Getting Unstuck #184: Hiring Teachers Who Have That "Thing"
“We really want kids to have that integrated experience where they see how their core subjects become relevant to the real world of work that they’re doing out in the field and in their internships.”
Our guest
“The idea of coastal restoration and preservation is not just science. It's not just dirt and water. There have been native peoples here for thousands of years. It's about the struggle between man and nature. It's about the literature and the music that was birthed out of the experience in the south. It's about so many things that have cultural relevance. We have so much to learn and so much to gain from getting to know our students and their families.”
— Sunny Summers
Sunny Summers is a passionate and dedicated New Orleans public school educator, first as a teacher, a teacher leader, department head and instructional coach, and since 2017 has been the founding school leader at New Harmony High School. Sunny was a member of the New Harmony design team that won the nationally competitive XQ: The Super School Project, receiving a $10 million grant to open a public high school focused on coastal restoration and preservation in Louisiana.
Prior to a career in public education, Sunny had a 9 year career in the business of adult education, where data mining and instructional coaching were critical. She has extensive non-profit and volunteer experience.
Why this conversation matters
This interview is part of our “Unstuck” series. These interviews focus on school leaders who are not just getting unstuck, they’re already "unstuck." And by "Unstuck," we mean they are leading or embracing a major shift in student learning, instruction, ongoing teacher professional development, community relations, or personal leadership. They’re doing things better, not just differently, not just as part of the most recent fad or trend, but because they want to increase the likelihood that they can achieve desired outcomes on behalf of those they support.
Listen for
√ What attracts students to New Harmony High School.
√ How New Harmony High School got its start.
√ How the curriculum relates to the local place.
√ What the “leaving-to-learn” experience entails.
√ How place and project-based learning are built into the curricula.
√ How student agency is integrated throughout the curricula.
√ What Sunny looks for when hiring new teachers.
Referenced
Rising: dispatches from the New American Score by Elizabeth Rush
Leaving to Learn by Elliot Washor
Connect with Sunny
Website: https://www.newharmonyhigh.org
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/newharmonyhigh/
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