MontrealNewsSuspect in Amqui, Que. pedestrian deaths charged; police identify victimsBy Daniel J. Rowe and Joe LofaroPublished: March 14, 2023 at 9:01AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Encore sous le choc des événements de cet après-midi à Amqui Mes plus sincères condoléances aux familles des victimes C’est toute une communauté qui est touchée et qui devra guérir de blessures parfois inapaisables The Jingle Bell Junction at Amqui Station Farmers Market is Sunday This family-friendly event will feature local artisans and makers Subscribe for FREE and get the newest restaurants and fun things to do in your inbox each week Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This article was published more than 2 years ago Police officers investigate the scene of a fatal hit and run on March 14 2023 in Amqui Quebec.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press Two people are dead and nine are injured after a pickup truck drove into pedestrians along a downtown road in Amqui turned himself in to provincial police and was arrested on suspicion of committing a fatal hit and run Media reports say authorities have identified the driver as Steeve Gagnon said investigators are still trying to determine whether the driver was acting deliberately He said the charges against the driver could change in light of new information said late Monday evening the accused was facing murder charges in connection with the deaths the investigation tends to show that the collision was a voluntary act committed by the suspect,” St-Pierre said late Monday evening Dorion said the police investigation suggests the driver swerved from one side of the road to the other over a “certain distance” to hit victims who were chosen at random and who range in age from less than one year to 77 The injured include two children – one who is less than one year old and another who is about three – who were both seriously hurt but whose lives are not in danger Alain Gilbert, a trucker who witnessed the aftermath while driving nearby, described seeing victims spread over a distance of hundreds of metres in the town, which is located about 350 kilometres northeast of Quebec City A spokesperson for the regional health board confirmed a Code Orange had been declared at the Amqui hospital This normally indicates a disaster situation drove himself to a provincial police station Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier François Legault extended their sympathies to residents in Twitter posts on Monday “As we learn more about the tragic events that have taken place I’m keeping everyone affected in my thoughts And to the first responders: Thank you for acting quickly the Member of the National Assembly for the region said on Twitter that the population would need “comfort and support.” “This quiet community is shaken by this tragedy,” he wrote Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following I write about the politics and culture of Canada’s second-largest province My work often looks at how history shapes current events Feel free to contact me in either of the country’s official languages Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions President Donald Trump is planning to put a '100% tariff' on movies produced outside of America Erica Natividad with how this may impact Canada's closely tied industry The family of an Ontario man who died in a correctional facility in 2016 is calling out the provincial government for failing to act on recommendations made in an inquest into his death an Anishinaabe (Algonquin) community member during a rally Monday at Montreal's Cabot Square to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls preparing for a first meeting with the U.S and some say simply getting America to agree to a framework for negotiations going forward is the goal President Donald Trump is planning to put a ‘100% tariff’ on movies produced outside of America Erica Natividad with how this may impact Canada’s closely tied industry and we need it now,” said Naomee James during a rally Monday at Montreal’s Cabot Square to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls The Quebec Liberal party held its only English-language leadership debate on Sunday at John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue “Entirely unfair both to the unhoused persons and to the STM,” said David Chapman of Resilience Montreal as the STM lifts its temporary loitering ban in Montreal’s metro system 11 high school lacrosse players in New York have been charged over an alleged hazing incident involving five younger teammates Laura Aguierre looks at the disturbing allegations and the role the suspects’ ages might play in what happens next and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices — Quebec Premier François Legault promised to boost mental health services in the province as he visited the town where two people were killed Monday and nine injured when a pickup truck crashed into pedestrians Joined by opposition leaders and other politicians Thursday he said the tragedy had prompted soul-searching on what more can be done to prevent a repeat me first of all,” he told reporters after the visit He said the province “has to do more” for mental health “It’s not always easy because people have to accept to go get help,” he added a man drove a truck down one of Amqui’s main streets allegedly hitting several groups of pedestrians in what police have described as an intentional act and walked down the street where the men were killed He also added a bouquet of white flowers to a memorial to the victims Several in the crowd told the