Interview: Francine Craig

Fall 2015, Vol. 7, No. 1

Google+ page 4 page 5

The importance of a teacherpage 6

(continued page 2)

A great achievement deserves a great rewardWinnsboro Star Academy students voyage to Puerto Rico

Star Academy students in Winnsboro, South Carolina, had already experienced some spectacular educational outings: visits to a Boeing plant, to the ballet, to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts and Culture, and to their state’s capitol. They had even taken a field trip to watch an NBA game.

Dr. LaNisha Tindal, director of Gordon Odyssey Academy (home of Winnsboro’s Star Academy), has stated that one of the Academy’s goals is ensuring that students realize learning takes

place out of the classroom as well as within. By any reasonable measure, the Star Academy had already made good on that goal.

But in 2014 Tindal had something truly epic in the works for students: a trip to Puerto Rico.

“The idea for this trip came about as a way to make this school year special for Star Academy students,” explained Tindal. Meeting the challenge of rejoining their age peers in the space of a single year is a significant achievement, and the trip was a capstone to that.

By Cody White, Communications Assistant • cwhite@pitsco.com

2 RISING Stars – Fall 2015

But as Tindal explained, it also served as an extension of their schoolwork. “Star students were to take a Spanish course for the first time, and taking this trip would allow them the chance to extend their learning beyond the classroom while also rewarding them for successfully completing the program.”

THE ROAD TO PUERTO RICOWhen Tindal presented the idea to parents, many were

skeptical that it was even possible. Some thought the cost was too prohibitive. Others were afraid to have their children traveling far from home.

“I constantly reassured the parents that fund-raising would help defray most of the costs. I also let them know that we would take care of their children as our own and it was an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Tindal.

The students threw themselves into the fund-raising, selling fruit, spirit cups, and popcorn. The group also hosted a family night at Sonic. Students used school letterhead to request funds from local businesses. Two community grants from British Petroleum in the amount of $1,000 were donated to the school as well. Additional support came from enthusiastic teachers at other schools and from the superintendent and the school board.

When the big day finally came, 10 students loaded on the bus and headed off toward the airport in Charlotte, North

Carolina. Several parents rode along as well to see their children off. Only two students had flown before, so takeoff was an adventure in and of itself. Students were delighted by the sights out their windows.

TOUCHDOWNLanding in San Juan, the capital city of the Caribbean

island territory, the group met their tour guide and began their ambitious itinerary. San Juan offered traditional cuisine and local culture. Students really got into the rhythm of life there by taking salsa dancing lessons. They took a guided walking tour of Old

San Juan, learning about the history of the city. Their exploration of Old San Juan included a trip to El Morro, a 16th-century citadel that looks out on the sea and back over 400 years of military history.

Numerous excursions exposed students to the island’s natural

treasures as well. They explored an ancient cave in Camuy River Cave Park, visited the only subtropical rain forest in the United States at El Yunque Rain Forest, and encountered diverse ecosystems at the Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. A trip to a working lighthouse provided a panoramic view of the whole island.

“Traveling exposes students to a world outside of their own,” said Tindal. “One can learn so much about other cultures, view a variety of perspectives, all while meeting new people. The main

A great achievement deserves a great reward (continued from page 1)

Education can be an adventure, as students from South Carolina’s Winnsboro Star Academy discovered on their trip to Puerto Rico. The rain forest, a cave, a 16th-century citadel, and many other experiences awaited them.

“The main benefit I see in traveling is how it can ignite in a student to think outside the box and pursue dreams

they never thought possible.”

Fall 2015 – RISING Stars 3

Making it happenOrganizing an overseas trip with a group of students is an

enormous task. When Dr. LaNisha Tindal, director of Gordon Odyssey

Academy in Winnsboro, South Carolina, led her school’s group of

Star Academy students to Puerto Rico, she knew she needed some

organizational assistance.

Tindal contacted EF Educational Tours, a company with a focus on

providing educational travel at reasonable costs. EF handled the trip

planning, everything from flights to accommodations to excursions.

The company also provided a tour guide who met the group at the

San Juan airport and traveled with them for the duration of their trip.

Tindal had an excellent experience with EF and highly recommends the

company to any other Star Academy teachers who might plan a similar

trip. Tindal plans to use the company this year as well!

benefit I see in traveling is how it can ignite in a student to think outside the box and pursue dreams they never thought possible.”

