Junior Academy explores colleges students experience higher ed

“Our idea is to expose students early and often to the benefits and opportunities of higher education,” said principal Sonya Murray, Sonya Murray". Courtesy of Confluence Connections, Fall 2011 (click the link).

Confluence Academy-Old North is highlighted on KSDK TV

"Even during a voluntary summer school session students are full of energy and ready to learn at Confluence Academy.  Sonya Murray is principal of the Old North Campus, one of three locations where students in kindergarten through eighth grade, spend time tackling the basics and beyond.

Confluence Preparatory Academy for high school students is in the heart of downtown.  It has a new gymnasium under construction on top of the building". Courtesy of KSDK TV

Click the link below to watch a KSDK video highlighting Confluence Academy-Old North:

Sonya Murray is principal of the Old North Campus, one of three locations where students in kindergarten through eighth grade, spend time tackling the basics and beyond". 

Data-driven Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Goals at Confluence Academy-Old North

The administrators, teachers, and support staff take data-driven strategies seriously. We have our Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) state achievement data analyzed and interpreted as soon as the results are released by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary in August of the new school year. We also analyze the classroom-based data collected by our teachers throughout the school year. Our instruction and assessment decisions are driven by the outcomes of data analysis and interpretation.

I was motivated to take student data seriously after I read the following document in 2001:

“Better data helps you make better decisions. Better decisions yield better results andthat is the new bottom line for school systems. School systems can’t afford to make educated guesses anymore.” Eric Smith, Superintendent of the Charlotte–Mecklenburg School District (CMS) in Charlotte, N.C. (click the link)

Welcome

Welcome to Sonya Murray's blog. I'm a veteran educator. I've been a teacher, instructional coordinator, district administrator, and principal in Normandy School District. I'm currently the Principal of Confluence Academy-Old North campus in St. Louis.

I'm a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration candidate at the University
of St. Louis, Missouri. I've K-8, principal, and superintendent certifications from the state of Missouri.

I am currently the Principal of Confluence Academy-Old North Charter School in St. Louis, Missouri. Our school has made substantial improvement on Missouri Assessment Program state achievement test in the past four years due to the following reasons among many:

1. Dedicated, hardworking, and loyal teachers and staff.
2. Strong parental involvement through parent association.
3. Outstanding students in terms of behavior, attendance, and quest for excellence
4. Supportive school district administrators
5. Standards-based, data-driven, and technology-guided curriculum, instruction, and assessment goals to raise students learning and performance outcomes.