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“To empower all students to excel in character, citizenship, collaboration, creativity, communication, and critical thinking, so that they may positively…”

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1,101 student population (92.8% White/Caucasian, 3.7% Asian, 3.6% Hispanic/Latino, 0.5% Black/African American, 0.1% American Indian) (U.S. Census Bureau)

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SAT - 1280
ACT - 28
Graduation rate - 98%

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Middletown High School, a diverse and rapidly growing comprehensive learning community is committed to challenging students to strive for personal excellence and to achieve distinction through:
• Fostering an environment that offers opportunities that prepare students to be global citizens
• Cultivating pride by supporting positive behavior
• Enabling all students to discover ad achieve post secondary endeavors
• Implementing a diverse, rigorous curriculum

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Mission Statement -
| “Portsmouth High School is a learning community of 900 students and 100 professionals dedicated to preparing the young men and women of Portsmouth and Little Compton to thrive in an ever-changing world. Our school has been recognized as a commended school by the Rhode Island Department of Education and has been honored by The College Board as an AP Honor Roll School for our participation and achievement in Advanced Placement learning. We are fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.”
Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available)
919 Students

White: 92.8%

Hispanic: 2.6%

Multiracial: 1.6%

Asian: 1.4%

African American: 1.2%

Native American: 0.3%
Income (Parent and/or guardians, if available)
16% of students come from low-income homes.
Test Scores for SAT and ACT for a given year
Average SAT: 1230

Math- 620 Verbal- 610

Average ACT: 29

Math- 28 Reading- 30 English- 29 Science- 28
Graduation Rate
95%
Percentage of ESL students
N/A
Families and community’s participation in the schools: What evidence do you find that there is participation?  Social activities?  PTOs/PTAs? School Improvement committees?
Parents Helping Students Organization: A group of Portsmouth High School Parents who meet once a week and focus on encouraging, promoting, and recognizing the efforts and accomplishments of all students. They organize events like book award ceremonies, teacher appreciation breakfast and senior project refreshments.
Safe and Supportive Schools: What evidence do you find that parents do/do not consider the schools safe and supportive?
58% of students say kids at this school are friendly

83% of students are involved in school activities

85% of students agree they feel safe at school
75% of students agree they like their school and feel happy there
Funding and Other Resources (Budget information)
Budget proposal of, $35,493,987

Additional $469,000 is being requested for the Facilities Capital.
Education level of parents
N/A
Percentage of students who receive free and reduced meals
10%

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1) One challenge could be the lack of diversity in the school. 92.8% of the students are white so the 7.2% of students that are racial minorities may not feel accepted. Many of the students who are not white could be English Language Learners but because they don’t make up the majority, it is difficult for the school to instill a program to accommodate their needs

2) The fact that the average expense per student each year that is involved in clubs and activities is $17,259 shows that being involved with the school can be very expensive. That being said, there are likely many students who can’t partake in a school activity because they cannot afford it.

3) One piece of data that could be a concern is the fact that 58% of students say that the kids at school are friendly. Does this mean that the other 42% of students do not believe that their peers are friendly? I wonder if some of the students who are part of the 42% are also minorities. Does this mean that there is bullying at this school? Is there exclusion, cliques or maybe unwelcomeness?

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Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available)Woonsocket High has 1,500 students. 6% are Asian, 32% are Hispanic, 11% are Black, and 45% are White.

Challenges
Some challenges the school district faces in meeting the news of all students, especially ELL, are keeping them in school. Many of English Language Learners don’t end up graduating. 29% of ELL don’t graduate to be exact. This could be because they aren’t being supported or don’t feel like they have all the resources they need to be successful after highschool or while in highschool.

Another challenge the school district faces is their teaching. Most teachers aren’t experienced in teaching ELL and this could be the reason why only 7% of their ELL passed the English proficiency exam. Another challenge is changing their safety and support ways. Woonsocket high is labeled as a “C” in safety which can be overwhelming for many students especially English Language Learners.

Recommendations
I would offer extra help and tutoring weekly for students who need help with English because English Language learners seem to struggle more and it keeps some students from graduating. Next I would discuss within the school district and administration and I would recommend hiring teachers who specialize specifically in English Language learners. Lastly I would recommend to the school district to have more safety inside and outside the school. There could be a school officer in the building which provides students with more safety.

