Michele Clark High School Case Notes

Historical Context: South Austin Community, Chicago, Illinois

• Michele Clark Academic Center is a public school located on Chicago’s West Side in the Austin community.
• Austin was developed in the 1870s as a suburb and later annexed to Chicago.
• In the 1950s and 60s, middle-class African-American and immigrant families moved into Austin, reaching a population of 90,000.
• White families left, and redlining reduced property values.
• Austin is the second-most populous community area in Chicago, after Lakeview.
• The community faces high crime, violence, and disinvestment.
• Nonprofit groups are working to address economic and social issues to boost development.
• In 2009, “Austin Coming Together” was formed to offer services in education, housing, jobs, and public safety.

School Background: Michele Clark Academic Preparatory Magnet High School

• Michele Clark Academic Preparatory Center opened in 1972 as Austin Middle School.
• Renamed in 1974 to honor journalist Michele Clark.
• Became a high school in 2002, serving grades 7-12.
• Historically considered a good school and well-respected in the community.
• Formerly a competitive International Baccalaureate (IB) school with selective admissions.
• By 2010, lost its IB designation.
• Vision: To create opportunities to learn and enhance relationships, shape better citizens, create critical thinkers, and provide rigorous education.

New School Leadership: Principal Beulah McLoyd

• Beulah McLoyd grew up in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, which was impacted by redlining and racial division.
• Her mother sent her to a private school outside of Englewood.
• Beulah chose education to dismantle inequitable systems for marginalized students.
• She became an English teacher and the youngest department head at Gage Park High School.
• She emphasizes community and student relationships for student success.
• In 2010, she became the principal of Michele Clark High School.

Leadership Challenge: School Culture

• In 2010, Michele Clark was designated a ‘turnaround’ school.
• Turnaround schools faced closure if performance didn't improve.
• Beulah conducted a listening tour to gather data from the school community.
• She met with every staff member and sought input from students and community members.

Staff Perceptions

• The staff was 45% Black, 50% White, and 5% Asian.
• Mr. Carter, the Social Studies Department Chair, prioritized culturally relevant curriculum but felt forced to focus on discipline.
• Mrs. Roberts, a school counselor, reminisced about the ‘glory days’ of the IB program.
• Mrs. Lee, the assistant principal, was resistant to Beulah’s leadership and undermined her vision.
• Common trends among staff included rich school history, dedicated teaching staff, increased disciplinary challenges, decreased focus on high-quality instruction, and a desire to reinstate the IB program.

Observations

School Routines

• The facility was three floors, making supervision difficult.
• Beulah observed classrooms, hallways, and interactions between students and staff.
• Issues observed:
  • Students unsupervised in hallways.
  • Lack of urgency to get to class on time.
  • Fights on campus and at local businesses, often planned on social media.

Instructional Practice and Planning

• Teachers used depth of knowledge and planned rigorous tasks, but literacy scores were higher than math scores.
• Math department:
  • Ms. Brandon: Black female, Golden Apple award winner, high engagement, rigorous tasks, effective questioning techniques, proactive classroom management.
  • Ms. Wilson: White female, desired feedback, held high expectations, struggled to scaffold learning and build relationships, leading to classroom management issues.
  • Mr. Singh: Indian-American male, strong mathematical knowledge, direct instruction, focused on engaged students, leading to disruptions from others.
• Ms. Brandon organized monthly meetings, but attendance was inconsistent due to after-school responsibilities and lack of common planning time.
• Mr. Singh and Ms. Wilson felt unable to replicate Ms. Brandon's methods and cited student behavior and skill gaps as concerns.
• Ms. Brandon lacked time to support Mr. Singh and Ms. Wilson.

Naming the Challenge and Priorities

• Beulah prioritized school culture over instructional changes.
• She planned to invest staff in changes needed to create a thriving school environment.
• Changes would require new policies and consistent implementation.

