School-business program aimed at raising grades [Jeb's FL: How a "D" school improved to a "B"] (AP)

AP, other sources ^ | June 16, 2002 | Ron Word, others

[summer]

Sunday, June 16, 2002

The Associated Press State & Local Wire

Principal Frances Gupton, Jacksonville, FL, and Kevin Twomey, president of the Jacksonville-based St. Joe Co --
Do business leaders belong in public schools? This principal now says: YES!

School-business program aimed at raising grades

By Ron Word

Principal Frances Gupton stopped celebrating her school's high marks on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests to fire off an e-mail to a businessman who helped her inner city school make an academic U-turn.

The message was for Kevin Twomey, president of the Jacksonville-based St. Joe Co., who had volunteered as a mentor for Gupton's management skills at West Riverside Elementary School.

"Bada-bing! We're a B!" Gupton's e-mail said.

Three years ago, when West Riverside was a "D" school, Gupton and Twomey began a partnership, hoping to raise test grades for the school's 380 students. They knew it would be a challenge. Last year, the school scored a "C."

About a third of the school's students speak English as a second language and three-fourths of the students get free or reduced lunches at the two-story school built in 1911.

Gupton will be the first to admit she was skeptical of the program with Twomey.

She had seen other programs that required schools to meet new state standards while stretching money, teachers and administrators to the limit.

"My first thought was, 'Oh no, not another program," she said.

How could an outsider overcome the economic and social problems many of her students face?

"Kevin and I had an instant chemistry," said Gupton.

Twomey and Gupton were part of a program called Partnership to Advance School Success or PASS. The mentoring program was designed by the statewide business group Council on 100 to improve the performance of "D" schools and raise their scores to a "C" or better within three years on the FCAT tests.

Twomey's boss, Peter Rummell, St. Joe's chairman and CEO, was chairman of the council's education committee, which determined effective principals were a key ingredient to producing quality education.

Neither Twomey nor Gupton were given any direction on how he was supposed to help the school, but he went with an open mind, following Gupton and looking for ways to improve.

"I don't think either of us had any expectations," Twomey said.

Twomey agreed to spend one day a month at the school. He watched Gupton deal with a range of issues, from getting rid of rats in the school to listening to complaints from teachers and parents.

He told Gupton her role was like "the sloped gutter on the roof of life." As principal, all the school's troubles flowed into her lap.

If a janitor called in sick, she would pick up a broom. If one of the cafeteria workers didn't show up, the principal helped serve lunch.

Twomey taught her to act like the school's chief executive officer. He showed her how to delegate responsibility.

"I had to convince the teachers that they didn't need me all the time to solve their problems," Gupton said.

Twomey also taught Gupton to look for creative solutions.

When the state stopped funding pre-kindergarten programs, the school district told the schools to start charging parents. Gupton knew parents wouldn't be able to pay, so she diverted $72,000 from her operating budget to pay for the pre- kindergarten program.

As part of the program, St. Joe agreed to donate $100,000, which Twomey and Gupton decided to use for performance-based incentives.

In the first year, teachers got an extra $1,000 by arriving to work on time, preparing quality lesson plans and teaching through the end of the year.

This year, teachers will receive an extra $1,000 because their students improved their test scores.

Last year, West Riverside posted the highest reading scores among Duval County Elementary Schools, even doing better than a school for gifted students.

Twomey rewarded the top students with a limousine ride to an exclusive downtown club, where the youngsters dined on lobster and chicken fingers.

Some of the children enjoyed their first ride in an elevator and feasted on their first magnificent view from the top of a the 37-story Modis building.

"It has been a wonderful experience. I came to love that school," said Twomey, who also serves on the University of North Florida Board of Trustees.

Several other St. Joe employees, Twomey said, work as mentors at the school.

"There is no shortage of enthusiasm for this school," Twomey said.

The PASS program, Gupton said, has changed the focus of the school and its teachers.

Gupton now sees her role as chief executive officer of the school and relates her students' test scores to stock prices. It's the job of the school to make them go up, she said.

In addition to the program with St. Joe, Southwest Airlines also had a big impact on the school. One of the school's students, 11-year-old Sam Young, won a national essay contest sponsored by the airlines.

The prize was a trip in May to New Orleans for the day for the 21 students in the class.

