Polytechnic Center of Education Innovation welcomes founding principal
MESA, Ariz. —University Public Schools, an affiliate of Arizona State University, announced at a parent meeting May 1 the appointment of Donna Bullock as principal of the Polytechnic Center of Education Innovation, effective July 1, 2008. The Polytechnic Center of Education Innovation is the first school University Public Schools will open, initially serving students in grades K-6.
Bullock has 17 years of experience in K-12 education she taught in the Kyrene School District for 10 years and served as the Summer Academy Principal before moving to Christ the King Catholic School in Mesa as principal. While there, she successfully completed the Western Catholic Educational Association and North Central Association accreditation process for the school.
Larry Pieratt, executive director of University Public Schools, said “Donna Bullock’s brings to our first school an understanding of the importance of working with families to meet the individual needs of the students and commitment to constant improvement in student achievement.”
University Public Schools also is working with the City of Mesa to secure special use permits for a new facility to be used as the temporary site for the Polytechnic Center of Education Innovation. The facility is located about two miles north of ASU’s Polytechnic campus and will provide a safe, clean and secure environment, with all the amenities needed to operate a school. After year one, this space will house the University Public Schools administration office.
“This temporary space provides a less disruptive environment, while construction of the new school building is under way at ASU’s Polytechnic campus for completion by fall 2009,” said Pieratt.
Construction of the new facility, which will be located on about 24 acres in the southwest portion of the Polytechnic campus, is expected to begin in August 2008. Once completed, the school will accommodate students from preschool age to twelfth grade in fall 2009.
University Public Schools held the parent meeting at the temporary space to discuss policies, allow parents to meet Bullock and some of the faculty, as well as ask questions about the school and temporary space.
In the fall, the center will be welcoming 234 students for K-6 classes. That’s enough students to fill two sections of kindergarten and one section for each subsequent grade and there is a waiting list, according to Pieratt.
“The school is organized in clusters, so grades 1-2 will be together, 3-4 and 5-6,” said Pieratt. “This is a multi-graded approach that groups and regroups students by ability according to skill not necessarily content. For example, a student may participate in a specific group in reading for decoding and another group for comprehension.”
The curriculum is standards-based and delivered in various formats from question-based instruction to hands-on to inquiry. Whole group, direct instruction also is used, however, in a limited fashion depending on content, said Pieratt. There is particular focus on areas of the curriculum that have been developed by university faculty in collaboration with University Public Schools staff, using data from the state that demonstrated areas of need statewide.
ASU faculty members from nutrition, physical education, fine arts, early childhood, speech and language, science and mathematics have contributed.
“The input from ASU faculty members is an important part of what makes this school unique, and we hope to continue to work with many more in the future,” said Pieratt.
For information, contact Pieratt at (480) 727-1612.
MEDIA CONTACT(S):
Christine Lambrakis, 480/727-1173, 602/316-5616, lambrakis@asu.edu
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