Acknowledging that the designation of San Juan School as one of
the state’s lowest performing is
”
a bit embarrassing,
”
the interim superintendent of the Aromas-San Juan School
District said he sees the ability to reform instruction at the
school as
”
an opportunity.
”
Acknowledging that the designation of San Juan School as one of the state’s lowest performing is “a bit embarrassing,” the interim superintendent of the Aromas-San Juan School District said he sees the ability to reform instruction at the school as “an opportunity.”
San Juan School was one of 188 schools on the state’s lowest-performing schools list released this week, meaning it must come up with a turnaround plan that could involve anything from converting to a charter school, replacing the principal and some staff or closing the school completely. A more likely approach, however, is to modify the school’s instructional approach.
The California Department of Education on Monday listed the San Juan Bautista school among the bottom 5 percent of the state’s persistently lowest-performing schools, based on how students have scored on standardized tests. It was the only San Benito County school to make the list.
“With every challenge comes an opportunity,” said Willard McCabe, who has been the district’s interim superintendent since July. “I’m a new superintendent and we have a new principal and we’re both looking at [the low-performing school status] very seriously. No one wants to be on this list. We have a fine staff. We just have a number of challenges that we need to face.”
San Juan School Principal Bronson Mendes-LoBue could not be reached immediately for comment before press time.
Underperforming schools are eligible for between $50,000 and $2 million in federal money each year for three years, but they must take one of the following four actions in order to be considered for the funding:
– Replace the principal and at least 50 percent of the staff.
– Convert to a charter school.
– Close the school and enroll students at higher-achieving schools in the district.
– Transform the school by changing the way students are taught, reforming instructional methods, and increasing instructional time, among other things.
McCabe said he is considering the latter, so-called transformational model by using more research-based instructional practices tied to state teaching standards.
Schools that don’t make changes voluntarily might be forced to make changes by the state, officials said. Districts have until June 1 to turn in an application outlining how they would reform schools on the list in order to be eligible for funding. Schools must begin their transformations at the beginning of the next school year.
“It may be a bit embarrassing to be classified as low-performing but we will come out as a stronger school in a couple years when we see a direct outcome from the strategies we’re implementing,” McCabe said. “I see the school rising out of the ashes like a phoenix and becoming a strong and productive school.”
For the full story, see the Pinnacle on Friday.
