Sharon Kennedy, the middle school administrator, wrote in her recent Bonanza article the AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) program will be extended from the high school to the middle school starting in January. 
http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20111212/OPINION/111219990&parentprofile=search
Mrs. Kennedy points out that AVID is a program to “address the needs of many average students, second language learners, and children whose parents had never attended college.”  Kathleen Watty, the elementary school principal, recently wrote a Bonanza article titled Incline elementary students benefit from part-time Spanish teacher. 
http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20120111/NEWS/120119991&parentprofile=search
While both AVID and Spanish sound good, neither is in the top two programs parents said was highly important in Washoe County School District’s (WCSD) survey given to Incline Village parents at the beginning of 2011.  In this survey the programs that were highly important to most parents were: Advanced Placement (79%) at the high school level, and science (71%) K-8.  

http://myinclinevillage.com/2011/03/28/survey-results.aspx
 

The number of Advanced Placement (AP) classes at our high school went from 16 when John Clark was the principal to 12 this year.  Our middle school only has one honors class left, with no plans to add more.  The district has cut back on gifted classes at Incline Middle School, and will likely cut back on gifted classes at the elementary school next year.  We have not had a full-time science teacher at the elementary school for about seven years.  As an educator with four school-age children I’ve noticed, over the last nine years, Incline schools are doing less to meet the needs of high-achieving students.  

If our schools are going to move from good to great, we need to do a better job of meeting the needs of our advanced students, and at the same time raise the bar for all students.  Students will rise to the level of expectations.  If we do not prepare more of our students to succeed in AP classes, we will lose more AP classes.  In response, families with high-achieving, college-bound students will likely leave Incline High School (IHS).

Clayton Middle School in Reno recently implemented SpringBoard, the official pre-AP program from the College Board.  On 12/6/11 the Reno Gazette Journal published an article about Clayton titled, Clayton’s philosophy: It’s never too early to think about college.  A Clayton school administrator said: “Our culture has changed at Clayton.”  The article states: “College banners hang in each classroom and college logos are painted on school walls.”
The article can be found here,
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Incline-Schools-moving-from-Good-to-Great/250263725032758?sk=wall&filter=2 

Raising the bar and changing the culture at Incline Middle School would be a step in the right direction.  SpringBoard can be used in English language arts and/or math, it is not very expensive and there is research to show it will prepare students to succeed in AP classes.  In 2011, 85% of IHS graduates were college bound.  In 2010 83% were college bound.  Since most of our graduates are college bound, but only about half take an AP (college level) class prior to graduation, SpringBoard would be a perfect fit for Incline.

Instead of a subject-specific academy the district is discussing for Incline, http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us/staff/high-school-signature-academy, I suggest IHS become Incline Village College Preparatory Academy.  In addition we should:  (1) continue with current successful programs; (2) align the curriculum and raise the bar K-8; (3) bring a full-time science teacher back to the elementary school; (4) bring the SpringBoard program and change the culture in our middle school; (5) make sure all our college-bound students succeed in at least one AP class prior to graduation.  

Unlike a subject-specific academy, my plan will meet the needs of all our students and move our schools from good to great in a way we can all support.  To learn more, and add your thoughts, please visit the new Facebook page:  “Incline Schools moving from good to great.”
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Incline-Schools-moving-from-Good-to-Great/250263725032758?sk=wall&filter=1

John Eppolito

Former K-12 teacher

Incline resident