PART III – SUMMARY
Antonian College Preparatory
High School, located in San Antonio, Texas is the Premier Catholic high school
in San Antonio. It is a school where students,
parents, and teachers form a unique partnership that allows for the sharing and
teaching of the Catholic faith, and the pursuit of educational excellence where
high expectations form the thrust of a challenging and supportive instructional
program.
Antonian is an Archdiocesan
high school and part of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Founded by the Order of Christian Brothers
in 1964 as an all-male Catholic high school, Antonian now serves a diverse
co-educational student body of five hundred four (504) and is committed to
providing a college preparatory education, integrated with the teaching and
sharing of the Catholic faith in partnership with parents and students.
Located within Castle Hills, a
suburb of San Antonio, Antonian is accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference
Education Department, the Texas Education Agency and the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools.
Students at Antonian come from
various socioeconomic levels, from single as well as two-parent households and
from two predominantly racial backgrounds – white and Hispanic. The average family income is approximately
$45,000.00, with twenty five percent (25%) earning below $25,000.00. One hundred twenty one (121) students are
receiving financial assistance this year.
Enrollment at Antonian has
been steady over the last five years, which is dramatically different from the
prior ten years when enrollment had been as low as one hundred twenty five
(125) students. In 1989 the school
became co-educational which led to its resurgence and an increase in
enrollment. Over the last three years
enrollment has increased by fifty (50) students to the present level of five
hundred four (504) students. This
year’s enrollment dropped, by twenty-five students, due to the opening of a
state-of-the-art high school in the area proximate to the school.
Antonian enjoys one of the
finest reputations as the Premier Catholic School in the San Antonio. Its
alumni enjoy a 100% graduation rate and also enjoy a 98% college admissions
statistic. Over the last four years,
the graduating classes have been accepted by a variety of colleges and
universities, including many prominent schools such as Harvard, Yale, MIT,
Boston University, Notre Dame, Columbia, Rice, DePaul, Cornell, and the like.
Additionally, students have been blessed with the acquisition of millions of
dollars in scholarships. The 1999
graduating class of one hundred twenty (120) students was awarded over five
million three hundred thousand dollars ($5,300.000.00) worth of scholarships. Additionally, the 1999 graduating class had
nine (9) students recognized in the National Merit Scholarship Program and
graduated five students who received appointments to the United States Military
Academies.
Students at Antonian enjoy a school culture that promotes
the teaching and sharing of the Catholic faith.
The slogan for the 1999-2000
school year is “Antonian – a Place Called Home”.
Teachers, students and parents
come together in support of Catholic Christian values, which promote a sense of
family, and support and service toward one another. The Catholic Conference of Bishops through a 1983 publication, To
Teach as Jesus Did, outlined the three pillars of the Catholic school: Message, the spreading of the Gospel;
Community, the living of the Gospel; and Service, the desire to become people
of service. Antonian teachers,
students, and parents and teachers are true to this basic model of Christian
living.
There are many factors that,
when put together, contribute to Antonian’s success. The administration of the school, together with the faculty,
establish yearly goals and objectives which when coupled with a high degree of
commitment on the part of students, form the impetus for school-wide
effectiveness.
Students at Antonian also
enjoy a curriculum that assists in their intellectual development. The curriculum teaches a very basic
discipline of mental habits and a meticulous examination of subject matter. The academic requirements are as follow: 4
credits of theology, 4 credits of English, 4 credits of mathematics, 4 credits
of science, 4 credits of social studies, 2 credits of foreign language, 1
credit of computer science, 1 credit of fine arts, 2 credits of physical
education, ½ credit of health, ½ credit of speech, and 1 credit of an
elective. An analysis of testing data
shows that students are achieving well above the national norm. In fact, an analysis of scores for the
senior class shows a composite NCE increase of 5.2 points.
During the last three years
many people have been involved in a strategic planning process to create a
five-year plan. Over eighty-five individuals: alumni, parents, teachers,
students and friends have been involved in the development of this plan. With the assistance of a facilitator,
Antonian revisited its Mission Statement and proceeded to develop goals and
objectives for theology, curriculum, facilities, fine arts, athletics, and
development. The plan was completed
last year and is well on its way toward implementation. The Archdiocese approved a two million two
hundred thousand dollar ($2,200.000.00) loan to proceed with three phases of
development for the school. Phase one
was completed this summer, with phase two beginning in November 1999, which
will include the building of a new school cafeteria, three new classrooms, a
new computer lab, and a teacher lounge/workroom. Phase three will encompass a capital campaign for a new athletic
facility.
PART IV – VISION/MISSION
STATEMENT
The vision/mission statement
of Antonian was initially drafted in 1963 and has undergone some major
revisions over the years. Ten years ago
Antonian became co-educational and thus required a refocusing of its
vision/mission statement. Four years
ago the Archdiocese, in contemplating the future of Antonian, called for a
revisit of the mission statement. The process of revisiting the vision/mission
statement took well over a year, incorporated all the various constituencies of
the school and provided a new emphasis that focused on the Catholicity of the
school, in addition to its academic focus. The new mission statement reads as
follows:
Antonian College Preparatory
High School, a Catholic school, is committed to providing a co-educational
college preparatory education, integrated with the teaching and the sharing of
the Catholic faith in partnership with parents and students.
Antonian operates under the
auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio. Its expressed mission is the transmission of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the richness of the Roman Catholic tradition
in an environment that fosters academic excellence and embraces economic and
cultural diversity.
The goal of its curriculum is to
encourage and develop each individual student to reach his/her unique potential
so that he/she will experience success in the world in which he/she lives. Its curriculum also is designed to allow the
student expanded opportunities to participate more fully in the Christian life
and prepare him/her to enter an institution of higher learning.
The aim of the Catholic
philosophy of education is the development of the whole person; anything else
is a truncated education. Hence, its
concept must embrace the notion of body and soul, mind and will, character and
knowledge, the individual and corporate society, the past, the present, the
future, and all eternity.
Unity of purpose must be
considered a part of the overall picture of one's life; otherwise, life becomes
meaningless and aimless. A well‑balanced
sense of values, the ability to think clearly, the strong conviction of what
God expects of one here and hereafter – these are the things that are embraced
in the philosophy of education in Catholic high schools.
Antonian recognizes that it
constitutes only a part in the whole educational process – a part assumed on
behalf of parents for the betterment of the entire community. There are many other educational forces that
will contribute to a youth's education ‑ the home, the elementary school,
the parish church, a student's employment, the mass media and society in
general. All play their part in testing and refining student ideals. The high school directs all these forces,
sometimes completing and crystallizing, sometimes correcting, always
integrating the various bits of learning that have been gathered. Along with this, the Antonian promotes the
necessary qualifications for higher learning. Established academic standards
are met in order for students to achieve intellectual readiness and become
proficient in order to continue their education.
PART V ‑ LEARNING‑CENTERED
SCHOOLS CRITERIA
1.
Student Focus and
Support
A1. How would you describe your student population? What are your students’ needs? How do you assure that the needs of
all students are met?
The primary goal of Antonian
College Preparatory is to assist in the development of the students’
intellectual and faith formation. Towards that end, the school provides a
rigorous academic and religious education program of study and formation. Upon graduation students should have had
developed the necessary intellectual skills to seek entry into any university
of their choice and to become people of service – the synthesis of faith
formation.
Antonian’s student population
is composed of five hundred four (504) students, fifty three percent (53 %)
male and forty seven percent (47%) female. Over fifty percent (50%) of the
students come from other Catholic schools in the area, while the rest come from
local public schools. Over three
hundred (300) eighth grade students take the entrance exam test each year. One hundred fifty (150) students are
selected from this group and generally score above the seventy-fifth (75%) percentile on standardized testing. Additionally, eighty percent (80%) of the
Antonian student body is Catholic, enjoying a fullness of educational
integration of faith and intellect. Students attending Antonian are bright and
well disciplined. They are assisted in
acquiring a sense of purpose. Forty
percent (40%) of the students are enrolled in honors courses while the rest
learn under a college preparatory model – a preparation for entry into any
major college university of their choice.
Additionally, grades are
reviewed continuously. Students that fall below the expected norm are
identified and are subject to a conference. The Dean of Academics and the Dean
of Students discuss the matter of poor grades with the student and a plan of
action is developed with a more successful grading period in mind.
Additionally, students who fail more than one subject are restricted from
extracurricular activities for the following grading period. To assist,
students in the National Honor Society provide tutorials to students who are
having difficulties. Teachers are also
available for tutorials in the morning and after school. In assessing student
needs, Antonian administers the Stanford Achievement Test. The test is
administered in September and in April.
Instructional goals and objectives are developed from this data. Furthermore, students evaluate their
teachers at the end of the school year.
Teachers examine their role as teacher and develop means by which they
can address items resulting from poor performance.
A2. What nonacademic services and programs are available to
support students, and how do they relate to the student needs and school goals
identified?
Antonian is committed to
providing its students a college preparatory education integrated with the
teaching and sharing of the Catholic faith. There is a distinction made between
the teaching and the sharing of the Catholic faith. In teaching the faith, the
goal is for students to learn the basic teachings of our church – doctrine,
prayers, and dogmas. In sharing the
faith, the goal is for students to form a community of believers who, along
with parents and faculty, can live out the Gospel message. To these ends, Antonian offers its students
four years of theology classes – teaching New Testament, Old Testament,
morality, church history, sacraments, Catholic ethics and justice. Additionally, Antonian offers its students
an opportunity to become involved in Campus Ministry. The Campus Ministry Program is in an integral part of the
pedagogy of teaching and the sharing of our faith. Through the program, students become involved in liturgical
preparation, retreat formulation and peer leadership.
Additionally, in committing to
provide students with a college preparatory education, Antonian provides a
curriculum that prepares them for entry into the college or university of their
choice. The Guidance Office supplies students with the information and the
protocol to do the following: become familiar with universities, research the
school of their choice, process an admissions application and apply for
financial assistance and scholarships.
The counselor meets with each junior and senior student. The guidance
counselor also meets with senior students and their parents to discuss college
options. Various seminars are also conducted to assist parents with college
admissions procedures and scholarship applications. The 1998-1999 graduating
class was awarded over five million three hundred thousand dollars in
scholarships.
Additionally, the Guidance
Office assists in preparing students for the administration of the PSAT. The Math and English Departments spend time
in helping students with test-taking skills and also with the various
components of the PSAT. Antonian had a
total of nine students involved in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
The following services are
provided to the Antonian student body:
· peer tutoring through the
National Honor Society
· peer assistance leadership
(PAL), which seeks to assist their students with dealing with peers having drug
and alcohol related problems
· the DAAC Program, which is
directed by approximately 30 parents who wish to assist in the education of
drug and alcohol related issues by providing funding for programs, presenting a
seminar series for parents and presenting students with speakers and assemblies
to discuss issues related to drug and alcohol, the Student Council, which is
composed of student leaders who meet with the Principal monthly and also meet
with the Administrative Council twice a year to discuss issues relevant to
student concerns.
A2a For special education schools, how do you assist in planning access
to further services after students leave the school?
Antonian does not serve any
special education students.
A3. How does your school determine and address the developmental
needs of students as they move from grade to grade?
Since Antonian students come
from throughout the San Antonio area and from many different schools,
consideration is given to the adjustments that new students must make in order
to transition well into high school.
Students are welcomed many months before they ever enroll at
Antonian. A tour of the school and a
meeting with the Principal is often followed with an invitation to a dance
where students from throughout the city come together and enjoy some
fellowship. Students then take the
entrance exam in December and begin the formal entry into the school.
Through an examination of
testing data, report card grades, letters of recommendation and a personal
interview, the school begins to understand the needs of each student and
collectively, of each class.
After the student is admitted,
he/she and parents are invited to a general gathering and orientation where the
school’s expectations are made known and where the school once again converses
with parents about their particular concerns and/or needs.
