Using the School Review Report
to Learn About a School

by Mary Jean Whitelaw Cornerstone School Review

Linda Darling and Teresa Cherry-Cruz are the new Principal and Assistant Principal at Hart Magnet Elementary School in Stamford, Connecticut.  They began their work at Hart by gathering information from a variety of sources so that they could start the academic year with the best understanding possible of the strengths and needs of the school. We recently had a conversation regarding Hart’s use of the school review report as a helpful source of data.  Linda Darling responded on behalf of Hart:

Cornerstone:  Edna Varner mentioned that she was impressed by the way you set out to get to know Hart as quickly and as comprehensively as possible.  How did you even know the Cornerstone school review report for Hart existed?

Linda Darling:  I started asking teachers about the different kinds of data they were using and someone mentioned the school review.  I checked around and found a copy.  We were very impressed with the way it was divvied up into sections on the environment, student learning, the practice of teaching, and the learning community.

Cornerstone:  It doesn’t occur to some principals to come in and pull as many data sources as they can find.  You really have to dig under the test scores.  This is a great way to get started on identifying what you have to do.

Cornerstone:  What did you find most useful as you read the report? 

Linda Darling:  I was interested in assessment data; I wanted to know how we were doing.  I particularly liked the way evidence was presented with references to standards, tables, graphs and even pictures.  The report also included tables that showed Hart data in relation to school district and state data.  We found that the report provided hard evidence on how we were doing.  We don’t always have access to this sort of information.

Cornerstone:  What kinds of things did you highlight from the report and what was their purpose?

Linda Darling:  We studied the findings at the back of the report.  We took apart the conclusions and the recommendations paragraph-by-paragraph and we charted those for ourselves.  We made a few categories including the classroom and how it looks during the literacy block and the role of the coach and the supplemental work that they do.  We charted information from the report based on whether we felt that in those categories we were the same, better or worse.  Also, we divided up the grade levels and charted information grade-by-grade.

We thought we did a better job in classroom environment, a better job in word work and inferences, and a better job in the components of the literacy block; but we felt we needed help and support in coaching in the upper grades.  It was very clear that this is a component that is integral to success on what we want to accomplish here at Hart.

Cornerstone:  What did you find most interesting about the report?

Linda Darling:  Toward the end of the report there is a section on ‘rigor’.  That’s a standard that tells you that even though you may appear to be doing well on the surface you really have to dig deeper.  It’s all there.  Rigor transcends all grade levels and curriculum units.  Rigor, alone, would make a valuable topic for Professional Learning Communities; it’s a whole year’s work.  In Connecticut, rigor is what we need to do

Cornerstone:  Having read through the review reports can you say a bit about what you learned about Cornerstone?

Linda Darling:  Terri and I had no previous experience with Cornerstone.  The categories were immensely helpful.  When we spoke to our PLC’s, the categories added clarity to our conversations.  Also, explicit information was provided about how classroom environments should look during the literacy block.

We took note of the Cornerstone statement that appears at the beginning of the review report:

To read, to write, to think critically, to reason, to analyze and evaluate information, to communicate effectively in a variety of forms, and to inquire systematically into any important matter …

We asked ourselves questions such as, “Exactly how does this align with the district’s mission statement?” and “How does it align with what we do in K-5 at Hart?”  We frequently refer back to it.
We determined from the review that we are not as evolved as we would like to be, but the review served as a guide to us about where to start. 

Cornerstone:  Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.  Undoubtedly, others will benefit from the work you have done to gather information about your school from a range of sources.