Manzano Named GRAD Partnership Spotlight School

The GRAD Partnership is a collaborative effort of nine organizations, working with districts and schools nationwide to empower them to graduate all students ready for the future.

The GRAD Partnership is joining with schools and communities to create a national movement that taps into the power of predictive data, personalized support, and evidence-based practices to meet the needs of every student. 

After a long period of consultation and engagement with partners, the GRAD Partnership develops a definition of Student Success Systems. 

"Given the work that Manzano has undertaken during their pilot year, we are pleased to name Manzano High School as our first GRAD Partnership Spotlight School," Patricia Balana, the Managing Director of the GRAD Partnership, wrote in a letter to Manzano Principal Rachel Vigil and her team.

After spending time at Manzano recently, Balana wrote, "It was an uplifting experience for our team, many of whom have worked with schools and districts for many years. We were honored to witness the work firsthand and delighted to meet with students, educators, and community groups, all clearly working together and so creatively in pursuit of student success."

What Does This Mean for Manzano? 

Manzano will be highlighted as a GRAD Partnership Spotlight School on their website and cited in some ongoing outreach efforts to other school communities. This will include a short video from school leaders describing the system and efforts to continuously improve.

Manzano will also be a connection point for other schools and part of the GRAD Partnership Spotlight Schools network. The school will be shared and spotlighted with national partners and organizations.

Why Manzano High School? 

Manzano engaged in the Finish the Job project supported by the AT&T Aspire Foundation during the 2021-2022 school year.

Eight APS staff members (Rachel Vigil, San Juan Mendoza, Jessica Dinsmore, Elgenia Stark, Michael Mendoza, Debbie Medina, Chris Welsh, and Melissa Johns) earned certification as an Early Warning Systems Coordinator from the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. 

During this project, Manzano was identified as an exemplary site for designing an Early Warning System based on engagement and level of implementation during the project as well as positive impacts on student outcomes by Talent Development Secondary, the organization which facilitated the Finish the Job and certification projects.