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First-Year New Tech High School Leaders Offer Insight
By Christine Marson

Just two months into the school year, principals Jeffrey “Jed” Jerrels, Mike Reed and Alan Veach reflect on their experiences thus far as leaders of first-year New Technology high schools.

Involving Community
Each principal attested to the importance of community involvement in the model. “We could not have opened this school without the financial support and partnership of local businesses and our community at-large,” said Mike Reed, principal of Columbus Signature Academy–New Tech Campus. “We needed parent and student buy-in so that if we built and developed this school, students and families would come.” Already community members participate in panel assessments of student work, reported Reed.

Alan Veach, principal of Bloomington New Tech High School, agreed. “We involved and impacted the community before the school even opened its doors. Our community drove the implementation of this model.”

Jed Jerrels, principal of North Daviess 21st Century Junior/Senior High School, said that cultivating community relationships is an ongoing process. He views community involvement as critical and an area for continual development. The school hosted three community meetings last spring and now has most of the community businesses onboard.

Overcoming Challenges
As should be expected, each new school has experienced its share of trials. All three principals expect to face challenges as students and parents become acclimated to the rigorous school environment. “‘A’ students are now ‘B’ students, and parents will question why their children aren’t immediately excelling,” said Jerrels.
This is a challenging learning environment, noted Veach, in which students must be “on” all the time. In order to succeed here, students are held responsible and must “trust and respect others,” added Veach.

Offering Advice
When asked what advice they would give New Technology start-ups, Reed said, “Believe in the New Tech model and follow it as closely as you can.” He shared that while people will face many temptations along the way, New Technology leaders need to stick with the model. Veach agreed. “Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Trust the New Tech Foundation experts,” he said

Additionally, Reed advised new schools to secure a separate facility, have autonomy to make decisions, and utilize Critical Friends Groups.

“Stay in constant communication with parents,” noted Jerrels, “and open your school up to visitors. We make an effort to welcome the public into our school so they can learn about the comprehensive New Tech model.”