Shiron Posley
by Patricia O'Flynn Pattillo
"My mother said, 'You always said you were going to be a principal,'" our honoree shared. While many children waver from one interest to another, even until college years, some children know as early as toddlers exactly what they want to become. Such was the case for Our Treasure, Our Jewel, this week, Shiron Posley the newly appointed principal of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School, located on King Drive, with the African American Immersion Charter Program.
Now, six months on the job, she eagerly immerses herself and the staff in all of the curriculum and nuances of the African American Immersion concepts. They will soon be attending a six-week course at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, led by Dr. William Rogers, who also headmaster’s the "For the Sake of Aaron" Mentoring Project that the MCJ spotlighted this year.
The 100 Black Men, national/international brotherhood of professional Black men, initiated the Mentoring projects over ten years ago to support the African American male child in striving for academic excellence. Dr. Rogers took the mentoring a step farther by creating an extracurricular program that teaches "What Is A Man" with a weekly, systematic, lesson plan that layers the concepts of respect, restraint, responsibility, reclamation, reorganization, and redemption.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. African American Immersion School has been the incubator for the chronicling of these theories in the Milwaukee Public School Charter/Choice Initiative and Mrs. Posley is the captain who is charting the immersion projectives through the educational mainstream. Coming to her new setting, after over twenty-two years in the MPS system, she is not a neophyte to the challenges of inner city teaching, nor a beginner in innovating and leading her staff to new vistas of mutual achievement.
Shiron Posley attended the Historically Black Tougaloo College, in Tougaloo, Mississippi that continues to be a producer of superb teachers, throughout the United States. She continued her education at National Louis University in Evanston, Illinois, with a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, in 1993, and completed her Administration Certification at Concordia University in Mequon, Wisconsin in 2000.
Her appreciation for the classroom teaching experience is supported by her thirteen years, in various grades, at Hopkins Street School. She was assigned to an Assistant Principalship at Grantosa Elementary School, were she performed from 1998 until her interim assignment to the Dr. King School, in December 2006. However, she was the Summer School Principal at Thirty-Fifth Street School, Sixty-Fifth Street School and Cooper Elementary School. In short, her multiple experiences as teacher and administrator before coming to Dr. King School, prepared her to actuate the mission of the immersion concepts.
"The Immersion curriculum is designed to support the culture of the students and address the problems inherent within the inner city community. We openly celebrate the culture of our students," she continued. We begin our day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag and we Pledge to the African American flag. We have many songs of encouragement, which are designed to motivate them, daily. Regardless of what they have seen, heard, had to overcome, that morning, the songs bring them all to a common place of mutual respect and determination to overcome the shortfalls."
Excited about the many things that make Dr. King School rewarding, Mrs. Posley shares, "Our teachers work like a family here. Every teacher’s subjects, programs and classrooms are viewed as a unit, for lack of a better word, a family, unified in what they set out to accomplish. They put in long hours. Many are here at 6:30 a.m. and leave at 6:30 p.m. and later. They buy supplies, help dress the children. They go far beyond the expected but they love the children and are determined to do whatever it takes.
"When you enter our classrooms, there is no question about what kind of school you are entering. African American portraits, achievements, profiles, etc. line our halls and classrooms. Most of the children become very familiar with many African American leaders and academic giants before they even enter the first grade. Our teachers are K-4 to Eighth Grade, they share plans, collaborate, once a month, determining how they will mutually focus on areas of interests and levels of skills so there is cohesive units with broad overlap yet no duplication."
She spoke about the after-school projects that are as important as those during regular school hours. Statistics bear out the importance of making the learning experience significantly more than the 8 to 3 schedule, instead, "we encourage a learning style that continues 24/7," Mrs. Posley said.
Basketball always has strong participation, each day that the weather permits, yet a growing number of youngsters, male and female, are opting for other learning experiences. There is a special interest in Dr. Rogers’ Male Mentoring project. His report revealed that over 35 young men participated in the program in 2006-2007 and of that group, 18 attended weekly, with almost perfect attendance.
