The Crockett Vertical Team has been selected to be the next vertical team to join the Creative Learning Initiative in 2014–15.
A committee of parents, teachers and administrators participating in the Creative Learning Initiative evaluated four vertical team applications. All applications were kept anonymous. A 100-point scale was used to evaluate each application based on responses to two questions:
- How will your vertical team benefit from the Creative Learning Initiative?
- Why should your vertical team be selected as the next to join the Creative Learning Initiative?
The Crockett Vertical Team is made up of a student population that is 65 percent economically disadvantaged with more than 75 percent of students deemed at-risk. The team's application communicated an intense desire to:
- Use the Creative Learning Initiative as a catalyst to improve vertical team communication, collaboration and integration of existing programs.
- Improve the access and equity to arts-rich experiences for all students through community arts partners.
- Graduate every student with the ability to think creatively, work collaboratively and appreciate the overall beauty of life beyond adversity they may face.
- Provide vertical team teachers with professional development in arts-based instructional strategies to engage their student population, and also align to support the Covington Fine Arts Academy.
Numerous letters of support from students and principals were also provided as supplemental documentation. During the 2014-15 school year, more than 1,500 teachers and principals will be trained in arts-based instructional strategies, directly affecting 27 percent of the district (approximately 23,000 students).
Vertical team applications for implementation in 2015-16 will be available Oct. 1. For more information, please