Clayton High School

Our average student teacher ratio of 11:1 has remained low in spite of $1.6 million in permanent reductions to the 2013-2014 school year budget, preceded by $935,000 reduced from the 2012-2013 budget. In spite of these reductions our current per pupil expenditure is$16,329.23, which remains the highest of any public high school in the state. A comparison of average class sizes across disciplines over the last three years shows any increases in class sizes to be negligible and inconsistent as random anomalies. Two full time equivalent departmental assistants and the District's substitute teacher coordinator positions were eliminated as a part of the cuts. These reductions resulted in a reorganization of responsibilities that changed the way faculty and staff went about their work on a daily basis. Staffs were surveyed to assess their perception of the adjustment and this data was used to further improve the workflow.

Our staffing resources are focused on maintaining low class sizes and supporting innovative programs.  This is highlighted by the Conferenced English Program in which our English teachers teach three periods a day (most faculty teach five periods a day) and conduct individual writing conferences with their students throughout the remainder of their day.  Each student is required to have a minimum of five individual writing conferences with their teacher each semester.  The result of this program is that every student who attends Clayton High School for four years will have participated in 40 individual writing conferences by the time they graduate.  Likewise, science teachers teach four classes each day to account for the extended lab period associated with science classes.  Both of these programs require increased staffing resources in order to maintain low class sizes while supporting these valuable programs.

In August of 2011 we completed a $40 million addition and renovation of educational space that increased the square footage of the main building by almost 40%.  The addition added a new journalism lab, culinary arts lab, and fashion design studio, pre-engineering lab, greenhouse and several new classrooms.  The renovation included a complete redesign of all the science classrooms and laboratory spaces.  These state of the art facilities have greatly enhanced an already outstanding academic experience for our students. 

Perceptional data from our parents and staff provide strong testimony with near unanimity that our students and school personnel have access to an exceptional collection of media and information resources necessary to achieve the educational programs of the school. Similarly, survey results of our parents, students and staff show the vast majority agrees our school has a plan for the acquisition and support of technology to support student learning.

Clayton High School has a comprehensive plan to support the physical, social and emotional needs of students.  A professional school counselor is assigned to each grade level (approximately 220 students) and they work with the same group of students for their entire high school career.  The counselors assist students with social and emotional support as well as academic counseling.  We have a full time school nurse and a part time school nurse who work together to meet the medical needs of students.   Our Student Support Team (SST) consists of teachers, counselors, administrators and our Learning Support Director who work as a problem solving team to address the academic needs of individual students.  Our Care Team consists of counselors, administrators, a social worker and school psychological examiner and serves as our problem solving team to address the mental health and medical needs of students.  Clayton High School employs two dedicated college counselors who work exclusively with students and families to help them navigate their college and other post-secondary opportunities.  The comprehensive post-secondary support begins with goal setting early in the ninth grade year and continues all the way through the college application, selection, financial aid process and ultimately college matriculation or career placement.