Gupton hopes to continue the association with Twomey and St. Joe, but he was not sure whether he can continue because of his association with other educational groups, including his post on the University of Florida trustee. No matter what happens, Gupton says the students have benefited

"The biggest gain is student achievement," she said.

And she has changed her tune about mixing school with business.

"Business does belong in schools."

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Another article is linked in this caption:



St. Joe Company president and West River Elementary students

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[summer]

I've been meaning to post this for awhile, and maybe now is the perfect time. I think this is a great article, very uplifting to read - especially in this current climate, when we are hearing very little that is positive about businiess leaders. Some business leaders are making a real difference here in FL, especially in the schools, by showing principals how to lead. Kudos to the principals who welcome these business leaders, and kudos to the successful business leaders who truly care about FL students!

BTW, here's another article about this topic:

Helping Schools Succeed

And, another:

Articles Highlight Chamber Members' Commitment to Education:

Publications throughout the state are realizing that business + education = a winning formula. The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce is on the cutting edge of business leadership organizations that are influencing education resources. Chamber members have been praised for their involvement in the school system in recent editions of Florida Trend magazine and Focus on Jacksonville Business.

In the May edition of Florida Trend, the cover story on Florida's schools cites the positive efforts of the Jacksonville business community to assist its local school system. Focusing on The Haskell Company's Preston Haskell and The St. Joe Company's Peter Rummell and Kevin Twomey, the story praises Chamber member efforts and chronicles the success of programs such as the Partnership to Advance School Success (PASS) Program.

The PASS Program pairs local schools with business leaders who provide mentoring to school principals, along with advice and financial support for performance-based incentives. Through the PASS program, local West Riverside Elementary School formed a winning partnership with Jacksonville-based St. Joe Company. School performance has increased, and last year, the school posted the highest writing scores among all Duval County elementary Schools.

"My business happens to be education and student achievement," West Riverside Elementary's Principle Frances Gupton told Florida Trend. "It worked. It made a difference."

This month's Focus showcases more winning partnerships, exploring the contributions Chamber members Bank of America, First Union and Wachovia, The Haskell Company and St. Joe Company have made to local elementary schools. Each of these local businesses has dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to bettering local education, and they are urging others to get involved.

"It's immensely rewarding to effect change," said The Haskell Company CEO, Steve Halverson. "I heartily recommend others do it!"

[summer]

For index.

[summer]

FYI! :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Bumpers!

[summer]

Thank you, MeeknMing! :)

[summer]

FYI. :)

[summer]

This one reminds me of you. :)

[LarryLied]

When Pratt & Whitney planned to pull out of Palm Beach County and move everyone to East Hartford, CT, Jeb proposed the engineers who wanted to stay in Florida be able toteach without the normal certification. Turns out P&W didn't' move everyone but some did go. Do you know if any began teaching? Or if Jeb is still trying to recruit retired engineers and other professionals?

[CWRWinger]

Some business leaders are making a real difference here in FL, especially in the schools, by showing principals how to lead.

Well, duh!!!!

(1) principal: $75k per year, needs training in how to lead. (?)Next, it will be, 'business men show principal how to read'.

Meanwhile, Mr. Businessman gets a tax write-off and his mug on the front page, at the same time dumping H2SO4 into a storm sewer.

[summer]

Larry, I vaguely recall hearing about that - and, I am not sure what happened. Claire, do you happen to know? I do know
Gov. Bush passed a new law, for "Adjunct Certification" so that real live professionals could easily get certified and
get into schools and at least teach part-time. That new law
has passed; I am sure. But, what happened in the situation you mention - I don't know.

[summer]

I think you missed the real point here: new ideas, resulting from this collaboration, helped more students to succeed.

[Alabama_Wild_Man]

Bump for your input/thoughts. . .

[summer]

Check out this link I posted in my reply #1, and maybe you will learn more about the real success I mentioned: HELPING SCHOOLS SUCCEED

[summer]

FYI. :)

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Big business/teacher/kids ping! Everbody benefits from this program. (^:

[M. Thatcher]

Bump. Good stuff.

[CWRWinger]

With all due respect to your efforts, I have seen these photo-opts and company involvements with schools. Some of this is symbolism over substance.

[summer]

Have you actually spent the time to read all these articles here on this thread? Because this school has an interesting demographic/population. It is not "style" over substance with a school full of kids like these.

[summer]

BTW, I say that with all due respect to you. Read the articles first. Find out a little more about these kids before you put down their success.