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

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

**Cover Sheet**

Name of Principal Mrs. Shari Switzer

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

Official School Name Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address 12001 Olio Rd.

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

Fishers Indiana 46038-9799

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

Tel. ( 317 ) 594-4120 Fax ( 317 ) 594-4129

Website/URL www.hse.k12.in.us/HSJH/default.htm E-mail
sswitzer@hse.k12.in.us

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)

Name of Superintendent\* Dr. Concetta Raimondi

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

District Name Hamilton Southeastern Schools Tel. (317) 594-4100

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 Mrs. Susan Dilley

(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)

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

**[PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION]{.underline}**

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]{.underline}**

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

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

1\. Number of schools in the district: 9 Elementary schools

2 Intermediate schools (5/6)

2 Junior high schools (7/8)

1 High schools

1 Other (Freshman Only)

15 TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: \$5760.12

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: \$5753.92

**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.

[20]{.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:

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

  **K**                                                     **7**       210       182         392

  **1**                                                     **8**       214       212         426

  **2**                                                     **9**                             

  **3**                                                     **10**                            

  **4**                                                     **11**                            

  **5**                                                     **12**                            

  **6**                                                     Other                             

                                    **TOTAL                                                   818
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of 89% White

the students in the school: 6% Black or African American

2% Hispanic or Latino

2% Asian/Pacific Islander

0% American Indian/Alaskan Native

1% Multiracial

**100% Total**

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year: 6.38%

> (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 20
              ***to*** the school after October  
              1 until the end of the year.       

  **(2)**     Number of students who transferred 30
              ***from*** the school after        
              October 1 until the end of the     
              year.                              

  **(3)**     Subtotal of all transferred        50
              students \[sum of rows (1) and     
              (2)\]                              

  **(4)**     Total number of students in the    783
              school as of October 1             

  **(5)**     Subtotal in row (3) divided by     .0638
              total in row (4)                   

  **(6)**     Amount in row (5) multiplied by    6.38
              100                                
  ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school: 0 (Students are
serviced at other junior high.)

Number of languages represented: 16

Specify languages: Hindu, Romanian, Tamil, Serbian, Arabic, Korean,
Spanish, Vietnamese, Persian(Harsi), Urdu, Russian, Punjabi, American
Sign Language, Gujarati, Cantonese, Mandarin

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: 7%

58 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: 11%

87 Total Number of Students Served

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

9 Autism 1 Orthopedic Impairment

0 Deafness 8 Other Health Impaired

0 Deaf-Blindness 45 Specific Learning Disability

1 Hearing Impairment 2 Speech or Language Impairment

5 Mental Retardation 1 Traumatic Brain Injury

1 Multiple Disabilities 0 Visual Impairment Including Blindness

14 Emotional Disabilities

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) 2 0

Classroom teachers 39.9 4

Special resource teachers/specialists 4 2

Paraprofessionals 6 2

> Support staff 6 1
>
> Total number 57.9 9

12\. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio: 18.6:1

13\. Attendance patterns of students and teachers as a percentage

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

  Daily student attendance 96.6%       96.6%       96.5%       96.5%       96.1%

  Daily teacher attendance 97%         97%         98%         98%         99%

  Teacher turnover rate    1%          2%          0           4%          0

  Student dropout rate     0           0           1 (.0014)   0           0

  Student drop-off rate    HS only     HS only     HS only     HS only     HS only
  ------------------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

**[PART III- SUMMARY]{.underline}**

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School is a public school providing
opportunities for 7^th^ and 8^th^ grade students in the Town of Fishers,
Indiana. It is one of two junior high schools in the Hamilton
Southeastern school district. The Town of Fishers is located just
northeast of Indianapolis. We are a growing school district gaining
approximately 1000 new students a year and anticipating that same type
of growth for the next ten years. Our current enrollment is 827 students
in a district of 11,861. Being a part of a growing district provides
excitement, challenges and need for superior planning in all areas.

