小红帽直播app

Video courtesy of the U.S. 小红帽直播app of Commerce

In the sleepy border town of Nogales, a school district and public charter school are defying convention and working together to support students.

For the last two decades, families in Nogales have had the option to send their children to the Nogales Unified School District or Mexicayotl Academy, a dual-language public charter school.

But the leaders of the two high quality public school systems don鈥檛 see themselves as competitors, instead they work together to provide the best education possible for Nogales students, said Angel Canto, Nogales Unified School District Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.

鈥淭here is no adversarial relationship. We share the same families and by high school we share the same students. It鈥檚 for everyone鈥檚 benefit that we all work together because ultimately it benefits our community,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have really talented kids and we are fortunate to have great educators and a community that supports education. There is such high poverty, but the community supports our schools for the good of the kids.鈥�

The school systems share in professional development for teachers and leaders. All Mexicayotl eighth-graders pass the state civics exam before entering Nogales High School. The high school also hosts Mexicayotl eighth-graders who take the AP Spanish exam.

鈥淲e are just beginning to define what we can each contribute to each other, and therefore to the students of Nogales,鈥� said Balty Garcia, Director of Mexicayotl Academy. 鈥淭here is a cultural expression that states, 鈥楾here is enough for everyone and that one must serve others and not serve oneself.鈥� This partnership is an example of what can happen if this is an agreement between charter and district.鈥�

The 22,000-person community is about 95 percent Hispanic, where 鈥淪panish is used and valued with the same response that is exhibited for English,鈥� said Garcia.

Canto agreed.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 see being bicultural and biliterate as a deficit. It鈥檚 an advantage that makes our students stronger. And puts kids head and shoulders above,鈥� said Canto.

Because of their selfless agreement to put students first, A for Arizona is honoring both school systems as Trailblazers in District-Charter Collaboration.

鈥淚t takes all the right ingredients to give kids high quality education options, and these 鈥楢鈥�-rated public school systems have the right combination of leadership and community support that allows students to thrive,鈥� said Emily Anne Gullickson, A for Arizona Executive Director. 鈥淲e are honored to highlight this corridor of excellence in Arizona.鈥�

At its State of Excellence Gala on Aug. 30, A for Arizona is honoring Trailblazers across Arizona who, against all odds, are creating and growing high quality learning opportunities for students in unexpected places.