A Passion for Learning

It is this passion at Troy which inspires me every day--which brings out the best in me as a student and as a person. It is this passion that makes Troy a truly great high school.

Vicki Snyder, principal, and Julia Gregg, teacher
Signature School, Evansville, Ind.
When a dozen teachers came together to create our public charter school, we argued honestly and intelligently until our charter reflected common goals: commitment to students, to global understanding, to service, and to academic excellence measured by external assessment. We were clear about purpose.

All of our teachers value autonomy and accountability, for themselves and for the students who choose to come here. Most of us have experienced educational systems that are too heavy-handed and unwise from the top down. Ours seeks to be wise from the ground up.

Our principal was a founding teacher, and her passion and knowledge are visionary. She's not afraid to say no, but more importantly, she's not afraid to say yes ... yes, try it; it might work. Our board, intelligent and insightful local businessmen, said, "We'll give you support, and you show us results."

In our sixth year as a charter school we are soaring. The teacher in the room next to me, a Fulbright Scholar, works from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every school day. The teacher across the hall is the best math teacher I've ever encountered--in her relationships with students, as well as in external test scores. Similar descriptions characterize teachers throughout our building. They work hard because their work is their life's passion and because they have a stake in how the school develops.

A school must be small enough for buy-in, so that every teacher and student matters. Divided into units, all schools with dedicated teachers and with stated and enforced goals can excel.