In August of each year, the
student council sponsors a freshman picnic and swimming party. This picnic assists the new student in
feeling welcomed and a part of the school.
There are various other social opportunities where the student can
continue his/her integration into Antonian.
Antonian students come from
throughout the San Antonio area and from over twenty different schools. In order to be admitted to Antonian, a
student takes the High School Placement Test.
Through this test, we are able to understand the various needs and
academic functioning of each student. Once admitted, students take the Stanford
Achievement Test in September and in May.
The results from the test are then analyzed, and each academic
department sets additional curricular goals and objectives. Student grades are also monitored on a four
and one-half week basis. At the end of
each nine weeks, the Academic Dean and Dean of Students speak with students
failing more than one subject, and a plan of action which focuses on grade
improvement is developed. This plan may
include more coordination with parents and tutoring by teacher and/or
students. Each year, incoming students
are given an orientation at the start of the school year. Parent orientations
are also held for three consecutive nights at the beginning of the school year. The Dean of Students generally gives
students who leave Antonian an exit interview. Students entering Antonian
during the school year are oriented as to the school’s philosophy, expectations
and discipline.
Additionally, Antonian hosts a
number of OPEN FORUMS. The purpose of
these meetings is to assist parents and students in an understanding of the
schools various expectations and also to assist the school in understanding the
various needs students and parents have. Lastly, at the end of each school
year, the Principal and administrative staff meet with the student leadership
to discuss the previous year and to plan for the following.
A4. What co-curricular activities are available for students and how
do those activities extend the academic curriculum?
Antonian offers students a
varied listing of opportunities for co-curricular (extracurricular) activities.
As a special note, in a recent interview with the freshman class, over
seventy-five percent (75%) of the students indicated extracurricular
participation.
Antonian College Preparatory High School strives to help students grow
in their social skills, expand their talents outside the classroom, and educate
them to the fullest extent possible. Experience in activities are designed to
help students satisfy their recreational, social and emotional interests, and
needs. Student activities are characterized by extensive student participation
in both the planning and execution of these programs. Under competent guidance,
students share responsibility for selecting, organizing and evaluating the
activities and outcomes. In all activities, the development of democratic
leadership and cooperative attitudes is a major objective. Additionally, the
students’ participation in athletics not only assists them to develop skills
and expertise in a particular sport but it also assures their ability to
develop character and a cooperative spirit of teamwork.
Over the years various clubs,
activities, and athletic teams have developed due to the interest expressed by
the student body. The most dramatic addition of activities and athletic teams
came as a result of the school’s decision to become co-educational. Every year there are new clubs and
activities added. Generally, students who wish to participate in a new
organization, club or athletic team, present a letter of interest to the
Principal. Once approved, the students
are to find a sponsor who will take responsibility of becoming a moderator for
said club or organization. The same
process is followed for the addition of any new athletic teams. Boys’ Volleyball was added to the athletic
listing of offerings two years ago. The
Drama Club, Latin Club and Debate Club were added last year. Over seventy-five percent
(75%) of the total student population presently participate in extracurricular
activities – equally represented by boys and girls. Drama, Publications and
Honor Societies include: Fall and Spring Productions, The Warrior (Yearbook),
The National Honor Society, The Smoke Signal (Newspaper), and The Literary
Magazine (The Magnum Opus). Clubs,
Organizations and Activities include: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student
Council, Back to School Dances, Homecoming Dance, Ring Day, Environmental Earth
Club, Tennis Club, Pep Rallies, Spirit Week, Junior-Senior Prom, Spanish Club,
Latin Club, and Field Days. Athletic teams include: Football (Boys Varsity,
IV, freshmen), Volleyball (G/B, JV, Freshmen), Cross Country (G/B),
Cheerleading & Dance Team, Soccer (G/B Varsity), Tennis (G/B), Basketball (
G/B Varsity, JV, Freshmen), Softball (Girls, Varsity & JV), Baseball
(Varsity & JV), Track & Field (G/B), Golf (G/B), and Swimming.
A5. How does your school address the accessibility of its facilities to
students and others with disabilities?
The Antonian Campus is
accessible for people with physical disabilities. There are handicapped spaces in the front and side of the
school. Ramps are available, also, at
the front and side of the school. Additionally, restrooms have been remodeled
to allow entry by individuals with disabilities. A new classroom wing and a cafeteria are being built and will
comply with all state and federal requirements related to accessibility to
students belonging to this special population.
B. School Organization and Culture
B1. How does the culture of your school support the learning of all
its members and foster a caring community?
In describing the mission of
Antonian, one of its most salient features is its partnership with parents and
students. Antonian is comprised of five hundred four (504) students whose
parents are involved, caring and desirous of high expectations. Antonian’s teachers and administrators are
“en loco parentis”, in place of parents.
Parents want the school to teach children values, faith, doctrine and
experiences that promote Catholic Christian ideals. Additionally, they desire an expansive curriculum and firm
consistent discipline.
The school motto is Antonian
– A Place Called Home. This motto
is expressive of the genuine feeling of love, warmth and belonging that is Antonian’s
greatest gift. The Apache is the symbol of the Antonian student body. The
symbol appears at the entrance of the building in the front of the school. The important school symbol was installed in
the floor as a reminder of the traditions of Antonian. Antonian students do not
step on the Apache. Within the hustle and bustle of school, after all homework
is checked, the tests are graded and students have gone to rest for the day,
one often looks back on the day and contemplates the awesome possibilities that
exist. Antonian is truly blessed with beautiful and wholesome students who, in
spite of being youngsters and doing youngster kinds of things, rise to the
occasion every time. The possibilities at Antonian are endless. They are
plentiful. Greater and better things are within the reach of each student. As envisioned, Antonian is a place where
students, are family, feel happy and have a sense of camaraderie. It is a place
where serious thought is given to spiritual and academic pursuits. Students understand
that there is a value in staying focused on the goal or ideal, to try and be
true to the expectations they, parents and the school set, and to accept the
consequence of their actions.
Antonian shares in parents’
hopes and desires for a better world, a world that will require youngsters to
be knowledgeable, and to take that knowledge and apply it for the good of
mankind -- the synthesis of faith formation. Seriousness of purpose is not
about somberness. It is about assuring
that youngsters will contribute to the formation of a better generation. With
full confidence, in the twilight of their lives, they will look back
and be thankful that Antonian assisted in the formation of their lives. We give
thanks to God for the Heart of Antonian.
Antonian uses various methods
to engage all parents, teachers and students in collective inquiry, reflection,
and responsible decision‑making about learning. There are celebrations of the Liturgy, special student
assemblies, individual teacher to student conferences, student forums and
general open forums. Antonian assembles once a month to celebrate liturgy and
through it, to share a faith experience with its students. Students are responsible for the planning
and execution of said liturgy. Additionally, student assemblies are often
called to discuss various issues and thought processes with students. Recently, after several students were
dismiss for cheating, a special assembly was held to discuss the issue of
honesty and cheating. From the assembly
came a discussion between students and administrators about what could be done
to help prevent cheating. Last year, several assemblies were held to discuss
the use of drugs and alcohol and another to discuss respect for self, school
and others. Teachers are also asked to discuss with student issues affecting
the whole campus such as excessive tardies or lack of dress decorum. Class
officers often gathered with the Principal to discuss more specific issues
affecting one class or another. Lastly, there are three to four open forums
each year. These open forums,
established for parents, tend to promote parent input and also give the school
an opportunity to share with them.
B2. What opportunities do students have to build sustained and caring
relationships with teachers and other adults? How does your school promote a healthy peer climate among the
students?
Teachers and students often
have an opportunity to develop sustained and caring relationships due to the smallness
of the school and also due to the fact that teachers take a personal interest
in their students. Besides this, with over seventy-five percent of the Antonian
student body participating in extracurricular activities, teachers and students
have wonderful added opportunity to build relationships.
There are often students or
groups of students who feel disenfranchised because they feel that they do not
belong or because they are not made to feel welcome. Part of this attitude or outcome is considered normal as
adolescents begin their journey toward young adulthood. The culture that has
developed, the relationship that students feel with one another, and the
relationship that teachers and coaches have developed with students contribute
towards a sense of wholesomeness and belonging. The prayer life of the school,
the culture of the school, and sense of family among the teachers and students
are factors in the sustained relationships that have been developed. Through
student assemblies, teacher coaxing and teaching, students at Antonian quickly
understand the expected norms of behavior and treatment.
More often than not, students
who feel disenfranchised do so because of individual peer-to-peer relationship
issues rather than because of group pressures or other factors. Administrators,
counselors, and teachers often deal with students who are upset with one
another because of girl-boy problems and the like. For example, recently, a girl had broken up with a boy because
the girl’s best friend had spread an untruth that the girl believed. The
counselor gathered the students involved and helped them talk and sort through
the various issues related to their problem. Thanks to the confrontation, the
problems were solved!
B3. How are teachers hired in your school? How are teacher assignments made?
As the hiring cycle comes around each year,
Antonian seeks to hire the best qualified and experienced teachers it can. Antonian seeks to hire all degreed teachers,
especially those possessing Master Degrees.
Over the last three years, the
teacher compensation packet has been revised and ugmented. Teachers’ salaries
range from $23,000.00 to $32,000.00. They fall between eighty to eighty-five
percent of the local public school scale.
Prior to 1996, starting teachers earned $16,000.00. Starting teachers
today earn $23,5000.00.This is a forty-five (45%) percent increase.
Additionally,
all teachers receive full medical insurance at no cost and receive a retirement
annuity of five percent of their annual salary. This has made it easier to attract experienced and competent
teachers to the staff. When teachers are hired, they are hired to teach a
specific subject area. Due to the perfect
size of the school, one teacher generally teaches his specialized field to five
classes. Teachers are assigned to a
particular class based upon their teaching field and level of experience.
Additionally, because the same
teacher teaches all the courses in a particular grade, Antonian is able to have
a consistent teaching focus for all its students in a certain subject per
grade. The English I teacher teaches
all six sections of freshman students, for instance. This allows for the
teacher to know all of the freshman students and make the appropriate
curricular adjustments necessary to impact individual students as well.
B4. What is your school’s plan for school safety, discipline, and drug
prevention? Wat is your record for the past five years?
School safety, discipline and
drug prevention are issues affecting all schools. Antonian has had its share of difficulties with these
issues. However, the difficulties
confronted are not of the same magnitude of those experienced by the public
school system.
Antonian maintains a very
effective system of discipline that espouses responsibility and immediate
consequences. For minor offenses a student is expected to serve a one-hour
detention on Wednesday afternoons. For offenses which are problem areas and
which the school wants extinguished, the student is expected to serve detention
on Saturday morning. This is known as
Saturday School. The school also counts with zero-tolerance for drugs and
alcohol, harassment, fighting, and cheating. Other major offenses carry
zero-tolerance consequences, and, thus, cause a student to be dismissed from
Antonian. A foundation of proper decorum and behavior is at the root of the
Antonian student. The student is
expected to manifest the following attributes: Honesty and Integrity, Courtesy,
Pride, Sportsmanship, School Spirit, and Ethical Christian Behavior
As part of the classroom
discipline system, a student is expected to conform to the following classroom
expectations: he/she shall be in
his/her seat before the tardy bell rings and remain in it unless otherwise requested;
he/she shall come to class prepared with such materials as paper, books,
pen/pencil, homework, etc.; he/she shall contribute towards order and learning;
and he/she shall be in proper dress and adhere to the grooming code. A student found copying, cheating or
plagiarizing it to be referred to the Office of the Dean of Academics where a
hearing will be held with his/her parents, the Dean of Students and the
Teacher. If it is proved, without a
reasonable doubt, the student may be dismissed from Antonian.
Any student who distracts from
the learning environment is subject to disciplinary action. The teacher may
utilize the following procedure: verbal warning, student-teacher discussion,
detention, parental notification, or office referral as a consequence of
violation of classroom expectations. On the average, there are ten to fifteen
students in detention hall each week.
