Arendell Parrot Academy

APA AdvancED 

Comprehensive Contextual Narrative

Standard 1:  Vision and Purpose

Arendell Parrott Academy’s vision is clearly stated in its Philosophy, Objectives, and Mission Statement. Its stakeholders include students, parents, faculty, staff, administration, Board of Trustees, and the larger “school family” (grandparents, friends, longtime supporters, and alumni).  Communication of the school’s vision has been a priority throughout its history.  An in-depth annual report profiles academic achievements, co-curricular programs and accomplishments, curriculum innovations, institutional initiatives and capital campaigns, and accurate financial data. The school also annually revises and publishes a Student Handbook which enunciates the school vision,  profiles the Honor Code and discipline policies, and provides both academic and graduation requirements.  Curriculum expectations are updated and published in a Curriculum Guide available to parents, and individual course outlines are maintained by the guidance office. The Parrott Post school newspaper (print and online) provides stakeholders with current stories about activities, and classes that demonstrate how the school’s vision is being met.   Through the school’s website, parents and students are advised about the school’s mission, its academic expectations, individual course assignments, academic and co-curricular activities, and examples of student achievements.

The Academy community is organized so that the Board of Trustees, faculty departments and divisions, parent support groups (the Mothers’ Committee, the Patriot Booster Club, the Friends of the Fine Arts), and the Student Government Association are the primary organizations representing different stakeholder groups. During the past five years, all these have been represented on the SACS Reaccreditation School Improvement Team (2007), the Head of School Search Committees (2007 and 2010), and the Long Range Planning Committee (2010).  Each of these ad hoc committees reviewed the school’s vision and data of its performance in meeting that vision, reviewed current trends in education, sought stakeholder input through widely distributed surveys, and hosted community meetings for direct discussion of strengths and weaknesses in meeting the vision.

Through the School Profile, the Annual Report, the School Improvement Plan, and the Long Range Plan, a data-based profile indicates how effectively the Academy’s organization realizes its mission statement.  The key indicator of success is graduation rates and college acceptance trends among senior students.  Recruitment, enrollment, and retention data provide valuable feedback on the school’s ability to live out its vision. Demographic data on student diversity (including ethnic and economic diversity) is maintained, as the Academy takes steps to broaden its student body.  By monitoring the numbers of students involved in arts, athletics, and community service, the school gauges success in addressing student growth in all domains, a key component of the mission statement.  Results of the standardized testing program (Terra Nova Achievement, PSAT and SAT , ACT, Cognitive Abilities Test, and AP scores) are synthesized with individual student awards and recognitions to provide a portrait of the school’s progress in stimulating maximum intellectual growth. Faculty members are apprised of these indicators of student achievement; continuing to insure that faculty participate in an overview of such data on an annual basis is an important goal.  

Faculty members are charged with the responsibility of annually reviewing the school’s mission statement, philosophy, and objectives, and designing curriculum and instructional strategies that move students towards meeting the school’s stated objectives. In designing classes and programs, faculty members work in close consultation with the Headmaster and Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs. Departmental and divisional meetings of faculty are the key forums for reviewing student characteristics and student engagement, and developing instructional strategies to meet individual student needs while stimulating maximum intellectual development.

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: providing more opportunities for meaningful interdepartmental and interdivisional dialogue on maximizing each student’s learning potential; synchronizing the current long-range planning process with the school improvement planning process to provide more frequent systematic updates and directional changes where needed;  and developing a capital campaign to support expansion of facilities, especially for fine arts, media, and computer technology.

Standard 2:  Governance and Leadership

Throughout its 46 years as an educational institution, Arendell Parrott Academy has maintained strong governance and leadership through following the by-laws under which the school was established.  This document clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the Board of Trustees and its relationship with the school’s leadership and has been revised as the Academy has grown and matured.  The Board of Trustees includes a variety of stakeholder groups—parents, grandparents, and alumni.  It maintains long-term stability by offering extensive orientation of new Board members and retaining  Board members for as long as they wish to serve.  A group of Honorary Board members is also available as a resource for current school leaders.  The Board has recently codified its past policies into a single document. Through weekly meetings between the Board president and headmaster, monthly meetings with the Executive Committee, and ten meetings per year of the full Board, the Board of Trustees monitors the administration’s performance. The Board commissions and approves a long-range plan for the school’s development and a five-year school improvement plan; these are the two primary structures for continuous improvement of the Academy’s ability to achieve its vision.  

