Recipient :
Rio Grande Redesign Off to a Great Start
2009/11/04
Attendance Up, Vandalism Down, Students More Engaged

At Rio Grande High, students are going to class, staying out of trouble, connecting with teachers, and even taking belly dancing lessons.

Well, not all students are taking belly dancing lessons. Some have joined the chess team, or the anime club, or speech and debate, or the Bible club. Nearly 60 seniors ran for homecoming court – twice as many as last year. More and more Ravens are showing their school spirit, sporting red and black, attending lunch-time and after-school tutoring sessions, focusing on their academics.

According to Principal Linda Torres, the school’s redesign plan that went into effect at the beginning of the school year is off to a great start.

“Our staff is committed to the new design of the school, and we’re really pleased with the growth we’re seeing,” Torres said.

After years of low scores on state-mandated tests, Rio Grande was “repurposed” last winter as required by the federal No Child Left Behind law. A design team made up of district and school administrators, union representatives and Rio Grande teachers was formed. The team decided it would base the redesign of the school on input from community and student work groups.

The new plan calls for biweekly advisory periods for all students, more emphasis on project-based learning, small learning communities, teacher teaming, extended library and computer lab hours and tutoring.

As part of the redesign, Rio Grande teachers and administrators signed commitments that said they would make a concerted choice to fulfill the new mission of the school. The commitment came with a $5,000 stipend, but also a lot more demands. Teachers now spend at least one extra hour at school each week to sponsor a club, provide tutoring and help students. They also serve as advisors who advocate for a small group of students. As advisors, they’re required to stay in touch with parents – to call about attendance issues or potential academic or behavioral problems.

As sophomore student Jaime Quintana put it, “The teachers got the students’ backs.”

“A lot of people didn’t care about school last year. But that’s because they didn’t have anyone looking out for them,” Quintana said. “Now it feels safer. The teachers are looking out for the students. They’re keeping a focus on education. They’re focusing more on us.”

Some byproducts of the redesign include an increase in attendance by nearly 10 percent and a drop of serious discipline problems by nearly half. Torres said there also is a lot less vandalism and graffiti at the school.

“There’s a tone of respect, not only for the buildings, but for the academic process,” Torres said.

APS Board of Education secretary Dolores Griego said she is pleased with the early results of the redesign. “My constant belief is every child is called to greatness. And if we allow every child opportunity and access for an education, they will succeed. That’s what this is all about. It’s simple, really,” Griego said.

Photo: More students participated in homecoming at Rio Grande this year than in years past.


© 2002-2009 Professional Innovations, Inc.