Twentynine Palms Junior High School is the recipient of two recent state awards. Reporter Dan Stork tells how the recognition was earned…
On May 22, Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, presented a four-member team from Twentynine Palms Junior High School with two prestigious awards. Twentynine Palms Junior High School was honored with the 2015 Gold Ribbon Award and the 2015 Title 1 Academic Achievement Award. Principal Jolie Kelley said, “For us to receive the Gold Ribbon Award, our school had to demonstrate a model program. In our case, “Developing by Design: 4×4 Block Scheduling and Collaboration” was selected by the state to be one of approximately 400 model school programs.” Twentynine Palms Junior High School is one of 14 schools from San Bernardino County to be selected as a Gold Ribbon school. Kelley credits Justin Monical, then principal, and the Twentynine Palms Junior High School staff with the concept and implementation of the block schedule three years ago.
Twentynine Palms Junior High School also received a Title 1 Academic Achievement Award to honor the increase in student achievement. As part of the Gold Ribbon Award application process, the state collected data demonstrating the school’s success in improving student performance.
The Twentynine Palms Junior High School team included Kelley, Jackie Brandt, Jason Schmit, and Doug Walters.
