Western+Hills+Middle+School

= Western Hills Middle School =

Lauren Turgeon
//**The mission of Western Hills Middle School, a safe, inclusive, and personalized learning community, is to provide a coherent, rigorous curriculum in a manner that ensures success for every student through best teaching practices, and varied learning opportunities and supports, in order to develop in students a love for learning, the capacity to apply knowledge to solve problems, a respect for diversity, and an understanding of the importance of community and personal responsibility.** //

Introduction
Western Hills Middle School is located on 400 Phenix Avenue in Cranston, RI. Situated in the suburban locale of western Cranston, Western Hills consists of grades 6-8th and is home to approximately 1100 students, 100 teachers, and their mascot the Cobras. The administration of the school is headed by the efforts of Principal, Mr. Anthony Corrente, and the Assistant Principal, Ms. Magnelli. In this report the demographics, student performance, school environment, and the relationship between Western Hills and the community will all be discussed in hopes to fully describe Western Hills Middle School. These four topics will be able to give any students, parents, administrators, or just inquiring minds an inside look on Western Hills.

Demographics
The demographic break down of Western Hills shows an almost equal division of students between its three grade levels and an equal divide between the gender of its 1100 students. There is little ethnic diversity to be had at Western Hills with: 83% of its students being Caucasian in the last SALT reports, 8% claimed multiple ethnicities, 4% of students Hispanic or Latino, and 3% Asian. Additionally, 94% of students claimed that the language they spoke most often at home was English, and Spanish second with 2% of the student population. Along with its limited ethnic diversity, Western Hills also has little economic diversity. Only 7% of students claimed to receive free lunch and 5% received reduced-price lunch at school, leaving 88% of students not participating in the free or reduced-priced lunch program. Finally, 74% of students stated in the 07-08 SALT report that they lived with both parents and 53% of students had mothers who received college degrees along with 51% of their fathers. This data shows Western Hills as a predominantly English-speaking, Caucasian school where students are generally coming from financially secure families whose parents have received adequate education which will usually correlate with equal or greater educational opportunities for the students.

Student Performance


In the 2007-2008 school year, the majority of students at Western Hills were proficient or proficient with distinction in the NECAP assessments. In 6th grade, 65% of students scored proficient or higher in mathematics and 79% scored proficient or higher in reading. For 7th graders, 59% scored proficiency or higher in math and 86% scored proficiency in reading. Western Hills' 8th graders scored with 52% of students proficient in math, 73% proficient in reading, and 46% proficient in writing. These scores are higher than the average scores for all Rhode Island middle schools. As a whole, 59% of Western Hills' students received proficient reading scores on the 2007-2008 NECAPs while the state average is only 50%. Similarly for mathematics, 79% of Western Hills' students were proficient versus only 64% for the average Rhode Island middle schools. Furthermore, in writing 46% of students at Western Hills received proficient scores with only 41% of the average Rhode Island middle school students receiving proficient scores. Finally according to the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA), this school is making adequate yearly progress. Out of Western Hills' fifteen targets that were evaluated, all fifteen were met. Additionally, Western Hills has improved their index scores progressively. During the 2005-2006 school year the mathematics index score for Rhode Island was 78, Western Hills scored 83. From 2006-2008 the state index score went from 78 to 80 and Western Hills from 83 to 84. Similarly in English Language Arts, Rhode Island's index scores in the 2005-2006 school year 84 and Western Hills scored 90. From 2006-2008 the state's index score went from 84 to 86 and Western Hills' went from 90 to 91. This data shows Western Hills as a consistently high performing middle school that produces high scoring students and has repeatedly met the NCLBA standards.

School Environment
Having a positive school environment is one of the most crucial aspects in a student having a effective and productive educational experience. According to 07-08 SALT survey report, Western Hills' students reported their school's environment to be a very safe and nurturing climate. In this survey, 70% of students claimed to never have had a fear of being hurt at school and 92% have never experienced actual violence while in the school Additionally, only 35% of students have been robbed at least once and only 11% of students at Western Hills have ever been offered drugs in school. Finally, approximately 55% of Western Hills' students felt a sense of belonging in their school, compared to the state's middle school average of only 45%. Overall, this data portrays Western Hills Middle School as a safe school where students feel safe and are able to have a positive learning atmosphere.

Relationship Between Western Hills and Community
In the 2007-2008 SALT survey reports, only 35% of teachers agreed that parent involvement in school governance was essential to an effective education. Additionally, parent responses in the survey show that only 50% of parents thought Western Hills did well at contacting them if their student was having an issue in school and only 20% of parents felt that Western Hills did well in arranging parent-teacher conferences. Furthermore, 80% of parents with students in Western Hills Middle School agreed that the school viewed parents as an important part of the educational process. However, barely 50% of parents thought that Western Hills did well in including parents on various school committees. Around 85% of parents also responded that they felt that the Cranston community supported Western Hills but only 45% of teachers responded that they were satisfied with the extent to which the local parents and community support the school and its programs. Western Hills teachers claim to not see parents as an essential part of the educational process but are unsatisfied with parental support they receive. Parent responses disagreed with the teachers, as the majority of parents thought the community was very supportive of the school and most felt that the school did view them as integral to an effective education. On the whole, there appears to be a disconnect between parents and Western Hills Middle School based on the data from the SALT survey.

Conclusion[[image:cobraR.gif align="right"]]
The NECAP test scores from Western Hills' students are higher than the state averages, they have consecutively met NCLBA standards, and SALT survey reports shows students consistently feeling safe and welcome in the school environment. Although lacking ethnic and economic diversity among its students and conflicting opinions amongst parents and teachers, Western Hills Middle School is overall a well performing, safe, suburban school in the Cranston Public School District.