Wednesday, Apr. 20, 2011

Principal upbeat about 'Renaissance'

But parents and students might see many new faces on school staff.

As one of the lowest-performing schools in Wake County, Creech Road Elementary is among four elementary schools slated to undergo changes next fall, including new technology and the addition of signing and performance bonuses for teachers.

School principal Cat Berry says Creech Road's designation as a so-called Renaissance School will be a positive thing. "I see it as a real opportunity," Berry said.

Creech Road is the only Renaissance School in Garner. The others are Barwell Road, Brentwood and Wilburn. They all have high poverty rates, but they became Renaissance Schools because fewer than 60 percent of students passed state tests last year.

In February, the Wake school board agreed to use $950,000 a year in federal Race to the Top money on the schools.

The Renaissance model can help "level the playing field" for schools, Berry said.

At Creech, she said, some of that money will go to new technology. The school can add more Smart Boards, which are like digital blackboards, she said.

The new technology can help support 21st-century learning, Berry said.

But some of the biggest changes at Creech Road and other Renaissance schools could come in the form of staff.

Berry, who has served as principal for about a year, will be the only Renaissance School principal to return next year.

And as a Renaissance School, teachers, teacher assistants and administrators will have to reapply to keep their jobs. If they're hired, they could get a signing bonus. Teachers would get $2,900.

Once hired, employees could also get performance bonuses, which would be based in part on achievement growth. The principal could get up to $7,000 a year, while teachers in kindergarten through second grade could get up to $2,400. Teachers in grades 3-5 could get up to $3,400.

Berry said recruiting and retaining teachers has been an issue at Creech in the past. It can be a challenge at schools with low test scores, she said.

Signing and performance bonuses can be incentives to attract good teachers, Berry said. But bonuses aren't everything, she added.

"I don't think that's the chief motivating factor why anyone chooses this career path," Berry said.

One of the changes at Creech hasn't cost anything at all. Berry said she has been trying to increase families' confidence in the school. The PTA became more active this year, she said, and parents are getting more involved overall.

"I'm looking at the Renaissance process as an opportunity to strengthen Creech," Berry said.

Staff Writer T. Keung Hui contributed to this report.