The offenses range from being late to class to not being prepared for
class. Additionally, there are five to eight students in Saturday school each
week. The offenses range from being
tardy late to gum chewing. Up to this
point, approximately twenty-four students dismissed from Antonian during the
three to five years. Four were
dismissed for harassment of other students; six were dismissed for possession
of drugs; five were dismissed for possession of alcohol; and ten were dismissed
for cheating.
1.
Challenging
Standards and Curriculum
C1. How does your
curriculum serve the broad goals for student learning and development that the
public generally expects education to achieve: personal and intellectual
growth, citizenship, and preparation for work and higher education? What relative emphasis do you place on these
goals in your curriculum
The Antonian curriculum serves the broad goals for
student learning and development in a variety of ways. These include, but are not limited to, the
following objectives: to insure that Christian truths and values are integrated
into the student's total development, to provide a curriculum that allows
students to gain proficiency in advanced mathematics, sciences, social
sciences, arts, English and foreign languages; to provide opportunities for
students to experience the development of skills in the use of a logical
process of search, analysis, evaluation, and problem solving; to provide a
curriculum that assists students to gain knowledge of our religious, cultural,
and economic heritage and develop an appreciation of the influence it has on
the students' lives; to prepare the students as social beings to assume their
roles in society; to teach students to
appreciate the richness and variety of our cultural heritage, to promote an
understanding of the importance of personal physical and mental health and of
environmental and ecological concerns; and to impart knowledge of the
democratic process and prepare the student to participate in civic and
governmental affairs.
Antonian insures that Christian truths and values are
integrated into the students’ total
development by: teaching students to revere all
persons as children of God and respect all creation, providing guidance in
moral values and instruction in the beliefs and traditions of the Catholic
Church, assisting students in internalizing Christian beliefs through
participation in liturgical celebrations and personal prayer life, providing
students with opportunities to participate in the ministries of the Church to
spread the good news, providing
students with knowledge and skills that lead to the development of Christian
attitudes toward human sexuality and
the family, and including the study of the social implications of the Gospel
and giving witness to them through Christian living in its curriculum.
Antonian insures that students gain proficiency in
advanced mathematics, sciences, social sciences, arts, English and foreign
languages by providing a curriculum emphasizing curricular truths and knowledge in each subject. Antonian
provides opportunities for students to experience the development of skills in
the use of a logical process of search,
analysis, evaluation, and problem solving through
their daily interaction with the curriculum and instruction. Antonian assists students
to gain knowledge of our religious, cultural, and economic heritage and to
develop an appreciation of the influence it has on the students' lives through
its curriculum. Antonian prepares students to become social beings who assume
their roles in society by assisting students in recognizing the family as the
basic institution of society and understanding the diversity of present day
family units, promoting opportunities for students to develop a consciousness
of the demands of social justice, assisting students with the formation of
behavioral patterns consonant with Christian social standards, helping students
acquire communication skills for effective interaction, and promoting
opportunities to develop skills in responsible use of, and creative planning
for, leisure time.
Antonian teaches the students to appreciate the
richness and variety of our cultural heritage by instilling knowledge and
appreciation of the art, music, literature, and drama of the ethnic groups that
make up our American heritage, helping them to develop an understanding and
appreciation of the cultural diversity within the local community as well as in
the nation at large, and ensuring that students develop competency in one of
the major languages other than English. Antonian promotes an understanding of
the importance of personal physical and mental health and of environmental and
ecological concerns by: providing students with knowledge of the elements of
personal health, raising the students’ awareness of the dangers to health from
the consumption and misuse or abuse of harmful substances, assisting students
in recognizing environmental and ecological problems and helping them learn how
to prevent those problems, helping students to develop good sportsmanship and
participation in athletic events or other forms of recreation, and providing
content that will help students become
knowledgeable of standard safety measures and accident prevention procedures.
In conclusion, Antonian imparts knowledge of the
democratic process and prepares the students to participate in civic and
governmental affairs. This is done by
ensuring that students develop an appreciation for the privileges of
citizenship so that they may learn to accept and embrace its responsibilities;
assisting students in acquiring skill in effectively interacting with public
and private political organizations so that they may influence decisions made
by such organizations; providing
opportunities for students to become knowledgeable in government practices,
political principles, and current political and civic activities; assisting
students in contributing to, and benefiting from, community resources; and
helping students to develop an ability to judge the merits of competing
political ideologies and candidates for political positions.
PERSONAL AND INTELLECTUAL GOALS - Students grow personally, spiritually, and
intellectually in a variety of ways.
The campus ministry program, retreats, and theology courses provide a foundation
upon which there can be moral reflection and growth as well as choices and
decision-making.
CITIZENSHIP - Through
participation in student government, students learn positive and effective ways
to impact decision making at their school. Students also participate in Junior
State, an organization that promotes an understanding of systems of government.
Students also participate in Debate and come to learn the positioning of
arguments – pro and con. Students learn about participatory government, the
three branches of government, the electoral process and the like, through the
curricular offering of the US Government Class they take as seniors. Students
also participate in pro-life marches and habitat for humanity. Through these activities they learn, first
hand, the significance and responsibility of citizenship.
PREPARATION FOR WORK AND HIGHER EDUCATION - Students at Antonian are well prepared for higher
education as evidenced by the fact that almost 100% of them are accepted in
colleges and universities of their choice.
A total of over five million three hundred thousand dollars
($5,300,000.00) was awarded in college scholarships to the 1999 graduating
class of one hundred twenty (120) students.
Feedback from graduates and their parents shows that the students do
well in college and that many of them do so well as to place out of entry level
course.
In addition, many junior and senior students work
after school. Many local employers share their enthusiasm when they hire
Antonian students’. Many of our
students work at local restaurants, Sea World, Six Flags and several business
offices.
C2. How is your school organized to provide for
differing student academic needs within the school's goals, priorities, and
curriculum?
In February of each school year, the Registrar’s
office begins the process of course development and course selection for
students. Before that time however, the
Academic Council, based upon experience and standardized test data, makes some
decisions about the curricular offerings for the following year and the
appropriate at which the student body should be taught.
There are three levels of curricular offerings for the
Antonian student. These are College Preparatory, Honors and Honors Advanced
Placement. Students who enter into
Honors or Honors Advanced Placement do so through teacher recommendation and a
demonstrated record of academic success.
All other students are placed into the mixture of college preparatory offerings.
Honors classes are only offered in mathematics, English, and science. Honors Advanced Placement classes are
offered in English and mathematics. After each nine-week period, a student can
be moved into more difficult or less difficult levels. After each grading
period, the Dean of Academics assesses grades.
Whenever a student is having a more difficult time or an easier time,
there is some discussion with the student and the parents. There then can be a decision made relevant
to the need to move said student. More
often than not, however, students do not move into or out of groups during the
school year. Student movement occurs
more between grades. There is much
evidence, through the use of the Stanford Achievement Test, that student
placement is appropriate and on target most of the time. Students may also be moved at the request of
their teacher.
There were no more than five (5) students who moved
from one curricular placement to another due to improper placement.
C3. How do you
ensure that diverse learners (for example,
students with disabilities, gifted and talented students, students with
limited English proficiency, migrant students, and students placed at risk) all
have the opportunity to learn challenging content and achieve at high levels?
The Antonian program and curriculum serve a student
population which scores above seventy percent (70%) on Nationally Standardized
Tests. Antonian does not serve
students with limited English – proficient students, migrant students or
at-risk-student. Since the admission
of students is based upon results of a high school placement test, students
with severe learning disabilities do not achieve the necessary score to be
considered for admission. On the last
admissions exam over three hundred students were tested. One hundred fifty students
received the required results to be admitted by Antonian. Additionally, Antonian offers Advanced
Placement courses in various subjects. Although not required, some students
enrolled in the AP classes do take the Advanced Placement Tests. (See H5 for
chart on AP Test Results)
C4. What is the
process for continuous curriculum renewal at your school? What questions about curriculum is your
school currently addressing?
At the end of each school year, test data, experience
and teacher input is compiled. This
data is analyzed and appropriate curricular decisions are made. Additionally, Antonian will begin the new
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools continuous renewal program. Since the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools accredits Antonian, it must begin the continuous renewal process to
remain accredited. Antonian stakeholders recently completed a strategic
planning process that culminated in the development of a five-year plan. The
five-year plan speaks to the further development of the curriculum, especially
in the area of fine arts.
At present the English curriculum is being examined to
determine the best ways to enhance writing across the curriculum and vocabulary
development. The Stanford Achievement
Test results show the relative weakness in those areas. The Academic Dean will assemble the Academic
Council consisting of the Department Chairs, the school Counselor, the
registrar and the Dean of Students.
They will discuss the curricular issues affecting students, and they
will recommend the appropriate action to be taken. During the last assessment period, the Academic Council
recommended to change the semester exam weight from 33% to 20%, and it also
recommended the addition of curricular requirements to include four (4) years
of science, four (4) years of mathematics and three (3) years of Foreign
Language.
The Stanford Achievement Test was administered in
September. Upon receipt of the results,
the various departments will establish curricular objectives requiring needing
attention. The students will once again
be administered the Stanford Achievement Test in April. Upon receipt of the
results, the various departments will develop curricular objectives for the
following semester. Besides this, they
will begin an assessment of the curriculum, considering the strengths and
weaknesses to formulate a scope and sequence chart.
C5. Successful
schools offer all students opportunities to be engaged with significant
content. How does your school ensure
that students achieve at high levels in the core subjects.
The Antonian teacher works collaboratively to identify
the goals, objectives and learning outcomes of each course he/she teaches.
Through the department structure, the Academic Dean leads department
chairpersons and engages them in discussion about curriculum and learning
outcomes. The Academic Council is
composed of the various department chairpersons and led by the Academic
Dean. In addition to meeting once a
month and discussing ongoing curricular goals and concerns, they also monitor
student achievement.
One way that the school has ensured that students
achieve at high levels is by increasing its graduation requirements and also by
eliminating remedial courses. Students
graduating from Antonian are required to graduate with 4 years of science, 4
years of math, 4 years of English, 4 years of social studies and 4 years of
theology, in addition to other requirements.
Pre-algebra is no longer part of the school’s curriculum.
THEOLOGY:
The Theology Curriculum is designed to challenge and
maximize the growth of the students in a variety of ways. It begins by helping
students to develop into fully integrated persons from a spiritual point of
view with Christ as the cornerstone. The whole theological program is
formulated on a progressive buildup of knowledge that culminates in a
comprehensive review before graduation. In the beginning of their studies,
students are immersed in the Word Hebrew Scriptures, which gives them an
appreciation of God's saving action throughout Salvation History and of their
own importance as children of God. In seeing the Old Testament as a foreshadowing
of Christ, they will come to understand His life of love in the New Testament
and the cost of discipleship. In Theology II students come to appreciate the
Church, its origins, and the many difficulties it faced from the beginning.
They will also develop a greater love of the Sacraments as sources of grace. As
students continue to grow and mature, they will study Morality at the
commencement of the third year. In essence, the teaching and focus of Moral
Theology, as a science, is to educate the students on how God, through His
Church, wants us to order our lives in the practical living out of the Gospel
message of love and responsibility. The student will also be able to understand
the tools necessary for the development of Conscience. In their senior year,
students learn about justice and interpersonal relationships. The first
semester deals with marriage, personal commitment, dating, friendship, and
love. The final semester relates faith, justice, and peace to the self and the
various lifestyles and careers. It also provides insight to global issues and
conflicts relating to faith, justice and peace.
ENGLISH
The English curriculum is multi‑faceted
encompassing literature, writing and vocabulary. Curriculum requirements are sequenced
so that both literature and writing progress from the basic to the analytical.
