News
Hawaii Dept of Education Honors a School Turnaround Principal
Congratulations to Principal and School Turnaround Specialist, Dale Castro, who has been honored by the Hawaii Department of Education for his school's outstanding achievement. Mililani Waena Elementary School has demonstrated 5% growth for 5 consectutive years (2007-2011) in both reading and math. Dale has been a Specialist with School Turnaround since 2009.
St. Louis School Leaders Work to Show Improvement
Cornelius Green, principal of Fanning Middle School in St. Louis, is proving that rapid, transformative change can happen at the worst schools with focus, determination, and effective leadership. Cornelius has been coached by School Turnaround since 2010. To read the full story please click on the link: http://bit.ly/mIjtCM
Senior Specialist, Mildred Toliver, Assists in Fort Wayne, IN
The Fort Wayne, IN community is seeking information on alternatives for turning around schools. School Turnaround was one of the organizations invited to share more about what we do and what we can offer struggling communities like this one.
To read the full story please click on link: http://bit.ly/vhV5Qy
St Louis Principal Rewards Students for Benchmark Test Results by Sleeping on the Roof
Robert Lescher, Principal at Busch Middle School for Character and Athletics in St Louis, MO publicly thanked his students for making gains on their last benchmark test exam by spending a night on the roof of his school on March 4, 2011, in one of the coldest months of the year. Robert spent an entire evening and workday on the roof, while an 8th grade student with good grades was named Principal for the Day, an honor awarded to him in a school drawing based on his achievement. In keeping with his school culture, Robert is following through on his commitment to students and asking that in return they work even harder in preparation for the upcoming state MAP exams this spring.
To watch the video please click on link: http://bit.ly/ibglzQ
Gillian Williams Appointed President of the Rensselaerville Institute
Gillian Williams, Founder and Chief Academic Officer for School Turnaround, was appointed as the President of the Rensselaerville Institute in April, 2010. Headquartered in Rensselaerville New York and founded in 1963, The Rensselaerville Institute is a not-for-profit educational enterprise chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. It offers programs domestically and internationally in achieving outcomes for educational institutions, not-for-profit organizations, grant-makers and government agencies.
In the nine years that Ms. Williams has served as its founder and leader, School Turnaround has achieved remarkable measurable success in its work with failing public schools around the country. Their work primarily serves diverse populations in under-resourced areas ranging from the Mississippi Delta to inner city St. Louis and includes schools in the states of Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. The School Turnaround initiative has a proven track record for delivering results in a time-compressed way.
Ms. Williams is a national leader in education turnaround. She is a sought after keynote speaker and has appeared in numerous media outlets including CBS Sunday Morning, The New Yorker, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report and Education Week.
In addition to her expanded responsibilities as President of The Institute, Ms. Williams will retain her responsibilities as Chief Academic Officer of the School Turnaround Program.
Hawaii Dept of Education Renews Partnership with School Turnaround
The partnership between School Turnaround and the Hawaii Department of Education will continue into the 2010-11 school year. This collaboration began in 2007 and has helped 12 failing Hawaii public schools in that time. Six schools will be taking part in the program this year, three returning for a second year and three that will begin the program in July, 2010.
School Turnaround Continues Partnership with St. Louis Public Schools
St. Louis Public Schools has again chosen the national program, School Turnaround, as its partner in tunring around failing public schools within the city. The contract was recently approved by the Board of Education.
School Turnaround is contracted to work with twenty-two of the district's lowest performing elementary, middle and high schools. Of the twety-two schools, fourteen are returning for a second year and eight are new to the program for the upcoming school year.
Congratulations Bernadine Taaca
Waianae Intermediate's Bernadine Taaca named Hawaii's Top Vice Principal
Click on the link to read the article:
Arne Duncan — U.S. Secretary of Education— Visits St. Louis Public Schools
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Two Participating Fort Worth Schools Get Recognition
On June 1, 2009 Dr. Melody Johnson, Fort Worth ISD Superintendent, acknowledged the heroic efforts of the teams of teachers, administrators, central office staff, and community partners that were charged with the task of working in some of their most academically-challenged schools. She announced a number of schools improving to the status of Academically Acceptable campuses, including Sunrise McMillian Elementary, which participated in the 2007-2009 School Turnaround program. Sunrise McMillian, under the leadership of Principal Marion Mouton, is projected to be removed from the Academically Unacceptable list.
Margarita Garcia, Principal at Oaklawn Elementary and a School Turnaround Specialist, was praised by Dr. Johnson for the tremendous work done by the entire staff at Oaklawn Elementary. Oaklawn is projected to be removed from the Academically Unacceptable list and earn Recognized status. Dr Johnson stated, "this is an amazing accomplishment in one year's time".
Congratulations to the entire staffs of Sunrise McMillian Elementary and Oaklawn Elementary for all their hard work.
St. Louis Public Schools Select School Turnaround as Partner for Turning Around Schools
St Louis Public School District has chosen the national program School Turnaround as its partner for significant improvement in academic achievement in the next two academic years. A contract was approved by the board on May 14, 2009.
School Turnaround will focus on all of the district's middle schools and a handful of low performing elementary schools. The program focuses on the principal as the key to school success and emphasizes the power of having targets down to the classroom level and data systems that help each teacher know what to do next with each of their students.
School Turnaround Founder and Chief Academic Officer, Gillian Williams, noted, "St.Louis met all of our criteria for a successful partnership - starting with strong support from the superintendant, district office leaders and the board. We also will have the freedom and flexibility to hit the ground running. Turnaround is blunt and fast-paced -driven by the urgent need for change - and this district is ready for it. Two years from now we fully expect these schools to have shown marked improvement as a result of this partnership."
School Turnaround and Hawaii Department of Education Continue Partnership for 2009-2010 School Year
School Turnaround will continue its partnership with the Hawaii Department of Education for the 2009-2010 school year. School Turnaround has been present in Hawaii since 2007 and has worked with 11 schools in that time. The 2008-2009 school year will have six participating schools. Five of these schools are starting their second year in the program, while the sixth school is in the first year of the program.
School Turnaround Partners With the Community Foundation
The Community Foundation of Shreveport-Bossier and School Turnaround have formed a partnership to work with schools in Shreveport, Louisiana. Vivian Elementary will participate in the core School Turnaround program, while Keithville Elementary/Middle School, Arthur Circle Elementary, and Mooringsport Elementary will participate in the Data Use Readiness program.
Gillian Williams speaks at Learning About Learning Conference
In February 2008 Gillian Williams had the honor of presenting at the Learning About Learning Conference, held in San Antonio Texas.
Please click on the link below to watch her presentation.
For archived articles and materials, contact us at info@schoolturnaround.org.