This real-world training qualifies students to serve in
such capacities as EMTs while attending Covington.
Of the top 10 students in the school, seven of them
are CTE majors. “A lot of our students are going to
go to postsecondary training of some kind which
makes our courses that much more important,” one
teacher said. CTE students currently achieve a higher graduation r ate than general education students:
99 percent.
Effective interventions. At Covington, having high
expectations for all students means that every
student will meet or exceed their expected level of
academic growth every year. Teachers use results
from End-of-Course pretests and ACT predictions
to examine where each student is relative to their
predicted scores. Students are also tested every
four and a half weeks to determine their progress.
Whenever a student has not mastered expected
material, Covington connects students with needed supports. Specifically, any student who scores
basic or below basic on the ThinkLink formative
assessments in English or algebra is required to
attend “academic recovery,” which is mandatory
after-school tutoring, two days a week. During this
time, students can choose to work with a teacher
or a peer tutor. “The great thing is you might not be
comfortable with your teacher and they may not be
able to break it down [like] one of your peers,” one
student said. The school has also removed barriers
to participation by providing transportation at 5 p.m.
during any afternoon when tutoring is offered.
Covington staff members also recognize that some
students do not thrive in a traditional classroom
environment. These students are provided with
multiple alternative education programs that allow
them to participate online, in project-based learning, or in other activities that allow them to recover credit and/or enroll in courses that are more
personalized to their needs. Additionally, Covington
has implemented an alternative block schedule
that allows students with disabilities to be involved
in an inclusion setting for English and algebra one
day, followed by specialized services in a resource
setting the alternate day. As needed, students also
receive an extra 90-minute block of mathematics
during their second semester following algebra to
work on specific skills that have not been mastered.
Teacher and student personalities are matched
to ensure a good fit, and students are individually
scheduled by special education and consulting
teachers to make sure their needs are met.
Engaging families. Teachers and administrators
at Covington High School embrace the power of
37
Pathways to the Prize
Lessons from the 2012 SCORE Prize School Winners
“I believe it is important
that these students have
someone to rely on.”
— Peggy Murdock,
Covington High Principal
parents and families to advance students’ educational success. The school has been strategic with
regard to parent and family involvement. To help
parents understand their students’ educational
performance, as well as their postsecondary opportunities, the school provides programs that inform
families about how they can contribute to their
student’s educational development.
The school’s guidance center welcomes family
members and gives them a place to ask questions
and resolve issues about student’s educational
needs and progress. Parent Connect, an online
portal, allows parents to find out what’s happening
at school: how their children are doing academically; what they’re learning, including current assignments; and how to contact teachers. The school
provides an “intensive care unit” list weekly to make
sure students know what assignments they are
missing. “No child has an F just because there is
miscommunication,” said Assistant Principal Ellen
Clark, who posts the list each week.
The principals also make it a priority to understand
family circumstances. Principal Murdock, for example, visits homes when necessary and speaks candidly with the students about home circumstances.
She understands that she represents an important
adult in her student’s lives. “I have been teaching in
this school district for over 20 years,” Murdock said.
“In some cases, I have taught their parents. The kids
know I’m not going anywhere. They are more willing
to confide when they have an issue. I believe it is
important that these students have someone to rely
on. They don’t always have those types of people
in their household. I want us to be those people for
them if we can.”
Video: “High Expectations and
Academic Supports” (2:12)
http:/
/tnscore.org/scoreprize/lessonsschools_high2012.php