February 10, 2006
O'Connell Announces California's 2006 Model Middle Schools
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell announced today the names of four middle schools designated as California's 2006 Schools To Watch—Taking Center Stage model middle schools. All of the models have replicable practices in academic excellence, responsiveness to the developmental needs of young adolescents, fair and equitable education for all students, and organizational processes and procedures that foster and sustain academic growth.
"It is a pleasure to congratulate these outstanding middle schools and to designate them as California's 2006 Schools To Watch—Taking Center Stage model middle schools," said O'Connell. "This year our designated schools are geographically spread out from one end of the state to the other and represent the rich diversity of learners in California."
California's Schools To Watch—Taking Center Stage program is a collaborative endeavor of nine organizations that form the California Middle Grades Alliance: the California League of Middle Schools, the Association of California School Administrators, the California School Boards Association, the California Teachers Association, the California Middle Grades Partnership Network, the Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee of the California County Superintendents Educational Association, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), and the California Department of Education.
"California has some of the finest schools in America, but it also has some schools that face difficult challenges. The model middle schools designated under this collaborative program not only educate their own students well but have accepted the responsibility of helping other schools. That makes these four schools doubly commendable."
This year's designees are:
- Gaspar De Portola Middle School, San Diego City Schools, San Diego, San Diego County, Principal Elizabeth Gillingham;
- R. H. Dana Middle School, Wiseburn School District, Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, Principal Matthew Wunder;
- McKinleyville Middle School, McKinleyville Union School District, McKinleyville, Humboldt County, Principal Douglas Oliveira, and
- Toby Johnson Middle School, Elk Grove Unified School District, Elk Grove, Sacramento County, Principal Patrick S. McDougall.
Formal recognition will be given to the model schools, which join 10 other schools selected in previous cycles, at the annual California League of Middle Schools Conference in San Jose, March 9-12. There, the four schools will be given their first opportunity to showcase themselves and network with other middle schools from around the state.
As part of the designation process, schools submitted an application and completed a self-assessment last fall; each site was visited by a review team during January. Implementation of the recommendations and guidance given in California's middle grades handbook, Taking Center Stage, were some of the primary factors considered during the application process.
The minimum eligibility criteria for this year's designees was to have attained a 2004 Base Academic Performance Index (API) of at least 696 (the state's median API in 2004 for middle schools) or meet all API growth targets for the previous three years. In addition to these indicators of academic growth, the schools conducted an extensive self-study, completed a narrative application, and hosted a visitation team to their site. Designated models have strong articulated practices for diverse student populations that other middle schools can replicate.
A virtual tour of all previously designated model middle schools is available at California League of Middle Schools [http://www.clms.net] (Outside Source). Schools were selected as model schools exemplifying the criteria for a high-performing middle school developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. They also reflect the principles of Taking Center Stage: A Commitment to Standards-Based Education for California's Middle Grade Students.
The California League of Middle Schools is the lead organization for the program. California is one of 15 states working with the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform to select model middle schools. Additional information about the National Forum may be obtained at The National Forum - To Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform [http://www.mgforum.org/] (Outside Source).
