Reading, Writing, Roulette (cont.)
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alike at King wear lively kente vests and ties. Even changing the school name
(it was previously named for Victor Berger, a White socialist) reflects Mosley's
holistic approach to education. In 1991 King became a pilot program: It received
the designation African-American immersion and $125,000 in state funds over three
years to build a curriculum that emphasizes Black culture--primarily to combat
the alarming rate
of failure among Black boys.
Today a walk down the halls of polished wood floors in this graceful 103-year-old building reveals a success story achieved "by any means necessary," as Mosley often says. Affirmations ("If you think you can, you can") and pictures of intact families, tender men and Black icons line the walls. Books like Les Brown's Live Your Dreams and Toni Morrison's The Big Box fill library shelves. Each classroom has at least seven computers. For a break, Ms. Butler's second graders dance and sing along with James Brown: "Say it loud! I'm Black and I'm proud!" King student scores on statewide tests have gradually increased since Mosley took over. Once ranked among the lowest-scoring schools in reading tests, King saw 98 percent of its third graders scoring at or above average last year. Fifty-seven percent of fourth graders were at or above average in math tests, compared with the districtwide 49 percent. The attendance rate is 93 percent and the suspension rate a low 1 percent. With a social worker, speech teacher, psychologist and visiting nurses from a nearby hospital, along with community involvement from partners like Carroll College and Andersen Consulting, and an active Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), King has improved enough to earn a spot on the school board's "honor roll" of schools in low-income areas that have high achievement.
So what makes this school work? DeLisa A. Turner--president of King's PTO, as her mother once was--credits Mosley's hands-on management. "She won't hesitate to call you" about a wayward son or daughter, Turner says. "And she allows parent input. If it's doable, with Mrs. Mosley, it's done." Turner, who was once on welfare and now works at a Head Start school, says, "We know many parents can't take time off to come to things like PTO meetings," she says. "But we encourage them to double-check homework, to contribute whatever they can to buy merit awards." The PTO also sponsors workshops for parents on issues like clearing up bad credit and applying for a mortgage.
The Right Path for Brenda's Kids
Before Brenda Gordon got her second job ("To buy me a house," she says), she would often volunteer at King as well as DLH Academy, spending time in her children's classes. She doesn't do as much these days, but she found time one recent morning to speak as part of a Women's Career Day at King, telling students about her two jobs. As DLH Academy expands to include older children, she says, she will consider sending hers across town. "A school with a Christ foundation is better than any school in this