This inspirational session will highlight the key components of a successful high school model where the entire school is an Academy of Information Technology. Participants will learn about strategies that make this model effective, such as technology integration in the content area classrooms, building a culture of support for all students and empowering students and teachers with their data.

1. Comprehensive IT: Opportunities for Students
When the Whole School is ‘The Academy’
Crooms Academy of Information Technology
Seminole County Public Schools
Sanford, FL
Dr. Connie Collins, Principal
Demetria Hayes, Assistant Principal
croomsaoit.org

2. Crooms Academy of Information Technology
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3. Crooms Academy of Information Technology
School Profile for 2011-2012
 Seminole County Public Schools‟ only dedicated
magnet
 Open enrollment for all rising freshmen and
students are randomly selected for admission
 585 students
 Student population: 51% White, 22% Hispanic, 20%
African American, 4% Multiracial, and 3% Asian
 Forty-seven percent of student population is
economically disadvantaged
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4. Crooms Academy of Information Technology
School Profile for 2011-2012
 School grade of “A” on Florida‟s School
Accountability Report
 US News and World Report’s #1 Most Connected
Classrooms in the US
 Listed in US News and World Report’s list of US
Best High Schools
 Consistently listed in Newsweek as one of US Best
High Schools
 National Academy Foundation, Distinguished
Academy
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5. “Poor students do not exhibit low academic
achievement because they are poor but
because of the way that we treat poor children. .
. What commentators call an „ethnic gap‟ is, in
fact, a teaching gap, a curriculum gap, and an
expectations gap.”
Doug Reeves, 2006 in The Learning Leader
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6. What Should We Do? . . .
. . . All That We Can!
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7. It Takes a Village:
A Multi-Pronged Approach
Stephen Covey, ISTE International Conference 2011
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8. Our Schoolhouse Model
 Technology Integration in the Content Areas
 Professional Learning Communities
 Response to Intervention
 Kagan Learning Strategies
 Ruby Payne Poverty Training
 Beginning with end in mind (UbD)
 Marzano‟s High Probability Strategies
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9. We Control Factors
We Can Control
 What gets taught
 Who teaches it
 How it gets taught
 Empowering both teacher AND students with data
and monitoring to motivate students and improve
student achievement
 Academic interventions during the school day
 Extended day activities
 Student support through faculty academic
advocates and community mentors
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10. Areas of Focus
 Integrating technology
 Empowering both teachers and students with
data and monitoring to motivate and improve
student achievement
 Building a culture of excellence and support for
all students
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11. Integration of Technology
 Every student is issued a personal laptop which
comes loaded with software and hardware
 Access to the Internet and network resources
on campus is given via a wireless network
 Crooms Academy has 10 computer labs
including an Apple Mac desktop lab, a game
and simulation lab, and a world languages lab
 The school also features SMART technologies
in every classroom
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12. Integration of Technology
 Technology coursework offered onsite and
through early college/dual enrollment at
Seminole State College of Florida
 Staff uses technology and Web 2.0 tools to
support and improve instruction
 Students use technology to enhance learning in
content course
 Cross-curricular projects between core
academic teachers and technology teachers
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13. Integration of Technology
IT Industry Certifications
Adobe Dreamweaver Associate
Adobe Flash Associate
Adobe Photoshop Associate
Certified Internet Web (CIW) Design Specialist
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician
(CCENT)
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14. Integration of Technology
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Linux+
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA Security+
Oracle Certified Associate
Microsoft Office Specialist
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15. Integration of Technology: Networking
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16. Integration of Technology: Digital Video
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17. Integration of Technology:
Game and Simulation
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18. Integration of Technology: Programming
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19. Integration of Technology: Digital Design
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20. Using Data and Progress Monitoring to
Drive and Improve Instruction
“Data-driven decision making can produce its
intended effects only if supported by
organizational capacity that allows schools and
leaders to intentionally change instructional
practices in the face of new information”
(Halverson, et al., 2005).
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21. Using Data and Progress Monitoring to
Drive and Improve Instruction
 Our district provides a wealth of data
o One platform to access current and historical
information on every student
o Standardized test scores
o Attendance and demographic information
o Ability to sort and filter
o Provided to every teacher
o Triangulation of data for a „whole picture‟
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22. Using Data and Progress Monitoring to
Drive and Improve Instruction
 During pre-plan teachers review student
achievement from previous year and reflect on
strengths and needs
 Teachers develop a personal improvement plan
based on instructional needs of students
 Teachers analyze current student data and
adjust instruction to achieve maximum
achievement
 Teachers work in teams at grade level and
department to implement best practices
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23. Using Data and Progress Monitoring to
Drive and Improve Instruction
 Monitor student progress through periodic screening
and diagnostics in: English, Writing, Reading, Math, and
Biology (Discovery Assessment and Write Score)
 Teachers adjust instruction based on results
 Teachers proactively support students to prevent
regression
 Tutoring and a variety of interventions or acceleration
are provided as needed
 Teachers and students conference and set goals for
improvement and students monitor their own progress
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24. Building a Culture of Support
for All Students
 Literacy strategies implemented in core
academic and technology courses
 Advisement lessons: Weekly lessons that
support best instructional practices
 20-minute uninterrupted block of Silent
Sustained Reading three days per week
 Guided Study Academic Intervention during the
school day
 After-school tutoring and student support
 SAT and ACT preparation
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25. Building a Culture of Support
for All Students
 Literacy Leadership Team
o Surveys of student and teacher literacy needs
o One Book, One School Project
o Promotion of reading through Scholastic Reading Counts
Quiz Competition
o Strategy of the Month Program
o Support of classroom libraries
 Panther Pals
 Explorers Club for at-risk students to develop
cultural literacy, vocabulary, and leadership Skills
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26. Building a Culture of Support
for All Students
 Four Year Career Plan
o 9th grade: Success Skills
o 10th grade: Enhanced Success Skills
o 11th grade: Job shadowing
o 12th grade: Internships, Exit Interviews
 Business Advisory Council
 Tech Fest
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27. There Is No Silver Bullet
 Combining a variety of research based
practices, providing the support to implement
and monitor these practices have led to our
successful IT academy
 We collaborate as a staff to provide the best
atmosphere for success for all students
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28. “Nothing you do for children is ever
wasted. They seem not to notice us,
hovering, averting our eyes, and they
seldom offer thanks, but what we do for
them is never wasted.”
-Garrison Keillor
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