Vista Grove is a K-8 public charter school in Mesa, Arizona and part of the Leona Group. We are in our 7th year as Vista Grove. We do not allow academic, social or economic challenges get in the way of our belief that ALL students will succeed. Our students are 90% in poverty, 30% homeless, and come to us 76% behind grade level.
Those statistics have not slowed our school wide focus of academic and social growth. In fact, we have moved from a D school to most recently a B school while facing soaring rates of student homelessness which topped out in the 2014-2015 school year at 40% of our student body who were homeless.
We have several key areas that we believe lead to our success with our students.
First, we live the belief that ALL students will succeed. Every teacher and staff member hired at Vista Grove come to their jobs with a growth mindset and aware of the fulfilling hard work and hopeful perseverance needed each and every day. Second, we do not allow economic need be a barrier to entry for any child. As we have grown from 100 to nearly 400 students, we transport over 75% of our students. We communicate with all parents, even if we have to make home visits or provide transportation for parents to and from the school for meetings and/or school events. We also provide wrap around support for our students to ensure their academic success, but importantly for the their socio-economic needs as well. We have regular dialogue over student academic and social growth between all staff. We provide academic intervention with Title I, MOWR and ESS support, strictly scheduled and revisited as progress or change in needs arise. We provide socio-emotional interventions with an elementary and middle school counselor, provided by a grant secured by Leona Group, along with a PBIS team supporting students with crisis, intermittent and maintenance interventions. All teachers and staff are involved in the intervention process.
Last, We have a structured and active campus. Students wear uniforms. We provide PE, a sports program, theatre program, choir and music program. We also provide with late bus service for ALL students. Our families feel love and support we strive to make each student and family believe in themselves, together - we are a democracy of high expectations in one K-8 school community.
Those statistics have not slowed our school wide focus of academic and social growth. In fact, we have moved from a D school to most recently a B school while facing soaring rates of student homelessness which topped out in the 2014-2015 school year at 40% of our student body who were homeless.
We have several key areas that we believe lead to our success with our students.
First, we live the belief that ALL students will succeed. Every teacher and staff member hired at Vista Grove come to their jobs with a growth mindset and aware of the fulfilling hard work and hopeful perseverance needed each and every day. Second, we do not allow economic need be a barrier to entry for any child. As we have grown from 100 to nearly 400 students, we transport over 75% of our students. We communicate with all parents, even if we have to make home visits or provide transportation for parents to and from the school for meetings and/or school events. We also provide wrap around support for our students to ensure their academic success, but importantly for the their socio-economic needs as well. We have regular dialogue over student academic and social growth between all staff. We provide academic intervention with Title I, MOWR and ESS support, strictly scheduled and revisited as progress or change in needs arise. We provide socio-emotional interventions with an elementary and middle school counselor, provided by a grant secured by Leona Group, along with a PBIS team supporting students with crisis, intermittent and maintenance interventions. All teachers and staff are involved in the intervention process.
Last, We have a structured and active campus. Students wear uniforms. We provide PE, a sports program, theatre program, choir and music program. We also provide with late bus service for ALL students. Our families feel love and support we strive to make each student and family believe in themselves, together - we are a democracy of high expectations in one K-8 school community.