Improved Grades and Behavior
High Point Academy (HPA), a K–8 public charter school in Aurora, CO, was founded on high academic standards as well as character education and community involvement. HPA Executive Director Terry Croy-Lewis explains that the school sought out Engaging Schools to help it make its ideals a reality. “We needed the glue that would teach our very talented teachers how to be really good teachers — how to understand the students we work with and develop a common understanding of best practices.”
HPA has been working with Engaging Schools since spring 2011. In fall 2011, the school began full implementation of the Engaged Classrooms program, and it launched Advisory Plus in January 2013. During 2013–14, Engaging Schools continued to support HPA as it used Engaged Classrooms and Advisory Plus throughout all classes and grades. The school also is using the Engaging Schools resources Getting Classroom Management Right, Making Learning Real, and The Advisory Guide.
Academic and Behavioral Improvements
The school has seen both academic and behavioral improvements. In less than one year — from 2012–13 to the first quarter of 2013–14 — the number of course failures in the school fell from 91 to 39. (A course failure is defined as a D or F on the student’s report card.) During the same time period, the number of detentions schoolwide fell from 167 to 37.
Number of Course Failures Falls
A course failure is defined as a D or F on the student’s final report card.
Source: High Point Academy
Number of Detentions Falls
Source: High Point Academy
