Let’s Teach….But Remember the Context.

Sergio Garcia, principal of Artesia High School in the ABC Unified District in Los Angeles County, says he tells his teachers: “Let’s try to teach.” But, he adds, “let’s remember the context.” That context, Garcia says, is that many of his students are watching younger brothers and sisters at home in small houses with no designated place to study. In this episode of ExtraOrdinary Districts in Extraordinary Times, we hear how Garcia has spent his time making sure his school community is getting fed, getting wired, and staying socially distanced while ensuring that students continue to feel connected to teachers and counselors. But he is already thinking about how to ensure his students get caught up once school starts again — whenever that is. To read more about Artesia High School, read Chapter 1 of Schools that Succeed (Harvard Education Press, 2017).