Deep Dive Into Progress at Monrovia Unified

BySusan Motander

Two weeks ago, the Monrovia Unified School Boardalong with the Superintend of Schools Dr. Katherine Thorossian, and the Teacherof the year Jennifer Maljian, made thorough presentations on the state of theschools in Monrovia; they’re good and getting better all the time. 

Ed Gililland, the president of the Board spoketo the overall goal of the district. These were boiled down to four points: tochallenge students, to help students become resourceful and responsiblecitizens, to increase student success, and to provide graduates with the skillsthey need to enrich their lives and the lives of others. 

Selene Lockerbie, one of the new board members,discussed Monrovia teachers and the programs and grants the district hasobtained to assist teachers in continuing their education. She ran through alist of those grants and how they help teachers improve their teaching skills.

She also discussed Canyon Early Learning Center(CELC). She also briefly outlined the Village Extended School Program thatinvolves 537 students both before and after school at Monroe, Plymouth, WildRose elementary schools, and Clifton and Santa Fe middle schools. This programsupports the learning that occurs during the school day and offers homeworkassistance and other educational enrichment activities. The Monrovia Reads Vanappears weekly issuing library cards and allowing students to check out books.

TheElementary Schools: Inspiring a Sense of Wonder

It was the other new board member, Maritza Travanti,who made the presentation regarding the elementary schools in Monrovia:Bradoaks, Mayflower, Monroe, Plymouth, and Wild Rose. She said the basisof elementary school education is to promote a growth of mindset with a childcentered focus. While a large part of the focus is on reading and otherbasic skills (the goal is to have every student reading at grade level by thirdgrade), she cited multiple enrichment programs. These enhance learning forchildren. They include coding and robotics, and dual language immersion(Mandarin at Plymouth, Spanish at Monroe and Wild Rose). There are alsovocal and music lessons as well, as theater and dance at the elementaryschools. She noted that Wild Rose is now the School of Creative Arts,while Bradoaks has a science specialization. 

Travanti then went on to list some of the morespecialized activities such as dance and movement at all the elementaryschools. All the students also have a chance to visit nature at CanyonPark with the rangers and explore nature. 

There are also specialty programs at individualschools. At Mayflower and Plymouth there is what is called the “Epic BuildShowcase” in which students have an opportunity to “show off” characters theyhave built in stores and video presentations. Wild Rose will stage itsstudent production of 101 Dalmatians on Nov. 14 and 15 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Bradoaks, Monroe, Mayflower and Wild Rose areall California Gold Ribbon Schools. Mayflower and Plymouth are also on theCampaign for Business and Educational Excellence Honor Roll. There is alsothe Renaissance Program to help students share a positive culture with theirpeers.

TheMiddle Schools: Learning in the Middle Years

The clerk of the Board of Education, Bryan Wong,reviewed what was occurring at the middle schools. Both Clifton and SantaFe and three year middle schools (housing sixth, seventh and eighth grades).Both middle schools have a strong college bound culture; in addition, Santa Feis the Computer Science Magnet School. At both schools there is anemphasis on developing varied interests, exploring careers and colleges, andworking on developing and attaining personal goals.

Each of the students at Santa Fe has aChromebook personal computer to help them develop their computer skills andcontinue to work on coding. Santa Fe is not the only middle school with astrong science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program. TheClifton Robotics Team, the Hippiebots (they wear tie-dyed t-shirts) went to theFirst Tech World Challenge last year (one of only three middle-school teams toqualify).

There are all sorts of enrichment programs atboth schools including strong marching bands, instrumental and vocal music, andathletics, and a Renaissance Program at both middle schools. Clifton alsocontinues the dual language immersion programs begun at the elementary schools.

Clifton is a Gold Ribbon School and NationalSchool to Watch. Both Santa Fe and Clifton are listed on the Honor Rollfor the Campaign for Business and Educational Excellence.

Launchingin High School: College and Career

Rob Hammond, the vice president of the Boardfocused on the High Schools as well as the alternative school and adulteducation. There are two high schools, Monrovia High School (MHS) andCanyon Oaks High. MHS is a standard, four-year high school. CanyonOaks offers students a more personalized approach to high school. Boththey and Mountain Park, the independent pattern of study school, are committedto preparing students to graduate with the skills they need to succeed whetherthey go on to college or a career.

While Canyon Oaks prepares students for collegewith University of California approved classes, it also creates career pathwaysto the arts, media and entertainment, construction and engineering, as well asmedical technology to list a few.

Mountain Park School is a kindergarten through12th grade program that offers a more flexible schedule to personalize,and in many cases, accelerate the program. It is accredited by the WesternAssociation of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and approved by the NationalCollegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The adult school has certification programs inseveral areas to allow adult learners to acquire the skills required for jobadvancement of new careers. There are several classes for English-learnersas well as those studying for their citizenship examination. There arealso fun classes like ceramics.

There are several specialized programs at MHS aswell. There is the Math and Science Academy that stresses the skillsneeded for a career in STEM. The Humanities Academy is a program for thosestudents who are looking for careers in areas such as writing, speaking andlaw. The newest such program is the Theater Arts Conservatory thatprepares students for careers both on- and off-stage stressing not just stagepresence and oratory skills, but also set design and building.

Then there is the Early College Program inconjunction with Citrus Community College that gives high school students thechance to take college level classes thus earning as much as two years generaleducation requirements. This also exposes them to the challenges ofcollege instruction and shows them new areas of study.

At MHS there are also technical educationprograms such as sports medicine, automotive maintenance, computer programming,media and design arts, and digital photography.

MHS is also a California Gold Ribbon School aswell being listed on the Business and Educational Excellence Honor Roll. Itwas also listed as a “Silver School” by U.S. News & World Report, as wellas having a six-year accreditation by WASC.

Gililland wrapped up the program by sayingMonrovia Unified School District provides world-class schools for world-classstudents.

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