|
Oleander's Spotlight Links
|
|
|
Oleander's New Website
Bear Gram
Library Catalog
Library Resources
School Alumni
Teacher Web Sites |
|
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
Oleander Wins Attendance Competition!
The competition between the elementary schools was the inspired idea of Fiscal Analyst Abby Mendoza. Abby works directly with every FUSD school site and program to compile their attendance data which she submits to the State. School districts are funded by the State based on their ADA (Average Daily Attendance), so it it imperative that we do our best to have the highest ADA possible. Getting the schools - and the students - fired up with competitive spirit by offering them the services of a real Deejay (Abby's husband) for their year-end celebration was a great way to get them motivated. This year was a "pilot" year of sorts to try out the competition and see how it worked. And it has! For example, Abby said that Cypress Elementary School had an increase of 2.13% from month 6 to month 10. "It may not sound like a lot but it really is when you're talking about ADA," said Abby. "The schools really got into the spirit of the competition. They really wanted to win!" Because the competition was so successful, Abby is hoping that we will able to do it again in 2009-10. "Who knows," said Abby, "maybe we'll even get the middle schools involved with their own competition. With their enrollment, that could really make a difference." Oleander Principal Gorge Santiago was thrilled with his school's performance in the competition. He said, "It's been our goal all year, even before the competition began, to improve our attendance." In addition to this competition, Oleander has their own weekly and monthly individual and classroom competitions, with fun incentives. Continued Mr. Santiago, "I love competition. Sara Najarro, the Principal at Mango, and I had a little side wager going and had we lost, I'd have to go dance in front of her students. But since, we won, today I let each of my teachers or a student that they designated, throw a water balloon at me." But attendance isn't just about ADA. Regular school attendance is a necessary part of the learning process and the means to graduation with a good education. Said Mr. Santiago, "What really makes me excited is that when the kids are here they are learning. And we're seeing the results. We won Math Field Day and History Day and I'm hoping that will translate to the State testing, as well." 
Please address questions, comments, and suggestions regarding this web site to:
ebmaster@fusd.net">webmaster@fusd.net
|
Congratulations to Oleander Elementary School for
winning our first ever elementary attendance competition! Oleander
students had 97.14% attendance for the 2008-09 school year. Mango
Elementary came in second place by just a hair, with 97.12% attendance, and
Beech Avenue followed in third with 96.98% attendance. Because Oleander
and Mango were so close, both schools will have DJ Goodtimes come to their
school for a year-end celebration!