California GEAR UP e-Newsletter

Emerson (Ralph Waldo) Middle School, Los Angeles Unified School District

Although located in Westwood near the UCLA campus, the school population of 1433 students in grades 6-8 also includes 282 students who live in central Los Angeles in overcrowded school areas. These students come by school bus 40 minutes to one hour each way. To build a college-going culture, the staff used various strategies, such as assigning career and college research with specific topics for each of the three grade levels, including completing a college application and admissions essay for 8th graders; and developing a "College Corner" in the library with college pennants and posters.

Photo: (Left to right) Emerson Middle School Counselor David Hastings and Principal Charlotte Lerchenmuller use a "Preparing for College" poster to motivate their students.

Three years ago Jackie Robinson Academy
became a California GEAR UP school. Their most important first step was developing the school vision, "To create a college-going environment in which students will be prepared academically for the rigorous coursework in college." Team building with teachers occurred through attendance at professional development conferences and workshops. Some of the strategies instituted to create the environment were hanging college pennants and banners, giving college bumper stickers to parents, and displaying "College Bound" posters that are created by taking pictures of selected students at the school.

Photo: (Left to right) AVID Coordinator Connie Granieri, Principal Frank Gutierrez, and Regional Coordinator Frank Holmes stand before the Jackie Robinson Academy "College Bound" display designed to inspire students.

With a high principal turnover at the school, the first step was to reassure the staff that the new principal in 2002 would stay for five years. This commitment reduced the teacher turnover from 12 in 2005 to 5 in 2006. In the first year of GEAR UP, the focus was on raising awareness and providing information to teachers. The Leadership Team developed faculty buy-in in several ways, such as using the "College: Making It Happen" booklets for each student in the social studies class with a homework assignment and a parent tear-off; and having a "College Corner" at every evening event with handouts for families.

Best Practice

An innovative professional development plan allowed teachers to form study groups to research information and develop lessons and materials directly related to their areas of interest. As a result, teachers designed lessons with greater rigor and higher expectations for successful student outcomes.

 

Photo: (Left to right) Marina del Rey Middle School Principal Erick Mata and Title I Coordinator/Site Contact Ann-Marie Powledge display photos from the 2006 Career Day that involved local businesses, police, fire departments, community people, and parents.