High School Redesign Initiative (HSRI)

The High School Redesign Initiative (HSRI) is a tangible outgrowth of PAGE's core business.  HSRI is designed to assist high schools in (1) recognizing the need and urgency for change, (2) using their demographic and achievement data to make decisions, and (3) planning and developing engaging work for their students.  PAGE believes students must do more than merely comply with what is being asked of them; they must be engaged in the learning process. 

The initiative was begun in 2006 by inviting high schools to volunteer to participate in activities designed to redesign and transform high schools using the above three standards. Four schools— Sonoraville High School in Gordon County, Shaw High School in Muscogee County, Oglethorpe County High School, and Washington County High School—volunteered.  Schools will address the well known problems of high drop out rates, poor student attendance, and student indifference to learning through processes associated with each of these standards. Ten additional schools were added for the 2007-2008 school year—Blackmon Road Middle School and Midland Middle School (both located in Muscogee County), Oglethorpe County Middle School, Sonoraville Middle School, Alexander High School (Douglas County), Calhoun High School, Camden County High School, Hawkinsville High School (Pulaski County), Gordon Central High School (Gordon County), and Lowndes High School.

New!  Watch Our Monthly Podcast

The PAGE High School Redesign Initiative began publishing a monthly podcast titled "Design Time" in August 2009.  Click here or on the image to the right to see the first edition and begin your journey of following all of the HSRI happenings!

Want to learn more about the High School Redesign Initiative?  Find out how this excellent program can help transform your local high school.  Watch this short information video.

A Message about the High School Redesign Initiative from PAGE’s Executive Director, Dr. Allene Magill

There is no doubt that Georgia has made a lot of progress in education in the last generation.  High school graduation rates have increased, and far more students are going on to college.  However, the improvements we have made in our public schools have not kept up with changes in society that require more students to be more highly educated than ever before.  While educating most people to a minimal or moderate level and a few people to a very high level was sufficient 20 to 30 years ago, today’s economy demands that all students receive a good quality education.  The demands on our schools have increased exponentially.  Furthermore, schools have tried and discarded program after program as they have diligently sought to address the dropout problem, student achievement, and apathy toward learning.  This initiative is designed to help schools use their own school and community data to determine what changes need to take place and determine the core business of their schools.  Using this as a foundation, the capacity of the faculty must be developed to create engaging work for students.

• View Press Release regarding High School Redesign Initiative released in August 2008.
• Meet the HSRI staff
• Click here for brochure

PAGE's Commitment

PAGE will:

• Provide learning opportunities for high school educators at no costs to the participating schools or their districts.
• Deliver on-site and at state and national meetings training appropriate to the participating high schools.
• Provide staff to work exclusively with the high schools participating in the HSRI.
• Collaborate with the Georgia Secondary School Principals Association in providing professional learning opportunities.

High School’s Commitment

Each high school commits to:

• Active participation in professional learning opportunities.
• Use the processes learned to identify their core business. 
• Develop the capacity of the faculty to recognize the need and urgency for systemic change.
• Develop the capacity of the faculty to create engaging student work.

Comments from the High Schools  

Dr. James A. Arnold
Principal
W. H. Shaw High School
Muscogee County School District, Columbus, Georgia

“Shaw High School is excited about being a part of the PAGE HS Initiative.  We hope to learn how to work smarter rather than harder at what we do for students.  We also want to serve as a resource for other schools in our district as we improve teaching and learning at our school.  Our teachers feel it's time to take the next step in our growth toward being a true learning community.  Our partnership with PAGE is one of the most important and positive things that has ever happened at Shaw High School.  We could not ask for better support than we get from PAGE.” 

 Phillip Todd
Principal
Oglethorpe County High School
Oglethorpe County School System, Lexington, Georgia                                                                     

“This was an opportunity for us to focus our school improvement goals with research based methods of delivery.  We are always looking for opportunities to have our teachers network with other professionals and draw on the experience of the educators from PAGE.  The chance to meet as a leadership team away from school and to share ideas with other participants in the initiative and the WOW framework for student engagement has reinforced the strategies we use to meet the goals for school improvement.  The opportunity to draw on the resources of PAGE to offer world class staff development that would otherwise be impossible is a real asset to our school.  Our students will benefit from the initiative by improved instruction with a focus on engagement.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be exposed to this level of professional improvement.”

Bruce Potts
Principal
Sonoraville High School
Gordon County School System, Calhoun, Georgia

“One of our teachers convinced us to take a look at what PAGE was offering.  After doing so, we decided that with the newness of our school and the changes in the high school world this would be a great chance for us to look at delivering instruction in a way that would be more meaningful to our students.  One of the biggest things is the idea of thinking about a different way of reaching today’s high school students and the attitude of looking at kids as customers.  We are looking at how we can offer instruction in a more meaningful way.  The High School Redesign Initiative has brought about a mindset that our staff and community should be serving our students as customers.  The greatest benefit of the High School Redesign has been the networking and the resources that PAGE has provided.  This Initiative has challenged our teachers to find a better and more meaningful way to deliver instruction.  It has sparked a true redesign at Sonoraville High School.” 

   Click here for brochure

Meet the HSRI Staff

 

Ricky Clemmons Director High School Redesign Initiative Professional Association of Georgia Educators Ph: 770-216-8555 , Ext. 161 Cell:  404-906-2729 Fax:  866-853-4990 rclemmons@pageinc.org		Marta Walker Assistant Director High School Redesign Initiative P.O. Box 3635 Valdosta, GA 31604-3625 Ph:  229-669-2527  Fax:  866-289-8182 mwalker@pageinc.org
Judy Henry, Ed.D Assistant Director High School Redesign Initiative P.O. Box 447 Dallas, GA 30132 Ph:  678-873-3131 Fax:  866-442-5021 jhenry@pageinc.org		David Reynolds Assistant Director High School Redesign Initiative P.O. Box 340 Chatsworth, GA 30705 Ph:  706-218-1413  Fax:  866-778-8758 dreynolds@pageinc.org

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