Student Thinking vs. Student Engagement→

If I were developing a school leadership curriculum for new principals, this article in ASCD, by Jim Heal and Bryan Goodwin, would be required reading for the first day.

But there's another form of engagement that's all too common in many classrooms that cuts against these definitions: the illusion of engagement. Students may appear engaged—creating ornate dioramas, glitzy posters, exploding volcanos, or other "busy" projects, for example—but ultimately, they do very little actual learning or thinking about their learning.

Deep learning occurs when students are given the opportunity to answer authentic, challenging, and thought-provoking questions, and are invited to share their thought processes aloud. However, this kind of teaching is not easy. It requires content knowledge, skill, and flexibility to adapt to students' needs, as well as a significant amount of tenacity to resist students' attempts to do the minimum amount of work required for a passing grade.

Principals have a critical role to play in building a professional culture that promotes collaboration and problem-solving among teachers, while also keeping expectations for students and staff high. This is essential for creating an environment that supports teachers in their efforts to promote deep learning and meaningful engagement among their students.

The Gender Gap in Academics→

I first wrote about the underperformance of boys back in 2015. Dual-enrolled students at my high school did well in general, but on average, girls' GPAs in college were 1.05 points higher than boys', even though they did the same on standardized tests going in. Fast forward to today, and the problem still exists:

“Many social scientists agree that contemporary American men are mired in malaise, even as they disagree about the causes. In academic performance, boys are well behind girls in elementary school, high school, and college, where the sex ratio is approaching two female undergraduates for every one male. (It was an even split at the start of the nineteen-eighties.)”

Addressing academic differences between boys and girls in our current culture is a complex and delicate task. We're navigating a social landscape where conversations around gender equality and toxic masculinity are ongoing, and any efforts to support boys specifically may be met with skepticism or resistance. Yet, it’s essential to address this challenge, understanding that the purpose of school is to lift everyone up and create equal opportunities for success.

Solutions should emphasize supporting all students and creating a safe space for candid conversations about their experiences. By placing a strong emphasis on learning and growth, and listening to each student’s individual needs, we can begin to understand the issue of boys performing worse than girls in school. Then, by encouraging open dialogue among educators, parents, and students, we can collaboratively work on strategies that are adapted to meet a variety of learning needs. By doing this, we are likely to help boys succeed and make learning more inclusive and equitable for everyone.

Bay City Central High School Redesign Plan: A Path to College and Career

It has been a privilege to work with the Bay City Central High School Principal and team on their redesign effort. As a proud graduate of Central High School, I am humbled to see the positive changes being made to benefit students, and I am excited to see the positive outcomes that will follow.

The redesign plan includes three key components:

1. A Freshman Focus program provides dedicated space, staff, and resources to address the academic and social-emotional needs of 9th graders.

2. A Deeper Learning instructional model, in partnership with the New Tech Network, helps develop students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills through real-world applications.

3. A 5-year program of study transforms Central High School into a full-school Early Middle College, offering up to 60 college credits or apprenticeship programs before graduation.

The video is fantastic as it not only tells the story of what's to come for the students in the Bay City Central community but it also highlights the commitment of those involved in ensuring the success of the plan.

I am honored to have been part of this team, working towards leading Central students towards a brighter future.

Building Strong School Culture with Crew at Handy Middle School

This video features the impact of Crew, as shared by the students and teachers at Handy Middle School. They discuss the improvements they have seen, including increased confidence, better communication, stronger bonds, and a more connected community.

Crew is a unique combination of advisory class and ethos that aims to create a supportive and grounding environment for students as they start each day. During the first 30 minutes of every day, teachers focus on lessons that emphasize social-emotional skills and character-building activities. During these lessons, students reflect on essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership, while also building relationships with their classmates and teachers. The lessons learned in Crew are then practiced throughout the day.

The impact of Crew extends beyond the students to the staff as well. Staff crew meetings provide a space for team building and decompression, allowing staff members to connect, support each other, and refocus on their work.