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Population
- 606 students enrolled
(70.5% white, 11.2% Hispanic, 7.8% Black, 6.6% Multiracial, 3.6% Asian, and 0.3% Native American)

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Students:1649

Black or African American 127

Asian 173

Hispanic 684

White 549

Two or more races 96

American Indian or Alaskan Native 15

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders 5

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1. One of the biggest challenges that Cranston high school east seems to face is lack of student engagement. There is a very low participation when it comes to both girls and boys sports as well as dances and pep rallies.
2. Another challenge is the food at Cranston. The most negative comments about the school reported by students was about the food. They dreaded going to lunch while others stated there were limited options that were not healthy and were all reheated. Without healthy food for students or students eating lunch, this effects students ability to learn and focus. Also 57% of student receive free or reduced lunched.

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1. To create a better environment for students and increase student engagement is to overall create a more fun environment which starts with good teachers. Better teachers will encourage their students to learn and participate and make things engaging for students. Starting with this can create a greater chance of better student participation.
2. To help fix the food issue, it would help to create a greater variety of food options for students with different diets as well as making better quality food that is more fresh. This may be difficult because of how many students have free or reduced lunch so funding for food is lower. So many students will say that the best time is lunchtime to eat and socialize but Cranston students dread it. It is important to make good quality food for students to help with their overall health and brain function to help them learn.

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Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available): 889
69% White, 22% Hispanic, 6% Black, 3% Asian, 0.1 % American Indian/Alaskan Native, n/a Hawaiian, n/a multiracial.

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1. Academics
-According to Niche Johnston Senior High Schools Academics are rated a B-. The two main points we see are the 42% proficient in reading, and the 22% proficient in math. These numbers aren't very high at all, which raises concern for how students are being taught in the classroom.
2. School and Facilities
-According to Niche, Resources and Facilities scored a B- on the report card.

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1. Because the numbers are generally lower than we would like to see for reading and math, it is a good idea for english and math classes to start focusing more on the areas that need improvement from these tests and implementing them in the classroom. In addition, focusing on homework and classwork to increase proficiency in these areas is essential for students to practice in these subjects.
2. Use funding towards hiring more resources for the high school and to make the facilities better for the students to learn in.

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Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available): 1,120 (655 White, 245 Hispanic, 145 African American, 38 two or more races, 30 Asian, 6 American Indian, 1 Native Hawaiian)

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1. The students have lower test scores and only 20% scored at or above proficiency for math and 44% scored at or above proficient on reading, the student to teacher ratio is 12:1

2. 43% of people rent homes and 57% of people own homes in the area

3. The crime and safety in the area was rated a C+ on niche with a lot of violent and property crimes in the area

Recommendations:

1. To help the students below the proficiency level for reading, it could be beneficial to implement a reading workshop or class that can provide help to the students that need it. It could also be helpful to find out which students are struggling and offer extra help so that it could boost their overall performance. The class/workshop could be offered during school hours, that way all the kids have a fair chance to improve their proficiency without having to attend after hours. This would require help from faculty or staff who are willing to work with these kids and are skilled in the language proficiency area and would likely require some sacrifices from the teachers.

2. Even though the school district is not responsible for the homes in which their students live, the school can work to make their environment feel safer. Students are going to want to feel as though they are welcome and can be comfortable in their learning environment, this makes it the responsibility of the school to provide that for them. This can be achieved through strong leadership and respected staff that know how to provide a safe environment for their students. Some of the teachers may not be aware of how to do this so a conference could be a good place to discuss ways in which to make the school feel safe. This conference can also work with teachers to build up their student/teacher relationships that way they can provide comfort to the children in the building.

3. The same thing can be provided to help with the crime and violence rate within the city. By making the school a safe environment, students will feel more comfortable being there. Another thing the school can do is implement a policy about violence that would deter the kids from acting upon it in the school building, which can build on a safe environment.

