Principal Susan Harrison says schedule, discipline and program changes improved outcomes
Summary
Principal Dr. Susan Harrison told the board that a shift to semester schedules, a single lunch for 950+ students, expanded dual-enrollment and a Friday Market entrepreneurship program have coincided with declining discipline referrals and rising graduation and attendance metrics.
Dr. Susan Harrison, the high-school principal, told the Seaford School District board that a series of deliberate changes over the past four years has improved culture and student outcomes. "We are met or below the threshold of what the state requires, which is 15%," Harrison said, referring to discipline metrics. She described moves to a semester schedule, expanded dual-enrollment partnerships and the creation of a Friday Market entrepreneurship program for students.
Harrison said the district moved to a semester schedule so teachers and students could focus on fewer courses at a time, and that the school shifted from four staggered lunches to a single lunch period serving "all 950 plus students eating lunch at the same time." She credited the change with improved social interaction, easier supervision and lower low-level discipline incidents. Harrison also described changes to exam scheduling and a practice of offering 50% for students who opt out of an exam rather than assigning zeros.
The principal said the school scaled its dual-enrollment program so students can earn college credit without paying fees: "our students don't pay anything for those courses, including textbooks and materials that they need," a board member added during discussion. Harrison said the school eliminated traditional AP-track barriers and shifted toward broader dual-enrollment offerings (two courses in English, math, science and social studies, plus additional classes), which she argued makes college credit more accessible.
Board members asked for data and details about participation and parental involvement; Harrison said graduation rates are rising, dropout rates are decreasing and ninth-grade on-track rates (four credits by the end of ninth grade) have improved. The presentation began as an overview of a national conference talk and became a locally focused review of initiatives the principal said have both cultural and measurable academic benefits.
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