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Classroom Practice/Program

apologize when we did something wrong or they [students] felt wronged; and
provide lots of positive reinforcement. For the monthly staff meetings, I randomly
selected three teachers to report how they showed love to their students.
Embedded professional development. This included coaching, weekly LEAP
[Learn, Explore, Aspire, and Pursue; leap4ed.org] meetings, instructional team
feedback aligned to school and student needs, and outstanding teacher performance
shared and/or acknowledged during monthly staff meetings. Training topics were
data driven—designed to address students’ specific needs as evidenced in the
regular performance monitoring.
Being on top of attendance. Students can’t learn if they don’t come, so we also
made attendance a priority. We secured the services of a connector van to bring
students to school and gave bus tokens where needed. We connected children
with other families if they needed someone to walk with them. Through our social
worker, we provided clean clothes and missing essentials. We showed by word and
actions that we cared.
Teamwork! Everybody—teachers, special teachers, administrators, and support
staff—worked together. Academic coaches helped students, teachers, and each
other.
Everything was built around the goals.

Q: Is there anything that you would have done differently?

A: Last year, I made changes after middle of year (MOY) scores were in. For better
results, I could have created stronger interventions after the first advisory.
Q: What suggestions/advice would you offer to principals who might
be in similar situations next year?
A: Set rigorous social-emotional and academic goals. Set the bar high for student
achievement. Then, build everything around the goals. The entire program should
be designed and implemented with the goals in mind.
“It doesn’t matter what section of the city you’re in. All children can achieve.”

Despite an opening marked with academic, health, and social-emotional
challenges, Principal Beckwith’s formula for success—clear goals and vision,
supported by regular monitoring of attendance and performance, data-driven
teacher training, teamwork, and caring—resulted in students who achieved
academically and also felt loved. I hope that others are inspired by her experience.

Vision: Our vision is to create a school community where all children feel loved and
respected. We are committed to making sure that ALL students achieve academic success through
hard work and perseverance. We also desire to have strong family connections throughout the
whole school community.

Goals: To meet or exceed growth targets in reading and math as evidenced in DIBELS and
IREADY scores, to increase the percentage of parent satisfaction with the school to 90%, and to
increase student satisfaction, particularly the percentage of students who felt loved, to 85%.

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