One can imagine that anyone associated with the Morgan Hill
School District – District Office personnel, administrators,
teachers, parents – and those who value public education, cringe as
each fresh controversy arises. We all know there are many good
things happening daily in our schools, but there have been some
serious problems recently that must be brought to the attention of
the public. Unfortunately, shining the light on the problems takes
the light away from the positive accomplishments.
One can imagine that anyone associated with the Morgan Hill School District – District Office personnel, administrators, teachers, parents – and those who value public education, cringe as each fresh controversy arises. We all know there are many good things happening daily in our schools, but there have been some serious problems recently that must be brought to the attention of the public. Unfortunately, shining the light on the problems takes the light away from the positive accomplishments.
Four events within the last month serve as reminders that while we continue to pursue and shed light on the district’s difficulties, we should not forget the successes of all the dedicated teachers and administrators, the classified workers who are the district’s “glue,” and the hard-working students and parents in our district.
In April, district officials released the latest scores of our English language learners on their CELDT, or California English Language Development Test, which measures student proficiency in three areas: listening/speaking, reading and writing. Scores are ranked in five tiers, from “beginning” to “early intermediate” to “intermediate” to “early advanced” and finally “advanced.”
Among 12th graders, 74 percent were considered proficient. Throughout the district, scores were higher than state and county results. Congratulations to the district on the work that has been done to improve students’ command, both written and oral, of the English language. And congratulations to the students who have applied themselves and the parents who have encouraged them.
During the same week, we also learned that Nordstrom Elementary has been named a California Distinguished School. This is the second time in the school’s history it has been so honored. The award recognizes the school’s total academic program through a competitive process in which the school must show high academic expectations for students, dedication to state standards and strong leadership. Nordstrom completed a rigorous self-assessment that includes the entire school community and underwent an on-site evaluation by local educators. Kudos to the entire Nordstrom community!
Another pat on the back for the district came with the news that, with the resumption of the state’s High School Exit Exam, more than three-fourths of the district’s sophomores passed both portions of the test. This crop of students, the Class of 2006, will be the first class required to pass the test before they can graduate.
As Pat Blanar, who is in charge of curriculum and assessment for the district, said, the 84 percent that passed are the product of their elementary and middle school experiences. There has been much effort by Live Oak to focus on literacy and on algebra for those who are struggling; no doubt we will see the fruits of those labors as the remaining 16 percent tests in the two years remaining before they graduate.
And with many years to go before they graduate, two groups of Paradise Valley Elementary students demonstrated their dedication and abilities as they participated in the 17th annual Tech Challenge, sponsored by the Tech Museum of Innovation. A team of fifth graders, calling themselves Pike’s Punks, in reference to the fish’s part in the problem they were to solve, won the grand prize in their 5th-6th grade division. The sixth-grade team, Catch of the Day, won a best design prize.
The contest involved not only building a device, but many test trials, keeping a design journal and many long hours of work over several months, in additional to their regular studies and outside activities. Congratulations to both teams, and to their parents and supporters at Paradise Valley. It is from involvement in outside projects such as these that students can explore their world and begin to think about their future.
And, of course, there are the fine accomplishments of Live Oak’s athletes and athletic programs. This spring, several teams had standout seasons.
The Acorn swim teams dominated league competition, winning every dual meet and the league finals as well. The boys volleyball team completed its second straight undefeated league season to claim the league title. The baseball team won four straight to cap the season and capture second place in league, including an automatic berth in the section playoffs. The softball team rebounded from a one-win season last year to finish third in league. The boys tennis team became the first league squad in recent memory to advance all six of its players into the league semifinals. And, the track and field team boasted several outstanding individual performances this season.
