Pearce Early College Prep Academy

This morning I waited at the bus stop with seven Pearce Early College Prep Academy students at the corner of Reinli Street and Sheridan Avenue at 7:47 a.m. Parents and guardians can drop off their children as early as 7:45 a.m. at Reagan. Today, there were 21 students from the Pearce Early College Prep Academy at Reagan High School on the bus and I had the chance to talk with several of them during our ride. Alicia, Sherri, Tracy, and Lucy talked about the big change they were making and about the electives they can take. By the time we arrived at Reagan, I had successfully recruited Lucy to join my superintendent’s student advisory council.

The Pearce 8^th graders are picked up by our school buses from their neighborhoods, and arrive at Reagan in time for breakfast, served only to the 8^th graders from 7:45 a.m. to 8:10 a.m. Students were greeted at Reagan by teachers and escorted to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. Principal Anabel Garza joined us on the walk to the cafeteria. As soon as we entered the cafeteria at about 7:55 a.m. I noticed the delicious and nutritious breakfast choices on this serving line. Today’s breakfast offerings included cinnamon rolls, biscuits, egg sandwiches, chicken patties, sausage, beans, breakfast taco fixings, milk, juice, and fresh fruit. Many students did eat breakfast. However, I reminded the whole group about the importance of eating breakfast and school lunch every day. Eating a nutritious breakfast is important to your child’s health and mental clarity in the classroom. Better nutrition = better grades.

After breakfast we entered the original Reagan mall, which is where the Pearce Early College Prep Academy is located. I love the new Pearce Early College Prep Academy courtyard. Ms. Garza personally planted flowers in the planter so that the space would look even more inviting for our students. The courtyard also features new landscaping and flags of many colleges. The space looks better than even three weeks ago. It is more middle school appropriate and friendly. This has been a collective group effort to make this learning environment Pearce-centric and to promote a college-bound culture.

Classes in the Pearce Early College Prep Academy begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. (see below for Pearce’s daily schedule). The classes are geared to prepare the Pearce students for the Early College High School curriculum at Reagan and LBJ high schools.

Ms. Garza is also holding additional assemblies for the 8^th graders to ensure that all their questions are answered. For example, on the uniform questions—the dress code was determined by the Pearce CAC last year; Reagan is honoring that decision. This dress code allows students to wear an orange or gray collared shirt with no graphics. Only a white undershirt may be worn under a collared shirt. Students can also wear pants that are dark blue, black, gray, brown or khaki and black or white shoes. Jeans are not allowed – and, yes, it’s no surprise that some students don’t like that.

This afternoon I finished up my school visits by taking the bus with the 8^th graders from Reagan back to the Pearce campus for after-school activities. The students debriefed with me their school day. The only issue they raised was the dress code. They do indeed want to wear jeans. I’ll leave that up to the CAC to decide.

At Pearce Middle School, teachers and the new principal, Texanna Turner, were managing buses and getting kids home. I saw assistant principals with students at the Metro bus stops chaperoning until the bus arrived. The coaches were ready and waiting to take the 8^th graders to their activities. And, in the cafeteria, Ms. Turner had the set-up in place so that students could get their physicals for after-school athletics. 

I know there may still be some lingering questions about the new Pearce Early College Prep Academy. That is why part of my mission today was to get some clarity about how things are progressing. I wanted to experience the campus culture first-hand.  

Here is a summary of a few questions that stakeholders wanted confirmed that helped me monitor our work thus far:

What time can students arrive at Reagan?
7:45 a.m.

What time does breakfast begin and end?
Breakfast begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends at 8:10 a.m.

What time do classes start?
8:15 a.m.

What time do classes end?
3:30 p.m.

What time do students leave on buses for Pearce or for home?
3:40 p.m.

What time are students required to be off of the Reagan campus?
3:40 p.m.

What happens if students remain on Reagan campus after dismissal? Parent sign-out?
If students do not ride the bus and are not picked up by 3:40 p.m., they are escorted to the office where they sign in and are not released until the parent or designee signs them out from the office. Permission slips for walkers were sent home yesterday.  Only students with returned permission slips will be allowed to walk.

