When I was elected four years ago, I was entering a situation where so many families
had fled the Area 1 (Estancia) Zone and morale was low. There were dedicated families
working to make the “West Side the Best Side” so-to-speak but had not gained traction
within the District to get their voices heard and progress made.
In 2020, TeWinkle Middle School had only 11 electives. Eleven. Corona del Mar and
Costa Mesa Middle Schools had 26 and 28 respectively. This was deeply disturbing to
me because it signaled to me, clear as day, what I had suspected and what made me
run for this office while my daughter was an elementary student at California
Elementary—the Westside had been left behind. There simply was not equal access to
rigorous, diverse coursework. And, as a parent, I know how critical it is to have access
to various classes, electives and extra-curricular activities. Students- especially in the
“tween” years of middle school, are discovering what they like (and are quite vocal
about what they don’t like!) and need to have access to explore whatever topic they can
think of that will possibly spark their curiosity and engage them more fully in their overall
academic success.
Working alongside the active parents of the Estancia Zone, the District held community
forums in during my first years on the Board where we heard from parents about what
electives they and their students would like to see. I am so proud to report that we were
able to make these changes and today, have *doubled* the offerings at TeWinkle, as
well as expanding the extra-curriculars offered after school.
Today, in 2024, kids now have choice of not only the AVID, ASB, Project Lead the Way,
Band and the others, but now also have access to: Yoga, Art 2, Journalism, Drama,
Advanced Drama, Spanish 7, Span 8, Intro to Language, Art 1, Green Architecture,
Design & Modeling.
Also of note, Estancia High School was just awarded the prestigious California
Distinguished School Award in 2024. This award demonstrates our continued laser
focus on increasing rigor at Estancia, and the dedication of the staff to providing a
wonderful learning environment for the students that is sparking their enthusiasm and
engagement, which in turn has led to higher achievement. Estancia Principal, Mike Halt
noted,
“This is a shared recognition that could not have been possible without the dedication of
our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the support of our communities. I want
every parent in our zone to know the quality educational experience their children can
have in our schools.”
It is clear that, together with our strides in Early Childhood Education (TK) and the
advances in curriculum alignment and improving instructional rigor at the Elementary
level across Area 1, together, alongside the community and the District, we are turning
things around and making our local schools in Area 1 the first and best choice for
families.
Opmerkingen