##### U.S. Department of Education September 2003

**2003-2004 *No Child Left Behind---Blue Ribbon Schools Program***

**Cover Sheet**

Name of Principal [Ms. Katharine Hurst]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Ottawa Hills Junior-Senior High
School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address [2532 Evergreen Road]{.underline}
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

[Toledo Ohio \_\_\_\_\_43606-2399]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

Tel. [( 419 ) 534-5376]{.underline} Fax [( 419 ) 534-5384]{.underline}

Website/URL [http://www.ohschools.k12.oh.us Email]{.underline}
[ohhs_kah@nwoca.org](mailto:ohhs_jhy@nwoca.org)

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable, write
N/A in the space.*

Name of Superintendent [Dr. Gail Mirrow]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Ottawa Hills Local Schools]{.underline} Tel. [( 419 )
536-6371]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Superintendent's Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson Mr. C. Gary Wilson

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

**\[Include this page in the school's application as page 2.\]**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school\'s eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools with one principal, even K-12 schools, must apply as an
    entire school.)

2.  The school has not been in school improvement status or been
    identified by the state as \"persistently dangerous\" within the
    last two years. To meet final eligibility, the school must meet the
    state's adequate yearly progress requirement in the 2003-2004 school
    year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 1998.

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school, or the school district as a whole, has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution\'s equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT** (Questions 1‑2 not applicable to private schools)

1\. Number of schools in the district: \_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_
Elementary schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_\_\_ Junior high schools

\_\_[1]{.underline}\_\_ High schools (NOTE: includess grades 7 -- 12)

\_\_\_\_\_ Other (Briefly explain)

\_\_\_\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \_\_[\$9796]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure:
\_\_[\$8441]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

**SCHOOL** (To be completed by all schools)

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ \] Urban or large central city
>
> \[ \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ X\] Suburban
>
> \[ \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [\<1]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school. (NOTE: Current interim principal was assistant
principal at applicant school for 11 years.)

[6]{.underline} If fewer than three years, how long was the previous
principal at this school?

5\. Number of students enrolled at each grade level or its equivalent in
applying school (NOTE: figures are for 2003 -- 2004 school year.)

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **K**                                                     **7**       53        41          94

  **1**                                                     **8**       50        27          77

  **2**                                                     **9**       38        35          73

  **3**                                                     **10**      33        38          71

  **4**                                                     **11**      41        36          77

  **5**                                                     **12**      40        38          78

  **6**                                                     Other                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   470
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [91.1]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [0.2]{.underline} % Black or African
American

[0.6]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[6.6]{.underline} % Asian/Pacific Islander

[0.2]{.underline} % American Indian/Alaskan Native

[1.3]{.underline} % Multi-Racial

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
\_\_[2.18]{.underline}\_\_%

> (This rate includes the total number of students who transferred to or
> from different schools between October 1 and the end of the school
> year, divided by the total number of students in the school as of
> October 1, multiplied by 100.)

  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------
  **(1)**     Number of students who transferred 4
              ***to*** the school after October  
              1 until the end of the year.       

  **(2)**     Number of students who transferred 6
              ***from*** the school after        
              October 1 until the end of the     
              year.                              

  **(3)**     Subtotal of all transferred        10
              students \[sum of rows (1) and     
              (2)\]                              

  **(4)**     Total number of students in the    458
              school as of October 1             

  **(5)**     Subtotal in row (3) divided by     0.0218
              total in row (4)                   

  **(6)**     Amount in row (5) multiplied by    2.18
              100                                
  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
\_[0.65]{.underline}\_\_%

\_\_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented: \_\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_\_

Specify languages:

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: \_\_
\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_\_%

\_\_\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_Total Number Students Who Qualify

> If this method does not produce a reasonably accurate estimate of the
> percentage of students from low‑income families or the school does not
> participate in the federally‑supported lunch program, specify a more
> accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it
> arrived at this estimate.

10\. Students receiving special education services:
\_\_\_[9.1]{.underline}\_\_%

\_\_\_\_[43]{.underline}\_\_Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act.

