Lee Elementary School posted extraordinary achievement growth in mathematics and language arts scores in all grade levels on the latest round of state assessments.
In a recent report to the Los Alamitos Unified School District board, Lee Principal Amy Laughlin said year-to-year performance in language arts increased 10 percent points in third grade, 19 points in fourth and two points in fifth.
Lee Elementary School posted extraordinary achievement growth in mathematics and language arts scores in all grade levels on the latest round of state assessments.
In a recent report to the Los Alamitos Unified School District board, Lee Principal Amy Laughlin said year-to-year performance in language arts increased 10 percent points in third grade, 19 points in fourth and two points in fifth.
Math scores rose 16 points in third grade, 17 in fourth and 13 in fifth. As an indicator of future performance, Laughlin reported, 95 percent of third graders already meet or exceed state grade level standards.
Laughlin said the strong growth is a result of the school’s commitment to academic excellence and a number of specific programs such as utilizing teachers to train other teachers in effective strategies, integrating a variety of Google technology tools into classroom instruction and the use of the Junior Great Books curriculum.
In addition, the school is integrating science and technology across the grade levels through computer coding lessons, robotics design, drone programming and monthly engineering challenges that ask students to analyze, design and build solutions.
The school also added its fourth and fifth grade students to the districtwide, grades 6-12 Math Modeling Monday program, in which all students tackle the same mathematical problem on the same day using strategies appropriate to their learning to create math solutions and explain their reasoning.
“It’s happening at Lee!” Laughlin told the school board.
Two Lee students, Nathan Garcia and Izzy Ruiz, also addressed the board about their experiences at the school.
“Learning doesn’t always come easily to everyone,” Garcia said. “Writing was a struggle, but my teachers worked with me one on one and pushed me to be better. Now I am a spectacular writer,” he said to applause from the board and audience.
Ruiz praised her Lee teachers who “make a lot of sacrifices for us. They are always giving us new opportunities to learn. I truly feel prepared for middle school and beyond.”
Laughlin also introduced to the board Layla Tahvildari, selected by the school as its Hero of the Heart.
Tahvildari and her family run the Primrose restaurant in Seal Beach and support a number of programs at Lee.
She volunteers in her son’s classroom, has been PTA treasurer, and helps with school events such as the book fair, ice cream social, teacher appreciation luncheon, and carnival.
“Layla is a woman of generosity and integrity,” Laughlin said. “She models the traits we work so hard to teach our children. She is a true gift to our school.”