September 27, 2005
State Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Nominates Three
Schools to Attend High School Reinvention Symposium
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced he is nominating two Riverside County schools and one San Francisco County school to attend the High School Reinvention Symposium next month in Washington, D.C.
The schools are Canyon Springs High School in the Moreno Valley Unified School District in Moreno Valley, La Quinta High School in the Desert Sands School District in La Quinta, and Galileo Academy of Science and Technology in the San Francisco Unified School District.
"Both Canyon Springs and La Quinta High Schools have worked aggressively to develop programs that not only challenge students academically but are also designed to increase their achievement," said O'Connell. "The Galileo Academy offers its students many career pathways in biological science, environmental science, space science/aeronautics, computer science/engineering technology, and creative media technology. I nominated the schools to attend the Symposium for free because its curriculum shows great promise in providing students with challenging coursework designed to help them improve academically."
O'Connell selected the nominees based on whether the school had a proven or promising model of success, demonstrated by test scores, graduation rates, attendance, and awards in comparison with other schools with similar socioeconomic characteristics. The nominees must offer interdisciplinary programs, career technical education, magnet programs, community service, career academies, smaller learning communities, and/or student leadership. The nominees must also have a deep commitment to meeting the needs of students and providing professional development for teachers so they can provide every student with a rigorous and relevant education. O'Connell's nomination entitles the school to become part of the Successful Practices Network that will provide nominees with ongoing support, assistance, and resources to help schools to restructure into models of success.
"Our school is excited that State Superintendent Jack O'Connell has selected us for this honor and challenge," said Canyon Springs High School Principal Tammy Guzzetta. "We're proud of what brought us this recognition, including AVID, our four career academies and our special support programs. Also, membership in the Network will help us achieve our school's vision: to ensure that all students learn. It's going to help us refine the practices and improvement strategies we have already started, especially professional learning communities, teachers working collaboratively with each other to improve learning school wide."
"We are eager to begin our work with the Network that will offer us guidance and support as we continue to build upon the varied programs that we offer to ensure that all of our students are successful," said La Quinta High School Principal Donna Salazar. "I am particularly excited about receiving assistance in strengthening the two key transition years of high school, grades nine and twelve, creating personalized pathways for students, and fully implementing a rigorous and relevant curriculum across all content areas. We appreciate this opportunity that is bound to further enhance the quality of the educational experience we offer to our community."
"School today must be able to provide young people with the education and skills they need to be successful later in life," said Galileo Academy of Science and Technology Principal Margaret Chiu. "Young people must not only learn core academics, but also understand what opportunities are available to them once they graduate. By participating in the High School Reinvention Symposium, I will be able to connect with other high schools to achieve the goal of providing students the opportunities they deserve."
The Symposium will be held on October 1-3, 2005 in Washington, D.C. The attendees will hear success stories and strategies from other high schools and participate in small work groups to plan and collaborate. The Symposium is part of a five-year high school initiative sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the International Center's Successful Practices Network. The initiative is called "Models, Networks and Policies to Support and Sustain Rigor and Relevance for ALL Students." The goal of the initiative is to move schools from "promising" to "proven" models of success based on learning criteria and to articulate clearly the essential instructional practices and policies involved in that transformation. The initiative is supported financially by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For more information on the Symposium, sponsors, and research, please visit http://www.leadered.com/ (Outside Source).
