(Adapted from McGee,
Lessons from the Golden Spike Schools, 2002)
First and foremost, these schools have exemplary principals who are leaders of learning, who are resourceful, who craft a culture of high expectations, and who model leadership daily. Other commonalities among successful schools:
- A hard working, devoted staff that has the highest expectations, demands excellence, and REALLY believes each student can succeed
- Early literacy programs that focus on prevention and early intervention
- Policies, programs, and services to include parents in the school and to educate parents in both parenting and in academic skills
- Access to good nutrition and health care for all students
- School-wide professional development on a single topic related to school improvement planning
- Sharing of local and state assessment data and systematic use of that data to improve teaching and learning
- Frequent celebrations and ceremonies
- Strong connection to early childhood programs
- Access to books in the classroom and formal recognition of reading progress
- Ready access to a host of after school, before school and Saturday programs
- Summer school for most students
- Technology used to enhance learning and for analyzing and charting data
- School improvement plans focused on a small number of improvement initiatives that are embraced, supported, and sustained by the entire school community
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