Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine visited a Prince William County high school Thursday to see how innovative teaching methods could improve the state’s — and the nation’s — education.
Woodbridge High School is one of 30 Honor States schools across the state that are implementing new programs in the name of high school reform, an effort started by former Gov. Mark Warner when he headed the National Governors Association.
“There is a lot of thinking around the country that high school needs to be redesigned to keep up with world trends,” Kaine told Woodbridge’s students and faculty as he toured their classrooms.
Virginia matched a $2 million grant it received from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to start the Honor States program at the Virginia schools, said Tabitha Foreman, who is the Virginia Department of Education’s high school initiatives specialist.
Each school was given the flexibility to design programs “tailored around the needs of their students,” she said.
Woodbridge staff was awarded $12,000 to create a program that focused on transition and retention of ninth-graders. The school invited incoming freshman to participate in a two-week program that would help them get better acclimated to the school and the demands on them as students, said Principal Alan Ross.
“If people understand what we expect, the chances of them succeeding goes up,” he said.
Kaine explained to the students that they are part of “a cool experiment we are doing” around the country. Ten different states are exploring ways to reduce drop-out rates, improve graduation rates, increase the number of students moving on to higher education and cut down on students repeating the same grade.
Kaine equated the project to a prairie fire. It is like “putting hundreds of sparks out there and seeing what catches,” he said.
In the long-term, data from the various states’ programs will be collected to find national best practices, said Kaine. In the short-term, he would push the Virginia Board of Education to implement any good ideas developed in the state.
Brentsville High School and Manassas’ Osbourne High School are also Honor States schools.
Getting a head start
More than 40 Woodbridge High School students are giving up two weeks of their summer to bone up on their education and character.
The school’s staff compiled a list of 100 students from the incoming freshman class of 650 students who they thought could benefit from a preview of high school life as part of a new program funded through the Honor States program.
In addition to refreshing science, math and English skills, the faculty is teaching social and character-boosting skills.
“We are taking people coming in the door and giving them something that on their first day they can say, ‘I can be a success,’ ” said Principal Alan Ross.
“I think I’ll get a step ahead of the people who didn’t come to the institute,” said Diamond DeBraux, 14, a Woodbridge Middle School graduate. – Christy Goodman
