Highbridge parents have brought an important reform to the education of children - and it is set to become a citywide program under the tentative contract that the city and the teachers union announced Oct. 3.

The lead teacher program, which began in Highbridge schools after an intensive campaign waged by Highbridge parents and community leaders, would become an important new strategy to help improve education citywide under the new contract. The contract, if ratified, also includes a 15 percent wage increase over the next four years in return for teachers working slightly longer school days and giving up some seniority rights, among other things.

The lead teacher program puts experienced teachers in classrooms with less experienced colleagues, allowing them to mentor those teachers. They give them tips on organizing their classrooms, setting up classroom resources and using effective teaching techniques.

There are 36 lead teachers in 10 schools in District 9, which includes Highbridge. The lead teachers are paid $10,000 above their regular salaries to take on the role. The program cost $1.6 million this year.

"We have achieved an amazing feat," said Ocynthia Williams, one of the parent leaders who helped craft the lead teachers approach. "Our organizing strategy worked so well, we were able to successfully change policy citywide. And I don't think any other community group has been able to do that over school reform in the last 40 years."

The parents and community leaders called themselves the Community Collaborative for District 9 Schools (CC9) as they began to vigorously pursue a "Platform for Justice," which included the lead teacher idea. They met with city and union officials, aggressively pushing their idea. The group has since become the Community Collaborative for Bronx Schools (CCB).

The teachers union had wanted to create a "master teacher" position similar to the lead teacher position for some time, but Highbridge parents ultimately made it happen, said Vincent Gaglione, the Bronx Borough representative of the United Federation of Teachers.

"If the parents of CC9 had not created the parental and community pressure for trying to create the program in the District 9 schools, I don't think anybody would have paid attention to the idea," Gaglione said. "I give them a great deal of credit."

"Clearly when a community comes together and they recognize the need for professional development and support for their teachers, it's very important," said Irma Zardoya, superintendent of Region 1 schools, which includes District 9. "And I think the chancellor was very happy to see that action and engagement."

The success will encourage continued organizing efforts to improve local schools, Williams said. The community appears poised to play a role in new efforts to improve collaboration between families and schools. Both Gaglione and Zardoya said they were working on efforts to do that. The union envisions a "center for change" where parents would be encouraged to participate in schools and the city is focusing on developing the "family school collaborative."

"We have to keep working for the long haul," Williams said. "But I think we should be so pleased with ourselves."