How many electives do students have?
Students have a selection of the following six elective offerings: Band, Art, PE, Spanish, Digital Media, and Keyboarding. Students still needing to meet PE or other requirements will work with a counselor to schedule that class for the first or second semester. Each student has earned their own credits based on their own performance, so it is important that parents talk to the school directly to discuss their child’s individual options.

Can students take a foreign language?  Art?
Yes. 

Are students allowed to go back to Pearce for after-school activities? Which activities?
The TEA has approved our 21^st Century after-school grant serving Pearce, including the 8^th graders. We have an exciting list of after-school programs for these students, including pottery, journalism, robotics, soccer, and website design. We will meet with the Pearce 8^th graders next week to sign them up for these exciting activities, which will begin on Tuesday, September 6^th. Staff for these programs must be trained according to federal guidelines throughout the month of August.

Further, once classes end for the day, students will take school buses home or to Pearce for the sports too. This includes the following after-school teams: football, volleyball, and cheerleading. The teams have begun at Pearce, but students need to pass a physical before taking part. Please make sure that your child gets their physical and follows AISD’s guidelines for participation in after-school activities.

Is there only one band class being offered for students? What happens if a student can’t take that band class?

At this time, we are offering one band class. However, we are exploring opportunities for more band offerings for our 8^th graders. As in all school schedules, there are some conflicts that restrict choices. Students are given the opportunity to select another elective if a conflict cannot be resolved.

What is the dress code for students?

Students will wear an orange or gray collared shirt with no graphics. Only a white undershirt may be worn under a collared shirt. Students will wear pants that are dark blue, black, gray, brown or khaki and black or white shoes.

Daily Schedule for Pearce 8^th Grade Students

TIME	STUDENT ACTIVITY
7:45 a.m.	Students may begin arriving on Reagan campus
7:45 a.m.	Breakfast begins
8:10 a.m.	Breakfast ends
8:10 a.m.	Classes begin
3:30 p.m.	Classes end
3:40 p.m.	Buses leave Reagan to take students home or to after-school activities at Pearce*
	*Parental written permission required for students walking home; families may also pick up their children at Reagan. Students remaining on campus after 3:40 will wait in the office until picked up by appropriate family member.

Jordan Elementary School

 It is College Day at Jordan Elementary School! I love college day.

Principal Diana Vallejo led me into the 6^th graders team-building activity, where we formed a circle and joined hands. As a team we bounced a balloon without letting go of the chain of hands. It took real communication. We used heads, elbows, and noses. It’s a great way to break down barriers. Then I joined an activity led by librarian John Garcia, in which you had to climb into a hula hoop while keeping your hands joined.

Ms. Vallejo told me that, because these are new students to the school and to sixth grade, she wanted them to learn to problem solve together, to be teammates, and to resolve issues themselves.

In the library, counselor Cristela Garcia talked to students about setting “SMART” goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. A student named Maria asked where I went to college, so I gave them my academic history.

Another student, Taylor, asked about my goals in sixth grade. I told them about a book that changed my life: Where the Red Fern Grows by Richard Riordan. I was affected by the teacher’s emotion when she was reading the book to the class. I decided at that moment that I wanted to be the best reader. I told them that I also love to read non-fiction and recently read a book about chloroform.

I asked how many books they had read over the summer and stressed the importance of continuing to learn when they’re not in schools, as in the nine non-school hours they are awake. I told them that TV takes away from their time to prepare for college and that I haven’t looked at a TV for four or five months.

I observed more team-building activities in every wing. While picking up a delicious to-go lunch from the cafeteria manager Mary, I was told by teachers that teacher retention was better this year and that one of the reasons was the REACH program.

Thank you Jordan Jaguars, we had a great time!

Overton Elementary School

I presented Principal Gilbert Hicks with the “Recognized” banner for Overton Elementary School. It’s always a joy to be at Overton. They are so happy to have the sixth graders too. Mr. Hicks told me about the school’s work to instill college preparation in the minds of scholars and to focus on reading. We walked the hall of expectations where all the standards for the school are clearly illustrated in multiple ways so that scholars, parents, teachers, and visitors know exactly what they need know and do while at Overton. I very much appreciated a bulletin board that had real clothes pinned to the board so that everyone knew what the uniform was suppose to look like. It questioned, “Are you in dress code today?” One would know clearly if he or she was or was not. What I like is that the expectations are clear so that there is no guessing as to what the outcomes will be. Performance charts for college readiness connected elementary school work to what college ready standards. Scholars and their families will know exactly when they are on or off track for college long before it is too late to intervene.  

