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Wiseburn's Dana is 1 of 4
acclaimed middle schools
February 11, 2006, By Ian Hanigan
Daily Breeze
Four middle schools across the state have been held up as exemplary
models for others to pattern themselves after -- and one of them is
right here in the South Bay.
Dana Middle School in the west Hawthorne-based Wiseburn School
District was among the quartet of high-performing campuses
spotlighted Friday through the "California Schools to Watch --
Taking Center Stage" program, which seeks out sites with successful
practices that can be emulated elsewhere.
Along with Dana, an alliance led by the California League of Middle
Schools recognized Gaspar De Portola Middle School in San Diego,
McKinleyville Middle School in Humboldt County and Toby Johnson
Middle School in Sacramento County.
All four were touted for their academics, their organizational
structures, their focus on the developmental needs of adolescents
and their ability to offer a fair and equitable education to diverse
populations.
State Superintendent Jack O'Connell, who announced the winners
Friday, said the model schools "not only educate their own students
well but have accepted the responsibility of helping other schools.
That makes these four schools doubly commendable."
Each will be honored next month at a conference in San Jose.
In the meantime, teachers and administrators at Dana clapped and
cheered when the good news broke in the faculty lounge.
Reached by telephone, Principal Matthew Wunder credited both the
district's leadership and his staff, which has developed
differentiated instruction and intervention programs that work.
"It always comes down to people," he said, "and I don't know that
there's a more committed group of educators in California -- or
anywhere. They really love teaching and they really love being
supportive of kids."
As for the recognition, he said being labeled a model school was
more than just a pat on the back.
"It's an opportunity to collaborate with other schools who have some
best practices in place," Wunder said. "It's really about increasing
our ability to continue to do good work on behalf of the kids."
Serving a relatively small student population of around 775, Dana is
no stranger to accolades. Just last April, the campus on Aviation
Boulevard was one of six in the South Bay to be named a California
Distinguished School, which is the highest honor the state bestows.
But while 192 schools in the state received the "Distinguished"
title in 2005 alone, only 14 middle schools in four years have been
tabbed as model campuses.
To be considered, Dana had to submit a lengthy application and
complete a self-assessment.
Each campus that made the cut was then visited by a review team in
January.
According to Wiseburn Superintendent Don Brann, 45 schools turned in
applications but only eight were visited.
"I'm not surprised Dana got it," Brann said. "It's well deserved."
Along with hitting state academic targets, the sites selected
exemplified the principles spelled out by the National Forum to
Accelerate Middle Grades Reform and California's middle school
handbook, Taking Center Stage: A Commitment to Standards-Based
Education for California's Middle Grade Students. |