• Category 1

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 268
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 31%
    White/Caucasian: 31%
    Hispanic: 33%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:27
    % Reduced Lunch: 86%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 2015
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Wynn Whittington
  • CONTACT:
    2065 Warren Drive
    Winterville, NC 28590
    252-493-7824
    wynn.whittington@pitt.k12.nc.us
Pitt County Schools Early College High School
Winterville, NC
Relationships with your students do not cost a thing and their value is immeasurable.
Describe the most successful activity your school has initiated to strengthen ties to your community.
Relationships drive what we do here. We strive to meet the social, emotional, and physical needs of students first. Once we meet these needs, we can meet their academic needs. Often these have to be done simultaneously. Students here know that their teachers love and care for them and they feel a connection with them. When asked what makes our school different from others they have attended, one student responded, “You care about us as individuals and allow us to be independent”. Our relationships extend to families to ensure student growth and achievement. We spend time in conversation with families in order to remove or circumnavigate obstacles that stand in the student’s way. Opportunities exist for students to share what’s going on outside of school that is having an impact on their learning which helps relieve a burden on the student and parent while fostering the relationship with the student. "Relationships with your students do not cost a thing and their value is immeasurable."
Describe your philosophy of school change or improvement.
It has ben said that "a change imposed is a change opposed" and we only make changes when necessary. We meet regularly as a staff and look at ways to improve our school. All stakeholders have input and we achieve consensus when making changes.
What are your school’s top two goals for the next year?
1.Continue to Change Lives FOREVER

2. Increase Student Growth and Proficiency.
What is the single most important factor in the success of your school that others could replicate?
Taking the time to build relationships with students and supporting them socially, emotionally, and physically. Supporting them in these areas is crucial if you are going to meet their academic needs.
Describe the program or initiative that has had the greatest positive effect on student achievement, including closing achievement or opportunity gaps, if applicable.
We do not have one program or initiative that has had the greatest impact. It is a combination of relationships, school culture, small class sizes, and a commitment to change lives forever. We are a family and that mindset is our driver.
Explain how ESEA federal funds are used to support your improvement efforts.
For the last two years, we have utilized Title1 funds to hire an additional teacher. In the 2016-2017 school year, a math teacher was employed to reduce class size. In 2017-2018 a science teacher was employed to do the same. With the additional staff, class size average has dropped from 27 to 21 students. Title 1 funds are also used to support parental involvement and to implement a one-to-one technology initiative. Technology and internet access are no longer a substantive barrier for students. Through Title I funds, each student has access to a device and access to a portable internet hotspot. Students have 100% access to their technology device throughout the day and 100% of those with a need have utilized the hotspots. This availability of technology allows teachers to use their knowledge of digital learning best practices to provide the high quality instruction and learning activities integrating technology and other resources.
Identify the critical professional development activities you use to improve teaching and student learning.
Professional Development opportunities are driven by state/district initiatives, individual teacher professional development plans, teacher working conditions survey results, and the desire to take a different approach to teaching and learning. Teachers and support staff decided on professional development topics based on the needs of our students as a result of teacher observations, lesson reflection, and a commitment to maximizing resources provided. This professional development resulted in high student proficiency performance across all subjects but particularly in the areas of Math I where 93.3% of the students were proficient, Biology where 95% of the students were proficient, and English II where 81% of the students were proficient. Early Dismissal every Friday provides teachers with two and a half hours to participate in Professional Learning Communities.Teachers use this time to collaborate and develop project-based learning opportunities across curriculums and grade levels.
Describe how data is used to improve student achievement and inform decision making.
Our teachers have the autonomy to decide how lesson plans and instruction are developed and delivered. Teachers are considered content experts and have the flexibility to plan lessons, deliver instruction, and create a classroom environment that best meets the needs of students. Teachers readily learn from the expertise and experience of their colleagues. A direct by-product of this atmosphere of professionalism is spontaneous and natural collaboration across grade levels and subject areas and has brought the staff closer together as a team. We share student prediction data with teachers and utilize a variety of data sources to best met each student's needs. Our school has garnered an "A" school designation from the state every year of our existence. We have also exceeded growth every year. We are one of the few schools in the state to receive an "A" designation that have over 80% of its students considered economically disadvantaged.
Describe your school culture and explain changes you’ve taken to improve it.
There are two elements that form the foundation and underpinning of all we do. First and foremost, we focus on relationships with students and being in tune with them so we can ask those critical questions that allow us to find out about our students. Secondly our focus on caring for each other as well. When we model caring for the adults in the building, we are able to model caring to our students, and then our students to each other. We are thus able to create a very personalized journey for each student as they process through our school. Our school culture is one where all stakeholders have an “open door” policy where we provide guidance, resources, and solutions to ensure student success and achievement. Our culture welcomes input from all stakeholders and decisions are made collaboratively and supported collectively. Our faculty and staff are committed to ensuring that daily guidance and instruction are designed to increase student achievement with a focus on growth and mastery.
Stats
  • Category 1

    Selected in 2018

  • Grades: 9 - 12
    School Setting: suburban
    Town Population: 0
    Student Enrollment: 268
    Student Demographics:

    Black/African American: 31%
    White/Caucasian: 31%
    Hispanic: 33%
    Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0%
    Asian: 1%
    Native American: 1%
    Other: 3%

    Teacher/Student Ratio: 1:27
    % Reduced Lunch: 86%
    % ELL Learners: 1%
    Founded: 2015
  • PRINCIPAL:
    Wynn Whittington
  • CONTACT:
    2065 Warren Drive
    Winterville, NC 28590
    252-493-7824
    wynn.whittington@pitt.k12.nc.us