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During the 1980s, the U.S. Department of Education recognized outstanding schools with the National Exemplary School Awards (now known as Blue Ribbon Schools). Borgen saw the award not as a potential feather for his own cap, but as a worthy goal that would benefit Fidalgo's students. He took staff members to visit schools that had already won the award, to find out what they were doing well. Back at Fidalgo, they began talking about their own classroom practices and how they compared with what teachers at exemplary schools were doing. And those conversations led to more collaboration. A staff that had functioned well as a collection of individuals started coming together, visiting each other's classrooms, focusing on new ways to enhance student learning. They were on their way to becoming a true learning community. In 1989, when Fidalgo won its own designation as a state and national exemplary school, the honors "let us know we were on the right track," Borgen says. "It was positive and reaffirming." But for the no-longer-so-new principal, this was no signal to rest. As he explains, "Our basic goal here has always been to raise student performance. We were ready to try something that would raise achievement across the board. Not a new math or reading curriculum, but something more basic. Something that would enhance the skills kids need to be successful." Around the same time, then-Governor Booth Gardner unveiled his Schools for the 21st Century Project, which offered generous but competitive state grants, designed to encourage innovation in education. Schools could receive up to $100,000 annually for six years, if they could outline a plan for raising student achievement. But there was a catch, Borgen explains. "Everybody in the building — from custodians to classroom teachers to paraprofessionals — had to sign on." Longtime teacher Chuck Starkovich admits to groaning when Borgen first described the grant process to the staff. "But Chris is so good at getting people to work together. He does it with ease, so we all feel like it's our idea. Somehow," Starkovich says, "he got us all to be cheerleaders." Working as a team, the staff wrote a detailed grant proposal that hit pay dirt. In 1990, Fidalgo Elementary was selected as one of only seven recipients in the first round of the 21st Century funding. Then the hard work really began. The staff's goals were ambitious: to develop an integrated learning system that would raise student achievement, and also raise students' intellectual abilities — bump up their very IQ. "Our premise was, if we could improve intellectual skills, then the academic achievement would go up," Borgen explains. "If a kid is not able to get multiplication tables, or if a certain reading approach is not getting through, then maybe there's something we need to do even before we get to that step. We're an eclectic school. We've always used multiple approaches. And we've always felt it's our duty to find a key to unlock learning for each child." As the father of three, he is acutely aware of how different children can be. "This was a chance to expand our approaches to learning, in a data-driven way." For the teaching staff, the grant meant not only extensive professional development, but also outreach for ideas far beyond Fidalgo Island. They all traveled to Japan for 10 days, for instance, to study a model called Structures of Intellect (SOI). Based on the theories of psychologist J.P. Guilford, the model essentially helps students learn how to learn. Teachers identify students' strengths and weaknesses and map their individual learning styles. Then, if a student has trouble understanding a concept, the teacher can tailor a lesson, using strengths to overcome weaknesses. "The idea is, all children are gifted. You have to find their gifts and use them," explains Bush, who continues to consult with the Fidalgo staff, even in retirement. "This gave us a tool to solve problems." Back at home, the staff incorporated intelligence training into their own model, called "The Brain as the Curriculum." They tested new teaching approaches by coaching one another in the classroom. And they kept expanding the school's horizons — building an enduring sister-school relationship with a school in Tsu, Japan; hosting a yearlong exchange with a Japanese teacher; opening a free latchkey program; offering classes in the Japanese language to the entire community. Some of the Fidalgo teachers eventually traveled to China and Japan to present workshops on intelligence training. And visitors from all over the world found their way to Anacortes to watch the Fidalgo staff and students in action. As another part of the project, graduate-level courses in education were offered at Fidalgo by professors from Western Washington University. Every teacher on staff agreed to take the core classes, and several earned master's degrees in the theme of intelligence training and learning styles. They conducted action research, studying their own students. "That shared learning experience was powerful for our school culture as well as the overall academic growth of our students," Borgen believes. Teacher Harrington found the classes worthwhile on many levels. "Here you were with these nice people — your fellow teachers — getting a chance to be students together. We encouraged each other, studied together, had potluck dinners. It was a nice way to add more glue." By the time the grant ended in 1995, systemic change was evident: Average student achievement rose from the 70th percentile to the 85th percentile. Average student IQ increased by more than 16 points. On-task behavior improved. Disciplinary referrals plummeted. And teachers reported feeling more confident about trying new ways to help students succeed, less isolated in the classroom, and more tolerant of diverse learning styles. Not surprisingly, turnover remains low among both students and staff at this highly effective school. Growth has been steady in recent years, due to a population increase and parents' choice to have their children attend Fidalgo. When it's time to hire a new teacher, Borgen knows exactly what he's looking for. "On the hiring committee, we always ask: Who's responsible for student growth? Most people would give an answer that's a good one — they'd say it's parents, students, and the teacher. You might even hear the global one: 'It's the village.' But that's not what I'm looking for. That answer would probably get you screened out. I want a teacher who says: 'I am. I am responsible for student academic growth.' Because in this school, in this culture, we have people who feel that way. I agree that parental involvement is important, and we have strong parent involvement here. But I want a teacher who, when a kid is not getting it, is going to go the extra mile to find a way. Who literally bleeds when students are failing. That kind of person will get kids somewhere. These are teachers who are not going to quit. They'll keep looking for different methods to help a child succeed, until they get there. And when we hire people, we want them to match this culture."
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The New Principal Special Report:
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This document's URL is: Home | Up & Coming | Programs & Projects: Northwest Education | People | Products & Publications | Topics © 2001 Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
Date of Last Update: 9/28/01 
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