About the Schools

Detailed Summary

• All three schools that we saw were very focused on “branding” - school logos were prominently displayed throughout the schools. Learning spaces felt more like professional offices than high schools, such as the Cibola library (shown below). There was a sense of pride and ownership among students and staff.

• Every Monday, students had a shortened school day and staff members had two hours for professional development. 

• A distinction was made between academic coaches (who can coach any teacher) and instructional leaders (such as department heads). Academic coaches were there to provide any necessary support.

• Yuma’s CTE (Career & Technical Education) programs allow more than 1200 students in the district to earn industry certifications each year. Programs offered include Agriscience, Engineering, Automotive Technologies, Nursing/Health Services, Business Management, Law and Public Safety, Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, Culinary Arts, Welding, Film and TV production, Construction Technologies, Stagecraft, and Early Childhood Education. These programs appear to be well-funded.

• Yuma schools use the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). The AVID program promotes high expectations, relationship capacity, collaboration, inquiry, and organization to help students be more college and career ready when they graduate.

• The AVID program promotes the WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) model to guide students toward comprehending and articulating concepts at increasingly complex levels.

• The schools were highly focused on getting students “career, college, and community ready.” 

  • College banners were hung in the library.

  • “Biographies” of staff members were displayed at their doors, giving information about where staff members went to school. 

  • AVID program focuses on high standards and college/career readiness.

  • Large variety of CTE programs

• The Yuma schools intentionally recruit staff members from graduates, providing financial support for those who want to teach in the district.

• Schools employ family liaisons, who connect with families to provide the support students need to be successful.

• At all of the schools we visited, we noticed that students are excellent communicators, explicitly trained in social skills. Each classroom had a “student greeter” who introduced themselves, shook our hands, made eye contact, and explained what students were doing and why they were doing it. There is a clear focus on communication and interactions. 

• Students at all three schools understand the school vision and can see the value in what they are learning.

• The school makes an effort to highlight student strengths. One San Luis student said, “They told me who I was.” Students are shown that there are no limits to what they can achieve and given the tools to achieve success.

• Students indicated that their teachers are passionate, and that passion is contagious.

• At Cibola, standards-based grading is employed by more than 50% of staff. This started as a staff initiative and has spread to other schools in the district.

• Seniors who don’t need six more classes to graduate take dual enrollment classes or are offered other ways to use their time. One student that we talked to had a (paid) job in the library one period a day. This gives the sense that a student’s time is valuable - we don’t need to slot them into courses just to fill their schedules.

• Collaboration at these schools was natural and common. Instructional coaches are helping teachers all the time, and there’s a sense of trust and constant professional development. The Cibola principal emphasized that he gives his staff “permission to fail” and encourages them to try new things. The district started “WICOR Walkabout Wednesdays” where staff members go into the rooms of teacher volunteers and provide feedback. At first, there were few volunteers; now it has become popular.

• Cibola principal: “You show what you value by how you allocate your resources.” Lots of resources devoted to supporting staff, including weekly PD. Much of the work to support teachers was focused on clearing their plates to focus on what’s important. Teachers, in turn, were focused on supporting students.

• A description of how to work with teachers on shifting their classrooms to be more student centered: “Turn your lesson plan into two columns. What are you doing? What are your kids doing? Then see how many of the first column can be moved to the second column.”

• “Your success is determined by what happens after you leave.” This was said about administrators, but also applies to teachers and other staff members. Are we giving students the tools they need to be successful?

• The sense of pride at these schools was palpable. How do we instill that sense of pride in our students? How do we make school feel more relevant?