Davis Gives Local School High Marks

Susan Grossman, principal of Melvin Avenue Elementary School, and her entourage--teacher Sangeeta Maithel, student Hugo Saavedra and his mom, Maria Gonzalez--received a hero’s welcome Tuesday when they returned from Sacramento, where Gov. Gray Davis introduced them during his State of the State address.

Faculty, staff members and students gave them a surprise greeting in the school’s courtyard under the bright midday sun. The honorees almost ruined the surprise by entering through a side entrance instead of the principal’s office, as expected.

Once spotted walking up to the courtyard, the four were greeted by the school’s chorus with a rousing rendition of “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Grossman said she was caught off guard by the celebration.

In his speech Monday night, Davis recognized Melvin Avenue School for its improvements, including a significant increase on the state’s Academic Performance Index score. The school exceeded its projected 12-point increase more than sixfold last year with a 79-point jump over 1999.

“We’re representative of many schools that have improved their academic scores,” Grossman said. “We were so honored to be able to represent teachers.”

Other schools throughout Los Angeles Unified School District have shown similar or better improvement. Representatives from Melvin Avenue were chosen to visit the capital because of their effective use of several state programs made available by the governor’s office, a secretary of education representative said.

“Melvin Avenue is a good example of a school that has risen to the governor’s call for higher expectations,” said Despina Costopoulos, a communications assistant for Secretary of Education Kerry Mazzoni. “They’ve taken advantage of a range of initiatives established by the governor to improve student achievement.”

The school will receive $150 per student under the governor’s Performance Award Program for meeting its API growth target last spring. The money can be used at the school’s discretion.

Seven teachers at Melvin Avenue are preparing for national board certification, which requires 16 months of rigorous training.

Board-certified teachers at underachieving schools that score above their API growth targets receive monetary bonuses. Maithel is the only Melvin Avenue teacher eligible this year.

Latino students at the school raised their API scores 103 points, which shows that the faculty is committed to raising the scores of all students, Costopoulos said. Student Hugo Saavedra, a Latino, was selected by Grossman to visit the governor because he exemplifies the children who attend Melvin Avenue, the principal said.

“He charmed the governor,” she said of the 11-year-old fifth-grader.

Melvin Avenue, which has 700 students, is 62% Latino, 20% white, 9% Asian, 7% African American, 2% Filipino and 1% Pacific Islander.

Although the television cameras made him a little nervous, Hugo said he enjoyed meeting Davis and receiving the gifts the state’s chief gave him.

“He gave me a dictionary, a Harry Potter [book], and he gave me other books with his signature,” Hugo said.

Grossman emphasized that teamwork played a big part in the school’s rising scores. She said the same commitment should continue throughout the year.

“One thing we are facing is a [teachers] strike with the Los Angeles Unified School District,” she said. “One thing we need to do to have a constructive year is avoid that.”

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