Sunrise Middle School celebrated Thanksgiving by honoring immigrants, the Native Americans, and Mother Earth, and by expressing gratitude for all. See photos at
https://www.facebook.com/Sunrise-Middle-School-157041251077377/
Five students ran with the 500-Mile American Indian Spiritual Marathon running team in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day with the message, “All life is sacred.”

Sunrise Middle School had the highest test results in English of any middle school in the central/downtown San Jose area, according to state test results released this past week. Sunrise also had among the highest math test results. Furthermore, while many areas schools showed a decline in test scores from the previous year, Sunrise students continued to improve – by two percentage points in English and by four percentage points in math.

Forty-one percent of Sunrise Middle’s students scored proficient or advanced in English, even though nearly half of the school’s students are English learners. One fourth of the students scored proficient or advanced in math.

It was a class that focused on social justice and making the world a better place. Sunrise Board Chair Gabriel Clark told the students and parents:

Knowledge used as a weapon to harm, is ignorance!
Knowledge used as a tool to heal, is wisdom.

The education you hold in your hands is a powerful thing, it can be used to raise walls that divide us, or as a tool to build the bridges that unite us.
Be “Makers” not “Takers”!
Be “Builders” not “Breakers”!
Be “Creators” not “Haters”!
Be “Healers” not “Stealers”!
Be “Believers” not “Deceivers”!

Congratulations Class of 2021, Valedictorian Angelica Valdez and Salutatorians Annette Villalobos and Ashley Zalvala!

Sunrise boys and girls just won the semi-finals in soccer and move on to the final game on Thursday. Sunrise beat DCP El Camino girls 5-2 and the boys won 4-2 in penalties. Go Aztecs!

May 9 – 6 p.m. – Public Hearing on the school’s LCAP spending plan for 2017-18

Sunrise Middle School has joined other public school districts in supporting an effort in court to block President Trump’s Jan. 25 order that threatens public schools
that don’t cooperate with immigration officers. Trump’s executive order grants the U.S. Attorney General the authority to deny federal funds to public agencies, including schools, that deem themselves immigrant safe havens or sanctuary jurisdictions.

According to the brief filed in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, the president’s executive order “transforms schools from inclusive, safe places to places of fear and uncertainty, ultimately undermining our entire public education system.”

Among others signing the court document were the Alum Rock, East Side, Evergreen, Santa Clara, San Diego, Los Angeles, Gilroy, Mt. Pleasant, Campbell, and San Francisco school districts.

This week the state released its new system for holding schools accountable, and Sunrise Middle received high marks for its students’ academic growth. The accountability system, which replaces the old API, is called Dashboard, and it is a mix of colored circles that describe how a school is doing in various areas.

The Dashboard for Sunrise shows that all students and all groups of students (English Learner, low income, special education, etc.) “increased significantly” in math, and English Learners and Students with Disabilities “increased significantly” in English.
https://www.caschooldashboard.org/#/Details/43104390124065/1/EquityReport
Congratulations, Aztecs, for showing great perseverance!

San Jose Sharks and Kaiser Permanente joined forces today, Feb. 14, to educate Sunrise students about the importance
of healthy eating and regular exercise. Mascot Sharkie and Player Brenden Dillon were both funny and inspirational. See
the Mercury News review:

San Jose Sharks’ Brenden Dillon and Sharkie visit Sunrise Middle School

The Sunrise Middle School Board of Directors voted February 7 to declare Sunrise an immigration safe haven for its students, families, and employees.

The next board meeting will be held on February 7th instead of February 14th.