by Deborah K. Bryson
Principal, May/June 2012

Eight years ago, educators in Tucson, Arizona’s Vail Unified School District collaborated to identify the critical components of the district’s expectations for instruction. As a result of their work, the group developed an acronym and statement to guide classroom instruction across the district—REACH—which today drives decision-making at Desert Willow Elementary School and accounts for the best practice instruction that occurs in every classroom on campus. Each portion of the REACH statement reflects a core element of what Desert Willow teachers believe to be essential in providing exceptional instruction to meet the diverse needs of each student. The REACH statement directs our staff in cultivating an enriching educational experience for each child at Desert Willow. It also provides parents and community partners with a clear understandable statement about the school’s classroom expectations.

The Components

Reteach and enrich occurs daily in each of our classrooms. Desert Willow’s 900 K-5 students begin each day with a REACH block focused on essential Arizona state math standards. Students are given weekly formative assessments consisting of five targeted questions that provide specific feedback to teachers that guide REACH planning and instruction. Students who score below 80 percent mastery on a standard participate in reteach activities that provide them with additional direct instruction and opportunities for hands-on, differentiated learning. Students who score above 80 percent mastery on a standard participate in enrichment activities that challenge students to use higher-order thinking skills and transfer prior knowledge to real-life situations. Teachers use reteach and enrich to scaffold learning at independent levels and ensure that optimal learning environments are in place.

Ensure every minute counts through student engagement. In order for successful learning to occur, classroom management strategies must be developed and effectively implemented in each classroom. Desert Willow classroom communities are developed and sustained through the “heart work” of its teachers. Teachers spend the first two weeks of school building classroom communities in which students are taught how to be model classroom citizens. Routines and procedures are taught, modeled, and practiced in order for optimal learning environments to be established. Through explicit instruction of classroom procedures, students understand what is expected of them and teachers provide a nurturing, safe environment in which students feel safe to take risks and perform. Once students have mastered the classroom routines and procedures, academic instruction can begin, and high levels of student achievement can be obtained.

Achieve success only when students learn by assessing standards regularly. Desert Willow students are given daily opportunities to apply skills that they have learned on rigorous independent activities. Activities include cross-curricular writing assignments, collaborative projects, performance tasks, and student- directed scoring using rubrics. As students complete these activities, teachers are able to informally assess student learning and provide for immediate re-teach if necessary. Teachers use a variety of informal assessment strategies to monitor learning and ensure that every student is given multiple opportunities to succeed. Each day, teachers track student growth and progress on essential math fluency skills. Students are also given weekly formal assessments to assess standards that have been taught.

Come together as a team by actively collaborating. Teachers at Desert Willow are not merely professional colleagues. All members of our staff work together daily to create an outstanding community school in which we support and encourage each other. The positive communication network that is established at the beginning of the year among all of the stakeholders in our community allow teachers to tap resources such as hands-on math manipulatives and literature for use in balanced literacy groups from countless sources. Grade-level teams are given daily opportunities to collaborate and design creative lessons that stimulate high levels of engagement and achievement. Team members share ideas, resources, and teaching strategies to meet the needs of their diverse classrooms.

Have high expectations by encouraging students to excel. By setting high, yet realistic goals for our students, we create an environment that challenges students to become intrinsically motivated and invested in their education. Students feel empowered to make decisions that guide their educational journey. Our staff members actively seek out new teaching strategies that will significantly impact the quality of education that we provide our students. Recent professional development opportunities have included strategies from Robert Marzano’s “Classroom Instruction That Works” and hands-on math manipulative and problem-solving workshops. Demanding academic standards require that high expectations are in place for students and staff. By creating a community that fosters the development of lifelong learners of all ages, Desert Willow evaluates and redefines teaching strategies that challenge staff and students to step outside of their comfort zones and reach their full learning potential.

Outcomes

Since the inception of the REACH program, scores on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards assessment for third, fourth, and fifth graders have consistently improved in both reading and math. Between 86 and 95 percent of students meet or exceed the standards at each grade level on each test. Desert Willow has consistently received the highest possible “EXCELLING” label from the Arizona Department of Education each year that the program has been in place. In 2007, the school also received the Arizona Educational Foundation’s A+ School of Excellence Award. Desert Willow students “reach” their education goals because the school’s educators REACH to put these five principles at the core of their effort to provide an enriching educational experience for each child.

Deborah K. Bryson is principal of Desert Willow Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona.

Copyright © National Association of Elementary School Principals. No part of the articles in NAESP magazines, newsletters, or Web site may be reproduced in any medium without the permission of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. For more information, view NAESP's reprint policy.