As an educator, how do you keep students engaged? How do you improve scores and graduation rates?
Just ask the best of the best.
Lamar Johnson of Liberty City Elementary School has recently been named Principal of the Year by the Dade Association of School Administrators.
Principal of the Year Lamar Johnson with Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres.
(Miami-Dade County Public Schools)
His school’s rating went from a C to an A in five years, and the math and language arts proficiencies are up. So, how did it happen?
“The school improvement honestly comes from having strong systems and really using data to make instructional decisions that are best for my students,” Johnson said. “So I have a very, very strong leadership team in which we are constantly meeting, reviewing student data and then making instructional shifts to best meet the needs of our students.”
He says the first step is to understand the school’s culture.
“I think before academic progress can happen, there has to be a sense of positive school culture,” Johnson said. “So I check first off to see how are my students, my staff and my community doing? Do they look happy? Are they pleased with what’s going on at the school? Do they feel vested in value when they come to the school?”
(L-R) M-DCPS Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres; school board Chair Mari Tere Rojas; Miami Jackson assistant principal Dr. Andre Jackson; school board Vice Chair Monica Colucci; school board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall; and Leonardo Mourino, educator and president of the Dade Association of School Administrators.
(Miami-Dade County Public Schools)
Rewarding good behavior
One of the ways Johnson engages with students is with the school’s own form of currency: Lion Bucks.
“If they’re trying in class, participating, they’re raising their hand, they’re treating someone with respect, they’re helping out a teacher, we reward them with Lion Bucks,” Johnson explained.
Every Friday, the students cash out their Lion Bucks.
Assistant Principal of the Year Dr. Andre Jackson gives a speech at the award ceremony.
(Miami-Dade County Public Schools)
“So we have toys, we have different snacks, lots of the stuff that the kids are interested in,” Johnson explained. “So it’s been a really, really good positive behavior incentive here at the school, motivating our kids and getting them to want to try hard in class.”
Other incentive programs include perfect attendance shout-outs, student of the month recognitions, and participation in the i-Ready supplemental instructional program.
“Each week, I check the students’ usage, as well as their pass rate,” Johnson said. “And then on Mondays, I announce the students who met 100% of the requirements. And so we do a big announcement. We call all of the kids’ names.”
Johnson said the success is measurable, starting out with about 20 names and growing to comprise almost the whole school.
“It’s extremely fun,” he said. “We are a very energetic and fast-paced school.”
Attendance wars
Andre Jackson of Miami Jackson Senior High School was named Assistant Principal of the Year, and like Johnson, he has his hands full keeping the students engaged.
The big draw at his school is Attendance Wars, a competition that rewards high attendance rates.
“It’s a daily competition, but it’s weekly averages of who had the highest attendance percentage,” Jackson said. “We make a huge announcement over the PA. We’ve created raps and different forms of engagement.”
Jackson said some grade levels bring out instruments, some bring out a speaker, and some roll out a red carpet for their peers to celebrate their standings.
“It’s an exciting way to start the day, so much so that parents (think), ‘Hey, I’m going to make sure I get my students there a little early, because I just love seeing what’s happening in the front.’”
He said the competition doesn’t end with the students; teachers also have productive rivalries amongst one another.
“We’re boosting school culture and morale by making it exciting to come to school on a day-in and day-out basis,” Jackson said.
Also during Jackson’s time at Miami Jackson, the graduation rate has increased from 80 percent to 96 percent.
A lightbulb moment
Both Jackson and Johnson credit past experiences for propelling them into the field of education.
Jackson said he was inspired to pursue his career when, as a criminal justice major, he had to put in mentorship and observational hours at local elementary schools.
“It was then that the light bulb went off — just being in that environment, being in the classroom — and I was (thinking), ‘OK, this feels like home. This feels like purpose. It feels like I can really have an impact in this line of work,’” he said.
Jackson also stressed the importance of having quality teachers.
“Being a teacher helped me to gain so much respect for my teachers,” Jackson said. “I can tell you which teacher taught me how to read, which teacher taught me how to write. And teachers determine the trajectory of a student’s life.”
“Some of the decisions that I’ve ultimately made in my life were based on the quality of the teachers that I had,” he added.
Meanwhile, Johnson said he was inspired to get into education by his own love for school growing up.
“I’ve always loved school,” he said. “As a kid, I had great teachers and mentors that poured into me, and so from my own education experience, school is just a place where I’ve always felt comfortable and I loved coming, so it was just the perfect career for me, honestly. I graduated valedictorian of my high school. I’ve always kind of been like a nerd, so I was always into school. And so now I’m able to make schools and create great schools for others.”
He still loves coming to school, but for a slightly different reason.
“Whenever I walk into a classroom, I am extremely elated,” Johnson said. “I’m happy, I’m smiling, because my kids really, really love and they adore me. So whenever I go into the classroom, they always want to show me their work. They want to engage with me.”
In 2000, Johnson was named Vice Principal of the Year. When asked about a possible trifecta, he said, “They will be submitting my application for the state of Florida Principal of the Year.”