Appendix A: Student Demographics

• Students by Gender:
  • 276 (52%) Male
  • 256 (48%) Female
• Students by Ethnicity:
  • 0.2% American Indian or Native Alaskan
  • 96.8% Black or African American
  • 3% Hispanic or Latino
  • 0% Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
  • 0% White
  • 0% Multi-Racial
• Other Groups:
  • 2% Limited English Proficiency/English Language Learners
  • 18% Students with Disabilities
  • 96.4% Free and Reduced Lunch

Appendix B: Staff Demographics

• Staff by Ethnicity
  • 0% American Indian or Native Alaskan
  • 45% Black or African American
  • 0% Hispanic or Latino
  • 0% Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
  • 50% White
  • 13% Multi-Racial

Appendix C: Culture and Climate Data

Student Culture and Climate Survey (Grades 6-12)

• Key Findings:
  • Teachers care and know students well: 44% Yes, 32% No, 24% Not Sure
  • Teachers listen to students: 70% Yes, 12% No, 18% Not Sure
  • Teachers respect students: 57% Yes, 19% No, 25% Not Sure
  • Students respect Teachers: 67% Yes, 18% No, 15% Not Sure
  • Students are nice and friendly: 36% Yes, 20% No, 44% Not Sure
  • Students treat each other with respect: 30% Yes, 36% No, 34% Not Sure
  • Students don't tease, bully, or make fun of each other: 35% Yes, 30% No, 35% Not Sure
  • Students get along with different students: 29% Yes, 32% No, 39% Not Sure
  • Teachers expect hard work: 57% Yes, 17% No, 27% Not Sure
  • Almost all students work hard: 61% Yes, 13% No, 27% Not Sure
  • Teachers give personal attention: 42% Yes, 34% No, 24% Not Sure
  • Adults help with problems: 42% Yes, 32% No, 26% Not Sure
  • Students don't disrupt: 30% Yes, 35% No, 25% Not Sure
  • Fair chance to correct mistakes: 35% Yes, 25% No, 40% Not Sure
  • School rules are fair: 30% Yes, 35% No, 35% Not Sure
  • Adults enforce rules consistently: 24% Yes, 42% No, 36% Not Sure
  • Students feel safe: 57% Yes, 26% No, 17% Not Sure
  • School is clean: 57% Yes, 26% No, 17% Not Sure
  • Adults are kind and positive: 50% Yes, 34% No, 16% Not Sure

Parent Culture and Climate Survey Results

• Key Findings:
  • Teachers care about my child/children and know my child/children well: 23% Strongly Agree, 32% Agree, 28% Sometimes, 15% Disagree, 2% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers listen to my child and encourage him/her to share their thoughts and feelings: 23% Strongly Agree, 34% Agree, 36% Sometimes, 4% Disagree, 3% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers respect my child/children: 36% Strongly Agree, 39% Agree, 16% Sometimes, 8% Disagree, 1% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers encourage my child to work hard to get smart: 40% Strongly Agree, 30% Agree, 20% Sometimes, 10% Disagree, 0% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers help my child/children to build positive relationships with other students: 11% Strongly Agree, 29% Agree, 26% Sometimes, 28% Disagree, 6% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers teach my child/children how to treat others with respect: 11% Strongly Agree, 29% Agree, 25% Sometimes, 29% Disagree, 6% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers encourage my child/children to seek help to further their learning: 11% Strongly Agree, 19% Agree, 26% Sometimes, 28% Disagree, 6% Strongly Disagree
  • My child/children feels safe and knows who can help in difficult interactions with other students: 16% Strongly Agree, 19% Agree, 36% Sometimes, 28% Disagree, 1% Strongly Disagree
  • If a student teases, bullies or harasses someone, other students do not join in: 11% Strongly Agree, 29% Agree, 46% Sometimes, 8% Disagree, 6% Strongly Disagree
  • Different groups of students get along with one another: 11% Strongly Agree, 19% Agree, 41% Sometimes, 29% Disagree, 0% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers provide extra help when students need it: 36% Strongly Agree, 29% Agree, 26% Sometimes, 8% Disagree, 1% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers make their classes interesting, challenging and relevant: 38% Strongly Agree, 30% Agree, 23% Sometimes, 6% Disagree, 2% Strongly Disagree
  • Teachers and counselors are willing to help students with their college prep and other personal matters: 36% Strongly Agree, 29% Agree, 26% Sometimes, 8% Disagree, 1% Strongly Disagree
  • The school involves parents in their child’s education, and staff is welcoming and clear about how my child is doing in school and how to help at home: 44% Strongly Agree, 22% Agree, 14% Sometimes, 8% Disagree, 2% Strongly Disagree

