The three local elementary school principals talk about new additions to school curriculum and facility improvements, and say they look forward to working with the new superintendent of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times
It is back to school Sept. 6 for many of Malibu’s youngsters. To give a preview of what’s in store for the 2006-07 school year, The Malibu Times talked with the three local public elementary school principals.
Phil Cott has been guiding students through Webster Elementary School for 16 years, as teacher and, now, school principal. Proudly noting that his fifth graders had the highest marks in the district last year in the science portion of the standardized testing scores, he is particularly enthusiastic about a new science lab that will be serving all classes.
“The state only tests fifth graders in science in standardized tests, but we will be offering science labs to our younger kids as well,” he said of the new school year plans.
As enrollment was down at Webster last year, the school lost one of its full-time teachers. So Cott decided to utilize the classroom facilities to install a comprehensive science lab. He said the unexpected proficient test scores in science have given a boost to teachers and parents at the school.
“Normally, I’m not a big testing fan,” Cott said, “but it does raise teachers’ awareness of where we are and how the kids are doing. And when you come down to it, genuine, high quality teaching is what brings the better test scores.”
Cott laments the fact that music and art programs generally suffer when it comes to funding allocations in public education.
However “here at Webster, we have been able to keep a strong music program in our curriculum. The district provides for two 40-minute music classes a week and kids would have to choose between vocal versus instrumental music. We let them take both. Plus our kids take one art history class a week.”
On Webster’s campus, three bungalow buildings are being converted to six permanent classroom facilities. “We use or improvise with what we have,” Cott said, “and the new science lab is going to be equipped by the seat of our pants.”
Chi Kim, principal at Point Dume Marine Science School, said she is looking forward to integrating a new writing program at her school.
Columbia University Teacher’s college in New York City provided an intensive training program this summer for Point Dume teachers, titled “The Writer’s Workshop.” Kim said the goal of the workshop is to use an intensive approach in teaching writing skills, even to elementary age children, in hopes of developing a love of written expression. “We will try to develop the voice of an individual writer, not a prescribed style,” she said. “We want to concentrate on our kids ‘thinking out loud.’ The first thought on their mind is usually their freshest expression. Let’s start there. The small moment.”
Kim, who is the mother of a toddler and a 4-month-old baby, said she is proud of the Parent Teacher Association at the school, which is looking to provide iMacs for as many children as possible this year, thanks to its “Duo Tech Plan.” “The PTA is just a vital part of the health of our school,” she said.
The 2006 semester is the beginning of Barry Yates’ first full year as principal of Juan Cabrillo Elementary School. But he has been working with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District for 36 years now.
Yates welcomes the new school year at Juan Cabrillo with a newly resurfaced playground. “It seems like a small thing, but the parents will be reassured. The PTA was very concerned because we had a safety issue-the asphalt was crumbling, kids could be hurt.”
The principal said the PTA is vital to facility improvements. “It is a sad thing, but the PTA has evolved into a fundraising entity for public schools, because our state funding falls so short.”
The PTA was also responsible for providing a specialist in the school’s computer lab, as well as funding a well equipped art room and instructor,” he said. “The PTA also pays for our science lab and specialist. Our staff teachers work with him to develop a full science program. It makes us a unified team.”
The principal said he is enthusiastic about the new district superintendent. “I think Dianne Talarico will bring a fresh perspective to the position. She’s the first female ‘supe’ we’ve had since I’ve been with the district. She was an elementary teacher and she has a background in special education and I think she will bring a support and understanding to that department that we’ve not seen in several years.”
He said he is hopeful that she will help realize new funding capabilities for the district. The new principal reports that his school has 14 regular classes and two special ed day classes, “and we are pretty much reaching our capacity on campus. We’ve seen an increase in enrollment.”
Yates seemed generally please about students’ performance in state standardized tests. “With the publication of the state standardized testing scores, it is visible that we are working toward a goal that has not been, perhaps, fully articulated in the past. Standardized testing gives us a way to look at how we are doing, but a test score is just that-a yardstick. The most accurate assessment of a child’s work is going to come from that teacher who works with the kid every day.”
The principal of Malibu High School, and other administrators could not be reached before press time for this story.