Recently the state department of education targeted 11 Baltimore
City schools for eventual takeover. No Child Left Behind allows such action with schools that demonstrate a sustained pattern of low test scores for five years or more. The city’s broken special education system has been under state control since summer 2005. Now, four high schools and seven middle schools are the first in the country to be overtaken by the state under the auspice of No Child Left Behind.
With such news, too often city schools that get it right are overlooked. There is one gem in particular that sets a fine example for public schools around Maryland: Thomas Johnson Elementary near Riverside Park in South Baltimore. Ironically, in December this school appeared on a list of possible school closings. Meaning to accommodate declining enrollment citywide, the city unfortunately considered shutting down a high-performing school.
Thomas Johnson Elementary, where 70 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, shines under the leadership of Principal James Sasiadek. Almost 80 percent of students scored at or above proficiency on the most recent state math and reading assessments.
The school caught the attention of Megan Farnsworth, author of “Getting Results: High- Performing, Low-Income Schools in Maryland,” published in 2004 by the Maryland Public Policy Institute.
A former teacher and curriculum specialist, Farnsworth was the project manager behind “No Excuses,” the Heritage Foundation’s 2001 nationwide study of low-income schools that performed well on standardized tests. In her book, she profiled 12 high-poverty Maryland public schools that fit this category and demonstrated commitment to raising student achievement and test scores, data analysis, ongoing staff development, smaller class sizes, parental involvement and strong administrative leadership. She contends that low-income schools can perform as well as affluent ones as long as these components are in place.
There is no doubt a visionary, involved principal like Sasiadek can dramatically enhance staff and student performance, as well as morale. How does one person make sure this successful foundation is sustained, even after the conclusion of his tenure? “It doesn’t happen overnight,” said Sasiadek. “You have to build a learning community where teachers support kids, the administration supports teachers and the parents are involved.”
Sasiadek also attributes success to the school’s status as a professional development center with Towson University. “I have some absolutely wonderful young teachers whom we have the opportunity to train. My senior faculty members did a wonderful job of being open and willing to learn along with them. This raises the bar for everyday interactions.”
While Thomas Johnson Elementary is no longer on the list of potential closings, the school is still being considered for a transition from K- 5 to K-8, a change Sasiadek hopes will become official in April. “My parents are very anxious to hear the news,” he said. “It is so much more effective to keep children in a warm, nurturing environment where they are a known quantity. Having a K-8 situation and good relationships with families is the way you are able to solve some of the problems with that age group — a very difficult age, especially, with the challenges we have in the modern urban environment.” Indeed, with middle school test scores lagging around the country, the adolescent years are in need of a different approach in education.
Sasiadek applies one of his basic philosophies to education: “There are no neutral human interactions — we either diminish or enhance each other. It goes that way with kids, parents and teachers. It’s critical to build a relationship where you can make all those connections. For example, teachers in all grades need to know what the other teachers are doing.” Sasiadek encourages a regular dialogue between teachers and with the administration. “We do a lot with embedded staff development and teaming on a weekly basis so we keep that dialogue focused on what kids are producing and how we are teaching them.”
Sasiadek’s concern for his students is palpable, and the feelings are returned, evidenced by the hugs he receives regularly in the halls. “We have to look at individual students for success,” he observed. “We can’t afford to lose anyone along the way. I really care about my kids. I value the trust those families have put in our school.”
Alison Lake is managing editor at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, and a former public school teacher and Blue Ribbon Schools evaluator for the U.S. Department of Education She can be reached at alake@mdpolicy.org. “Getting Results” can be found at www.mdpolicy.org.
