API Scores: On Friday, the API (Academic Performance Index) scores were released on the California Department of Education Website. With the exceptional work of our students, teachers and parents, we have increased our API to 952. This is a 6-point increase from last year and puts us as one of the top rated schools in the state! Congratulations to everyone! This is a great accomplishment and I'm incredibly proud to share this news with you. We remain in the "900" club for our seventh year in a row. Smaller class sizes of an average of 24 students per teacher in all grades are one major contributing factor in the API growth. Lower class size allows our talented and dedicated faculty more opportunities to deliver targeted and differentiated instruction to our students. Our students clearly benefit from our school's strong collaboration and the incredible parent involvement that is a hallmark of this great school. Lastly, the data reported for our subgroups points to the importance of attendance in improving the API scores!
The Academic Performance Index (API) is a measurement of academic performance and progress of individual schools in California. It is one of the main components of the Public Schools Accountability Act passed by the California legislature in 1999. API scores ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The interim statewide API performance target for all schools is 800. A school's growth is measured by how well it is moving toward or past that goal. An API score is calculated for all students in a school as well as numerous API scores for each subgroup at the school (such as by race, English learner status, students with disabilities, and socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils).
In addition to our awesome API score, we also have a Similar Schools ranking of 10!
The API Similar Schools score ranks a school with 100 other schools in the state with similar demographic profiles (including parent education level, poverty level, student mobility, student ethnicity). Each rank ranges from 1 to 10, with a score of 10 meaning that the school's API fell into the top 10%.
Excused Absence Emails: A Big Success:Many parents don't know that when a child misses school due to an illness, doctor's appointment or family emergency, the parent should always write a note to the school briefly describing the reason for the absence. This simple effort changes the classification of your child's absence from an Unexcused to an Excused Absence. Why is this important? Each Unexcused Absence costs Pali $35 per day, per missing student. However, LAUSD pays Pali for Excused Absences, which helps to retain important programs for our students. A year ago, Pali Elementary lost almost $100,000 in per pupil funding due to Unexcused Absences, but last year we reduced that loss by 10%. Keep up the good work parents! Pali makes it easy to send an Excused Absence note! Simply EMAIL a note to the front office from your computer, tablet or smartphone. The email address is ExcusedAbsence@PaliElementary.org. Save it to your contacts! There's also a button on the website at www.PaliElementary.org. Of course, if you wish you may continue to send a note to your child's teacher.
STAR: Spanish Academy begins this Tuesday, September 3 and STAR Nova classes begin September 9. For Registration information: website - palisades.starinc.org or contact Annie @ Starpalisades@aol.com. or at 310 - 678-9754.
Remember: New Parent Party on Friday, September 6 at 6:30 pm. More information is coming from PEP.
News: On Tuesday, September 3, Teacher Lawrie begins her music classes with kindergarten, first and second grade. On Friday, September 6, KiKi returns to begin the fourth and fifth grade drama classes.
Heads Up: On Thursday, September 5 School will be closed in observance of Rosh Hashanah.
Coffee and Chat: On Monday, September 9, we will focus on Tribes!
Picture Day: Friday, September 13th is Picture Day. Details and envelopes will be coming home this week in the student folders.
Yours truly,
Joan Ingle,
Principal
Thought for the Week: "The MISSION OF TRIBES is to assure the healthy development of every child so that each has the knowledge, competency and resilience to be successful in today's rapidly changing world. The GOAL is to engage all teachers, administrators, students and families in working together as a learning community that is dedicated to caring and support, active participation and positive expectations for all students".
