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Robin
Bailer Glover had taught French for 13 years at Oakland
CA’s Fremont High School when the Oakland Unified
School District and other community organizations
felt a new approach to learning would be beneficial
to students. With that motivation and an appreciation
for the small schools movement, Glover and a small
group of teaching colleagues began work on a plan
that would result in creation of Mandela High School,
which presents students with a strong academic emphasis.
The school opened in 2002 on a pilot basis, and five
years later became a state partnership and added
a Law and Public Service Academy to its program
“We
provide our 350 students a college prep education designed to prepare them
to be able to enter college,
whether it’s a two or four-year program,” Glover
says. “Our goal is that Mandela students
will graduate with the potential of entering college
while
demonstrating an understanding of the importance
of service.”
Mandela is one of four independent academies on the
larger campus that share such services as physical
education, the bell schedule and lunch. It started
with eight teachers its first year, and has now grown
to 25 instructors.
As the Mandela plan was being developed, one of the
challenges was finding a principal who could lead the
new school into the future.
“The
principal of Fremont at the time asked me if I would take the job although
I’m not sure why,” Glover
recalls. “There was a local professional
development group, Bay Area Coalition for Equitable
Education,
which had a program through which I could earn
my credential. So, I spoke with some of my teaching
colleagues, and
they said go for it.”
As principal
of Mandela, Glover sees her responsibilities focused in two primary areas—supporting
teachers and students.
“Coming
right from the classroom, I knew what teachers need to be successful, and
being principal is an important
responsibility. My task is to make sure that academic
goals are set and people are on the right road.
I, along with my lead team of teachers, need to provide
the support, including professional development,
that will assure all our teachers can travel that road.”
Glover also
believes it’s essential that she
has an open ear to her 350 students, understanding
who they feel they are and where they are going.
“When
talking with students I always put my parent hat on along with my principal
hat. I always ask myself
what would I do if this youngster was my own child,” said
Glover, who schedules round robin discussions with
students to stay current with them.
As the Mandela school philosophy was being developed
Glover and her staff asked what they wanted a graduate
of the new school to possess.
“Along
with skills in reading and writing, we thought our graduates should be
good citizens. We wanted them
to be able to communicate well and to be productive
citizens. Whether they were entering college or
the world of work, they needed skills in both areas.”
When a youngster enters Mandela, he or she comes with
a clean slate, and that has been a foundational tenet
of the school.
“We tell our freshmen that one of the best things about
Mandela is that we erase everything you did academically
before you got here if you were not successful,” Glover
reports. “We say students can finish here
thinking they are the greatest of all.”
Mandela students can select from a wide range of courses,
including algebra, calculus, Spanish, French, U.S.
history, world culture, art, creative writing, English,
biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and geometry,
among others. They also can take up to four AP courses,
either at Mandela or other district schools.
Some classes
involve students in current issues in keeping with the school’s theme.
For example, in the History of World Politics and Justice, students
delve into the Chevron case in Ecuador involving
petroleum cleanup. Numerous speakers come into Mandela classrooms
to present current information, and students visit
such local institutions as the Alameda County Courthouse
where they interact with several judges.
A focus
for graduation is a senior project that requires a research paper, product,
process journal, and presentation.
The paper must connect to the school’s theme
of social justice, and projects range from creating
a mural, to construction of a web site, to leadership
experiences.
Students must also complete 20 hours of community service,
which can be done at Mandela or with any of 20 community
agencies.
Glover believes
The Principals’ Partnership has
been highly supportive of her leadership at Mandela.
The consultants
and research briefs are great benefits for a school principal. I used the
research briefs
all the time. For a year and a half when I became
principal at Mandela, I thought I had to invent everything. I
quickly realized that wasn’t true.
I also enjoy
sitting in small groups at the Summer Institute and hearing what other
principals have
come up with. I haven’t missed an Institute yet.”
Glover can be reached at robin.glover@ousd.k12.ca.us,
and more can be learned about the school at www.mandelahigh.net.
Mandela will have a new web site in June.
Past
Focus Principals