Before leaving for Puerto Rico, some students were nervous about flying and one even screamed during takeoff and had to be calmed by trip chaperone Ms. Sandi Gratic (social worker for their school). But by the return trip, the students were seasoned travelers. Having faced their fear, they were no longer afraid.

According to Tindal, one of the great benefits of travel comes from just such experiences of facing challenges. “Seeing this trip come to fruition also benefited these students by allowing them to see the fruits of their own labor and the result of hard work. They can now transfer this to other areas of their lives.”

FEATURED SCHOOL: Academy of InnovationLocated in Vicksburg, Mississippi, at Grove Street Elementary

Original Start Date: October 2014

Program Capacity: 80

Enrollment: 52

Courses:Eighth grade:

» Math

» World Geography/ MS Studies

» English Language Arts

» Science

Ninth grade: » English I

» World History

» Fundamentals of Algebra

» Intro to Biology

Noteworthy:Enthusiasm about the Star Academy learning environment led to the installation of a STEM lab for eighth-grade STEM Academy students.

4 RISING Stars – Fall 2015

George County Star Academy hits the ground running

The George County School District in Lucedale, Mississippi,

debuted their Star Academy last year with a group of 72 overage

students. Of those 72 students, 58 completed the intensive

program. Through Star Academy, students are invited to

participate in a special opportunity to complete two years’ work

in the space of one year. Eighth graders who are behind a year

are able to graduate to 10th grade after only one year.

The Star Academy in George County was made possible by

a dropout prevention grant. Though it’s only in its second year,

the Academy has generated a lot of excitement. According to

a report on GCTimesonline.com, math teacher Brayden Dykes

states that students are enthusiastic about the curriculum. When

class started last year, the computer equipment had not yet

been set up, and traditional curriculum was used in its place.

However, when the new Star Academy curriculum was utilized,

scores shot up.

George County Star Academy, keep up the good work.

Every once in a while, you find yourself in a class that makes

you smile and long to stay. This is the case with the science lab

at the Coffee County Career Academy.

Cindy Smith is a seasoned teacher who was newly placed in

the Pitsco lab this school year. Any lab teacher knows this is quite

an adjustment from a traditional class. Smith not only possesses

extreme enthusiasm about science but also loves her Pitsco lab

and all the learning opportunities it provides her students.

If you plan on interacting with this teacher during class

time, you better be ready to move – I’m sure she is

clocking countless steps on her Fitbit as she visits each

station throughout instructional time. Not only is she

answering questions, she’s spending lots of time asking

them, “Why are you doing that experiment? What do you

expect to see? What was the outcome? How does that

piece of equipment work? If we make this adjustment

on the tuner, what happens to the sound? What kind of

waves are those?”

Students have to engage in their learning and always

be prepared to answer her questions. She uses the

Module performance assessments, expanding them and

continually confirming student learning via live feedback.

Smith’s lab is successful because she has learned what

works in her classroom. There are many great teachers

out there with wisdom to share. That leads to a question: What best practices are you using in your lab?

Please join our new Star Academy Google+ community to join in the discussion. Visit www.pitsco.com/StarAcademyCommunity and share your responses. You can also access this by searching for “Star Academy by Pitsco” on plus.google.com.

We created this tool for you to network with Star Academy Program team members nationwide and share ideas, successes, and suggestions. Let’s share our experiences with each other to provide even more students with a brighter future. To get things started, photos of Cindy Smith and her students in action have been posted.

Join the Star Academy discussion on Google+Suny McKaughanEducational Services Manager

Fall 2015 – RISING Stars 5

There is no doubt that I come across some interesting questions in my work for Pitsco. My wife has often asked, “Tell me again, what is it that you do?” I obviously haven’t done a great job of communicating that one.

