School Turn-around through Synergy

“Synergy is the bonus that is achieved when things work together harmoniously.“ -Mark Twain

The field of academia is faced with several obstacles that we as educators must first overcome so that our students are successful.

Performing an initial assessment of a current classroom or school is the first step in becoming Synergized^TM. Is your school considered low performing, plagued by low test scores, high teacher turn-over rate, low student interest in education, or lacking parent involvement? As an education leader it is important to identify your school, always assessing what your school has become or where it is headed.

Eaton-Johnson Middle School is located in North Carolina, approximately 45 minutes north of Raleigh. The school is considered by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as a rural school, however, this is also inner city. Eaton-Johnson Middle School is located in a district with a high unemployment rate, high crime rate, and a high gang rate. When the school first implemented Synergy, the school was also suffering from low teacher morale, an unclear mission, and very little parent involvement. We had to do something, because EJMS was also considered a priority school which meant that the state was looking very closely at our instructional programs, teachers, school community, and the administration.

Before you implement any program, it is crucial that you complete an initial assessment of your school to determine your drivers and purpose.

It is important that as you begin the process of Synergizing courses or a school you perform an initial assessment and more importantly, identify current obstacles that that may impact your Synergy model.

What potential/real obstacles do you anticipate to a school turn around endeavor in your current environment?

From Professional Learning Board’s online continuing education course for teachers: Synergizing a Classroom

Found in Blog, Course Connections · Tags school turn-around