Texas recognizes Marble Falls High School for its educational practices

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

MARBLE FALLS — The Marble Falls High School recently enjoyed a little “Hollywood,” Texas Education Agency-style, as a crew filmed two pieces of a nine-part series on successful campuses.

It was a complete reversal from two years ago when the TEA listed the campus as “unacceptable” under the state’s accountability system.

“I think definitely we’re moving in the right direction,” said high school Principal Manny Lunoff as he watched the crew set up a shot with two students and Carol Harle, a state consultant monitoring the campus’ progress.

The TEA selected Marble Falls High School as one of several across the state to highlight the best practices used in education. It’s part of the Texas Accountability and Intervention System.

The nine-part series will let schools and officials across the state look in on campuses that are “doing it right,” said Robin Ward Southall, project manager for the video series.

“This is a statewide showcase,” she said. “It’s a place people can see schools getting it right.”

Following the “unacceptable” rating in 2011, the campus earned a Texas Title 1 Priority Schools Grant, which opened up new avenues for staff and administration to innovate changes that previously had been difficult to make because of finances. Former Marble Falls High School principal and current Director of Secondary Education Eric Penrod said one step campus staff and administration took was a hard look at what they were teaching and how it lined up with state curriculum.

Campus staff made a concerted effort to ensure everything they taught matched up with what the state required. During the interview for the video series, the two students pointed out how some teachers give them a handout outlining the state requirements for a particular subject.

“That way, the student knows what he or she is going to be held responsible for learning,” Penrod explained. “They can check it off as they master the material. If they don’t feel they’ve mastered it, they can go back and work on it more until they do.”

Steps such as this are what caught state officials’ eyes when determining which campuses to highlight in the video series.

Southall said each of the nine parts in the series looks at district commitments and support systems. The Marble Falls High School segments demonstrate how the campus has successfully implemented processes/procedures and communications under the support systems.

“We’ll have real-world perspectives in the series,” she said.

The project will be a Web-based series through the TEA’s website so schools officials and educators across Texas can view it.

Lunoff said the success of the campus lies with the students, faculty and staff. He also credited the foundation Penrod helped build when he was the high school’s principal.

“Another benefit is having Eric still in the district,” Lunoff said. “How many other principals can meet and discuss things regularly with the person who was in their seat before them. I can.”

Both Lunoff and Penrod agreed, TEA selecting Marble Falls High School for the video series reflects back on the students and faculty.

“I really relish that our students are being successful,” Penrod said. “And that’s why I got into education.”

editor@thepicayune.com