I. Welcome and Introductions

• Introductions
  • Kelli O'Loughlin, Chair of Colgan PAC, introduced Colgan’s Administrators present at the meeting, congratulated all the volunteers who offered to serve at PAC Colgan for the School Year 2024-2025, and observed that the Vice-Chair position was the only one still open for volunteers, and if any of the attendees are inclined to serve, to please see her at the end of the meeting.

  II. Chairperson's Time

  • The PAC Chair for Colgan HS welcomed all attendees to the new School Year (SY) 2024-2025. The PAC is open to all. The chair congratulated the students at the PAC meeting that day, as it will allow the PAC to listen to all perspectives.
  • Review and Approve May 2024 Minutes
    • Minutes were approved

  III. School Stakeholder Reports:If you are attending the meeting as a representative of one of these groups, please let the chairperson know prior to the start of the meeting

  • The Superintendent Advisory Council on Instruction (SACI) representative, Mrs. Smith, expressed that SACI finalized the End of the Year Report for the SACI chair to present to the Superintendent. We look forward to hearing details of that meeting’s outcome in October 2025. Equitable budget meetings continue to happen to try to find the best ways for PWCS to be inclusive and mindful of our resources.Be on the lookout for parent surveys on the upcoming PWCS Calendar.

  IV. Principal's Time

  • Welcome and Introduction to the School Continuous Improvement Plan
    • Dr. Healey, Principal at Colgan HS, presented two sets of data points. First, he shared the Accreditation data to examine, and later, the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP), which was distributed next. One of the CIP's goals is to establish an agenda for reviewing these points during the year. The School Division asks Colgan and each of the schools to set up a review of the data now provided.
    • First, Dr. Healey explained the data in the Accreditation Report page by page. Not all the schools’ information has been released yet, so comparable data across the district is not public as of the day of this meeting. The good news is that Colgan did well. However, the state is moving away from this accreditation. This is the last year this system will be used.
    • We will receive a new report for the same SY 23-24 calculated according to the new accreditation system, showing where Colgan would have been under the New Accreditation Model. This report will compare the two accreditation systems.
    • This accreditation data is just one snapshot of what Virginia looks at in public schools, but not all data is represented. We will not see AP testing or SAT results here. There are nine indicators of success right now, all green, showing satisfactory grades. Last year, we had only one yellow, which was still one of the best in PWCS.
    • For example, in terms of academic achievement, achievement gap, in reading, and reading SOLs combined, Colgan reached level 1 on all, which means we are at or above standard. The cumulative three years can be seen in the reading data points because sometimes the system allows us to look at the year prior. Minimum passing grades are 70%. In some groups, we made significant positive jumps, such as going from 85% to 93% in the category of English Learners, and Colgan went from 79% to 92% in the category of Students with Disabilities.
    • In the current accreditation system, we can use substitute testing grades to count as passes within the English categories. This happens with our Special Education cohort and our English Learners. By Federal guidelines, everyone needs to take the SOL, but for VA State accreditation, a substitute qualifying test is valid for graduation and accreditation. Therefore, we will see SOL testing rates alone, which will show lower passing tests.
      • Math: there are no substitute tests, but only one SOL is needed to pass for high school accreditation. This is reflected in the current system. Here, we see big jumps in Students with Disabilities and English Learners and increases in most categories overall.
      • Science: 70% passing is needed, and we maintain a good place there.
      • Chronic Absenteeism: The state defines a student as chronically absent if a student is absent 10% of the total amount of days. Excused or unexcused absences do not alter the classification. The Truancy classification is different: Here, unexcused absences are considered. These are state definitions. Within 180 days of school, a chronically absent student would have missed 18 full days. Colgan received improvement credits due to the reduction of 10% in the gap, even though Colgan did not reach a rate below or at 15%.
      • Graduation/Completion Index: 98.6%. It is worth mentioning that GED students are included here, and English Learners can continue to enroll until the age of 20 to improve their English. Colgan’s Dropout rate is under 1%, which is excellent.
      • College and Career Readiness: 86%. Here, admin would like to showcase their work with externships. These programs allow students to work for two weeks at different pre-approved locations and give a presentation of the work achieved at the end. It started in 2019. It brings incredible value. It used to be a struggle for some seniors to be in class by May, which is understandable as we prepare them to leave high school for new challenges. They need to be ready to move on; this externship allows for a trial.
    • The Colgan Administration would like to point out that these excellent grades should not be taken for granted. Many have said to us in the past, “That is just Colgan,” but that is not the reason for these excellent rates. There is so much one-to-one work involved at the student level, countless hours, and creative approaches to working on these data points. This does not happen by accident.
  • Question: Rana Kahl congratulated the rise in Math scores and asked what the administration would attribute to this rise.
    • Dr. Healey pointed out that PWCS’ math scores are trending in the right direction as a division. Here at Colgan, we have been creating space for a common planning time for teachers, where even Special Education Teachers are included. Key teachers who hold additional certifications are selected to work with special populations. And we have added the Professional development of the seven steps for all learners. Although this is recommended for English classes, we believe it can help everyone. When math teachers see success, their climate of success also improves. This positive environment continues to feed improvements.
  • Regarding Special Ed (SPED)—As I see a drop in numbers within the Special Education data points, I would like clarifications regarding the following: Are we losing SPED students to other programs? Why do we see a drop in test takers? Or is it enrollment?
    • This will be doublechecked, and a data-driven answer will be presented at the next meeting, but for now Dr. Healey explained it is possible that the number of test takers has dropped because more SPED students have passed their SOLs. Previously, they needed to take it multiple times in high school; now, they need one passing math SOL. Once a student has passed one SOL for math in High School, there is no need to pass it again for accreditation purposes. It was also noted that Colgan is about fifty-two students above the budgeted amount.
  • Moving on to the CIP: The strategic plan objectives are very narrowly targeted priorities. This does not mean that these are our only points for improvement at Colgan. At first glance, there is a tendency to ask if other issues are missing importance. However, following the guidance from the county, we only have a few major priorities that the county will look at and align across all other schools. We at Colgan will be looking at many more to improve continually. Colgan is held accountable for these targets.
  • We are now looking at data within the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP). There is no substitute testing for special categories of students, and therefore, lower numbers will be seen in this data report. A new Strategic Priority has been identified for Students with Disabilities to increase their Reading SOL pass rate, independent of the alternative testing methodology. Colgan will continue using both according to the students’ needs, but the SOL passing rate will be given increased attention.
  • On page 7, we can see improvements in less chronically absent seniors. At Colgan, seniors cannot participate in the externship program if chronically absent. This condition improved the data, cutting it almost in half, as seen here. The importance of school attendance was raised during COVID19. Students and families received mixed messages about not attending at the basic level of sickness, and now we are asking all to attend.
  • The three main strategic Priorities agreed upon will be to have a high-functioning PAC as per the new rubric, decrease the percentage of female EL students identified as chronically absent, and increase the reading SOL pass rate for students with disabilities. When Dr. Healey meets with the strategic planning office, Colgan shows proof of how we are meeting these priorities throughout the year. Mrs. McClellan reminded us that this last document will be reviewed several times yearly.
  • Next week, the administrators will bring an update on the budget.