Staff Culture and Climate Survey Results

• Scale: 1-Never, 2-Rarely, 3-Sometimes, 4-Often, 5-Always
• Key Findings:
  • Teachers and staff discuss instructional strategies and curriculum issues: 28% Rarely, 45% Sometimes, 24% Often, 3% Always
  • Teachers and staff discuss students’ academic and disciplinary data and developmental progress in effort to improve their achievement and behavior: 13% Never, 20% Rarely, 52% Sometimes, 15% Often
  • Teachers and staff work together to develop the school schedule: 36% Never, 12% Rarely, 42% Sometimes, 10% Often
  • All adults in the building engage in specific responsibilities that help maintain an orderly and attractive environment and build a safe, disciplined and respectful school culture: 4% Rarely, 12% Sometimes, 22% Often, 62% Always
  • Teachers and staff participate in decisions about space, resources and materials: 5% Never, 25% Rarely, 41% Sometimes, 28% Often, 1% Always
  • The student behavior code is a result of collaboration and consensus among staff: 15% Never, 27% Rarely, 31% Sometimes, 17% Often, 10% Always
  • The planning and organizational time allotted to teachers and staff is used for working in grade-level, student support, and/or subject-centered teams instead of working as separate individuals: 22% Rarely, 43% Sometimes, 31% Often, 4% Always
  • Teachers and staff tell positive and celebratory stories that support core school values and beliefs about students, teaching and learning: 27% Rarely, 45% Sometimes, 20% Often, 8% Always
  • Teachers and staff visit/talk/meet outside of the school to enjoy one another’s company: 2% Never, 16% Rarely, 54% Sometimes, 25% Often, 3% Always
  • Our school reflects a true “sense of community”: 4% Never, 17% Rarely, 38% Sometimes, 34% Often, 7% Always
  • Our school schedule allows for frequent communication opportunities among and between teachers and staff: 11% Never, 21% Rarely, 37% Sometimes, 20% Often, 13% Always
  • Our school supports and appreciates the sharing of new ideas by members of our school: 13% Never, 25% Rarely, 31% Sometimes, 31% Often, 2% Always
  • School faculty and staff respect and value one another: 35% Rarely, 45% Sometimes, 29% Often, 8% Always
  • Our school has a rich and robust tradition of rituals and annual events that recognize and celebrate the school mission, school progress, and individual and group accomplishments throughout the year: 15% Never, 24% Rarely, 32% Sometimes, 29% Often, 4% Always
  • The adult school community seeks to understand and address problems rather than blame students, parents or one another: 14% Never, 25% Rarely, 29% Sometimes, 31% Often, 3% Always
  • When something is not working effectively at school, the faculty and staff predict, prevent and problem-solve rather than just react and complain: 12% Never, 21% Rarely, 38% Sometimes, 20% Often, 9% Always
  • The adult school community seeks alternative solutions to old problems instead of repeating what has always been done: 9% Never, 22% Rarely, 37% Sometimes, 20% Often, 12% Always
  • On balance, the school staff is empowered to make more instructional decisions than the school district or supervisors: 2% Never, 14% Rarely, 32% Sometimes, 35% Often, 17% Always
  • There is mutual trust and respect between administrators and staff: 29% Never, 15% Rarely, 39% Sometimes, 10% Often, 7% Always
  • People work here because they like being here and choose to be here: 5% Never, 3% Rarely, 42% Sometimes, 31% Often, 19% Always