What is particularly nice along the halls is TEACHER work next to the SCHOLAR work. Scholars see what their teachers do in professional development as well. And, they have fun too! There is a very humorous poster of the principal designed as Captain America but called “Captain Achievement” so that it could demonstrate and emphasize positive character traits of the principal. Great modeling for the scholars!

We then visited the ELL classroom of Overton Teacher of the Year, Brian Hill, who I adore. He is a wonderful teacher and, of course, a Teacher of the Year for the school. The scholars serenaded me with the school’s spirit song – without provocation from their teacher. Clearly, scholars know how to lead the class too.  I talked with the class about the importance of reading and asked them to make the following commitments: 1. Go to bed by 7 pm – less TV/cell phone monitor time; 2. Read at least 20 books in the summer – and continue reading throughout the school year; 3. Go to college. 

The school is also piloting more work in single gender classrooms. The boys only had good things to say about their experience. It was a very interesting discussion with scholars in Pauline Pavilica’s 5^th grade, all-boys classroom. Overton also has an all-girls 5^th grade class. These are the first single-gender classrooms in any elementary school in AISD. The scholars in Ms. Pavlica’s class told me, that in this all-boys class, they “build closer and tighter relationships with each other;” there are “less distractions;” “it’s easier to learn without girls talking to us;” and “it’s easier to work with another boy in teams.”

The Overton Bulldogs rock! Congratulations to the whole school. This is just wonderful school.

Garcia Middle School

Principal Helen Johnson greeted us at beautiful Garcia Middle School. What a view, and what an orchestra! The seventh grade percussion group met us in the foyer with a wonderful performance, led by director Javier Ayala.

The xylophone player, Cameron, taught me how to play a few notes on the xylophone. I then asked Cameron how many books he’d read this summer. He told me he’d read ten. I encouraged him to push himself in reading and to make college plans and stick to them. 

After visiting the life skills class of teacher Laura Phillips, we joined the seventh grade Texas history class led by Garcia Teacher of the Year Stephanie Spradlin. The students were putting together a Texas fact sheet. They were discussing facts about Central Texas counties, and they were really engaged in their lesson.

On the way out of the school, I met the Garcia dropout specialist Ray Lopez. He’s working in partnership with LBJ to recover kids. Ray is fabulous and works hard to bring the Garcia dropout count to zero.

LBJ Early College High School

 
We pulled up to the exciting new purple entryway to LBJ High School. It took some work to get that right, but it was worth it. The students I asked as we entered said they thought it was a big improvement.

LBJ is in its first year as an Early College High School in partnership with Austin Community College. It is an important start to a great opportunity for these students. If they really apply themselves, they can graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate’s degree at no cost to their families.

We were greeted by Rhonda Hall, the school’s academic director. Our first stop was the Student and Family Support Office. It houses counselors, the dropout specialist and other student support structures in one place. Next we saw the Parent Resource Office. Here parents can fill out job applications. It has a small childcare area with educational games while parents are working in the resource office. It also serves as a meeting place for parents and volunteers.

In Melanie Kirchoff’s AP World History class, the students were working on finding text-based evidence to support the negative and positive effects of agriculture. Ms. Kirchoff is LBJ’s Teacher of Promise, and it shows.

Next we visited Norma Saavedra’s College Readiness dual credit course with Austin Community College (ACC). The students reviewed the information they heard in an ACC orientation on Monday. They talked about the essay they would be writing in anticipation of mastering the Compass test, which is used to measure college readiness.

I then spoke briefly with the students, talking about the work of the Superintendent, the role of the Board of Trustees, and how they are elected. I told them that I would report to the Board that I witnessed first-hand a great program with engaged students. I also talked about the role of politics in education, explaining that’s why the district and I are often in the newspaper.

I was so delighted to the smiles in the hallway of LBJ from students, faculty and staff.  Go Jaguars! Get all that college credit!