The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce has named Gilroy Prep Principal James Dent Educator of the Year for 2013. The honor will be presented at the Chamber’s 60th Annual Spice of Life Awards dinner on Feb 9. The Spice of Life Awards are given to recipients for their volunteerism and dedication to the Gilroy community.
“I was completely surprised,” said Dent. “It is such an honor to be recognized in the midst of so many excellent Gilroy educators. It makes me feel pretty special.”
Susan Valenta, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce president and CEO praises Dent for creating “innovative approaches to education” for students in Gilroy.
“James Dent is a remarkable educator who is producing remarkable results. It is very exciting to see how new, innovative approaches to education can help our youth achieve success.”
Dent became principal of Eliot Elementary School in 2007 and says his focus was on “closing the achievement gap for students”.
After his first year as principal, Eliot Elementary ranked as the most improved elementary school out of 389 schools for the 2007-08 school year by the Santa Clara County Department of Education. Dent took Eliot, one of the District’s lowest performing “program improvement” elementary schools in Gilroy Unified School District, to an Advanced Placement Index (API) score of 836. By 2010, Eliot became one of the highest performing elementary schools in GUSD.
Dent is the co-founder and current principal of Gilroy Prep School, a charter school located on I.O.O.F. Avenue in Gilroy. The umbrella organization for Gilroy Prep is a charter management organization called Navigator Schools. Navigator’s goal is to spread successful learning models and narrow the achievement gap by establishing additional charter schools in up to eight other cities.
According to Dent, it was GUSD Trustee Tom Bundros who alerted the Navigator team to the academic success Sixth Street Prep was experiencing in Victorville California.
“We (the Navigator team) went down to Sixth Street Prep and learned what they were doing that worked and brought some of their methods back with us. Now we (GPS) have schools and districts regularly come visit us to learn what has worked for us.”
In 2012, Gilroy Prep School was named the highest-performing first-year charter school out of 500 in the state of California since 2006. In addition, Gilroy Prep second-grade students received the highest projected Academic Performance Index score for an elementary school in the history of the Gilroy Unified School District.
Some of Navigator’s methods include longer school days, eliminating unions and tenure, merit pay for teachers, an emphasis on proper behavior and more parent involvement in the classroom.
Navigator’s charter schools also operate on thrifty strategies. This entails a creative staffing model, which saves overhead on personnel, employing a reduced administrative team, using cutting-edge technology effectively, vigorous fundraising and conservative purchasing practices, such as buying refurbished or used items
“No person can become Educator of the Year without a great team of people helping along the way,” Dent said. “My hat goes off to them and all of their hard work that so often goes unnoticed.”
The 60th Annual Spice of Life Awards event includes $65 per person dinner and an installation ceremony for the recipients Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. at the San Juan Oaks Golf Club. For more information and reservations call the Chamber of Commerce office (408) 842-6437.
