Harshman: It takes a village
I’ve always believed that education was the tool that could break down barriers and open new doors. As a principal and educator these last 12 years, I’ve seen it firsthand.
I’ve seen how the light can go on in a student’s mind, leaving them inspired and ready to take on the next challenge.
But educators and students, or scholars as we like to say at Minnequa, have been struggling these last few years, and we’ve seen Colorado math scores follow national trends with steep declines. They need more support than ever before.
That’s why I’m thrilled that Governor Polis and legislators are stepping up to give educators and scholars more of that support, particularly around math.
At Minnequa Elementary in my hometown of Pueblo, we have a unique perspective on this work. It was just five years ago that we faced closure. But now, Governor Polis has recognized us as a Math Bright Spot Award Winner, meaning we have helped our scholars significantly improve their math scores since 2019.
It wasn’t easy. This turnaround was a community effort, and it took district leadership, educators, scholars and family members working together to make it happen. We all came together because we believe that our scholars are the future.
We first emphasized getting teachers the training and coaching that they need to be the best educators they can be. This is a key element of any successful classroom and school, and I’m glad that it’s a key part of the legislation being put forward by Governor Polis and our legislators.
We also took a personalized approach to education, helping our scholars believe in themselves and their abilities. Math is a focal point of this work, and we have focused on getting scholars excited about math, as well as reading and other subjects.
Data has been another key element of our efforts to improve outcomes. We use it to inform our decisions around how we approach education, and to give our students and each other feedback about how we can improve every day.
All of these elements are reflected in the legislative package being proposed at our State Capitol, and we’re proud to be a model for schools in our district and across our state.
With the $50,000 that comes with the Governor’s Math Bright Spot Award, Minnequa Elementary plans to double down on our work and continue pursuing programs that have shown success for our educators and students. We want to expand our reach to more students within our school, helping more scholars find their passion and see their future.
As educators, it’s easier for us to see how bright those futures are, and our job is to help them see it too.
Every scholar deserves access to a quality education, and that is our guiding ethos at Minnequa. It takes a village to help our children find their path, and I’m proud to have partners in the Capitol who continue prioritizing this work.
Katie Harshman, Principal of Minnequa Elementary, Pueblo D60
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Harshman: It takes a village
