Welcome to Sandoval Jr. - Sr. High School

From the Desk of Principal, Annie Gray

Welcome to Sandoval Jr.-Sr. High School. We are very proud of our students, staff, faculty, and administration. We believe in a total team effort, i.e., the community and the school working together.

Sandoval Community Unit School District #501 mission is "to provide learning opportunities in a safe environment, focused on the future, so that all children may reach their fullest potential."

It is our desire and hope "that each student develops the qualities of compassion, integrity, consideration, tenacity, and responsibility."
The faculty and staff are dedicated in helping "students become lifelong learners and productive members of society: mature, independent thinkers who have the skills necessary to direct them to higher levels of learning and achievement."

I am pleased to inform you of the recent receipt of the 2009 Spotlight Schools Award – 2009 Illinois Honor Roll School for Sandoval Junior High School. This is the second consecutive year for receiving the Spotlight Schools Award. We are one of 425 schools to receive this award.

We have also received the 2009 Academic Improvement Award for exemplary gains in performance on the Illinois Learning Standards. Sandoval Junior High is one of 147 schools to receive this award.

These awards are given by the Illinois State Board of Education.

The Spotlight Schools Award recognizes schools that have high levels of poverty yet have succeeded academically to close the achievement gap. In addition, all Spotlight Schools must have made annual adequate yearly progress (AYP) and sustained their performance over the past three years. We have been recognized as one of the 425 schools identified as a Spotlight School located in urban, suburban, and rural areas this year in Illinois.

The criteria for selecting Spotlight Schools in 2009 are rigorous:
· At least 50 percent of students were from low income families in 2009
· At least 60 percent of students must have met or exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics in 2009
· At least 50 percent of the students must have met or exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics in the two previous years (2008 and 2007)
· Schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress in the two previous years as required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which in 2008, meant:
o At least 70 percent meeting and exceeding standards in both reading and mathematics
o 95 percent participation rate in state assessments for all students in each subgroup
o Attendance rate of at least 90 percent for elementary and middle schools

The Academic Improvement Award honors 147 schools across the state of Illinois that have posted substantial gains. These schools demonstrate that exemplary progress is possible at every level and can be sustained.

The criteria for Academic Improvement Awards in 2009 are substantial:
· Show improvement of at least 7.5 points in state test scores in both reading and mathematics between 2008 and 2009, or
· Show an improvement of at least 15 points in state test scores in both reading and mathematics between 2008 and 2009; and
· Show an upward trend in state test results.

Obviously in receiving these awards, a school must meet demanding criteria. This success is only achieved through the combined efforts of teachers, staff, students, parents, administration, and board members. I am very proud of the effort of everyone involved to achieve this level of success.