Kaye is the most supportive principal I have ever known. She's a teacher herself, she trusts us to do the job, and she empowers us to do it. Burnside arrived with a vision. I wanted to give the kids who live here all the advantages kids get from the hill schools, from wealthy communities. These children can succeed.
All children can.
Although Burnside's goal was student achievement, it was clear that students couldn't learn when others were misbehaving, when teachers were demoralized, and classrooms were chaotic. Community building had to come first. Burnside met with parents and asked them to write behavioral rules for the school. A partnership began. After school, volunteers started programs ranging from a yo-yo seminar to Spanish, dance, and soccer.