At the freshman level, the literature studied is genre‑based, and the
writing is tied to the analysis of those genres. Sophomore literature is
multicultural which ties in well with the students' exploration of world
history in the social studies curriculum. The students are encouraged to write
not only about the genre of the literary piece but also to incorporate their
knowledge of the history of the story, the culture of the author, and the
subject matter. The coupling of history and literature is continued in the
junior year’s study of the American scene. The writing curriculum stresses
concise use of the English language. The senior course focuses on British
literature and the evolution of the English language. Senior level writing
takes a more in-depth approach to the various types of essays and the function
of each. A research paper is required each year. The freshmen and sophomores
are taught not only the mechanics of the research paper but also the time
management skills necessary to complete a long-term assignment. The junior and
senior research paper stresses analytical writing. At least twenty novels are
studied in either the independent or class project method. Vocabulary is
studied all four years. Study skills, along with test-taking techniques, are
part of the entire four-year curriculum.
MATHEMATICS
The mathematics curriculum involves challenging and rigorous
courses that enhance the learning of the students and prepare them for college
mathematics. The mathematics program is
devised into AP, Honors, and College Preparatory levels into which students are
placed according to their academic level.
The curriculum is structure so as to provide student’s basic, as well as
advanced, mathematical study. The
mathematics sequence is as follows: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II,
Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. The
curriculum follows NCTM guidelines and the TEKS guidelines provided by the
State of Texas. Teaching methods
include the discovery method, inquiry learning, cooperative learning, inductive
and deductive reasoning, homework groups, lecture, manipulatives, timed tests,
and drill and practice. The significance
of real life situations is emphasized in the teaching of the various
courses. Students have the opportunity
to utilize graphing calculators and the TI-82 through TI-92 calculators as they
learn the advanced mathematics especially.
To assist Antonian students in the learning process, teachers and
students in the National Honor Society offer tutoring after school.
SCIENCE
The science curriculum is structured so that every
student will receive four years of science credits. Students take biology, anatomy
& physiology, chemistry, and physics.
There are Honors and College Prep (advanced) levels of each course, and
an AP Physics class. Antonian hopes to
be able to offer AP Biology and AP Chemistry as well next year. It will also
develop other electives. Students are
involved in frequent hands-on interactive lab experiments in each class. Writing, in accordance with the curriculum
is accomplished through research papers, describing scientific processes and
analyzing lab results. Writing skills
and proper documentation of research are coordinated with the English
department to ensure continuity of teaching.
A variety of research projects are incorporated, also utilized are
papers such as posters, multimedia presentations, models, and oral
reports. In biology the students’ make
use of nature as a classroom by using the diversity of the school grounds in
learning about plants and ecology. A
variety of teaching techniques is employed. These include inquiry, investigation,
CD-ROM, Internet, video and group projects.
SOCIAL STUDIES
The social studies curriculum is both comprehensive
and cumulative. Antonian’s program
builds an increasingly sophisticated understanding of social studies, as
students proceed through each grade level.
Requirements for all students in the social studies include world
geography, world history, American history, United States government and
economics. Our curriculum takes
advantage of concurrent requirements in other disciplines. For example, the world history course at the
sophomore level is planned to coincide with instruction in English II (world
literature), and Theology II (church history) which are also sophomore
requirements. A variety of
instructional methods are used at each level to accommodate students with
different learning styles. Instruction
is frequently supplemented with audio, visual, and student-generated ancillary
resources.
THE ARTS – DRAMA, ART AND MUSIC
Antonian offers a program of fine arts, which includes
art appreciation, music appreciation, choir, band and drama. The program revolves around the requirement
that all junior students be involved in an art appreciation and music
appreciation course. Each of these courses is a semester, and students must
enroll in them in order to graduate from Antonian. Additionally, the drama program produces two dramatic plays, one
in the fall and one in the spring. In
addition to teaching students some artistic genres, the production also gives
other students an opportunity to excel in costume design, stage production, and
light and audio production. The
Antonian band program is in its infancy with approximately ten members. The band plays at pep rallies, football
games, and some student assemblies.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
At Antonian foreign language begins in the sophomore
year with offerings in either Spanish or Latin. Two years of foreign language
are required, and a third year is strongly encouraged. Students are given a solid grammatical base
in both foreign languages. A
traditional approach to the learning of grammatical concepts and their
application has proved effective over the years. The primary goal is developing competency in reading and writing
in the target language and the ability to handle the challenging of original
texts in the target language. Newer
approaches to language acquisition are also employed. Activities involving such approaches as cooperative learning,
role-playing, modeling and speaking
only in the target language (particularly in Spanish), are considered essential
in developing critical thinking skills. A desired degree of mastery of thinking
and listening comprehension in also necessary in a foreign language. In
addition, the foreign language program has the flexibility of offering a fourth
and even a fifth years of the language to transfer students who have come to
Antonian with three or four years and wish to continue.
C6. What other
content areas or programs play essential roles in your school wide curriculum
goals?
There are several content areas that speak most to the
goals as established through the Antonian Mission Statement – to teach and
share the Catholic Faith and its commitment to provide a college preparatory
education. These areas lie in theology,
languages and technology integration.
There may not be any particular need for Catholic
schools if the task of education were simply to train or nurture the mind. The fact that Catholic schools promote
academic outcomes as well as or better than their public counterparts, is not
sufficient to justify their existence.
It is the commitment to heart and spirit, as well as the mind that gives
Catholic schools a unique and vital mission.
The effective Catholic school is one that nurtures a life-orienting
faith; it fulfills an academic purpose and simultaneously promotes disposition
to service, sparks a passion for justice, and creates a commitment to
community. Within this faith community,
Antonian attempts to highlight its similarities and respect its various differences.
Since the focus of the Catholic faith is the evangelization of all people,
Antonian must reach out to all Christians alike and invite them to be a part of
our Christian community. At one time,
responsibilities for the religious formation of students were centered
primarily, if not solely, around the religious education department of the
school. Antonian takes a broader view of religious formation today. It involves all faculty and departments in
promoting religious formation. Among the various things it promotes in teaching
and sharing the faith are: religion courses as a major part of the core
curriculum, small group and community-wide liturgies, co-curricular religious
activities and service programs, retreats, days of recollection, and prayer, and
campus ministry resources.
The language department, and in particular, the Latin
department assists Antonian and its students in meeting its commitment to
provide students with a college preparatory education. Additionally, through it, it assists students
in a more fundamental preparation of word derivatives and thus, success in the
verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Antonian students recently took the National Latin Exam, and
thirteen (13) of them received gold medals.
Antonian placed third among all public and private schools in San
Antonio.
Technology integration and information access is
another important part of the total educational effort at Antonian. Through the development of Antonian’s
five-year plan, technology integration and its teaching can be found throughout
the program. The Antonian campus has
been wired for networking and Internet capability. Each teacher has network, Internet access and a PC in his/her
classroom. Also, there is a senior
level course required for all senior students whereby the students learn
multimedia development and web-page design. The current school expansion is
also to include a new computer lab that will be geared toward the development
of a computer class for freshman students.
This will allow freshman students to learn multimedia presentation and
web design early in their high school career and allow the usage of their
learning throughout high school. Additionally, this will allow for the
development of a writing lab and usage of the Internet by other classes and
departments. Lastly, Antonian has
recently purchased a total solution, total integration packet of futuristic
technology called SoftSchool. This packet
includes the following:
· A fully integrated centralized
school database and student record keeping system
· Hand-held
computers that teachers use to instantly input and access their students’ class
information, attendance, homework and grades
· A
comprehensive accounting program linking the schools database with tuition
accounting needs of the school
· A
Master Schedule program for handling all student, staff, course and classroom
resource needs
· A
computer-based automated attendance and voicemail program that gives
administrators, teachers, and parents access to retrieve and send voicemail
messages
· A computer-based
outbound dialing system that allows schools to quickly and
inexpensively contact parents via telephone at any time and for any
reason
· A computer-based system
that gives parents access over the telephone to hear their children’s current
student information such as attendance, grades, homework and activities
· Internet
access that integrates with the school’s database providing parents on-line
access to their children’s vital classroom information such as grades,
homework, attendance and activities.
C7. What
requirements must be satisfied before a student is promoted to the next grade
or level of schooling?.
Antonian offers an advanced curriculum, whose
requirements are far beyond the general expectation of most schools. By the time a student has graduated from
Antonian, he/she has taken four years of theology, four years of English, four
years of mathematics, four years of science, and two to three years of a
foreign language. The school has
established advanced standards, beyond the minimum, for all its students.
A student does not advance to the next course until he
has achieved mastery as demonstrated to the teacher and shown through a minimum
grade standard of 70. Students, with
the exception of a handful, progress through each course subject matter in a satisfactory
manner achieving a passing grade that is the measure of promotion into the next
course. Those students who do get a
grade below seventy (70) must retake the course in the summer.
C8. What are
your course requirements for graduation?
To what extent do your school and students within the school exceed
minimum state and/or district requirements?
GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS IN ACADEMIC YEARS
|
State
Requirements
|
Subjects
|
District
Requirements
|
School Requirements
|
% 1999 Grads Who Exceeded
School / District Requirements
|
|
4
|
English
|
4
|
4
|
21% ---------- 100%
|
|
3
|
Mathematics
|
3
|
4
|
41% ---------- 100%
|
|
2
|
Science
|
2
|
4
|
0%
---------- 100%
|
|
2.5
|
Social Studies
|
2.5
|
3.5
|
0%
---------- 100%
|
|
0
|
Foreign Language
|
0
|
2
|
50% ---------- 100%
|
|
0
|
The Arts
|
0
|
1
|
0%
---------- 100%
|
|
1.5
|
Physical Education
|
1.5
|
2
|
70% ---------- 100%
|
|
0
|
Vocational/Technical
|
0
|
0
|
0%
---------- 0%
|
|
1
|
Computer Education
|
1
|
1
|
0%
---------- 0%
|
|
0
|
Religion
|
0
|
4
|
0%
---------- 0%
|
|
12 Electives
|
Other (specify)
|
12 Electives
|
1 – Elective
.5 – Speech
.5 – Economics
.5 – Health
|
0%
---------- 0%
|
D. Active
Teaching and Learning
D1. How are
teaching practices and learning experiences in your school consistent
with
current knowledge about successful teaching and learning?
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, one
of the agencies that accredited Antonian, has developed an evaluation tool,
through the National Study of School Evaluation, that addresses many areas of
school competencies including goals for student learning. These goals are as follow: students should develop Learning to Learn
Skills; students should develop tools to expand and integrate knowledge;
students should develop communication skills; students should develop thinking
and reasoning skills; students should develop interpersonal skills; and
students should develop personal and social responsibility. At Antonian, these goals are being met in a
variety of ways.
Students develop learning to learn skills in some of
the following ways:
In English students reflect and discuss their
responses to literary works and articulate how class discussion may or may not
have altered their viewpoints, and students edit and revise drafts of their writing
written in appropriate form.
In mathematics students construct mathematical proofs
when solving problems, utilizing scientific calculations to develop proficiency
and efficiency in problem are solving.
In science students use tools such as rulers,
calculators, and microscopes to gather information and understand scientific
inquiry methods such as developing and testing hypotheses.
In social studies students develop a visual project,
gathering data of historical events, designing the products, and displaying
them in picture and drawn formats.
Students develop tools to expand and integrate
knowledge in some of the following ways:
In English students discuss characters in a novel and
find parallels with current figures found in pop-books or movies.
In mathematics students develop and apply mathematical
strategies to solve a variety of problems, including starvation in third-world
countries.
In fine arts students compare current music trends
with trends of other historical music periods.
Students develop communication skills in some of the
following ways:
In speech students demonstrate strategies of reasoning
in debate formats
In foreign language students share with other students
expository essays using their target language.
They also prepare and deliver presentations to gain fluency and
confidence in the use of that language.
In social studies students develop a group
presentation on the effect of weather in other parts of the world.
Students develop thinking and reasoning skills in some
of the following ways:
In mathematics students follow logical arguments and
judge the validity of the arguments in solving mathematical problems.
In science students analyze, synthesize and draw
inferences related to scientific investigation.
