Partnership Principal
Alice Phillips

Listen to Alice!

    
       When Alice Phillips came to Chicago’s four-year-old World Language High School, one of her missions was to start talking with students, and that commitment has led to a school climate where young people feel appreciated and want to learn.

    “From administration to faculty to staff, we know everyone in the building,” said Phillips, who has been principal at the school for three years. “When we first see a student, we use his or her first name, and we ask students how they are doing. We are seeking to have a personalized relationship with our students.”

    That personalized approach along with a strong curriculum is motivating students as World Language High has been in the top 10 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in attendance for the past two years.

    “We try not to let any student hide,” said Phillips. “When a youngster appears not to be feeling up to par, we reach out to the student. Our personalized approach isn’t perfect yet, but we’re working to demonstrate that our teachers and staff truly do care.”

    There is also attention to learning and helping all students reach their potential through a rigorous academic program.

    The 350-student 9-12 school is on a campus with three other schools, all with a specialty. Students from the community complete enrollment applications on which they rank the schools they would like to attend. In addition to teaching the traditional core subjects, the World Language School offers intensive training in Spanish and Chinese with all students being expected to take four years of a world language.

    “When I came here, the Spanish program wasn’t as rigorous as it could be,” recalls Phillips, a former Spanish teacher. “Eighty percent of our student body is Latino, and we knew they came with a level of expertise in Spanish. So we added rigor, and now our Spanish AP class has the highest results in CPS.”

   Students can challenge some of the basic Spanish classes, allowing those who had significant Spanish skill to move into the higher classes earlier and then take a second language.

    One key to success at World Language High is a staff of 25 teachers and three paraprofessionals, all of whom were selected for that school. Phillips describes them as “energetic, idealistic, and having great stamina.”

   “Having a high attendance rate, I asked the teachers, ‘Now what?’ We have a lot of people in the building, but are they learning?” As they look to strengthen the educational program, data-driven instruction has become an important tool. Teachers are able to get assessment results back within 48 hours and can quickly monitor any student’s progress. They discuss with individuals not just the fact that an incorrect answer was given but why that answer was wrong.

   Another key component to the success of World Language High is a leadership team that includes 10 department heads, a numbers expert and the assistant principal. The group meets every Thursday to discuss instructional or housekeeping items, but data is always on everyone’s mind.

   “We don’t act on anything that isn’t supported by evidence,” reports Phillips.

   As a young school, World Language High is putting more programs in place all the time, including monthly recognition events for students and a National Honor Society Chapter. Each December students are taken to a local Borders Bookstore where they are provided money to purchase a book.

   “For many purchasing a book is a new experience,” Phillips said. “Once in hand, they read the book and report on it.”

   The school has also created a “Half Cap Ceremony” for sophomores, celebrating reaching the halfway point toward graduation, and Phillips believes this is making a difference in the lives of students who are considering dropping out.

     “Some students become more motivated seeing that they are halfway there, while others tell us they are considering leaving school,” she explains. “This allows us to counsel them, making sure they understand all their options including receiving a GED. We would prefer they graduate with us, but if they’re set against that, it’s better they pursue a GED than just hang out there.”

     She also has initiated a Principals Council to hear “the student voice.” Phillips meets once or twice a month with about 16 students elected by the homerooms or appointed by homeroom teachers to discuss everything from leadership to brewing gang issues.

     Phillips has also become involved in a program offered through the Sam Wallace Foundation that helps administrators measure how much time they are spending in the classroom.

     “When I first tracked my hours, I was only in the classroom 12 percent of the time. Now I’ve raised that to 35 percent, and people are expecting to see me in the classroom. When I’m not there, both teachers and students aren’t happy.”

     As Phillips looks for additional ways to motivate students and improve learning at her relatively new school, The Principals’ Partnership is providing important support.

     “The Partnership is wonderful because people involved with it appreciate principals. We usually don’t get that attention. The research based information on the Web site is outstanding, and I absolutely love the Summer Leadership Institute. The Institute gives us the best speakers I’ve ever heard.

     Phillips can be reached at avphillips@cps.k12.il.us.

  
Past Focus Principals

Focus-Bob Arp
Focus- Jan Borja
Focus- Leonard Franks
Focus- Stephanie Moore
Focus- Stephen Jupe
Focus- Blanca Cavazos
Focus - Gene Haynes
Focus- Dan Besett
Focus- Rodney Matheney
Focus- Catherine Guy
Focus- Bob Rodriguez
Focus- John Brumley
Focus- Nancy York
Focus- Jerrylyn Jones
Focus- Gloria Erkins
Focus- Ron Sing
Focus- Bill Hittman
Focus- Jeanene Sampson
Focus- David Gilligan
Focus - Joy Walton
Focus- William Roberts
Focus- Franklyn Wesley
Focus- Magdalena Gutierrez
Focus- Kent Bergum
Focus- William "Rick" Johnson
Focus- Ken Ball
Focus- Dan Tenuta
Focus- Charlesetta Deason
Focus- Rene Posey
Focus- Stuart Baker
Focus- Paul Smith
Focus- Christie Gestvang
Focus- John A. Butterfield
Focus- Janie Hill Hatton
Focus- Steve Warmack
Focus- Glen Clark
Focus- Kittie D. Weston-Knauer
Focus- William Dunn
Focus - Richard Pemberton
Focus- Dr. Anthony Spivey
Focus - John Weigel