Rock Ridge High School

Loudoun County Public Schools

Comprehensive Needs Assessment - Executive Summary

LCPS School Profile

Virginia School Quality Profile

Rock Ridge High School is beginning its ninth year and has identified areas of growth for a post pandemic setting by reviewing both qualitative and quantitative data with the administrative team, student support team, department teams, and with our parents and community at various parent coffee meetings. We also continue to build on last year’s School improvement plan and  comprehensive needs assessment based on data from our school quality profile and Qlik data.

Rock Ridge High School has high expectations and a staff that collaborates in learning teams on a regular basis. We are vested in Wave 5 of Personalized Learning and after an initial committee implemented PD focusing on student ownership and reflection, we have rolled it out school-wide and incorporated student comprehensive goal setting into our advisory periods. Surveys of staff, students, and parents indicate teachers set high expectations, emphasize critical thinking and problem solving, and care about how students do. The school is a safe place to learn and we empower all students to make meaningful contributions to the world.

There is a continued need to work on communication and academic support in math sub groups, especially with differentiation for our special education and EL students with an equity lens. Teachers will focus on PD opportunities to enhance communication, data analysis, PL experiences, and strategies in math and literacy. We will implement math support study halls and analyze data to measure effectiveness. There is a need for the Student Support Team And Unified Mental Health Team to support and identify individualized student issues through Sources of Strength as students return from the pandemic. We have seen mental health  manifest in absenteeism and low grades during the pandemic and will continue to support individual students and their needs. Our UMHT and Equity team continue to make our students’ mental health and well-being a central focus.

 Rock Ridge High School provides extended learning opportunities for all stakeholders with a focus on personalized learning with a focus on social emotional learning built on a culturally responsive framework. Students will participate in advisory lessons to support individual goal setting with a focus on personalized learning as we continue with Wave 5 PL. As such, the staff will take part in PD opportunities which will guide them as they work within their CLT’s to  with a culturally responsive lens and emotionally supportive learning environment.  Parent coffees, meet and greets and informational sessions will be provided to parents and community members as well. Each will focus on topics which reflect the key components of personalized learning, social-emotional learning and culturally responsive instruction. These extended learning opportunities will engage all stakeholders while strengthening relationships and garnering trust.  

Through the pandemic, Rock Ridge High School has continued to achieve at high levels in comparison to local, state and national standards.  Specifically, RRHS hosts the Washington Post and Region 4 teacher of the Year, is recognized for multiple National Merit Semi-Finalists, hosts a nationally recognized fine/performing  arts program, has the #2 DECA program in the world and, best of all, has a 100% graduation rate over a three year time period.  We are a community that is proud of our diversity and we find creative ways to celebrate it through activities, affinity groups and, above all, targeted and meaningful instruction.  Our staff proudly focuses on professional development and opportunities to collaborate as vital to our growth as a learning community.  Our primary focus remains building empathy with our students through celebrating the contributions of all learners.  This strong core belief helped us survive and thrive through a pandemic.

Student survey data shows that teachers at this school care about students and students want to learn as much as they can. Students feel safe and honored. Teacher survey data shows there is collaboration, communication, and professional trust among staff members. School leadership is receptive to various points of view and encourages growth.  Parent survey data shows teachers care about how students do, the school respects diversity and welcomes all cultures, and the school provides a safe and orderly environment for learning.

Survey data and the VDOE Federal Accountability Detail Report show few gaps in climate, student achievement and enrollment data.  Our focus as we return to a normal school setting will be primarily on the following:

1. Analysis of “live” data with iReady and MAP as guideposts.
2. Student ownership and reflection
3. Community and students engagement
4. Mental Health/wellness
5. Authentic Learning Experiences

We have established specific goals tied to consistent Professional development that will be designed to focus on wide-spread UMHT and WAVE5 Personalized Learning.  Professional development will focus on wellness, student reflection and the interactive sequence in live instruction.  The  Unified Mental Health Team and Student Support Team will collaborate and focus on creative, individualized plans for students with needs.  Central to all will be purposeful reading initiatives.

The most critical structures to focus on will be effective CLTs as they relate to measurable outcomes.  Professional Development will also need to be monitored closely to measure effectiveness especially as it focuses on student support for all students.