For Immediate Release March 29, 2012

San Jos Unified School District Inspiring and Preparing for Success

Contact: Karen Fuqua- 408.535.6444 Karen_fuqua@sjusd.org

Four San Jose Unified Elementary Schools recognized as Distinguished San Jose, Ca. State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson, announced that Graystone, Williams, and Simonds Elementary Schools and Hacienda Environmental Science Magnet School have all been named 2012 California Distinguished Schools. The 2012 Program directly focuses on Californias students and their entitlement to an equitable and rigorous education. The California Distinguished School Award identifies and honors those schools that have demonstrated educational excellence for all students and progress in narrowing the achievement gap. This year the program only recognized elementary schools. Award cycles alternate annually between secondary and elementary. Dr. Vincent Matthews, Superintendent of San Jose Unified School District, stated, We are extremely proud of our 2012 Distinguished Schools. Their continued dedication and hard work to accelerate all students is essential to closing the opportunity gap and providing the finest 21st century education for every student. Sincere congratulations to the teachers, staffs, principals, students, parents and communities of these four distinguished schools. In order to be invited to apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including designated federal and state accountability measures based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Academic Performance Index (API) requirements. Each application must also include two signature practices. The applicants were also identified by their success in narrowing the achievement gap that exists between higher-performing and lower-performing students. All applicants underwent a stringent selection process conducted by the California Department of Education with the help of many educators from across the state. San Jose Unified Board of Education trustees, Veronica Lewis and Leslie Reynolds, who represent the trustee areas where these award winning schools are located, congratulated the schools for their ~more~

Superintendent ! Vincent C. Matthews, Ed.D. San Jos Unified Board of Education Jorge Gonzlez, President ! Pam Foley ! Rich Garcia! Veronica Lewis !Leslie Reynolds

2-3 Distinguished School recognitions. The trustees thanked the school communities for their involvement and support in the schools; recognizing, it takes a team effort, consisting of administration, teachers, staff, students and parents, to make a school a distinguished school. Graystone Elementary Schools signature practice is Collaboration. Teacher to teacher, school to home, this collaboration provides the strong backbone of Graystones academic, social-emotional and enrichment programs. The Graystone staff is unified in its desire for successful and engaged students. The analysis of data is an important aspect in their collaborative approach to meeting the needs of all students. Parents play a very active role in supporting the school both financially and by volunteering to support the schools programs. This effective parent involvement, both in and out of the classroom, continues to support student learning. Hacienda Environmental Science Magnets signature practice is Science, the Hacienda Way.

Learning science at Hacienda is more like living science, as you become absorbed in the outside world around you. Science instruction at Hacienda is a team effort. Each grade level has a designated science lab day. Classroom teachers work very closely with the resource teacher using the Districts new science textbook adoption to focus grade level instruction on standards. The magic comes alive in the labs through petri dishes and microscopes and then you are completely engaged as you wander through the native garden, take a tule boat ride through the pond, or have the opportunity to adopt an animal. Businesses and parents are involved from donations to fundraising and the ceaseless classroom volunteers ever anxious to join the wondrous world of science and watch the students continually progress in their scientific knowledge and respect for nature. Simonds Elementary Schools signature practice is Targeted Instructional Practices. The staff at

Simonds believes that students can perform at high levels; it is up to the adults in the system find a way to make that happen. A core value held by the Simonds learning community is that best instructional practices delivered within the classroom will have the greatest impact on student learning. We believe this culture of continuous improvement in our instructional practices will create long lasting benefits for our current and future students. It also ensures our students achievement is not put at risk because of the financial vulnerabilities of the state and district. We selected our signature practice of Targeted Instructional Practice

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Superintendent ! Vincent C. Matthews, Ed.D. San Jos Unified Board of Education Jorge Gonzlez, President ! Pam Foley ! Rich Garcia! Veronica Lewis !Leslie Reynolds

3-3 because it is what we do as part of our continuous improvement, and it has been the reason for dramatic growth over a five-year span, at a high-performing school, where dramatic growth is difficult to attain. Last year, Simonds teachers embraced Direct Instruction, which has allowed them to positively impact student achievement. Teachers have been making instructional rounds visiting each others classrooms and learning from each other. Over the past 5 years, Simonds schoolwide growth has been 12%; currently 92% of their students are proficient or advanced on the CST.

Williams Elementary Schools signature practice is Tools for Critical Thinkers. Williams has focused on developing students critical thinking skills in language arts to better address the varied learning styles, interests, and abilities of their students. During collaboration in grade level, crossgrade level, and staff meetings, teachers reviewed and analyzed formative and summative assessment data. The discussions revealed a concern that students needed tools and strategies to become more successful thinkers, problem solvers, and decision makers, resulting in lifelong learning. Williams decided to implement Depth and Complexity Icons, a research-based means to guide students in developing abstract thinking and making interdisciplinary connections, and Thinking Maps, which are based on thorough and well-accepted academic study and brain research, the eight Thinking Map tools correspond with eight fundamental thinking processes. More than simple task-specific graphic organizers, these tools are used to form a Common Visual Language for students and teachers at all grade levels, in all subjects. Williams staff has noted improvements in (1) divergent thinking; (2) deeper understanding of academic content; and (3) making connections across the curriculum. During the past 5 years, schoolwide proficiency rates for Williams students have increased overall from 86% to 93%.

These four schools are acknowledged along with the Districts 41 Distinguished School Awards received in previous years. Dedicated personnel, focused on student learning and surrounded by an engaging community create a distinguished learning environment. ###

Superintendent ! Vincent C. Matthews, Ed.D. San Jos Unified Board of Education Jorge Gonzlez, President ! Pam Foley ! Rich Garcia! Veronica Lewis !Leslie Reynolds