Official publication of the National Educator Program
SUMMER 2008 The award-winning staff of the Morton
Freshman Center in Cicero, Illinois.
Innovation
NEP Names Eight “Schools of Promise” Nationally
Schools recognized for their
progress on the 5 Keys for
Successful Academies
The task was reasonable enough:
Identify sites making exemplary progress in
transitioning their schools from traditional high
school settings to small learning communities
(SLCs) or career academies. Why? So other
schools would have success stories to exam-
ine, resources to utilize, and know where their
time and money would be well-spent for site
visits.
With so many great schools nation-wide,
the NEP began using it’s 5 Keys for Successful
Career Academies as a gauge. Created in
1999 by the National Educator Program, the
5 Keys are simple and straight-forward.
SLC Success Conference
HOUSTON
May 13-16, 2009
“Schools of Promise” are schools that One of these schools might be the first as
have achieved proficiency in at least two of they continue to progress, or it could be
the 5 Keys. Eight schools in six states were another school not yet measured will apply
identified in the first round of awards. for the honor. Will your school be the first?
Not only have the schools received Visit www.neponline.org to learn how.
recognition for their hard work and
collaboration, but their communities have
learned their schools are on the cutting edge
of a fundamental shift in secondary inside this issue:
education. So far three articles have been
published in the Salem Statesmen-Journal and Where to find Schools of Promise 2
the Ogden Standard-Examiner.
The highest honor a school can earn NEP Lab School Update 3
from the National Educator Program is the
designation of “NEP Beacon School.” To Powerful Advisory Class 3
acquire this title a school must show mastery
of all of the 5 Keys. It is a very demanding Next issue preview 4
measure and as of this date, no school has
earned that designation.
Join the NEP, the Spring Independent School District, and the Philadelphia Academies in
celebrating 40 Years of Career Academies in Houston! Join the designers and founders of the
very first career academy for a look back at that crucial turning point in education. Join today’s
innovators and practitioners in a celebration of today’s outstanding practices. Join the NEP in a
look at the future of career academies and, on a broader scale, small learning communities. See
what these changes mean to you and your students! Mark your calendars for May 13-16, 2009.
For details visit www.neponline.org
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INNOVATION SUMMER 2008

2008
Schools of Promise

McKay High School

Cynthia Richardson, Principal
Salem, Oregon
Salem-Kiezer Public Schools
Ben Lomond High School Dr. Sandy Husk, Superintendent
Peggy Dooling-Baker, Principal 503-399-3080
Ogden, Utah
Dekaney High School Ogden Public Schools
Dr. Noel Zabriskie, Superintendent
Phil Eaton, Principal
801-737-7976
Spring, Texas
Spring Independent School District
Dr. Ralph H. Draper, Superintendent
832-764-7260

Samuel J. Tilden High School

Cultural Academy of Arts & Sciences
Diane Varano, Principal
Brooklyn, New York
Ogden High School New York City Public Schools
Sandra Jolovich-Motes, Principal Joel I. Klein, Chancellor
Ogden, Utah 888-NEP-1997
Wunsche High School Ogden Public Schools
Dr. Noel Zabriskie, Superintendent
Debi Koch, Principal
801-737-8700
Spring, Texas
Spring Independent School District PHOTO CREDITS - Jean Miyahira of Honolulu, HI
Dr. Ralph H. Draper, Superintendent
832-764-7650 Award Ceremony photos taken at the 6th annual

SLC Success Conference in Las Vegas, NV

April 11, 2008 (Schools displayed alphabetically)
Morton Freshman Center Foley High School
(Pictured on font page) (Not pictured) Would you like your school to be a School of
Joseph Gunty, Principal Kenneth Dinges, Principal
Cicero, Illinois Foley, Alabama Promise or a Beacon School? Call (888) NEP-1997
HSD 201 Baldwin County Public Schools and request and information & application packet.
708-863-2200 Dr. Faron Hollinger, Superintendent
251-943-2221 Let YOUR light shine!