Recently, one of the more intriguing questions I was asked came from an administrator: “What kind of teacher should we place in the Pitsco lab so it has the best chance for success?” If we were playing a game show and I was the host, I would have declared her the winner and asked Johnny to tell her what she had won! In the past, we have tried to capture the duties of a Pitsco lab facilitator. This is by no means the entirety of what a Pitsco facilitator does, but it includes a few of those duties:

Student Behavior• Observe and monitor student engagement

• Implement rules and procedures

• Document student behavior – both positive and negative

Facilities & Environment• Manage materials

• Troubleshoot

• Order consumables and replacement supplies

Student Learning• Physically monitor and evaluate student learning

• Monitor student pairings to ensure cooperation and collaboration is occurring

• Reinforce and facilitate 21st-century skills

Curriculum• Monitor and adjust curriculum pacing

• Supplement curriculum instructions

• Design and implement additional curriculum activities

Communicate Information• Provide performance feedback to students

• Prepare grading and student progress reports

• Communicate curriculum standards reports for supervisors

• Prepare and submit lesson plans (where applicable)

We then moved on from duties and tried to identify a skill set

that a Pitsco facilitator should possess:

Critically Important Skills

• Shows respect for students and believes that everyone can learn

• Demonstrates a willingness to learn and implement a new

educational paradigm

• Displays excellent classroom management capabilities

• Views the classroom from a highly organized perspective

• Possesses proficiency with computer literacy

• Values students’ working in pairs and in small groups

• Displays the ability to provide instruction from a variety of

methodologies and instructional materials

• Displays the ability to work with students to guide them in

creating their own solutions

• Provides support (both academic and interpersonal) to students

To me, the items listed should be an integral part of every

teacher, whether they are in the Pitsco lab or not.

You might be wondering if I recited all of these duties and

skills in my answer to the question, “What kind of teacher should

we place in the Pitsco lab so it has the best chance for success?”

I did not. I started my answer with this: “Secure a teacher who

has strong relationship-building skills as the number one

priority.” To me, the foundational success of any interaction

with a student begins with building a relationship. That hurdle

must be overcome in order to have any chance at providing

a successful educational experience for the student. The

conversation then progressed, and we discussed a few of the

items in greater detail.

I understand the massive challenges that teachers face today

and don’t want to hash those out in this article. It is important to

note that I’m fortunate to work with a great number of teachers

who are passionate and desire to give their students their best,

each and every day. For them, I am thankful.

Tim CannellEducational Relationships Manager

The importance of a teacher

6 RISING Stars – Fall 2015

The Coffee County, Georgia, Star Academy is not an average setup for Pitsco Education’s acceleration and dropout prevention program. Instead of being just one year behind their age peers, many of the students have failed twice and some are considered extreme discipline cases. In addition, the population faces socioeconomic challenges and some have never been held to high behavior expectations.

In spite of these obstacles, staff and administrators have helped more than half of the students complete the required two academic years of work and advance from eighth to 10th grade this past school year. Another 25 percent of students were scheduled to take summer school to qualify for 10th grade this fall.

Such progress in the face of overwhelming adversity has not gone unnoticed, particularly in the eyes of one mother, who at the beginning of the year was at her wit’s end. She had reached the point where she was ready to send her boy out on his own if he didn’t recognize the value of his education.

Fortunately for this mother and her son, the Star Academy Program and Coffee County educators made a breakthrough, getting the young man to set concrete goals for what he wanted to accomplish in high school. In appreciation for directing this dramatic turnaround, the mother presented a cake to the four teachers in the program on the next-to-last day of the school

year, tearfully giving thanks for their efforts to get her son back

on a productive and positive track.

If you ever have a day – or two or three – when you question

whether you are making a positive difference with some of the

more challenging students in your classroom, remember there

might be mothers and fathers at home who are witnessing

dramatic and desirable changes in their children, all because of

what you are doing in your Star Academy Program.

A mother took time to express her appreciation to Star Academy teachers for getting her son back on a positive track.

Mom appreciates teachers’ efforts

An interview with Pathway School Assistant Principal Francine CraigThe Star Academy is in its fifth year in Mobile County (AL) Public Schools.

Assistant Principal Francine Craig has been involved with the program in

Mobile County since its inception. In April 2015, Craig sat for an interview to

discuss the program.

Describe the type of student who benefits most from the Star Academy Program.We realized just because they were overage, they still weren’t necessarily a match for this program. You can’t have attendance issues, and you can’t have severe discipline issues because you have to be self-motivated. We had the right teachers to help make that happen, but the student and the program needed to be matched. When we realized that, we implemented

a parent meeting. Our counselor went to each one of the middle schools and met with their counselors. The counselors and the teachers here had an opportunity to share with the students what would be expected and different. We recruited students and gave them the advantages and disadvantages.

Why is it important that this group of overage students have the opportunity to catch up with their peers?I’m sure in their mind they feel like something’s probably wrong with them when their age group is in high school and they’re still right here. They would like to get back with their peers, but they just don’t know how. This type of program offers that avenue to actually make it there.