The boys had mentors weekly, were shown in the newspaper several times, traveled to museums, parks, dining out and were on the program of the newspaper’s 31 anniversary gala, August l2, 2007. Refer to the newspaper’s web site for pictures of the young men on that day. Attendants continue to talk about the boys, their Pledge to Manhood and the leadership of little Isaiah, who was a K-4 student until September, who attended the Male Mentoring project with his older brother. He became so involved that he inspired the older boys to learn the pledge and on the night they performed Isaiah led the entire group of ten boys to the applause of the 650 plus people in attendance.
This year, the program has begun again. Many of the same boys are continuing their journey into manhood and they progress into entrepreneurial skills. They have created their own tee shirts, the saying on them and they will create funds for their futures trips, along with a monetary stipend for achievement and excellence. Other beginners are starting the curriculum that those from last year have already completed. A young women’s component is scheduled to begin under Dr. Rogers’ leadership.
"The children select their areas of interests. There are no requirements except weekly attendance, Mrs. Posley reminded. Parental support is a critical dynamic in these kinds of programs because parental permission is invariably required for trips and other exposure opportunities."
One of the school’s annual programs is the Eighth Grade Civil Rights Tour. The youngsters fly to Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, especially Atlanta and the Dr. King historical sites, by bus and car, they visit the major sites associated with the Civil Rights movement. Parents, chaperones and teachers go along on this tour. "Last year, Bill Cosby gave $8,000 toward expenses, as did many local supporters, including the Helen Bader Foundation, and 100 Black Men. The eighth graders also participate in a big camp experience in their final year at King. These incentives expose the youngsters and encourage them to continue studying, even when things are sometimes difficult."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School was holding its Fall Open House on the day of my interview and Mrs. Posley was busy putting finishing touches on an anticipated "good night" with parents coming to see what and how their children were doing. We have improved attendance but we want all of the parents to take an interest. When the children see their parents have taken the time to see their work, hear their teacher’s comments, it really makes the students proud. We teach them pride but there is no pride like a parent’s pride in what their child is learning and accomplishing," she reminded.
And who are the role models that inspire Mrs. Posley? Who makes her proud of her achievements? "My husband, Keith, my children are so supportive. I could never do this without their commitment and support, she quickly advances. And, my family. They are so important in my life. My Grandfather could not read and he lost an arm so he could not write. He had to sign with a X. I was determined, even as a youngster, to be able to teach my Grandfather to read and write. I did that, she beamed. And, my Grandmother, she’s 92-years-old and I have almost drained her of all of her knowledge. The history of the movements, how they struggled, but how they made it and supported us to be able to go to school. My Mother, she is so encouraging! I tend to gravitate to older people. They have already come through the paths I now journey. The wisdom of the elders is an integral part of my daily journey. I’m also so grateful for my Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church family, who has always been there for me in my biological family’s geographic absence," she concludes.
The Dr. King School is now accepting donations for uniforms for the children. Every child must wear a uniform to school. Pants are $8 each and shirts are $5. You can help some of these exceptional scholars by donating to the Dr. King School Uniform Fund. Or you may select to give toward the Eighth Grade Civil Rights Tour. And of course, donations for the Mentoring Project can be directed to Nirvana Ministries, care of Mr. Rogers.
Mrs. Shiron Posley you inspire us to follow you, your teachers, and the children at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School for African American Immersion. While new to this setting we are impressed with your commitment to youngsters and their culture. We wish to support you in your efforts to continue to build strong African American young men and women and we applaud what you and the staff do daily to build a stronger community.
You, Ms. Posley are our neighbor, with youngsters we have come to know and admire through their teachings under Dr. Rogers and the "For the Sake of Aaron" Mentoring Project. We salute you, the Bests of the Bests in administering the African American Immersion curriculum, designed to enforce the children’s culture and celebrate their achievement. We pledge to continue to support your efforts to the best of ability and acknowledge you A Woman, Our Treasure, Our Jewel.
