A comprehensive study
and follow-up interviews expose the strategies that successful middle grades principals share.
S
uccessful middle schools do not happen by accident – they happen through leadership. Principals pro- mote a shared vision that empow-
ers school staffs to set high standards and continuously improve student achievement. And these middle grade educators also try to help their adolescent students see the con- nection between their work in school and their futures. Those are among the findings of “Gain-
ing Ground in the Middle Grades,” a land- mark study by EdSource, published in 2010. EdSource interviewed nine of the 303 prin- cipals who participated in the study to learn more about how successful schools’ leaders are implementing these strategies and what they’ve learned along the way. Each of the nine schools serves low-income students and is notable for its students’ academic success (see sidebar on next page).
A collaborative culture The interviews revealed that despite the
tough economic times they face, the lead- ers and teachers in these schools continue to work hard to create a collaborative culture.
24 Leadership
They provide adequate time for teachers to plan lessons and work together to develop more effective approaches. Take La Merced Intermediate School,
which is east of Los Angeles in the San Ga- briel Valley. This school of about 1,400 mostly Latino middle graders sets aside time on Monday afternoons so teachers can con- verse with each other, sharing strategies that have worked as well as approaches that have not worked so well, based on data. “Everything is out in the open,” says Prin-
cipal Eugene C. Kerr. “In the old days, it used to be: ‘I’m going great, but I’m not going to share with anybody because I want to be the shining star.’ That’s a cultural change we’ve been able to implement.” The change at La Merced was intentional and took effort. Kerr and his assistant principal met with teachers to encourage the team approach. Similarly, teachers at Vina Danks in San
Bernardino County work in teams based on subject and grade level, says Principal Ellen Ransons. The school of about 1,000 mostly
By Susan Frey
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