School District Review
Teachers can mold potential leaders in the most beneficial manner for society to create meaningfully and empowered subsequent generations and construct society on a global and regional level. Instructors can provide a support system for kids who may be deficient in other areas of their lives. They can set an example and encouragement to strive for greater heights and more incredible dreams. They hold pupils responsible for their achievements and failings, and effective instructors will not allow their gifted students to squander their abilities. Educators from all sorts of backgrounds and disciplines have the power to mold ideas and assist in the formation of thoughts about civilization, existence, and individual aspirations. This paper reviews two district schools: Riverstone International School (public rural district school) in Wyoming and The Thatcher School on the East Coast (private urban district school). Additionally, the paper provides an insight into the schoolsâ demographic features accompanied by the advantages and limitations within the school setting.
The significance of selecting the schools mentioned earlier was that the learning institutions provide a serene working environment, thus making them a dream for any teacher to work in. Therefore, the schools make it practical for teachers to challenge learnersâ boundaries and encourage their inventiveness. When a society today is educated, a tomorrow is established. When learners are encouraged to be efficient and productive, they are more likely to become entrepreneurs and pioneer new technologies, ultimately resulting in a nationâs economic progress. Education is responsible for cultivating a more positive and inclusive mentality. Value education broadens individualsâ perspectives on life, thus broadening individualsâ attitudes, enabling them to confront the challenges and uncertainties of life with boldness and confidence.
Riverstone International School District
Riverstone International School enrolls 302 students from preschool through high school, where 45 nations are represented. Riverstoneâs boutique boarding program accepts a maximum of 30 students in grades 9-12 from the United States and throughout the world (NCES, 2017). The schoolâs student body comprises seven ethnicities, the largest group being the whites, 238 of the total student population. The Asians come next with 22, The Hispanics follow with 17, Blacks are 7 while the Pacific islanders are only 3, the American Indians are few and are only 2, and the other two races are 2 also. The total number of teachers employed at Riverstone International School is 36, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:0 (NCES, 2017). Enrollment of students in Riverstone International School is as per the grade as follows: Pre-Kindergarten are enrolled only 11 of them, kindergarten is 23, Grade 1 and 2 are 16 of them, grade 3 are 19, grade 4 are 22, grade 5 are 27 grade 6, and grade 7 are 24 whereas grade 8 are 18 (NCES, 2017). Grade 9 are 28 of them. Grade 10 are only 14 while grade 11 are the leading with 53 and lastly grade 12, who are 27.
Riverstone International School has a substantially lower number of free and reduced meal assistance (18.4%) than the state average of 41.5 percent, indicating that the area is less impoverished than the state average (NCES, 2017). The National School Lunch Program allows students at participating schools to purchase a lunch. Lunches at a reduced price are provided to families earning between 130 and 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Reduced-price lunches may not cost more than $40, and reduced-price breakfasts may not cost more than $30 (NCES, 2017). Free meals are given to pupils from households with earnings of less than 130 percent of the national line.
The Thacher School District
The Thacher School enrolls 259 students of grades 9-12 from preschool through high school. The 259 pupils of Thacher School in Ojai are divided into five ethnic groups, with the whites having the most significant number of 151 (NCES, 2017). The Asians enrolled are only 32 in total, whereas the Blacks amounted to 13 in number. The Hispanics are only 14 in number while the other two or more races are 49 in number. There are no any American Indians, nor Pacific Islanders enrolled in the school. Males account for 50.8 percent of the student population at the institute, while females account for only 49.2 percent (NCES, 2017). Thacher School also has well-equipped and proficient teachers; they have 41 teachers with a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:3. The Thacher School enrolls their students according to grade as follows: At grade 9, only 61 of them are registered, at grade 10 they enroll 66 whereas at grade 11, only 68 of them are enrolled, and lastly at grade 12 they only enroll 64 students.
All students in grades 9 through 12 are offered lunch on early release days. On early release days, The High School does not provide lunch. On early release days, only High School students are provided with a sack lunch. Students must inform the High School Cafe Accountant two days in advance to offer their identity for payment or purchase the packed lunch. Sack lunches that are not picked up will not be refunded. High school students cannot access the Middle University Building or the Junior High Cafeteria at lunchtime. Lunch begins at about 11:00 a.m. and lasts until 1:10 p.m. (NCES, 2017). Throughout this period, different grades arrive at different periods. Depending on their shift, employees leave between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., and the cafeteria closes for the day.
Riverstone International School Mission
Riverstone International Schoolâs mission is to inspire students to take adventurous academic and personal journeys that will enable them to live meaningful lives. Riverstone International School provides students ages 3 to 19 with a continuum of international education through four rigorous, high-quality educational programs (NCES, 2017). Diversity, curiosity, and a healthy desire for learning are all fostered by an IB education. The school provides four programs for students aged three to nineteen and a primary yearâs curriculum for students aged three to twelve (NCES, 2017). A middle-year program for children aged eleven to sixteen, a diploma program for students aged sixteen to nineteen, and a career-related program for children ages sixteen to nineteen.
