George Lucas Educational Foundation

Building a Schoolwide Culture of Consistency

A principal has turned a school in the Bronx around by asking teachers to promote literacy every day—in every subject area.

April 12, 2019

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This video is part of our Schools That Work series and features key practices from Concourse Village Elementary School.

Schools That Work

Concourse Village Elementary School

Public, Urban

Grades Pre-K to 5

The Bronx, NY

In 2013, Principal Alexa Sorden, a former teacher and literacy coach, took over Concourse Village Elementary School in New York City after its predecessor was closed due to poor performance and disrepair. When the 361 students—nearly all of whom came from low-income households—returned to school that fall, they were greeted with a renovated building, new teachers, and high-quality instructional practices in every classroom.

Under Sorden’s leadership, the pre-K to 5 school has blossomed. Using a flat leadership structure—Sorden is the only administrator—teachers are empowered to learn from and support each other and share accountability for student outcomes. An innovative, literacy-first approach helps students develop foundational skills in every subject, from English language arts to math and art.

Proof Points:

The problem-solving procedure and math tasks featured in this video were developed by Exemplars, a company that provides a library of rich performance tasks and professional development for K-12 schools.