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High staff, students, parents and community
members strive together for educational excellence by providing
experiences which challenge students to become effective
decision-makers, problem-solvers and communicators. Our expectations,
based on this mission, are that students can "perform" or apply their
knowledge of mastery in each of these areas. To increase the quality of
instruction, our teaching is enriched and enhanced through staff
development activities which have been strategically orchestrated to
make the most effective use of our time and to stay focused on the
mission and vision of our school. Our efforts have resulted in student
achievement that has consistently placed us among the top 5 junior high
schools in the State of Indiana.

We have a very strong and diverse curriculum. We operate with a
traditional junior high schedule allowing students to meet with each of
their classroom teachers for 45 minutes each day. The day begins with a
14 minute Advisory period in which students have the opportunity to
study character education traits and make connections with a teacher
outside their core academic classes. Traditional academic subjects of
language arts, math, science, and social studies are taught in
accordance with the Indiana Academic Standards. All classes are
heterogeneously grouped with the exception of honors and advanced
programs in math and language arts. The corporation has set a goal that
by 2010-2011 at least 75% of the 8^th^ grade class will have
successfully completed at least Algebra 1.

Because we know that students learn in different ways, we have designed
flexible programs to accommodate maturational and learning style
differences. We provide opportunities for exploratory and enrichment
experiences in fine arts, practical arts, foreign language and
extracurricular programs. Our foreign language program is exemplary! We
offer four honors level languages including Japanese, French, German and
Spanish. The foreign language curriculum is identical to our high school
honors foreign language curriculum. Currently, students have more than
35 extracurricular opportunities including: athletic and academic teams
such as Destination Imagination, Science Fair, Academic Bowl, Geography
Bee, performing arts opportunities and student government. These
programs are designed to be experiences which are appropriate to the
developmental changes unique at the junior high level. Providing many
choices to our students is a key ingredient to our success.

Parent involvement in our junior high is sensational. Our Parent/Teacher
organization (Triangle Club) meets monthly to discuss school issues and
ways in which they can be helpful to our students and staff. They
operate extremely successful fundraisers that provide many opportunities
for our students and staff throughout the year. Our parents are
consistently visible and involved. The Triangle Club, in addition to our
Public Law 221 committee, comprised of parents, teachers, students,
community and board members serve as beneficial advisory groups for the
principal and staff at the junior high. At Hamilton Southeastern Junior
High our exceptional parent involvement is another key ingredient to our
success.

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High continually strives to provide a safe
and developmentally appropriate learning environment for our children.
Fostering an environment filled with positive human relationships based
upon integrity, responsibility and respect for the rights of others is
our goal. We encourage students to put forth their best effort at all
times. Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School is an excellent junior
high due to the fact that we work cooperatively to accomplish our goals
with the best interest of our students as the focus. At the same time,
we realize that we must continue to assess the effectiveness of our
programs and our approach to young people today if continued improvement
is to occur.....and it will!

**[PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS]{.underline}**

***Assessment Results in Reading (Language Arts or English) and Math:***

Students are tested on the Indiana Academic Standards through the ISTEP+
test administered in the fall of each year. The test is directly aligned
with the academic standards all teachers are required to teach in the
state of Indiana. The results of these tests in our building are
particularly helpful to our 7^th^ grade teachers. With the ISTEP+ test
being administered in the fall, though it is given in the 8^th^ grade,
it is truly an indicator of the successes of our 7^th^ grade program.
However, for our 8^th^ grade teachers it is also an important indicator
of areas students have mastered and areas still needing improvement. The
ISTEP+ test contains multiple choice questions and an applied skills
portion requiring students to communicate their answers in writing.
ISTEP+ is designed this way for both mathematics and language arts.

In mathematics, our percentage of students passing continues to rise. Of
the 425 eighth graders taking the test in 2003, 93% passed. That
percentage tells us several things. First, the percentage of students
passing is continuing to rise as that is a 1% increase from 2002.
Obviously, with our current methods of instruction and building-level
assessments we are helping our students to achieve mastery of the
standards. Secondly, we can see from the results that in the two
categories of Pass and Pass+ we are continuing to see growth in
performance. In 2002, 36% of our students were in the Pass+ category.
This year that percentage increased to 42% Pass+. We are also able to
glean from this information that there are still 7% of our students not
meeting mastery. The Applied Skills portion of this test allows us to
see the actual student work in problem solving and calculating including
how accurately students were able to communicate their answers. We can
determine areas of weakness by examining the data and looking at the
actual student work. Then, we can re-direct or re-design programs to
meet the needs of those students while at the same time continuing our
pursuit of bringing more students into the Pass+ category. The test
results are specific by standard and therefore make the task of
improving our work very focused.

