Teaching Video

How One Principal Transformed His School With Student-Centered Learning

March 25, 2019 3:00

When Principal Hamish Brewer came to Fred M. Lynn Middle School in 2017, the school was considered one of the most challenged in Prince William County, Va. The school had lost its accreditation. Forty percent of students at the school are English-language learners and 87 percent are low-income. But through a series of changes—both philosophical and practical—Brewer and his team are turning the school around. With a laser-focus on the needs of students—including how the school looks and feels—the school has earned back its accreditation in just over a year and a half.

Lesli A. Maxwell, Managing Editor contributed to this video.

Video

Special Education Video How This District Teaches Bilingual Students With Dyslexia
Students with dyslexia receive instruction in Spanish or English, depending on their dominant spoken language.
2:28
School & District Management Video The Enemy of Smart, Strategic Spending Decisions in K-12 Districts: Leadership Churn
The EdWeek Research Center surveyed district leaders on the barriers to long-term thinking.
Professional Development Video How One District Is Getting Secondary Teachers Up to Speed on Reading Support
A district invests in improving secondary teachers' knowledge to help students needing reading support.
1 min read
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
Jason Drakeford for Education Week
Federal Video Here’s What the Ed. Dept. Upheaval Will Mean for Schools
The Trump administration took significant steps this week toward eliminating the U.S. Department of Education.
1 min read
The U.S. Department of Education building is pictured in a double exposure on Oct. 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of Education building is pictured in a double exposure on Oct. 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Maansi Srivastava for Education Week