Excellence Awards Winners 2000

The LAEP Excellence Awards are awarded in three categories: Teaching, Schools and School-Communities. The award winners in each category are as follows:

TEACHING AWARDS

Teams of teachers which receive the "Teaching Award" work together to provide challenging curriculum that match or exceed state and district standards and which enable every student to achieve at high levels.

Award recipients include:

Patricia Murphy and Roy Hayashida, 156th Street Elementary School, 2100 West 156th Street, Gardena, 90249, (310) 324-6639. Teachers developed a team-teaching approach that allowed them to focus on their area of expertise, improve hands-on learning and work with students who had special needs. Fifth graders made significant improvements in their 1999 Stanford 9 test performance as compared with their 1998 scores at the end of the fourth grade. Reading went up from a mean percentile of 46 to 57; math rose from 49 to 65 and language gained 10 percentile ranks from 47 to 57.

Jennifer Yoo, Molly Schroeder, Carmen Dean and Adria Metson, Welby Way Magnet School, 23456 Welby Way, Canoga Park, 91307, (818) 992-8229. Teachers developed a team teaching approach that allowed each teacher to concentrate on certain subjects, create weekly teacher planning meetings and study groups for students that needed extra assistance and establish regular communication with parents. As a result, fifth grade Stanford 9 scores improved and in an academic performance index, Welby Way ranked 4th highest in the LAUSD.

Dana Menck and Steve Cordova, Westside Leadership Magnet, 104 East Anchorage St., Marina del Rey, 90292, (310) 821-2039. Teachers conducted weekly assessments to make modifications to curriculum, pace and difficulty levels based on the needs and performances of each child. They also extended class periods. As a result, teachers saw a 41% increase in Stanford 9 mathematics achievement scores between fifth and sixth grade, a 19% increase in reading and a 21% increase in language arts. In addition, problems with class discipline dropped and 90% of students turned in homework regularly.

Merrie Wartik, Julia Mason and Joan Douglas, Wonderland Avenue Elementary School and Magnet, 8510 Wonderland Ave., Los Angeles, 90046, (323) 654-4401. Teachers matched up fifth graders with third graders, involved parents in learning at home, encouraged collaboration between veteran and beginning teachers and used math games to motivate and stimulate students. As a result, 11 of 20 magnet fifth graders were finalists in a citywide mathematics competition and math test scores of third grade students participating in the cross-age tutoring program increased by an average of 23 percentile points.

Penny Atkinson Horstman and Maria Parocua, Camellia Avenue Elementary School, 7541 Camellia Ave., North Hollywood, 91605, (818) 765-5255. These two teachers combined forces in 1998 to improve overall literacy for their Spanish-speaking kindergartners with a total English immersion approach. The teachers paired upper-level students and parents with kindergartners and provided frequent assessments. As a result, 50% of kindergartners had mastered the alphabet after a one-year immersion program.

Jose Franco, Dr. Clementina Gregoire and Jose Umana, Franklin High School, 820 North Avenue 54, Los Angeles, 90042, (323) 254-7104. Teachers designed a common curriculum for the entire Spanish program at Franklin High School and created an immersed classroom environment that is linguistically and academically exciting and challenging. As a result, the number of students participating in Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Language and Spanish Literature courses has increased significantly. Additionally, in 1999, 100% of the students who took the AP Spanish language exam passed, the majority scoring a perfect score of 5, and many students who were not college bound are seeking higher education.

Shayna Kohn, Craig Ingram and Patty Godinez, Haddon Avenue Elementary School, 10115 Haddon Ave., Pacoima, 91331, (818) 899-0244. Teachers created a cooperative learning environment, utilized nursery rhymes, songs, visual arts and movement to teach number and letter concepts and integrated math into the thematic curriculum. As a result, the percent of kindergarten children who successfully recognize numbers 1-10 grew between August 1999 and January 2000 from 22% to 78% in one class and 5% to 75% in a second class.

