“He will begin faculty meetings by asking, ‘What
are we going to do to get our kids going?’ He
wants us to actively consider our kids’ motivation
to learn.”
–Sarah Sheperd, Rose Park Middle Numeracy Coach
to guide students toward their full potential when
current strategies aren’t working. Teachers also
receive support from the school’s literacy and
numeracy coaches, who help the teachers understand their students’ academic performance.
Expanded educational opportunities. In addition
to supporting the intervention-based partnerships
described earlier, Rose Park leaders collaborate
with local organizations to create supplemental
educational opportunities for students. The school
coordinates Hands-On Science Days in partnership
with the Adventure Science Center, Nashville’s
children’s science museum. Students travel to the
center for hands-on activities including dissections, car physics activities, and earth science
experiments. The program strives to draw on
students’ prior knowledge and lead them to apply
it to real-world scenarios. “Our staff is working hard
to make our science performance as strong as our
math,” Blankenship said. “We are not there yet,
but opportunities like the Adventure Center are
fun trips for our kids, and I think it will help them
[perform better].”
Rose Park also partners with the PENCIL Foundation, a nonprofit comprised of representatives from
businesses and community organizations who
donate time and resources to advance students’
academic journeys. During the 2011-12 school year,
PENCIL helped the school with science education,
journalism, and mentorship programs. PENCIL
representatives brought in tutors to help students
in each grade prepare for the state-required
standardized tests (known as TCAP) and donated
school supplies to the literacy coaches’ classrooms. Other current community partners include
Kroger, White Castle, and Belmont University.
27
Pathways to the Prize
Lessons from the 2012 SCORE Prize School Winners
Assistant Principal Freeman coordinated an initiative to bring an international flavor to the school by
sponsoring delegates from abroad. For example,
visitors from Guangzhou, China observed Rose Park
teachers’ classroom management and instructional
procedures and then participated in a forum on
ways to improve education in both countries. During
the visit, students were able to talk to the delegates
about the similarities and differences in education
between the two countries.
School leaders also actively seek relationships
with other nearby organizations and universities to
provide tutoring and enrichment activities. For example, Rose Park has created weekly interventions
that provide opportunities for students to interact
with potential role models such as undergraduate
and graduate education students from Belmont
University, who visit the school once a week to work
with students one-on-one. The college students
implement interventions designed by Rose Park’s
numeracy coach to address students’ specific academic challenges.
Faculty members from Vanderbilt University’s Mathematics and Science Education Department and
Fisk University visit Rose Park to provide hands-on
educational experiences for students. Fisk University offers programs such as its Physics Club to
enhance science learning. This year, the faculty
focused on “rocket science” by introducing rocket
design and encouraging students to explore their
interests in that science discipline.
The faculty at Rose Park believes there are two key
benefits to these relationships. First, students have
the opportunity to work with other adults beyond
their classroom to help them master academi