Teacher Susan Osborn (photo courtesy of Great Hearts Academies)
Teacher Natalie Wynn (photo courtesy of Great Hearts Academies)
By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
For the past decade, Great Hearts Academies has welcomed Rio Salado College educator preparation students into their classrooms. In fact, Great Hearts is the largest employer of Rio’s Teacher in Residence (TIR) candidates.
At least 60 Rio alumni have taught on their campuses, and 22 who completed the Alternative Path to Certification program in special education have maintained employment after obtaining their standard teaching license.
Great Hearts Academies is a non-profit charter school management organization that operates a network of elementary, middle, and high schools in Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
“Initially, our partnership was limited to placing Rio students for field experiences or student teaching in our Traditional Post Baccalaureate program,” said Kim Tobey, Director of Rio’s Teacher Certification Programs. “The partnership has grown over the last seven years. Great Hearts employees are now using the program to meet Alt Path or TIR program requirements.”
According to Marla Babcock, Great Hearts Arizona’s Regional Director of Exceptional Student Services, the organization vetted available teacher certification programs before choosing to promote Rio’s program to its students.
“What drew us to Rio in the first place was that it’s a comprehensive program that accomplishes the task of certification, yet it is customizable,” Babcock said. “Also, it’s 100 percent online which is often necessary for our teachers, who live all over the valley and are working full-time with families and all sorts of other obligations.”
The TIR program is designed for candidates who already possess a bachelor’s degree. Through the program, students who are already employed at schools can take classes at Rio Salado College to meet teaching certification requirements.
“Great Hearts does the initial vetting of potential employees for their school sites and then, if the candidate meets the philosophical and cultural needs of the Great Hearts system, Rio Salado College will support the potential candidate through the application process with Rio Salado and with the Arizona Department of Education,” Tobey said.
Part of the Great Hearts vetting process is determining if teacher candidates meet the qualities they look for in potential teachers.
“We want candidates who are high in personal character and who display integrity, respect and understanding,” Babcock said. “We also want our teachers to communicate compassion, goodwill, and an attitude of service. By seeking those qualities, we have found the quality of Rio’s teacher candidates to be high.”
The partnership is also beneficial for Arizona as it is also helping to address the state’s teacher shortage.
“We are meeting a need in Arizona to fill the thousands of vacant positions with candidates that can be considered the teacher of record while completing their certification coursework,” Tobey said. “It’s like an apprenticeship while taking coursework.”
Rio’s partnership with Great Hearts has helped the college branch out to serve nontraditional school districts.
“The educator preparation program actively seeks to diversify the employment options and school types of our partnerships,” Tobey said. “Twenty years ago, we only worked with traditional public schools. As charter school programs have blossomed and seek to provide unique programs for K-12 students, we found it essential to branch out for our students.”
Finally, many Rio Salado students who teach for Great Hearts choose to stay with the organization.
“Although we do ask for a one-year commitment beyond the two-year program, many teachers stay beyond that,” Babcock said. “They have found a place that is different from the typical district. A place that encourages people to grow and learn from their mistakes. Relationships come first and I think they feel valued, heard, and trusted.”
Veronica Neal completed a teacher certification program at Rio Salado College in 2011. Her time in the program helped prepare her for a thriving career in special education.
After working in the Isaac Elementary and Tolleson Elementary school districts, Neal spent seven years working for Great Hearts schools thanks to its supportive working environment.
“Great Hearts is invested in your career and interests,” Neal said. “I think most people show devotion when devotion is shown to them.”