\_[3]{.underline}\_\_Autism \_[0]{.underline}\_\_Orthopedic Impairment

\_[0]{.underline}\_\_Deafness \_[4]{.underline}\_\_Other Health Impaired

\_[0]{.underline}\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_[32]{.underline}\_Specific
Learning Disability

\_[0]{.underline}\_\_Hearing Impairment \_[0]{.underline} \_Speech or
Language Impairment

\_[1]{.underline}\_\_Mental Retardation \_[0]{.underline}\_\_Traumatic
Brain Injury

\_[2]{.underline}\_\_Multiple Disabilities \_[0]{.underline}\_\_Visual
Impairment Including Blindness

[1]{.underline}\_\_Severe Emotional Disturbance

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) \_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers \_[35]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists \_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
\_\_[0]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

Paraprofessionals \_\_[4]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
\_\_[2]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

> Support staff \_\_[6]{.underline}\_\_\_\_
> \_\_[3]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_
>
> Total number \_[52]{.underline}\_\_\_\_ \_\_[7]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio:
\_\_[1:13]{.underline}\_

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The
student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering
students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From
the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number
of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering
students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly
explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout
rate and the drop-off rate. (Only middle and high schools need to supply
dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.)

  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                           2002-2003   2001-2002   2000-2001   1999-2000   1998-1999

  Daily student attendance 95.7        95.8        95.0        96.2        96.1

  Daily teacher attendance 96.0        95.9        96.2        96.2        96.6

  Teacher turnover rate    0           3.0         9.0         6.0         3.0

  Student dropout rate     5.1         5.1         3.2         1.5         4.3

  Student drop-off rate    1.3         1.5         1.58        0.68        0.69
  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

14\. **(*High Schools Only*)** Show what the students who graduated in
Spring 2003 are doing as of September 2003.

+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Graduating class size                               | > \_[74]{.     |
|                                                     | underline}\_\_ |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in a 4-year college or university          | > [91.8        |
|                                                     | 9]{.underline} |
|                                                     | > %            |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in a community college                     | > \_[2.        |
|                                                     | 7]{.underline} |
|                                                     | > \_%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Enrolled in vocational training                     | > \_[0]{.und   |
|                                                     | erline}\_\_\_% |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Found employment                                    | > \_[4.        |
|                                                     | 1]{.underline} |
|                                                     | > \_%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Military service                                    | > \_           |
|                                                     | > [0]          |
|                                                     | {.underline}\_ |
|                                                     | > \_%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Other (travel, staying home, etc.)                  | > \_[1.        |
|                                                     | 3]{.underline} |
|                                                     | > \_%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| Unknown                                             | > \_           |
|                                                     | > [            |
|                                                     | 0]{.underline} |
|                                                     | > \_%          |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+
| **Total**                                           | > 100 %        |
+-----------------------------------------------------+----------------+

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

Ottawa Hills Junior-Senior High School is located in the Village of
Ottawa Hills, Ohio, near Toledo. The school enrolls 470 students in
grades seven through twelve and consistently draws strength from its
modest size. The school's mission is \"to challenge each student to
develop his or her academic, social, creative, and physical abilities;
to instill an appreciation for learning as a life-long process; and to
increase awareness of and responsibility to the local and world
community.\"

Our students come from families with high expectations and are
heterogeneous in their interests, talents and experiences. They
encompass unusual religious diversity, with substantial Jewish, Hindu,
Muslim and Christian populations. The challenges posed by this mixture
of faiths are addressed, in part, through specific daylong programs
(Challenge Day, Diversity Day, Wellness Day) designed to promote
respect, tolerance and conflict resolution.

Because over 90% of Ottawa Hills graduates go on to college, the
school's curriculum is oriented toward college preparation. This
curriculum is supported by a community consensus that students should
receive the best education possible. To accomplish this goal, the school
has developed a multiple pathway approach to ensure all students'
success.

The school is characterized by a mixture of innovation and tradition, of
modern technology and classical pedagogical tools and texts. For
example, a senior English class may read works by Shakespeare, Whitman,
Melville and Conrad, but prepare cutting-edge *PowerPoint* and video
presentations on these authors.

The school is tightly tied into the community. We have one parent
volunteer for every three students---volunteers who run the school
office, operate the lunch program, coach athletics, and assist with
school plays and musical productions.

