The San Gabriel Valley Tribune’s Editorial page, like that of most newspapers, is normally a very reliable source of left-wing drivel.
So imagine my shock at this – they’ve endorsed FR’s own Mike Spence’s re-election for West Covina School Board. I guess it’s true what they say about broken clocks — or in this case, lefty rags — even they can be right once per election.
A good team for W. Covina schools
LIKE the Beatles sang, West Covina schools are "getting better all the time." A lot better.
The school board’s relentless focus on academic performance and safety have produced huge improvements in student reading, writing, math and science scores. In the last five years, eight West Covina schools were named "California Distinguished Schools" (including West Covina High School). At 759, the district’s overall academic performance index (API) for 2006-07, which measures student achievement, has soared above that of Covina-Valley, Rowland Unified, Charter Oak Unified and Hacienda La Puente Unified.
West Covina Unified’s board, led by the three incumbents running for re-election Tuesday, have kept the teachers, staff, parents and students’ focus on improving academic performance. They did it by assessing and then implementing standards-based curricula, hiring qualified teachers, lengthening the school day and emphasizing accountability.
This board has been working together as a team. It is unique in that individual board members will visit a school site. After checking in with the principal, a board member will drop in on a classroom. They say the intent is to encourage teachers and to see their policies in action. With all board members in agreement this has worked well for West Covina schools.
Besides the board’s focus on academics, they’ve also not forgotten vocational and career learning. West Covina’s ROP students also go on to college for computer programing, computer animation, as well as cosmetology and auto mechanic.
We like the way veteran board member Mike Spence spoke of working harder to bring kids who are failing back to school. As an ROP board member, Spence said ROP classes "are a way to hook kids into something they like."
Camie Poulos, elected in 1999, applauded the district’s new superintendent’s focus bringing testing results to each principal, each classroom, each student, so improvements and adjustments in teaching approaches can be made. "We are data driven … this is a real plus," she said.
Steve Cox, on the board since 1993, is an experienced observer who is looking the district’s problems squarely in the eye. Cox, as well as Spence and Poulos, said the district board must look at opening a second high school. With around 3,000 students, West Covina High is crowded. "In the next four years, we’ll have to address this issue."
Spence also said he has favored opening up Edgewood Middle School as a high school.
Whether these changes will occur remains to be seen. But the fact that these board members are looking at the good and the bad of the district shows they are interested and capable of tackling tough issues.
We applaud challengers Matthew V. Maldonado and Stephanie Ann Rueter for their interest in the schools and their positive attitudes. However, on Tuesday, voters should stay with this team and re-elect Cox, Poulos and Spence.
Congrats Mike! Good luck on Tuesday!