We are 'Pioneer Proud' today as our district and staff were nationally recognized at the National High Reliability Schools Summit this week in San Antonio, Texas! This is a significant achievement that places Pierz Schools among an elite group of districts nationally.
The High Reliability Schools (HRS) framework, developed by Dr. Robert Marzano, is a "gold standard" for school improvement. It is based on the idea that high-performing schools shouldn't just be "lucky"—they should be "reliable," meaning they have systems in place to ensure every student succeeds, regardless of which classroom they are in. The district was also recognized and awarded for being certified in Level 1 and Level 2 of HRS. So does does all this mean?
Here is a clear breakdown of what those specific certifications mean for the Pierz community:
The HRS Hierarchy
The framework is built like a pyramid. A school cannot effectively move to the next level until the foundation below it is rock solid.
Level 1: Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture
This is the foundation. Level 1 certification means Pierz has proven that their schools are not just physically safe, but "emotionally safe" and highly organized.
What it looks like: Staff work in "Professional Learning Communities" (PLCs) where they don't work in isolation. Instead, they constantly collaborate and use data to make sure no student falls through the cracks.
The Result: A culture where parents, students, and staff all feel that the school is a stable, welcoming, and focused environment.
Level 2: Effective Teaching in Every Classroom
While Level 1 focuses on the environment, Level 2 focuses on the instruction. This is one of the hardest levels to achieve because it requires consistency across the entire district.
What it looks like: The district has a "shared language of instruction." This means whether a student is in 3rd-grade math or 10th-grade English, the quality of teaching follows the same high-standard, research-based methods.
The Result: "Reliability" in the classroom. It ensures that a student’s success isn't dependent on which teacher they happen to get assigned to; the district guarantees high-quality teaching in every room.
What is a "Certified High Reliability Teacher"?
The staff members being honored individually have gone a step further. They have undergone a rigorous certification process to prove they personally implement these high-level strategies every single day. They serve as "model teachers" who lead their peers in maintaining these high standards.
Why This Matters for Pierz
By being awarded these certifications and being named a Model Site, Pierz is essentially being recognized as a "lighthouse" district. Other schools from across the country will now look to Pierz to learn how to:
Eliminate "random acts of improvement" and replace them with proven systems.
Ensure that school culture remains positive and collaborative.
Guarantee that teaching quality stays excellent even as staff or student populations change.
In short: It is a formal validation that Pierz Schools are operating at a level of excellence that is backed by data, not just good intentions.