Talk Priority Schools

By Ann Randall

Washington went through the first round of School Improvement Grant funding last spring and we’re preparing for the second round.  Last spring, at the same time the process for local applications for School Improvement Grants was being considered by locals in our state, we were also going through the Race to the Top application process.  It was very important for us to do two things with our local association leaders and staff:  we wanted to give them a sense of control over two concurrent major federal initiatives with broad bargaining implications and we wanted to give them enough information that they could make an informed decision about agreeing to either initiative. So we did a series of meetings around the state for governance leaders and staff, showing them the differences between Race to the Top and the School Improvement Grants and helping them understand the application process and implications of both. read more »

By Joyce Powell, NEA Executive Committee

By Greg Johnson, NEA Executive Committee

On Tuesday, November 23^rd, I visited 2 schools in the Winston-Salem Schools.  My Association contact was Forsythe County Association of Educators President Tripp Jeffers.  Tripp prepared a full day of school visits combined with some discussions with Administrators from WS/FCS.  Accompanying us were Rodney Ellis, Vice-President of the North Carolina Association of Educators and Steve Snider and Denise Alston of the NEA Priority Schools Campaign.

Our day began bright and early entering the halls of Petree Elementary.  Petree is a turnaround model school that has close to 70% new staff, 2 new principals, 16 first year teachers and a huge challenge ahead of them.  From the beginning of our visit we were met with friendly, smiling faces welcoming us to their school.  From the secretary in the office, to the Assistant Principal, to the teachers who came to meet with us in the media center, you could just feel a good vibe at the school.  With Priority Schools Campaign materials in their hands, we talked about the road ahead and how they would tackle the task at hand.  Although reluctant to verbalize any concerns, the staff took the time to write comments about what was working and what needed some help.

Promptly at 8:30, a video announcement started the day.  Students from different grades gave out lunch menus, thoughts for the day, and ended with a cheery message to all the students to make it a great day.  It’s all part of the new vibe at Petree.  Staff and students coming together and working positively towards making Petree a great public school.  So far test scores are up, the community is supporting the changes, and best of all, the students are learning in a positive, encouraging environment.  The Home/School Coordinator (a full time person devoted to creating partnerships with the school and the community) talked to us about how the neighborhood has embraced the change, and is even looking forward to sending their kids to Petree, something that hasn’t always been the case in the past. read more »

Dr. Tyna Davis

One and a half years ago, Alabama Education Association (AEA) formulated a cadre of approximately 30 educators to review the four recommended models for the School Improvement Grants (SIG). After study, the cadre recommended the transformation model.  This came after an intensive process of discussing and focusing on the pros and cons of each model.  The group unanimously agreed that the transformation model was the model that we wanted to use in our state.  Through conferences, AEA’s Alabama School Journal, editorials and news articles, we recommended to the locals the Transformation Model.  This was important because it helped shape the approaches used by our school systems.  Of 14 Alabama awardees, 13 are transformation and one is closure.  The one local that is recommending closure has had this issue on the local board agenda for several years. read more »

By Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee

After several informative visits to priority schools in Dayton and Lima, Ohio, I was really looking forward to learning about the transformation process at Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Delaware.  With the help of my knowledgeable guide, Marlene Lacy, a visual arts teacher and building rep for Mount Pleasant, I got to interact with many of the school’s educators.

My day began with a great conversation with Mount Pleasant Principal James Simmons III and Dr. Mark Holodick, the Superintendent of Brandywine School District. Through RTTT and SIG, Dr. Holodick says professional learning communities will have the greatest impact. The professional learning communities are currently working on common planning, common assessments and tracking student data to create quality and collaborative learning that is focused.

Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee member, enjoys lunch with Principal Simmons and staff in Mount Pleasant High School's student-run cafe.

Principal Simmons told me about how SIG enabled him to hire an additional guidance counselor to focus specifically on struggling students and a family engagement coordinator. The new family engagement coordinator has a large office with meeting space and they plan to add several computers to the office for family to visit and access the Internet. He also shared some of the business partnerships he’s formed to benefit students. AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company, is going to provide bicycles and clothing for the school to start a cycling club, in addition to providing mentoring. read more »

By Christy Levings, NEA Executive Committee

If you are a fan of science and space films, the phrase Houston, we have a problem is a clear warning of danger ahead.  After spending two days in San Francisco visiting two schools identified as NEA Priority Schools that will receive School Improvement Grants, I feel that phrase sums up the message I would like to share with Education Secretary Arne Duncan:

Mr. Secretary, you are creating a launch problem for schools that are already filled with hard-working professionals who work with kids that bring tough problems to school with them every day. The schools I visited have not been given time to implement the models for major change that the U. S. Department of Education told school districts they must adopt.  Mr. Secretary, you must carve out time for schools to determine what programs are needed in their schools. They must have time to plan and collaborate together. read more »

By Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee

As you can see in the video above, I’ve had an inspiring week. I began my “listening tour” at Dunbar High School in Dayton, joined by Dayton Education Association President David Romick and Demetrice Davis and Randy Flora from the Ohio Education Association. We first met with the principal at Dunbar, Marlayna Randolph who shared some background on the School Improvement Grant (SIG) application process, and the stress of deciphering both SIG and Race to the Top requirements on a very short timeline. read more »

Priority schools are a natural focus of attention for NEA student members, and Tommie Leaders wants to make sure the word gets out.

Leaders is the 2010-2012 NEA Student Program Chairperson and he says extending the student program’s famous community outreach events into priority schools could help galvanize and grow student membership while helping pull the program out of a current media shadow.

Tommie Leaders, NEA Student Program Chair

“We’re trying to make what we’re doing better known. There’s a lot of press with Teach for America and other programs like that. We’re kind of sitting in the background right now,” says Leaders, a student at the University of Nebraska at Omaha majoring in elementary education with endorsements in math, language arts, and social sciences.

“Whether it’s through YouTube or Facebook, social networking or other media sources, we need to show our work with these schools. We need to take this work to heart and make it our own,” said Leaders. read more »