Durfee Elementary

Gloria Lopez, Principal

To the Families and Friends of Durfee Elementary School:

Students are all nestled in their classes with a few changes still to occur unfortunately because of personnel changes, budget revisions, or program placement.  However, there is just nothing like the first day of school for us!  Even after thirty-four years as an educator I get my inspiration seeing the smiles of students on the first day.  Although we sometimes get interrupted by adult problems or confusion, the teachers and staff are prepared and anxious to welcome our little ones to a new year. 

With student achievement at the center of everything we do, there is little time to get off track.  Results of CST 2010 show we made the targeted growth and the Academic Performance Index target of 703 was surpassed---we are now at 715!  In terms of the No Child Left Behind targets we made eleven of seventeen targets unfortunately still leaving us in Program Improvement Status.  You will hear regularly what we----teachers, staff, parents and students----must do to improve and ensure that every student makes the gains we have planned. 

Two easy avenues for parents to know what is happening at Durfee are the monthly parent newsletter and the monthly calendar.  Listed in the newsletter will be events or things you can do at home to support your child’s program of instruction.  The calendar informs you of student activities, parent meetings, or Parent Teacher Organization fundraisers.  If you don’t receive, please stop by the school to pick one up.  The more difficult road to student achievement has been the parent involvement opportunities----what can be more important?! 

Last year’s efforts to get parents to participate in workshops teachers planned were not successful.  These focused parent workshops are designed to help you understand what and how we teach AND provide strategies for you to use at home. Sadly ONLY the same ten percent of the parents attended last year.  The competition: sports and cheerleading---students do share!  In years to come the foundation we are building will not be impacted by how fast they hit the ball or how high they can jump.  We encourage you to get more involved.  As we update the website we challenge you to complete one of the CST released items.  Are you smarter than a fifth grader?  Looking at what our students are expected to do on the standards test then hopefully you will realize what we are doing daily.  If you read with your child every night for at least twenty minutes, and you can ENSURE your child knows the required Math facts to be able to complete a problem at their grade level then you are on the road to success.

Like a fast moving jet, the reality is the bar keeps going up and we are now challenged with the goal of getting over sixty percent of our students to achieve at or above the proficiency level.  Teaching must be different and the changes made last year will continue and be recalibrated.  But frankly YOU hold a piece to the puzzle and it is imperative you climb aboard NOW. 

(Questions/comments: gjlopez@erusd.k12.ca.us)