Collaborative culture nets successes at Mary Welty

Fernando Parra

(Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of columns called “NUSD Straight Talk.” The articles will be written by those on the “front lines” of the Nogales Unified School District to help provide a better understanding of our schools and district.)

I would like to share how Mary L. Welty Elementary School the academic achievement gap grew and how our school earned Highly Performing Status. We made significant gains in all core subject areas, with 20-percent to30-percent increases in specific grade levels.

The most critical component we put in place was a school-culture community that made students the highest priority. We assured that leadership, teachers and staff assumed the responsibility for every student’s and the school’s success.

Students were provided with the best opportunity to succeed academically and socially. We understood our student population and took serious consideration of the community challenges outside the school that our students deal with on a daily basis.

The collaborative culture that was structured within three years was simple: Hold everyone accountable, reinforce the school’s expectations on a daily basis, get things done, be consistent, and be determined to implement data-driven instruction that would meet the needs of our student population.

Our students were exposed to caring and hard-working teachers. We cultivated teachers and support staff with a healthy professional conscience who took pride in their teaching approaches and in our students’ education. We built caring, positive relationships with our students, school team and among peers. We demanded team effectiveness, teachers and staff to get involved in the decision-making process, “to have our act together,” to work hard, and to take pride in our profession. The commitment was for each one of us to give our best each day.

As the leader of the school, I believe the following components were instrumental to Mary L. Welty’s academic success: School discipline was everyone’s responsibility; administrative walk-throughs: evaluations and observations were done on a regular basis. an accountability checklist was applied to personnel on a biweekly basis; plans for improvement were developed and implemented; site strategic goals were established and followed; and the school schedule was adjusted and changed for more instructional time-on-task.

Also, changes and evaluations were made and implemented accordingly. The status quo was not accepted or protected. Our students were not going to be exposed to uncaring teachers who lacked work ethics, were ineffective, or who displayed negative attitudes towards students and schooling expectations.

As well, we encouraged parent involvement with monthly parent and leadership meetings-activities; school report and academic progress meetings were done throughout the school year; a Academic Achievement Expectation Contract was created and signed by parent, teacher, student and principal; 100-percent of our teachers were Highly Qualified in all core subject/grade level areas tested; researched-based best teaching practices were implemented; all teachers and staff were part of the Reading Intervention Program a 120-minute reading block was aligned with student engagement and differentiated instruction.

Staff development was aligned to meet and address all site goals and objectives; parents were regular visitors, helpers, volunteers, and were encouraged to be part of our school community.

Each student’s progress was monitored on a daily/bi-weekly basis; student interventions and AIMS Assessment tutoring was mandatory; all classrooms were innovated with the latest technology and teaching tools/resources; a language component for all Second Language students -- small group instruction -- was implemented across the curriculum; and the school hallway walls, buildings and classrooms were used to display academic accomplishments, art work, posters, students’ “Best Work”, Character Counts, positive habits of behavior and the student’s favorite�”a Birthday Wall. School and student SUCCESS were promoted throughout the community.

Our school was successful because we did what was right for our students, Mary L. Welty Elementary school, the school district, and our Nogales community.

(Editor’s Note: Parra is now principal at Nogales High School.)