 An organizational flow chart, provided to all faculty members, delineates the communication channels among the Board, the administration, faculty leadership, faculty members, non-instructional personnel, and support staff.  In addition, a student handbook for parents and students and a faculty handbook document school policies. Through departments and divisions, individual faculty members form cooperative peer learning communities; additionally, site-based workshops and symposia allow teachers to engage in reflection and professional growth.  In addition to existing professional development funds, a new fund had been initiated to support graduate school work by teachers and staff .  Administrators are responsible for assessing each faculty member’s teaching strengths and learning style and match professional development with these factors.   The Academy’s evaluation model for faculty members includes an individual annual conference with teachers, teaching assistants, and non-teaching personnel to reflect on performance and set goals for improvement.  A collegial environment allows faculty members and administrators to confer frequently on instructional practices and communication issues.  New teachers are given an experienced faculty mentor to guide development of instructional and communication strategies appropriate to the school’s culture. 

Professional development for instructional and non-instructional personnel follows a collaborative model with conferences between staff members and administrators to assess and plan for individual growth.  School leadership does not rely exclusively on a top-down prescriptive approach to the professional development of instructional and non-instructional staff.

School leaders collect a wide range of test and performance data on individual learners, as well as monitoring trends in the performance of class groups.  Because the school’s mission is to develop each student’s potential across a range of domains, individual accomplishments and honors are also recognized as a significant source of data. Philosophically, the school leadership and faculty believe that statistical performance data should be an important but not dominant force in shaping curriculum.  Qualitative  responses from parents, students, and alumni are viewed as important forms of data.

Because the Academy has chosen not to develop administrative directors of the Lower, Middle, and High School, individual teachers play a large leadership role in development of curriculum and policies concerning student life.  The school has a tradition of consulting faculty on major issues, and faculty representatives have served on the Long Range Plan Committee, the Headmaster Search Committee, and make up the majority of the School Improvement Team. Through the Student Government Association and student representatives on a variety of committees, school leadership listens to student input on a number of important issues.

A broad range of stakeholder participation in school improvement takes place through departmental and divisional meetings; stakeholder support groups such as the Mothers Committee, the Patriot Booster Club, and the Friends of the Fine Arts; and surveys of students, parents, faculty, and alumni.

Over the past decade, the student body has become increasingly diverse, and all students have equal access to curricular and extracurricular activities.  The effectiveness of administrators, faculty members, and students in creating a school culture of civility, respect, and  high expectations is borne out by survey responses indicating the number one reason that parents choose Arendell Parrott Academy for their children is the safe and secure environment it provides. The school’s  historically high student retention rate (96% for 2011-2012) is evidence of  the positive school culture. Also, as part of the commitment to continuous improvement, the Academy’s efforts to embody its motto of “Honor, Initiative, and Truth” have benn enhanced by expanding the fall Honor Convocation to include middle school students.

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: reconsidering administrative organizational structure to better serve a growing school; reviewing the present evaluation system for faculty, administrators, and staff; creating specific guidelines for mentors; enhancing use of site-based workshops and professional development; and increasing Board of Trustee visibility within the school.

Standard 3: Teaching and Learning

As an independent school, Arendell Parrott Academy has created a curriculum that meets the school’s vision of stimulating maximum intellectual development, builds upon and enhances the best of what North Carolina public schools do, and meets state and national learning standards.  Individual faculty members have the autonomy to create a curriculum that provides a knowledge base and stimulates development of critical, reflective, and creative thinking.  All Advanced Placement courses have syllabi  aligned with the College Board national standards.  Annual testing results at each grade level provide statistical verification that curriculum is aligned with state and national standards and expectations. A written curriculum guide and course outlines are developed by faculty, reviewed by administrators, and revised as needed.  Through continuous school improvement and long-range planning, stakeholders review research and trends in education, as well as survey the school community.  Throughout this process, curriculum is evaluated and revised to improve student learning outcomes.

