Our Patriot Pride: A Culture of Unity and Success
We are a learning community characterized by unity, synergy, and a shared vision for student success. This collective commitment is the direct result of a deliberate process we have undertaken to create something truly special for our students and the rural community we serve.
At the center of our school's success is a faculty of strong, dedicated teachers who are not only committed to helping children grow but are also open and proactive in their own professional growth. We are not afraid to innovate, try new things, and meticulously analyze data when new approaches are necessary. This spirit is most powerful in our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), where our entire grade levels plan units together, building knowledge by approaching big ideas with integrated units that span all content areas.
Connecting these content areas is our non-negotiable, literacy-based approach to all subjects. We believe this practice is fundamental to learning, and it is championed not only in our core classes but is actively supported by our outstanding elective teachers. As an example of this collaboration, our ELA teachers and media specialist work hand-in-hand to conference with students, helping them set and monitor meaningful reading and academic goals throughout the year.
This same level of student-focused support is evident in our school-wide systems. We have a strong, dedicated MTSS team, which we call "Watchmen," that meets with grade-level teams monthly to address the needs of students across all domains and tiers. Our guidance department, student advocate, and social worker play vital roles in these meetings, collaborating with teachers to develop real, actionable plans for students. This support staff is essential; they follow up with parents, teachers, and students, maintaining consistent communication while implementing and monitoring these plans throughout the month until we meet again to make adjustments. Our core teachers count on this critical layer of support. This data-driven, whole-child approach has also allowed us to continuously refine our enrichment and remediation block, our "Power Hour." In this flexible block, our math, language arts, and literacy teachers pull targeted small groups, our guidance department pulls its own small groups, and our elective teachers and other support staff push in, providing support to students based on immediate needs.
While these specific structures are effective, they all function because of a primary factor in our success: our profound unity. Recently, our staff came together to create a common vision, which became our "Standard Operating Procedure" guide. This document, built by and for our faculty, details our shared expectations for academics, behaviors, grading, and culture. This guide provides the consistency, clarity, and high standards that allow our students to thrive, as we make decisions collaboratively to ensure buy-in across all departments.
This internal unity is mirrored by our relationship with the wider community. As a proud rural school, we are supported by incredible parents and local businesses. This sense of community was fully realized when we rebranded as the Patriots, aligning with our feeder high school. This new identity has served to rally our students, teachers, parents, and community around a common purpose: "Patriot Pride" in academics, in sports, and in service.
This Patriot Pride is evident in our athletic programs, where our dedicated coaches prioritize academic success while guiding talented athletes, many of whom participate in multiple sports. Our many-time championship-winning cheerleading squad exemplifies this spirit of excellence and school representation. In academics and service, our students shine through our active Beta Club, which competes at the state level, and our robust Agriculture program that connects students to the rich heritage of our community. More importantly, they feel this pride in the culture of family and belonging that we intentionally build every day.
At our school, this culture is a shared responsibility. Our outstanding reading and math scores are not seen as the sole responsibility of those departments; rather, they are the result of all staff working together to ensure our students' basic needs are met, that they feel safe, welcomed, and included, and that they have the social and emotional support to build a vision for their lives. This extends to our custodial staff, who work tirelessly to make our building clean and inviting—an atmosphere that sets the tone for the high expectations we all share.
Ultimately, all these elements—our proactive staff, our supportive systems, and our strong leadership—work in concert. Our leadership knows how to leverage these collective strengths, and our staff proactively leads change with creative and innovative approaches. We are a family that builds traditions, a strong culture, and a foundation of knowledge for every student.