1. Firestone High School
333 Rampart Avenue * Akron * Ohio *
44313
Phone: (330) 873-3315 Fax: (330) 873-3318
“Success Is Our Tradition”

2. Technical Assistance Visit
Welcome to
Firestone
High
School
November 7, 2007

3. Firestone High School
Thank you for your time and
expertise during the TAV
to provide us with a
focus for our school
improvement
planning efforts.

4. Leadership Team Members
Larry Petry Educational Leader
Linda Kakish Site Coordinator
Christopher Pashke Site Coordinator
Cindy Mathias SIP Chair
Judy Harrison Curriculum Chair
Christopher Pashke Evaluation Chair
Debbie Christy Guidance Chair
Linda Kakish Staff Development Chair

5. HSTW 10 Key Practices
1. High expectations 6. Teachers working
2. Program of study together
(Ohio Core)
7. Students actively
3. Rigorous academic engaged
studies
8. Guidance
4. Rigorous career-
technical studies 9. Extra help
5. Work-based 10. Culture of
learning continuous
improvement

6. Firestone Mission Statement
It is the mission of
the Firestone High
School learning
community to
prepare our
students to attain
their highest degree
of academic success.

7. Akron Public Schools Background
School District: Akron Public Schools
District Rating: Continuous
Improvement
Number of Students: Approx. 25,000
AYP Status: Not Met
School Improvement Status: Improvement Year 3
Number of Middle Schools: 11
MMGW Sites: 6
Number of High Schools: 7
HSTW Sites: 7

8. Firestone Background
Number of Students by Grade:
Ninth: 366
Tenth: 328
Eleventh: 302
Twelfth: 297
Total: 1293
School Type: Urban
Region: NE
Performance Rating: Excellent
AYP Status: MET
School Improvement Status: OK
Joined HSTW/MMGW: 2003
Feeder middle schools: Litchfield
Miller South

9. Highly Qualified Status
Number of faculty: 74
Faculty middle school certified: All (7-12)
Faculty high school certified: All
Areas where teachers are
not highly qualified: None

10. Firestone Site Demographic
Grade Total Female Male African White Other ED SWD
American
9 366 198 168 194 152 19 34.5% 47
10 328 170 158 175 140 13 28.6% 46
11 302 161 141 134 155 13 22.5% 38
12 297 159 138 116 174 7 14.4% 26
Total 1293 688 605 619 621 52 100 157
Key: ED= Economically Disadvantaged
SWD= Students with Disabilities

11. Student Academic Performance
Subjects Where Our Students are Not
Performing Well
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies

12. Indicators for Mathematics
2006/2007 OGT : 95.9%
2004/2006 HSTW : 2004 = 80%
2006 = 80%
Progress: Improving
Gaps: African American
Economically Disadvantaged
Students with Disabilities

13. Indicators for Science
2006/2007 OGT : 89.8%
2004/2006 HSTW : 2004 = 64%
2006 = 56%
Progress: Needs Improvement
Gaps: African American
Economically Disadvantaged
Students with Disabilities

14. Indicators for Social Studies
2006/2007 OGT : 94.9%
2004/2006 HSTW : NA
Progress: Needs Improvement
Gaps: African American
Economically Disadvantaged
Students with Disabilities

15. Overriding Goal
The most important goal for FHS and
APS is to close the achievement gaps
and raise student achievement to
meet district, state, HSTW/MMGW and
federal targets by 2014. To achieve
this goal, FHS must continue to create
a culture of high expectations and
provide extra help.

16. AYP/School Improvement Status

17. What Firestone Has Done !
High Expectations
 Many teachers require students
to revise work to meet standards.
 Many teachers have adopted a
“no excuses” approach or Power
of I (Incomplete).
 We encourage all students to
attempt rigorous course work
and teachers willingly provide
support.

18. What Firestone Has Done !
High Expectations
 Adopted a SIX point writing rubric
modeled after OGT and ACT scoring.
 Maintained rigorous academic IB
Program
 Adopted district wide honors grading
scale.
 Adopted uniform classroom rules
school wide known as the “Firestone
Four”.