In theology students write expository essay explaining
the justice issues related to capital punishment.
Students develop interpersonal skills in some of the
following ways:
In English students have a discussion on a variety of
subject matter using small group and whole group discussion.
In foreign language students work cooperatively on
developing an understanding of various cultures involved with target language.
In physical education students engage in group play as
a means of positive social interaction.
Students develop personal and social responsibility in
some of the following ways:
In English students discuss various characters and
give their response to the actions of the protagonists involved in a historical
biography about the holocaust.
In social studies students discuss “common good”
issues of various cultures.
In speech students become involved in a school wide
debate on the issue of the homeless.
D2. In what ways
do your teaching practices support student-initiated learning
Antonian’s teachers assist and support students in
becoming self-initiated learners in a variety of ways. Some of these ways are teacher-enhanced and
others self-driven. Student-initiated learning is maximized when the Antonian
teacher employs effective classroom management and organizational strategies,
establishes a positive learning climate, and emphasizes essential knowledge and
skills for student learning and higher order thinking.
To help students become self-initiated learners,
teachers employ such teaching strategies as role-playing, cooperative learning,
group projects, student presentations and exhibits, oral reports, group sharing
of research, Internet access, and student-led instruction. At times various departments will share in
the development of a project or research paper.
Additionally, Antonian seeks to hold students
accountable for their learning by insisting that they do their own work and that
they take pride of produced work.
D3. How are
resources made available to teachers and students for gathering
information and sharing the results of their efforts?
Antonian has recently spent $80,000.00 in a remodeling
of its library/multimedia center. A
librarian who has over fifteen years of experience at Antonian administers the
library. She oversees all library services and interacts with the faculty to
satisfy their curricular and instructional needs.
The library consists of over six thousand (6000)
general holdings, and an investment of $10,000.00 is provided each year. It
also has a hub of eight computers that serve all students in accessing Internet
and other library holdings for research and other purposes to facilitate
accessibility of library resources to students more efficiently. Also, the library was fully automated last
year; it enjoys an automated card
cataloging system and a bar-coded system whereby students can check out their
books.
Additionally, there are twenty-five (25) computers in
the computer lab available to all students.
There are also a total of thirty additional computers – one in each
classroom. All of these have Internet access.
A new computer lab is also being added this year as the school builds a new classroom wing.
The library has 2,250 visits during each nine-week
period. In addition, students check out
approximately 350 books per month. The
library is used extensively for study and research.
D4. What
technology applications are you using?
How do they relate to your
curricular goals and how do they support teaching and learning?
The introduction of technology has raised many
questions, primarily among teachers.
There are always those who embrace innovation with excitement and
enthusiasm. There are also those who
embrace innovation reluctantly and then, there are those who are simply
terrified about it. The issue of
technology has brought about the expression of all three reactions.
The Antonian administration has established goals and
objectives relevant to the integration of technology into the system structures
of Antonian and more importantly, into its instructional and curricular
structures. At the insistence of the
Principal, the Antonian School Council adopted a policy that calls for all
Antonian faculty to be computer literate by the summer of 2000. Teachers are
well on their way to achieving competence. Teachers have adapted well to a
computerized scheduling system and are working well to adapt themselves to a
new computerized grading system. They will also begin instruction in the
SchoolSoft Program Antonian recently acquired. (See C6) Through the SchoolSoft Program, each teacher
will be given a PALM that will allow him/her to enter grades, enter homework
assignments, interact with their departments Web Page, and communicate with
parents.
The more important questions to be answered, however,
are related to the means by which
technology will be interfaced with curriculum and
instruction. There are several teachers
who regularly use Internet access for research purpose. Other teachers fully integrate PowerPoint
into their daily instructional methodology.
All freshmen starting 2000-2001 will be enrolled in a computer course,
which will teach them Internet research, access, multimedia development and
presentation, and development of their personal Web Page. In such a way, teachers form a community of
learners, and teachers will have developed a group who can support each other’s
learning.
E. Professional
Community
E1. What opportunities do teachers and other
staff have to build professional community that enhance their collective
capacity to work together to support student learning?
The Antonian Faculty is composed of highly
professional individuals who are well prepared in their specific area of
expertise and, also, are dedicated to assisting Antonian in the execution of
its major mission statement pillars – to teach and share the faith and to
provide a college preparatory curriculum.
During this current school year, the faculty has been
involved in a variety of professional growth opportunities. These include technology development and
understanding, development of a Catholic culture, interaction with faculty from
the eight other Catholic high schools, classroom management, and retreats. The
culture among the faculty is one of professionalism and love. The motto
“Antonian – a Place Called Home,” is lived out through the interaction
of the faculty. Their support for and
of each other, is a true witness of the Christian community that our mission
statement expects. The faculty also embraces a deep respect for learning.
Teachers guard the instructional time with a high degree of protectiveness, not
wanting anything to interrupt their opportunity to impact student learning.
Additionally, the faculty meets once a month for faculty meetings and
gatherings. There are also monthly meetings
of the Academic Council, composed of the various department chairpersons. Lastly, there are monthly department
meetings. Via the interaction of the
faculty through these various media, a sense of collective responsibility is
evident. In terms of professional growth, the Texas Catholic Conference
Education Department, an agency that also accredits Antonian, calls for
teachers to develop a professional growth plan. Each teacher is expected to attend seminars and workshops and/or
take college courses to expand and support his/her learning and teaching. Antonian commits $10,000 each year to pay
for professional growth of its teachers. All these various professional growth
activities and opportunities express a profound dedication to the Antonian
students. The Antonian faculty is
dedicated enough to give of their own time, and some treasure, to enhance their
growth and thus impact student learning.
E1a. Specify the
percentage of the school budget and time devoted to staff development.
The Antonian school budget for the 99-00 school year
is $2,222,750.00. $974,096 is spent on
teacher salaries (43%), $72,324.00 is spent on instructional-related materials
(3%), and $40,000.00 is spent on staff development. Antonian teachers also
spend over eighty (80) hours in professional development at school and eight
(8) hours plus in outside-of-school
professional growth.
E2. How does a
coherent approach to professional development for teachers and other staff
ensure their ability to implement effectively the school's curriculum,
instructional strategies, and support system?
How do organizational arrangements, such as time and teaching
assignments,
and school norms and culture, make professional
development a priority?
The Antonian faculty, as described in E1, is composed
of highly professional and dedicated individuals. The school supports their
professional development in a variety of ways.
Each teacher is required to attend eighty (80) hours of professional
development a year. These opportunities
for professional development are conceptually developed from a listing of
topics that appeal to the faculty.
Additionally, there is also significant time given to faith development
and formation of the faculty.
This year, as a means of providing teachers with some
on-going professional enrichment, Antonian has elected to participate in a
program entitled, The Master Teacher.
The Master teacher is a program that provides teachers resources to
sharpen their professional skills. The
goal of the program is to provide methods, techniques and skills, on a variety
of issues such as teaching, discipline, motivation, communication, parent
relations, professionalism, and ethics. In addition, Antonian has also embraced
the opportunity to enhance the spiritual life of the faculty by participating
in a two-year spiritual development program entitled, Sharing the Faith.
The program is intended to deepen the faith of the Catholic school faculty. The
program presents an effective approach that enables faculty members to express
the meaning of mature faith and Christian living.
Lastly, there are several opportunities each year for
the faculty to attend Archdiocesan wide in-services. Antonian is a member of the Educational Service Center. Through the Educational Service Center, the
faculty takes advantage of the opportunity to select from over three hundred
(300) various professional growth workshops related to the approved subject
matter.
E3. How does
the school tailor professional development and support to address the
differences in career experience or professional responsibility?
There is often little distinction given to teacher
differences in career experience and professional responsibility. Because the faculty is so small and the
faculty culture and community are so tight, caring, mentoring, and individual attention are given to any one
experiencing difficulties. The
Principal, Dean of Students, Academic Dean, and Registrar interact with one another on a daily
basis. They are in the classrooms as
well as the hallways – Administration by Walking Around. Special note is made
of a teacher who may seem to be having difficulties and some attention is given
to assist in overcoming the difficulty.
Additionally, department heads are consulted when a
teacher, particularly a new teacher, seems to be having difficulty. The
department chair then consults with the assigned mentor and with the teacher to
share thoughts or simply vent, as needed. Experienced teachers are expected and
do provide assistance to teachers who need help. Counselors and
paraprofessionals also have opportunities during the school year to enhance
their professional growth. As a matter
of fact, many in-services and gatherings include all staff, not just faculty.
E4. How does
your school use the processes and results of student assessment, staff
evaluation, and school review to support professional growth? How has teacher professional development improved
teaching and resulted in higher student achievement and success?
The Archdiocese of San Antonio has established
observation and evaluation procedures for all schools and their teachers.
The purpose of teacher evaluations is to improve a
teacher’s performance in order to increase student learning and make personnel
decisions. Antonian is committed to
provide each student the opportunity to gain the knowledge and develop the
skills important for success in life.
To achieve this commitment, Antonian expects each employee to meet the
standards established for his/her position, as indicated in the evaluation
procedures and specifications. Teacher
evaluation is an essential and meaningful process and is a method of improving
the skills of the instructional staff and maintaining program flexibility. Therefore, teachers and administrators are
to work together to improve skills and abilities in order to achieve district
goals and to identify and reinforce skills and abilities which result in the
achievement of objectives.
Evaluators are encouraged to recognize the individual
differences of each teacher being evaluated and to utilize an evaluative
approach that provides the teacher with maximum opportunity for professional
growth and improvement. Observation and
evaluation functions are a shared responsibility between the Principal and the
Dean of Academics. Formative
evaluations are conducted in the first semester. They incorporate several cycles including pre‑observation
conferences, observations, and post‑conferences. The primary purpose of
this component is the reinforcement of the teaching strengths noted and the
identification of the areas for growth requiring discussion or attention. A
summative evaluation is also conducted during March. Summative Evaluations
collate and summarize the various classroom observation records gathered during
the formative observations. Each year a minimum of two formal classroom
observations will be scheduled cooperatively between the evaluator and
teacher. A formal observation may be
scheduled or unscheduled. One of the formal observations made by each evaluator
will be scheduled at a specific time approved by the teacher. Formal classroom observations must last a
minimum of 30 minutes. The scheduled formal classroom observation allows the
teacher to perform at his/her best because there is prior notice of the
evaluator's visit. The scheduled
observation permits the teacher to demonstrate his/her teaching skills. The
evaluation process also permits an evaluator to make any number of unscheduled
visits in which he/she may observe any teacher competency. If a competency is identified as being below
standard, then the evaluator is required to make additional observations
followed by evaluator/teacher conferences.
The teacher may request that one additional formal observation be made
by the evaluator(s) if the teacher feels it would be beneficial.
Since the unscheduled visit allows the evaluator(s) to
observe the consistency of the teaching act, unannounced, formal and informal
observations may also be made periodically by the evaluators. A minimum of two
formal observations are conducted during the year. Prior to the filing of the formative and summative reports, a
minimum of one formal observation must be been made.
The observation/evaluations have served to assist
teachers with the positive reinforcement needed to continue doing a
professional job. It does, in
particular, help those teachers who are new to the profession by offering them
opportunities for learning and growth.
The Professional Growth Plan that is developed as part of the evaluation
process is of definite help to all teachers.
Additionally, students evaluate their teachers
annually. These evaluations are
summarized and considered when speaking with teachers about contract renewal.
Lastly, the Principal recognizes the special efforts
of those teachers who excel beyond the regular expectation and who, because of
their example, are a true witness for what a teacher should be like.
Leadership
and Educational Vitality
F1. How does leadership move your school
toward its vision/mission? How is the
instructional leadership role defined and implemented? How are resources aligned with goals?
The leadership structure of Antonian begins with the
articulation of goals and priorities as established by the Archbishop of San
Antonio through the Archdiocesan Superintendent. The school also has a group of dedicated parents, alumni and
business people who form the Antonian School Council. The Antonian School Council is responsible for the development of
policy and for the formulation of the school budget.
