Page 2 June 4, 2015 EL SEGUNDO HERALD ESMS Earns Gold Ribbon Award school ultimately pursued the International Baccalaureate program for its tradition of excellence and proven results. “The MYP [Middle Years Programme] really focuses on relevance and rigor,” stated Kim Stern, the school’s IB Coordinator, “and we’ve seen kids start to care a lot more about their work when they find real meaning in it.” Over the past six years, teachers at ESMS have redesigned learning units to incorporate real-world tasks and challenges that focus on conceptual development as well as content knowledge. While the redesign poses a creative challenge to teachers, students have reaped the rewards: “It’s just a lot more interesting now,” shared 8th grader Kyle D. “Our assessments really challenge us, and sometimes that’s harder, but we end up learning a lot more.” The school’s Gold Ribbon application cited other benefits since the program’s implementation, including boosts in school and staff morale, increases in parent engagement, and a general decline in behavioral incidents. “We fully believe in the power of the program when done right,” stated Principal Jack Plotkin, “and we’ve even seen gains in areas we did not initially expect.” Plotkin cited both the dedication of school staff collaborating for student learning and parent support for the success of the program. “This program is fully funded by parents and the community through the Ed! Foundation. When our community is able to support a program resulting in state recognition, it’s a real testament to this town,” he shared. And ultimately, students reap the rewards. • El Segundo Middle School’s International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme has earned the state’s top schools recognition, the California Gold Ribbon award. This past Friday, school and district staff joined other recipients across California at a ceremony in San Diego where State Superintendent Tom Torlakson congratulated the schools. “These schools are academically successful, Dale Lofgren, Lori Preuss, Dr. Jeanie Nishime (Board President), Dr. Jack Plotkin, Dr. Melissa Moore, Laura Gabel (Board Member), Lori Klein, and Carol Baker with the Gold Ribbon award certificate. Photo provided by ESUSD. vibrant, and innovative centers of teaching and learning,” Torlakson stated in a press release, noting “they are great examples of the things educators are doing right.” The middle school embarked on the change process over six years ago, searching for research-validated programs to increase student achievement and avoid the typical middle school drop in student motivation. The W O R K+D I N E @ CONTINENTAL PARK ALONG THE ROSECRANS CORRIDOR IN EL SEGUNDO/MANHATTAN BEACH • Amenity Rich Location • Convenient Access to Metro Rail System, 405 & 105 Freeways • 10 minutes to LAX • Professional Property Management on Site • It’s Not Just a Location; It’s a Lifestyle! OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE CONTINENTAL PARK A project of C O N T I N E N TA L D E V E L O P M E N T C O R P O R AT I O N 2041 Rosecrans Av e . , E l S e g u n d o , C A 9 0 2 4 5 www. c o n t i n e n t a l d e v e l o p m e n t . c o m For Leasing Information, call 310.640.1520 “When our community is able to support a program resulting in state recognition, it’s a real testament to this town.”
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