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1. Diversity:
In order to create more diversity in this school district, we feel that it is best for the Educators to teach more to their students about the importance of diversity as well as the history and challenges that other ethnicities and cultures besides just our own. This will make students more aware and comfortable working with other races. Many parents commented on Niche that they would like the school to be "more diverse" and the way to do this is to educate the youth on these topics.
2. Health and Safety -
We feel as if educators can help make the parents as well students feel even more safe in their school. With a C+ grade for health and safety it is important for the educators and administrators to be as clear as possible on anti bullying, keep in honest contact with the parents on student progress and be approachable.

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1. Diversity:
On RIDE, it states that the population of the Warwick School district is a little more that 75% white. It also shows that there is not any other race that contains more than 11% of the population besides those who are white. This is a challenge because it puts students at a disadvantage socially as there is not a lot of experience of working with people from different races and backgrounds. Also, 25% of Pilgrim High School in Warwick, English learners met their target for English proficiency.

2. Health and Safety:
According to Niche, The school district in Warwick is graded as a C+ for safety. This goes to show that there are doubts coming from families about the safety and health of the children in school and that there are ways to improve in this area.

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The mission statement is to provide all students with the necessary skills to thrive in the 21st century as learners, workers and citizens.

Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available): Total students in the district- 8,610. 77.7% of the students are White, 11% of the students are Hispanic, 4.3% Asian, 3.9% Multiracial, 2.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. With the total of 917 educators.

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Population (Include the ethnic makeup, if available): 798 students; White 80%, Hispanic 8%, Mixed 6%, Asian 4%, Alaskan Native/Native American 1%, Black 1%, Hawaiian Native/Pacific Islander 0.4%

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Population: 906 Students
(36.8% white, 29.4% Hispanic, 25.3% African American, 6.3% Multiracial, 1.4% Asian)

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1. Resources and facilities:
-Have been given a C- on niche
-Reviews have said that equipment is old and run down

Resources and facilities are extremely important and need to be up to date. It is also important to have resources that can benefit all students. The school has a very diverse population and 14% of the district's students are ESL learners so it is important to have programs and resources to make sure all students have the same opportunities.

2.  Academics
- Given a C on niche
- 17% proficient for reading
- 8% proficient for math

Academics are the main point of school and the low percentage of scores for this school is extremely bad. While the graduation rate is high, this school is not preparing students for the future and is not providing even the basics for academics.

3. Health and Safety
-Given a C- on niche

Based on survey responses from students and parents, the school does not provide the best environment for students. The school faces chronic chronic student absenteeism, suspensions, and expulsions.

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A school's funding should be a top priority so that it can provide what is necessary to support students and help them grow intellectually.  All the different challenges mentioned require better funding and the overall quality of the school and the education it provides would improve. With better funding the school can:

Provide more programs to benefit the diversity of its students and provide extra help for students who need it.

Provide resources that can help students feel safer in the school environment.

Provide resources to help improve students education

Provide new equipment and up to date resources

To acquire some of this funding the school should start up fundraisers to be able to provide more for its students as it is not getting enough funding from the income taxes.

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Population: 667, 44% white, 22% Hispanic, 20% African-American, 2% Asian, 1% Native American, and 11% multi-racial

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Challenges:

1.     With such a small percentage of ESL students, some students could not feel at home at school. If they don’t find many fellow students who speak their native tongue, they may feel like they don’t fully belong, or feel as though they are different or isolated.

2.     Continuing with the small percentage of ESL students, it may be hard for the school to justify spending money on the few students who need to learn English, especially when they may not share the same, home spoken, language.

Recommendations:

For students who don’t speak English as their first language, aids could be put in the classroom to assist students who are having trouble understanding. In addition, there could be a resource room form students to practice English, while honing their skills in other subjects. After school programs can be put in place to offer additional tutoring to students who feel they are falling behind in class or need the extra help to catch up and make their learning more efficient. Teachers should go through training on how to work with students whose primary language isn’t English. This poses the question of where this money will be funded from. Taxes for school districts will have to be reallocated to what the district best sees fit in order to help their student reach their full potential.

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- Diversity (BHS given a C+, Barrington as a town given a B-) (Niche)
- Silent/unspoken drug issues
- Bullying (Anonymous bullying forms can be submitted on any of the school district’s websites, High School/Middle School/Elementary etc.)

