Academy High School Principal Julie Ruisinger offers a bit of advice to one of her students in the new campus library. (Photo by Jim Cullen)
by JULIE RUISINGER
Special to the Hays Free Press
The $1.1 million received by Academy High School is proving to be quite a boon for students and teachers at the school. Recently, we were able to hire a Community in Schools counselor, Erica Gallardo, which tremendously increases the services we are able to offer our students. Gallardo works to find resources in the community for students and their families and offers individual counseling as well as groups that we would otherwise not have. Students love her.
We are also going to be able to hire an instructional coach, who will assist the administration and faculty with new teaching strategies and coaching techniques. Much of the grant funding will provide professional development for the staff and having an individual to help implement all that we learn is tremendously exciting. The staff is currently visiting excellent alternative schools around the state to develop new programs and curriculum delivery systems for the 2011-12 school year. Our coach will help design project-based learning and self-paced opportunities, which students are clamoring for.
We are constantly learning and have the opportunity to attend a multitude of conferences and workshops such as the Texas Alternative Education Association’s conference in February, and the National Staff Development Conference in Atlanta in December. Teachers are also able to attend the conferences, which apply to their particular areas of specialization to learn all about the latest techniques and trends. To teach is to learn, but it is rare to have the time and resources to explore and redefine ourselves as educators. The grant is enabling us to do just that.
In addition to the grant, faculty, staff and students are focused on fulfilling the recommendations developed by the Academy Study Team, which met throughout last year to examine the school. The Study Team felt that the school needed an image that would represent changes that will occur in every aspect of the school. In order to accomplish this, Academy High is to be rebranded, reflecting what the school will become. Therefore, the students and faculty have submitted their nomination for a new name for the school and a new mascot and colors. Making the choices was a lot of fun and really brought out the passion in our students! We are on pins and needles, hoping that our nomination wins! Students have also developed a fishing club, dance team, yearbook club, urban art club, meditation club and film club. Since small schools don’t have the extracurricular activities found at large schools, clubs provide an excellent way for students to pursue areas of special interest and spend time together at school.
We are also very interested in including the community in our change efforts. We would like to foster relationships with community members and businesses in the area. Currently, we are seeking mentors to work with our students. Please contact Julie Ruisinger, principal, at [email protected] if you are interested in working for awesome changes in the lives of great students. Dream it, do it.
Julie Ruisinger is principal of Hays CISD’s Academy High School.
