Sunnyslope School is selected as one of the distinguished schools. 
Written by Dr. Susan Villa

The Sunnyslope School application began by stating that it prided itself on its family type atmosphere and its well-maintained, attractive campus-and proud it should be! In every interview, students, parents, teachers, and classified staff all talked about the sense of family the school had. The students talked about how the teachers and administrators treated them with caring, doing all that they could to help them. This was reflected in several teacher comments about how they did whatever it took to help the students learn and grow. Parents reported that they felt like they were part of a larger family, always welcomed and invited to participate. School grounds reflected the sense of family and caring for they were very well maintained and even included flowerbeds around trees and colorfully painted trashcans! The feelings one experience when walking around the campus and observing in classrooms are warmth, love and pride. If any school is looking for a model of what an exemplary school climate should look like, it needs look no further.

Besides an extremely nurturing climate, Sunnyslope School provides an outstanding program of staff development for new and continuing teachers. Other elementary schools would be impressed by the on-going training on standards, curriculum development, and assessment that Sunnyslope School provides. The school schedule reflects time for staff to collaborate and discuss curriculum and student progress. Teachers support one another; they're open to sharing and learning from each other. During interviews, teachers frequently talked about how they are a team and one teacher summed it up by saying, "We have experts in every subject area here at this school. We take the best from the best and then that's all we'll have here-the best!" This atmosphere of collegiality and collaboration is exemplary and is reflective of a true learning community.

Sunnyslope School provides a comprehensive curriculum with high standards and the support and nurturing environment needed for students to be successful. This does not happen by chance. The Sunnyslope School principal believes in shared decision-making and practices what she preaches. The Wright Group staff development training was a collective staff decision that has had a significant impact on student achievement. The K-3 Results program is now an integral part of the school's reading program and the school will soon be the pilot school for the 4-6 Results program for the district. In addition, teachers selected to implement the Life Lab Garden Project/Lasers, a nationally recognized program that has received the California Golden Bell Award for Innovation as well as NSTA honors. It also is extraordinary that an entire staff would travel to the Museum of Tolerance and continue to use the experience to teach and model for their students those tools they learned. If another school is interested in learning about shared decision-making practices, then this is the school to see.

Students talked about the after school support they received and the team was very fortunate to observe it in action. Certificated teachers worked with small groups of three to four students in reading or mathematics. The instruction was customized to address the areas of needs for each student. Sunnyslope School provides an additional 160 minutes of instruction a week that is based on-going assessment of student progress. This intervention program is exceptional not just because of the extra time, but because it also reflects a total school commitment to helping all students achieve. The program is obviously based on the results of student assessment and current research. It utilizes researched-based curriculum and it is staffed by fully credentialed, dedicated teachers. It is an intervention program that most definitely could serve as a model to others.

Standards-based curriculum, after-school intervention programs, community involvement, and ongoing staff development are all part of this school's program to support student achievement. Sunnyslope School is truly a Distinguished School!