Practically however, the administration of the school
falls on the shoulders of the Principal who delegates many of his functions to
the Dean of Students, who serves as Assistant Principal and Dean of
Admissions. Academic and instructional
tasks are delegated to the Dean of Academics.
In that capacity, the Academic Dean is responsible for all issues
related to faculty and instruction. The
academic and college functions are delegated to the Dean of Career and
Educational Planning, who oversees the college admissions and scholarship tasks
for students. The Athletic Director is
responsible for all tasks related to the athletic program. The Registrar is
responsible for all tasks related to scheduling, transcripts, and student
records.
Additionally, there are two primary groups who are
responsible for the fruition of goals to reality. These are the Administrative Council and the Academic
Council. The Administrative Council
meets weekly and discusses issues relevant to short and long range
planning. It is composed of the
Principal, Dean of Students, Dean of Admissions, Registrar and Athletic
Director. The Academic Council is
composed of the various department chairpersons and meets once a month. The Academic Council discusses issues
relevant to the curriculum and instruction and is chaired by the Dean of
Academics.
The Principal assumes a key role is allowing for
collegial interaction that leads to the sharing of ideas and action. In addition, the Principal coordinates
administrative and institutional directives directly to the various individuals
charged with coordination of said tasks.
When decisions are made at Antonian relevant to policy
implementation or even daily logistical coordination, all staff involved
coordinate their efforts to assure that the decisions made support the
instructional and religious mission of the school. Some years ago, there existed some tension among the academic,
religious and athletic components of the school. Each seemed protective of his
turf, priorities, and interests. A
reading of the school’s mission statement, at the time, called for Antonian’s
primary focus to be the preparation of its students for college. Thus, the
academicians cried foul anytime there were scheduled activities involving
athletic or religious functions. There
seemed little solution except for a re-examination of the school’s mission. Therefore, over the next ten months, the
Antonian mission statement was revisited and refocused. The new mission statement presented an
understanding that the primary academic focus of the school was to provide a
college preparatory education, but it
postulated that it should be done integrating the teaching and sharing
of the Catholic faith. Furthermore, it
expected that it should be done in partnership with parents. Suddenly the faculty was discussing ways in
which to integrate the gospel message, not only into the daily experience of
instruction but more importantly, into the way the faculty treats each
other. Understanding that the faculty
was working in conjunction with parents also helped alleviate the existing
tension.
Antonian operates an over two million-dollar budget.
The school’s financial resources provide that which is necessary to support the
school’s mission. The Principal, who then seeks input related to instructional
and other priorities, initiates the budget process. Over the last three years, the school’s financial standing has
improved from a bare-bones budget to a healthy budget that helps support the
school’s mission more fully. Over the
last three years, tuition has been raised approximately $1,200.00 per year,
providing over six hundred thousand extra dollars. Prior to this, the school
had not wanted to raise tuition because it was afraid that it would lose its
student base. Just the opposite
has happened however. Incredibly
enough, the school established a debt service account of over $200,000.00 per
year. This was done in order to finance
the future growth needs of the school. As a result of these financial
decisions, a student financial assistance account was established. This account awards over $100,000.00
per year to needy students. Through the raising of tuition and the
decisions made relevant to the school’s finances, Antonian has been better able
to meet the instructional and auxiliary needs as prescribed by the mission
statement.
The Archdiocese recently granted Antonian permission
to procure a $2,200,000.00 loan to renovate to existing building and to build a
new classroom and cafeteria addition.
F1a. Describe
how the school develops its annual budget, and explain any special budgetary
circumstances. Has the school operated
on a balanced budget over the last three years? Indicate how the school
communicates to parents, alumni and/or alumnae, and others the facts about its
financial management.
The Principal
presents a budget draft to the School Council Finance Committee. After a series
of workshops, the budget is presented to the School Council in February for
approval. Salary scales and tuition for
the following year are set at this time.
The budget is then sent to the Archdiocese for approval. A financial report is presented at each
School Council meeting. Parents are
welcome to attend and learn more about the school’s finances. Financial information is made available to
parents, especially in conjunction with any tuition increase. The school has operated on a balanced budget
over the last three years.
F2. How does
the school engage its internal and external stakeholders in leadership and
decision-making? What is the relationship between the
principal and stakeholders?
Parents, alumni, students and friends of Antonian are
considered the primary stakeholders of Antonian. In amore formal sense, parents, alumni and friends are part of
the Antonian School Council. (See F1)
There are four (4) positions on the nine-member Council that are elected
from a slate of parents. The Principal
appoints five members. Those appointed
by the Principal are selected based upon their area of expertise – finance,
development, and the like. There are
also positions automatically available for the Parent-Teacher Club President,
the Athletic Booster Club President and the Alumni President. Through their participation in the School
Council, these members represent the views of the various stakeholders.
Students are well represented in the Student
Council. The Student Council, in addition
to bringing areas of concern and ideas for improvement in an informal way, also
has an opportunity to engage with the Principal on issues of concern. The Principal and Student Council officers
meet twice a year to discuss more formally how things are going and to give an
opportunity for input into discipline, student life, and the like. The
Principal also calls meetings of the various class officers and/or executive
Council Members. These meetings are
called to discuss issues affecting the campus at any given time. The last meeting that was called was on the
topic of cheating, the school’s Zero Tolerance Policy, and the students’
impressions about how the policy was being perceived and its impact on the
student body.
The Parent-Teacher Club is also a group that provides
input into issues that affect Antonian.
The PTC meets once a month, and along with the Principal, raise issues
about which the community has concerns. Recently, due to alcohol and drug
related issues Antonian dealt with last year, a group of thirty parents formed
a sub-committee of the PTC. They are
busy planning and engaging the faculty and students in educational seminars,
red ribbon week activities and student assemblies. Their focus is to assist the school in engaging parents, teachers
and students in discussion and action relevant to the drug and alcohol problems
affecting youngsters today.
In addition to the input of the Student Council and
PTC, the Principal holds a series of four (4) Open Forums for parents. These open forums have no time limit or a
specific agenda. The purpose of Open Forums is to provide parents an
opportunity to share their thoughts about current issues prevalent at the time
and, also, to provide them an opportunity to weigh-in on decisions that have
been or are about to be, made.
Lastly, the Principal recently completed the
development of a strategic plan for Antonian.
This resulted from the work of over eighty individual stakeholders who
met on a weekly basis for over two years. The Strategic Planning Process and
the five-year plan that ensued were the work of many dedicated alumni,
teachers, students, and friends who made a conscience decision to impact
Antonian’s future and direction.
F3. What kind of participatory school
improvement process operates at your school?
How did your school prepare its Self‑Assessment for the Blue
Ribbon Schools Program and how did this initiative relate to other school
improvement and planning efforts?
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, an
entity that accredits Antonian, has developed a process that engages schools on
a road toward continuous improvement.
This process calls for schools to engage in a self-assessment and then
to develop goals and objectives, which are measured and evaluated on a yearly
basis. Additionally, see D1 and F2 that briefly detail some of the efforts
associated with the schools improvement process.
As discussed previously, Antonian just completed a
Strategic Planning Process that culminated in the publication of a five-year
plan. Over sixty percent (60%) of the
various objectives have been addressed this year. Phase One of the building project has been completed with Phase
Two to begin November 1999. The process originated with a discussion by the
Principal and the School Council. The
matter of Antonian’s mission, vision and future began to a recurring topic of
discussion. After a few months, the
Principal had engaged the School Council, the Archdiocesan Superintendent, the
Archbishop, Alumni, Faculty and Friends.
A decision was made for Antonian to begin a more formal discussion of
strategic planning. A Facilitator was hired in February 1997. After an
extensive discussion, a plan of action was developed to engage the maximum of
people into the strategic planning process.
Parent meetings were held, and a nucleus of over eighty people came
forward to assist in the development of Antonian’s five-year plan. The plan was
completed in January 1999.
Below are the objectives of the Antonian Strategic
Plan:
· To provide all students
with the opportunity to enhance their spiritual development
· To continue to plan,
develop and refine a challenging academic program
· To plan and establish a
development program to obtain the necessary funds in order to accomplish
Antonian’s Mission
· To provide physical
facilities which accommodate Antonian students, faculty and staff so that they
can accomplish their mission
· To continue to plan,
develop and refine an athletic program
· To continue to plan,
develop and implement a program of extra-curricular activities at Antonian
· To plan, develop and
implement technologically advanced programs (computers) to meet the educational
demands of our students in the 21st century
· To continue to review
and analyze Antonian’s budget to ensure that the finances meet the continuing
demands of the school
F4. How does
your school leadership use the most current information about education to
promote continuous improvement in your school? How does such evidence influence
decision‑making?
Breaking Ranks: Changing an American Institution is recent research that addresses issues relevant to
improvement of educational institutions and six themes which when applied to
schools can drastically improve student learning. Based on these six themes of personalization, coherency, time,
technology, professional development and leadership, Antonian has done the
following:
ADVISORY PERIOD: An Advisory Period will be implemented
during the 2000 – 2001 school year. The
Advisory period will be developed with the premise that each student shall have
significant daily interaction with the same professional adult.
STUDENT PORTFOLIO: Each Antonian student is encouraged to
develop student portfolio. The portfolio will assist each student in developing
a record of progress and a manner in which the student’s talent and achievement
can be demonstrated.
PERSONALIZATION:
Antonian has decided to cap its enrollment at 600 believing, as
suggested in Breaking Ranks, that a school of no more than 600 students has a
better opportunity to get to know each other.
In addition, teachers can better teach by addressing the use of
individual learning styles.
TECHNOLOGY: Antonian
has invested and has committed itself to provide its students with the latest
in technology so that their learning may be enhanced. Thus, the faculty is quickly becoming fully computer literate and
experienced in the use of said machines and their application to student
learning and instruction. (See D4)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Antonian faculty is required to have
over 80 hours of in-service each year.
Additionally, they are expected to attend educationally relevant workshops
and seminars.
LEADERSHIP:
Over the last three years, the Antonian Principal has brought together a
multitude of people – teachers, parents, alumni, friends, students and
Archdiocesan officials, in an effort to bring to fruition all that these
envisioned for Antonian. It has been a
monumental effort that has been met with overwhelming success. Praise God!
F5. As
you reflect on the last five years, what conditions or changes have contributed
most to the overall success of your school?
There are so many wonderful things that
have occurred over the last five years which have helped Antonian achieve
prominence as the premier Catholic high school in San Antonio and improve the
total school program.
Five years ago, the Antonian School
Council, in conjunction with the Archdiocese of San Antonio, decided to conduct
a national search of its new Principal.
They were looking for an individual who had a deep conviction about the
Catholic faith and its relation to an academic institution, one who was
innovative and would think outside the box, one who had a solid background and
experience of success, and one who could help take Antonian to higher
ground. They found all these qualities
in the individual who presently holds the position of Principal.
With the assistance, energy, and focus of
many individuals, the Principal was able to bring together all the forces
necessary to envision a future and bring that dream a life. New teachers were hired, and new alliances
and relationships were forged. At the
end of the day teachers have contributed to teaching and students to a belief
that they can achieve and succeed.
The Mission Statement of the school was
revisited and refocused. It had only
been two years prior that the school was in jeopardy of losing its Catholic
status. The revisiting of the Mission Statement called for the focus of
everything Antonian did to revolve around the teaching and sharing of the
Catholic faith. Without this refocus,
success was not to have been possible. The school’s financial underpinning also
had to be re-focused. Antonian had, for
so many years, lived under a poverty cycle.
