Clark Intermediate 2009 Schools To Watch – Taking Center Stage model schools

Clark Intermediate School is one of only three intermediate schools statewide to be named California’s 2009 Schools To Watch – Taking Center Stage model schools. Clark’s award sets a national record, with Clovis Unified the only school district in the nation with three intermediate schools recognized with the Schools to Watch award.  Last year, Alta Sierra and Kastner intermediate schools were also recognized with the award.

Clark received the prestigious title for meeting the distinctive needs of their middle grades students, building a strong record of student achievement and significantly narrowing the achievement gap.

Specifically, the schools were recognized for their success in four areas: implementing best practices focused on academic achievement; responding to the developmental needs of young adolescents; offering a fair and equitable education for all students; and instituting organizational processes and procedures that foster and sustain academic growth.

According to the California Department of Education (CDE), Clark was selected for the honor due to its Academic Performance Index (API) score rising 42 points during the last three years. In addition, said the CDE, of Clark’s 1,400 student population, 29 percent is Latino – this subgroup of students showed marked gains and narrowed the achievement gap between it and higher performing students by 33 points. In addition, almost half of the school’s student population is designated as socioeconomically disadvantaged – this subgroup raised its API score by 47 points in the same time period.

The three schools named California’s 2009 Schools To Watch – Taking Center Stage model schools were Clark Intermediate School, Dartmouth Middle School (in Santa Clara County’s Union School District) and Tincher Preparatory School (in Long Beach Unified School District).

In a special assembly Feb. 25, students, staff and community members from Clark Intermediate celebrated the school’s distinction.