Cover Story
Cover Story During her tenure at Jodie McClure, the school improved from the Texas Education Agency Needs Improvement grading to becoming a Recognized campus. When the LISD closed Jodie McClure and transferred its pupils to new Ned E. Williams Elementary, Dr. Wise came along as the school's first principal. Her influence was unmistakable and drastic as her students far exceeded the state's academic expectations. Ned E. Williams became an "A" school. Most important of all, it became the highestperforming predominantly African American school in Texas. Wise was so effective in guiding her student body to academic success that Texas Education Commissioner Dr. Mike Morath sent Deputy Education Commissioner Martin Winchester to visit the school and see first-hand why it was being held up as a shining model of success. All the time Dr. Wise was principal at Ned E. Williams, she managed to simultaneously serve as principal of Bramlette Elementary. She was just getting started. She moved on to the position of principal of another struggling school--Forest Park Middle School, where she spent another year as principal of two
schools. Her two years at Forest Park saw it improve from earning 1 STAR Distinction to 5 STAR Distinctions. After her first year in these capacities, Bellwether Education Partners visited Forest Park to see what was behind all the accolades it was earning. Dr. Wise meticulously outlined her methods so that Bellwether officials could see her schools were models of excellence to be held up as examples to be copied to ensure widespread student success. This led her to organize the CCC. With the subsequent passage of SB 1882, the ETAA came into existence. For her, it was all in a day's work. "My day consists of meetings with various stakeholders to ensure that the overall vision and mission of ETAA is being met," she says. "I visit campuses and meet with principals to review data and to implement action plans for student success." This collaboration also enables her to work with faculty both at the schools and in board meetings to update board members and higher-level administrators on various scholastic matters. Furthermore, she provides her teachers with training to review the CCC model and the central tenets of the Wise Instructional Framework. "I meet weekly with my curriculum department to ensure that the instructional practices that they observe match the rigors of the TEKS," she says. She loves how her status as an educator permits her to play a vital role in young minds receiving quality education, which she regards as a civil rights issue. She works to achieve
what she perceives as a moral and legal commitment to bring out children’s positive attributes that already exist in them. The vital aspect of this objective is crystal clear to her. "We all know that the number of prisons built in this country is predicated on fourth grade reading scores," she says. "By ensuring the students have access to a quality education we are not only improving their lives, but the community as well." However, she is concerned that many people harbor opinions that could hamper young minds in receiving quality schooling. She sees this as another challenge of her profession to be faced and overcome. "I think that oftentimes people’s egos get in the way, and they forget that it's not about us," she says. "It's ultimately about the children and working together to ensure that they are successful." As a PK (preacher's kid) she also has a firm grasp of how Christianity's emphasis on selfless service to others is in line with her focus on education. Her faith was the guiding light throughout her higher education. By leaning on the Holy Spirit for support, she pulled down one academic prize after another and ended up marrying a baptist minister. This, too, was a learning experience for a young couple guiding a large congregation. "Unfortunately, the marriage didn't work out," she says. "The fault was not with God, but with us." In true Christian fashion she bears no grudges against her ex-
husband but remains his friend and sister in Christ. "If I cannot forgive my fellow man, then how do I expect God to forgive me, a human being who, like all others, has a multitude of sins?" she asks. DR. CYNTHIA WISE EDUCATION ADVOCACY HIGHLIGHTS/ ACHIEVEMENTS Jodie McClure Magnet ES from Needs Improvement to Recognized School. Ned E. Williams ES turned it into an “A” school and highest performing predominantly African American school in Texas. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath sent Texas Education Deputy Commissioner Martin Winchester and held it up as a model of success. Ned E. Williams maintained the maximum of 6 STARS Distinc-
tion under Dr. Wise. Forest Park Middle School moved from 1 STAR Distinction to 5 STAR Distinctions. Bellwether Education Partners, a “national nonprofit focused on dramatically changing education and life outcomes for underserved children.” and several campuses across the country visit Dr. Wise to hear firsthand how she is turning failing schools with low socioeconomic population schools into star studded, high performing academies. East Texas Advanced Academies formed. Her entire life's mission revolves around helping others, young and old. She loves being her brother's keeper and uses her career as the vehicle to accomplish her unselfish, loving goals. "I've done this by working in education and ensuring that students regardless of their background receive a world-class education," Wise says.
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