DVUSD News - Schools and Programs of Excellence Awards Announced

From: "DVUSD News" <no-reply@dvusd.org>
Subject: DVUSD News - Schools and Programs of Excellence Awards Announced
Date: May 6th 2010

DVUSD SUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCES 2010 SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS OF EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Deer Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Virginia McElyea announced the Schools of Excellence and Programs of Excellence Awards for the 2009-10 school year. Dr. McElyea initiated the awards as a way to celebrate excellence and the unique approaches schools use to create a quality learning environment for students, staff, and parents.

The Superintendent, Governing Board, and District Administrators will visit campuses in May to present the awards at school-wide celebrations.

2010 Superintendent�s School of Excellence Award Selection criterion is based on student achievement plus three to five outstanding programs within the Program of Excellence award categories.

Diamond Canyon Elementary � Focusing on integrating technology into lessons, providing before and after school tutoring programs and small group instruction, committed to being a data driven decision makers, home-school and community connections to character education and service learning projects, and implementing the Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture Program, as part of their Project 2021 focus, demonstrate the commitment to increasing student achievement for all students.

Sierra Verde � Providing instruction using differentiation, tiered instruction, and appropriate research-based interventions and a school-wide writing portfolio system, building strong student, parent, and community relationships, and implementing the first Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Academy which includes a rigor and relevant curriculum and the use of emerging technologies, Sierra Verde sets the bar above minimum requirements needed for future success.

2010 Superintendent�s Program of Excellence Awards � Student Achievement Program implements strategies to increase student achievement including school wide recognition of academic success.

Deer Valley Middle - Behavioral Intervention and Support Program Implementing the Colt Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support Program (PBIS) has created an evolved community of focused learners in which three guiding principles are valued: Respect, Responsibility, and Caring. The PBIS model has been an evidenced based approach to effectively focus on appropriate student behaviors; acknowledging positive student and staff behavior; effective staff development on instructional strategies; and a campus wide discipline procedures with targeted interventions for students with challenging behaviors.

Desert Mountain - Soaring to Success
Soaring to Success is a goal-oriented program that teaches students how to write their individual goals and review their goals quarterly. While upper grade levels review and chart their progress weekly in their interactive student notebooks, lower grade levels chart progress as an entire class. This program has already been a success in seeing students set rigorous goals for themselves and pushing themselves to make progress. This kind of awareness will benefit them as they continue through elementary, middle, and onto high school.

2010 Superintendent�s Program of Excellence Awards � Innovation Innovative school programs are designed to promote student or staff success.

Barry Goldwater - Senior Institute � Senior Institute The Senior Institute is designed to provide seniors with post-secondary experiences by creating high school learning practices focused on relationships, relevant tasks, and rigorous content satisfying specific exit outcomes. The most visible and critical component of the Senior Institute is the Senior Project which is the culmination and demonstration of the student�s entire educational career. The final product is a showpiece seniors take with them into their adult life.

Desert Winds - Habitat Based Literacy and Math Learning Centers First grade students are immersed in an environment focused on science and math while interacting with living creatures including a gecko, frogs, fish, butterflies, ladybugs, and ants while visiting each reading and math center. During 90 minute blocks, students experience reading centers such as �Fluency in the Forest� and �Comprehension under the Sea,� and math centers such as �Patterns in the Polar Region� and �Geometry in the Jungle� which address literacy, science, and math standards. Field trips include the Wild Life Zoo, Desert Botanical Gardens, and the Science Center.

Esperanza - Outstanding Community Builders Program The Community Builders Program is comprised of fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students building a community to create a greater community within Deer Valley. This program encourages all students to be involved and support academic achievement and leadership skills. The program correlates with character education skills. Projects are introduced, discussed, and a timeline developed for implementation of each activity. Students play an active role in various community projects, self monitoring through personal journal reflections, and assist during school-wide academic based and social events.

Gavilan Peak - Mandarin Chinese Project The goal of the Mandarin Chinese Project is to provide Chinese language instruction and cultural education to all students at Gavilan Peak. The project provides three different models of Chinese language instruction: Foreign Language Elementary School (all kindergarten students receive introductory exposure to Mandarin Chinese); Foreign Language Experience (1st - 6th grade special area class and 7th � 8th grade exploratory class); and Partial Immersion Classroom (first grade students will receive half of their content area instruction in Mandarin Chinese).

Hillcrest Middle � F.A.M.E. Program
The F�s Aren�t Meeting Expectations Program requires students who have an F in one or more classes to attend a lunchtime tutoring program servicing 96 students per week. Students receive a grade conference with their teacher tutor and have an opportunity to work on assignments. When they reach 60% in all of their classes they are immediately released from the program. As of August of 2008, data has indicated a decrease in F�s which has made this program a success.

2010 Red Carpet Service Awards
Four schools received the Red Carpet Service Award for modeling exemplary customer service. They are Canyon Springs, Deer Valley Middle, Sierra Verde, and Village Meadows.

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