“Bienvenido a la clase de español,” an eighth grader at Millbrook Middle School greets guests as they enter the classroom. However, this isn’t just any Spanish class. This class consists of 37 eighth grade students who are taking Spanish I via ACCESS Virtual Learning. The impressive part is that all of these students are currently on track to receive a high school credit for the course by the end of this year. This same Spanish I course is often difficult for many high school students. So, how are these 14-year-olds mastering such a complex curriculum? There appears to be many factors at work, but the strategic design and collaboration of all stakeholders may be the key to Millbrook Middle School’s success.

Ms. Ayena Jackson, principal, admits that the first year (2018-2019) of implementing Spanish I for 8^th graders did not yield the same results. “We just didn’t know. [The students] came to the library, but the extra layer of support that they needed was missing. We started with 20 [students], but only 12 got the credit last year,” Ms. Jackson explained. As a school, Millbrook Middle was dedicated to revamping electives for students. So, Ms. Jackson went back to the drawing board with her administrative team and came up with a new game plan. That game plan included recruiting Ms. Veronica Montgomery to facilitate the class. Ms. Montgomery is a 19-year veteran math teacher of Hispanic descent. Ms. Jackson continued, “I knew that we were making the right decision in putting Ms. Montgomery in the class.”

Although Ms. Montgomery is not certified to teach the Spanish I content, her experience, bilingual proficiency, commitment, energy, and knowledge of best practices for student engagement provide the middle schoolers with the support that they need to be successful. She is also very collaborative and works well with Ms. Karen Anderson, the ACCESS online teacher who is certified to teach the Spanish I content. As a matter of fact, the two teachers meet at Starbucks to charter plans for student success. “It takes a village. Ms. Anderson has been amazing and allows [the students] a second attempt. I love the [ACCESS] program,” Ms. Montgomery exclaimed. Due to the size of the class, Ms. McQueen, a library media aide, also facilitates the class to assist with classroom management and any technological issues which may arise. The 8^th grade Spanish I “tribe”, as they like to call it, is flourishing under this approach.

As Ms. Montgomery is facilitating the classroom by having procedures in place and using best practices for student engagement, Ms. Anderson is providing online instruction, specific pacing requirements and expectations for the content, as well as individual feedback to students to facilitate mastery and student success. Ms. Anderson has also attended several extracurricular events for the Millbrook students. She supports them both online and in person. Lorin explained, “Ms. Anderson knows that we are student athletes, and she supports us, but work comes first.” Ms. Jackson also praised Ms. Anderson. “[She] is wonderful. She comes to football games and knows what is going on in their lives,” the principal said.

Ms. Anderson gives credit to the Millbrook Middle school students. "They are such a joy to teach! They are driven and self-motivated, conscientious, [and] intelligent. The list of superlatives could go on forever," Ms. Anderson exclaimed. Furthermore, Ms. Anderson acknowledges that the Millbrook Middle School team of professionals has also played a significant role in the success. She and Ms. Montgomery speak frequently by phone, text, and email. "I love to have classes nearby so that I can visit the classrooms," Ms. Anderson stated. Her presence online as well as in person has provided that additional layer of support needed to ensure the success of the MMS students.

Ms. Jackson indicated that there is a night and day difference from last year to this year and stated that there are many factors which have contributed to this year’s success. First, Ms. Jackson revealed that the right person was selected as the facilitator. Next, there has been open communication, feedback, and support from The University of Alabama’s ACCESS Support Center staff. Third, clear expectations regarding the Spanish I requirements were indicated from the very beginning. After students indicated an interest in taking the course, a parent meeting was held. The school’s administrative staff, as well as Traci Ferguson from the UA Support Center, explained to parents and students exactly how the ACCESS class would be implemented. Finally, the teachers and students have been supported throughout the process. Collaboration and effort by all stakeholders can be easily identified from just a few short minutes on the campus.