District & School Improvement Plans

2018-2019 School Improvement Plan

Introduction

Since 1968, Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School (RVTHS) has been a leader in preparing students for both career and college readiness. Serving the students of Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, and Westport, Diman provides both secondary and post-secondary opportunities. As an educational philosophy, Diman faculty and staff believe that world-class education comingles experiential learning with rigorous academia. As such, Diman educators aim to graduate socially conscious, critically engaged participants of a global community. Diman alumni are then expected to utilize their educational experiences to advance change in a fluid and technologically savvy world.

At Diman RVTHS, students are held to the highest educational standards. The results of these expectations have historically led to varied and measured successes, as well as a state-determined level one status. Furthermore, 2017 Diman RVTHS achievements include a 95% graduation rate, an 80% cooperative education placement rate, and a 68% post-secondary acceptance rate.

Diman also offers many extracurricular activities and encourages all students to participate in community service activities during their high school careers. The Diman RVTHS belief is that learning does not conclude with the end of the school day. Rather, a Diman education affords students the opportunities for lifelong learning and the skills to improve their communities at large.

Vision

Diman RVTHS graduates will be occupationally skilled workers whose academic, vocational/technical, and workplace competencies will make them responsive to socioeconomic, technological, and environmental challenges in a complex and changing society.

Mission

The mission of Diman RVTHS is to develop the unique potential of each learner by enabling students to acquire knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are needed to achieve personal, academic, vocational/technical, and civic goals.

Objectives

To ensure that every student is given opportunity to develop his/her potential without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, economic status, disability, or homelessness.
To provide state-of-the-art, integrated academic and vocational/technical programs which optimize the potential of each student and prepare them to meet the state's performance standards.
To provide opportunities for students to acquire contemporary workplace skills such as communicating, organizing and analyzing information, solving problems, using technology, initiating and completing assignments, acting ethically and professionally, interacting with others, understanding the structure and dynamics of organizations, and taking responsibility for career and life choices.
To provide all grade 9 students with an opportunity to explore their interests in a wide array of trade/career options.
To provide counseling and assistance to students concerning social issues, employment and educational opportunities, and vocational orientation.
To provide programs and activities which contribute to health and well-being, a safe environment, a sense of belonging, and respect for self and others.
To use student assessment results to review and improve curricula, courses, programs, and instructional practices.
To encourage students to pursue professional improvement leading to certification/licensure in their trade areas and post-secondary education.
To provide continuing adult education with a focus on developing technical skills.
To continuously seek, with the guidance of active Advisory Boards, new areas of training required for community and industrial development.
To provide personnel with the resources and the support needed to grow and develop professionally toward a goal of raising student achievement.
To promote cultural understanding within a diverse population.
To develop partnerships with business, industry, government, and the community.

Goal One: Address State Focus Related to Dual Enrollment/Early College District Goal Alignment: MA Curriculum Frameworks and Assessment Objective: Diman will expand its Articulated Agreements. This will result in an addition of at least one new post-secondary partner. Additionally, Diman will grow its program to include 2-5 new programs leading to credit receipt towards acquisition of an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.
Action Strategies	Intended Outcomes	Timeline	Person/People Responsible	Resources
Develop a pathway for students to identify and select college courses	A formalized checklist will be developed to allow students and parents to visualize the necessary actions for movement towards college credits	July-August 2018	Principal/ Academic Coordinator/ Department Heads/ Teachers/ Vocational Coordinator	Time, Location, Common Schedules
Create a new Articulated Agreements working group	The working group will identify potential college courses that would fit with Diman’s current Program of Studies. These courses will be developed into Articulated Agreements.	September- December 2018	Principal/ Academic Coordinator/ Department Heads/ Teachers/ Vocational Coordinator	Common time for meetings, Program of Studies from Diman and potential post-secondary schools.
Locate a partner	Diman will identify at least one new post-secondary partners to develop Articulated Agreement programs.	Winter 2018	Principal/ Academic Coordinator/ Articulated Agreement working group/ Vocational Coordinator	Interested colleges, Time, Money for trips
Communication to Stakeholders	Parent forums and literature will be produced to ensure parents, students, and faculty are aware of pathways and can appropriate recommend students for this program.	January 2019	Principal/ Academic Coordinator/Department Heads/Vocational Coordinator	Location, Time
Ratify new Articulated Agreements as policy	Meet with the school committee policy sub-committee to ensure all practices related to this goal are crystalized as policy.	Spring 2019	Principal	Copies of all new proposals, Time, Meeting space

Goal Two: Incorporate State Focus Related to Social Emotional Learning for students District Goal Alignment: MA Curriculum Frameworks and Assessment Objective: Diman will increase Instructors’ knowledgebase related to Social Emotional Learning by expanding professional development opportunities. These new opportunities will include a minimum of one offering on Growth Mindset and one offering on Perseverance.
Action Strategies	Intended Outcomes	Timeline	Person/People Responsible	Resources
Re-convene the SEL Committee	Review SEL plan for 2018 and incorporate new offerings for 2019	Fall 2018	SEL Committee	Time, room
Develop Professional Development Opportunities	Offer new sessions, either Diman Full Day PD or outside consultant, to teachers on a wider variety of SEL strategies	October 2018/April 2019	Principal	Money, available consultants/presenters, Room
Communicate offerings to staff	Excite staff about new PD offerings and encourage them to sign up for offerings during PD days	Fall 2018	Principal	Email, Flyers, Money

Goal Three: Investigate Student Desire for a More Diverse Offering of Electives District Goal Alignment: MA Curriculum Frameworks and Assessment Objective: Increase Humanity electives for the 2019-2020 course catalog. Electives should focus on Music and the Arts with at least one offering for students in the 2020-2021 school year.
Action Strategies	Intended Outcomes	Timeline	Person/People Responsible	Resources
Adaptation of an appropriate master schedule.	Create a flexible schedule to offer a wider array of electives for students.	2019 school year	Principal, Academic Coordinator, Department Heads, Guidance	Teachers, Rooms, Money, appropriate master schedule
Survey student body.	Acquire relevant data to support introduction of course and hiring of staff.	2019 school year	Principal	Computers, time, Survey Monkey account
Acquisition of staff.	Hire qualified teachers for selected courses	2019 school year	Principal, Department Heads, Academic Coordinator	Room, need/interest, money, appropriate schedule

Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School

Developing the Unique Potential of Each Learner

Plans & Policies