Although Cicely students have low scores on standardized tests, older students' scores are improving. The school staff feel that these tests do not measure what Cicely students really know, so the school is looking for other types of measurement. Instead of report card grades, Cicely teachers are piloting narrative conference forms based on language arts portfolios and teacher-developed authentic assessments. The principal of Cicely, there for nine years, has had to change his style to allow more shared decision making with the teachers and parents. When a vice principal position opened up, he replaced it with two part-time positions, a Coordinator of Restructuring and a parent liaison.
Cicely teachers have a variety of collaborative strategies.
The science program has a strong coaching element and requires that the entire staff agree to support the pilot teachers in their efforts. Now over 70 percent of the staff participate. The entire Cicely staff, joined by parents and support staff, attended a three-day summer retreat last year to develop a shared vision for change in the school. As a result, the school has a Leadership Team of administrators, teachers, classified staff, and parents to monitor the restructuring process. Soon the district will shift control of eight additional district-sponsored staff development days to the schools.