High School Principal
Flint Township, Mi
Led a turnaround of early college high school model, recording substantial improvements in both measurable and intangible areas of evaluation: student attendance, test scores, state evaluations, morale, student participation, teacher engagement, all driven by the school’s growing reputation for excellence.Challenges and ResultsLax discipline and substandard attendance (65%) were creating a poor educational environment and negatively affecting test scores. Recruited as Principal to improve these fundamentals.• Set new discipline and attendance policies – and enforced them.• Gained community support/culture shift through an intensive and ongoing communications campaign.• Personally supervised after-school events and student make-up time, becoming the face of the new culture.• Encouraged attendance through meaningful incentives and recognition events.As the Principal, designed and led multiple, aggressive initiatives to improve academic performance.• Developed performance data on every student and used data to customize tutoring and other support programs on an individual basis.• Gained parental support through the newly formed Parent-Teacher Organization and added frequent communications.• Implemented short-cycle assessments, aligning teaching and testing with mandated test standards and weekly reporting to allow early intervention.• Converted semesters from 88 to 44 days, with more concise exams, allowing greater freedom and flexibility for students.• Empowered teachers, gained their support for changes, and percolated the culture of excellence into every classroom in the building. Graduation rate improved from 75% to 100%. College attendance participation grew by 45%. In open-enrollment, school of choice district, student population increased 50% from 2011 to 2013.
