Career Shawn Arévalo McCollough

1 career

1.1 nogales unified school district
1.2 greene county school district
1.3 maricopa county regional school district
1.4 gainesville elementary school

career

before leading american board certification of teacher excellence, mccollough served public schools administrator. began career classroom teacher , worked way through ranks being superintendent. according mccollough, “it takes hard work, commitment, , accountability... no 1 reform fit problems, 1 thing see district district, school school, need leadership. featured in cage busting leadership, 2013 book frederick hess, mccollough quoted in chapter “the chicago way” saying, “ultimately, need leaders willing stand in fire , fight know morally right kids, families, , communities.”

nogales unified school district

mccollough served superintendent of nogales unified school district in arizona. joined district in july 2008, , during tenure, u.s. secretary of education arne duncan called mccollough “the next generation of leadership going lead country need go.”

mccollough implemented aggressive reorganization. faced millions in budget cuts, able utilize dramatic restructuring , attrition, in order save jobs. mccollough cut $7 million annual budget without layoffs redeploying central-office staff positions working directly students , families. in editorial changes being implemented mccollough, writer recalls having conversation mccollough when local businessman interrupted introduce himself nusd no. 1 schools superintendent. don’t let up, told him. don’t down. ” in may 2009, school board extended mccollough s contract through june 2012.

mccollough applied use of measurable achievement targets led 90 percent of schools make adequate yearly progress (ayp) , 80 percent of schools increasing test scores. implementing clinical approach curriculum, instruction, , assessment, teachers given objectives , provided support lead tremendous gains in student achievement. nusd students raised scores in 17 of 21 areas dramatic gains in7th grade math , 5th grade reading, 13 percent more students passed or exceeded standard. approach led sustainable growth in student achievement. nusd put effect open enrollment policy included accepting students other districts, , mccollough attributed continued growth in test scores increasing student enrollment.

in vote of confidence teachers , staff, city of nogales voted 70 percent approve tax override nusd, school officials declared resounding victory.

in february 2011, board unanimously agreed accept mccollough’s resignation. left nusd lead american board in washington, dc. school board “named steve zimmerman interim superintendent march 7 until june 20, giving board time recruit , fill position on permanent basis.”

greene county school district

in 2006, unanimous decision school board, mccollough named superintendent of greene county school district in greensboro, georgia. state’s youngest , first hispanic superintendent.

in october 2007, mccollough named georgia trend magazine 1 of top 40 under 40 leaders, no excuses approach in fixing “problems plague school districts.” district in crisis, struggling of lowest test scores in georgia , had come under sanction state department of education because of multi-million dollar deficit. mccollough established accountability targets , slashed spending.

in february, 2008, greene county board of education voted unanimously approve precedent setting single gender plan, divide boys , girls separate gender academies, in order combat chronic low test scores , teen pregnancy rates. mccollough stated need immediate change “raise test scores , graduation rates.” in cnn interview mccollough said, “our kids in state of crisis , our school district has reformed if re going save them , them across finish line.” after community resistance, 2 school board members reversed positions , lobbied against proposed gender changes—several weeks later school board revised proposed plan.

after leading district out of probation, building budget surplus, , implementing standards-based curriculum resulted in district’s highest test scores, mccollough accepted offer lead nogales unified school district in arizona.

maricopa county regional school district

mccollough became superintendent of maricopa county regional school district in arizona in july 2005. small inner-city school district in downtown phoenix area serves high-poverty, minority students, many of whom immigrants. during year in district, mccollough reorganized personnel , reduced staffing expenses $1.2 million, , established grant writing department raised more $2.7 million , foundation raised in excess of $500,000 in private , corporate donations.

gainesville elementary school

in 2003, mccollough named principal of gainesville elementary school in gainesville, georgia. during 2004 republican national convention acceptance speech, president george w. bush recognized high-poverty, hispanic school , mccollough’s efforts: “in northeast georgia, gainesville elementary school hispanic , 90% poor — , year 90% of students passed state tests in reading , math. principal expresses philosophy of school way: ‘we don t focus on can t @ school; focus on can do. whatever takes kids across finish line.’ principal challenging soft bigotry of low expectations, , spirit of our education reform, , commitment of our country: no dejaremos ningún niño atrás.” new york times declared “gainesville elementary school , principal real.”

u.s. secretary of education margaret spellings cited gainesville elementary school’s efforts in “overcoming language , cultural barriers families involved, , more 100 home visits , dozens of parent workshops. secretary said mccollough “warrior our kids.” second time in less year mccollough’s work had been recognized u.s. secretary of education. rod paige had commended school during annual back-to-school address @ national press club.

during mccollough’s tenure, gainesville elementary awarded distinction of nasa explorer school in 2004, , designated national high flying school national youth-at-risk conference in 2005.