What's the secret to our school's success?

Any school can duplicate what we do right.

Originally published in the Moultrie News.

Congratulations! Moultrie Middle School is (again) the top traditional middle school in the state! What’s the secret of your success this time?

Thank you! We still have our concerns, but like most schools, there’s a lot we do right. I talked with members of our faculty to help me discern what was most critical to last year’s success. Much of what we came up with has been in the works for years — and will hopefully continue. Maybe the following can help parents and principals at schools that may be struggling:

• Number one is parental support. Most Moultrie parents hold their kids accountable for doing homework and getting good grades. Discipline problems aren’t common because most parents teach their kids to obey rules and be respectful. Parents support teachers rather than treating us as adversaries.

• Effort is demanded. While many schools are sloppifying work ethic and making it so easy to get good grades that good grades are meaningless, Moultrie has sustained high standards for hard work. For example, last year’s students who didn’t do their homework were made to go to same-day recess detention to complete it — not for credit, which would only give them an easy way out, but to learn the content and benefit from the effort.

• No cellphones. Phones must stay in students’ lockers. This helps kids stay focused on academics.

• Uniforms. When kids dress in pajamas or sweats, their brains are geared for mindless leisure. When they dress more professionally, they’re more alert. Now, I realize that t-shirts and jeans won’t sound “professional” to many readers, but it’s a lot better than what’s often on display elsewhere.

• Unencumbered planning time. Teachers traditionally get plenty of time to prepare lessons without being forced into unnecessary meetings or bureaucratic responsibilities.

• Educator input. Administrators solicit teacher opinions before making changes. Moultrie has a robust Leadership Team that’s top-heavy with teachers to help solve schoolwide problems.

• Community. Moultrie has always been a true neighborhood school, serving families within its geographical reach. Current students are commonly children of former students. This contributes to its rich tradition and family-like atmosphere.

• Educators are valued. We have a PTA that continually cares for us. Principals seek to eliminate non-academic duties for teachers. Faculty are encouraged to care for their own families first, so we aren’t constantly stressed out on the job. Administrators adopt the attitude that they are there to support what we do, not the other way around.

• Structure. Teachers teach bell-to-bell. Rules and high expectations are consistent across the school. Student schedules are packed with rigorous courses. Bells ensure classes start and end on time.

• Teacher autonomy. Teachers are required to teach standards, but they aren’t bound to a scripted curriculum or forced to implement trendy initiatives. They are trusted to reach their students in the best way possible. They improve their craft every year because they are given the freedom to adapt, correct, and innovate.

• Esprit de corps. Because of all the above, staff look forward to coming to school. It is a joyful place to work (and hopefully will always remain so). As a result, teacher turnover is low, which is crucial to our success.

Moultrie’s principal from 2019 through the 2022-2023 school year was Mr. Chas Coker, a true servant-leader. When I asked him what made our school so successful last year, he pointed to factors unrelated to the bureaucratic solutions many administrators seek.

“I would love to say it was some magic program or new curriculum. In fact, it is much simpler than that,” he said. “It’s the people. It is a feeling of a community that truly loves and cares for one another: teachers, students, parents, and community that rally behind doing what is best for kids — that keep showing up for each other and embracing the idea of loving every kid, every day.”

Coker says the true secret to Moultrie’s success is a recipe of four simple ingredients: “People. Service. Love. Relationships. No matter what a state report card says, this will always make Moultrie the best middle school in the state.”

I agree. And by that measure, every school can be a number one school, regardless of what the rankings say.

Read the original column here.