Our faculty and staff are experienced and well-educated. Seventy-five
percent hold master\'s degrees or above. One hundred percent of the
teachers are certified in the content area they teach. Our small size
makes it easy for teachers to develop new approaches and courses that
meet the needs of students at all ability levels. This process involves
far fewer administrative steps than at larger schools. The school\'s
administrative structure is free from the hierarchy and red tape that
can stymie innovation and thwart excellence.

We offer many extracurricular opportunities, including volunteer
activities, athletics, a quiz bowl team, musical groups, student
government, a peer support group, a student-produced yearbook, literary
magazine and school newspaper, a chapter of a foreign student exchange
organization, and foreign language, chess, technology, and math clubs.
More than 80% of our students participate in at least one
extracurricular activity; most students are involved in more. The school
copes with the challenges posed by adolescence in ways that emphasize
the connections between freedom and responsibility and between home and
school. Students who abuse drugs and alcohol are referred to a diversion
program and are treated more as young people in need of support rather
than as juvenile delinquents in need of punishment.

Our consistent attainment of educational excellence qualifies Ottawa
Hills Junior-Senior High School for recognition as a No Child Left
Behind/Blue Ribbon School.

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

1\. The Meaning of Assessment Results

The State of Ohio has established proficiency tests which, among other
things, evaluate students' mathematics and reading proficiency in the
ninth grade. Although the state permits certain students to be exempted
from the requirement of taking this test, Ottawa Hills rarely excludes
special needs students from this assessment. For example, in five years
of administering the proficiency tests, only one student was ever
exempted from taking the reading proficiency test and only two were ever
exempted from the mathematics portion.

All tests are scored on a proficiency basis; there are no "advanced" or
"basic" results categories.

The Ottawa Hills student population (including students of all ability
levels and ethnic groups) has consistently been at or near100%
proficiency. In four of the last five years, 100% of all students have
been deemed proficient in reading; in the 1999-2000 year, the figure was
97%. In the last five years, our students' mathematics proficiency rates
have varied from a low of 96% in the 1998-1999 school year to a high of
98.8% in the 2001-2002 school year.

These data lead to two conclusions. First, Ottawa Hills' test scores
have been consistently excellent over a significant five-year period.
High proficiency rates over a period of time suggest that our
procedures, curriculum and staff are aligned in such a way as to foster
excellent learning outcomes. Second, we have attained the high
proficiency rate not by excluding lower-ability students from the tests,
but by ensuring that all students are well-prepared for both the
proficiency tests and for the challenges that await them after
graduation.

2\. Assessment Data Use

At Ottawa Hills Junior-Senior High School, we place great emphasis on
ensuring that our curriculum, our instruction, and our assessments are
aligned. Student progress is monitored systematically through teacher
assessments and through a sequential, district-wide standardized testing
program. Both criterion-referenced tests and norm-referenced tests are
regularly administered.

Assessment results are analyzed to identify students not achieving at
their ability level, those not mastering specific objectives, those who
may be gifted, and those in need of intervention. Test scores are also a
significant criterion in determining which pathway in a particular
subject would best suit a student\'s needs. In partnership with an
adjoining district, we offer not only a college preparatory curriculum
but a career and technical program as well.

We use assessment results to evaluate our curriculum, sequencing and
programming. The curriculum director meets regularly with teachers in
the English, mathematics, science, and social studies departments to
review results of ability/achievement tests, State of Ohio proficiency
tests, and Advanced Placement tests. We adjust our curriculum when
student results indicate that there is an area of weakness. Results are
charted over time, and new courses are proposed and developed when it
becomes clear that an area of weakness is pervasive within a range of
grade levels on a consistent basis.

3\. Communication of Student Performance

The State of Ohio publishes an annual school and district report card
and puts school assessment data on its website. The school publishes an
annual report, which is mailed to every household in the school
district; it contains detailed information about student performance on
standardized tests and descriptions of the policies and procedures we
have adopted to ensure continuing excellence. Our Parent-Teacher
Organization publishes *The Bear Essentials*, a newsletter that is
regularly distributed to every household in the district; this
newsletter includes assessment data. In addition, the *Principal\'s
Newsletter*, which is mailed to every household with a student in the
school, reports test results and other student performance data. The
region\'s largest daily newspaper, *The Toledo Blade*, regularly
publishes school-by-school, subject-by-subject tables of proficiency
test scores, which enable readers to easily compare school performance
within the region. Our monthly community newspaper, *The Village Voice*,
regularly publishes the results of proficiency tests, college
admissions, and school initiatives. The district\'s board of education
holds an annual open meeting at which the school administration reports
all of the year\'s assessment data. This report is then posted to the
district\'s website.

