In what was either an abundance of confidence, or a severe lack of judgment, Germain St. Elementary School Principal Sonya Ugarte promised last year’s student body that she’d “take a pie-to-the-face” if the school’s API (Academic Performance Index) score increased by just 12%. Instead, students boosted the school’s score to 13% — perhaps expecting a cherry on top. True to her word, Principal Ugarte not only took a pie-to-the-face this morning, but — decked-out in protective attire — she invited all families to witness, and even let one lucky child do the dirty work.
According to the California Department of Education, “The API Report is required by the state’s PublicSchools Accountability Act (PSAA) of 1999. This report shows how much a school is improving from year to year based on its API. A school’s API is anumber that ranges from 200 to 1000 and is calculated from the results for each school’s students on statewide tests. The state has set 800 as the API target for all schools to meet.”
Thanks to this year’s API score of 850, Germain St. Students and their teachers have earned the school a state-wide letter grade of “A”, surpassing state performance targets. According to our school’s report, every demographic and socioeconomic group scored above performance targets, so every Germain St. family should be very proud. However, our school’s greatest API increases have been achieved from the previous year’s lowest scoring students — a whopping 4-times higher than their growth target! It’s really quite an achievement, and it proves that every child can excel with the right support and motivation.
Covered in cream pie, Mrs. Ugarte promised students that she would top this year’s event for a 20% API increase. It seems a face-full of dairy will make even the most optimistic principal a little more conservative.
Also announced this morning: “Open Mondays!” Beginning in October families are encouraged to join students and faculty on campus for Monday morning assembly and coffee at the NEW conveniently located school-yard-adjacent Parent Center. This is a weekly opportunity to learn about upcoming events, student and family activities, witness student-lead presentations, and get to know other Germain St. families. We look forward to seeing you there!
For those who missed it, check out the YouTube video, and the rest of the photos below. (All graciously shot and submitted by Germain St. parents.)
Photo Credit: Rena Durham. Rena is a professional photographer, and proud mother of a Germain St. Elementary Student. You can see more of her work at RenaDPhotography.com.
