Melrose Elementary School in Placentia has been named a 2022 California Pivotal Practice (CAPP) Award Program winner for its innovative practices during the 2020-2021 school year.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, congratulations to Melrose Elementary School for earning such a distinguished accolade from the state,” Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD) Superintendent Dr. Jim Elsasser shared. “We are so proud of our teachers, staff, and Principal Nicole Hernandez for their thoughtful work in support of students’ academic success and overall well-being throughout the pandemic.”
This year, CAPP replaced the California Distinguished Schools Program, a longstanding award that honors high-performing campuses across the state. According to the California Department of Education (CDE), pandemic disruptions made it difficult to collect consistent assessment data, which typically serves as the basis for the Distinguished Schools program. Alongside partners in the education community, CDE created the CAPP Award to specifically honor schools and districts that designed and implemented unique learning opportunities and strategies during and after distance learning.
The pivotal practice that Melrose implemented during the 2020-2021 school year focused on closing the achievement gap, educational support, and community involvement through their school-wide implementation of iReady in math and reading. iReady is an online program that provides students with an initial assessment, instruction provided at their learning level, and subsequent diagnostics to allow for progress monitoring and interventions. It is utilized throughout PYLUSD.
In recent years, Melrose has hosted trainings to explain iReady to families, show them the value of the program, and explain what their role is with iReady at home. Melrose’s community is predominantly Spanish speaking so it was important to share information and videos in families’ native language to equip them with the knowledge to assist their students and check their progress.
“Many of our students rely on Melrose solely to address all their academic needs,” Principal Nicole Hernandez shared. “iReady has been a valuable tool in bridging the gap between home and school. By offering assistance in both English and Spanish and at the students’ academic level, our families have become true partners in their child’s education.”
Across the state, 727 schools and 121 school districts were recognized with CAPP awards this year after submitting online applications highlighting innovative practices in one or more of the four target areas—student engagement, technology distribution, nutrition services, and social-emotional well-being.
With testing back in place and most COVID-19 protocols lifted, the California Distinguished Schools list is expected to return in 2023.
Click here to read the state’s full press release about the award. Congratulations once again, Melrose Marlins!
This is awesome! What great work with students, staff, and parents!