2
INNOVATION SUMMER 2008

Powerful Advisory Class: From Football to Poetry

NEP Lab School Update By Coach Peter Waterman
NEP Lab School
The Tilden (R)Evolution Brooklyn, NY

In the fall of 2007, I took over an advisory class at S.J. Tilden High School. The
From “Impact School” Advisory class was a new concept which allowed the teacher to get to know a group of
slated for closure to students, assisting them in personal and scholastic development.
“School of Promise” - the
I decided to reach out to my students in a different manner than might have been
Tilden evolution becomes a expected. The class did not have a strict curriculum; we as teachers were given the
full-fledged revolution. freedom to create our own process for our individual advisories. I saw the class as an
opportunity to get to know the students on a deeper level, to begin the conversation
June 2008 - Tilden graduating class
about the future as most of them had not thought seriously about life after high school.
grows by more than 43%
I decided to have the group delve into important issues such as goal setting, teenage
In 2007 Tilden awarded diplomas to 209
concerns, current events and health related issues using performance art as the medium.
graduates. Twelve months later, 300
graduates are credentialed.
I took this opportunity to use poetry, prose, singing and even freestyle rap (“off the
dome” as the kids like to say), as the genre to reach the young men and women.
Success with Over Age-Under Accredited
Initially, most were shy and hesitant, there was resistance, along with some disciplinary
Faced with over 700 Over/Under
and punctuality issues which I needed to address. I quickly realized the young men
students two years ago, the New
were reticent and seemingly uninterested; the young ladies were more open to writing
Opportunities program has dramatically
and performing about issues on their minds. Their poems were longer and well thought
reduced this number. Once perceived as
out; the guys seem to write shorter, more superficial poems. Eventually, we began to
a night school for eventual dropouts,
trust each other; many of the students had preconceived notions about me and about
New Opportunities now has a waiting list
each other, which we had to overcome.
of students applying to get in, becoming
a de facto academy.
Another obstacle the students had to overcome involved learning how to allow others to
speak, finish their thoughts, and to accept their opinions, then giving an opinion (point –
UFT Professional Development Center
counterpoint).
A center on campus for teacher
development and peer collaboration
Students were allowed to write about any topic on their minds (while keeping the
right on campus. run by the teachers
language appropriate). Students could not read two poems consecutively, but they
union. Innovation is the only agenda
could read as many poems as time allowed within the first thirty minutes of the one
item here.
hour period. During the second half of the period we had our discussion about a topic
that came up in the poems, or any student could suggest a topic, the group usually made
Transition to Career Academies
the final decision. Sometimes the discussion was so heated it carried over to the next
The Cultural Academy for Arts &
day. Everyone was encouraged to give their opinions; if someone was speaking, you
Sciences opens in Fall 2008. Watch for
did not interrupt, as listening was a skill we needed to work on.
Project Apollo - a powerful curriculum
integration unit design to incorporate
The young men became very involved during the discussion period giving strong
content standards into a personal and
opinions. Initially, most discussions fell along gender lines, but as the term progressed,
intense learning experience.
that changed as students felt more confident in their opinions. Occasionally, we had a
“talk show” type segment with a student host, volunteers were the guest and the rest of
Leadership & Planning Retreat
the class became the audience for a question and answer period. Within a month, we
NEP and the UFT will work with staff with
had discussed more than twenty topics ranging from relationships to suicide, from rap
transition & instructional planning and
music to the Michael Vick case.
peer coaching skills over the summer.
Students started to bring friends to the class if a teacher was absent or if they needed to
Student Empowerment & Ownership
make-up a class they had missed. The prerequisite was that everyone got involved in
NEP will work with student body in
the discussion.
verbal skills and peer coaching to help
empower them to take ownership of the
As the term progressed, the young men become more open. I recorded the number of
school culture.
poems each student read; the class became very competitive about who had done the
most poems. The poems that the class enjoyed the most were read. All poems had to be
original; the class became very observant that poems were of high quality and authentic.
The students cared a great deal about who read next. The young ladies seemed almost
For More Information on insulted if someone was allowed to read before them despite the rules.