Creating and maintaining a positive school culture is a challenging but essential task for any principal. That's why I was thrilled to partner with EL Education on the pilot of their middle school Crew curriculum at Handy Middle School. Our goal was to provide the school redesign team with a framework and necessary support to achieve this objective.

This video celebrates the transformative impact of empowerment and the importance of fostering a strong school culture. The use of student and teacher voices to share their experiences highlights the positive impact of Crew and the success it has had in the school community.

Transforming Middle School with Essential Outcomes at Handy Middle School

As a teacher, I had my first encounter with the New Tech Network in the spring of 2010 at Bloomington New Tech in Indiana. It was there, under the leadership of Alan Veach, that I was introduced to project-based learning and the intentional teaching of essential skills. I was fortunate enough to later serve as principal for two New Tech high schools and am now working with my district team and a talented group of school leaders and teachers to bring this innovative approach to Handy Middle School.

This video highlights the exciting work happening at Handy Middle School as they implement the New Tech Network's essential learning outcomes. These outcomes, which include agency, collaboration, knowledge and thinking, and written & oral communication, go beyond traditional content standards and equip students with the skills they need to succeed in the future.

Early College for All

Last week, I wrote a press release about my school that was picked up by our local paper. I'm proud of the work that it represents and I'm proud of the students who make this possible. So, I want to share it here:

Two-Thirds of Meridian Grads Opt for Free First Year of College

SANFORD, MI - June 4, 2016 - One hundred twenty students walked across the stage at Meridian Public Schools commencement ceremony this past Thursday night, but only forty of them took home a diploma. That’s because the other eighty students – two-thirds of the graduating class – have chosen to participate in Meridian’s fifth year program for a free first year of college.

“As an early college high school, we are set up to offer all students five years of education,” said Patrick Malley, Meridian’s high school principal. “During students’ fifth year, they take a full-time course load with one of our early college partners.”

The majority of students will take courses at Delta College. Others have opted to earn vocational credentials through the Greater Michigan Construction Academy or Bayshire Beauty Academy.

None of the students participating in fifth year have to step foot on the high school campus. For the most part, they are treated just like any other first year college students.

“This graduating class has already earned over 1,600 college credits during their junior and senior years,” said Meridian Superintendent, Craig Carmoney. “Now, with so many of our students staying for fifth year, we estimate that over 90% of them will participate in postsecondary education.”

Meridian transitioned its high school to an early college four years ago, when the students in this class were just freshmen. According to Principal Malley, the decision to become an early college made sense considering the work they were already doing: “The district had just joined the New Tech Network in an effort to improve student success after high school. We had the support of our teachers, parents, community, and Board to re-imagine our high school to improve outcomes. We saw alignment between our work with New Tech and the Early College movement, so we went for it.”

As one of only twenty-two early college high schools in the state of Michigan, Meridian is offering students an experience that was unimaginable just five years ago. In the fifth year, students receive funding for tuition, books, and supplies. They also get monthly gas cards to help offset the cost of transportation, and are assigned a laptop that they can use in the classroom and take home. Additionally, they are linked with an Early College Coach who supports them through their first year college experience.

“Our goal is to remove as many barriers to college and career success as possible for these students,” said Superintendent Carmoney.
What are the other third of the class not staying for the extra year doing next year? Most of them applied for an early graduation after just four years and are going on to a university, the military, or to work in a family business. Because of the opportunities offered, only a few of them graduated undecided about their next step after high school.

“While our evaluation of the success of this program will have to wait until students finish their fifth year, the early results appear very positive,” said Malley. “By eliminating the major stumbling blocks to college success – funding, transportation, and support – we anticipate we’ll see our first year college completion rates more than double our ten year average.”

Based on the program's past success and the number of students participating, it is likely that over eighty percent of Meridian graduates will earn a year of college credits before exiting the program.

According to Amy Boxey, Dean of Student Transitions at Meridian, some will even graduate with over 60 credits.

“Our goal is to send students to postsecondary programs once they are able to show us that they are ready,” said Boxey. “Students who demonstrated readiness their junior year went to college. More were ready and went to college during senior year. Now that these students are entering the fifth year, the opportunity has opened to all. We look forward to supporting so many of our students on their next step after high school.”