Language arts test results provide us with similar knowledge. Of our 432
eighth graders who took the test this fall, 90% of them mastered the
state standards. We did see 1% increase, from 18% to 19% this year, in
the number of students achieving in the Pass+ category. Again, because
the test is directly aligned to the standards our teachers are required
to teach, it is a helpful tool in determining areas we excel in and
areas with room for improvement. We know that we have 10% of our
students who are not passing this assessment. Through the Applied Skills
portion of this test, we can examine individual student writing and
reading comprehension to determine why a student may not have earned all
of the points that were possible. Again, this is specific information we
use to help adjust our programs and instruction to better meet the needs
of students and improve the teaching techniques utilized throughout the
course. The knowledge we obtain from the writing portion of the Applied
Skills is very valuable for all of our teachers. Since we focus on
writing across the curriculum, these results will help us to better
implement effective writing techniques and assessments in all areas.

***How Hamilton Southeastern Junior High uses assessment data:***

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High is delving deeper into tests results
as each year goes by. Looking at individual student reports on the
Applied Skills portion of the test, we can determine which students are
not receiving the full points possible. We take that individual student
report and then pull the actual student work to read what answer was
given. The Teacher's Scoring Guide, provided by the State, gives us a
description of what it takes to get a perfect score and then proceeds to
define each score less than perfect. From that description and studying
the student work we begin to see "themes" such as problem solving in
mathematics, that indicate to us areas of strength and weakness in our
instruction and student mastery. In mathematics and language arts, we
are able to study the results of the test per student by standard. As
teachers working in professional learning communities, we have
discussions about when we teach those topics, how we teach them, how we
assess them, what is working well and where we can improve. Because we
are fortunate to have another junior high in our district, we have this
conversation across the buildings in an effort to learn from each
other's strengths. Once our math and language arts teachers have a good
idea of what we need to do differently to improve student performance,
we begin to elicit the skills and ideas of all teachers within our
building. This procedure and study allows us to utilize our ability to
set up specialized programs, such as our essential skills courses, to
meet the needs of individuals so that we are able to incorporate better
practices for all students across the curriculum at both grade levels.

Additionally, as a part of our professional development plan, teachers
use their common assessments/final exams to examine student performance
and help indicate where we can improve. Ultimately, our benchmark
performance assessments will replace our current standard final exams so
that we have greater opportunities to examine actual student abilities
to apply knowledge. Those benchmark performance assessments will be
given two to four times a year and will provide us with more local
standardized assessment data. The study of student work through our
professional learning communities will assist in making better decisions
about where our students need to perform at higher levels.

***How Hamilton Southeastern Junior High communicates student
performance to parents, students, and the community:***

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High communicates to parents, students and
the community in various forms. The first communication of our ISTEP+
results comes from the Indiana Department of Education as general scores
for our school system are shared through the media. Once the principal
receives the results of the overall scores, she sends those results out
to parents via the school newsletter, listserv, and district website. A
cover letter of explanation is mailed home to each parent with the
individual student results. In accordance with our PL221 plan, the PL221
committee comprised of parents, teachers, administrators, school board
and community members convenes at least once a year to review the
results and to analyze our plan for school improvement. We discuss areas
for improvement in student performance and for staff development. That
plan is revised if need be and set into motion for another school year
based on the recommendations of that committee. District level
administrators also analyze the data for each school and share plans for
the discussion of those results with each building administrator.

The building principal also has discussions with the parent/teacher
organization. Those conversations lead to great questions, explanations,
and discussions about what we are doing and learning from these tests
results to improve student performance, mastery of the standards and
professional staff development.