We also advise parents about student performance through transition
meetings scheduled between sixth and seventh grades and eighth and ninth
grades and through well-attended open houses and parent/teacher
conferences. Our special education director meets with parents to
discuss performance and transition issues unique to our special needs
students.

4\. Sharing Success

Ottawa Hills has always freely shared its procedures with other schools
across the country in a variety of ways. The superintendent has a
regular column in the community newspaper and frequently uses this forum
to explain how the school keeps its commitment to excellence. The
school\'s annual report contains detailed information about student
performance on standardized tests and descriptions of the policies and
procedures we have adopted to ensure continuing excellence. In addition,
our faculty and administration regularly attend professional colloquia,
where they discuss, among other things, how the school aligns its
curriculum, its instruction and our assessment system. The University of
Toledo hosts a regular meeting of all northwest Ohio school
superintendents, and our superintendent will continue to use this forum
to communicate, both formally and informally, with other school district
leaders. Should we receive the No Child Left Behind/Blue Ribbon award,
we would continue to respond to surveys and document requests, field
inquiries from other schools, meet with other school officials and host
site visits. The school also intends to publish this application on its
website.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

1\. Core Curriculum

Every student is required to take four years of English in high school
(grades 9 - 12) and two in junior high (grades 7 - 8). Our courses
reflect objectives in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing
skills. Writing is taught as a process, and writing is taught across the
curriculum. Advanced Placement English is a two-year program designed to
culminate in taking and successfully performing on the AP tests in
English Language and Composition and English Literature and Composition.

Every student is required to take two years of mathematics in junior
high and three in high school, including Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra
II. Most students exceed the requirements and take six years of
mathematics from grade 7 through 12. The National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics Standards' themes of problem solving, reasoning,
communication and connections underlie the curriculum. AP Calculus is a
part of our curriculum and AP Statistics is offered on an independent
study basis.

Every student is required to take two years of science in junior high
and three in high school. Science courses feature extensive laboratory
experiences, collection and analysis of data, and integration of
technology. An applications-based General Physical Science course is
available for lower-ability and special needs students who might not
otherwise continue into a senior year of science. Other science courses
include botany, zoology, physiology and anatomy, biology, chemistry and
two levels of physics. This year, we offer a special honors Chemistry II
course which is taught by one of our teachers on an independent study
basis.

Every student is required to take two years of social studies in junior
high and three in high school. Courses are designed to increase student
awareness of world cultures with the goal of making the student a more
engaged world citizen. We offer a two-year advanced placement sequence
in American History and Government.

Junior high students are required to take one semester of both art and
music. Fundamentals of Design/Drawing is required of all students before
other art classes are taken. Numerous enrichment electives are available
for high school students. We offer music electives at every grade level
and have an outstanding vocal music program which attracts a large
portion of the student body. Students must fulfill a graduation
requirement of one year of high school fine arts.

##### 

Three years of one foreign language or two years of two foreign
languages at the high school level are strongly recommended for college
bound students. Students may begin language study in junior high,
enabling them to take more advanced courses in high school. Our classes
are small in order to emphasize the importance of oral communication.
Seventy-two percent of last year's seniors graduated with at least 3
years of foreign language. We offer five years of French and Spanish,
including advanced placement courses in both.

Other offerings include computer applications, computer-aided design,
health and physical education, video production, photography, speech,
theater, family and consumer science, industrial technology, economics,
humanities, personal finance, marketing and accounting.

Ottawa Hills partners with an adjoining district to offer students
career and technical education.

2\. Reading/English Language Arts Curriculum

Our seventh and eighth grade English courses emphasize grammar, usage
skills, and certain concepts of literature. Seventh graders are also
required to take Reading & Applied Study Skills for one semester. Our
freshman course stresses the writing process in a number of genres. To
support the material covered, our faculty invites poets, newspaper
writers, novelists, technical writers and others into the classroom to
discuss and demonstrate their technique. In the sophomore and junior
years, we offer a creative writing course and study British, American
and world authors. In the senior year, the Advanced Placement class
studies classical literature and aesthetics, while students in the other
pathway take a humanities survey that integrates art, language and
philosophy in a cultural context.

