Guest Post by Joshua P. Starr

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A Year at Mission Hill gives us an in-depth look at what appears to be a fine school that has been given the freedom to operate a little differently. The question for many watching this series will be: "Why can't every school be like this?" The answer is that they can -- but only if we are willing to ask ourselves how to achieve the right balance between district expectations and school autonomy.

What Mission Hill is using as the foundation for its success are the keys to success for any school: Strong leaders that empower a great staff; innovation in the classroom; high expectations and quick interventions; collaboration and accountability among the staff; and true engagement with parents and the community.

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