Ursula Casanova – författare

Nowhere is the role of the secretary more vital to the smooth functioning of the system than in the office of a school principal. But in spite of her importance (over 99% are women), traditional educational researchers have not approached this position as a valid topic of study.

Casanova - a former elementary school principal - examines the role of the school secretary, bringing recognition to a person who has been too long under-valued, under-paid and under-appreciated. She has broken new ground with an exploration of an occupation where women are the dominant force and on whom everyone depends, from students and parents to teachers and administrators.

This is the story of Cibola High School, a remarkable public school that set itself a daring goal: every one of its students would not just graduate, but would continue on to postsecondary education. With that goal in mind, the teachers, administrators, and counselors created a unique environment that provided the support necessary for students to realize their ambitions. No flash in the pan, Cibola High School has been meeting its goal for over 20 graduations.Opened to serve an expanding district, Cibola is located across the border from Mexico. The majority of its students receive free lunch, and 74% of its population consists of Latino(a) students, many of them recent immigrants. Through anecdotes and the voices of teachers, school leaders, and students, this book shows the process that has, year-in and year-out, produced results and defied the low expectations that such demographic data predict. Based on an analysis of extensive interviews and research, the author identifies and explores five critical elements associated with the success of this school:Unequivocal, uncompromising high expectations Distributed, focused leadership Assertive guidance and counseling Intensive instruction for English language learners Flexible responses to problems and development of alternative program pathways to successWith our national dropout pandemic, this is a book with implications not just for schools with high Latino(a) populations but for all high schools throughout the nation.