‘They would like to get back with their peers’

Francine Craig • Assistant Principal • Pathway School, Mobile County, Alabama

Fall 2015 – RISING Stars 7

Students who are on track academically advance from eighth to ninth grade after their first semester in Star Academy. How do students respond at that point?There is a great excitement from them when they get promoted from the eighth grade to the ninth grade. They act totally different – their mind-set, the way they respond to things, the excitement they show in class. I love to watch them in their science class. I’ve seen them in their lab coats dissecting things, and it makes me feel like I cheated myself when I was in biology because I didn’t want to do any of that. Some of them are so excited about it. I can see a big difference.

How do students respond to this opportunity to complete two years of school in one year’s time?This school year, I’ve had at least eight or nine former students just show up when they have a day off from high school. They just wanted to let us know how much they appreciate the opportunity. Some even wish that the program would just go on through high school. “No, you have to move on in life. It’s just a stepping stone.” I’m elated when they come back. I’ve had several call me and just want to talk.

How does the relatively small size of the program – 80 students – help students who need more personal attention?We had a student who had some emotional issues. He was withdrawn and didn’t want any part of school. I said, “Before you come out of this program, you’re going to be laughing and talking to everybody.” And he was. That was a wonderful story to watch, because he wasn’t wanting to even live. Without the Star setting, he would’ve gotten swallowed up.

He really had no desire to do school. He’s a junior now and doing well.

We’ve had case after case like this. We are small enough that when you

have those children who are already behind and they come in and have

all those issues, they can actually work through that right here and realize

there’s a whole big world out there waiting for them and they can be a

part of it. That right there makes me so happy.

What do you do to motivate students in the program?

Nothing just happens by chance. You’re going to have to put something

in it if you expect to get something out. I think because I’m honest

with them, I tell them, “You’re not the first ones to make these types of

mistakes.” We’re all human, and even adults can be wrong. But you have

to be able to recognize and admit that you have a problem before you

can correct it. Ever since I’ve been an administrator, I think I’ve done more

counseling than anything. But that’s a part of it. If you’re actually going to

help a person fix themselves, they have to be willing to fix themselves.

How do you get parents involved, and what is their role with this accelerated program?

We involve the parents from the very beginning with a parent meeting.

Our parents are also allowed, welcomed, and invited to come be a part

of the interview process. At all times, they know what to expect from

us and what we want them to do and what’s expected of their children.

Periodically throughout the year, we invite them in to share what’s going

on. We invite them anytime that they need and want to see what’s going

on. They’re welcome to come; the door is open.

Star Academy represents a golden opportunity for students who are willing to do the work to get back on the path that leads to success. Pathway School Assistant Principal Francine Craig tells students that Star Academy is meant to be a stepping stone in their lives.

P.O. Box 1708 Pittsburg, Kansas 66762

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Vol. 7, No. 1 • Fall 2015Published periodically during the school year

Matt FrankenberyVice President of Education mfrankenbery@pitsco.com

Robin White-MussaVice President of Sales rwhite@pitsco.com

Suny McKaughanEducational Services Managersmckaughan@pitsco.com

Tim CannellEducational Relationships Managertcannell@pitsco.com

Celeste ParentiSenior Project Manager cparenti@pitsco.com

P.O. Box 1708

Pittsburg, Kansas 66762

888-844-8414

Fax: 620-231-2466

www.staracademyprogram.com

69666

Last spring, I told someone that I wished my son had the opportunity to be a Star Academy student. Well, as fate would have it, now he is. Carlos did not pass the eighth grade last school year – suffice it to say, we had a long year. So, my role will change quite a bit; I will begin my fifth year at the Star Academy Program in Mobile, AL, as an ELA teacher and as the mother of a Star Academy student.

I am not the least bit worried about Carlos’ success; our program is amazing! I look forward to getting my child back on track. It is just really weird. For so long, I have had to convince parents and students to try Star Academy. Now, I am that parent.

I will get to see firsthand how our program really works. My eyes will truly be opened. I’m excited, and so is Carlos. This certainly will be an interesting year.

Star teacher and mom

By Robin Rivers, ELA Teacher, Star Academy, Mobile, AL

The close-knit, supportive environment of Star Academies often nurtures a family feeling.