CUSD Shares Best Practices with Other School Districts
Media Release
Successful school districts often share their best practices and strategies with other school districts. Compton Unified recently welcomed educators from Oxnard School District and Lamont Elementary School District and took them on a tour of several CUSD schools to learn more about the award-winning district and how it runs its innovative programs.
The group of 30+ visitors spent the day meeting principals and administrators and going through classrooms at Clinton and Dickison Elementary Schools, Davis Middle School, and Compton Early College High School, examining Robotics and Stem Labs, Dual Immersion programs, Arts programs, Math programs, hearing about the Dual Enrollment Programs at Compton Early College High School, and so much more.
Visitors learn more about Davis Middle School's student projects.
“What I really appreciate is that Compton students look just like our students,” said Lori Gonzalez, Superintendent of Lamont Elementary School District. “Sometimes you go into these schools and they don’t look the same, so you don’t know if the programs are going to work.”
Davis Middle School Principal Carol Hsini welcomes the visitors.
The Lamont Elementary School District brought 16 staff members on the tour and they were impressed by what they witnessed in the Compton Unified schools. “Coming to Compton has been amazing because it exemplifies what the technology portion of teaching looks like, but also what the collaborative portion is like for students,” she said.
A classroom visit at Clinton Elementary School.
“For us, our drive is language, collaboration, and engagement,” Gonzalez continued. “We picked up a lot of strategies, programs, and also what it looks like to have the instructional base with teachers, and behind the scenes of what is done with leadership and professional development. It’s been a phenomenal time visiting this school district and we’re super excited to see where it takes us next.”
The red carpet and welcome crew at Clinton Elementary.
Besides the teachers and leadership, others noticed the empowerment of students in the Compton Unified School District. “Some of the key takeaways I had after visiting the Compton Unified schools was I was so impressed by the independence of the learners,” said Matt Haber, Math Manage Oxnard School District. “I think a lot of that came from the collaboration between students. I believe those collaborative groups really bring out the language and ability for the students to have those conversations to be independent.”
CUSD Superintendent Darin Brawley talks to the visiting school districts at Compton Early College High School.
The award-winning Compton Unified School District has hosted numerous school districts over the past several years, sharing its successful programs and learnings with others. At the same time, the CUSD staff also regularly travels to other districts to learn what other educational leaders are doing and bring back those best practices to apply and improve the district where they can.
The visitors were welcomed with a dance performance at Dickison Elementary School.