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Holyoke JR/SR High teacher Josh Schroetlin, pictured at center, addresses a focus group question from visiting site review team members, pictured at right. Following the Monday morning focus groups with staff, reviewers evaluated individual classroom teachers and visuals of the classrooms themselves at both the elementary school and the JR/SR high. — Johnson Publications

S-CAP site review involves community

    Parents, students and staff  in Holyoke School District Re-1J all had small focus group sessions addressing specific survey questions when the district hosted a Student-Centered Accountability Program one-day site review Monday, April 23.
    Holyoke Elementary Principal Kyle Stumpf was well-pleased with the day, noting that 45 reviewers took part in the collection of data, evaluation of teachers and gathering of information in focus groups.
    The reviewers represented teachers, principals and superintendents from the five pilot S-CAP schools, as well as neighboring districts of Haxtun, Akron and Wray. Additionally, visitors came from the Colorado Department of Education, University of Colorado and University of Denver.
    Kurt Banghart, who works for Generation Schools, one of the S-CAP sponsors, served as facilitator for the day’s events.
    Holyoke JR/SR High counselor Angela Powell did a great job of organizing the activities for the day, which was acknowledged in the exit review.
    Another highlight from the exit/debriefing session with Banghart and several superintendents cited the amount of technology that students are using every day.
    The reviewers felt the 15-slide overview of the district that was prepared for the Monday event was a great model to show other districts looking to become a part of the S-CAP program. S-CAP provides an alternative means of accrediting schools based on values that are important to individual districts.
    Another comment from the visitors was their favorable impression of the well-behaved and welcoming students at both the JR/SR high and the elementary school.
    The school’s administrative team will review the feedback from the site visit and determine the best way to share it with the community.
    Stumpf, who will assume the role of superintendent in Holyoke School District July 1, said he’s excited that Holyoke will be involved in the S-CAP review program for at least two more years.
    Next year, a two-day site review will give reviewers a chance to see how the district has implemented the input from Monday’s session in order to see growth. Other areas will be added to the evaluation process, as well.
    Approximately 24 parents of JR/SR high, elementary and English Language Learner students participated in the Monday morning focus groups.
    A total of 30 students were involved in lunch-hour focus groups. That included 10 each in grades 5-6, 7-9 and 10-12.
    Student group leaders from FBLA, FCCLA, NHS and FFA greeted visitors and directed them to the old gym for breakfast as the site review began at 7:30 a.m. Monday. They also ran five golf carts to transport reviewers between school buildings for the evaluation sessions.
    Weather cooperated, for once, for a pleasant day both inside and out as the district moved forward to ensure the best education possible for its students.

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