Appendix D: Student Disciplinary Referrals

• School Totals: 521 Students (90 Days of School)
• Referral Data:
  *Clasroom Disruptions: Total = 210, 7th = 28, 8th = 22, 9th = 60, 10th = 47, 11th = 28, 12th = 25, Boys = 147, Girls = 63
  *Insubordination: Total = 100, 7th = 15, 8th = 19, 9th = 30, 10th = 10, 11th = 11, 12th = 15, Boys = 69, Girls = 31
  *Misuse/Destruction of Property: Total = 21, 7th = 3, 8th = 4, 9th = 7, 10th = 3, 11th = 3, 12th = 1, Boys = 15, Girls = 6
  *Pushing, Shoving, Throwing Things: Total = 34, 7th = 3, 8th = 4, 9th = 12, 10th = 10, 11th = 3, 12th = 2, Boys = 19, Girls = 15
  *Public Display of Sexual Behavior: Total = 20, 7th = 2, 8th = 3, 9th = 4, 10th = 3, 11th = 6, 12th = 2, Boys = 11, Girls = 9
  *Physical Fighting: Total = 78, 7th = 2, 8th = 5, 9th = 17, 10th = 19, 11th = 15, 12th = 20, Boys = 50, Girls = 28
  *Bullying/ Intimidation: Total = 17, 7th = 3, 8th = 5, 9th = 5, 10th = 2, 11th = 1, 12th = 1, Boys = 10, Girls = 7
  *Racial/Ethnic/ Other Slurs: Total = 8, 7th = 2, 8th = 1, 9th = 2, 10th = 1, 11th = 0, 12th = 0, Boys = 8, Girls = 0
  *Activating Fire Alarm: Total = 14, 7th = 0, 8th = 2, 9th = 4, 10th = 2, 11th = 3, 12th = 3, Boys = 13, Girls = 1
  *Drug Possession: Total = 4, 7th = 0, 8th = 1, 9th = 1, 10th = 2, 11th = 0, 12th = 0, Boys = 2, Girls = 2
  *Weapons Possession: Total = 8, 7th = 0, 8th = 1, 9th = 4, 10th = 1, 11th = 1, 12th = 1, Boys = 7, Girls = 1
  *Uniform Violation: Total = 350, 7th = 16, 8th = 16, 9th = 82, 10th = 70, 11th = 71, 12th = 64, Boys = 179, Girls = 171

Appendix E: College Readiness Indicators

• Percentage Grade 8 Students Earning HS Credit – All Subjects:
  • State: All students = 30\%, Students with special needs = 12\%, English Language Learners = 15\%, Lowest-performing students = 23\%.
  • District: All students = 21\%, Students with special needs = 14\%, English Language Learners = 13\%, Lowest-performing students = 20\%.
  • School: All students = 12\%, Students with special needs = 3\%, English Language Learners = 0\%, Lowest-performing students = 4\%.
• Percentage HS Students Earning College Credit – All Subjects:
  • State: All students = 30\%, Students with special needs = 12\%, English Language Learners = 23\%, Lowest-performing students = 25\%.
  • District: All students = 27\%, Students with special needs = 13\%, English Language Learners = 22\%, Lowest-performing students = 27\%.
  • School: All students = 17\%, Students with special needs = 8\%, English Language Learners = 0\%, Lowest-performing students = 11\%.

Appendix F: Attendance Report

• Attendance Percentages by Grade (Sept-Feb):
  • 7th Grade: Ranges from 89\% to 94\%.
  • 8th Grade: Ranges from 77\% to 89\%.
  • 9th Grade: Ranges from 78\% to 86\%.
  • 10th Grade: Ranges from 62\% to 80.5\%.
  • 11th Grade: Ranges from 60.4\% to 76.4\%.
  • 12th Grade: Ranges from 51.7\% to 63.7\%.
• Attendance rates by grade are lower than statewide average daily attendance for the same period (88.9\% for all middle and high schools).

Appendix G: Achievement Data

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11