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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 Middle Schools, California Department of Education, California Middle Grades Alliance, National Forum, and the California Schools to Watch model schools.
Burlingame Intermediate School

Redesignated: 2020

Designated 2017

Burlingame School District

San Mateo County

Greg Land, Principal

1715 Quesada Way, Burlingame, CA 94010

650-259-3830

School Characteristics

Community: Suburban; Enrollment 1044; Grade Levels: 6-8; School Schedule: Seven period day with two day block schedule and three days seven period schedule. 7/8 cored for ELA and SS, 6th grade also cored for math/science, weekly advisory for 45 minutes.

School Demographics

0.3% American Indian, 23% Asian, 0.7% African American, 15% Hispanic, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 51% White, 9% Other; 9% Free/Reduced Lunch; 14% English Learners.

Replicable Practices

  • Sixth grade students alternate weekly between PE and “Connections” social-emotional learning class. Seventh and eighth grade classes provide lessons from the curriculum throughout the year

  • Students can access a tiered system of academic support including: peer tutoring, Trojan Time re-teaching, READ 180 and REACH for students who need extra support in core classes. REACH UP summer program is offered to 6th graders.

  • Weekly 30 minute “Trojan Time” offers options for students to sign up for re-teaching, enrichment or Homework Hall.

  • ”Community Time,” offered weekly for 45 minutes, serves as an advisory period with the goal of better understanding each other through community circles and by participating in broader community team building. Advisors act as mentors for students.

  • ”Genius Olympiad,” open to all students, is a problem-based enrichment opportunity focused on environmental issues. Students identify an issue of concern and design a solution to present to a panel of community members.

  • The Spanish program welcomes students from Spain each fall for two weeks. Immersion students then travel to Spain in February to live with the same students, attending school, and traveling to places of interest.

  • A yearly “You Fair,” organized by the School Site Council focuses on physical, emotional, and mental health, offering booths hosted by a variety of community organizations. Booths focus on topics including healthy food choices, body image messages in the media, and the impact of drugs and alcohol.

  • Staff has studied Restorative Practices with a consultant who trained them in community circles, which resulted in the establishment of a Peer Council as a highly successful suspension diversion program.

  • Teachers meet weekly in collaborative teams to plan lessons and common assessments. Rubrics are developed for identified essential standards and shared with students.

  • Teachers across subject areas are trained in literacy strategies through “Reading Apprentice” to assist students’ work on talking to the text and annotating.

  • In addition to a variety of pre- and post-assessments, each trimester all students are given a performance task assessment to assess whether they can compile their knowledge into one scenario.

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