premier they knew someone who was hurt or killed in the crash and some said it was their first time venturing out to the streets since the tragedy Legault spoke to Gérald Charest’s brother He struggled to describe his pain but urged the premier to do more to ensure people get mental health treatment Another man told Legault that he was almost hit by the speeding pickup truck on Monday “You owe her big time,” the premier told the man “I owe her my whole life,” the man replied Legault encouraged people to “stay strong,” to support the survivors and to seek help if they need it all of Quebec is Amqui,” he told the news conference Legault told reporters that violent incidents allegedly linked to poor mental health are rising all over the world including ensuring mental health services are offered locally in small towns He said one of the biggest obstacles to improving services is recruitment because many positions go unfilled and personnel can’t be trained quickly He said mental health professionals would remain in Amqui over the next days and weeks to ensure citizens who need help won’t have to drive to the bigger city of Rimouski is facing two counts of dangerous driving causing death and prosecutors have said more charges will follow The prosecutor in the case told reporters on Tuesday that no mental health assessment had been requested for Gagnon Simon Labelle said the accused has a “presumption of aptitude” and said that he had no reason to believe Gagnon was not mentally fit to stand trial While Legault told people to support each other in their mourning reclaim the downtown and gradually return to normal life “Madness can’t triumph over hope,” he said “We have to be able to rediscover the joy of living.” Police have said those injured in the crash range in age from less than a year old to 77 Two people were still in critical condition as of Thursday morning This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 16 A Canadian man arrested on vacation has been proven innocent Melissa Nakhavoly with why he is still being held in the Dominican Republic Warmer temperatures but showers are expected on-and-off for the next few days Meteorologist Natasha Ramsahai has your seven-day forecast Ontario Premier Doug Ford calls on Prime Minister Mark Carney to prioritize a list of projects including the proposed Highway 401 tunnel a mentally ill man who was killed in an Ontario prison is calling out the provincial government over the lack of correctional reform listen to NewsRadio Toronto live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts weather and video from CityNews Toronto anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices A preliminary hearing for a Quebec man charged with killing three people with his truck has been postponed until January 2024 A spokesperson for the province’s prosecutions office says the request was made by Steeve Gagnon’s lawyer on Tuesday is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and nine counts of attempted murder in connection with the alleged attack on March 13 in Amqui about 350 kilometres northeast of Quebec City A truck drove into several groups of pedestrians on a main street in the town in what police have described as an intentional act Gagnon turned himself in after the alleged attack which claimed the lives of three people: Gérald Charest A three-day preliminary hearing had been scheduled to begin on Sept but the prosecutors office says the hearing will now start Jan Police officers investigate the scene in Amqui The driver of a pickup truck that killed two people and injured six others in the eastern Quebec town of Amqui acted deliberately and with premeditation running down victims who ranged in age from a baby to a 77-year-old police said Tuesday.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press The driver of a pickup truck who police allege deliberately drove into 11 pedestrians on a sidewalk in Amqui has been charged with dangerous driving causing death as the tight-knit Quebec community mourns and looks for answers did not speak during his appearance at the local courthouse on Tuesday He will remain detained until his next appearance on April 5 said his client understood the two charges against him The Crown said more charges will follow once prosecutors receive all the evidence from police The two victims who have died were identified by provincial police as Gérald Charest Authorities fear for the lives of three other seriously injured victims Among the six other injured pedestrians were two small children one of them less than a year old and the other about 3 said Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Sergeant Claude Doiron The children’s injuries were not considered life-threatening a crumpled baby stroller could be seen off the side of the road behind police tape It’s the second time this year in Quebec that a vehicle was used in an apparently random attack – after a fatal and allegedly deliberate bus crash at a Laval daycare in February – prompting a discussion among politicians about how to prevent such tragedies Gagnon allegedly drove his truck onto the sidewalk of Saint-Benoit Boulevard in downtown Amqui a town of 6,000 about 400 kilometres northeast of Quebec City He continued to strike pedestrians for several hundred metres and apparently chose his alleged victims at random They ranged in age from less than one to 77 The driver turned himself in to police shortly after Quebec provincial police said earlier they believe the suspect acted deliberately and with premeditation Resident Jean-François Gagnon (no relation) witnessed the carnage when he arrived at the site of the alleged attack near the hotel he co-owns there was someone being resuscitated – he died – there were people all around screaming there were ambulances everywhere,” he said was a “nice man” who was recently retired and liked going for walks with his partner Gagnon was booed and heckled by a small group of protesters as he arrived at the local courthouse Politicians gathered at the scene of the tragedy to offer words of support to the town on Tuesday “Amqui is a community that is crying,” said Pascal Bérubé who represents the region in the provincial legislature Mayor Sylvie Blanchette urged residents to seek mental health support “But there will be a tomorrow and there will be a day after tomorrow.