Valley View sixth graders discover ability to achieve in new support group

“In Minnesota History, I had a zero percent. Now I have almost an A- in the class,” said Andy Cortes Genis near the end of last school year. 

The Valley View Middle School (VVMS) sixth grader, now going into seventh, explained how he turned his grades around with the help and support of a group called Elite Success, which is going into its second year. It was formed by VVMS teachers Evan Ziegler, Chris Thompson and Adam Haisman after observing that some students coming into middle school post-pandemic were missing behavioral and academic skills. They pulled together a group of 22 boys in the second half of the 2023-24 school year to support them and flip behaviors and performance.

“We went through a selection process to try to reach out to those kids who were on the fence academically and behaviorally. Those kids who needed a little extra push,” said Ziegler.

The group met twice a day during advisory and study hall, giving them time, space and accountability to complete assignments. Students had incentives for all passing grades and good behavior each week. Guest speakers like Bloomington’s police chief also spoke to the boys about leadership.

“What really clicked for me in this group was that grades are more than just a letter. This is going to be a big part of going to high school. So now I try to pay attention and do my work,” said Cortes Genis.

“I think what the boys have seen is that, ‘hey, somebody cares about me. Somebody is going to keep me on track.’ They’ve stepped up and we’ve seen enough good things come out of this that we are absolutely going to continue this year with a new batch of sixth graders,” said Thompson.

Similar groups and services can be found all across the district to help students who may be performing below expectations or standards. We are proud to employ the best educators who find innovative ways during and outside the school day to provide direct support, attention and build inclusive environments so students gain the confidence and ability to dream, believe and achieve their academic and personal goals.