As you are probably aware, Averroes has undertaken quite a few projects this year in relation to accreditation and school improvement. Through our interaction with the accrediting body, the NCA, we were fortunate to have been chosen as a pilot school by the NSSE which is the research division of the NCA. Through this relationship, we entered into a Pilot School agreement with the NSSE, and we have adopted their school improvement model called Breakthrough for School Improvement. This model entails looking at the school (Profiling) from various perspectives: Demographics, Student Performance Data, Instruction and Learning, Organization and Leadership, and then deciding on areas to target for improvement (Goals).  

Some of the projects we have completed as part of our improvement process are:

• - Thorough alignment of curriculum with State, National, and NCA standards
• - Comprehensive Parent and Student Survey (Fall, 06)
• - Environmental Scan (Research on educating our children for the future world)
• - Surveys of teachers on instructional strategies and objectives, classroom management, leadership, professional development needs, etc.
• - Collection of historic and current demographic and student performance data
• - Additional testing for data correlation (criterion reference testing administered in Fall/06 and Spring/07)
• - Full audit of school systems & implementation of new systems
• - Online Survey of Parents and Tutoring Interest Survey (Spring, 07)
• - Plan for full integration of curriculum to include Islamic Studies into each content area
  

In addition to the above, we have completed our school improvement plan which will go into effect in the new school year ('07-'08). Following the Breakthrough model, we have determined two 2-part academic goals and one behavior goal. Our goals target the following essential skill sets:
 

• - Improve Reading Comprehension focusing on Content Area Reading along with Academic Vocabulary Acquisition
• - Improve Math Problem Solving and Computation Skills
• - Develop improved personal responsibility and respect in the Islamic school environment according to our Prophet’s model (Peace Be Upon Him)
  

To reach the next step, our school improvement team has done extensive research to ascertain the most effective methods and strategies (interventions) that we will implement to reach these goals. We have also researched and selected tools (assessments) that will help us gauge progress in both a formal way (beginning and end of year), along with informal assessments at regular intervals to monitor our interventions.  In the new school year, Averroes will implement an electronic grading system that will enable us to closely monitor student performance and collect data to inform our decisions. We will also provide quality training (professional development) to our teachers to support them in these new systems.
 
Our thanks to parents who participated in our surveys, actively participated in School Improvement meetings, and who have made financial contributions to our pilot project fund. A special thanks to the PTC for donating to our project as well. Your support is needed and very much appreciated.