Tempe principal Julie Schroeder brought an idea to the parents of her nearly 600-student school last spring, asserting that every student could attend college.
The parents, Schroeder said, broke out into applause during the meeting.
Thew Elementary School is in the process of becoming a certified No Excuses University School, adopting a college-readiness attitude that challenges students to take tough courses and attend post-secondary education.
Each teacher chose a university or college as a classroom theme, complete with bulletin boards in the school’s colors and pennants on the walls. They’ve connected with alumni from the schools, inviting them to speak with the students.
When the Oregon Ducks were in town for the BCS National Championship Game earlier this month, cheerleaders and the school mascot visited for a schoolwide rally about attending college.
“The real purpose is getting them ready to attend university,” Schroeder said. “They set learning goals, even down to our youngest students. The kindergartners may choose to learn 25 sight words.”
The No Excuses University School program is administered by Turn Around Schools, based in San Diego. Dan Lopez, president of Turn Around Schools and co-founder with his brother, Damen, said there are 96 certified schools in 15 states in the network. Kyrene de los Ninos in Tempe is the only already certified No Excuses University School in the Valley. Three Tucson schools have also adopted the program.
The idea is catching on. More than 500 educators are signed up for the next training in California, he said.
“The message is finally starting to get out there and we’re starting to make some great strides in meeting the needs of kids across the country,” Dan Lopez said.
Though the founding ideas started with meeting the needs of schools with high at-risk populations, schools adopting the program are “across the board,” he said.
“The work we are doing in schools on changing the culture is universal,” he said. “People are flocking to it. When we originally started, the bulk of our work was with elementary schools. Middle schools are coming in droves now, wanting to be a part of this network.”
Thew students are picking up the ideas quickly. In Marilyn Klassy’s third-grade class, they’ve researched majors needed to achieve career goals.
Pictures of the University of Oregon campus decorate the walls. Students received yellow Oregon T-shirts before the college students visited them earlier this month. They smiled for pictures with Puddles the Duck, Oregon’s mascot.
High above students’ desks hangs a poster that reads, “After high school comes college.”
Many students in Klassy’s class would be the first in their families to attend college, including Evangelic Rosales, 9, and Cyprian Martinez, 9.
Evangelic wants to be a painter and plans to study fine arts at the University of Oregon.
“It’s a good place and I want to see what’s there besides Arizona,” she said. “My brother asks me to draw for him.”
Cyprian has his sights set on a school in California to study marine biology.
“I like to see sharks and stuff and study animals and take pictures of them and hang them up in my room when I’m older,” he said.
Going to college means you have to “study hard, get good grades, don’t get into trouble,” he said.
Evangelic says, “You’ve got to learn new things. You have to read fiction books and nonfiction books. You have to get good information to get into the school,” she said.
When Klassy started talking to her students about college, some said, “I can’t go to college. I’m not smart enough, “ or “I don’t have the money.”
“We talked about this,” she said, telling her students they are “definitely smart enough and definitely if they work hard enough” they can get into college.
By starting college-preparation early, students have a step up, with knowledge that they need to explore financial aid options and guidelines to receive scholarships.
“That’s what it’s about,” she said. “Preparing them to look for ways to make it possible.”
The teachers attended a conference about No Excuses University Schools before they decided to go forward with the plan, said Schroeder, Thew’s principal.
“It’s really about meeting the needs of every single child to make sure that they can attend college if they choose to attend,” she said.
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CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6549 or mreese@evtrib.com
AZMomma posted at 5:13 pm on Sat, Jan 22, 2011.
Humm.. seems my comments about the Administrator and her bias against kids who should NOT go to college (trade schools and training instead) got wiped from this site.
Ah well, can always post again.
She is a over-educated elitist and shows her inability to address the lack of true education in her field.
Not every child can - or should go to college. To push her agenda is harmful to the majority of children and serves only to enrich the tuition coffers of colleges who have already lowered the standard to that of 8th graders (50 yrs ago).
Tookie88 posted at 10:45 am on Sun, Jan 23, 2011.
Isn't this what schools are supposed to be doing? Getting students ready for life and possibly college? We (teachers) spend so much time on these "pet" programs from administration that it is getting hard to find time to actually dow our job and teach!
azhix posted at 1:43 pm on Sun, Jan 23, 2011.
So sad! Only in AZ can someone be called an "elitist" when they proclaim that every child can achieve a college education. What are we coming to when striving for excellence for all is seen as a harmful "agenda"?
Citizens like AZMomma are the primary reason our state is in the bottom in education. People like her vote for the anti-education morons in the state legislature, who pilfer from public education so they can subsidize private education, all under the name of "school choice". Then she has the nerve to complain when public schools make a bold move towards educating ALL students with high standards.
Want to solve problems in public education? How about offering some ideas of your own, instead of criticizing what you clearly don't understand.
kgplum posted at 4:45 pm on Sun, Jan 23, 2011.
[rolleyes] My father was the only one of 12 to finish high school, and my mother dropped out of school in the 10th grade. We lived on a farm, and Dad logged. They always told my sister and me that we had to go to college for at least one year. Then if we chose to quit we would know what we were giving up. We worked hard and paid most of our own college costs. I had a scholarship to help. We both became teachers, and all of our children earned college degrees. All of their children are either in college or know they are expected to attend when they're old enough. Parents should take the major roll in instilling those expectations. However, schools need to fill in when that doesn't happen. As a teacher, I thought it was important to help students understand that there is also the option of vocational schools.
AZMomma posted at 8:54 am on Mon, Jan 24, 2011.
Bottom line: "High Expectations" are one thing, as are "High Aspirations", BUT we have produced at least one (maybe two) generations of 'takers'. Unable to actually produce any worthwhile product. Can't wire a lamp, read a blueprint, minor car repairs or even cook a basic meal from scratch. Drive a nail? Nope ! They CAN however text, tweet, twitter and go into toxic shock if unhooked from their electronic umbilical cord for more than a new minutes.
Giving kids all the tools they might need for EXPANDING their post-HS education is critical.
Balance a checkbook, Credit vs. cash, getting up in the morning to go to a JOB, rather than sleeping in, catching an easy-peasy class at 11 am.
Forcing them to attend college when it is not a good fit for them/their plans or skills is just another example of elitist parenting. It is the ultimate cruelty for your child, because you have taught them nothing toward surviving as an adult.
Those will be the boomerang kids, back living with Mommy & Daddy at the age of 40. Failed relationships, broke, no skills and sneering at learning something where they had to get their precious little hands soiled a bit.
BTW - raised my kids in local Public schools beginning in 1965. Saw the early damage the "college bound" structure caused.
Social butterfiles and Good ole boys prevailed.
Mandatory 2 yrs of PUBLIC service before any young adult can enroll in a college/trade school. THEN only those who can pass a strict literacy exam can get in.