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CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS TO WATCH

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California Schools to Watch is a statewide program implemented by the California League
of Educators, California Department of Education, California Middle Grades Alliance, National Forum, and the California Schools to Watch model schools.
Traweek Middle School

Redesignated: 2022

Designated 2018

Covina Valley Unified School District

Los Angeles County

April Leon, Principal

1941 E. Rowland Ave., West Covina, CA 91791

(626) 974-7000

School Characteristics

Community: Suburban; Enrollment: 855; Grade Levels: 6-8; School Schedule: Seven period day with 6th grade in cohort teams with block schedules. Seventh and 8th grade classes are organized departmentally. Seventh and 8th grade teachers share a common departmental prep period. Tuesday is a minimum day schedule to allow for staff collaboration.

School Demographics

Free/reduced lunch: 69%; English learners: 24%

Replicable Practices

  • The seven-period instructional day allows for students to have two intervention classes or two enrichment electives allowing students to access the Project Lead the Way classes that lead to four-year integrated pathways in high school.

  • All students have a three-day hands-on science experience relevant to the curriculum of each grade level. In 6th grade, earth science with the Pali Institute; in 7th grade, life science with the Catalina Island Marine Institute; and in 8th grade, physical science with AstroCamp.

  • All English learners have an adult advocate who monitors progress, provides primary English instruction for growth, and supports students’ needs as they arise in any disciplines.

  • Using thinking maps as a tool for writing and note taking, all classes actively engage in discipline appropriate writing strategies following the school instructional focus of “write here, write now.”

  • All students are issued a take-home Windows 10 Laptop to access technology as a learning tool. In addition to the use of technology in all core classes and STEM classes, students all learn introductory computer coding skills in science at all grade levels. All students may also access the Project Lead the Way classes that lead to the high school pathway developing integrated math, science, engineering, and robotics skills in an applied technology curriculum.

  • Teachers collaboratively design and score cross-curricular writing to assess student skills for writing within the disciplines. Working with “Focused Schools” the school has adopted a school-wide focus on writing.

  • School-wide well established PBIS program includes Tiers I, II and III interventions and provides for desirable and consistent rewards and recognition.

  • Frequent and focused instructional walk-throughs by site administrators, district personnel, and outside consultants monitor the students’ ability to verbalize the objectives of a lesson and the reason for learning it.

  • With a robust Project Lead the Way Program, a digital media/television journalism class and the use of electronic platforms by students and teachers in virtually all aspects of their teaching and learning, Traweek is a computer science immersion magnet school.

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Contact Us

8583 Irvine Center Dr., #45, Irvine, CA 92618

Contact Us

Tel: 800.326.1880
Fax: 562.430.5607

© 2023 California League of Educators

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