A study of small central high schools in Newfoundland and Labrador

Meaney, Louis James (1976) A study of small central high schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The small high school has been criticized and often condemned because of its size. Found in the related literature are claims that the small high school has limited facilities, has difficulty in attracting and holding qualified staff, offers narrow curricular programs, and has few pupil services. The result of these weaknesses is school ineffectiveness. -- In the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador there are many areas where, due to various factors, consolidation and centralization have not eliminated small schools. In 1973-74 there were fifty-three small central high schools with an enrolment of fewer than 200 pupils. -- This study has attempted to determine the current status and future prospects of six "remote and necessary" small central high schools in the Province with respect to facilities, staff, program, consultative services, and pupil services. The effectiveness of these schools was presented in terms of pupil retention, promotion, retardation, and graduation. A profile of the small central high school in the Province was then developed using these components. Problem areas related to the schools' effectiveness included: facilities, employment and retention of qualified teachers, consultative services, program, pupil services, and socio-economic conditions of the school areas. -- Structured interviews using questionnaires and data guides were conducted with school board office personnel, school principals, teachers, and Grade XI students. Previously recorded data were collected from the school board offices, schools, and various departments of governments. -- Some of the major findings and conclusions include the following: (1) generally, small central high schools in Newfoundland and Labrador lack the basic instructional facilities considered essential to the provision of a comprehensive high school program, (2) most teachers in small central high schools in the Province have been associated with such small schools in terms of their own high school education and teaching experience, (3) the majority of the teachers are sufficiently qualified to teach the program being offered, (4) the curriculum of these schools is generally considered narrow, rigid, and irrelevant in terms of meeting the needs of all students, (5) consultative services are grossly inadequate for these schools, (6) there are few services for pupils, and (7) results in the Public Examinations for these schools are better than those of the Province as a whole.

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