Name: Carolyn Gassmann

EPPSP Group 39
Butler University

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

STANDARD:
32. Research a school’s community. Select an unfamiliar school district/community. Then
assume the role of a newly-appointed school administrator and acquire a deep understanding of
your new school and community. In addition to employing your own strategies, develop a
community su4rvey that will contribute to your understanding of the school/community’s
demographics, culture, values, needs, conditions, and dynamics.

Summary:

The school district that I have selected to research is the Avon Community Schools. I know a
good number of people who work in Avon, but I know very little about their population, special
programs, and schools in general. Below is what I have gathered about their community.

Avon Community School Corporation is west of Indianapolis. They have a great focus on the
achievement of the almost 10,000 PreK-12 students they serve. There are seven elementary
schools, two intermediate schools, two middle schools, and one high school, making a total of
twelve buildings. There are more than 1,100 employees within the district.

The majority of students in Avon, 62% are white, while 15% are black, and about 10% are
Hispanic. About 33% of the students receive free and reduced meals. The district also has
excellent data revolving around graduation rates, which are around 97%, and standardized
testing, with a vast majority of students passing ISTEP+.

Avon Community Schools clearly place a great focus on literacy development. Their Emerging
Literacy program in kindergarten encompases all basic components of literacy, reading, writing,
speaking, and listening. Through this program students are encouraged to participate in
experiences that increase their language development, such as reading and listening to stories,
writing, singing songs, and performing plays.

One unique component of Avon is the existence of the Intermediate Schools. These schools
house 5th and 6th graders, and are designed to prepare these students for the transition to
middle school and high school. In these buildings students are able to begin exploring a wide
range of subjects, such as music, fine arts, and choir.

Avon middle schools and high school continue to offer students a wide range of options for
classes. At the high school level students follow a block schedule. They are also able to
participate in a dual credit program with Vincennes University, as well as bio-technology and
pre-engineering classes through Project Lead the Way. These options, as well as the dedicated
staff and faculty, lead to the aforementioned 97% graduation rate and the fact that over 90% of
graduating seniors continue on to pursue post-secondary educational opportunities.

In the community, the median household income in Avon is $91,587 and the median home
value is nearly $200,000. Avon was voted as the #1 place to live in Hendricks County, and is
considered a wonderful suburban community to raise a family. The population of the city just
passes 17,000.

Overall, Avon is a supportive community with an above-average school district. There are a
multitude of programs in place to ensure students’ growth and success. It is evident that the
community supports the school, and vice versa, making way for a thriving district.

Reflection:

Avon seems like a great, family-friendly community. It is evident why people have been moving
that way to start and raise families. The schools are clearly supportive and safe, and almost
guarantee student success.

One area that I noticed is lacking in the district is diversity. Many of the sources claimed that
Avon is a very homogeneous community. Interestingly enough, while the majority of the student
population is white, there are still a significant portion, almost 40%, who represent other races.
This makes me wonder, are there programs in place to ensure that these students feel valued
and appreciated as members of their school community? Are there clubs where these students
can be celebrated for who they are? When teachers plan lessons, do they take the diversity of
their classroom into consideration; making sure that multiple backgrounds and cultures are
represented and celebrated every day?

We are living in a time when it is so crucial to see diversity. Not just see its existence, but truly
see it as an asset to our communities, our schools, and our lives. Seeing that there is diversity
in the schools, but not much diversity in the community raises some flags for me, and as an
entering leader that would be one of the first things I would choose to address. Achievement
data for the district is high, but could it be higher if more attention was focused on students of
color and meeting their unique needs? How do English Language Learners fare in the schools,
and are there sufficient resources to truly ensure their success? Does the makeup of the staff
accurately represent the student population, and if not, how can we begin to hire more teachers,
administrators, and support staff from diverse backgrounds?

Coming from a diverse district, I constantly find these types of questions at the forefront of my
mind. As a leader, I think it is crucial to honor, understand, and celebrate the diversity of the
student body. When we begin to do this, we see an increase in student engagement, growth,
and success.
Artifacts:

Link to Avon Community Schools website: https://www.av

on-schools.org/Page/103