The lack of money produced a static attitude that nothing could be
done. Tuition was low but could not be
raised because of the fear that enrollment would decline. The starting salary for teachers was
$16,000.00 resulting in low morale and an inability to attract the best. All
this impacted student learning. Something had to be done. Antonian began by developing a financial
plan that targeted an increase in tuition, an increase in teacher salaries and
benefits, and the development of a strategic plan that involved all
stakeholders. The processes have all contributed in helping make Antonian the premier
Catholic school in San Antonio. The
school’s Catholicity is solid and unquestioned. Enrollment is steady,
attracting over three hundred (300) students from which a class of one hundred
fifty (150) students is selected. Teacher morale is better as teachers are
earning over fifty percent (50%) more than they were three years ago. A strategic plan has been developed and well
is on its way towards being completed.
As a result of this momentum, students
have acquired an added seriousness of purpose and a desire to achieve and
succeed. Increased test scores
demonstrate that teachers and students are more actively engaged in the process
of education. This is proven out by an
increase in academic achievement as demonstrated by testing data, grades and
classroom learning.
F6. What is your vision for
integrating technology into your school, including benchmarks that guide your
plans, problems that must be overcome, and training approaches? To what extent and how is technology used to
improve management efficiency and effectiveness?
Antonian has developed a technology plan
in conjunction with the efforts of the Archdiocesan Schools Office. The plan
calls for full integration of technology by the year 2000. On the edge of the
new millennium, Antonian is well on its way towards meeting this goal. As described in section D4, Antonian
continues to invest time, energy, and resources to ensure that teachers become
computer literate and technologically able to teach and students to learn using
the technology medium. The Technology plan calls for the following items which
have been completed: the wiring of campus including classrooms and offices,
addition of one computer per classroom, availability of Internet access on all
computers, purchase of a Library Automation System, addition of computers for
Internet access in library, purchase of administrative software, which includes
purchase and usage of new Scheduling Software; the purchase and in-servicing of
computerized grading program for teachers; and
the upgrading of computer lab to Pentium processors. The Development of
an Internal E-Mail System, upgrading of School’s Web Page, and the purchase of
system to enhance communication between home and school providing on-line
access to parents for attendance, grading and interaction with teachers are
items which are ongoing.
The introduction of technology and the
various advances Antonian has made do not come close to fully integrating
technology into the classroom. However, the faculty is working energetically in
its full implementation. Having access
to the Internet will have productive results in the classroom as teachers and
students begin to rely on it for information and research. The administrative
software is making work for teachers lighter and allowing for a more complete
and quicker system of information gathering at their fingertips. Additionally,
the administrative software has allowed for a closer monitoring of attendance
records, student grades, and teacher passing/failure rates. Technology
integration has also helped the administration in reviewing achievement test
data.
F7. What
do you consider the major educational challenges your school must face over the
next five years, and how do you plan to address them?
There are several areas that will become
challenges during the next five years.
The rapid acceleration in technological change and the costs associated
with such will be a major challenge.
The increased costs associated with teacher salaries, especially in
light of the public school movement toward higher salaries, will continue to be
a challenge. Lastly, the costs associated with operating and maintaining a
premier school will continue to escalate. In response to these three
challenges, Antonian is addressing them in several ways. Antonian has budgeted
and will employ a full-time Development Director, whose main task will be to
find outside sources of funding through grant writing and the seeking of
donations. Additionally, Antonian will have to seek ways to continue to produce
a good educational product, as demonstrated by a 100% college admissions rate
and $5,300,000.00 scholarship offering to the class of 1999. In conclusion, Antonian will continue to
focus on its strengths, the articulation of its mission statement stressing the
teaching and sharing of the Catholic faith and its integration into the college
preparatory education that has proved to be second to none.
G.
School, Family, and Community Partnerships
G1. What
are the goals and priorities of your school, family, and community
partnerships? How have your school and
community both improved as a result of these partnerships and how did you
measure
the
improvements?
The goals and priorities of the school are
in the school’s mission statement as discussed in the introduction of this
summary. As also discussed in other sections, the goals and priorities are
often set by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese, who is sole owner of the
school, through his appointed representative, the Archdiocesan Superintendent,
through the Antonian School Council and through parents, teachers and
students. As previously outlined, the
strategic planning process recently completed that involved the school’s
primary stakeholders, is a true example of goal and priorities
formulation. Additionally, when
Antonian partners with outside sources, colleges and schools, corporate
entities and businesses, all involved benefit.
Antonian has partnered with two other
schools to run a bingo operation that has the potential of earning over
$200,000.00 for Antonian. The lessor of the bingo operation (Antonian), leases
bingo space to two other local schools. Antonian earns rent from these lessees,
and the two other schools earn money from their bingo operation. In order to
initiate this venture, Antonian invested over $100,000.00 and provided a
$20,000.00 to one of the other schools.
As an Archdiocesan school, Antonian has a well-founded philosophy of
equitable distribution. This philosophy calls for those who have to provide for
those who are less fortunate. In this
way, all benefit. This relationship has been the most profound and life-giving
that Antonian has undertaken.
In addition, over the years, HEB Food
Store has partnered with Antonian in an adopt-a-school project. HEB gave the school vouchers for food items
and asked that Antonian keep a bulletin board active in their store giving its
customers information about the successes at the school. In this way, HEB was able to demonstrate it
corporate responsibility in support of education and in return Antonian could
take value from the vouchers and provide some publicity about its program.
K-Mart recently gave Antonian a check for $2000.00 as a demonstration of its
support of education in the area. As with HEB, K-Mart demonstrated its
commitment to education. Additionally, Antonian has also worked energetically
with Albertson’s, another local food store.
Antonian approached Albertson’s and partnered with them for a debit card
that provides 1% of all sales coming from Antonian parents and friends’ back to
Antonian. Antonian has received over
$8,000.00 from this partnership over the last year. This infusion of cash has allowed for the refurbishing of the
school’s tennis courts. In return, Albertson’s has generated a large amount of
business and has shown its corporate dedication to education. Antonian also
partnered with Coca-Cola Bottling Company and received a donation of $40,000.00
for scoreboards from them. For the last four years, Antonian has also partnered
with Avery Johnson to conduct a sports camp at Antonian
Lastly, there are individual donors –
parents and alumni who generate individual partnerships with Antonian. Recently Antonian received two major
donations from parents. An $80,000.00 was received to build a new track. Another group of parents donated over
$20,000.00 for the refurbishing of tennis courts.
G2. How
does your school involve families in their children's education?
Antonian’s responsibility for partnership
with parents comes from a profound understanding that parents are the primary
educators of their children and that, as such, they should be well involved in
their schooling. This understanding is
so profound in all the teachings of the Catholic Church that it is found as a
primary component of the school’s mission statement.
Antonian College Preparatory has a deeply
vested group of parents who appreciate and support the mission of the school,
its enhanced emphasis on the teaching and sharing of the Catholic faith and its
commitment to provide a college preparatory education. Antonian supports and
enhances the parenting role and ensures effective two-way communication by
permitting parents’ access to all that the school espouses. When key decisions are to be made, parents
are involved at the onset and throughout.
This is accomplished through the use of a newsletter – The Principal’s
Letter, through OPEN FORUMS, through interaction with the Parent-Teacher Club
and the Antonian School Council. A
zero-tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol was developed last year. The development of this policy came after
having dealt with some issue relevant to drugs and alcohol on campus. An OPEN
FORUM was called for a specific discussion with parents. All but two in attendance, that evening,
favored a zero-tolerance policy and encouraged the Principal to implement it
forthwith. Additionally, from that
gathering, a group of thirty parents formed a sub-committee of the PTC and
proceeded to develop programs of education to help bring awareness to parents
and students about the dangers of drug and alcohol. In August 1998, drug dogs were brought into Antonian, and they
found four students in possession of marijuana. Soon after this incident, the
Principal wrote a special edition of the Principal’s letter explaining what had
happened and asking parents for feedback.
This methodology is frequently used for issues affecting the campus as a
whole. However, what is of particular
importance in this case was the amount of feedback that was received. There were over seventy (70) E-Mail
messages, sixty (60) phone calls, and over (40) personal contacts made with the
Principal over this issue. Thirty-five (35%) percent of parents responded. All, but two (2), were complimentary of the
way the school handled the situation.
In terms of family involvement at
Antonian, over half of the Antonian parents are actively involved in matters of
the school. Many of these are involved
through athletics. However, many are also involved in activities sponsored by
the PTC and the school in general.
G3. How
does the school support the needs and concerns of families?
The needs and concerns of families are brought
to light in a variety of ways. Parent involvement in the Parent Teacher Club
and the Athletic Booster Club provide opportunities for the school to interact
with parents. As a result, the school
is made more fully aware of needs and concerns families may have. Additionally, when parents attend Open
Forums, School Council meetings or strategic planning sessions, the school is
made better aware of needs and concerns of families. Several of these needs may include information about college
entrance requirements, acquiring of scholarship information, and the effect of
drugs and alcohol on their children.
The school supports these concerns by
providing avenues for parents. The
College Guidance Office provides seminars and information of college entrance
requirements and scholarship acquisition a couple of times a year. Also, counselors meet with parents
individually to develop a plan of action specific to their son/daughter. The PTC, has formed a committee which has
developed a drug and alcohol education program. This comes as a result of concerns expressed by parents.
G4. How
are educational resources in the school and the community used to extend
learning opportunities for students, teachers, and families?
Students, teachers and families have a variety
of opportunities to share in the educational resources of the school and,
likewise, to share in the resources of the community.
The Anatomy classes travel to Sea World to
get a first hand view of how animals are acquired, their living conditions, their
feeding requirements and the like. The
Physics classes traveled to Six Flags Fiesta Texas to apply mathematical
concepts and learning during a daylong physics education program. The athletic
department offers various camps during the summer available to elementary
school students. The Theology classes are involved in pro-life marches and
prayer rallies. Through Channel One, social studies classes have daily
opportunities to view a 12-minute news program. Each class is equipped with a VCR and TV that allows teachers to
assist in furthering educational opportunities for students. Besides, the
community uses the Antonian campus and facilities year round. The Castle Hills fire department uses the
campus to train fire fighters. The
Castle Hills police department uses the gym to exercise and provide basketball
game opportunities for its officers. The alumni and local AAU athletic teams
use the gym to practice and play games.
Local schools use the auditorium and dancing companies to put on plays
and presentations.
H. Indicators of Success
H1. What is your school’s overall approach
to assessment? How do your methods
align with your educational vision/mission and curriculum? What questions about assessment is your
school currently addressing?
Assessment of curricular goals and
learning objectives is a top priority goal at Antonian. The Parent-Student Handbook describes the
grading system for parents and progress reports are distributed to parents each
four and one-half week period. Additionally, teachers monitor both learning and
academic progress for the classes they teach and also for their
department. Lastly, various testing
data is analyzed in order to assist teachers in knowing how their students are
achieving and areas where some modification may be needed.
Antonian
enjoys a solid reputation as a school whose students achieve and whose
curriculum prepares students for college. Antonian has developed a system of
curricular assessment that compliments other data such as, teacher experiences
and student grades, for statistics do not often tell the complete story. Additionally, results of the Stanford
Achievement Test, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College
Testing Service Test (ACT), and the Advance Placement Tests (AP) all promote
the understanding that Antonian students are achieving and succeeding.
Students
who enter the ninth grade do so as a result of scores from the High School Placement
Test. Generally, students admitted into the ninth grade score above the
seventieth percentile (70%). This is
the benchmark score upon which we base initial curricular decisions. Additionally, students take the Stanford
Achievement Test each year. Student
progress and curricular objectives are measured using data from this test.
Generally, students score above the seventieth percentile (70%). Lastly,
results from the SAT and ACT indicate that students are succeeding. The average scores are well above the
national norm. Additionally, there were
nine students involved in the National Merit Scholarship Program during the
1998-1999 school year.
At
present, an analysis of the Stanford Achievement Test reflects that Antonian
students are succeeding and achieving.
For instance, a three-year analysis of the senior class shows an NCE
increase from 67.3 to 71.4. The NCE percentile has increased since their ninth
grade year from 79% to 81%%.
