Education Law

A principal’s tough love

According to one principal, students at his urban secondary school have no choice but to succeed; he simply demands excellence.  At Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, Principal Steve Perry keeps kids motivated with tough love and high expectations, CNN.com reports.

The school of only three hundred students sends every member of its graduating class to a four-year college.  Perry attributes this trend to the fact that  he sets the bar high for each and every student.  He says, “In our school, it’s college prep for everybody; it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white.  They can see that it’s OK for them to be smart and black.”

For students overlooked in schools dominated by white students, Perry’s attitude can be transformational.   Breonna Arum, a seventeen-year-old senior at Capital Prep says that the high expectations set by the school community keep her motivated.  “It makes a difference because everyone has the same goals as you,” she says. “So it’s not like anyone is there to pull you back.  Everyone is going forward.”

BoardBuzz is excited to hear about this example of how educators’ hard work and dedication can really pay off.  Great students need great role models, and we’re so glad that the Capital Prep students are getting just that!

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on July 23, 2009 (boomark / email).