Our English curriculum customizes pedagogy and assessment to fit each
student's strengths. We offer two pathways of English throughout high
school, which include offerings of Advanced Placement English in both
the junior and senior years. Our English classes are a collaborative
effort between members of the English faculty and co-teachers with
special education certification. These co-teachers come into the
classroom every day. While the focus of their work is with students who
have been identified with disabilities via ability and achievement tests
and multi-factored evaluations, they do not limit themselves to these
students. Rather, they assess every student and work with the English
teachers to determine the best ways teach and assess each one.

Electives in drama, speech, creative writing and journalism are also
offered.

3\. Other Curriculum Area

Our mathematics curriculum is based on standards promulgated by the
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Ohio Academic
Content Standards for Mathematics. It offers several routes to
mathematical competency, and it emphasizes the application of
mathematical principles to real-world situations rather than recitation
of factual data.

There are three pathways in mathematics, which begin in seventh grade.
Placement is determined by a combination of standardized test scores,
classroom performance, and teacher evaluation and recommendation. Three
years of high school math are required. In order to give seniors who are
not in Calculus or Pre-Calculus the opportunity to take a fourth year of
math, we offer an innovative course in Data and Probability; this
exemplifies our determination to offer challenging, content-appropriate
courses for students at all ability levels. Other seniors may study
Discrete Mathematics, a course which includes probability, social choice
theory, circuits and symmetry. Our most advanced math students take AP
Calculus and may take independent study courses in AP Statistics and
higher-level AP Calculus.

Ottawa Hills also has a math lab, a classroom staffed by a certified
mathematics teacher who provides extra assistance before and after
school and at lunch to students who request it.

4\. Instructional Methods

The faculty applies the idea of multiple intelligences and the fact that
students learn in many different ways---verbal instruction, written
information, hands-on learning, student-driven learning, exploration and
investigation, and computer-aided instruction. They attempt to tailor
their teaching to each student's learning style and ability level.
Ultimately, this is what drives our teaching practices.

Current pedagogy stresses active engagement with educational experiences
and materials, as well as interdisciplinary approaches to complex
material. In accordance with this thinking, our English and World
History courses are aligned in a unit that stresses comparative
religious experience. Every student in this program may visit a Catholic
church, a Jewish temple, an Islamic mosque and a Hindu temple as part of
this unit. Another form of participatory learning occurs in our Botany
and Zoology classes, in which students gather specimens of plants and
animals at a nearby wetlands. In our honors Anatomy and Physiology
class, students participate in the complete dissection of a human
cadaver at the Medical College of Ohio.

Educational options classes are available to create opportunities for
specialized student needs not otherwise provided for in the curriculum.
Educational options may take the form of independent studies, mentor
programs or tutorials. Credit may be earned in several curricular areas
as agreed to by the school, student and parent. In this way, the
curriculum can be customized to fit students' interests and abilities.

5\. Professional Development

We believe that professional development programs are valuable primarily
to the extent that they improve student performance and learning.

Teachers meet regularly within their departments to review state
proficiency tests and standardized test results, to discuss strengths
and weaknesses of individual students, and to assess our academic
program. The Professional Review Committee, consisting of teachers and
administrators, addresses concerns that may inhibit an effective
teaching/learning environment. An Entry-Year Program matches successful
teacher-mentors to teachers who are new to the profession or new to our
school. We also have a process whereby more experienced faculty members
help junior faculty members create and refine their own professional
development plans.

Staff members also meet at lunch hour, before, during and after school
and during the summer months to work on curriculum projects such as
coordination of foreign language curriculum, development of English
literature lists, or planning intervention for special needs students.

The school also encourages and funds conference attendance, in-district
professional meetings, professional released time, and site visits to
promising programs. Federal and state grants such as Drug Free Schools,
SchoolNet Professional Development, and Teacher Quality are used to
provide for fees and expenses for these activities as well as to support
professional released days to work on curriculum and instruction
projects. These curriculum projects include textbook adoption, course of
study development, and curriculum/instruction/assessment alignment.

**PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS**

**[SAMPLE FORMAT FOR STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS]{.underline}**

The Data Display Table is illustrated on pages following.

Provide the following information for all tests in reading (language
arts or English) and mathematics. Complete a separate form for reading
(language arts or English) and mathematics at each grade level.

Grade\_\_\_\_[9]{.underline}\_\_\_ Test [Ohio Ninth Grade
(Reading/Mathematics) Proficiency]{.underline}

Edition/publication year[\_\_2003]{.underline}\_\_ Publisher \_\_[Ohio
Department of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

What groups were excluded from testing? Why, and how were they assessed?

Special education students may be exempted from the consequences of
failing the tests required for graduation because of their disabilities.
The student\'s Individual Education Plan (IEP) indicates that he or she
will take the test with or without accommodation or will participate in
an alternate assessment. The alternate assessment is based on the
objectives of the proficiency test and the student\'s IEP goals.

Number excluded\_[0 Reading, 0 Math]{.underline} Percent excluded [0%
Reading, 0% Math]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

For the school and state, report scores as the percentage of students
tested whose performance was scored at or above the cutpoint used by the
state for 1) basic, 2) proficient, and 3) advanced, or similar
categories as defined by the state. States will vary in their
terminology and cutpoints. Note that the reported percentage of students
scoring above the basic cutpoint should include students scoring above
the proficiency, and advanced cutpoints.

Explain the standards for basic, proficient, and advanced, and make
clear what the test results mean in a way that someone unfamiliar with
the test can interpret the results.

The Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test includes tests in five areas:
writing, reading, mathematics, science and citizenship. The five tests
are given on five consecutive days, and students may have up to two and
a half hours to take each one. All of the proficiency tests are based
upon learning outcomes/competencies adopted by the State Board of
Education. These learning outcomes specify the knowledge and skills
students are expected to have encountered in each content area and grade
level. The Ohio proficiency tests are criterion-referenced testing
instruments. Test performance by individual students is compared to the
established criteria, rather than to how an established group of
students does on the test.

The State Board of Education established the standard (\"proficient\")
for the Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. **There is no established advanced
or basic standard.** The \"proficient\" standard was established after a
review of recommendations by a standard-setting committee, a
fairness/sensitivity committee (which looked at equity issues), and a
technical advisory committee (comprised of national testing experts and
psychometricians). A scaled score of 200 is the designated
\"proficient\" standard for both reading and mathematics.

**[SAMPLE FORMAT FOR STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS]{.underline}**

The Data Display Table is illustrated on pages following.

Provide the following information for all tests in reading (language
arts or English) and mathematics. Complete a separate form for reading
(language arts or English) and mathematics at each grade level.

Grade\_\_\_\_[9]{.underline}\_\_\_ Test [Ohio Ninth Grade
(Reading/Mathematics) Proficiency]{.underline}

Edition/publication year[\_\_2002]{.underline}\_\_ Publisher \_\_[Ohio
Department of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

What groups were excluded from testing? Why, and how were they assessed?

Special education students may be exempted from the consequences of
failing the tests required for graduation because of their disabilities.
The student\'s Individual Education Plan (IEP) indicates that he or she
will take the test with or without accommodation or will participate in
an alternate assessment. The alternate assessment is based on the
objectives of the proficiency test and the student\'s IEP goals.

Number excluded\_[0 Reading, 0 Math]{.underline} Percent excluded [0%
Reading, 0% Math]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

For the school and state, report scores as the percentage of students
tested whose performance was scored at or above the cutpoint used by the
state for 1) basic, 2) proficient, and 3) advanced, or similar
categories as defined by the state. States will vary in their
terminology and cutpoints. Note that the reported percentage of students
scoring above the basic cutpoint should include students scoring above
the proficiency, and advanced cutpoints.

Explain the standards for basic, proficient, and advanced, and make
clear what the test results mean in a way that someone unfamiliar with
the test can interpret the results.

The Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test includes tests in five areas:
writing, reading, mathematics, science and citizenship. The five tests
are given on five consecutive days, and students may have up to two and
a half hours to take each one. All of the proficiency tests are based
upon learning outcomes/competencies adopted by the State Board of
Education. These learning outcomes specify the knowledge and skills
students are expected to have encountered in each content area and grade
level. The Ohio proficiency tests are criterion-referenced testing
instruments. Test performance by individual students is compared to the
established criteria, rather than to how an established group of
students does on the test.