“ Public Security Minister François Bonnardel said his government would not consider imposing restrictions on driver’s licences for certain mentally ill people after he had floated the idea earlier in the day “This murderous madness is hard to prevent,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday and then tomorrow morning someone can decide once again to get into a car The tragedy happened less than six weeks after two young children were killed when a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval The 51-year-old bus driver is facing first-degree murder charges in that alleged attack said in a press conference that the province must consider all possible solutions to such attacks but that’s twice that such gratuitous violence has cost lives.” The driver of a pickup truck that killed two people and injured nine others in the Quebec town of Amqui was charged with dangerous driving causing death on Tuesday after police said he deliberately drove into pedestrians chosen at random A small group of residents showed up to boo and heckle as 38-year-old Steeve Gagnon was led in handcuffs into the courthouse in Amqui bearded man wearing glasses and a grey T-shirt — did not speak in court said his client understood the two charges against him and asked the judge to waive the requirement that a bail hearing be held within three days Crown prosecutor Simon Blanchette said more charges would undoubtedly follow once all the evidence is gathered "The police investigation isn’t finished at the moment and there’s a large number of witnesses who still need to be met more information that needs to be collected," he told reporters outside the courtroom there will be other charges brought when the investigation finishes." and Gagnon will remain detained until then Quebec provincial police said earlier they believe the suspect's alleged actions on Monday afternoon were premeditated Claude Doiron told reporters near the scene that the investigation suggests the driver swerved from one side of the road to the other over a considerable distance to hit victims who ranged in age from a baby to 77 years old "We're talking about pedestrians who were walking all along the (road) Doiron could not say whether the suspect knew any of the victims adding that it's not clear what the suspect's state of mind was at the time of the crash The injured include two children — one who is less than one year old and another who is about three were airlifted to a hospital in Quebec City the hospital issued a statement saying the two children had been released but four other patients remained in hospital Another injured victim remained in hospital in Amqui in stable condition said he witnessed the panicked moments that followed the tragedy A shaken Morin told reporters on Tuesday he couldn't get the image of one of the victims out of his head as residents ran to the aid of the victims He recalled sitting next to a woman dressed in pink and asking her name as others helped the two young children The suspect turned himself in to police shortly after the Monday afternoon collisions and Doiron said he was co-operating well with authorities Blanchette said Gagnon had been charged with impaired driving several years ago but was not a "criminalized" individual The tragedy comes less than six weeks after two young children were killed when a driver crashed a city bus into a daycare in Laval François Bonnardel said Tuesday that it's too soon to say what motivated the Amqui driver or whether the two suspects had anything in common He said the government will try to learn lessons to help prevent future tragedies but that it’s hard to fully eliminate all possibility of an isolated attack “This murderous folly is hard to prevent,” he said at a press conference Quebec Premier François Legault announced that the flag atop the legislature would be lowered to half-mast on Wednesday and that he would visit Amqui on Thursday along with the leaders of the major opposition parties Kristina Michaud the local Bloc Québécois MP who is from Amqui described the town of 6,000 as a peaceful place where everybody knows everyone else who said her own mother regularly walks the road where the crash happened it was several people we knew (who were affected) "The whole community wishes it were just a bad dream." This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 14 — The Quebec man charged after a pickup truck plowed into pedestrians last month is now facing three counts of first-degree murder According to charges outlined in an arrest warrant filed Tuesday at the courthouse in Amqui Steeve Gagnon also faces nine counts of attempted murder a truck hit several groups of pedestrians on a main street in Amqui in what police have described as an intentional act was facing two counts of dangerous driving causing death but the prosecutor had indicated more charges were expected Three men were