Verdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 1

Verdugo Hills High School WASC/CDE Self-Study Reportworked and to determine how better to move forward, given the data, forstudent success. In addition to the bi-weekly test prep sessions, VHHS hasorganized a fallback day in which teachers will work with the previous term’sclasses to review key terms and skills in all courses.To support student success on the CSTs, instructors in the math departmentincorporate CST released questions into the curriculum and formativeassessments. They initiated a “CST Bootcamp”. Twice a week for six weeksthere are school wide review sessions geared toward the CST and CAHSEE.Instructors also hold CST awareness sessions in which students areinterviewed and individually counseled. At VHHS, we set goals forimprovement on our CST performance. These goals and past history ofachievement are communicated to staff, faculty and students throughposters and banners posted in the classrooms and key locations around thecampus. For example, the math department meets weekly by class title andtogether in a monthly department meeting during which students’ progressand best practices are discussed.Science DepartmentThe Science Department utilizes data by examining the previous year CSTscores as reported in the district’s MyData. We look to see the performancebreakdown on state standard clusters as a guide to shaping the comingyear’s pacing and instruction for the science department.The science department designs assessments that are aligned with CaliforniaState Standards for each subject. Some of the science department membersuse CST released questions as warm-ups as a form of review of StateStandards. The science department has created assessments for each oftheir courses and is in the process of implementing them. In Physics, thereare five periodic assessments currently in use. Intercoordinated science hasfour periodic assessments which can be implemented if the course is taught.Chemistry and Biology have three periodic assessments each that werecompleted in spring 2012 and fall 2012 and are to be fully implemented byspring 2013. The science department has created these assessments usingtest bank programs that allow multiple versions to be created and used.Once these assessments are all in place, the department will use them tocollect data, so they will be able to plan for the coming years and also toVerdugo Hills High School WASC Self-Study Page 88