Posted: 5/21/03

FLHS 1 of 6 schools for national study on school improvement

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

A special visitor looked in on Forest Lake High School this month and it was a positive visit for the school. On May 6-8th, Joan Richardson from the National Staff Development Council was in the building on a special educational mission.

Richardson is executive editor of the ìJournal of Staff Development,î and director of publications for the National Staff Development Council.

This large organization provides resources, leads research projects and assists district and individuals nationwide in best practices, school improvement strategies, and staff development strategies.

Forest Lake High School is one of six schools selected nationwide for a study entitled ìAmplifying Positive Deviance.î

Last fall, the NSDC, with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, began its study by seeking out schools across the country where there have been significant academic gains over the past few years. Forest Lake High School responded by submitting its data, along with many schools across the country.

ìThe NSDC went through a multi-stage process, and our school was selected to be part of the study, along with one other high school, and four other elementary and middle level schools,î Principal Mark Robertson said.

The purpose of the study, is to identify schools and districts that have deviated above their peer groups in making changes that have resulted in significant student achievement.

The study is intended to find out how the positive change occurred in these six schools, with the intent of finding common (and uncommon) elements, so they can be replicated in other schools and districts, Robertson said.

A key focus

The focus of the study is to determine the practices, the improvement strategies, the leadership groups and the ways that momentum was gained to see improved results over time.

ìIn essence, it is intended to look at the work of the adults in these places, to identify what they did to make things happen,î Robertson said.

Robertson said Richardson spent the three days in the school to observe various team meetings, faculty meetings, working groups, and classrooms as they function in their various roles.

In addition, she is interviewing various individuals in the school to gain a cross-section of perspectives on what positive changes have taken place, with the goal of determining the elements that contributed to the positive change.

ìOur staff is honored, excited, proud, humbled, and a bit nervous about being singled out as an outstanding example of school improvement,î Robertson said.

ìWe have worked hard to make many changes in many different areas, and have seen many positive results. Ultimately it is our staff that deserves great recognition for constantly striving for improvement.

ìAt the same time, we understand that we have not yet arrived, and we must continue to work at getting better.

The key intention of this visit and study is to identify the processes and procedures and strategies that have worked to amplify positive deviance practices. These strategies will be compiled to be piloted and field tested in other schools across the United States.

ìThe impact of the efforts of our staff may have tremendous influence on practices on other schools and districts and educators and students,î Robertson said.

ìTheir goal is to write the story of these schools' successes. We are the fifth of six schools visited at this point, and upon completion of the six site visits, the research will be compiled together, and a book will be written about the six schools. The book will be published some time in the fall of 2003 for distribution nationwide.î

Robertson said the high school is proud of the progress the school has made.

ìOur staff deserves recognition for being involved in this nationwide project,î he said. ìIt is a tremendous honor and an affirmation of a group of people who have worked to make our school a better place!î

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