A core component of the Academy’s philosophy is the promotion and development of young learners’ natural curiosity.  Teachers balance innovative hands-on learning opportunities, technology, and creative projects with traditional directed learning, promoting listening and writing skills. The school provides ample critical feedback to guide student learning, and faculty members embrace and excel at individual conferencing to facilitate each student’s maximum development.  In the past five years, faculty members have through individual research and professional development strengthened their understanding of platform neurodevelopmental skills and individual learning differences.  Through multiple extracurricular opportunities tied to the curriculum, the school allows students to deepen their understanding of the connection between knowledge learned in the classroom and applications in real life. 

Individual teachers have the latitude to choose the most appropriate forms of assessing student learning. Past school improvement plans guided faculty in implementing more writing-based and reading-based assessments.  More professional development and more inter-departmental and inter-divisional dialogue about developing formative assessment will allow the faculty  to continue improving teaching and learning at the Academy.  Additionally, faculty have kept abreast of evolving  research in different learning styles, and the school’s curriculum offers accelerated opportunities for academically talented students and more fundamental instruction for those needing more instructional support.  An Academic Center works closely with faculty members to support students in meeting the school’s learning expectations.  The Academy exposes students to cultural differences and fosters understanding and tolerance for them; however, the curriculum does not offer differentiated instruction based on cultural or ethnic background. (Only rarely has the Academy enrolled a student who cannot show some English proficiency, for example.)  Instructional delivery is adapted to meet needs based on learning differences, while the faculty consistently holds the expectation that each student fulfill his or her potential for intellectual development.

Teachers collaborate on analyzing students’ learning strengths and weaknesses through departmental meetings and, more frequently, informal consultations.  Teachers continue to work on expanding collaborative and reflective opportunities, particularly among divisions.   The Academy expects all teachers to be learners, to keep abreast of trends in education, and to deepen their own knowledge base and passion for their discipline.  Through the Hobgood Faculty Endowment and other funding, the school supports teachers in this quest. 

As extra-curricular and co-curricular opportunities for students have expanded at the Academy, the faculty has expressed a continuing concern that instructional time be prioritized through minimizing interruptions. The Long Range Plan adopted in 2010 calls for investigating alternative scheduling strategies for the school day.

The strengths and weaknesses of each student in grades 6 through 12 are assessed by administrators and faculty during the scheduling process, and  the student’s individual class schedule is customized to reflect learning differences.  The school Testing Coordinator monitors and documents accommodated learning and testing opportunities for students identified as needing them, and a plan is put in place.

Following a comprehensive technology plan updated every five years, the school has provided up-to-date communication and learning technology for students and faculty.  Continuing professional development and informal collaboration among teachers develop multiple applications of technology, and the administration has expanded teachers’ access to technology resources through SAS Curriculum Pathways, NCAIS Virtual, Naviance, etc. 

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: implementing strategies to protect and maximize the use of instructional time at all levels of the school; increasing intentional coordination among all levels of school to better articulate and align curriculum; expanding and improving  staff and students’ access to instructional technology and a materials collection that support the curricular and instructional program.

Standard 4:  Documenting and Using Results

Through a balanced review of standardized test scores and the individual student’s entire body of work, Arendell Parrott Academy assesses the progress of individual as well as student groups to maximize their learning potential.  Each teacher is responsible for measuring student learning and using assessments aligned with the learning objectives for the specific coursework.  A varied array of objective tests, written responses, oral responses, laboratory work, technology-based assignments, and creative projects provides a multi-dimensional view of student learning.  Middle grades begin cumulative assessments with the core disciplines of math and English at grade seven and add science exams at the eighth grade level.  All high school students are required to take midterm and final exams in core subject areas of English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language.  Juniors and seniors are allowed exemptions as outlined in the student handbook.  The A.P. exam serves as the final exam for Advanced Placement courses.