H2. How
do you use assessment results to understand and improve student and school
performance? How are data used to
influence decision-making
Once results from the Stanford Achievement
Test are received, the Academic Council, through the various department chairs,
assesses the results, examines individual student growth, and makes appropriate
adjustments to curricular objectives. Results of the latest test indicate that
there is a performance dip in relation to vocabulary and writing. The English department has made the
appropriate adjustments that insure progress in those areas. Students are also
tested in the spring. Once results are
returned, there is a fuller examination made in relation to the amount of
growth that individual students, as well as the whole class, have made during
the ensuing year. In conclusion, there is an assessment made in relation to
the curriculum, and, thus, goals and objectives are set for the following year.
These processes and procedures contribute toward better teaching and learning.
H3. What
assessment data are communicated to students, parents, and the community? What are the purposes of these
communications? How does the school
ensure that these stakeholders understand the standards for judgment and the
meaning of the data?
Antonian communicates assessment data to
its parents and students through the generation of progress reports, report
cards, and testing data. Parents
receive a progress report of their son’s/daughter’s progress, every four and
one-half weeks. The report indicates
the student’s grade and conduct. Every
nine-weeks, parents also receive report cards.
This report indicates grades, conduct and attendance. They are generally
given to parents during an afternoon for parent-teacher conferences. Parents also have the opportunity to visit
with teachers via Voice Mail and by appointment. Each teacher has two conference periods that can be dedicated to
parent-teacher conferences.
Additionally, results from the Stanford
Achievement Test are sent to parents upon arrival. A cover sheet is developed explaining the test and how to
interpret the data. The school
counselor is also available to assist parents in the understanding of their
children’s progress. Parents and students also receive data from the SAT and
ACT Testing services.
H4.
What standardized norm-referenced tests developed on the national, state, or
district level has your school given in the last five years? What are the results for the last five
years?
Antonian has adopted the Stanford
Achievement Test as the standardized norm-referenced
test it uses to assess student outcomes and curricular
progress. The test has been given for
the last three years. Prior to that,
there were a variety of tests given that did not specifically
provide the data needed for school improvement. Among these were the PSAT, SAT, ACT,
NEDT and PLAN. Some
students also took Advanced Placement Examinations.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS
(See Chart at the end of Report)
Advanced Placement Examinations are graded
on a 5-point scale (5 is the highest).
Most of the nations colleges and universities award credit and/or
placement for grades 3 or higher and more than 1,400 institutions award a year
of credit to students with sufficient number of qualifying grades.
In 1995-1996, there were forty-three (43) students who took AP
Exams. Of those students, thirty-one (31) or seventy-two (72%) percent scored a
three of above.
In 1996-1997, there were forty-one (41) students who took AP
Exams. Of those students, thirty-one
(31) or seventy-three (73% percent scored a three or above.
In 1997-1998, there were fifteen (15) students who took AP
Exams. Of those students, twelve (12)
or eighty (80%) percent scored a three or above.
In 1998-1999, there were sixteen (16) students who took AP
Exams. Of those students, eleven (11)
or sixty-nine (69%) percent scored a three or above.
STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST RESULTS FOR 1996, 1997 AND 1998
(See Chart at the end of Report)
The Stanford Achievement Test is
administered to all students in September of each year. The results are analyzed by the
administration, the Academic Council, and by the various academic departments. Once the results are analyzed, goals and
objectives are established for each academic discipline.
Results
of the September 1999 testing indicate, that the reading, math and science
content areas are areas where students score the highest and language arts is
where students score the lowest.
The
blue-ribbon standard for schools seeking this recognition calls for NCE’s in
all areas to be above a 57 plus one-third the standard deviation which is 2.6,
thus bringing the acceptable score to be a NCE of 59.6. Antonian is well beyond
that minimum score in all areas.
When
one examines the three-year trend for the present senior class, there is growth
in all areas. Growth occurred in reading from an NCE of 66.9 to and NCE of
72.1. Growth occurred in math from an NCE of 62.2 to an NCE of 64.0. Growth occurred in language from an NCE of
58.1 to an NCE of 62.6. Growth occurred
in science from an NCE of 64.3 to an NCE of 67.6. In Social Science, growth occurred from an NCE of 66.2 to an NCE
of 69.5. The overall NCE percentile
grew from 78-7 to 81-7. (See Chart 2000 Senior Class at end of report)
ANALYSIS OF
SAT AND ACT ------- (See Chart at the end of Report)
The SAT and ACT are the two primary tests
required for entrance into most colleges and universities in the United States.
You will find a review of the SAT and the ACT.
Both tables represent the testing results of the last five and seven
years, respectively. Both tables
reflect students scoring and maintaining better than the national norm.
H5. What
criterion-referenced tests do you use?
What are the results for the last
five
years?
Antonian does not give standardized
criterion-referenced tests. Neither the
archdiocese nor the State of Texas requires them of Catholic schools. However, Antonian has a specific curriculum
governed by the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Texas Catholic Conference
Education Department.
Through the use of curriculum guides and
objectives provided through the use of texts, teachers do measure student
learning and achievement through the use of self-made tests. Additionally,
Antonian provides its students with comprehensive semester exams that measure
the objectives covered in the course.
The percent of students passing the semester exam is almost one hundred
percent (100%). Only a handful of
students ever fail the exam.
H6. What
alternative assessments of student performance do you use?
Assessments used by teachers to measure student performance
are many and varied. Some teachers use
self-made tests, others use tests provided as auxiliary material by their text
companies. Teachers also use nine weeks
exams and semester exams as a measure of student learning.
In addition to those tests developed by teachers and the
book companies, Antonian takes seriously the concept of comprehensive
cumulative testing, in particular that of semester exams. Semester exams are administered to students
on three consecutive days and count twenty percent (20%) of the student’s total
semester exam. Only a handful of students ever fail the exams.
H6a. What
number and percentage of your students have been expelled or asked to leave
the school? Develop a categorization of reasons for involuntary departure and
indicate the number of students in each category.
During the 1998-1999 school year, twenty-six (26) students
were dismissed from Antonian. Five (5) students were dismissed for possession
of marijuana; seven (7) were dismissed for drinking liquor in school; three (3)
were dismissed for being under the influence of marijuana; three (3) were
dismissed for cheating; five (5) were dismissed for scholastic reasons; and
three (3) were dismissed for not maintaining the Antonian standard. A total of five percent (5%) of the total
student population was dismissed.
H7. What
are the data for the past five years in the following areas that serve as
quantitative indicators of school climate and engagement?
1998-19991997-1998 1996-1997
Daily student attendance 98
% 98 % 98 % No
Data No Data
Daily teacher attendance 97
% 97 % 97 % No
Data No Data
Teacher turnover rate 38
% 19 % 10 % No
Data No Data
Student dropout rate 0 % 0 % 0 %
No Data No Data
Daily student attendance has been
good. Students at Antonian have a true
desire to be at Antonian and succeed in all they do. Additionally, over seventy percent (70) of the student body is
involved in extracurricular activities.
These factors are partially responsible for a high daily student
attendance.
Also, teachers who are absent do so
because they are sick or because there is a situation that takes them away on
some sort of business. The Antonian faculty is highly professional and
dedicated to the task of teaching.
Over the last three years, the teacher
turnover has been higher than normal.
Three years ago, a new Principal was hired to continue Antonian’s
Renaissance. The school’s mission statement was revisited, and new standards
and expectations came to be. Some
teachers could not adjust to a new situation. Additionally, Antonian had, over
the years, taken advantage of public school teachers who had retired from the
public system but were not ready to retire completely. Some of the turnover was due to final
retirement on the part of these individuals. Lastly, some teachers left because
they could earn as much as $12,000.00 to $15,000.00 in the public system. In all, Antonian has lost some very fine
educators but also, has had the opportunity to gather a faculty that shares
fully in its mission. These teachers are truly dedicated to their profession.
H8. Which
awards received by your school, staff, or students are most indicative of
school success
Antonian has received many awards over the
years. The physics teacher has been awarded a grant share in some advanced
physics equipment in 1999. The chemistry teacher has been awarded Teacher of
the Year and Principal of the Year awards over the history of his career. The
mathematics department chairperson was nominated this year for Teacher of the
Year honors. Several of our teachers have been awarded Eisenhower Awards for
further study. There were nine students in to the National Merit Scholarship
Program competition last year. There were five students appointed to the United
States Military Academies last year.
The student athletes have won five state
championships over the last three years – three in boys’ basketball, one in
boys’ volleyball and one in girls’ volleyball. Antonian students place third on
the National Latin Exam among all schools in San Antonio. The National Honor
Society has place first, over the last three years, in the University of Texas
College Bowl, a competition among many public and private schools in San
Antonio. The 1999 graduating class was awarded over $5,300.000.00 in
scholarships.
H9. What
were the students who graduated in Spring 1999 doing as of September 1999?
|
Graduating class size
|
120
|
|
Enrolled in a 4-year college or
university
|
90 %
|
|
Enrolled in a community college
|
5 %
|
|
Enrolled in vocational training
|
0 %
|
|
Found employment
|
0 %
|
|
Military service
|
4 %
|
|
Other (travel, staying home, etc.)
|
0 %
|
|
Unknown
|
1
%
|
THE STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST
The Stanford Achievement Test is administered to all
students in September. The results are
analyzed by the administration, the Academic Council, and by the various
academic departments. Once the analysis is completed, goals and objectives are
established for each academic discipline. Results indicate that the math and
science content areas art where students score the highest and language arts is
where students score the lowest.
The blue-ribbon standard, for schools seeking
recognition, calls for NCE’s in all areas to be above a 57 plus one-third a
standard deviation. One-third of the
standard deviation for this test is 2.6, thus bringing the acceptable NCE to a
59.6. Antonian is well beyond that minimum score in all areas.
RESULTS THE STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST
FROM 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1996
|
# Students
|
# Tested
|
% of Students
|
Composite
|
Reading
|
Math
|
Language
|
Science
|
SS
|
NCE-%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9th
|
132
|
129
|
97%
|
66.2
|
66.9
|
62.2
|
58.1
|
64.3
|
66.2
|
78-7
|
|
10th
|
130
|
126
|
97%
|
65.3
|
67.9
|
68.8
|
61.8
|
63.6
|
65.2
|
77-7
|
|
11th
|
125
|
105
|
84%
|
63.6
|
67.5
|
61.6
|
62.8
|
61.3
|
68.4
|
74-6
|
|
12th
|
115
|
111
|
97%
|
68.5
|
72.3
|
67.5
|
67.3
|
64.6
|
72.6
|
81-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1997
|
# Students
|
# Tested
|
% of Students
|
Composite
|
Reading
|
Math
|
Language
|
Science
|
SS
|
NCE-%
|
|
9th
|
145
|
145
|
100%
|
65.4
|
65.7
|
67.1
|
68.7
|
64.2
|
63.9
|
76-6
|
|
10th
|
132
|
132
|
100%
|
64.1
|
65.6
|
66.7
|
62.2
|
60.4
|
64.3
|
77-1
|
|
11th
|
130
|
128
|
98%
|
64.4
|
66.5
|
66.1
|
63.6
|
63.1
|
65.1
|
46-6
|
|
12th
|
125
|
125
|
100%
|
68.8
|
73.1
|
69.3
|
66.4
|
68.8
|
71.2
|
81-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1998
|
# Students
|
# Tested
|
% of Students
|
Composite
|
Reading
|
Math
|
Language
|
Science
|
SS
|
NCE-%
|
|
9th
|
126
|
126
|
100%
|
65.7
|
66.1
|
66.6
|
68.8
|
64.8
|
65.9
|
77-7
|
|
10th
|
153
|
153
|
100%
|
64.7
|
67.2
|
66.6
|
63.9
|
63.1
|
63.4
|
76-6
|
|
11th
|
129
|
129
|
100%
|
62.9
|
65.2
|
66.1
|
61.9
|
61.1
|
62.9
|
73-6
|