The steering committee determined six strategic areas the Riverstone International School community needed to plan for to ensure optimum performance. The first is to broaden academic success, strategically manage enrollment, improve funds and facilities, enforce the five pillars, increase faculty engagement and training, and establish guidelines and accountability. The school also has 15 students per class with 49 teachers (NCES, 2017). It also pays its teachers in the following ways; an average teacher earns $31,568 per year with one salary reported, middle school teachersâ salaries are $46,985 per year with one salary reported (NCES, 2017). Spanish teachersâ wages are $35,072 per year with one salary reported, and Science and Math teacher salaries are $36,805 per year with one salary reported.
The faculty at Riverstone International School appreciates a supportive workplace, small classes, and numerous opportunities to extend classroom learning into the outdoors. Mentoring student groups, teaching after-school activities, coaching athletic or academic teams, and chaperoning summer trip opportunities are all possibilities for staff personnel. They serve as role models for their students, embodying the ideals outlined in the schoolâs guiding principles daily. They also have a demanding outdoor program as well as a highly effective boarding program.
The Thacher School Mission
Thacher Schoolâs mission is to grow and learn in a society where students are constantly contested to grow, held accountable by all who recognize them, and directed by shared enduring values. It is Thacherâs way, and it is an incredibly effective preparation for living a life of beneficial influence and well-being. Thacher Schoolâs rigorous academic program indeed prepares pupils well for college. The schoolâs courses include horse programs, outdoor activities, athletics, visual and performing arts, sustainability initiatives, global studies and volunteerism, independent projects, and off-Campus programming. The strategic plan for Thacher Schools is to recruit, retain, and develop instructors that display the highest levels of character, teaching skills, emotional health, and the commitment and ability to contribute to the extracurricular program.
The school has small classes with a capacity of 11 students per class having 60 teachers. Employees at The Thacher School in the United States can expect to make an average annual income of $49,670, or $23.88 per hour. The top 10% of earners make more than $86,000 each year, while the worst 10% earn less than $28,000 per year (NCES, 2017). The average yearly income for employees in the IT department is $79,325, while the annual average compensation for employees in the marketing department is $68,879 (NCES, 2017). Employees at The Thacher School can also be affected by their location. The Thacher School staff in Ojai, CA and Milton, MA, according to our statistics, are paid the highest.
Thacher School has proved beneficial to the community, as it has been preparing bright students from all occupations for top institutions and careers in leadership since 1889 (NCES, 2017). Thacherâs combination of demanding academics and outdoor activities is unique and noteworthy. There are about 20 advanced courses available and an honor code that governs student behavior (NCES, 2017). A readiness to provide a hand is an everyday expectation in a community known for kindness and unpretentiousness. Their students of color account for 47% of our total enrollment. Financial aid is available to 31% of students. More than 90% of graduates are accepted into one of their top three institutions (NCES, 2017). There are 28 competitive sporting teams, as well as extensive outdoor and horse activities.
Riverstone International School and the Thacher School Advantages and Difficulties
One of the advantages of working at Riverstone International School is that the school provides everything the pupils need to learn. Working with learners and teaching in an international school where varied opinions are embraced is a rewarding experience. One of the advantages of attending the Thacher School is its sports program, which is unique. Each student is required to participate in a competitive sport physical activity such as dance or horseback riding. Thacher offers a wide range of sports and has a strong school spirit. Volleyball and basketball games draw the entire school to the gym, and applause can be heard from all over campus.
The fundamental difficulty in Riverstone International School is its educational philosophy. Even if the children are failing a lesson terribly, you must nevertheless pass them. Classroom management is more of a game than genuinely disciplining children and teaching them to behave appropriately. Concisely, keeping parents happy takes precedence over education. On the other hand, The Thacher School also has its disadvantages. Thacher School administrators recognized decades of claims of student sexual misconduct, harassment, and âborder crossingâ by faculty members in a startling special committee report published by Thacher School officials.
The Most Preferred School to Work in
The most preferred school to work in would be the Riverstone International School; first, they have a clearly defined teachersâ salary schedule, ensuring that teachers are compensated well and on time. The school is again preferred because the management is excellent, and the teammates are enjoyable. Working with kids and teaching in an international school where varied opinions are embraced is a rewarding experience. Lastly, Riverstone International School provides its workers with fair and equal compensation for their contributions to its mission. They also have a robust recruitment pipeline and exceptional hiring processes, which promote faculty retention and satisfaction by expanding professional development possibilities.
When seeking a position as a teacher in a school, the instructor should plan ahead of time. Their strategies should include an understanding of the districtâs specific demands. The next stage is to talk about how their background qualifies them to help the school and district. By outlining their unique techniques to developing and fostering school community, the teacher could also share examples of problems they plan to solve. The final strategy is to connect their values to the schoolâs mission and districtâs objectives.
References
NCES. (2017). Riverstone International School. National Center for Education Statistics. Web.
Raman, B. K. (2020). Quality education and importance of teacher education. International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, 7(1), 956-959. âWeb.