Impressive reading scores at Conant prompt follow-up program

Throughout the current school year, Conant High School English Teacher Nathaniel Leonard and Social Studies Teacher Denise Mitchell have been working in concert with Principal Tim Cannon to improve both literary skills and the desire for achievement of students in the school's American Studies 331 program.

Students in this program have been invigorated by their teachers to become more proficient readers and writers and to develop goals for a more productive future. Program teachers have emphasized efficacy, expectations, and effort.

The result of this approach has been startling. Generally, students are expected to increase their Rauch Unit scores in reading by 3-4 points in a year - but students in the American Studies 331 program averaged increases of about three times that rate, with some student performances increasing by as much as 22 points this year.

In the period of one school year, these students have grown from chronic underperformers to potential leaders of society.

Based upon this performance, and the desire of every student in the class to continue this level of personal and academic growth, at its May 27, 2010 meeting, the District 211 Board of Education approved Project Excel: AP Preparation for Seniors program as a pilot for the summer of 2010.

The pilot features the following components:

1. Enrollment in English E319 Advanced Placement Literature and Composition in their senior year, to be taught by Mr. Leonard. The current academic progress and performance of these students projects their capability to succeed at the Advanced Placement level, and this is thought to be the most accommodating AP English course.

2. Enrollment of the same students as a cohort in Social Studies Survey G442, under the instruction of Mrs. Mitchell. The combination of these students with both teachers has been the fuel that has resulted in the documented high degree of acceleration. The continuation of this design supports similar future growth.

3. Continued inclusion of efficacy instruction as part of both classes.

4. Creation of a six-week Advanced Placement preparation program, to be offered this summer, to further prepare these students for accelerated senior coursework. This program would be based upon the Project Excel model, blending literacy improvement and advanced placement coursework skills with efficacy.