A new team of teachers and administrators have formed the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) whose primary goal is to develop a central focus of the school which other academic factors will orbit around.

Comprised of co-facilitators Welsh, biology teacher Zovig Minassian, social science teacher Chris Hong, math teacher Natalie Arnold, and English teacher Rae Etta Emmett, the first ILT was held October 5. About 10 to 15 schools in the GUSD are using the ILT model.
�It is not a program,� said Welsh. �It is a process.�
Though seemingly obvious that the motive of every high school is to educate, the ILT strives to pinpoint a specific instructional focus. It is not a tutoring program that picks out individual problems, but rather a collaborative group force that is geared towards improving the overall academics of students.
Talking to students, visiting classes, and looking at test scores are just some of the methods ILT will use to develop a focus. Although finding that focus will take time, for the moment, the goal is to build a strong collaboration with staff and eventually parents and students. Once the ILT formulates a focus, the ILT will publicize it through the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA), the parent newsletter, and other avenues.
Co-facilitator Emmet hopes that by second semester, the ILT will have a focus. Six to eight months are expected for this process to have an evident impact on the student body and staff. By then, there should be a �change in the culture of academics,� according to Hong.
The next monthly meeting is scheduled for November at the library.
�[In the end], it will be worth it,� said Emmet.

By Staff Writer, Sue Park