19. What Firestone Plans to Do!
High Expectations
 Teachers will develop rubrics and
provide exemplars for all student
projects, papers, and assessment
practice questions.
 The district will adopt and monitor a
policy for homework and revising
student work.

20. What Firestone Has Done!
Extra Help
Programs include:
 After-school Tutoring Program
 Lunch-time Intervention Program
 Plato
 Before School Individual Teacher Tutoring
 Peer Tutoring by National Honors Society
 Credit Recovery Program newly
implemented
 100 Book Challenge

21. What Firestone Plans to Do!
Extra Help
 Bring back the Firestone Education
Strategy.
 College Scholars to provide peer
tutoring and other supports.
 OnlinePractice Tests and Review
Power Points will be developed for
student use.

22. Goal #1
Provide all students with the
opportunity to complete the new
Ohio Core and increase to 85
percent the high school graduates
who complete the HSTW-
recommended curriculum , including
an academic, career-technical (C-T)
or blended concentration.

23. What the School Has Done
Goal 1 – Take the Right Courses
Firestone requires:
2008 graduates to earn 21 credits
 4 CP English
 3 Mathematics: Algebra 1, Geometry
 3 Science: Physical Science, Life Science,
Biology or Honors
 3 Social Studies: World History, US History,
American Government or Honors
 Physical Education/Health
 Electives: Foreign Language, Fine Arts
 Concentration: Project Lead the Way
Information Technology

24. What Firestone Plans to Do!
Goal 1 – Take the Right Courses
Firestone will:
 Require all students to complete the Ohio
Core/complete middle school courses to
prepare for the Ohio Core.
 Work with associate schools to prepare 11 th
graders to take the correct CTE courses to
earn the Ohio Core requirements.

25. Challenges Firestone Faces!
Goal 1 – Take the Right Courses
• District not adopting 4 credits in all core
courses.
• Encouraging all seniors to take a rigorous
senior year.

26. Goal #2
1) Strengthen the curriculum by aligning
the written, taught and assessed
curriculum to Ohio and national
standards, OR
2) Strengthen the curriculum by aligning
the career-technical and academic
curriculum to Ohio, industry and
national standards OR
3) Strengthen the curriculum by making
instruction the focus of the school.
(only choose #3 if #1 and #2 are
completed)

27. What the School Has Done
Goal 2 – Strengthen the
Curriculum
The district/school has:
 All core subjects taught through use of pacing guide
designed to include all state standards.
 All 9-10 th grade core courses give district assessments
specifically designed to cover and resemble state
standards.
 Social Studies, Math, & Science teachers will present
published items from the OGT two times each week in
place of SSR.
 Adopted a Six point writing rubric modeled after OGT and
ACT scoring.

28. What the School Plans to Do
Goal 2 – Strengthen the
Curriculum
The district/school will:
 Provide similar planning periods to teachers
to collaborate on national standards and
state standards.
 SSR (Sustained Silent Reading) in most
classrooms.
 Bell work in 9 th & 10 th grade classes geared to
OGT
 Power Algebra in 5 out of 7 Algebra I
classes
 Develop tests for state and national
standards in regular education and career
tech courses.

29. Challenges the School Faces
Goal 2 – Strengthen the
Curriculum
• Closing the achievement gap and raising
student achievement to meet district , state,
HSTW goals is our top priority!
• Staff development funds for substitutes so
we can accomplish the work of the SIP.
• A staffing formula that recognizes the
unique make up of Firestone High School.

30. Goal #3
Engage students in their
learning through relevant,
student-centered instructional
strategies resulting in a
deeper
understanding and higher
demonstrated achievement of
standards.

31. What the School Has Done
Goal 3 – Student Engagement
The school has:
 Recommended more student based projects
and discussion of projects upon completion.
 Cooperative learning techniques used in all
core courses.
 Students work with other classes on projects
across the curriculum.

32. What the School Plans to Do
Goal 3 – Student Engagement
The school will:
 Recommend more student based projects
and to discuss the projects upon completion.
 Develop future senior project ideas for
career technical courses.

33. Challenges the School Faces
Goal 3 – Student Engagement
• Providing similar planning periods for
teachers to collaborate on cooperative
learning techniques and student based
lessons across the curriculum.
• Staff development funds for substitutes so
we may accomplish the work of the SIP.

