Note: The information in this profile represents SY2013-14 unless otherwise indicated.
School Overview
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School Description
In 2011, just 20 percent of the students at Nolan Elementary-Middle School in Detroit were proficient in communication arts, only 2 percent were proficient in math, and the majority of students were performing two or more years behind grade level. Like many other persistently low-achieving schools in urban centers, Nolan desperately needed a different system for a better outcome. Michigan’s governor charged the EAA with transforming the lowest 5 percent of the persistently lowest-achieving schools in the state while simultaneously developing a new approach to educating 21st century students.
In 2013, at the end of its first year in turnaround, 71 percent of the students at Nolan achieved one or more years of growth in reading and 61 percent in math. Nolan ranked third out of 124 schools in individual student growth according to data released by Excellent Schools Detroit.
Blended Learning Program
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Program Model
Program Model: Flex
Model Description
Nolan bears little resemblance to the traditional middle school it was in prior years. Instead of being filled with desks, classrooms contain tables, floor pillows, and work stations. Furniture is modular and allows for flexible grouping. In any one classroom, students might work in small focused groups, spend time on their HP Notebooks, participate in individual conferencing with teachers, and — once introduced to a learning target — cluster to work on projects. Students move throughout the classrooms in a constant buzz of conversation.
At the center of the design is Brain Honey, a dynamic learning platform that hosts a robust repository of resources, curriculum mapping tools, and assessment tools, as well as a social platform that allows for collaboration and peer-to-peer support. Learning objects are provided in “bite-sized chunks” and a dashboard provides teachers, parents, and students with prescriptive, real-time analytics. Most importantly, the platform emphasizes not just cognitive skill acquisition but also collaboration and communication — between students and teachers, students and parents, teachers and parents, and students and their peers.
More Resources
http://nextgenlearning.org/grantee/education-achievement-authority-michigan-nolan-k-8
Contact Information
Name: Dr. Mary Esselman
Title: Principal, Founder, and CEO
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.michigan.gov