When fifth-year principal Claudia Olaciregui talks about the array of programs and services at San Martin Gwinn Environmental Science Academy, her face lights up with joy and genuine belief that there is no better school for students and families.
“I love my school,” said Olaciregui as she sat in the principal’s office of the new administration building and Llagas Road entranceway into Morgan Hill Unified School District’s southernmost campus. “My school is a beautiful school and this is a beautiful, wonderful community. We’ve improved in academics and our bilingual program.”
When the 2018-19 school year kicks off Aug. 16 for MHUSD’s 13 elementary, middle and high schools, SMG will enter its first year with classes from kindergarten through eighth grade. There are 688 students enrolled, including 180 middle school students. On staff, only five of SMG’s 28 teachers are new to the school this year. For its dual immersion program, the school employs four visiting, biliterate teachers from Mexico. They also have three bilingual aides on staff to help in the classrooms.
“This year we will have our first promotion (ceremony) to high school, so that’s exciting,” said Olaciregui, who has been steward for the changes at SMG, from becoming a K-8 site to transitioning to a magnet school with an environmental science focus to expanding its dual immersion program.
“Most of our kids chose to stay (through middle school). Trust takes time,” added Olaciregui, who catered to her middle school students’ requests to have school athletic teams, changing classes with different subject teachers, and an elective wheel that includes robotics, theater, college and career readiness and advanced Spanish.
Olaciregui’s glow gets even brighter as she details the afterschool programs she’s instituted, such as Enrichment and Intervention, Folkloric Dance, Drums Club and Mariachis.
“We are very proud of looking at a holistic approach to our students’ education,” said Olaciregui, praising the strong home and school club involvement that has fundraised for a music program that culminates with a spring community concert at the Morgan Hill Downtown Amphitheater.
Two seventh-grade SMG students received scholarships, sponsored by the local American Association of University Women, to participate in the Stanford University STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Summer Camp. The school recently received a silver recognition from the California PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Coalition for its intervention and support systems, according to Olaciregui.
“The kids, they’re like my own 688 kids. I probably know 95 percent of them by name and look forward to meeting the new kindergartners and their families,” Olaciregui said. “I can’t wait to see the little people back in here. A school without kids isn’t nearly as fun.”
Led by Olaciregui, the school prides itself on having continued parent and community involvement with different events, fundraisers and activities throughout the year. This year, Morgan Hill Bible Church donated 250 backpacks to the school, some packed with supplies. In addition, the Bookmobile Summer Program fed more than 50 families who attended twice-weekly sessions with different presenters.
SMG started as one of two K-8 focus academies in the district in he 2016-17 school year, the other being Jackson Academy of Math and Music. The Charter School of Morgan Hill, which is authorized through MHUSD, is also a K-8 site.
