Shannon High School: Personal Narrative

We are very fortunate to have an alternative campus in our school district. Shannon High School is for students that have fallen behind in their credits, have dropped out of school and have decided to return to school, or feel like they do not fit in at one of our main traditional campuses. Shannon classes are small, and students have the opportunity to be successful and earn their high school diploma. Tammy Wright is one of the wonderful teachers at Shannon High School. Ms. Wright is a business and marketing teacher at Shannon as well as a school aged parent coordinator on campus. Furthermore, Ms. Wright serves as an advisor to the student organization, DECA. It was a pleasure to sit down with Ms. Wright and ask her a few questions about her
role in education. Ms. Wright has been teaching at the high school level for 13 years. She is an enthusiastic and experienced educator that loves helping students reach their potential. Ms. Wright feels there are a few things she wishes her principal knew about her program. Ms. Wright believes that her principal understands the importance of marketing and work based learning, but he lacks the understanding value of BIM and the quality of certifications that students can earn while in a business class. Furthermore, Ms. Wright wishes her principal would let her marketing students operate the campus store because she feels that operating a school store is 100% marketing. There are other key, school personnel that have an effect on Ms.
Wright’s program. Ms. Wright speaks highly of the counselor at Shannon High School and her knowledge and understanding of the importance of CTE education. Ms. Wright feels that her counselor is fully aware on the happenings in her program and knows everything she needs to know as a counselor. What Ms. Wright likes best about her counselor is the fact she keeps up with all the changes in career and technology education, and keeps Ms. Wright up to speed with all the significant changes. According to Ms. Wright, the counselor understands the skills that the students can earn from her program and how those skills can help them once they graduate and enter the
workforce. Ms. Wright understands the importance of having the community supporting and backing her program. The advisory board that Ms. Wright puts together are members of the business community that hire her students after graduation, so she very happy with how the community partners with her program. The parents of the students in Ms. Wright’s class also play an important role. Ms. Wright wishes that her parents knew the values that her program instills in the kids. Ms. Wright feels that parents do not appreciate the new skills their children are learning. The marketing and business skills that students are learning can help them move on to an entry level position after high school or post-secondary education, and many parents do not see the significance in marketing education. Many people might think that the leadership perspective on an alternative campus differs from that of a traditional campus.
Ms. Wright feels her principal has the same expectations as that of a campus administrator on a traditional campus. However, an area that Ms. Wright feels her principal does not fully understand is the at risk student and the differences or challenges that teachers need to make to get the students to let their guard down, so teachers can properly serve them. Ms. Wright points out that her principal is an experienced principal, but this is his first year leading an alternative campus. The principal shows love and concern for the students but does not understand the different challenges that at risk student face on a daily basis. When you work on an alternative campus, Ms. Wright understands that not everything is as simple as black and white. Each student and their problems are unique and Ms. Wright does not feel her principal fully grasps that concept. Ms. Wright feels strong about creating relationships with her kids because in her eyes, it is the only way to reach students on an alternative campus. Furthermore, according to Ms. Wright, the students at Shannon need to know that you care about
them. Ms. Wright is an excellent educator, and I am fortunate to call her my friend. On a daily basis, Ms. Wright demonstrates her love and passion for education, by teaching marketing and business skills to at risk students. Ms. Wright cares about her students, and will go out of her way, to give her kids the opportunities to achieve and be successful. All stakeholders should know about the marketing and business program that Ms. Wright teaches because it truly is an amazing program, led by an amazing person.