Talk Priority Schools

By Len Paolillo, NEA Executive Committee

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of going back to Belmont High School in Dayton, Ohio. I first visited Belmont back in November and was instantly struck by the excitement and change evident at the school. The collaboration and cooperation between Principal David White, the staff and the Dayton Education Association that was initially so impressive has been maintained through two school years now.

Belmont Principal David White and NEA Executive Committee member Len Paolillo prepare to "sweep the alley."

On this visit I spent some time with Principal White to learn more about his leadership philosophy. He believes in looking carefully at every aspect of the school day and creating a strategic plan on how to handle each aspect. As he explained to me, “What is the first thing that happens in a school day? The kids show up. You need to welcome them.”

One of those plans involved “sweeping the alley.”

Prior to White’s arrival, Belmont was notorious for fights and chaos. One of the most dangerous areas for students was the half-mile alley leading from the school to the bus stops. Dayton doesn’t offer public school busing, so students ride on city buses. At parts, the alley is fenced in on both sides, making it impossible for a victim of an attack to escape, leading to brutal fights. read more »

Last week, NEA Executive Committee Members Greg Johnson and Len Paolillo visited four priority schools in Des Moines, Iowa. Melissa Spencer, President of the Des Moines Education Association organized the tours at Hoyt Middle School, North High School, Edmunds Elementary School and Nathan Weeks Middle School, in addition to a meeting with Dr. Nancy Sebring, Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools.

Professional development has been a big focus in the district with the School Improvement Grant funds. 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 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 »