THE GOULDS | PINE VILLA ELEMENTARY

Florida's education commissioner recognizes Pine Villa Elementary

The state's commissioner of education visited a Southwest Miami-Dade school on Thursday to recognize its significant improvements.

BY CARLI TEPROFF

CTEPROFF@MIAMIHERALD.COM

After-school fights broke out in the courtyard almost every day. Kids bullied their peers. Learning took a back seat to fooling around.

That was Pine Villa Elementary two years ago.

Much has changed at the Goulds school.

``It's different now,'' said Reginald Ellison, 12. ``The kids want to learn.''

And learning is exactly what State Commissioner of Education Eric Smith saw Thursday when he paid the school a visit to recognize it as one of two schools in the state to make significant learning gains this year. Smith also visited Lake Worth High School in Palm Beach County.

Pine Villa -- a Title 1 school, with 95 percent of the students receiving free or reduced lunches -- improved its grade from a low D in 2008-2009 rating to a high C in 2009-10.

With that achievement, it is no longer on the bottom of the state's Differentiated Accountability list, which names low-performing schools in need of extra funding and support.

``This is the perfect example of what can happen with hard work and dedication,'' said Smith, after visiting the school's science lab where students answered questions about scientists' tools. ``What they have been able to achieve is outstanding.''

In one classroom he saw the students raising their hands to answer questions about the Everglades. In another, the students practiced evaluating stories.

``Good job,'' he said to the group, as he shook the students' hands.

For Lashawn Holcomb, 11, Smith's visit was ``exciting,'' she said. ``It influences me to try harder.''

Principal Renny Neyra said the journey to becoming a better school began last year when she started as the school's leader.

``It was a matter of building trust,'' she said.

She formed a team of six -- including reading and math coaches and a counselor -- and immediately got to work.

``We had to get everyone on the same page,'' she said. ``This year was a completely different experience. The kids came back to school ready to learn.''

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Wednesday, November 3, 2010