Throughout the course of the school year, we distribute comprehensive
mid-term reports half-way through a 9 week grading period. Report cards
are mailed home to parents at the end of each grading period. Many
students receive bi-weekly progress reports based on parent and/or
student request or on the requirements of an Individual Education Plan
for our special needs students. Parents can have a complete updated
grade sheet for each class within 24 hours of asking due to the
capabilities of our electronic grading system, Integrade Pro.
Additionally, Parent/Teacher conferences take place throughout the year
to address the needs of children.

***How Hamilton Southeastern Junior High will share its successes with
other schools:***

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High shares its success both within the
district and outside of the district. Internally, we utilize our time in
professional learning communities to share amongst our colleagues. Also,
as we participate in curriculum meetings across the district, we share
what we are doing while learning from others about what they are doing
to improve the performances of all students. Additionally, we utilize
our ability to post ideas and successful lessons on our Intranet.
Outside of the school district, we share through our Central Indiana
Educational Services Center as it provides an opportunity for us to have
professional discussions with fifteen other school systems that are
located near Hamilton Southeastern. Through this CIESC our teachers have
the opportunity to participate in a Teacher Leadership Academy where
they share Hamilton Southeastern Junior High successes while at the same
time learning new research-based skills. We also have teachers who
conduct workshops both inside and outside of the district, teach at
local colleges such as Indiana University-Purdue University of
Indianapolis and present at national conferences. Administratively, the
eight middle school principals of Hamilton County meet on a regular
basis to share successful techniques.

**[PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION]{.underline}**

***Describing the Hamilton Southeastern Junior High curriculum and how
all students are engaged with significant content, based on high
standards:***

Differentiated instruction, whole group instruction, small groups,
common assessments, problem solving, application of writing skills,
individual educational plans, 6+1 Writing Traits and student choice are
all characteristics of the opportunities our teachers provide for all
students at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High across the curriculum. Our
curricular programs are diverse, extensive and challenging ranging from
regular course curriculum through Advanced Placement and honors courses.
The curriculum provides enrichment and exploratory opportunities for all
students in the traditional academic areas as well as in the areas of
fine arts, practical arts and foreign language.

Our English/Language Arts curriculum includes the offerings of regular
English designed to be a yearlong study of grammar, literature, spelling
and vocabulary. Composition is a course for our 7^th^ and 8^th^ graders.
It is a class that has been developed to establish and reinforce the
basics of the writing process and how to construct an effective piece of
writing and communicate articulately. The fact that nearly all of our
students take this course is a tribute to our continually high test
scores. Additionally we offer an advanced English course which offers a
higher level of reading and an accelerated approach to learning grammar,
literature, spelling and vocabulary. Our Essential Skills course in
language arts is a review course to practice content in English and
reading in accordance with the ISTEP+ and Indiana State Board of
Education standards and proficiencies.

In Mathematics, we offer courses to our 7^th^ graders including regular
and advanced math, and high school level Algebra I. In addition to those
courses, we offer Honors Algebra I and Honors Geometry I to our 8^th^
graders. By the year 2010-11, it will be required that each of our 8^th^
graders completes the coursework for Algebra I.

During the first semester, our 7^th^ grade science curriculum is based
on the study of the eight biomes and cells, animals and plants. An
annual three day trip to Camp Tecumseh allows our students the time and
resources to utilize their skills and knowledge in real world
situations. The Bayview Project for 7^th^ graders assigns students an
identity as a citizen in an imaginary coastal town to solve the problem
of how to deal with solid waste. Each year the 8^th^ grade Science
classes participate in the Rube Goldberg Project. This competition
occurs at Purdue University and challenges students to use common
household objects and junk to create a 10 step contraption to complete a
simple task. The project is a lesson in basic physics, simple machines,
motion and force. Also students are tested on the life skills of
teamwork, compromise and persistence. Each of these topics is interwoven
into our 8^th^ grade science curriculum.

World History is the course for our 7^th^ grade students in social
studies. While the 8^th^ grade curriculum of American History covers
American history from the Pre-Columbian period through the period just
after the Civil War(Reconstruction). In the 8^th^ grade, students
participate in a mock trial. All students assume the roles of attorneys,
witnesses, jurors, and even judges. Throughout our social studies
curriculum other role plays and hands-on activities are incorporated
like the mock trials.

