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Principal Visibility In 1999 California's Long Beach Unified School District opened Colin Powell Academy, a large K-8 year-round urban school. Most of the students are Latino or African American, and 90 percent participate in the free and reduced price at lunch program. By 2001, achievement was low and discipline a major problem at Colin Powell Academy. That year, the superintendent hired a new principal, Denise “Sparkle” Peterson, to reform Colin Powell Academy. Peterson made dramatic changes, which improved the school climate and raised student achievement. When Peterson arrived in 2001, Colin Powell Academy’s score on California's Academic Performance Index (API) was 538. In 2004, their API had grown to 683. On the new principal’s reform agenda, school culture and discipline were first priorities. Immediately visible on campus, Peterson was actively involved in discipline and academic instruction. She began driving every morning to the school’s four bus stops and checking in with students. Every afternoon she walked home with students who lived in the surrounding neighborhoods. This way, Peterson got to know students and was able to defuse any discipline situations before they escalated. This was also an important way for Peterson to begin contact with parents. Finally, this practice even helped Peterson establish a relationship with local merchants, who found that students were better behaved when they came in after school knowing their principal was close by. Now if there is ever a problem, the merchants call Peterson before calling the police. This regular contact with students had an immediate impact on the culture of the school, and Peterson continues to spend each morning at the bus stops and each afternoon walking the neighborhood. Peterson also serves as a mentor to select middle school students who are struggling with either behavior or academics. They check in with Peterson first thing in the morning, at lunch, and at the end of the day. These efforts have helped decrease suspensions and discipline problems dramatically. In addition to becoming an immediate, visible presence with students, Peterson took a similar approach with teachers. She began observing in every classroom at least once a week and providing thorough feedback. She also established assessment conferences, which she holds with every teacher in the school to discuss which of their students are not achieving to standards and how to better meet their learning needs. Colin Powell Academy has now become a school where parents from throughout the district want their students to attend and teachers throughout the district want to teach. Read SchoolsMovingUp’s full profile of Colin Powell Academy.
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