Cadillac Junior High School Annual Report 2003-2004

Our students have unique academic, social, emotional and physical needs. The staff in partnership with parents and community will educate the students within a safe and nurturing environment to recognize their goals and encourage them to strive toward becoming life-long learners and to make successful transitions from school-to-school or school-to-career.

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We are excited and proud to present you our 2003/2004 annual report. Our staff has been working hard and long to integrate technology with subject matter so the students can learn using the best curriculum and equipment available to them. It is our goal to prepare the students for a successful experience when they move on to the high school.

The junior high school faculty has been very appreciative of the support of the Board of Education; Mr. Liabenow, Superintendent; and Mr. Briggs, Assistant Superintendent; students and parents. Furthermore, we appreciate the paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, lunchroom personnel, and bus drivers, who help us in keeping the building operating smoothly.

It is our desire to provide your students with the best education possible and we can do that with your continued support and involvement. Please do not hesitate to make arrangements to visit or tour the building. We want you here.

Sincerely,

Jack Richards
Principal, Cadillac Junior High

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Cadillac Area Public Schools embraces a curriculum reflecting Michigan Content Standards for Curriculum and national standards. Our School Improvement goals show our desire to improve the performance of all students in reading comprehension of informational materials, student understanding and application of scientific processes, student understanding of social studies context and the application of geography skills, student use of mathematics and logic skills in problem solving as well as development of social problem-solving skills. All Cadillac Junior High students learn about technology and refine their skills as they apply them across the content areas. The district curriculum guide, textbooks, technology plan, computer software, and building personnel are focused on desired student outcomes in each of the goal areas. All Cadillac Junior High students engage in challenging and purposeful learning that prepares them for the future.

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Each goal area has established assessments to measure progress toward obtaining the stated goal. The include: Respect and Protect, discipline records, grades, attendance records, students receiving awards, MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program), progress report comparisons, student career interest survey, parent surveys, staff surveys, curricular assessment, and teacher observation.

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Cadillac Junior High School prepares students for successful entry into the world of work and/or continuing education in order to pursue their career goals. Collaboration with the community beyond the walls of the classroom is a vital component to help students develop the skills, attitudes, and behaviors needed to get and keep a job. Students need to see a clear connection between what they learn in school and what they will need to succeed in a career.

The School-Business Partnership program provides speakers and volunteers to assist in this goal. Adult volunteers visit classrooms to speak about their specific career and students visit the partner business for on site instruction. Speakers can also be procured through the use of the Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce who maintain a list of topics and local individuals who are willing to share with students.

Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce through the Leadership Program, sponsor a Lead and Lead Junior program twice a year for 8^th and 9^th grade students to attend to learn how to be young leaders in the community.

The Wexford-Missuakee Career Technical Center (CTC) is another component of the community resources available to Cadillac students. The Career Technical Center is available to provide up-to-date vocational training and instruction to high school students. The primary objectives of the CTC are to prepare individuals for full time gainful employment on the completion of high school or to prepare students for further vocational technical education. CTC also holds an annual Career Expo for 9^th grade students to hear speakers share information about their careers.

Distance learning and Michigan Virtual High school courses may be offered when the student’s individual needs can’t be met at the school.

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During the 2003/2004 school year 100% of the Cadillac Junior High professional staff met the "Highly Qualified Teacher definition set forth by No Child Left Behind legislation. All staff teach in their major or minor area of study.

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1. To improve family/community involvement at CJH.
2. To maintain a welcome, comfortable atmosphere by providing an attractive, safe, healthy, and secure environment.
3. To maximize each child’s learning both intellectually and physically while inspiring each child to be a life-long learner.
4. To enhance the child’s positive image, respect for peers, and acceptance of his/her role and responsibilities within the school and community.
5. To ensure that the staff will utilize current research to meet the unique needs of the junior high student.
6. Students will develop the ability to create and adapt to change.
7. Students will develop the ability to be respectful to others and themselves.
8. Students will assume responsibility for their actions in school, in the community, and for choices concerning their well-being.

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1. All students will increase their proficiency in English based on Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks.
2. All students will demonstrate improvement in Math computation and problem solving skills based on Michigan Content Standards and Benchmarks
3. All students will increase their scientific knowledge.
4. All students will improve in the four content areas, History, Civics, Economics, and Geography of Social Studies required by state benchmarks in preparation for state and district assessments.

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The staff at Cadillac Junior High School uses varied methods of assessment pertaining to student progress. This includes, but is not limited to the following methods:

1. Teacher Observation
2. Student Projects
3. Peer Interaction
4. starting of student portfolios
5. MEAP scores
6. Oral Presentations
7. Written Test
8. Terra Nova Test
9. Oral Test

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Cadillac Junior High School professional development is aligned with school improvement, curriculum, instruction and assessment and is an ongoing process directed toward increased performance for all students. It promotes continuous improvement of all members of the learning community and enhances school improvement by encouraging a culture of collaboration and sharing to achieve or exceed the school improvement goals. Professional development is provided throughout the school year in a multitude of opportunities. Some of these include:

1. Wednesday Staff Meetings
2. Team Meetings
3. Department Meetings
4. Attending Conferences
5. In district In-service Sessions
6. ISD In-service Sessions

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Decisions that affect the Cadillac Junior High School learning process are made in the following manner:

1. Team Decisions
2. Departmental Decisions
3. Staff Meeting Decisions
4. Administrative Decisions
5. School Improvement Committee

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The Cadillac Junior High School defines retention as; when a student must repeat an entire grade level over the following year. For the 2003-2004 school year, the retention rate was 1% for our student population. The Cadillac Junior High School had zero students drop out of school.

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* Language Arts is given in the seventh grade.

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Cadillac Junior High School provides opportunities for students who have special needs. Special schooling is provided for emotionally impaired students through the Intermediate School District, as well as for the severely mentally impaired and trainable mentally impaired students. Cadillac Junior High also provides an alternative education program for ninth grade students. This program is housed at the Cooley School on Granite Street.

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The Cadillac Junior High is fully accredited through North Central Accreditation Association. Through the course of this year the staff has been getting ready to go through the North Central Accreditation process called "Transitions", which is a K-12 district process. The Junior High is also accredited through the State of Michigan by earning a grade of "B" as determined by the 2004 Education YES! Report Card. The school also met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) goal in both 2003 and 2004.

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The following is a percentage of parents that attended the fall and spring parent/teacher conferences: Fall attendance 74 %  -- Spring attendance 89%.

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Cadillac Junior High School makes a concentrated effort to provide professional development for all staff in technology knowledge, application, and integration. Staff members are encouraged to evaluate the usefulness of emerging technologies and to think outside the box when incorporating technology in the classroom. Students learn with and about technology preparing them to live responsibly in a democratic, technologically driven society. Both staff and students use technology for knowledge, acquisition, communication, information management, problem solving, creative expression, research, and design across the disciplines. Cadillac Junior High School continues to identify individual student’s needs and to address those needs through all appropriate means including the use of electronic curricula and technology tools.

Technology plays an important role in communication with parents (i.e. weekly progress reports) and the community. We are doing local broadcasting in our school for morning announcements and communicate our character counts program.

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