Reflections Magazine Issue #79 - Fall 2013 | Page 21

Feature Article

“The staff that was here, their idea
of instruction and my idea of instruction
were very different.”
Almost immediately, Decker decided
that Bracken would become a “magnet”
school—one that remains a free public
school but has a focused theme and
aligned curriculum. Magnet schools
use an approach to learning that is inquiry- or performance/project-based,
and do not have entrance criteria; students are chosen from a blind lotterybased system.

Because of the shift to more of a science, technology, arts, engineering and
mathematics (STEAM) curriculum, she
required all of her existing teachers to
re-apply for their jobs.
“Everyone interviewed for their positions,” Decker said. “I looked for teachers
with science backgrounds. Those were
my first picks for interviewing.”
As a result of these sudden, drastic
changes, she was met with “Decker Must
Go” picket signs by her own teachers and
some parents.
“It was a great first year,” Decker said,
sarcastically. “Sometimes you just have
to give people time. But my heart was in
the right place.”
And those weren’t the only changes.
She established new community partnerships, created vision and mission
statements, blanketed her drab, almostwindowless school building with creative
and colorful murals and instituted other
features that rival some theme parks.
“Our school looks more like Disneyland than a school,” Decker said. “We
get our results by having fun.”
Some of the “fun” features include a
yearly school garden project, an outdoor
chess board, desert habitat, outdoor
labs—even a mascot. All lessons and
homework are posted online. Decker
said she is constantly surveying her
students, teachers and parents to make
“innovative” data-driven decisions.
The results have been nothing short
of remarkable. Bracken is now one of
the top schools in the state. It received
High Achievement status from the state
of Nevada for Adequate Yearly Progress
and ranked among the top 5 percent of
all schools in the district.

“We wanted to get better results, so
we all needed to know what we’re doing,”
she said. “Whatever we chose to do, we
vote on it and decide. And once it’s decided, it was my job to ensure everyone
would do it with integrity.”
When Decker began as principal, the
school had only a 5.6 percent proficiency
rate in mathematics; today, Bracken is
the sixth highest math performer of the
approximately 230 schools in the Clark
County district. In November, Decker
traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive
a National Blue Ribbon Award—only
one of three Nevada schools to earn
the honor.
“Direct instruction is such a tiny
piece,” Decker said. “Participation is
what gets them through. We help (students) figure out what’s going on in
their heads.”
Not surprisingly, Decker is not on
the sidelines as a cheerleader in the dayto-day educational process.
“I teach every day,” she said. “I go in
the classrooms. I am their coach and I
am their helper. … If you are a teacher,
then you are always a teacher.”
She said Siena Heights—especially
the late Sister Eileen Rice—helped instill those teaching values in her.
“I adored (Sister Eileen),” Decker
said, getting emotional. “I would love
to be even half of what she was. We used
to joke that she never slept. She was
probably one of the bigger influential
people in my life.”
Beginning her 24th year in the Las
Vegas educational system, Decker said
she is where she is supposed to be.
“Las Vegas is one of the greatest
locations,” she said. “There’s no snow
days here.”
And it’s full “STEAM” ahead at Bracken Academy.
“The things we do, we made up,”
Decker said. “We’re showing our community what a school can be.” u

Reflections Fall ’13 | 21