Welcome to My Classroom
Thank you for joining me in the reviewing experience of growing into Ms. Luebbert, an educator committed to living and teaching in Philadelphia and infusing everyday practice with social justice.
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Continue reading below to learn about my inquiry project, Queering the English Classroom. You may also explore other materials related to my teaching by following the links on the right.
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The Context
River Wards Health Tech is a neighborhood high school located in an area formerly defined by its status as an industrial center and currently defined by crime and high poverty. Factories and warehouses that used to bring people to the area for work now sit empty, although some have been converted into trendy loft apartments. The school is a part of the unique River Wards Multiplex, a group of three small high schools that serve the same catchment with different focuses. Some families have purposefully sought out River Wards Health Tech, although others were randomly placed there. Some students come from outside of the neighborhood catchment zone. The school opened ten years ago with a focus on culinary arts, until Principal Walker shifted its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to healthcare five years ago. The school now offers fairly successful programs for Health Related Technologies (HRT, commonly referred to as “nursing”), Dental, and Pharmacy.
Student Demographics
Two-thirds of the students are Latino, often with connections to Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. About a quarter of the population are African-American, and the remaining minority are white or Asian (“School Profile,” n.d.). The school has a large population of students with Individualized Education Plans (25%) as well as English Language Learners (21%), which does not include students who are multilingual but do not receive ESOL services (“School Profile,” n.d.). All of the students at River Wards Health Tech are labeled as economically disadvantaged (“School Profile,” n.d.). Most of the teaching staff are white. Enrollment has steadily increased over the past several years, in part due to the positive reputation the school has for climate and for achievement in the CTE programs. However, the school has consistently received poor marks on the School District’s annual School Progress Report, resulting in its placement on a special list of schools slated for intervention by the School District. After an investigation of the schools strengths and areas of growth, the superintendent has decided on a change in leadership starting next school year.
Student Demographics
Two-thirds of the students are Latino, often with connections to Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic. About a quarter of the population are African-American, and the remaining minority are white or Asian (“School Profile,” n.d.). The school has a large population of students with Individualized Education Plans (25%) as well as English Language Learners (21%), which does not include students who are multilingual but do not receive ESOL services (“School Profile,” n.d.). All of the students at River Wards Health Tech are labeled as economically disadvantaged (“School Profile,” n.d.). Most of the teaching staff are white. Enrollment has steadily increased over the past several years, in part due to the positive reputation the school has for climate and for achievement in the CTE programs. However, the school has consistently received poor marks on the School District’s annual School Progress Report, resulting in its placement on a special list of schools slated for intervention by the School District. After an investigation of the schools strengths and areas of growth, the superintendent has decided on a change in leadership starting next school year.
Banner Image: Illustration by Sapna Satyanarayana