A new year brings a new leadership structure to the two schools where the youngest Sto-Rox students learn: Sto-Rox Primary Center and Sto-Rox Upper Elementary School.
Heather Johnston will now oversee both schools, after running the Upper Elementary. Chris Captline moves from the Junior/Senior High School to become Assistant Principal for both buildings, and Dr. Brooke Stebler is now Academic Principal for both buildings after serving as principal of the Primary Center.
It’s a lot of change, but the only snag so far has been… footwear.
“When it was raining, we had to walk back and forth [between the buildings], and I’m complaining,” laughed Johnston. “Chris was yelling, ‘wear closed-toed shoes!’”
“I was fine walking up and down the path!” laughed Captline.
Shoe choices aside, the new team is focused on several areas of improvement for students from Kindergarten to sixth grade.
“We were trying to figure out between the two buildings what would be the best use of our resources to support kids,” said Stebler. There is lots of ground to cover, beyond the footpath connecting the two schools along Ewing Road. As the principals describe it, the new structure reflects their strengths.
From left to right: K-6 Principal Heather Johnston, K-6 Academic Principal Dr. Brooke Stebler, K-6 Assistant Principal Chris Captline.
For Johnston, it’s all about running two buildings, overseeing continual improvements, and making sure parents are part of the learning process.
“There are great things happening here, and a lot of times they go unseen,” she explained. “We want parents to see what’s going on, we want parents to know they have to take part, and we welcome them into the schools.”
For Captline, a prime focus is building a better environment for learning.
“The idea of education is obviously important, but the idea of school and ‘building culture’ is very important,” he said. “We want to improve the climate, we want to improve the overall education experience.”
That experience will include PBIS, or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. It’s a framework that supports the academic, social, and mental health of students and teachers.
Captline explained, “You teach students math and english, you teach them how to read. But you also have to teach them the behavioral aspect as well. You can’t overlook that.”
That concept ties into another program, the Just Discipline Project, that will have crossover impact between the schools. The program focuses on restorative practices, which is a science that focuses on alternatives to traditional punishments that can push students, especially students of color, into juvenile detention and prison.
“We will have a restorative practice coach in the Upper Elementary,” said Johnston. “But that will also help the K-3 building, because the teachers will also be able to receive the training.”
When it comes to classroom performance, the role of Academic Principal is one Stebler is rolling up her sleeves for.
“I have a strong literacy background which I think, looking at the academics specifically, and knowing my own skill set, I think that will benefit the students,” she said. One of the programs she will lead is EarlyBird, a literacy screening program for Kindergarteners and first graders. The game-based screener looks for conditions like dyslexia.
“The better information we have on where kids are at, tells us exactly how to design our instruction,” said Stebler.
The focus isn’t just on improving students. Teachers will also take part in literacy training through the AIM Institute for Learning and Research.
“I’ll be taking the course alongside the teachers,” said Stebler. “I’ll also know from the teacher end what they’re experiencing.” The program will continue throughout the year with periodic training and meetings, and time will be added so that, as Johnston says, teachers and administrators can “dive deep” into the data and make improvements.
When you add it all up - new programs, new leadership structure - it has the makings of a banner year for both the Primary Center and the Upper Elementary.
“Education has never been just a linear concept,” said Captline. “We need to account for and touch on all these different concepts if we ever want to be successful.”
Clearly, plans for success have been laid. Now it’s up to everyone - administrators, teachers, and students - to perform.
And of course, to make sure they’ve got the right shoes on.
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Related Stories:
District Purchases Game-Based Literacy Screener (EarlyBird)
Local Restorative Practice Program Coming To Upper Elementary (Just Discipline)