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Board discusses PCIA recruitment flyer and messaging emphasizing 'rigorous, effort‑driven' academics
Summary
District staff presented a recruitment flyer for PCIA that uses the term 'rigorous' and emphasizes family partnership; board and staff discussed wording (rigorous vs. effort‑driven), program fit, and supports (MTSS, myPath) to ensure expectations are clear to prospective students and families.
District staff and board members spent a substantial portion of the March meeting discussing recruitment messaging for the PCIA innovation academy and how to communicate expectations to prospective students and families.
Kelly presented a draft flyer and explained that staff developed the language in response to feedback from instructors and building leadership. The flyer describes PCIA as an innovation‑academy style program with a rigorous workload and a need for family partnership to support students who are behind grade level. "We want students to be very motivated to engage deeply in the learning," Kelly said as she summarized the flyer language.
Board members and staff debated phrasing. One board member suggested using "effort‑driven" in addition to or instead of "rigorous" to avoid creating a perception that PCIA is an "alternative" school or only for high‑achieving students. Jennifer and other instructors emphasized that many students who succeed at PCIA start below grade level but do so because they are willing to work and participate in small‑group, discussion‑based classes. "If you are willing to put in the work, you have the support," staff said.
The discussion covered curriculum pacing (dual‑credit versus high‑school versions of classes), the limited ability of a small school to offer broad remedial class schedules, and the need to be transparent about homework and attendance expectations. Staff noted outreach already underway to bring middle‑school students into PCIA experiences ("owl for a day" visits and TA opportunities) so prospective students and families can see what the environment is like.
The board asked administration to continue word‑smithing the flyer with instructor input, to pilot multiple outreach touches with prospective students, and to make clear the supports available (tier‑2 myPath interventions, special education services) while preserving high expectations.
The PCIA recruitment and messaging discussion began at SEG 1420 and continued through SEG 1660.
