Spotlight 4 Success
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Spotlight 4 Success
When Everyone Invests: The Recipe for Educational Excellence
Excellence in education takes center stage as Dr. Wallace Martin reveals the remarkable journey that led Brookwood Elementary to national recognition. Receiving the National Title I School of Distinction award places this Alabama school in rarified air – one of only two schools statewide and among just fifteen elementary schools nationwide in their category to earn this prestigious honor.
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Welcome to Spotlight for Success by American Book Company. I'm Devin Pintosa, your host. We are here at the Alabama Federal Programs Conference in wonderful Montgomery, alabama. We were here with Dr Wallace Martin of Brookwood Elementary, an award-winning Title I school. Thank you so much for joining us today, dr Martin. Thank you very much, it's my pleasure, glad to be here. Wonderful. Can you tell us a bit as to what went on today? You received the Distinguished School Award for Brookwood Elementary.
Speaker 2:We did. We were very fortunate, very grateful and thankful to be recognized for our award as being a national Title I school of distinction, one of only two in the state of Alabama this year, and for our particular category, category three, one of only 15 in the entire country, one of 15 elementary schools. Our English learner students showed a 97.08% increase in their ACAP scores from one year to the next.
Speaker 1:That is fantastic. And what do you attribute that huge increase in scores?
Speaker 2:Well, first and foremost, the students. They have invested I don't like to use the phrase buy-in they have invested in our program and our plan and trusted us in what we've asked them to do. I attribute it to our teachers for implementing the program and the plan. Certainly our EL teacher, ms Catalina Snopfner, but our entire staff plays a vital role, catalina Schnafner, but our entire staff, you know, plays a vital role. Everybody from the copy machine in the office to the ice machine in the lunchroom, you know, has something to do with it and has invested in our program. Also, our parents. We have very, you know, supportive parents who are not demanding and who get the children to school and, you know, get them there on time and help us and support us outside of the school regular school day.
Speaker 1:Oh, that is wonderful. That is such a great, stunning thing. I understand this year.
Speaker 2:You're retiring as well. I am. This will be it. This is my all together. I have 37 and a half years in education and it has been a wonderful career.
Speaker 2:I announced it last week to the faculty, definitely not unhappy or upset. I mean, this is a great year to go out with these awards that we've had. We've had some other school awards as well but just think that now is time and ready for maybe a little bit of a change, something different. I had the opportunity to help open this school 16 years ago, so I've been the only principal and I could probably do a couple more years. But I'm not going to tread water and if I can't go wide open in 150%, I'm not going to do it. It's not fair to the kids or the teachers or my parents. So, looking forward to what lies ahead and I know there's going to be some people who will help move the needle in the right direction- that is wonderful.
Speaker 1:Wow, what a great story and thank you for your service. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming principal here at Brookwood Elementary and what that whole journey was like? At American Book Company in Woodstock, georgia, we are committed to your students' success. As you can see behind me, we have our workbooks and we have online testing and e-books that go on fancy iPads over here, for instance. They're all designed to help your students succeed and have higher test scores on their high-stakes assessments. Give us a call 888-264-5877, or find us on the web, abck12.com, and you can receive a free trial or a free preview book of your choice. Hope to hear from you soon. Bye-bye.
Speaker 2:It was a long time ago and it was a wonderful journey. I wouldn't change a thing. I started at a junior high school Coppinville Junior High School and I was there for 15 years. I taught seventh grade social studies and coached girls basketball, did that for nine years and I got my first administrative job there. I was an assistant principal there and I worked for two great principals who were wonderful mentors that I still stay in contact with to this day. And then I was in the central office for two years as elementary curriculum director. And then I had an opportunity to help open a new school, which was Brookwood, and I've been there for 16 years, and 12 of those years we were an all-kindergarten school. We were an early education center Wow, I had 565 year-olds on campus and I never lost a one.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's good. And is there anything you'd like to share with the Alabama Federal Program community?
Speaker 2:Well, I think this is a wonderful conference and I want to thank all of the federal program's directors for what they do. We are very fortunate to have an outstanding one in our district, ms Cherie Hardwick, and what we're able to do with the funds and the services to help children is remarkable, and I'm very grateful for all that they do for us and for all that they do for students, and this is a wonderful learning opportunity for them to be able to get together and collaborate with one another here. I think this is an outstanding conference. It's always nice to be able to kind of get out of your building and see how other people are doing things and get some good ideas.
Speaker 1:That's wonderful, dr Wallace Martin. Thank you so much With Brookwood Elementary. Thank you so much for joining us today, dr Wallace Martin.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much. My pleasure, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks Thanks.