Profile

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Cluster: III
Grades: 9-12
Principal: Pamela A. Jones
Students from Glasgow Middle School and a portion of the students from Poe Middle School attend Stuart High School.
Stuart HS Profile Link (FCPS LINK)

Principal's Message

J.E.B. Stuart High School is located in east-central Fairfax County near the Seven Corners and Lake Barcroft areas. Stuart's population of approximately 1,380 students is offered both the personalized approach of a smaller school and the wide variety of course offerings only available in some larger schools.

Stuart is a comprehensive high school with an international student body and a world class curriculum. President Clinton cited Fairfax County and, specifically, schools such as Stuart as models of diversity and harbingers of America's future in the 21st century. Two-thirds of our students are second language learners from over 70 countries. Our faculty is dedicated to providing a wide variety of classroom experiences designed to meet the needs of our diverse population. In 1994, Stuart became one of two original high schools in Fairfax County offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Seven schools currently offer the IB program. The IB program is a rigorous college preparatory course of study, leading to examinations, that challenges the most highly motivated high school students.

Stuart is committed to providing students with a high quality learning experience in an up-to-date physical plant equipped with state-of-the-art technology. We are approaching our goal of a networked computer, in each classroom, that interfaces with a multipurpose, multimedia computer lab. With an immediate objective of a 1 to 3 ratio of computers to students and complete integration of computer technology throughout the curriculum, Stuart will maximize the potential of the in-school network to provide enhanced instructional opportunities for all students. Stuart has a rich history of high levels of student participation in curricular and co-curricular activities. In addition, our school enjoys the benefits of a dedicated, energetic, and highly active Parent Teacher Student Association.

Pamela A. Jones, Principal

Summary of Our Mission and Goals

Virginia Board of Education Mission

The mission of Virginia’s public education system, first and foremost, is to educate students in the fundamental knowledge and academic subjects that students need to become capable, responsible and self-reliant citizens.  Therefore, the mission of the Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in cooperation with local school boards, is to increase student learning and academic achievement.

Fairfax County Public Schools Vision and Mission Statement:

The vision of Fairfax County Public Schools is “to provide a gifted-quality education to every child in an instructional setting appropriate for his or her need.”  The vision is supported by a mission “to educate all students to meet high academic standards and to prepare all students to be responsible citizens in the 21st century.”

School Vision and Mission Statement:

The J.E.B. Stuart High School Community—staff, parents, and students—is committed to providing our students with an education that prepares them for the global economy and life in the 21st century.  

Our mission is to provide educational programs and resources for our diverse population in order to ensure:
academic success.
social, emotional and physical growth.
the development of productive and responsible citizens.

In order to achieve this mission, we will focus on and encourage:

academic success.
the use of effective teaching strategies.
the creation of a positive school climate that celebrates diversity and promotes tolerance, understanding, and cooperation.

Achievements

Unique Programs

CAASS

J.E.B. Stuart High School participates in a pilot program proven to improve security and student attendance.  CAASS, the Comprehensive Attendance, Administration, and Security System, is a suite of powerful software modules that work together in today’s networked environment.
Students attending J.E.B. Stuart High School swipe a bar-coded identification card through a barcode reader as they enter the building.  The system quickly checks the validity of the card and flashes the student’s name and picture on the screen.  In addition, students are required to wear their ID badge in plain view at all times while on school grounds.  Students without an ID badge are manually entered into the system and a temporary ID badge with a photo prints for the students immediately. Data from CAASS shows that better control at the school entrance helps reduce the opportunity for intruders or other non-students to enter the building.  Tardy students immediately receive automated late passes upon entry.

International Baccalaureate Program (IB)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a rigorous academic curriculum for 11th and 12th grade students. Students can earn a full IB diploma that consists of external examinations in six subjects, participation in community service activities, and completion of a 4,000-word extended essay. Students who do not want to complete a full IB diploma may earn a separate IB certificate for each IB course completed.
The IB program is open to all students, and any student enrolled in an IB course is required to take the end-of-course examination. IB courses are recognized for college credit by many universities in the United States.

Modified Calendar

Elementary Schools and Special Education Schools with Modified Calendar Program begin in early August to ensure a continuous learning model. Student breaks are distributed equally over the school year and optional intersession classes are offered during these breaks. The intersession classes offer enrichment and remediation during the nine-week quarters.

Secondary Schools with Modified Calendar Program begin and end the school year two weeks earlier than the traditional school calendar. The modified calendar provides additional time for instruction prior to standardized tests such as the Standards of Learning, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.

After School Academic Program (ASAP)

The After School Academic Program (ASAP) is now entering its sixth year at J.E.B. Stuart High School.  ASAP is constantly evolving in order to increase its positive impact on “at-risk” student performance.  ASAP was designed for the purpose of giving administrative support to teachers who wish to require at-risk students to come after school for additional help in their subject.  At the conclusion of each interim and nine-week period, teachers are asked to create a list of students they feel would benefit from participating in this program.  These students and their parents are notified that they will be part of the next ASAP session.  ASAP sessions are four to five weeks in duration.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)

AVID is an academic program designed to increase the rigor of coursework taken by JEB Stuart students.  Every AVID student is in at least one MYP or full IB (honors) class.  AVID provides structure and support to students taking those advanced courses.