killed in the crash: Gérald Charest Charest and Lafrenière were killed the day of the crash while Bourget died several days later in a Quebec City hospital The truck hit 11 people ranging in age from less than a year old to 77 who has been in custody since the incident This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4 Police investigating if incident was deliberate and say there is no further danger in the town of Amqui north of Quebec City Two men have died and nine other pedestrians were injured in Canada Quebec police spokesperson Helene St Pierre said a 38-year-old man had been arrested and investigators were looking into whether the incident in the town of Amqui Canada“Everything indicates that this is an isolated event,” she said “There is no more danger in the area and only one suspect.” Provincial police told the Guardian that the man is being held at a local police station and is speaking to officers The cause of the crash or any motive has not yet been determined The incident occurred shortly after 3pm in Amqui’s downtown. Two of the injured are in serious condition. A spokesperson for the regional health board told The Canadian Press that a code orange had been issued at the Amqui hospital, indicating a scenario with multiple casualties. According to reports from journalists in Quebec planes to transport victims to hospital in Quebec City had arrived around 9pm Witnesses told local media a truck hit several people on a sidewalk then continued for another 400 to 500 metres along the road that the scene of the incident was one of “desolation” Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter that his heart was with the people of Amqui I’m keeping everyone affected in my thoughts,” he said Canadian Minister of Public Safety Marco Mendicino tweeted that he was “shocked and saddened” by the events and called the incident a “horrific act of violence” Agence France-Presse contributed to this report “We love you – and there is nothing you can do about it.”   That message greets students at Amqui Elementary School every single day during morning announcements immediately setting the tone for a day of supportive learning in a caring environment Amqui, located in the Hunters Lane cluster in the northeastern part of Davidson County, is a place where teachers and staff believe all students are capable of excellence. Because it’s a School of Innovation teachers and staff have focused student growth around getting to know and supporting each student while also creating meaningful “When you walk the hallways during any given school day you’ll see students on task and engaged in classroom instruction,” says LaToya Cobb Cobb attributes the school’s positive culture and climate for the nearly 430 students to two primary factors: dedicated staff members and the school’s Village system which splits students and staff into five smaller communities “When I first came to Amqui and met with the team I knew we wanted to engage our students in a new way,” Cobb says “We knew then that if students were happy and connected to school they would have a greater chance of finding success.”   One way Amqui guarantees Every Student is Known is by individualizing student learning through the Village system The system encourages intentional collaboration and community by assigning students and teachers of all grade levels to one of five different villages “It takes a village to raise a child,” these smaller learning communities meet monthly and dive into individual student interests and needs This encourages relationship-building among students and teachers and celebrates exceptional student achievements Students also receive targeted small-group instruction throughout the day to ensure they master key academic skills and state standards “Our Village system really helps us build sustainable community,” says Cobb “We know that a child not embraced by its village will burn it down to feel its warmth and these smaller teams help give students an even greater sense of belonging strengthening their connection to our school.”  Students and teachers are not the only ones who enjoy the smaller learning communities Cobb surveys families often throughout the school year and nearly all families agree: They are happy their student attends Amqui The school earned a Level 5 Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) score in 2019 the highest score available for the state assessment that measures yearly student growth They were also named a Model of Demonstration school by the state of Tennessee “Everyone who comes into Amqui can feel our positive environment and we’re very proud of that,” Cobb says “It’s the best-kept secret in Madison We embrace our community; we have high expectations; and everyone works together to be excellent on purpose – that’s our goal.”    sharing histories and celebrating their unique offerings Read previous features on the Celebration of Schools page. The Amqui Station Holiday Farmers Market is Sunday This event will feature holiday gift shopping (WTVF) — A handful of kids got the chance to leave their mark on their school Amqui Elementary in Madison has a new mural where a small group of kids got to help share life lessons for current and future students The kids had the help of the artist C3 to create the mural "This whole entire project is called 'Spoken Graffiti' and after the shooting at Covenant School we really really wanted to do something to show the power that lies in school but take away from that because school shootings have been happening," Project Manager Karimah Taylor said The are murals at two other schools aside from Amqui: