
- Create opportunities for all students to earn college credit.
- Make sure every student graduates with an internship, mentorship or community service experience.
- Increase student enrollment by 25 percent.
“It’s a three-year plan,” said Bob Galardi, a former Ann Arbor school district teacher, principal and central administrator who is a consultant to the district. “The expectation is that what we do this year is only the beginning.”
The district submitted the plan to the state Wednesday. Officials expect to get an initial reaction back by Aug. 1, with final submission to the state in mid-August.
School board President Sheri Washington said it can be hard to hear an organization is among the worst in the state.
"That’s almost a blessing in disguise because of the opportunity we have to rebuild Willow Run High School and get some help to do so. It’s nice to see a framework with which we can work.
“There’s a lot at stake here.”
David Jesse covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or at 734-623-2534.
Comments
teacher
Sun, Jul 18, 2010 : 2:49 p.m.
@County Kate "I am heartened to learn Bob Galardi is now a consultant with Willow Run. I've known him since he was dean at Community High in Ann Arbor in the 1980s and he's top-notch. Which is unusual for Willow Run, but it's about time." Bob Galardi is one of several paid consultants who have been working with Willow Run Community Schools for the past 2 years. The fact that he has been working with the district for the past 2 years and he is "top notch" are evidence that the issues facing WR schools are not easy to fix. Many people seem to blog that the way to improve WR is to replace staff with staff members from other districts. Here is an example of a respected and successful former Ann Arbor administrator who has spent 2 years working in WR and the quick fix has NOT occurred. The issues facing WR schools are more complex than just replacing everyone who works there or disbanding an entire district. Successful schools require a partnership of all stakeholders - students, parents, district staff, and the community at large. If a school district is failing the problems do not usually rest with only one part of the stakeholding group.
CountyKate
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 7:20 p.m.
Cash, I really think most school board members have no history of having to hire or fire anyone, and some of them cannot seem to assess people very well. I think a class in how to find the right person for the job should be part of their training when they join the board. Because, if you don't know what you're supposed to be looking for, you have a much harder time separating the winners from the losers.
Cash
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 5:18 p.m.
County Kate, I agree...but at some point we need to look at who is doing the hiring of these people. But thanks for reminding me of the guy's name....Doug Benit! I am assuming he is still serving his sentence. I think he got 4 years in the federal prison. And I'm assuming WR never got anything back from him. Now, after that total disaster they hire someone else with a doubtful job history. Why?
CountyKate
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 3:07 p.m.
I am heartened to learn Bob Galardi is now a consultant with Willow Run. I've known him since he was dean at Community High in Ann Arbor in the 1980s and he's top-notch. Which is unusual for Willow Run, but it's about time. The truth is that Willow Run has had poor leadership for years and, regardless of the unions, good teachers did not get support and bad teachers were not weeded out. The atmosphere of any school is determined at the top. The atmosphere of a school district is determined at the top. With real leadership, these schools can come together and students' attitudes will change for the better. It takes a few real leaders to achieve that and Willow Run, notorious for Doug Benit and Doris Hope-Jackson, simply hasn't had real leadership since Dr. Joe left.
katmando
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 2:43 p.m.
The conservatives have been cutting educational funding for decades their eqation is leaner = better. Well that has proven to not be the case and now they are blaming the unions. Now they are complaining the educational systems isn't doing enough. All the problems that are plaguing the educational system can be traced right back to all the funding cuts done over the last FEW decades.
katmando
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 2:36 p.m.
Having substitute taught at Willow Run for over 8 years, it is going to be tough to meet those goals. It isn't the unions fault if students don't want to learn. You can require students to attend school until their 50 and it still wouldn't make a bit of difference if they are only there to disrupt the classroom. A vocher system is even worse then what we have now because unless the parent get involed with the child education no amount of edcating will help. If we could get rid of the 50 or less disruptive students Willow Run would be a great place to learn. But as it is now the system is setup so warm bodies in the seats mean more than a great/safe place to learn.
eom
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 2:13 p.m.
@ angela, Once again, we are blaming the failings of a school/district on the union. This is getting old. Why do some school districts struggle? Why do some school districts have students who fail? Ann Arbor has a union, yet we have successful schools. It takes a village to RAISE a child and it takes a village to FAIL a child. You can't blame any one group for the struggles of the Willow Run District. Instead of trying to blame, why don't we try and figure out how to help them become successful?
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 1:32 p.m.
This is a bizarre program. It throws more money at the people who have demonstrated their own incompetence.
Mikey2u
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 12:06 p.m.
State achievement results show that the administrators and teachers at Willow Run are inadequate in their jobs. The administrations plan for improvement is to implement extended day or extended year options for students. In other words; give the students extended exposure to the inadequate administrators and teachers. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
cinnabar7071
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 11:27 a.m.
How about some accountability. Make school free for those recieving C's or better, and make the parents pay for the wasted class space of these getting below C's.
angela
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 10:58 a.m.
With the teachers union, it has not been about the kids in a very long time. I live in west willow and I send my kids to Belleville, not much better but still not a disgrace.
angela
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 10:55 a.m.
People are saying they should dismantle and combine into better schools. Great, then people can start to complain about the learning gap. This is a no win situation, the school deserves nothing. A long time ago people earned what they got, now it seems people get what they dont deserve. No matter how much money you throw at this school the same amount of kids,who dont care will still not care. Those kids know they wont have to work when they get older, so why work now
Moonmaiden
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 10:25 a.m.
They also bicker.
mbenin
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 10:09 a.m.
Until they stop bittering amongst themselves none of this is going to work. They have had 3 principals and 2 or 3 administrators over the last 4 or 5 years and things are not getting better. I live in this district and I just decided my daughter's education is more important so she will not be attending Willow Run High School for the next school year. It's just disappointing to me and I don't think this new plan will work. @Amelia, you are right about parents demanding more from their children but the school system is dysfunctional which is really sad. I participated as a parent and I was just fed up with all of stuff that was going on up there. It's supposed to be about the kids....
IheartYpsi
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 9:08 a.m.
The children in eastern Washtenaw County deserve the same quality of education that other kids in the WISD (in districts with much higher per-pupil funding) are already privileged to receive. I would hope that the state money would be used to make changes that are proven to make a difference--not experimental changes like a cyber school. Maybe it's time to start thinking about dismantling this district, which is perpetually in crisis, and recombining it with other neighboring districts that aren't (as) dsyfunctional.
amelia
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 8:36 a.m.
These are some pretty lofty goals. I don't see where throwing money at a school will do any good. Use that money to bring people in to clean it up. Until the parents of this district (the absentee ones, that is) stand up and demand more from their children it is a lost cause. I hate to say it, but that is the true reality.
Gorc
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 7:07 a.m.
Congratulations on earning the state funds, job well done.
McGiver
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 6:41 a.m.
Great - Schools that fail get rewarded with more money. We need to seriously campaign for a voucher system that gives parents a real choice and breaks the teachers union's grip on public education.