34. Goal #4
Establish a comprehensive
guidance and advisement
system, including a strong
academic transition , to
better prepare students for
successful transition to
postsecondary education
and careers.

35. What the School Has Done
Goal 4 – Guidance/Advisement
The school has:
 Student & counselor/teacher meetings throughout the
year to discuss course sequences.
 One on one discussions with counselor/teacher on
recommended courses for chosen pathway.
 College & Financial Aid Night
 Junior/Senior Parent Night
 College Knowledge
 ACT Preparation
 NCAA Presentation

36. What the School Has Done
Goal 4 – Transitions
The school has:
 Orientation for Litchfield 8 th graders in May
 Orientation for Miller South (visit classrooms
& programs)
 Open Enrollment Meetings for new VPA and
IB students
 Parent Meetings
 Firestone Showcase/Community Open
House
 HSTW Initiatives

37. What the School Plans to Do
Goal 4 – Guidance/Advisement
The school will:
 Re-establish the Firestone Educational
Strategy
 Re-establish the Mentoring Program
 Re-establish Falcon Friends

38. What the School Plans to Do
Goal 4 – Transitions
The school will:
 Look into different advisor-advisee
programs.
 Reinstate Falcon Friends.
 Start a summer bridge program.

39. Challenges the School Faces
Goal 4 – Guidance/Advisement
• Providing more time for students to meet
with counselors/teachers by eliminating
administrative duties placed on guidance
departments.
• Staff buy-in and support of the SIP
strategies.

40. Challenges the School Faces
Goal 4 – Transitions
• Developing and implementing focus groups
that include all staff members.
• Staff buy-in and support of the SIP
strategies.

41. Goal #5
Continue to support a culture
of continuous improvement with:
• strong leadership
• actively involved-school
improvement teams
• effective use of data
• aligned professional development
• engagement of parents and families
as part of a seamless school
improvement process.

42. What the School Has Done
Goal 5 – Continuous Improvement
The school has
 Three waiver days provide us with an
opportunity to address standard based
professional development to support our
buildings goals.
 Departmental meetings to discuss relevant
topics such as state testing and data from
state testing.
 Recommend that the SIP and Faculty
Advisory Committee team discuss goals and
important issues with staff, students, and
parents.
 We share SIP news in the PTSA newsletter.

43. What the School Plans to Do
Goal 5 – Continuous Improvement
The school will:
 Complete a SIP plan that explains data and
shows gaps and places of improvement in
all school related areas.
 Distribute SIP and FAC agendas and
meeting minutes to all staff members.

44. Challenges the School Faces
Goal 5 – Continuous Improvement
• The district needs to set aside more time for
planning and strategizing for continuous
improvement in all areas.
• Developing and implementing focus groups
that include all staff members.

45. Awards/Recognitions
• SREB Pacesetter Site
• SREB Top 100 School
• Newsweek's Top 1200 Schools (4 straight
years)
• 31 of FHS students who earned the HSTW
Award of Educational Achievement based
upon the 2006 HSTW Assessment
• National Merit Scholars (Last 3 years)
• 7 Finalists
• 8 Commended Scholars
• National Achievement Scholarship Program
for Outstanding Black and Hispanic Students
• 4 Finalists (Last 2 years)

46. Awards/Recognitions cont.
 AP Scholar Awards given with Honor and Distinction to
10 students in 2007 for receiving a 3-3.5 grade on AP
exams
 The President’s Award for Education Excellence is a
national award sponsored by the President’s Education
awards program for outstanding academic
achievement.
 The Beacon Journal has recognized five of our
students for being regional stars and has featured the
gold star recipient in the June 5 th publication.
 The Plain Dealer also recognized one of our top high
school seniors in the area in a Senior Standout special
section published in early May.

47. We are available:
• Larry Petry
• Email: lperty@akron.k12.oh.us
• Phone: 330.873-3315
• Linda Kakish
• Email: lkakish@akron.k12.oh.us
• Phone: 330.873-3315/330.256.6536
• Christopher Pashke
• Email: cpashke@akron.k12.oh.us
• Phone: 330.873-3315