Why Would You Want to Teach in a “Failing School”?

   In 2000 when I joined the Sunset Park faculty as a self-contained teacher for students with special needs (emotional and behavior disorders) in grades K-3, the student population was 99.5% minority, 100% free lunch, and was considered a neighborhood school serving approximately 350 students.  At the time, Sunset Park had an incredibly negative perception within the city of Rock Hill and many people questioned their own safety as they entered the surrounding neighborhood of the school. 
   In my 10 years working at Sunset Park, arriving early and staying late, I NEVER once felt unsafe! With the reputation of being a “failing school”, David Rawlinson, our principal at the time invested his time and energy into creating a culture of trust within the walls of Sunset Park.  It was a safe haven for children whose only meals were breakfast and lunch at school and place where their families were treated with respect.  We loved each and every child! Mr. Rawlinson created school improvement teams charged with school reform, he utilized Title One resources to provide the teachers with needed professional development, and sought out new ways to improve the level of academic achievement at Sunset Park. 
   Mr. Rawlinson commanded everyone’s attention when he walked in the room. His stature alone was enough to intimidate most people and you always knew where you stood with him.  After proving myself within the first months of school and not allowing the children to reek havic, he gave me the “go ahead” to make all of the decisions for my students, knowing that I always had their best interest in mind.  He supported me during difficult IEP meetings, defended my instructional practices, and allowed me to make a transition within the building from special education to regular education when he knew I had enough.  I had enough of the paperwork and politics associated with special education and wanted to be an advocate for children in a general education classroom and throughout the building.  While teaching students with special needs, I sometimes felt isolated from the other teachers in the building. Although I would see them in faculty meetings, talk with them briefly in IEP planning meetings, I so desperately wanted a chance to collaborate and be an advocate for students with special needs in the general education population …. Moving to a third grade classroom proved to be the answer in 2003.