Recommendations for each:

Implementing a curriculum that focuses on a holistic world view, teaching about racism and discrimination, and being aware of those who are different from you, even though you may come from a high school/area of the state that has a heavy racial majority

Increased crack down on any drugs that may be present on school grounds, continued/increased drug education

Foster a culture where everyone is accepted for who they are. Students must feel safe at school and look forward to the school day to get the most out of their education

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1. School Safety:
- On Niche, Westerly High School only had 62% of students feel safe in school. This number is very low and can correlate with the rise in school shootings in America. In September of 2019, a Westerly teenager was arrested for threatening to commit a school shooting at another school.
2. College Readiness:
- Also on Niche, it is stated that only 67% of students are proficient in reading, and only 38% of students are proficient in mathematics.

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1. School Safety:
- To help raise the number of students that feel safe in school, there are several options. One possibility is raising the school's budget. By doing so, the district can hire security officers for the school; making students feel more safe in the classroom. A second option is raising mental health awareness and having mental health resources at the school. By doing so, students who are struggling and may have urges to harm others can get the help they need to push through.

2. College Readiness:
- To assist the high schools reading and mathematics proficiency rates, the school can, similarly helping safety, raise the budget to allow more educational opportunities. With a larger budget, schools can hire additional tutors and faculty to help students who are a bit behind their peers.

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1. While the average graduation rate is 87%, Niche displays state test scores as 62% proficient in reading, and 37% proficient in math.  These are two essential areas of education that warrant attention focused on improvement.
2. 25% of students come from economically disadvantaged households.

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1) While it may be difficult to change how diverse the school is, PHS could make efforts to make sure every student is treated equally regardless of skin color and that each individual is receiving the help they need to succeed. One way the school could make this happen is implementing a course where students are educated on racial diversity and racism. Some individuals may not even realize they are being racist so educating them on words and actions that may hurt racial minorities could be extremely beneficial. For students who are English Language Learners, the school could consider implementing a bilingual education program or an immersion program so that they have practice with English but also don’t lose their native language. A program like this would make it possible for ELLs to take exams in their native language or have accommodations so that they have the same opportunities as the other students.

2) To make clubs and activities accessible to all students, the school could hold fundraisers to raise money for individuals who do not have enough money to pay club and organization fees. To determine who needs financial assistance to be a part of school clubs and activities, they could open up applications for families that may need assistance and determine what they need by their income. The school administration could also have a meeting to determine if extra tax money is available to help support extracurriculars.

3) To ensure that the percentage of students who say that the other kids at school are friendly grows, there would need to be more research and data collected on why the other 42% do not agree. If these students are part of a minority group, it could be a sense of feeling unwelcome by their peers. They may feel like outsiders, or worst-case scenario: there could be bullying and/or racism/discrimination that is taking place. As discussed in recommendation number one, there should be more opportunities for students to take courses that allow them to understand their diverse peers. Or if the ELL had more opportunities to succeed like the majority does, walls would be broken down between these two groups and they would understand they are not so different at all. Perhaps, the students who are unable to participate in extracurricular activities due to financial needs, feel left out or that they don’t fit in. As discussed in recommendation number 2, there could be a way to solve this problem so that all students who want to are able to participate in after-school activities. If the school holds more opportunities for their students to feel like a community, the students would be able to get to know more of their peers and work with them, thus learn to understand each other.

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1. Students who’s reading and mathematic abilities are lacking are at a great disadvantage compared to their peers testing at a proficient level or higher. A large focus needs to be placed on implementing systems that ensure the best possible level of success for each student. This may include the incorporation of new teaching techniques, and regular reinforcement of information presented in lessons. Teachers should do all that is within their power to provide resources for their students varying learning styles. This may include extra help sessions, feedback on extra practice exercises and dedication to a safe and comfortable classroom environment.
2. While free and reduced lunches are available to these students, many other factors are effected by economic status. In order to help these students, school supply drives can be organized to gather materials that their parents might not be able to purchase for them. If possible, an after school care system would be great for children whose parents work.