Smaller Learning Communities at Connally High School

Dear Connally High School Supporter:

The 2007-2008 school year marks the beginning of an exciting and important journey at Connally High School.  In the fall of 2006 CHS was awarded a grant to redesign our high school into smaller learning communities. Why did we want to redesign the High School?  We want to continue to encourage students to complete coursework in a timely manner, while helping students gain the skills necessary to compete in a global workforce economy.  Importantly, we want students of every academic level to benefit in a college and career readiness environment.

Specifically, the grant was written to achieve three goals.  First, the grant will focus on the development of a Ninth Grade Academy which we have named The Cornerstone Academy.  The freshman year experience sets the foundation for the remaining years of high school, therefore, it is important that each freshman student gains the skills necessary to be successful academically and personally.  With the support of an amazing freshman teaching staff, each student will be placed in an academic team and each student will benefit from a personalized learning environment.

Thus, leading to a second purpose of the grant: Creating a sense of student belonging.  When students transition from middle school, they have to adapt to a larger school, new teachers, new expectations, and a complex academic course load. Sense of school belonging really focuses on students’ feelings of being respected by others and the ability to be one’s self within the learning environment. Feelings of belonging extend beyond feeling accepted by one’s peers; it is feeling that one is an integral and valued component of all facets of the learning environment. Students who feel connected to the school and feel as though they belong feel better physically and emotionally, and perform better academically.  We truly want each of our students to feel as though Connally High School faculty and supports them in all of their endeavors.

Finally, the 2008-2009 school year will showcase the third purpose of the grant, the implementation of the Career Academy structure.  Connally students will have the opportunity to engage fully in a wide variety of academic and career and technical education courses throughout their four years of high school.  At the conclusion of the freshman year, freshman students will be asked to choose a career academy.  The career academy decision will be made based upon student insights learned in the Cornerstone Connections course, family discussion, and student interest.  Within each academy, each student will be introduced to pathways of courses that will allow them to explore a career area in greater depth.  While students are engaged in career-focused courses, they are encouraged to continue to take both a rigorous and relevant academic course load.  The academic courses and career and technical education courses are complimentary to one another and will allow our students to become immersed in a well-rounded curriculum.

This letter is just an introduction to all of the wonderful changes that will be occurring at Connally High School.  We are committed to helping each of you understand the purpose and design of the smaller learning communities that will be emerging over the course of the next several years.  Although what we are proposing is supported by research, we will need the support of faculty, administration, and most importantly support from each of you.

We encourage you to read all of the information provided.  Should you have any questions or comments, we look forward to hearing from you.  As a staff, we are firmly committed to searching for excellence.  We also believe that our students--your children-- will be better served through the redesign of CHS associated with academic teaming and career academies.  We are excited to begin these changes with the Class of 2011!

Best,

Stefanie A. Mueller
Coordinator of Smaller Learning Communities
512-594-0800
stefanie.mueller@pflugervilleisd.net