Andrews aims to change its image
Andrews High School has a poor image, and it's not all undeserved.
But new principal Monique Brooks, with the help of English teacher/former High Point Enterprise reporter Erik Huey, is launching an ambitious effort to improve community and media relations.
PR can't fix problems, of which Andrews has many. But sharing goals and asking for help from businesses, alumni, city leaders and the media can pay dividends.
I applaud Brooks for this new approach. She's coming in like a breath of fresh air. Only two years ago, Andrews had a principal whose answer to trouble was to hide out and suppress communication.
The far better way is to set goals openly, lay out strategies and seek community support.
Please read for yourself today's statement from Andrews:
ANDREWS LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCES VISION FOR SUCCESS
New Principal Outlines Vision for 2005-06 School Year, Requests Help from Business Community, Former Alumni
HIGH POINT, NC, AUGUST 4, 2005 -- The new incoming principal at High Point's T. Wingate Andrews High School, Monique Brooks, has outlined her vision for the upcoming school year as the Guilford County school prepares for success.
Describing her goals for the first 90 days of the new school year, Ms. Brooks says, "We will focus on implementing strategies for all students to achieve academic success, and creating a safe, nurturing environment that's conducive to learning."
She adds that building and solidifying relationships with both staff and the community will serve as the foundation for the beginning of the next school year. Properly communicating policies and procedures to students and parents, as well as establishing quality customer service practices so that parents and guests feel welcomed to the school will also be key.
A new data mining effort will be put in place for Andrews High School. Data will be gathered relative to school discipline and student achievement during those first 90 days and will be analyzed within a six month window to determine where improvements can be made.
"We are going to increase rigor by enrolling more students in Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses, benchmark student achievement of skills every four weeks, provide after school coaching to students based on benchmark results, provide a 'double dose' of coaching in both English and math, and provide teachers with focused, strategic staff development," Principal Brooks says, adding that academic coaches from Guilford County School's administrative offices will provide support to Andrews' instructional faculty biweekly.
Among Brooks' top priorities are lowering the school's suspension and dropout rates, strengthening the school's relationship with outside organizations, such as Communities in Schools, and ensuring cultural diversity and appropriate staff development training.
"We will have a completely new academic team in place and we need to make sure we communicate our goals and mission of the school to the community," Brooks says.
Principal Brooks intends to set up strategic partnerships between the school, home and the community. With this approach, Andrews High School plans to implement an aggressive communication outreach plan next year to keep parents and the community better informed of the school's successes, and how parents and community members can better support or aid the school.
Andrews will strategically and aggressively promote students and academic-related projects that reflect positively upon the school's student body and its long-standing history in the City of High Point.
"Andrews has a rich history of student achievement and alumni and community support. We want to reestablish Andrews as a community school that all feel welcomed to and can be proud of," Brooks says.
Aiding in the school's new communication strategy, Andrews has named Erik Huey, an English teacher who joined the Andrews staff in February 2005, to be its new "good news ambassador" for the 2005-06 school year.
Regular meetings with local media editorial boards are planned, as well as promoting the positives of the school to local elected boards, including the Guilford County Board of Education, High Point City Council and the Board of County Commissioners.
"We are very concerned about changing the image of Andrews High," says Brooks. "There are a lot of exciting things happening here among our students and staff, and we want to make sure they receive credible mention." She adds that she is seeking to engage in regular, active dialogue with the community and seeks their assistance in all areas of the school.
"We need the community's assistance and involvement in all aspects of the school. We want to stress rigor, relevance and relationships this coming school year," Brooks adds.
Recent notable items include the 230 member Class of 2005 earning more than $1 million in college scholarships, of which 30 students graduated with a grade point average of 3.5 or above. In addition, more than 40 students in the graduating class were named North Carolina Scholars. Also, graduating senior Jessi Hill received two national awards for photography during her final semester at Andrews.
Andrews also offers students the opportunity to focus on rigorous academic programs such as the Andrews Early College of Health Sciences, as well as specialized courses made available through the school's Advanced Research and Technology curriculum. Also, a new "Freshman Academy" will begin to aid incoming ninth graders in making the transition from middle school to high school.
The media strategy will be led by Huey, who spent six years in journalism and public relations before going into teaching; writing for publications in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, and right here in the Piedmont Triad. Huey is a former reporter for the High Point Enterprise, Triad Business News and Plants, Sites and Parks magazine.
"Mr. Huey is committed to the school's success. His work will be pivotal in changing the school's image around," Principal Brooks says.
In addition, Andrews is seeking corporate sponsorships and donations from the business community from both within and beyond the City of High Point in an effort to foster a better, more effective relationship with local businesses in the coming academic year.
Furthermore, Andrews seeks to establish new relationships with the High Point Chamber of Commerce, the High Point Merchants Association and High Point University.
Andrews is also looking to establish better relations with its alumni and is asking for local alumni to contact the school to either volunteer or make donations. Donations and sponsorships will support various academic improvement and capital improvement projects around the school.
Andrews High staff will establish a link on its Web site shortly for alumni wishing to keep in touch with the school and to possibly form an alumni association.
"We feel that establishing strong partnerships with area companies is extremely vital to the rebuilding of this high school," Brooks says. "In addition, making sure we keep our alumni informed as to what's happening here at Andrews is just as vital."
Andrews High School representatives will soon be targeting a number of area businesses in the coming weeks in an effort to begin an outreach campaign. Businesses who would like to contact the school directly to inquire about sponsorships can do so by calling 336/819-2800.
T. Wingate Andrews High School, a Guilford County Schools facility, serves nearly 1,200 students in High Point, North Carolina, part of the Piedmont Triad region. Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina. Visit the school's Web site at http://schools.guilford.k12.nc.us/spages/AND/index.html.
Comments (2)
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hello ithink what you are doing this tear will improve not only the students in the highschool but maybe even in the community too. i attended andrews high 2 years ago and when i was there i think if you were the principle i would have stayed out of alot of trouble. i hope everything goes as you've planned and i really wish i could be there today to attend T. Wingate Andrews High School under new authority. thankyou for your time.
sincerly
Aneka
P.S. you were right about our old principle
Posted on January 26, 2006 10:23 AM
I graduated from T. Wingate Andrews in the 80's. I was proud to have graduated from that school but have been embarrassed to acknowledge the school due to folk who do not take responsibility for their children. This drove parents to move their children from the school. Although I applaud the great city of High Point, N.C. for advocating integration, but it's sad that we don't integrate with quality educators, prinicipals, etc. Mr. Heatherly was the principal during my time there. He had a quiet but firm style about himself. Teachers like Ms. Strickland, Geometry, Mr. King, French, Ms. Brookbank, Coach Burt (English), Ms. Fonner (Trigonometry), Mrs. Mebane (Guidance Counselor) had style and held a moral standard as well. The teachers weren't immature like students. We thrived to emmulate those teachers; as students are currently doing. It is encumbent the system hire qualified, serious, and moral professionals. Hold the current principal to a standard. There is a certain group that wants all to understand them. It's high time they also come to understand and respect others. Good grades mean nothing if you don't have culture and practice good citizenship. As I reflect during my speeches before the Senate and House of Rep. I thank those folk for the standard that was held. Whether we liked it or not. Hint: Hold these young people to a standard. They will thank you later. However, if you are after a paycheck, "Shame on you!!!"
Posted on November 1, 2008 6:52 AM