On Monday’s season premiere of Ellen, they highlighted an amazing principal and her school in Las Vegas. The thing that I appreciated most was the focus was not on discussing test scores or academics necessarily, but on meeting the very basic needs of children. It was so refreshing to see a principal and her staff that understands until we meet the physical and emotional needs of children we aren’t going to raise their test scores. And seriously, who cares about test scores when 85% of her students are living in poverty. Instead of talking about another program, initiative, or staff professional development.. the Whitney Elementary School staff talks about helping students and their families with the very things most of us take for granted. When the principal talked about making sure all her students had Christmas presents and a birthday cake and a roof over their heads, etc. I was so proud to be a teacher! Thanks, Ellen for spotlighting an educator with her priorities in the right place!