MORONGO BASIN - The Morongo Unified School District Board of Education met for their first regular board meeting of the 24-25 school year on Tuesday.
The meeting kicked off with a presentation from Vonda Viland on the results of the DODEA V grant, a grant for military-connected students that provided funding to Twentynine Palms High School and Twentynine Palms Junior High School for STEAM courses. At TPHS the grant funded a biomedical science course and at TPJHS the grant funded Cell Lab A, medical detectives flight and space, and Cell Lab B, energy on the environment, robotics, app creator and green architecture.
These courses were designed as a CTE feeder program and were taken by 834 students. Of those who participated, 78% expressed interest in further CTE participation and the District expects to see an increase in CTE participation over the next two years as these students transition to upper high school grade levels, Viland said.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Sharon Flores then presented an update on the new furniture project. New collaborative furniture is being installed currently at schools across the district. The furniture is specifically designed to pod for collaborative classroom setups. These setups have been shown to boost student learning by promoting teamwork, active engagement and flexible learning. These arrangements encourage communication, improve participation and prepare students for real-world collaboration. They also allow teachers to provide more personalized support, creating a more dynamic and effective learning environment.
The new furniture was recently installed at YVES, YMES, MVES, ONES, LES and YVHS and will be installed at all other sites over the next month. Later this fall new teacher desks and podiums will also be installed across the District.
Superintendent Dr. Patricio Vargas also presented preliminary data from the District’s most recent CAASPP scores. CAASPP scores refer to the results from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), a standardized testing system used in California public schools. These scores measure students' proficiency in key subjects like English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. The CAASPP scores help educators assess student performance, track progress and identify areas needing improvement.
Results from the CAASPP are measured as a distance from standard, referring to the average scores from students across the state. Preliminary data from 2023-24 showed increases for students' scores in ELA and in math, particularly amongst students with high numbers of headwinds, obstacles or challenges that make it harder for students to succeed. Examples include difficult home environments, lack of resources, learning disabilities or socio-economic challenges.
Final results from the 23-24 CAASPP scores will be published by the State this winter.
The Board of Education will meet for their next regular board meeting on Sept. 10, 2024. For more information visit https://www.morongousd.com/o/musd/page/board-of-education