Friday, September 30, 2011

TOP STORY > >Educator groomed as principal

By CHRISTY HENDRICKS
Leader staff writer

A single mother of three, Felicia Kelly drives an hour and 15 minutes – one way – to her job five days a week as principal of the Lighthouse Academy high school in Jacksonville.

Kelly, who lives in Forrest City with her three sons, is the startup principal at College Prep Academy, which will have its first high school class next year.

“I love my job,” Kelly told The Leader. “The support I receive from Mr. Whitfield, Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Broadway is unbelievable. They give me the resources I need to be successful. If I’m successful, the scholars will be successful.”

Kelly is referring to Norman Whitfield, the lead principal; Dr. Phillis Nichols Anderson, the vice president for the Southern region, and Lenisha Broadway, regional director of Lighthouse Academies.

Kelly is serving as the Upper Academy principal, which includes grades fifth through eighth.

The school adds one grade each school year and will open the College Prep Academy in 2011-2012 school year by adding a ninth grade.

“He’s helping me. He’s basically mentoring me, preparing me for my role next year,” Kelly says of Whitfield. “I’m truly learning the Lighthouse model.”

She expects the transition to the College Prep Academy next year should be relatively smooth.

“This year I’m working with the same scholars as I will have next year,” she said. “The transition to high school should be easy. I’ve gotten to know them. They’ve gotten to know me. Hopefully, it will be smooth.”

As part of her duties as the Upper Academy principal, Kelly works directly with students.

“I’m in the classrooms,” she said. “I’m speaking with students to make sure we (the school staff) are meeting their needs.”

“I expect a lot from them,” Kelly says of the teachers. “So that they will expect a lot from students.”

Kelly works with teachers to make sure they are knowledgeable in the Lighthouse culture. “I do expect our scholars to be on their best behavior,” she said.

Kelly says that Lighthouse students understand that national tests help them.

The North West Evaluation Association tests break down what skills are or are not mastered by the scholars by grade level.

For example, if an eighth-grade student scores at a tenth-grade reading level, that student will read books at that level during DEER, a daily reading time. The test lets teachers and scholars know, according to grade level, where the scholar is at, allowing individual goals to be set for each scholar on their level of learning. The Northwest Evaluation is given three times during the school year.

The Learning Institute’s assessments evaluate a scholar’s skill level according to Arkansas standards.

“The focus really is on the scholar,” Kelly says of the charter school. “All decisions are made for the scholars.”

Kelly is beginning her 15th year in education. She taught at Forrest City for 10 years, West Memphis for two years and at Miller McCoy Academy in New Orleans for two years. Kelly moved to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina when an opportunity to teach at a new charter school opened.

She trained through the New Leaders for New Schools program, which is a principal training program. The program operates on core beliefs that include every student can achieve at high levels, great schools are lead by great leaders and delivering high-quality public education to all students is critical to a just society.

Kelly taught at the New Orleans charter school before becoming a principal in Jefferson Parrish, La. “After all this time in New Orleans, I decided to come home to Arkansas,” Kelly said.

“It’s phenomenal,” Kelly says of the Lighthouse students. “When I made the transition back (to Arkansas), I thought this is the best!’ They are doing what we expect them to do.”

Kelly has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UALR and a master’s in educational administration from Arkansas State University.

“At the end of the day, my passion is making sure all students get an education, no mater what their situation,” Kelly said.