The State Board of Education established the standard (\"proficient\")
for the Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. **There is no established advanced
or basic standard.** The \"proficient\" standard was established after a
review of recommendations by a standard-setting committee, a
fairness/sensitivity committee (which looked at equity issues), and a
technical advisory committee (comprised of national testing experts and
psychometricians). A scaled score of 200 is the designated
\"proficient\" standard for both reading and mathematics.

**[SAMPLE FORMAT FOR STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS]{.underline}**

The Data Display Table is illustrated on pages following.

Provide the following information for all tests in reading (language
arts or English) and mathematics. Complete a separate form for reading
(language arts or English) and mathematics at each grade level.

Grade\_\_\_\_[9]{.underline}\_\_\_ Test [Ohio Ninth Grade
(Reading/Mathematics) Proficiency]{.underline}

Edition/publication year[\_\_2001]{.underline}\_\_ Publisher \_\_[Ohio
Department of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

What groups were excluded from testing? Why, and how were they assessed?

Special education students may be exempted from the consequences of
failing the tests required for graduation because of their disabilities.
The student\'s Individual Education Plan (IEP) indicates that he or she
will take the test with or without accommodation or will participate in
an alternate assessment. The alternate assessment is based on the
objectives of the proficiency test and the student\'s IEP goals.

Number excluded\_[0 Reading, 0 Math]{.underline} Percent excluded [0%
Reading, 0% Math]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

For the school and state, report scores as the percentage of students
tested whose performance was scored at or above the cutpoint used by the
state for 1) basic, 2) proficient, and 3) advanced, or similar
categories as defined by the state. States will vary in their
terminology and cutpoints. Note that the reported percentage of students
scoring above the basic cutpoint should include students scoring above
the proficiency, and advanced cutpoints.

Explain the standards for basic, proficient, and advanced, and make
clear what the test results mean in a way that someone unfamiliar with
the test can interpret the results.

The Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test includes tests in five areas:
writing, reading, mathematics, science and citizenship. The five tests
are given on five consecutive days, and students may have up to two and
a half hours to take each one. All of the proficiency tests are based
upon learning outcomes/competencies adopted by the State Board of
Education. These learning outcomes specify the knowledge and skills
students are expected to have encountered in each content area and grade
level. The Ohio proficiency tests are criterion-referenced testing
instruments. Test performance by individual students is compared to the
established criteria, rather than to how an established group of
students does on the test.

The State Board of Education established the standard (\"proficient\")
for the Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. **There is no established advanced
or basic standard.** The \"proficient\" standard was established after a
review of recommendations by a standard-setting committee, a
fairness/sensitivity committee (which looked at equity issues), and a
technical advisory committee (comprised of national testing experts and
psychometricians). A scaled score of 200 is the designated
\"proficient\" standard for both reading and mathematics.

**[SAMPLE FORMAT FOR STATE CRITERION-REFERENCED TESTS]{.underline}**

The Data Display Table is illustrated on pages following.

Provide the following information for all tests in reading (language
arts or English) and mathematics. Complete a separate form for reading
(language arts or English) and mathematics at each grade level.

Grade\_\_\_\_[9]{.underline}\_\_\_ Test [Ohio Ninth Grade
(Reading/Mathematics) Proficiency]{.underline}

Edition/publication year[\_\_2000]{.underline}\_\_ Publisher \_\_[Ohio
Department of Education]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

What groups were excluded from testing? Why, and how were they assessed?

Special education students may be exempted from the consequences of
failing the tests required for graduation because of their disabilities.
The student\'s Individual Education Plan (IEP) indicates that he or she
will take the test with or without accommodation or will participate in
an alternate assessment. The alternate assessment is based on the
objectives of the proficiency test and the student\'s IEP goals.

Number excluded\_[1 Reading, 2 Math]{.underline} Percent excluded [1.3%
Reading, 2.6% Math]{.underline}\_\_\_\_\_\_

For the school and state, report scores as the percentage of students
tested whose performance was scored at or above the cutpoint used by the
state for 1) basic, 2) proficient, and 3) advanced, or similar
categories as defined by the state. States will vary in their
terminology and cutpoints. Note that the reported percentage of students
scoring above the basic cutpoint should include students scoring above
the proficiency, and advanced cutpoints.

