¡Sí Se Puede! Learning from a High School That Beat the Odds

This weekend I read Úrsula Casanova's ¡Sí Se Puede! Learning from a High School that Beat the Odds. The title caught my attention because coincidentally I had just titled my pilot study with ¡Sí Se Puede! as well. One reason why I wanted to buy it was because classmates in my doctoral program have talked about wanting to see more resources about what works in regular public schools, after seeing an overemphasis on charter schools in Waiting for Superman. I was also intrigued because it shares the story of a school with a high level of success throughout the school's history (a little over 20 years).

Casanova shares the story of Cebola High School, discussing its inception, as well as how it has evolved over the years. It was interesting to read about what the district did in order to provide the first leaders of the school with a foundation of success, such as talking to the first principal, Jon Walk, close to two years before opening the school, allowing for careful planning. Casanova detailed Walk's process of planning and leading the school in its first years. She also discussed the integral role the guidance office played, lead by the first director of guidance, James Sullivan. The high level of thought that went into the initial stages of the school, set the school up for long-term success with a strong foundational vision and core values. Though the leadership and staff recognized the need for change with time in order to improve, they stuck to their original vision and core values.

Though the book was repetitive with some phrases/sentences throughout the book, it is a valuable contribution to the body of school reform literature, especially at the high school level.