In 1997 I became principal of Winter Park Model Elementary School, a new school in Wilmington, N.C. I was challenged by my superintendent to create a school that would use best teaching practices and achieve top test scores. As a former staff development supervisor, I had read widely and taught many classes about change in schools, and I was excited to have the opportunity to implement my ideas.
I had carefully selected an entirely new staff, so I was familiar with their ideas and sure of their dedication to children. My staff members were a leading force in implementing change at our school—at times they led me. Parents, however, at least at first, were one of my biggest challenges. Because we were using some teaching practices that were new to many of our parents, they fought us.
Breaking Tradition, Building Learning
Some very traditional parents were upset because we abandoned the old method of drilling skills using multiple worksheets each day. High-achieving students were no longer taking home a daily stack of worksheets with 100-plus scores. Instead, we emphasized meaningful, hands-on work and helping different children learn in different ways. We studied inquiry learning, Jacqueline and Martin Brooks's writings on constructivist classrooms, and Howard Gardner's ideas about multiple intelligences. We used cooperative learning to increase social and academic learning. I believe our ideas worked. We were a high-achieving school for the eight years I was principal. (We were also a Title I school, with about 45 percent of our students on free or reduced-price lunch.) One year we were named one of the 25 Most Improved Elementary Schools in the state. Parents who were at first wary came to fully accept and support our school philosophy and practices.
Some parents even led me to implement practices that became core elements of our school environment. One parent, for example, was outspoken about the negative aspects of extrinsic awards for learning, including awards ceremonies. My staff and I listened to that parent and others and, realizing that their suggestions aligned with our own beliefs in Alfie Kohn's ideas about rewards and punishments, we quickly took steps to abolish the practices of rewarding and punishing children for learning and behavior. Instead, we used our time and energy to create a caring community of learners and to make learning fun and satisfying.
Community Equity
Another important initiative we undertook was eliminating the distinction between haves and have-nots. Our students come from a wide range of economic backgrounds, and we didn't want to promote any programs or activities available only to families who could afford them. So now, no money is ever collected for any activities or products at school. The school pays for all field trips, and when we get school t-shirts and yearbooks, every child gets one. We stopped having a book fair at school because some children did not have money to buy books. Instead, we are sometimes able to give all children books. Who makes all this possible? Our parents! The PTA pays for yearbooks, field trips, t-shirts, and, twice a month, ice cream. We have no fund-raisers that require children or parents to buy or sell anything. Once a year, the PTA has a "Make It Happen" drive, asking each family that can afford it to donate $35 or more. Further, families do not need to purchase school supplies. We provide everything students need by using our local and state allotted instructional supply money wisely.
Proud Reflections
All of the practices we implemented during my principalship were directly aligned with the mission statement we created during those first few weeks of school in 1997: "To provide an emotionally safe environment and meaningful learning experiences to develop joyful and productive life-long learners." Each year of my tenure, the staff collectively examined this statement, and each year we agreed that our mission statement and practices were aligned.
Since my retirement in March 2005, my former assistant principal, Lynn Fulton, has led the staff. Although I am sure many practices will change, I believe the staff will continue to work within the framework of beliefs and values that drove the school during my days as principal.
