List of PYLUSD accomplishments for the 2015-2016 school year

It’s the end of another great year in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District (PYLUSD). Let’s take a look back at some of our biggest accomplishments from the 2015-2016 school year:

School Awards

• Yorba Linda Middle School was designated as a model middle grades school in the 2015-2016 “Schools to Watch™ — Taking Center Stage” program.
• El Camino Real High School was honored as a 2016 Model Continuation High School.
• Twelve elementary schools earned the 2016 California Gold Ribbon Schools Award (Brookhaven, Bryant Ranch, Glenknoll, Golden, Linda Vista, Mabel Paine, Morse, Rio Vista, Ruby Drive, Travis
• Ranch, Tynes, Van Buren).
• Four elementary schools earned the Title I Academic Achieving School Award (Morse, Rio Vista, Ruby Drive and Tynes)
• Travis Ranch School awarded the Exemplary Arts Education Program Award.

Educational Services

• Reinstated fourth grade music across the district, providing both vocal and instrumental music instruction to hundreds of eager elementary students.
• Added six Preppy K (transitional kindergarten) classes this year, with 27 completely full classes already scheduled for next year.
• Expanded the AVID college-readiness program in the district, including adding six elementary schools and two middle schools, as well as adding Esperanza High School in the fall. Additionally, there are 227 staff members who are now AVID trained, and PYLUSD AVID graduates are entering four-year colleges with an 80 to 90 percent acceptance rate.
• Established the first dual language immersion program in the district (titled Dual Language Academy) set to open at Glenview Elementary School with 64 kindergartners in the fall.
• Over 90 teachers trained in the new English Language Arts/English Language Development (ELA/ELD) Framework, and are prepared to pilot it in the fall.
• Served 48 students in our State Preschool program at Rio Vista Elementary School.
• Received grants to add three new State Preschool sites (Melrose, Ruby Drive and Topaz) to serve 192 students in the fall.
• Trained all school psychologists and a group of teachers in the facilitated Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.
• Implemented tiered mental health support, and added two mental health clinicians and nine interns serving students at middle and high school.
• Provided training in blended support for students transitioning to general education, and are prepared to pilot it at seven schools in the fall.
• Provided “Just In Time” training for over 420 classified employees. Training provided professional dialogue opportunities between teachers and instructional aides creating better support for special education classrooms.
• Implemented a new math adoption in all elementary and secondary math classes providing high-level instruction to students throughout the district.
• CareerLink Academies rebranded and expanded to include Mustang Business Academy (MBA) at Yorba Linda High School and ED LAW Academy at El Dorado High School.
• A Career and Technical Education (CTE) incentive grant ($1.73 million) provided resources, support and training for our CareerLink programs.
• Developed articulation with community colleges where students receive college credit while attending high school.
• Provided learning pathways for struggling students to get back on track, including Saturday Academy (third year), which recaptured 7,600 days; Credit Recovery Summer School; and Credit Repair.
• Formed Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) transition teams to prepare for moving to the new requirements.

Business Services

• Completed a successful refunding of the district’s 2006 Certificates of Participation (COP) debt for a total savings of $20 million.
• Completed the Valencia High School Auditorium Modernization Project.
• Completed the Wagner Elementary School Library/Media Center Project.
• Received Energy Star certification for 22 school sites.
• Completed an assessment of the district’s Print Shop, and developed a plan to replace equipment and expand services.
• Developed a standardized catering menu to increase catering opportunities throughout the district.

Personnel

• Hired over 1,130 new employees.

Student Safety

• Provided each classroom with basic emergency supplies, and trained staff on how to use them.
• Established an F-1 international student program, bringing in six students this year, with 14 more set for next year.

Technology

• Increased student access to technology by expanding the device-to-student ratio from 1-to-4 to 1-to-2.
• Over 180 teachers and district leaders attended a Google Apps For Educators (GAFE) Summit last summer.

Public and Media Relations

• Launched online Good News Report last summer. Since its creation, there have been almost 950 individual posts from every school and department/division.
• Expanded social media presence. Facebook has more than doubled its number of “likes,” and an Instagram account launched to wide acclaim.

Thank you for helping make this year such a big success!