The school maintains an annual standardized testing program for grades one through twelve.  Students in grades one through nine take the Terra Nova CAT Test, students in grade six take the Otis Lennon Skills Ability Test, students in grade ten take the Test of Cognitive Skills, and students in grade eleven take the PSAT; seniors’ scoring profile on the SAT forms a final nationally normed, standardized performance measure.  Additionally, the administration and faculty analyze test results on individual A.P. exams, as well as overall trends in A.P. exam performance by high school students.

A testing coordinator ensures that protocols for all standardized tests are rigorously followed.  Performance data for all students in grades one through twelve is easily accessible in a notebook.  The headmaster and associate headmaster review testing data in correlation with individual student performance each marking period. The only subgroup analysis that is done is tracking SAT scores by gender.  Otherwise, all students are held to the same high expectations for student learning at APA.

Lower school teachers provide data from testing and classroom observations that is helpful in student placement for the next academic year.  Students in grades six through twelve have individually designed schedules to maximize their potential.  This scheduling uses performance data and student/parent conferencing to place each student in the most challenging coursework for his or her potential.*Decisions to add a course to the curriculum (for example, offering A.P. English Language or re-introducing Phenomenon of Language at grade seven) grow out of data on student learning trends.  Any team convened for the purpose of assessing and enhancing individual student’s progress will include staff members knowledgeable about the student as well as a staff member skilled in data analysis and interpretation.

The system for collecting and maintaining student performance data developed by the Board or Trustees and the Headmaster balances confidentiality and security with the needs of administrators, faculty, parents, and students.  A recently constructed records room has enhanced security and organization of student records while allowing convenient faculty access to the data through the testing coordinator. Through continuously updated documentation – including a School Profile, an Annual Report, a Long Range Plan, and a School Improvement Plan – faculty members, families, and students can monitor trends in overall student performance. The Micrograde computer system allows students to keep abreast of classroom assessments throughout the grading period.

The Academy fosters excellence in academics, arts, athletics, and civic service by recognizing its students’ successes.  A monthly Education Report prepared for the Board of Trustees is emailed to all families; induction ceremonies for academic, arts, and service honor organizations are held for students and their families; awards ceremonies for academics, arts, and athletics cap each school year; and bulletin boards and school displays publish students’ best work for the student body and visitors to enjoy.

From the Board of Trustees to individual faculty members the learning community of Arendell Parrott Academy keeps track of student performance and learning initiatives in other regional and state schools.  The administration also measures Academy students’ standardized test scores against state and national averages.  Using this data, the school assesses its effectiveness in stimulating maximum intellectual, creative, social, physical, and moral development of its students.  In comparative analysis of standardized test data, the administration and faculty review results longitudinally over a three-year, five-year, or longer time frame.  Smaller class sizes at the school mean one or two individuals’ scores may have a broader impact on the portrait of the group; therefore, it is critical to consider both quantitative and qualitative performance data, on-site classroom assessments, and nationally normed test data.  The school’s tradition of stability and continuity ensures that it does not follow a short sighted program of constant readjustment based on ephemeral trends in performance data or pedagogical approaches.  Because of its vision to develop the student’s potential in a variety of domains, the school fosters and evaluates achievement across many dimensions.

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: studying curriculum and skill mastery across all grade levels to better align curriculum and eliminate gaps in skill mastery of core academic subjects; improving faculty-administration collaboration on class placement of students; investigating increased flexibility in scheduling, expanded course offerings; additions to faculty, and expanded space to enhance the learning process.

Standard 5: Resources and Support Systems

All faculty members at Parrott Academy are degreed and teaching in field, and the majority hold a state teaching certificate.  All classroom teachers in Transition through fifth grade hold a North Carolina state teaching certificate.  Additionally, every faculty member must meet the state-mandated continuing education requirement for renewal of certification.  The school attracts and retains highly qualified teachers by providing compensation competitive with the total compensation of public school teachers in surrounding counties. The Board also offers a benefits package including a retirement program, 80% coverage of premiums for group health insurance, and disability and life insurance.  Equally important, teachers cite the family atmosphere, school culture of respect and high expectations as major incentives to work at the Academy.  Average teacher tenure is 17 years; 27 faculty members have served 20 or more years. 