Our students have an opportunity to select from four honors level
foreign language programs including Spanish, French, German and
Japanese. These yearlong high school level courses include developing
skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students are
introduced to the cultures of the various countries that speak that
language. Students completing year two of the language in the 8^th^
grade are eligible for year three at our Freshman Campus.

Musical programs offer general music, beginning, concert, varsity, and
symphonic band. Our choral program includes offerings for Panther
Edition, Panther Sensation, and Panther Sound. Additionally we offer
Orchestra to our students. Each musical program is designed to be
developmentally appropriate to encourage interest and skill development.

Physical Education and Health courses are either semester courses or
9-week courses depending on whether or not students are taking a foreign
language in the 8^th^ grade. Physical education courses involve daily
physical activity and promote activity for life. Our health program
promotes the knowledge required for our students to make healthy life
style choices.

All of our practical arts programs are 9-week courses. Those programs
include agriculture, family and consumer science and industrial
technology.

Art production is accompanied by art history, art criticism, aesthetics,
curricular integration, and art in the community. Most projects include
an exploration of an artist, style, movement, or culture that is
directly or closely related to each topic. All students take an art
course either for the entire year or for a 9-week period.

***Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School's English/Language Arts
curriculum:***

Our Language Arts program contains a strong curriculum which emphasizes
basic educational skills and high academic standards designed to meet
the needs of each student. Composition is a semester course required for
all 7^th^ graders who were not eligible for honors foreign language. It
is also required for all 8^th^ graders who did not maintain a "B" or
higher in 7^th^ grade English or Composition. While in this course,
students complete several different types of writing including
descriptive, narrative, personal narrative, persuasive, explanatory,
informative, and research and report writings. Connections are made
between reading and writing. An emphasis is placed on creativity,
grammar, usage, mechanics, spelling and the writing process. In addition
to these experiences, at the 8^th^ grade, four to six weeks of the
course is spent on the fundamentals of journalism.

All students either take a regular or advanced English course. The
advanced course requires a teacher recommendation for enrollment. Both
courses address the rigorous Indiana Academic Standards. The advanced
English students read higher levels of literature. Both courses
incorporate writing into their curriculum. In these courses we address
the reading needs of the children through book choices, literature
circles, and various reading assessments.

Essential Skills Language Arts is a program that has been designed by
the teachers and administrators of HSJHS. Students are selected to be in
this course after careful study of our ISTEP+ results. The class is
designed to review and practice content in English and reading in
accordance with the Indiana Academic Standards. Concentration is placed
on organization, test-taking, and note-taking skills as well as
fundamentals of English and reading. This is a semester course that
students take in place of a practical or fine arts class. The class
sizes are small, averaging 15-20 students, for greater teacher/student
communication. We had 73 students enrolled in this program last year. Of
those 73, forty-two of them passed in both math and English this fall.
Those forty-two students had never previously passed the test.
Additionally, we had 4 students pass in the English section only. That
means a total of 63% of the students taking this course were successful
for the first time on the English portion of our ISTEP+ test. This
continues to be a course that is helping us meet the reading and English
needs of our students.

***Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School's Foreign Language
curriculum:***

Thirty-three percent of our students are enrolled in one of four honors
level foreign languages. Studying a foreign language enhances critical
and abstract thinking. It improves reasoning and organizational skills.
It is interdisciplinary in nature. Among the advantages afforded to
students who study foreign languages are: increased vocabulary in
students' native language, more thorough understanding of our global
economy, increased career opportunities, crucial understanding of the
mechanics of language, enhanced cross-cultural communication, heightened
development of cognitive growth, and better verbal SAT scores. The first
year concentrates on developing proficiency in the four basic skills:
listening, speaking, reading and writing. Introduction to the culture is
assured through the study of the geography, customs, lifestyle, food and
diversity of the people. The foreign language courses that we offer at
the junior high are Honors Level 1 courses only. The differences between
the regular one-year courses and our Honors Level 1 courses are many.
Students study more chapters of the textbook in depth and examine the
subtleties of grammar. The Honors Level 1 assignments are typically
open-ended versus guided. The majority of the class is conducted in the
target language. There are many opportunities for open-ended speaking,
oral compositions and classroom conversations

