Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 1, 1994 Page: 15
This periodical is part of the collection entitled: Journal of the Effective Schools Project and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Tarleton State University.
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tional resources of instruction, of behavior management
and modification, of individual learning styles, and of
curriculum for students with special needs were sought,
tested, analyzed, modified and implemented by all the
school community. Communications, positive communi-
cations, were encouraged.
Slowly, teachers and aides began to feel empowered, to
feel psychological support, to receive adequate teaching
supplies, to implement some tough-minded thinking. Stu-
dent population doubled for three consecutive years and
teacher-aide positions doubled during those years. It took
six years to catch up with this growth in the building
program. Teachers were having to suffer in working
conditions usually unheard of in the nineties. They could
bear it because it was their campus. They had decided first
to spend the available money on students, to improve
student performance, then improve the facilities. They felt
a sense of ownership in the process. Each teacher and aide
$ *:'felt committed to a persistent mission, to
work. They became "family".making the thing
Students and parents could feel the dynamics of this
synergy.
This feeling of "family" and closeness is expressed in the
campus logo, which was created by two students of the
East Campus.
Results of this synergy are manifest in all aspects of
campus life. Teachers and parents chose a three-pronged
plan to meet needs of their students. They insisted allelementary students K-8 be challenged in an academic
curriculum with as much self-paced, individualized in-
struction as possible in a classroom with a student-teacher
ratio of 4:1. High school students during ARD meetings
were given one of three plans; a program of basic skills to
teach independent living skills, a program of pre-voca-
tional skills to prepare them to move into positions of
employment by theireighteenth birthday when state funds
for their welfare ceased, or an academic high school
program that would help them mainstream smoothly into
the regular educational program of the district.
As a result of teacher input on the budget, quality teaching
materials were purchased, professional development
programs for all school staff was implemented, and the
physical plant of new buildings slowly evolved. Staff
morale soared, and open communications between teach-
ing staff, students and parents became a part of school life.
The quest for quality education deepened. The school
joined ESP and became a part of a network of quality
schools that sought first-hand knowledge from the ex-
perts; Stephen Barkley, Kit Marshall, Anne Davies, Susan
Kovalik and Stephen Covey. Our faculty was granted
release time to meet with teachers from across the district
to align curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Time
was made available for teachers to share with each other
information gleaned at various training sessions off cam-
pus.
All of this has come about because our campus staff
studied, discussed, shared, asked, implemented, and ana-
lyzed components of education to increase student perfor-
mance. The campus administration was organized along
the lines suggested by Dr. Bill Rauhauser in his book, The
Quality Handbook for Building Level School Improve-
ment Teams.
Ms. Wanda Smith, the district superintendent of schools,
provided support and expertise. Ms. Smith is a well-
known educator and is recognized for her skills at both the
local and state levels. She was a motivator, active in the
implementation and evaluation of the program. The local
school board, under the leadership of Clem Hobbs, was
most supportive and encouraging in providing the re-
sources necessary to implement curriculum revision, anI
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Tarleton State University. Effective Schools Project. Journal of the Effective Schools Project, Volume 1, 1994, periodical, 1994; Stephenville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201678/m1/15/?rotate=0: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Tarleton State University.