Warner and Madison To see what the kids helped come up with watch the video above Rebecca: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/a2/d9/fb69982545c59e9836fbe80fe431/rebecca-recommends.png Carrie: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/2e/72/be0f23854c54a228c9d6138c9847/carrie-recommends-header.png Ben: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/df/c4/19fa7c504480938f39a431e3b276/ben-recommends-header.png Rhori: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/5b/25/a224d13d47739165c92b94e643db/rhori-recommends-header.png Lelan: https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/af/54/833bf879454097a398bd44f723de/lelan-recommends.png I'm not sure there is a story that's brought a bigger smile to our faces than this one celebrating Ms The story of her service during World War II is amazing in itself — she is a true Rosie the Riveter What was also amazing was to see was how an entire community turned out to celebrate her MNPS staff and students still need support Metro Nashville Public Schools celebrated a range of state accountability designations based on the 2021-2022 school year at a press conference Monday at Amqui Elementary School Amqui and Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School advanced from their state-designated priority status and are both now considered reward schools While the former designation indicates that a school is performing among the bottom 5 percent in the state the latter indicates those with a high state rating and/or high levels of performance The designations take into account student test scores because this is what we've worked hard for,” Amqui principal Latoya Cobb tells the Scene “We're excited to get to this point where like we said the best is yet to come,” says Warner principal Ricki Gibbs McMurray Middle and Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary also exited priority status MNPS still has 19 priority schools — including one charter school — though Director of Schools Adrienne Battle noted that “for the first time ever MNPS has fewer priority schools than the last time the list was run.” Priority schools receive targeted support from the district While previously priority statuses were designated for a three-year period 48 MNPS schools have been designated as reward schools — the highest number ever Battle also shared that MNPS has been designated by the state as an “advancing” district — the second-highest district-level rating through the state’s accountability protocol which considers similar metrics that lead to reward schools designations “These pay increases were overdue and needed and how could you run a successful school system without that?" said Cooper we are able to say we are on a path for success." This is particularly the case with students of color those who are economically disadvantaged and those who are English language learners MNPS reward schools are listed on the district's website Email notifications are only sent once a day Exploring sustainability efforts at Neuhoff District Germantown’s adaptive reuse project puts the river front and center Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: — all the third and fourth graders at Nashville’s Amqui Elementary School in Madison this afternoon They also talked about the importance of good manners Couch said he spoke with the students about celebrating their differences and not teasing classmates about things they have no control over like their names or whether they need glasses He shared with them the importance of reading and his belief that if you learn to read well you can learn anything " I have a third grader at home so I am familiar with this age group and what they’re into," Couch said "I received the invitation from Amqui Librarian Susan Lapp who I met last year when she was the librarian at Charlotte Park Elementary in West Nashville." Couch said he's speaking at Charlotte Park on Friday for Read Across America Week Madison's historic Amqui Station and Visitor Center had its dream of a walking trail come true "The walking trail was something that he got really excited about," said Amqui Executive Director Cate Hamiltion "This is something that can really benefit not only Madison but what we consider the greater Madison area whoever would like to come up to this site." Daniel Sutherland of Troop 157 was thinking of Eagle Project ideas when Barrett Mohrmann executive director of the Boy Scouts' Cherokee District The Discover Madison board of directors has discussed having a trail for several years and was happy to have Sutherland take the lead on the project With help from facility manager Rick Pharris and his troop's scoutmaster whatever you think would look good,'" Sutherland said for the design of the trail made of crush and run gravel bordered by timber The path also has a few benches and four flower beds "Daniel very cognizant of what would fit in on our site how we use our property for different types of programs and events throughout the year," Hamilton said the project took Sutherland about one year to complete actually going out there and working was really easy compared to everything else," Sutherland said Jarvis Sign Company helped with the project and even created a replica of the Amqui sign as the original has seen wear and tear 'Oh I did that; that was me,'" Sutherland said The Amqui Station has another connection to Hendersonville famed musician and train enthusiast Johnny Cash had the station moved from Madison to Hendersonville the station was donated back to Madison and relocated in 2006 to the property Sutherland was also a fan of