Educators, who have had plenty to commiserate about recently in the face of shrinking budgets and staffs, may be lacking for some good news as of late. And although it is our responsibility to report any unsavory developments that arise within any of the Valley’s many given school districts, we also reserve space in these pages for the many successful and heartwarming developments and initiatives taking place on campuses throughout the county.
Something that should come as welcome news for many educators, and the community at large, is the recent announcement that two local elementary schools have been recognized by the state as 2012 California Distinguished Schools – McCabe Elementary School and Margaret Hedrick Elementary School.
And in the case of Hedrick School in El Centro, the state recognition in late March was quickly followed by a Title I Academic Achievement Award this week. As the principal at Hedrick School was quick to note, the achievements can be attributed to the collective efforts of teachers, administrators, parents and the students themselves.
Considering that Hedrick School has a large population of second-language learners and special education students, the honors are all the more noteworthy. To be eligible for the Title I award, schools have to have a growth in Academic Performance Index scores that is above the median score for the school’s grade type. The median API growth for 2011 was 806, while Hedrick had a growth of 855.
At McCabe School, the peace-builder and language arts intervention program earned it the Distinguished School title, school officials said. Again, as no surprise, the principal there as well noted the importance of working in unison on behalf of the students.
Yet, McCabe’s achievement also deserves kudos for drawing attention to the merits of character building in students. The peace-builder program does just that, as it promotes honor and integrity through various exercises and activities.
The awards should be taken as positive signs that teachers and administrators remain devoted as ever to providing students with a quality education, in spite of the myriad obstacles that they must confront along the way. More importantly, the awards also reveal that the students themselves are just as committed to succeed in the face of adversity.
THE ISSUE: Two local elementary schools receive state recognition.
WE SAY: Collective efforts are at heart of school achievement.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
Something that should come as welcome news for many educators, and the community at large, is the recent announcement that two local elementary schools have been recognized by the state as 2012 California Distinguished Schools – McCabe Elementary School and Margaret Hedrick Elementary School.
And in the case of Hedrick School in El Centro, the state recognition in late March was quickly followed by a Title I Academic Achievement Award this week. As the principal at Hedrick School was quick to note, the achievements can be attributed to the collective efforts of teachers, administrators, parents and the students themselves.
Considering that Hedrick School has a large population of second-language learners and special education students, the honors are all the more noteworthy. To be eligible for the Title I award, schools have to have a growth in Academic Performance Index scores that is above the median score for the school’s grade type. The median API growth for 2011 was 806, while Hedrick had a growth of 855.
At McCabe School, the peace-builder and language arts intervention program earned it the Distinguished School title, school officials said. Again, as no surprise, the principal there as well noted the importance of working in unison on behalf of the students.
Yet, McCabe’s achievement also deserves kudos for drawing attention to the merits of character building in students. The peace-builder program does just that, as it promotes honor and integrity through various exercises and activities.
The awards should be taken as positive signs that teachers and administrators remain devoted as ever to providing students with a quality education, in spite of the myriad obstacles that they must confront along the way. More importantly, the awards also reveal that the students themselves are just as committed to succeed in the face of adversity.
THE ISSUE: Two local elementary schools receive state recognition.
WE SAY: Collective efforts are at heart of school achievement.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?Send us your thoughts on this topic to www.ivpressonline.com/letterstotheeditor
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