CHICAGO (Better Magazine) — Years ago, when Sharanda Morehead was a teacher at LEARN Romano Butler in the Chicago neighborhood of North Lawndale, she remembers how Margaret Romano would pop into her classroom about once a week. She would say things like, “How are things going?” or “What do you need?” During the next week’s check-in, Romano often arrived with whatever they’d discussed.

Those moments remain vivid for Morehead, who is now Principal at LEARN Romano Butler, a role she has had for six years; she has been a school administrator there for 15 years.

“I think the way in which I support teachers is the same way that she supported me,” Morehead says.

Paving the Way for Student Success

At the Romano Bulter campus, 475 uniformed students are engaged in lessons. Walls include inspirational posters: “Always Believe In Yourself” and “Great Readers Make Great Leaders.” One room held rows of pianos, where students showed how they could sightread from music on the wall.

During a visit this spring, a half-dozen students shared their experiences about everything from rehearsals for The Wiz, the “Broadway in North Lawndale” production they put on in May, to eighth graders who are looking forward to events planned around their graduation and celebrating next steps toward high school.

“I’ve got mixed feelings, moving on,” says Ayzarie Boddy, 14, who is president of the student council; through this, she has channeled her design interests into creating campaign fliers. She loved the camping trip they took — “being able to bond without being on a phone.”