POINTS of PRIDE: Northeast Community School District

Northeast - Student engagement and active learning

According to Superintendent Jim Cox, "I hire quality people and then I get out of their way."  All administrators in the district understand that there must be quality instruction in each classroom in order for students to learn.  Because of this belief, staff development focuses on understanding the theory of learning and communicating what each student needs to learn.  Welcome to Northeast Community School District in Goose Lake, IA.

Demographics
Enrollment - 557 (certified) but serves 837 with 40% of their students open enrolled into the district (Makes them the 4th highest in the state!)
Free and Reduced Lunch - 32%

Not only is Northeast hard at work building quality learning opportunities for its students but they are also involved in a building project consisting of 4 new classrooms (one devoted to STEM), a fitness center, and a new gym.  The entire additions with be fully loaded with high quality technology.  Alicia Christiansen, 6-12 principal, quoted from Harry Wong, "The number one factor affecting school achievement is teacher quality."  With this belief in mind, the constant question at the forefront of staff development is, "How do we improve ourselves?"

One way is to involve the community through the School Improvement Advisory Council.  SIAC is made aware of how instruction alignment is reflected upon, how communication is aligned to standards, and how students are supplied with multiple opportunities to learn and demonstrate their learning.  One way to change the culture of teaching is to ask, "How do we know the students have learned?"

Keeping up on technology is key for our 21st Century learners.  Computer program courses include industrial robotics and lego robotics.  Northeast is developing a partnership with Lyondell and are also working on a partnership with Google.  They are in year two for a STEM grant.  Their IT Club participates in IT Olympics including game design, cyber defense, and ap
programming.  They participate in "Decisions on the Fly" where one group creates a game and another defends the components of the game.  The Lyondell partnership provides train to trainer tasks in problem solving that engineers, chemists, or machinists may face.  Students also can use computer aided designs to create objects and print them using a 3D printer.

To provide collaboration and staff development, Northeast has an early out every other Wednesday working on initiatives that include Iowa Core implementation and the development of the PBIS program at elementary.  Classroom expectations are clearly defined in all areas of the building through poster displays.  PBIS is in the process of refining its Tier II interventions including "brag tags" and the earning of tickets for good behaviors.  AEA provides PD on best practices for mathematical thinking and Northeast uses the SI Math software programming to build foundational math skills.

Northeast Auditorium

Northeast offers a variety of clubs:  FBLA, FFA, FTA, IT, FCCLA, FCA, trap shooting, speech, and SADD.  80% of their students are involved in extra-curricular activities.  Over 65 participate in the highly successful speech club.  At high school, 165 are in chorus and at middle school 120 are involved.  There is strong support from the Fine Arts Boosters and the Athletic Boosters.

Other partnerships include concurrent courses through Clinton Community College, two ag classes through Muscatine Community College, and Health III and CNA offered through Eastern Iowa Community College.  Dual credits can be earned in English and Public Speaking as well as computer applications. 

Northeast also offers a work study program for seniors only.  Currently, 26 seniors are in job placement getting experience in what they may want to pursue as a career.  This program is being guided by an advisory council.

Northeast continues to build citizens for the 21st Century through quality instruction and meaningful activities in which to develop character.

"The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.  Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."  - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.