in the target language. Students are expected to move quickly into
open-ended communication activities. Students in these courses spend
more time writing and longer essays are expected. The topics usually
deal with personal experiences and a range of cultural and literary
themes. Students must be recommended to take this level of language and
it is an option for all of our 7^th^ and 8^th^ graders who meet the
requirements. The purpose of offering the Honors Level I courses at the
junior high level is to provide students an opportunity to enter
advanced placement foreign language at the high school. Students who
follow this path could take 5-6 years of foreign language before
graduation.

***Instructional Methods used at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High:***

Teachers at Hamilton Southeastern Junior High are trained and skilled in
a variety of instructional approaches including differentiated
instruction, multiple intelligences, brain research tied to student
learning, the 6+1 traits of writing, best practices in the content areas
and authentic assessment. It is expected that teachers incorporate these
skills into their daily lessons. Teachers also incorporate technology as
an effective means of instruction and research with students. Our
building contains two labs for this purpose as well as classroom and
media center computers. Additionally, we utilize the benefits of Smart
Boards with groups of students. Our instructional approaches are very
hands-on and exploratory oriented. Students are encouraged to think
creatively and critically while applying the knowledge they have
obtained. The Rube Goldberg Project, BayView Project, Mock Trials and
Camp Tecumseh experience are all examples previously mentioned that
reflect our common practice of hands-on learning. We encourage the use
of authentic assessments in our classrooms in place of traditional
multiple-choice type assessments as we strive to get our students to
think about what they are learning and apply their skills.

***Hamilton Southeastern Junior High School's professional development
program:***

Hamilton Southeastern Junior High believes that the most effective way
to improve the achievement of students is to improve the quality of
teaching. Our professional development is directly linked to the goals
established by our district. The professional development program is
results-driven, research-based and standards-based. Using our building
goals in conjunction with our corporation goals, our program focuses on
increased teacher accountability for linking classroom activities to
student results. Hamilton Southeastern Schools have implemented a
professional development program based on the following framework:

-   Individual and organizational development

-   Coherent strategic plan for the school corporation as well as each
    school

-   A focus on student needs and learning outcomes

-   Standards-based focus

-   Multiple forms of job-embedded learning

-   Collaborative, regularly scheduled, and ongoing training

-   Teachers study the teaching and learning process

-   A combination of generic and content-specific skills

-   Consultants as facilitators and collaborators

-   Experts inside the school/corporation

-   Teachers and administrators as a community of learners

-   Continuous improvement model based on student learning impact

We have been afforded the opportunity throughout the previous school
years to "work on the work" during ½ days for professional development
built into our school calendar. At HSJHS, we have developed a
Professional Development ladder in accordance with district goals. Our
teachers are professionally trained, train one another, and are
accountable for implementing the following strategies: Classroom
management (Harry Wong), Motivating Reluctant Learners (Jim Fay), Brain
Research (Pat Wolfe), Differentiated Instruction (Carol Tomlinson),
Writing Development (6+1 Writing Traits), Best Practice (Zemelman,
Daniels, Hyde), Authentic Assessment (Kay Burke), Teaching with
Technology, TESA (Teacher Expectation and Student Achievement), and most
recently, Professional Learning Communities at Work (Rick Dufour). We
continue to find this method of professional development to be
successful as we continue to have data that indicates growth in student
achievement.

