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April 23, 2009
April 23, 2009 - April 24, 2009
Volume XII, Issue 12
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The Mid-County Post > Education
New Brighton Middle School Named Distinguished School
New Brighton Middle School in Capitola has been selected as a 2009 California Distinguished School, an annual award that recognizes some of the state’s most exemplary public schools.
The state alternates years to honor middle and high schools or elementary schools. New Brighton was the only Santa Cruz County school selected this year.

The call arrived on Apr. 1 from State Superintendent of Schools Jack O’Connell himself, and Principal Rob Martin admitted he wondered for a moment when the call came in if it was an April Fool’s Day prank.

Principal Martin said O’Connell noted that the criteria had been raised this year, so the faculty should be especially proud of the achievement.

This year, the selection process required schools to provide an in-depth description of two “signature” practices implemented at the schools that are directly related to the success of their students and can be used by other schools.

The program looks for schools that are helping students reach achievement goals, and Martin said his school’s application and on-site evaluation focused on the intensive additional classes it offers students struggling with math and language arts.

Called “extreme” courses, students usually spend about one quarter of the school year in them and take them along with their regular classes in those subjects. Enrollment is limited to about 12 students in each class, and participants have shown significant improvement.

The other “signature practice” the school highlighted was articulation between the elementary and high schools. It has identified specific math skills and areas on which its feeder elementary schools should focus, and also coordinated with the high school where most of the district’s students attend.

New Brighton, which has an enrollment of 634 students, serves the three elementary schools of the Soquel Union Elementary School District as well as students from the Mountain School district.
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