trains as a boy "It's fitting that his Eagle Project is at a train station but also pretty neat that the train station went from Madison to Hendersonville back to Madison," said his mother "It's been parts of both of our communities." Reach Jen Todd at 615-806-2124 or on Twitter @jentoddwrites Amqui Elementary School teacher Jennifer Figueredo tries to keep her tone steady as her frustration with third-grader Kameron Tuttle grows More: How to improve literacy scores: Trust teachers, make reading relevant he tells her when he gets a wrong answer on a reading test “Never say that again,” she whispers to the boy “Never say you’re too stupid.” Figueredo faces the task of helping struggling students like Kameron grow their reading levels and boost their confidence That task is especially hard in a school like Amqui in Madison where more students are economically disadvantaged the school doesn’t have a school nurse and substitute teachers are hard to find Teachers like Figueredo sometimes feel as if they are also the students’ parents More: For the High family, education is in their blood More: Nashville city leaders vow to double third-grade literacy rate through community-wide effort only 1 in 3 third-grade students leave the year with the ability to read at the state designated grade level according to 2014-15 TCAP assessment data only 43 percent of students during that same time period headed into the fourth grade proficient readers And educators say a student’s socioeconomic status the amount of time spent on instruction in the classroom and the quality of parental engagement are all crucial factors in boosting literacy and student achievement look just 23 miles away to Granbery Elementary School where each class has a room mom and the PTO raises tens of thousands of dollars each year Granbery sits on the southern edge of Nashville and is one of the district's top academic performers The school has low numbers of economically disadvantaged students and high diversity Granbery third-grade teacher Andrea Davis has no trouble building her students’ confidence Parents are extremely involved inside and outside the classroom her students are greeted with a lesson or are required to read a book ‘I just got to the good part in the Harry Potter series,’” she said About 64 percent Granbery students leave third grade on reading level Tennessee education leaders are vowing to boost the state's rate to 75 percent by 2025. Nashville civic, education, nonprofit and philanthropic leaders want to double the district's rate by 2025 Without the appropriate literacy skills at a young age students have a harder time succeeding later in school graduating and even earning a higher lifetime income It’s a setback that can cause higher rates of incarceration and affect a city’s economy “We as a society will pay,” said Barbara Stengel a Vanderbilt University expert in teaching white or purple kid that knows how to read it means they have the potential to be productive If Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Shawn Joseph doesn’t succeed it will have major consequences for the district's youth and the city It's why Joseph in his first year emphasized literacy across the district He introduced tests that can compare Nashville's progress to national efforts provided literacy training and created goals to identify a student's individual needs "Our thoughts are really about creating a literacy-rich environment from birth and into schools," Joseph said To gauge the challenges at hand for Joseph and his administration The Tennessean spent the 2016-17 school year in two third-grade classrooms at Amqui and Granbery elementary schools Amqui teachers would face distractions and low parental involvement – all roadblocks to helping students learn  Granbery has fewer taxpayer resources but intense pressure of keeping its diverse students on track the goal is the same: Get students reading on grade level in a district that consistently has fallen behind the majority of the state Amqui Principal Lance High paces to the school’s front office on a late September day is coming from a routine morning visit to classrooms “We don’t have enough substitutes to teach,” the second-year principal said with a heavy sigh there are no substitute teachers in the building for the sixth day in a row One unexpected mishap — a missing substitute teacher a school evacuation or a student absence — can derail a scheduled reading lesson it seems there are more mishaps than High and his staff can handle It's a different story for High's older brother He knows he is the face of a school where appearances matter “It’s up to us to maintain the reputation of this school,” he said prunes bushes and plants flowers — all in an effort to maintain the school’s curb appeal It’s an element that makes Granbery desirable for parents and employees we have an unfair advantage here,” Chad High said about attracting personnel — whether they are substitutes or teachers Not everyone is going to want to go to Amqui and deal with the challenges there.” He knows missing one substitute to cover for an absent teacher has a ripple effect No teacher and no substitute means the students are split among different third-grade classrooms Extra kids swell a classroom from 20 students to more than 30 “It’s a day without reading instruction at a high level," Lance High said Amqui’s troubles stem from a shortage of substitute teachers across the district temporary replacements to his school is also an issue of perception they tell people they’re never coming back,” he said “They immediately write you off because there are so many other schools that need them.” Academic test scores are below most other schools in Nashville and across Tennessee Amqui’s scores on the state TCAP standardized test put it in the bottom 10 percent of Tennessee schools in terms of academic achievement with 5 percent of the school’s more than 500 students facing suspensions at some point none of its more than 700 students were suspended Lance High was appointed Amqui’s principal for the 2015-16 school year to help boost achievement but he was also a first-year principal with little experience in a high-need Title I school — schools that receive more funds because they serve more students who are in poverty.  