Any teacher hired must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and be highly qualified in his or her discipline; 25 faculty members hold advanced degrees.  Each new teacher is assigned a mentor for the first three years of teaching, and informal mentoring relationships thrive between older and younger teachers.  The N.C. Department of Public Instruction has allowed the Academy to develop a program of certificate renewal for teachers, as well as a three-year mentoring program allowing teachers with initial licensure teaching certificates to progress to a Standard Professional II certificate. Teachers spend a majority of the day instructing in a core area matching their degree field. Through experience, observation of strengths, and individual conferences, the Headmaster adapts staffing assignments to maximize the alignment between a teacher’s qualifications and student needs.

The teaching staff collaborates through departments and divisions.  Using regular meetings, peer coaching, and shared inquiry into effective teaching methods, teachers continuously develop their knowledge and pedagogical skills.  Through the most recent school improvement plan, three faculty-wide symposia have addressed leading topics in contemporary education, while middle school faculty engaged in an additional symposium on the unique needs of middle school learners.

In the Academy’s most recent long range planning process (Parrott 2010), a committee representing all stakeholders used surveys and inquiry into best educational practices to evaluate the school’s student-staff ratio.  Guided by NAIS standards for class size, the Board reorganized the lower school to offer three smaller classes per grade, constructing a new classroom building to accommodate this re-organization. 

Prudence and stewardship guide the Board of Trustees and administration in financial decision-making.  The school does not rely on tuition dollars to build new facilities.  Assessing needs, forming a long-range plan, communicating goals to stakeholders, and conducting targeted fundraising campaigns have been the steps for renovating and creating excellent facilities.  The Mothers’ Committee, Patriot Booster Club, and Friends of the Fine Arts provide funding and logistical support for instructional and extracurricular programming.  Through its Annual Report and a capital fundraising “report card” sent to all families and faculty members, the Board and administration keep stakeholders apprised of income, expenditures, and funding priorities.  The Board receives monthly budget reports, and a financial audit by a CPA is conducted annually. 

Maintaining safe, attractive campus facilities is central to the Academy’s mission of creating a nurturing, supportive learning environment. In addition to required inspections by local and state government agencies, the school receives an annual risk management review by its insurance company.  A detailed crisis management plan, tornado shelter plan, and fire evacuation procedure are reviewed and practiced annually.   Maintenance, housekeeping staff, and faculty follow a clear procedure for reporting and responding to classroom, building, and campus needs.  Student achievement and an atmosphere conducive to learning are the primary considerations in utilizing campus spaces; renovations and reorganization of space over the past five years have allowed instructional programs to grow.

The school’s guidance program fosters each student’s intellectual, social, and emotional development.  A middle school counselor, high school guidance counselor, and high school college adviser collaborate to guide learners in transitioning from elementary school to college. A program of home calls and emails  supports  new students and their families in adapting to the Academy’s learning environment.   Classroom teachers who recognize a student’s need for therapeutic services work with a resource team of administrative, guidance, and health personnel to coordinate referral to professional counselors. Educational and career planning are accomplished through college advising sessions, internships, shadowing, summer learning opportunities, and engaging in community service.  The guidance staff,  Academic Center, faculty members,  Headmaster, and two Assistant Headmasters support all students  in reaching their intellectual potential by carefully monitoring  individual assessments, mid-marking period progress, and marking period grades.

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: providing a more formal faculty observation system, increasing staff development opportunities for faculty, funding graduate school studies for faculty, improving communication of expectations to mentor teachers, and ensuring that long-range budgeting plans reflect educational goals.

Standard 6:  Stakeholder Communications and Relationships

The philosophy of Arendell Parrott Academy envisions highly qualified teachers working in partnership with parents and families to support students in learning across a variety of domains.  Achieving more effective communication and collaboration within the school community has been a priority for the past forty-six years. 

Today, the school maintains valuable partnerships with community entities and individual leaders who mentor and inspire students.  Though there is no highly organized structure for achieving this collaboration, individual teachers, club and activity advisers, and administrators communicate with a variety of community organizations and business leaders to arrange learning opportunities for APA students.  The school’s SERV Society, guided by a director of community service, has taken a leadership role in this area. 