Explain the standards for basic, proficient, and advanced, and make
clear what the test results mean in a way that someone unfamiliar with
the test can interpret the results.

The Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test includes tests in five areas:
writing, reading, mathematics, science and citizenship. The five tests
are given on five consecutive days, and students may have up to two and
a half hours to take each one. All of the proficiency tests are based
upon learning outcomes/competencies adopted by the State Board of
Education. These learning outcomes specify the knowledge and skills
students are expected to have encountered in each content area and grade
level. The Ohio proficiency tests are criterion-referenced testing
instruments. Test performance by individual students is compared to the
established criteria, rather than to how an established group of
students does on the test.

The State Board of Education established the standard (\"proficient\")
for the Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. **There is no established advanced
or basic standard.** The \"proficient\" standard was established after a
review of recommendations by a standard-setting committee, a
fairness/sensitivity committee (which looked at equity issues), and a
technical advisory committee (comprised of national testing experts and
psychometricians). A scaled score of 200 is the designated
\"proficient\" standard for both reading and mathematics.

**Ottawa Hills State of Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Cumulative Scores:
Reading**

(Student population tested at completion of 9^th^ Grade)

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     2002-2003    2001-2002    2000-2001    1999-2000    1998-1999

  Testing month                      Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March

  SCHOOL SCORES **Reading**                                                              

  Total                              100%         100%         100%         97%          100%

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             100%         100%         97%          100%         100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  Number of students tested          70           80           92           76           87

  Percent of total students tested   100%         100%         100%         98.7%        100%

  Number of students excluded        0            0            0            1            0

  Percent of students excluded       0%           0%           0%           1.3%         0

  SUBGROUP SCORES                                                                        

  1\. White                          69           74           83           72           79

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             100%         100%         100%         96.8%        100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  2\. Asian                          1            5            6            3            6

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             100%         100%         100%         100%         100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  3\. Hispanic                       NA           1            NA           NA           1

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           100%         NA           NA           100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  4\. Native American                NA           NA           1            NA           NA

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           100%         NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  5\. Multi-racial                   NA           NA           2            1            NA

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           100%         100%         NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  6\. African-American               NA           NA           NA           NA           1

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           NA           NA           100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  7\. Economically Disadvantaged                                                         

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  STATE SCORES **Reading**                                                               

  Total                              86.9%        91.6%        90.5%        89.1%        88.7%

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             86.9%        91.6%        90.5%        89.1%        88.7%

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------

**Ottawa Hills State of Ohio Ninth-Grade Proficiency Cumulative Scores:
Math**

(Student population tested at completion of 9^th^ Grade)

  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------
                                     2002-2003    2001-2002    2000-2001    1999-2000    1998-1999

  Testing month                      Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March   Oct.&March

  SCHOOL SCORES **Math**                                                                 

  Total                              98.6%        98.8%        98.7%        98.5%        96%

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             98.6%        98.8%        98.7%        98.5%        96%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  Number of students tested          70           80           92           75           87

  Percent of total students tested   100%         100%         100%         97.4%        100%

  Number of students excluded        0            0            0            2            0

  Percent of students excluded       0%           0%           0%           2.6%         0%

  SUBGROUP SCORES                    NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  1\. White                          69           74           83           71           79

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             98.5%        100%         100%         100%         95.5%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  2\. Asian                          1            5            6            3            6

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             100%         100%         100%         100%         100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  3\. Hispanic                       NA           1            NA           NA           1

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           0%           NA           NA           100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  4\. Native American                NA           NA           1            NA           NA

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           100%         NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  5\. Multi-racial                   NA           NA           2            1            NA

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           50%          0%           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  6\. African-American               NA           NA           NA           NA           1

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           NA           NA           100%

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  7\. Economically Disadvantaged     NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  TOTAL SCORES **Math**                                                                  

  TOTAL                              71.2%        73.5%        72.5%        70.4%        68.8%

  At or Above Basic                  NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At or Above Proficient             71.2%        73.5%        72.5%        70.4%        68.8%

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  At Advanced                        NA           NA           NA           NA           NA

  State Mean Score                   NA           NA           NA           NA           NA
  ---------------------------------- ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------ ------------