MASA Feature Dr. Colbert presents her expectations and insight at the Portfolio of Scholars evening activity kick-off. GATH Program Offers Inspiration to District GATH students are a bright spot in the school community, according to Kwame Stephens, Oak Park High School principal. “Identifying and highlighting those bright spots allows you to show the school community what is possible,” says Stephens. “Here are students that look just like you, have many of the same struggles, the same challenges—and look at how they are excelling. It brings a sense of hope, and a sense of, ‘This can be done. I can overcome and am greater than my circumstances.’” 24 MASA LEADER • Spring 2016 Oak Park administrators share the belief that the GATH program won’t stay with just the cohorts, but that it is filtering throughout the building and will change the culture of the district. “It won’t be contained,” says Stephens. “It will take on a life of its own.” Oak Park is looking at what works for the students and courses contained in the GATH program. The district is pushing those learnings into the general program tracks with the hope of developing more and more students striving to achieve at higher academic standards. This has led to professional development provided to teachers with a focus on increasing rigor in all classrooms and implementing tech-niques that create deeper learning for all students. “Hopefully in the future all Oak Park students will look like our GATH students, with every school day filled with engaged learning,” said Kellam. Oak Park is working very hard to make sure students understand the importance of education and that they are provided opportunities and exposure to situa-tions that will increase their individual expectations. “What will it take to get all of our students participating in GATH?” asks Mercer. “That’s the question that I ask myself. We need to be asking ourselves this as educators: How do we motivate all students to reach their full potential by taking advantage of opportunities like GATH?” Watch a video about Oak Park’s GATH program on the MASA Vimeo channel at https://vimeo. com/gomasa. Mitch Smith is a Communication Specialist with MASA. Contact him at 517.327.5910 or mitchsmith@gomasa.org. WE BELIEVE IN PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE THE EXTRAORDINARY kingscott.com Mattawan Consolidated Schools K-12 and Bond Campaign Strategy Specialists
MASA Leader - Sprin 2016
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