Futsal Champions!
Sunrise Aztecs won the league championship in futsal, with a 7-4 win over University Prep.
The team got better and better as the season progressed, and players are now getting ready for soccer in the spring!
Congratulations, Aztecs!
State test scores released
The state of California has released the English and math test scores for last spring. This was the first year since students came back from COVID-related distance learning, so scores statewide were not as good as prior to COVID.
Nonetheless, there were some bright spots in Sunrise Middle’s test results.
- Sunrise actually did better in math than pre-pandemic.
- Sunrise students did better in math and English than other schools statewide with similar demographics.
- Our English Learners scored nearly twice as well as English Learners statewide on the ELPAC English Learner test.
- Our special education students did nearly as well as similar students statewide, despite our more challenging demographics.
- Sunrise outranked other nearby charter and district schools in both English and math.
Special congratulations to this year’s 8th graders, who carried the school in both math and English.
30 Extra School Days
Sunrise will be offering 30 extra days of activities beyond the normal school year to your students this year. They are optional and provided under the ELO-P program. This program also helps pay for our free after school program, which goes every day until 6 pm and is open to all students.
The extra 30 days will include 20 days of summer school, as well as overnight trips and other adventures during the school breaks.
We also are offering four overnight camping trips this fall – from Friday night to Saturday.
Moving On!
Congratulations to our 8th graders upon being promoted to high school. Our students will be attending more than a dozen different high schools, ranging from prestigious private schools to charter high schools to district high schools.
Santa Clara County Board of Education President Peter Ortiz and Board Member Grace Mah offered encouraging words to our students at the promotion ceremony.
Congratulations also to our 5th graders, upon being promoted to middle school!
We wish all of you the very best!
Student Scores on ELPAC Test
Sunrise is proud to announce the school will be reclassifying a third of the school’s English Learner to English proficient this year.
One third of our students scored 4 out of 4 on the this Spring’s state ELPAC test for English Learners. Another third scored a 3 out of 4. And, only one third scored a 1 or 2.
About 11 percent of the school’s students now are recently from another country, or in the U.S. for less than one year.
School COVID Safety Plan Revised
The Sunrise Board of Directors on Jan. 10, 2022 approved a revised COVID safety plan for the school. The plan focuses on how the school is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and still offering safe instruction. So far the school has had no outbreaks, although it was one of the first schools to reopen. Read here for a full copy of the plan.
Sunrise teacher honored
Sunrise 8th grade English teacher Michelle Kara has been awarded Teacher of the Year for charter schools by the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
Ms. Kara was honored at a special awards ceremony Oct. 28. She was praised for her engaging and relevant lessons and for taking intense interest in each student – so much so that many students come back years later to let her know how well they’re doing in high school with her help.
Here is a portion of her video taken for the event:
https://youtu.be/DqP38FkIVwo?t=105
Independent Study
The Sunrise Board of Directors has adopted a temporary pandemic-related independent study policy for those students whose health is compromised and need to remain at home during the
2021-2022 school year.
If you feel your student qualifies for home study please contact the school office to request an appointment.
Home study involves parent meetings and daily meetings with school staff. Students who are not doing well will be encouraged to go back to in-person instruction.
Distance learning is not an option this year in California.
School’s Safety Plan Updated
Sunrise Middle School has completed the annual update of it’s comprehensive safety plan, which includes our plans for everything from earthquakes to fires to the pandemic. You may read the plan here.
COVID Safety Plan Submitted
Sunrise Middle School has submitted its COVID Prevention Plan (CPP) to the State of California.
This plan lists all the measures the school is taking to preserve the health and safety of its staff and students while open during the pandemic.
The school currently is open to fifth grade and one classroom of challenged learners.
We hope to open to all students in late March.