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Website (and selected media) related to the John Lewis School

Community School Model

Along the journey to transform the John Lewis School (pseudonym), the notion of becoming a community school became increasingly central. Community schools address the needs, interests, and aspirations of the whole child. They are places where students, their families, community agencies, teachers, administrators and staff work together to provide support for all stakeholders. This video tells the story of how John Lewis has become a community school from the perspectives of the John Lewis staff, administrators, students, parents, and University of Landover (pseudonym) faculty. Their reflections can inform other schools seeking to collaborate with the communities they serve. (8:05)

Curriculum Design

When the John Lewis School (pseudonym) and the University began their partnership in 2015, a major aspect of the transformation plan was to redesign curricula in every department, at every level. By utilizing research, professional learning focused on curriculum writing, the Understanding by Design (UbD; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005) framework, and teachers working as coaches, John Lewis took on a multi-year endeavor to write, implement, reflect, and then revise curricula that puts students at the center of learning while also increasing rigor. In this video, several John Lewis teachers, coaches, and the Chief Academic Officer describe their curriculum development process and candidly reflect on the experience. (8:56)

Family Group

As part of an approach to students’ social-emotional well-being, the John Lewis School (pseudonym) implemented the Family Group structure into the daily schedule. Family Group is a 30-minute daily period where the same 10-12 students meet with the same two teachers, called “Carents,” all year and every year during their time at East. (6:05)

Teacher Leaders

The John Lewis School (pseudonym) uses a leadership model that empowers teachers to create curricula, instruction & assessments. The partnership created unique opportunities for teachers to be leaders within their school, which has been critical to the success of East's revitalization. (6:56)

Research Literature related to the John Lewis School

From the MSAMP Project

Choppin, J., Al, S., Li, J., Wilkes, C. E., & Calleros, E. D. (2025, May). Developing a visual model to represent the implementation of an ambitious mathematics program. In Frontiers in Education (Vol. 10, p. 1579921). Frontiers Media SA. DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1579921
Choppin, J., & Green, C. (2024). Tensions and alignment between simultaneous implementations of an ambitious mathematics program and Understanding by Design. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 8(2), n2.

Choppin, J., Green, C., & Zahner, W. (2024). Demands, tensions, and resources when implementing ambitious mathematics. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 32. DOI: 10.14507/epaa.32.8098

Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) and Leadership, Mission, and Vision

Conn, A. M., Nelms, S., & Marsh, V. (2020). Creating a culture of care. Educational Leadership, 78(2), 58-63.
Larson, J., & Nelms, S. (2023). Collaborating for equity in urban education: Comprehensive reform in an innovative university/school partnership. Urban Education, 58(10), 2346-2377. DOI: 10.1177/00420859211017976

Marsh, V. L. (2022). Fighting inequities of design: A conversation with Shaun Nelms. Voices in Urban Education, 50(2). DOI: 10.33682/aw7n-u5h0

Marsh, V. L., & Nelms, S. (2020). How student voice transformed East High. Educational Leadership, 77(6), 60-70.
Marsh, V. L., Nelms, S. C., Peyre, S., & Larson, J. (2022). How a university and a school district made change together. Phi Delta Kappan, 104(2), 37-43. DOI: 10.1177/00317217221130632

Academics - Literacies

Larson, J., Duret, E., & Atkins, G. (2022). Doing and being hip-hop in school: Best. Class. Ever. Teachers College Press.

Larson, J., Duret, E., Rees, J., & Anderson, J. (2021). Challenging the autonomous wall: Literacy work in an urban high school. Journal of Literacy Research, 53(2), 174-195. DOI: 10.1177/1086296X211009279
Larson, J., Morris, T., & Shaw, K. (2019). Sarcasm as pedagogy of love: Exploring ironic speech acts in an urban high school English classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 63(2), 169-177. DOI: 10.1002/jaal.967
Marsh, V. L., Lammers, J. C., & Conroy, E. (2021). Students as change-makers: Five steps to advocacy research. English Journal, 111(2), 58-65.
Kinloch, V., Larson, J., Orellanna, M.J., & Lewis, C. (2016). Literacy, equity, and imagination: Researching with/in communities. Literacy Research: Theory, Method, and Practice, 1-19. DOI: 10.1177/2381336916661541

Extracurricular Activities

Cole, C. L., Vasalos, K., Nicandri, G., Apt, C., Osterling, E., Ferrara, Z., … & Rizzone, K. (2020). Use of Fitbit data to evaluate the effects of an athletic performance and injury prevention training program on daily physical levels in underrepresented minority female high school athletes: A prospective study. Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, 4(2), 370-376. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7643901/

Mathematics Curricula

The following curricula were designed to support ambitious math instruction. They were used at John Lewis during the EPO project (2014-2024) and were the basis for the Lesson Plans on this site.

Connected Mathematics

Lappan, G., Phillips, E.D., Fey, J.T., & Friel, S.N. (2018). Connected Mathematics 3 (Student and Teacher Editions). Savvas Learning Company.
Phillips, E.D., Lappan, G., Fey, J.T., Friel, S.N., Slanger-Grant, Y., & Edson, A.J. (2025). Connected Mathematics 4 (Student and Teacher Editions). Lab-Aids.

Core-Plus Mathematics

Hirsch, C., Fey, J.T., Hart, E., Schoen, H., & Watkins, A. (2015). Core-Plus Mathematics Contemporary Mathematics in Context CCSS Edition (Student and Teacher Editions). McGraw Hill Education.

Transition to College Mathematics and Statistics

Hirsch, C., Hart, E., Watkins, A., & Ritsema, B. (2016). Transition to College Mathematics and Statistics (Student and Teacher Editions). McGraw Hill Education.

Academic References from the Model

The following sources were referenced either in the model or this website. Many were also used in the planning of the John Lewis - EPO project (2014-2024).

Berger, R., Strasser, D., & Woodfin, L. (2021). Management in the active classroom. EL Education.
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academies Press.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (2005). Making human beings human: Bioecological perspectives on human development. Sage.
Cohen, E.G., & Lotan, R.A. (2014). Designing groupwork: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom, 3rd edition. Teachers College Press.
James-Wilson, S. (2020). A vision for culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy (CRRP) at John Lewis high school. Catalyst Research and Development.
McTighe, J., & Wiggins, G. (2007). Schooling by design: Mission, action, and achievement. ASCD.
Ryan, R. & & Deci, E. (2000) Self determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development and well being. American Psychologist, 55(1) 58-78.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University.
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. ASCD.

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