It responds to board policy requiring certain suspensions, and it is clearly taking its own steps to lower its suspension rate. It is interested in showing that student referrals will go down as their reading ability improves. Organizational Structures and Procedures A shared vision of high performance drives this school. Interestingly, this school has not adopted a comprehensive school reform model. The principal holds the enterprise together.
Teachers say they are, indeed, a community of practice and reflection.
Their work is supported by business partners whom the principal uses strategically to move the school ahead academically. So, for instance, to support the new reading program, Target, Pepsi, and Barnes and Noble will concentrate their efforts on reading, improvement, being trained as tutors, donating Walkmen, Accelerated Reader Program equipment, novels on tape, and incentives. The school has the capacity to concentrate its energies on important focus areas. One of the sections of reading support will be specifically for students who may be four or more years below grde level in their reading comprehension. IT will be a multi-age grouping of 7th and 8th graders.