Innovative education: New programs await students at Wasson

When students walk into Wasson High School on the first day of school this month, they will certainly notice changes crafted to remake the struggling school.

Principal Darryl Bonds said he expects students to easily acclimate to invigoratingly new programs meant to entice, challenge and reward students by better preparing them for their future. He expects their success to attract even more teens to the school in central Colorado Springs.

It’s a tall order for a school that has survived declining enrollment and a shaky reputation.

Key to Wasson’s makeover is the school’s pursuit of state-approved School of Innovation status, which would grant freedoms generally given to charter schools. There are five innovation schools in the Denver area, and Wasson would be the sixth in the state — but the firstin the Pikes Peak region.

If the designation is approved this month as expected, Wasson will be able to try new ways of doing things in an all-out effort to boost student achievement.

All paperwork has been submitted to the Colorado Department of Education and a hearing and vote by the state board of education is tentatively planned for mid-August.

Just over a year ago, Wasson was on the list for possible closure. But the Colorado Springs School District 11 board spared it and directed administrators to come back with a plan for remaking the school. A team led by former Wasson Principal Sean Dorsey came up with some concepts and pursued School of Innovation status.

“Wasson’s reputation is in need of improvement,” District 11 Superintendent Nicholas Gledich said recently.

The innovation plan includes enhancing a freshman academy, and the creation of three upper-level academies that focus on the arts, law and leadership and science and math.

As soon as they walk in the door, students will notice changes to their routines, Bonds said.

The schedule has a set period for students seeking challenges to take seminars on topics such as robotics or scuba diving. Students who needs additional help can use the period to work with their teachers to better understand material or get help with missing or incomplete assignments

The freshmen academy provides a foundation for incoming high schoolers, introducing them to working within a team and with a team of teachers. The other academies will provide students a chance to explore or specialize. Teaching methods will vary as the staff employs new ways of engaging students, Bonds said.

For example, a history lesson might be expanded to see how an event impacted human behavior or created legal issues. Legal experts will share their knowledge, and there might be video clips and class discussions. The students may even hold a mock trial.

“I think it will be fun for kids, they’re not just reading about it,” Bonds said.

Students will be able to explore and participate across the academies, rather than being locked into a single track, which is the approach for many magnet schools. Offering focused study areas within a flexible structure is expected to help attract new students to the school.

Bonds said the goal is a full-service community school, making full use of the school’s facilities — including studios and science, photography and piano labs — while providing hands-on activities for students.

Parents involvement is key, but they aren’t the only members of the community being chased.

The district has applied for one grant that would fund work with Julie Penrose Health Education and Research Center, fitting in with the math and science academy.

Bonds also hopes to bring in the U.S. Olympic organizations to put together a triathlon and swimming classes.

Even before the innovation plan was put together, there were commitments from lawyers, judges and other community members who wanted to make things work at Wasson.

It’s an ongoing and evolving collaboration to share services and facilities, Bonds said. Such partnerships benefit the students and the community.

Although he was named to Wasson’s top job just this spring, Bonds is familiar with Wasson’s innovation plans. He was working at the Colorado Department of Education and had read them in the early stages.

“I had a pretty good idea of what they were going for,” he said.

He has been busy meeting with the teachers who will lead the academies, putting together action plans so everyone will be ready for the first day of school.

Wasson’s staff begins the year with an extra three days of professional development, and teachers will spend part of that time working across departments, learning how they can best use all the academies in lessons.

“There will always be a challenge to get all new people up to speed on what’s going on,” Bonds said.

The Colorado Springs Education Association has raised concerns about how the state waivers might impact the collective bargaining agreement between teachers and the district, and is watching the experiment closely to ensure teachers’ rights are protected.

“There’s a whole lot of unanswered questions,” said CSEA president Kevin Marshall.

CSEA director Tim Cross said that many ardent supporters of the innovation plan left Wasson when Dorsey accepted a job in Falcon School District 49.

Bonds said the number of Wasson vacancies is not out of line with what other schools are filling, and he’s been hearing mostly from teachers who are excited about the changes.

“The teachers will be building this out,” Bonds said. “There are tremendous ideas at the school.”

Some staff worked on the innovation plan. At one point, a group from the district traveled to a school in Richardson, Texas, to see how things could be done.

Wasson had been doing some things that will help within the academies, Bonds said. Science equipment is in place, and some special training was started years ago.

Bonds said communication with the staff is critical, and that he intends to be up front about what is coming.

“Our business plan is a living plan,” he said.

“We don’t want to overwhelm the staff, and we don’t want to do it halfway,” Bonds said, adding that some changes will happen more swiftly than others.

Several grants, including one focused on teacher advancement, are being sought to fund some changes. Gledich said he expects they’ll win the grants and the money, which could help alleviate concerns from teachers.

As the first day of school approaches, Bonds said it is coming down to details such as ensuring materials and supplies are in place.

A bigger concern, though, is ensuring that parents and the community understand where Wasson is headed, and the opportunities and experiences it will offer while remaining focused on improving student achievement.

“We will be open three years from now, and beyond,” Bonds said.

Marshall and Cross stressed that the association is not trying to block change, but they want to protect the rights of teachers to provide the best product for kids.

“Implementation is the magical piece,” Cross said.

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Contact the writer at 636-0162.