Ange McNeel, Jim Baxter, Sandy Latt, Georgina Garcia-Medrano, Lisa Gaboudian, Alice Katz, Lassen Elementary School, 15017 Superior Street, North Hills, 91343 (818) 892-8618. Teachers developed strong support services including a homework club, reading recovery, after-school tutoring, instrumental music classes and worked with parents so that they would understand the curriculum, their standards and teaching strategies. As a result, Lassen posted an overall 10 percentile point gain in all Stanford 9 test scores from 1998 to 1999.

SCHOOL AWARDS

Schools that achieve the "School Awards" energize the whole school to focus on student achievement with specific standards, goals and direction supported by thoughtful and respected leadership from the administration and teachers. Award recipients include:

Ramona Elementary School, 1133 North Mariposa Ave., Los Angeles, 90029, (323) 663-2158, Principal: Susan Arcaris. The school made language arts skills a priority to improve student achievement by providing two hours daily of uninterrupted language arts. As a result, all grade levels have improved their Stanford 9 reading, language and math scores for the past three consecutive years.

Vaughn Next Century Learning Center, 13330 Vaughn Street, San Fernando, 91340, (818) 896-7461, Principal: Dr. Yvonne Chan. The school extended the school year from 163 to 200 days and extended the day to 6 p.m. In addition it created a Family Center and Learning Village Center that provides students with expanded learning opportunities. As a result, Vaughn became the first independent charter school in the LAUSD, it was awarded the 1995 California Distinguished School Award and the 1996 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award and improvements were seen in all areas of the Stanford 9 tests.

Westwood Charter Elementary School, 2050 Selby Ave., Los Angeles, 90025, (310) 474-7788, Principal: Michelle Bennett. Westwood created a system to analyze data from standardized tests and assessments that included parents and the community and created a plan to address the needs of each student. As a result, all grade levels have improved each year in the Stanford 9 and students meeting or exceeding grade level standards each year have increased.

Robert Hill Lane Elementary School, 1500 Cesar Chavez Ave., Monterey Park, 91754, (323) 263-3877, Principal: Sue Wong. The school developed a Saturday School Intervention Program that provides tutoring in language arts and math, created a committee of staff, parents and community members to develop a school plan, budget and instructional program and completed a thorough assessment of test results. In the end, the school raised Stanford 9 scores from 48% in 1997-1998 to 61% in 1998-99, improved the third-grade literacy rate by 25% and improved average daily attendance rates and teacher absentees.

SCHOOL-COMMUNITIES AWARDS

Schools selected for the "Community Awards" category are those in which the school community pulls together to enhance teaching and overcome the barriers to learning which many students experience. Awards recipients include:

Franklin High School, 820 North Avenue 54, Los Angeles, 90042, (323) 254-7104. Principal: Sheridan Liechty. Three years ago the school developed the Franklin Transportation Academy to prepare at-risk students for higher education and the workplace. Since its inception, students in the program have had dramatic improvements on the Stanford 9 reading and language arts test scores and have performed in college prep classes at a higher passing rate than the school as a whole. Additionally, 10% of students in the program voluntarily attend weekly after school tutoring compared with 2% of the general student body. The academy works in a community partnership with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), Los Angeles Trade Tech College, and others.

Norwood Street Elementary School, 2020 Oak Street, Los Angeles, 90007, (213) 748-3733. Principal: Rita Flynn. Students improved Stanford 9 test scores in language arts, reading and math: Norwood created a community development program and a Saturday School program that helped non-English speaking children and their parents improve their language skills. In addition, they created a weekly program to encourage parents to read with their infants and toddlers.

One Hundred Fifty-Sixth Street Elementary School, (310) 2100 West 156th St., Gardena, 90249, 324-6639, Principal: Barbara Gee. A Parents Center and Healthy Start Program were implemented to encourage families to take an active role in school, an after-school program was created with teacher volunteers and intervention program was developed to reach targeted students. As a result, Stanford 9 test scores were in the 61st percentile, academic achievement was 31 percentile points higher than the district and 36 points above the cluster averages.

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