Melissa Hankins, Assistant Principal & AVID Administrator, Albemarle High School
What has been the most challenging aspect of becoming an administrator?
I’m an introvert, so for me, being an administrator has challenged that aspect of my personality since administrators are always in demand from lending an ear for a student, staff member, or parent, to resolving issues or conflicts that arise.
In what new ways do you support student learning?
This year at AHS we are focusing on instruction which incorporates more WICOR strategies. WICOR stands for Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading, and these strategies serve to increase instructional rigor and student engagement. WICOR strategies are foundational components to our Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, whose mission is to eliminate the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success.
What are you doing to engage the community at your school?
Most recently Albemarle High School sponsored an Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Symposium in which we invited HBCU community members to serve on a panel to discuss their expertise with HBCU. This event exemplifies the partnerships with community that we need to foster in order to support all of our learners.
Most recently Albemarle High School sponsored an Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Symposium in which we invited HBCU community members to serve on a panel to discuss their expertise with HBCU. This event exemplifies the partnerships with community that we need to foster in order to support all of our learners.
How will you respect your school’s history and culture while making the decisions necessary to educate young people for their future?
Albemarle High School has a history, culture, and reputation of high academic, athletic, and arts achievements, and we demonstrate respect for those traditions by continuing to set the bar high for expectations as we prepare all students for success in college and the workforce in the 21st century. We are adapting our learning spaces, providing increased professional development for digital resources to support instruction, and focusing on P-based (project, passion, performance) learning, all in support of maximizing student learning and achievement.
For the next few weeks, to learn about the transition out of the classroom, Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Meet Your Educator profiles will feature new administrators.