**[PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS]{.underline}**

**Data Display Table**

***Grade 8 ISTEP***

> **Data Display Table for Reading (language arts or English)**

+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  | **20 | **20 | **20 | **20 | **19 |
|                                  | 03** | 02** | 01** | 00** | 99** |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Testing month                    | Sept | Sept | Sept | Sept | Sept |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **SCHOOL MEDIAN SCORE**          | 5    | 5    | 5    | 5    | 5    |
|                                  | 70.1 | 74.6 | 32.5 | 28.9 | 31.0 |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total Passing                 | 382/ | 327/ | 304/ | 255/ | 231/ |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 90%  | 89%  | 90%  | 88%  | 88%  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass+                         | 79/  | 67/  | X    | X    | X    |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 19%  | 18%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass                          | 303/ | 260/ | X    | X    | X    |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 71%  | 70%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested        | 425  | 369  | 336  | 289  | 263  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of total students tested | 100  | 100  | 100  | 100  | 100  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students excluded      | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of students excluded     | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| SUBGROUP SCORES                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 1\. SES                          |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Paid lunch- \# of students       | 402  | 356  | 324  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total passing                 | 94%  | 89%  | 91%  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Free/Reduced lunch- \# of        | 20   | 13   | 12   | X    | X    |
| students                         |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total passing                 | 65%  | 77%  | 67%  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 2\. Ethnicity (# of students/ %  |      |      |      |      |      |
| passing)                         |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Black                            | 23/  | 15/  | 9/ X | \*   | 9/ X |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 74%  | 73%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Asian or Pacific Islander        | 11/  | 10/  | 8/ X | \*   | 8/ X |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 100% | 90%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Hispanic                         | 7/ X | 3/ X | 2/ X | \*   | 2/ X |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| White                            | 375/ | 331/ | 314/ | \*   | 242/ |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 94%  | 89%  | 92%  |      | 8    |
|                                  |      |      |      |      | 7.6% |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **STATE SCORES**                 |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Basic Academic Standard Score    | 516  | 516  | 466  | 466  | 466  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total passing                 | 65%  | 64%  | 68%  | 68%  | 69%  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass+                         | 7%   | 7%   | X    | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass                          | 58%  | 56%  | X    | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+

> X= Data not reported by Indiana

\*= HSE Schools was a pilot site for student testing number labels.
Ethnicity data is not available.

**Data Display Table**

***Grade 8 ISTEP***

> **Data Display Table for Mathematics**

+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  | **20 | **20 | **20 | **20 | **19 |
|                                  | 03** | 02** | 01** | 00** | 99** |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Testing month                    | Sept | Sept | Sept | Sept | Sept |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **SCHOOL MEDIAN SCORE**          | 6    | 6    | 553  | 5    | 531  |
|                                  | 19.3 | 08.6 |      | 28.9 |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total Passing                 | 394/ | 339/ | 309/ | 255/ | 231/ |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 93%  | 92%  | 92%  | 88%  | 88%  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass+                         | 177/ | 131/ | X    | X    | X    |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 42%  | 36%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass                          | 217/ | 208/ | X    | X    | X    |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 51%  | 56%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students tested        | 425  | 369  | 336  | 289  | 263  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of total students tested | 100  | 100  | 100  | 100  | 100  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Number of students excluded      | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Percent of students excluded     | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    | 0    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| SUBGROUP SCORES                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 1\. SES                          |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Paid lunch \# of students        | 402  | 356  | 324  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total passing                 | 94%  | 93%  | 93%  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Free/Reduced lunch- #of students | 20   | 13   | 12   | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total passing                 | 65%  | 62%  | 75%  | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| 2\. Ethnicity (# of students/ %  |      |      |      |      |      |
| passing)                         |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Black                            | 23/  | 15/  | 9/ X | \*   | 9/X  |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 74%  | 87%  |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Asian or Pacific Islander        | 11/  | 10/  | 8/ X | \*   | 8/X  |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 100% | 100% |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Hispanic                         | 7/ X | 3/ X | 2/ X | \*   | 2/ X |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| White                            | 375/ | 331/ | 314  | \*   | 242/ |
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
|                                  | 94%  | 92%  | 93%  |      | 81%  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| **STATE SCORES**                 |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| Basic Academic Standard Score    | 517  | 517  | 486  | 486  | 486  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Total Passing                 | 71%  | 66%  | 66%  | 64%  | 63%  |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass+                         | 14%  | 11%  | X    | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
| \% Pass                          | 57%  | 55%  | X    | X    | X    |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+
|                                  |      |      |      |      |      |
+----------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+

X= Data was not reported by Indiana

\*= HSE Schools was a pilot site for student testing number labels.
Ethnicity data is not available.