the NEP Lab School
Call toll free (888) NEP - 1997 and
choose option 3. Or go online to
www.neponline.org
I believe this advisory class stimulated each student’s creativity, built their self
confidence and gave them an avenue to express strong emotions in a positive way
(putting it on paper). To my surprise, they delved into very sensitive issues and their
true personalities came to the surface.
Continued on p. 4

3
INNOVATION SUMMER 2008

National Educator Program, LLC Staff Board of Directors

Mark A. Thompson Dr. Dalane Bouillion,
3700 Quebec Street
Director Asst. Superintendent
Bldg 100, Suite 286 Spring ISD
Denver, CO 80207 Jill Klinofski
Secretary Connie Majka
Philadelphia Academies, Inc
NEP Lab School
Samuel J. Tilden High School (888) NEP - 1997 Diane Varano,
Principal
Cultural Academy of Arts & Sciences
www.neponline.org NEP Lab School
5800 Tilden Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11203

Powerful Advisory Class, continued from p. 2

The class used poetry as a stress reliever
which possibly helped them handle daily
dilemmas. They appreciated that their
words were being acknowledged – no
right, no wrong.
They expressed
themselves freely;
no judgments were
made and there was
always lots of
laughter in the
class.
Early on, one young man asked the
question, “Yo, why do we have to write
poems?” I asked him why he thought it
was necessary. After a momentary pause,
he responded, “I guess it’s good to listen
to everyone else’s opinion and let them
have their say” He had come a long way;
He was one of our disciplinary problems
who had interrupted others daily, argued
and was late or absent at the beginning of
the term.
The students realized their voices were
being heard; they were being listened to
in this class. It became a safe haven for
communicating their innermost feelings
and desires.
Towards the end of the fall term, my
colleague, Mr. Sparacino, suggested we
perform our poems for his class. It was
successful; the students were confident. I
mentioned it to Ms. Varano who
suggested we have a poetry slam in the
Blue Café for other classes. This new
venue gave us new motivation which
carried over into the spring term. The
goal became getting ready for the slam at
the end of the month. Our motto, as
suggested by one of the students, became,
“Fix Your Poem”. We performed in the
Blue Café in February (Black History
Month), in March (Women’s History coming in the fall
Month), in April (Environmental Issues),
and our final slam on May 16. The poems
this term became more insightful and
issue of Innovation:
humorous. The performances became
clearer as they learned to command the
What IS an “NEP Lab
audience and emphasize the key points in
their production. School” and what happens there?
I am thankful to all for the opportunity to Spotlight on curriculum
have the students showcase their talents. integration for Science Academies:
It made them feel special. They realize
the class is a special moment in their Project Apollo - Brooklyn, NY
lives, and I hope their efforts project a Biofuel - Foley, AL
better feeling about our school to others
and from others to the young people of Upcoming national and
S.J. Tilden High School. Ms. DeSiano
added another aspect to the experience by regional events
taking photos, having some poems typed
and creating a bulletin board for the class. Information on NEPwork
We are very appreciative.
enrollment for cohort II: Our
For me, the most touching, satisfying and patent-pending SLC support
memorable moments occurred during the network!
fall term when a young lady names Ms.
Michel, who had quite a few absences
and tardies started coming to class Teacher articles on ideas for
consistently and on time. She initially inspiring classrooms
did a few poems. They were thoughtful
and good. One day she asked if she
could sing one of her original songs. I New Column: The Student Voice
said if it was good she would receive Students from NEPwork schools
credit for two poems. She was very share their insights on continual
good, soulful – she had a great voice.
school innovation
Afterwards she did a song each day. She
sang at our first slam at the end of the fall
term. She made up the classes she had Award nomination information.
missed and went on to graduate in Recommend your colleagues and
January. I felt that if the process had
reached this particular young lady, the schools for national recognition!
class had been successful.
* * * * *