VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
April Wilkin: Hey, miner community. It's great to see you. I know it's here in hot July and we are just over three weeks from having you back on campus. I am excited today to have you meet our new fantastic K-8 principal, Amy Bruce.
Amy Bruce: Hi everybody.
April Wilkin: And I wanted you to hear a little bit about what made her want to join our miner community. So Amy, what made you want to be a miner?
Amy Bruce: Oh, I have wanted to be a miner for a long time actually. The first thing that attracts me to Prospect Ridge is the K-12 environment. I actually grew up as a student on a K-12 campus in rural Upstate New York. I first taught on a K-12 campus. My first leadership position was on a K-12 campus. So this is like coming home to me. When we came to Colorado, oh gosh, almost 20 years ago, that was my first experience in the big metro urban district. So being on a K-12 campus and part of a K-12 community is near and dear to my heart and my roots.
And then nobody can deny that the vision and the mission of Prospect Ridge to create academic, social, and ethical leaders. And to do that in that space of a college prep core knowledge school that's focused on math, science, athletics, and service learning. It's delicious for kids. It is what we should be doing. And the last thing people have asked me, "Why are you shifting from traditional public ed to charter schools?"
April Wilkin: Yes.
Amy Bruce: I am dynamically interested in the charter ecosystem because of the autonomy that charters enjoy, specifically because my hope and belief is that autonomy is what enables us to truly focus on putting kids first in everything that we do. Not to the detriment of adults at all, but to truly maintain that as our focus because that is my heart.
April Wilkin: Well, that's awesome. And we have found that to be true over the past 13 years. So I have no doubt that during the 24, 25 school year and beyond, you're going to find that very thing happening at PRA. We're very proud of what we do as a K-12 and as a charter. And speaking of K-12, we have some exciting news also with bringing you on board as a K-8 principle. That's a new structure for us. It was something that I felt like was appropriate. Looking back over these past 13 years, it feels like there's a real opportunity right now for us to create some synergy across our K-8. So can you talk to us a little bit more about your vision for our K-8?
Amy Bruce: Yes. That was another aspect of the position that is so exciting to me. I have been an elementary principal for all of my years, but the opportunity to bring together the elementary staff and the middle school staff is exciting. It's exciting as a school leadership challenge, and it's full of opportunity for both kids and adults. So in my vision for K-8 and for my work here at PRA, first and foremost is really to uphold that vision and mission that already exists. That's a no-brainer. And then right on the heels of that is culture. So come together, the K-8 staff of adults in service of kids, and then it doesn't sound very jazzy, but operations, how do we do the day-to-day work as a K-eight team? So it's both honoring what has been done and done well, and then re-birthing this K-8 team with a positive culture that then functions really seamlessly on a day-to-day basis for kids and staff and families.
Because when you don't function smoothly, that's a real ding on culture. And when I talk about operations, it's not jazzy, but what it encompasses, truly important is students. And I think of it as our student management system, which is how we ensure that we build positive relationships in all of our learning spaces, how we ensure that our expectations are clear and meaningful and taught for our kids, how we abundantly recognize them, praise them, reward them, and honor them for meeting those expectations. And we know infractions will happen. We know kids will make mistakes because they're kids. How we leverage a fair and just an equitable discipline system for them so they know what to expect when errors happen or when they are harmed in some way. All of that leads to safety and belonging, both staff and students. And then we get into instruction.
April Wilkin: Woo-hoo.
Amy Bruce: Academics.
April Wilkin: Well, that sounds fantastic. And just to clarify, it's not as if those things haven't been in place, but the vision that's happening under Amy's leadership is to take that to another level. And I don't want you to feel like we're losing the identities of the elementary and middle and high school in this process. If anything, we have this chance to really help them embrace what it means to be an elementary student and middle school student and high school student within the K-8, and within the K-12. So if you want to know more about Amy's vision, K-8 families specifically watch for a special message coming out from Amy Bruce. She also has a chance for you to ask questions, and we just can't wait to have you back. It feels very quiet around here. So we need your children, and I'm pretty sure you're ready to let them go.
Amy Bruce: I would bet.
April Wilkin: Around this point in time in the summer. So, all right, miner families, it's been great to connect with you today. We can't wait to see you soon. Take care.
Amy Bruce: Thank you.