Within the Academy family, regular communication is a priority.  The school utilizes multiple media-- its website, The Parrott Post newspaper (both print and online editions), stories in local and regional newspapers, an annual report, community meetings, and email communication (monthly activity calendars, monthly educational report)-- to inform parents, grandparents, alumni, students, and school supporters about individual students’ successes and the school’s goals, programs, and overall effectiveness. 

Parents and family members are welcome at the school as observers, supporters, and volunteer presenters.  An annual Grandparents’ and Special Person’s Day allows classroom visits and special activities in the Lower School.  An active Mothers’ Committee spearheads a formal volunteer program, while the Patriot Booster Club involves parents in supporting athletics and Friends of the Fine Arts mobilizes parents to give material and logistical support to music, drama, dance, and visual arts programs. 

Although parents are not routinely observers in the classroom, faculty emails and web pages keep them abreast of progress in individual classrooms.  In addition to the Back to School Night classroom visits, parents are encouraged to arrange individual and team conferences with faculty members.  Additionally, the Guidance Department provides a series of presentations for parents and students featuring experts who discuss how to support student learning. 

Because the student body is drawn from eleven different counties, geographical diversity is as important at the Academy as cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity.  With a community of highly involved parents from diverse backgrounds, the school has experienced participation and volunteering from a wide range of parents. 

From the school admissions tour and interview, the Curriculum Guide, the Student Handbook, and individual teachers’ Back to School Night presentations and websites, students and parents gain a clear understanding of the Academy’s high expectations for intellectual growth and character development. Parents are encouraged to confer with faculty members and administrators when any questions arise about the student’s effort to achieve his or her maximum potential.

The Academy has continuously developed and improved communication with stakeholders.  The Micrograde online program allows students and parents to review an individual learner’s performance on classroom assignments.   Numerous governing body reports—the Annual Report, the Long Range Plan, the monthly Board Education Report— provide an array of stakeholders with information on student performance and institutional initiative. The school keeps students, families, alumni, and friends informed and invested in its educational mission.  Through sharing information, seeking stakeholder involvement, and evaluating constructive feedback, the Academy involves the school community and the broader community in supporting student learning.  

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns: developing a dialogue with parents about maximizing use of communication tools such as Micrograde and the school website.

Standard 7: Commitment to Continuous Improvement

Through a long-range planning process (most recently completed in 2010) and a school improvement plan reviewed annually and updated every five years, Arendell Parrott Academy continually assesses its ability to   improve student learning and development across the intellectual, creative, social, physical, and moral domains.  Departments and divisions, which meet at least twice a year function as the key teams which act upon and monitor the plan. Board members, parents, faculty, and students are represented on a variety of committees, and community meetings are held for direct parent input.  The school has surveyed its stakeholders for input on improvement three times since 2007.  Co-curricular and extra-curricular programs play an important role in supporting and carrying out the school’s plan for continuous improvement.  Professional development through on-site workshops and colloquia, as well as off-site conferences and workshops, empowers teachers to meet the school improvement plan goals. The use of technology has played an increasing role in giving teachers greater professional development options.  The administration’s monthly education report to the Board of Trustees, which is a natural outgrowth of school improvement goals, is also sent to faculty and parents.  The school’s Annual Report highlights quantitative and qualitative data on student learning. 

The school improvement plan includes strategies for measuring organizational effectiveness and progress in improvement goals, while trends in enrollment and retention of students provide an important external measure of student achievement and the school’s effectiveness.  By analyzing student performance in areas targeted by the school improvement plan, administrators, individual faculty members, departments, and divisions revise strategies for implementation. 

By reflecting on evidence of student learning, surveying educational research and best practices, as well as sharing performance results and listening to stakeholder input, the school leadership and faculty continuously assess progress in improving the school.  This multi-dimensional process ensures that the school community remains committed to empowering students to fulfill their learning potential.

The following areas of focus for continuous improvement synthesize stakeholder concerns:  integrating the Board-authorized Long Range Planning process and its goals with the School Improvement Process goals, systematically communicating clearly defined objectives to all faculty and other stakeholder, and improving systematic documentation and evaluation of continuous improvement for the Academy.  


UA-31526940-1