EYE ON EDUCATION A Publication of the Paramount Unified School District
15110 CALIFORNIA AVE., PARAMOUNT, CA 90723 • TEL: 562-602-6000 • FAX: 562-634-6029
DECEMBER 2010
CELEBRATING SUCCESS Wirtz School recently awarded its students for attaining Proficiency and/or making progress on the standardized test taken last May. Students were awarded in the categories of: MATHEMATICS- Proficient or Advanced and LANGUAGE ARTS-Proficient or Advanced and the category of attaining Proficient or Advanced levels for both LANGUAGE ARTS and MATHEMATICS. Students were also recognized if they improved their score enough to push them in to the next band of achievement. All students were able to attend the assemblies, which were by grade level, to see their peers celebrate their great successes. Those recognized received a medal and a certificate personally handed to them by the principal. It was clear, as the high number of students walked away with an award, why the school was able to increase their API score by 16 points! One fourth grade student,
Jesus Gallardo, was among the many who improved from the prior year, enough to be considered proficient or higher. “My mom was so happy,” he told me. Proficiency on the test is considered to be a score of 350 or higher in each area, Language Arts and Math. The test requires that students not only use what they have learned all year but to demonstrate that knowledge in a very short period of time. The anticipation of the test starts weeks before the test is even administered. We have assemblies and the school is transformed into a complete testing zone. All this preparation sure did pay off.....there were great gains made by each grade level and individual students. We had two students, Kaitlyn Marie Vasquez and Vanessa McKoy, that scored a PERFECT SCORE OF 600 in MATH! Way to go Wizards!!!
Stacy Hartel Teacher Wirtz School
Pictured are Kaitlyn and Vanessa who were honored for receiving a perfect score on the State standardized test.
The Dancing Dynamos
Collins and Tanner Schools students are being provided instruction in dance that connects the heritage of students at the same time they are learning problem-solving skills. The program provides third grade teachers the opportunity to work side
by side with an instructor that is an artist in the field of dance. 352 students and their teachers have worked with the Aman Dance educators to learn dances and make connections to history and language arts culminating in a Family Dance Night.
The Dancing Dynamos is a Partnership with the Knabe Arts Education Partnership Program and the Paramount Unified School District. Julianne Kosareff Curriculum Specialist District
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATES December 8, 2010 Board of Education meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office, 15110 California Avenue, Paramount, and are open to the public