Most recently employed as principal of West Carroll Primary School, an elementary school located in Savanna, Illinois, Andrew Jordan has a history of success as an administrator. Along with helping to raise test scores by 20 percent, principal Andrew Jordan implemented teacher peer observations and programs such as PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) and Genius Hour.

Genius Hour is a unique way to engage students in the classroom that developed through an idea borrowed from the corporate world. Tech-giant Google is famous for its 20-time projects, where it encourages employees to devote 20 percent of their work time to individual pet projects, including anything they are passionate about. Some of Google’s top features (Gmail, Google News, etc.) developed as a result of these projects.

In the school system, Genius Hour employs a similar idea, encouraging students to pursue projects that they are passionate about by providing a set amount of time for them to work on these projects during school. Sometimes also called “Passion Pursuit,” Genius Hour allows students to research and develop ideas, eventually producing results to share with their classmates and teachers. Genius Hour projects encourage socialization with fellow students and teachers, experts, and members of the community, and are a way to promote a sense of purpose and student-designed learning.