This week, we talk about how giving teachers expanded planning time gives schools an opportunity to add enrichment programs for their scholars. That’s exactly what Valera Middle Academy is doing.
Now, Valera’s teachers are now able dig deeper into lessons without having to worry about also teaching an elective course with a whole different set of scholars. Yes, this meant hiring additional teachers, but as Executive Director “JT” Tiongco states, “That just led to greater benefits for our kids.”
Valera’s goal is to get kids excited about coming back to school. No small feat, but the added enrichment and elective opportunities like art, STEM, health, robotics, as well as the camaraderie and connection of sports, is helping those kids, who may not be traditionally inspired by English or math, get excited about school. As Principal Erik Carlstone reminded us, "We often focus on academic rigor, but at the end of the day, what else is there and what else can the kid get excited about?”
In the first year of piloting the program, Valera has created a school environment where scholars feel more connected and that they belong. It's working not only socio-emotionally, but academically as well, as their initial iReady reports are showing their English language learners have already exceeded typical growth for the year.
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