  Comment: We request that SPED students not on SOL tracks be included in the CIP. We do not want their data to fall through the cracks because we need to focus on students taking the SOLs. This request was noted by administrators.

  V. Round Table: Presentation Discussion

  VI. Open Comments

  • We request that a security conversation be added to one of the following meetings.
  • Will our PAC schedule of information and discussion be directed entirely by the rubric? Attendees would like to voice that as a very high functioning PAC as Colgan’s PAC has been, where parents have been able to successfully drive the subjects of discussion as to what the interests of our parents have, Colgan’s PAC should be able to continue to drive some of these important, but Colgan-driven subjects. Several attendees added to this motion of balancing our parents’ needs for Subject-specific interests. The administration specified that they heard the parents here and will look forward to balancing the parents' needs with the county's rubric for PAC.
  • One parent mentioned kids who might have tried to circumvent the Evolv system. Kids must go through the Evolv first and then go out for PE. Colgan is managing the overcapacity issues, but we have not heard this comment before. They will be looking into these processes.
  • Can you discuss the lockdown drill? It is standard in the division. The information was explained during the meeting. For more specific information, contact Colgan Admin.
  • No phones in class and security: If there is an actual situation, phones will be accessible.
  • In the case of a lockdown in one of the neighboring schools, other schools would have directions to follow. A new emergency operations center regulates issues centrally.
  • Underclass award ceremony. Can we add the topic of Inclusion?
  • How are the new cell phone usage rules working? It is going great. There have been no cell phone infractions thus far. Even though students are annoyed, they know this is good for them. Students are being compliant. Teachers are happy to see more interactions and work done in class. Same feedback from other high schools? Some peers would prefer no cell phones during lunch. Still, our experience has proven highly successful and allows students to use it in moderation, as in real work situations.
  • We are in the digital gateway area, and the county is getting areas rezoned to allow for new data centers in the area. One of the areas is less than a mile away.

  Meeting adjourned at 8:27pm.

  Remember to sign in using the QR Code if you haven't already

  **Next meeting: Monday, October 14, 2024, 7 pm in the Colgan Library

I. Welcome and Introductions

• Please remember to sign in using the QR code

II. Chairperson's Time

• • Review and Approve September 2024 Minutes
  • Announce need on PAC Board
  • Vice-Chair Nominations (if any)
  • Special Recognitions
  • CIP questions for September
    • County Rubric for High Functioning PAC (cover in Principal's time)
    • Other questions after time for reviewing CIP document
  • Review of Questions asked at Open Comment
    • Clarify data on # of Math Special Ed students

III. School Stakeholder Reports:If you are attending the meeting as a representative of one of these groups, please let the chairperson know prior to the start of the meeting

• (PTSO, Athletic Boosters, CFPA, Student Leadership, SACI, Other)

IV. Principal's Time

• Enrollment and Staffing update. Budget update if available
• Standards of Excellence for Advisory Councils

V. Round Table Time: Presentation Discussion

VI. Open Comments

• a time to bring up issues for discussion at our next meeting
• open discussion of the issue will be limited until appropriate information can be gathered