NASHVILLE, TN — On Monday, Jan. 30, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten continued her “Raise the Bar: Lead the World” tour by traveling to Valor Collegiate Academies in Nashville to discuss ways the campus — three schools serving grades 5 through 12—can continue to promote academic excellence and prepare its students for global competitiveness. She will tour all three schools and hold student and parent roundtables.
Todd Dickson, founder and CEO of Valor Collegiate Academies, as well as other Valor school leaders, will join Deputy Secretary Marten.
During the Valor visit, Deputy Secretary Marten will learn about Valor’s “Compass” model, which focuses on comprehensive human development to support academics and improve learning conditions, and “Circle,” a core part of the Compass model. “Circle” is a weekly practice that brings students and educators together to advance personal growth to allow students to thrive in their academics and lives. Valor also will share learnings from its newer wraparound services model, “Compass Care,” which is supported, in part, by the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The program is designed to combat chronic absenteeism and mental and emotional health challenges.
Later, Deputy Secretary Marten, joined by Nashville Mayor John Cooper and Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Adrienne Battle, also will tour McMurray Middle School and visit its Peace Center. Following the tour, Deputy Secretary Marten and Mayor Cooper will hold a press gaggle.
The “Raise the Bar” tour kicked off last week in Mesa, Arizona at Mesa Public Schools, and comes on the heels of U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona’s recent major address, “Raise the Bar: Lead the World,” where he laid out the U.S. Department of Education’s vision, his continued priorities to promote academic excellence and prepare for global competitiveness, and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring states, school districts, and schools have the support they need to prepare students for the 21st century global economy. The tour will continue in other states, which will be announced later.