Along with the high number of economically disadvantaged students It’s unclear how much progress Amqui has made under Lance High’s guidance because statewide assessments for elementary school students were canceled in the spring of 2016 The 2016-17 state TNReady results were released Wednesday Thirty-four percent of Tennessee students grades 3-8 read on level on this more rigorous standardized assessment School and district TNReady data isn't available yet Lance High is sure of his school's progress “There was nowhere to go but up,” he said 31, has a sinus infection and an ulcer in her cornea near the start of the school year She stayed up all night but that isn’t stopping her from making it to class Her primary concern is figuring out how to “rock” the eyepatch so her third-graders think it's cool Being up all night dealing with a health issue isn’t ideal — especially at critical early days of the year when Davis wants to build a routine and classroom rhythm “The first nine weeks is teaching them how to be third-graders,” Davis said “You have to repeat over and over so they can eventually learn.” The majority of her classroom and the school’s kids score high on the state’s TCAP standardized reading assessment There are personal challenges for the kids and Davis Davis' father is diagnosed with a brain tumor “We have needs,” Principal Chad High said We have socio-economic needs.”   About 74 percent of Amqui's students are considered economically disadvantaged in the 2015-16 school year That doesn’t mean some students aren’t behind at Granbery especially those who don't speak English at home Chad High said his job is to bring awareness to that group “There is a huge misperception that we are all white,” Chad High said The idea is especially prevalent because the school borders near Brentwood Aidan Pittman grins proudly as he carries off his haul from the Edmondson Pike Branch of the Nashville Public Library In hand: "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and the "Sea of Monsters." “They all love to read,” Olivia Pittman said of her bookworm son Aidan and two twin daughters “I started to read to them when they were babies and they’ve always been around books.” Pittman’s involvement with her kids extends past the library She is the PTA president at Granbery and sometimes walks her kids to school Time spent on a child’s education is crucial for their development and reinforces school instruction a Vanderbilt University professor of special education “In the absence of family involvement there is a kind of chasm that sometimes occurs,” Fuchs said Pittman is involved in almost every aspect of coordinating parent activities and fundraising Chad High jokes she needs Granbery office hours “The teachers really depend on us for the financial element at the school,” Pittman said “We have a lot of parent involvement and everyone pitches in whether it is collecting Box Tops (for Education) or fundraising.” a figure $1,500 lower than what Amqui receives per child gifts for teachers and school improvements “We would be hurting without our PTA I went to a meeting with a $20,000 wish list and they completed it,” Chad High said Inside the drab Archwood Meadows complex one early morning Corey Murphy readies his son Cortez Murphy and his girlfriend’s second-grade son for school Cortez is a third-grade student in Figueredo's Amqui classroom.  The glow of the television lights the sparsely decorated white walls while the half-awake boys watch an episode of “Teen Titans.”  “Do y’all want some eggs?” Murphy asks the pair the boys ride the bus because Murphy needs to arrive early at Nordstrom Grill where he works The traffic-filled commute is across the city in Green Hills Mondays and Tuesdays are the only days Murphy can take them to school Murphy and the boys moved into the Archwood Meadows complex about a mile from Amqui with his girlfriend a few months into the school year Cortez was at Buena Vista Elementary School before the move and Murphy said discipline issues at the school were a distraction for his son Cortez entered into the classroom reading behind the majority of his classmates “He’s good at math but struggles with reading,” Murphy said of his son While the PTO fundraising is a financial plus for Granbery the real benefit is the parents in the building who aid teachers day to day “They are constantly in the classroom “They really do make our school go 'round we wouldn’t have as many resources.” parents are in the hallways decorating bricks awarded to students for reading books and taking tests Students earn points for the tests and a spot on the school’s Accelerated Reader program “Wall of Fame.” Aidan earned 185.6 points and has a DragonVale-themed brick around the corner from Davis’ classroom DragonVale is a smartphone game based around raising dragons Kids and parents take pride in the “Wall of Fame” achievement while decorating her son’s Harry Potter-themed brick “We make sure the school is providing