Beacon Hill Principal Alexis Glenn highlights student voice, curriculum changes and school achievements

Principal Alexis Glenn said Beacon Hill Middle School has spent the school year "making sure that every student when they walk through that door is seen, supported, and successful," detailing curricular and cultural changes aimed at improving student engagement and outcomes.

Glenn, who joined City Schools of Decatur in 2017 and was recently named the permanent principal at Beacon Hill, told host Dr. Whitaker on the district podcast that the school adopted new state ELA standards and a new ELA curriculum this year, implemented a "future readiness skills" program, and moved from a seven-period day to a block schedule to give students more sustained instructional time.

"We completely changed the schedule and went from a 7 period class period to a block model," Glenn said, describing the change as one of several substantial transitions the school managed in a single year.

The principal also pointed to academic indicators and external recognition. When asked about the College and Career Readiness Performance Index, or CCRPI, Glenn and the host noted that the school's performance "exceeds 100." The Georgia Department of Education has recognized Beacon Hill for math leadership for two consecutive years, a sign, Glenn said, that students are demonstrating higher-than-average proficiency in parts of the state assessment framework. (Exact CCRPI numeric details were not specified in the interview.)

Beyond academics, Glenn highlighted efforts to strengthen school culture and student voice. She described "fist bump Fridays," a visible daily routine to greet students, and said the school uses student advisory structures: "I have 4 students from each grade level that meet with me monthly," she said, describing how that Principal Advisory Council contributed to decisions on items such as turf selection and paint colors.

Students participated directly in the turf procurement process, Glenn said, and the district has scheduled a turf ribbon-cutting for April 14. On student branding, she described a design-and-vote process that produced a new school crest: "A sixth grader designed our school crest," Glenn said, identifying the student as Dougan Welch.

Glenn also described extracurricular successes this year: the band received superior ratings, the academic bowl and swim team performed well, and those activities helped improve student connection and attendance.

Looking forward, Glenn said the school will hold a capstone ceremony for eighth graders, with a keynote speaker planned to mark students' transition to high school. She credited district partnerships and leadership development opportunities with shaping her approach: "It pushes me to think differently," she said of district and external leadership programs.

The podcast concluded with thanks from host Dr. Whitaker and a reiteration of the district's motto of being "all in for all students."