Why more rigor?  Because AVID’s goal is to have our students go to college and that is what colleges are looking for in their applicants – advanced level coursework.  We regularly discuss college – from why it’s important to where is the right place for each student to attend.  The college and career prep portion of the program includes college field trips, guest speakers from various career paths, and SAT/PSAT prep.

The AVID program is designed to have students:

1. succeed in a rigorous curriculum (all AVID students take at least one IB/MYP course)

2. participate in activities of the school

3. enroll in four-year colleges

4. become educated and responsible participants and leaders in ademocratic society

International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP)

Four FCPS teams–Whitman Middle School and Mount Vernon High School, Hughes Middle School and South Lakes High School, and Glasgow Middle School and Stuart High School, and Holmes and Poe Middle and Annandale High School–have been authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to offer the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP).
IBMYP provides an academically challenging framework for students in grades 6 through 10. The program provides a thorough study of English, another modern language, history, science, mathematics, the arts, physical education, and technology. The subjects are taught using five areas of interaction: Approaches to Learning, community service, health and social education, the environment, and homo faber. The culmination of the program is a personal project of the student’s choice, completed during 10th grade. The IBMYP is a whole-school program and prepares students for the IB diploma program, but students who participate in the IBMYP are not required to complete the IB diploma program.

New/Improved for 2005-2007

ENGLISH

Focus on English 11 SOL Test as a THREE YEAR COURSE.

Hold all English teachers accountable for student mastery of skills selected identified by the English grade level teams.  Grade level teams will develop common assessments that will be administrated at the end of every quarter, analyze the results, and focus on individual student remediation based upon the results.

Double Block English 11 self contained special education courses.

Self contained English 11 students have 50% pass rate on the 2005 English SOL Test.  As a result of SOL scores, we have created an English 11 supplemental course which will provide the opportunity for special education students to master the skills necessary for the English 11 SOL Test.  The class is team taught with retired English teacher and Special Education English teacher, both of whom are proven teachers and hold high expectations for all students.

Dual enrollment English 12 course with the Northern Virginia Community College.

Offer seniors the opportunity to enroll in a dual enrollment English 11 course that will provide college credit at the high school level.  The students will be evaluated and identified at the beginning of the school year.  The course will be taught by a Stuart English teacher and provide Freshmen Composition credit at the college level.

SCIENCE

Concepts Science course for students at risk of failing Biology.

A study of the students who failed the Biology SOL Test revealed that the majority were either enrolled in the Special Education program, ninth-graders who had been unsuccessful in middle school, and/or students with very poor reading skills, poor attendance or behavior issues.
                                                                                              
The benefits of the course will include: additional time to master the vocabulary-laden curriculum, increased attention can be paid to mastering a few basic topics (scientific investigations, biochemistry, cytology.  In addition, the course can be tailored to be more hands-on, inquiry-based, and a self-paced course because of the elimination of the SOL exam at end of course.  Also, students will earn an elective credit rather than no credit at all and it will provide an extra year of maturity.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Integrate the use of mobile labs throughout the social studies curriculum.

In today's information age, Stuart teachers realize that technology is an imperative classroom tool in preparing a student for a successful future.  There is a growing demand for technological literacy and personal technical competence as a means for students to access, select and effectively use information of relevance to better understand their coursework. 
The use of mobile labs increases the effectiveness of schooling for all students.  In addition, the use of computers identifies a specific concern for meeting the needs of 'at-risk' students and others not currently well-served by established school environments.  The daily use of mobile labs can break-down systemic barriers that tend to discourage certain groups of students and replace these barriers with learning opportunities that are motivational and engaging for all.

Use of quarterly common assessments for all team level courses.

The social studies department has realized that once-a-year standardized tests are not likely to affect the say-to-day, week-to-week, or even the month-to-month instructional decisions.  Therefore, the social studies department has increased the frequency of common assessments in order to identify instruction that has been unsuccessful.

More importantly, the increase in the use of common assessments allows teachers to identify SOL standards that have not been mastered by individual students early enough to remediate students to promote greater success.

MATH

Design an 8th Grade assessment for students eligible to enroll in Advance Geometry.

In an effort to improve the placement of students who take Algebra 1 in the eighth grade, the Mathematics Department of Stuart HS will create a Geometry redness test that will be administered in late April or early May to all students who are enrolled in Advanced Geometry for the following year.  This test score and the student’s score on the 8th grade SOL exam (at least 460) will determine the correct level of Geometry course

Double block geometry course for senior

As a result of the success of the Double Block Algebra 2 program at Stuart HS, a number of students are taking Geometry in their senior year.  Because so many of these students have succeeded as a result of the double block concept in both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, many are struggling in the single block geometry.  In order to ensure their success at this level, we will implement a double-block Geometry for seniors in the school year 2006-2007.