the right opportunities and enrichment so the kids can be their best,” Sturgis said Not every parent at Amqui has the time they crave for their kids He is able to sometimes rearrange his schedule to watch his boys play football or help them with homework Many parents work longer hours at jobs with schedules that are too demanding or inflexible Tonya Lewis is one of the few presences in Figueredo’s classroom throughout the year She is the aunt of student Sha’Maria Thompson and her sister is a manager at an area McDonald's "There have been times where she has had to take my niece with her to work A 9-year-old needs to be outside playing," Lewis said The tough work schedules of Amqui parents are a constant concern for teachers all of the school’s third-grade educators huddle in a room Despite getting more tax dollars than Granbery the group said there are rarely enough resources to address student needs What the teachers really want is more parental involvement “Our parents are so overwhelmed with life that it is hard for them to be here,” said Daryl Wilkinson “It’s hard for them to participate.” As they gather together they think of ideas to get parents into the school One: create a reading program that opens up the library during the summer similar to the Accelerated Reading program at Granbery something must happen to boost student literacy rates Reading ability starts at an early age and is built over years “The 15 minutes a night of reading in third grade is great but when you’re working with a deficiency of not having exposure to language early — that whole thing of trying to get around the track in one year — it will never be enough.” Amqui and Granbery principals and third-grade teachers face challenges throughout the year to improve reading skills But one thing is clear: The frequency of those challenges — the lack of substitutes for instance — for Amqui makes the job that much harder for Lance High and his team Every educator in the building said they are up to the challenge Though Lance High departed at the end of the school year to Smith Springs Elementary in southern Nashville he said it was because of the long commute “Something had to give,” he said of the struggle to balance work and family life She undergoes chemotherapy for breast cancer in the first semester — she is now in remission.  Her family of students help her get through the toughest parts and they are excited when she loses her hair “They were big cheerleaders,” Figueredo said When days are calm and there is little worry of upcoming assessments — a constant concern for educators at a school near the bottom academically in the state — Figueredo gives pep talks to students or teaches them what she said are her fun lessons One is on “How to Eat Fried Worms” and includes a taste test of sauces on hot dogs cut into worm-sized strips such as a February morning when a student in third-grade teacher Sharon Enlow’s classroom throws up An exodus into Figueredo’s classroom across the hall ensues The moment is just one of many that eats away at minutes dedicated to teaching kids reading — let alone extra lessons that could boost their skills “You’re not missing anything,” Figueredo said looking out at the crowded room after the throw-up incident “I can’t teach with 50 kids in my classroom.” begins an early-May day with a lesson in cursive writing Writing script isn’t a requirement for her third-graders yet but she wants her students to get ahead on next year “The pressure is on at Granbery because they come to you so high for the most part,” Davis said rustle papers or slide their across the white tile Figueredo rarely has the time to start instruction first thing in the morning or think about next year asks them about their night and feeds them breakfast Reach Jason Gonzales at jagonzales@tennessean.com and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales The Tennessean spent the 2016-17 school year in two Nashville classrooms to gauge the challenges teachers and the community face in boosting literacy Junior High — not a school — was a Metro Nashville Public Schools principal for 31 years Two of his sons have followed in his footsteps “One thing that we have always done as a family is include our kids in the work,” High said “They were always a part of the process.” 35 — are the middle and youngest of Junior High’s children mannerisms such as how they talk with their hands Chad and Lance High are also as different as the schools they headed in the 2016-17 school year Chad High headed Granbery Elementary Lance High last year worked at Amqui Elementary but just moved to Smith Springs Elementary in South Nashville for an easier commute and more family time More: The literacy gap: How 2 Nashville schools are worlds apart in getting kids to read “He is very calm and a very even-keeled person,” Junior High said He has a lot of confidence in knowing who he is.” “He is also very precise and very organized,” the father said ► Amqui Elementary School is at 319 Anderson Lane, a stone’s throw from Gallatin Pike and surrounded by small cottages A little more than 500 students are enrolled at the school and the majority of those students are black and Hispanic The school has about 171 English-language learning students with all but a few whose first language is Spanish ► Granbery Elementary School is at 5501 Hill Road a short drive away from Old Hickory Boulevard and surrounded by ranch-style homes on large 1-acre lots About 700 students are at the school and the majority of its students are white But the school is also extremely diverse, with more than 30 languages spoken in the building.