Welcome Mighty Mules to the 2007-2008 school year! I still believe that school spirit plays a vital role in the academic success of students and this belief has been supported by recent studies which show that when students take pride in their school and feel a sense of belonging, they tend to perform better in school, and in many instances score up to an average of 60 points better on state exams. Studies have also shown that when parents are actively involved with their children’s school, their children tend to have greater academic success.

    As we open this school year there is much to be proud of and we hope that many more parents will come to our campus and stay involved as we make every effort to become the premier high school in Los Angeles. Our Academic Performance Index (API), which the California Department of Education (CDE) uses to measure a school’s academic performance, is a clear indication that our school is academically on the rise. Every year the state expects schools to raise a certain number of points to indicate academic progress. This past year the state expected us to go up12 points. Wilson High School exceeded the state’s target rate by going up to 26 points! We met our graduation rates and we continue to make significant gains in the Sciences and the English Language Arts. However, as good as this is, we can’t simply sit back and bask in our accomplishments. Our work has just begun and we need every parent to get actively involved as best they can.

    This year in an effort to continue our academic objectives, a special fund SB 1133 has been granted to our school. The primary objective of this grant is to reduce class sizes and to help us to continue to increase our graduation rate. We’ve hired 9 new teachers, 2 new counselors, 5 educational aides, 2 teacher assistants for our Bilingual program, 2 new coordinators, and a science and a social studies coach. All these individuals are highly gifted and their unique talents will help us as we continue to focus on our goals. As a professional learning community we will continue with our shared vision, collaboration, and our dialogue on what matters most- student learning.

    We have “momentum” on our side and as we continue to work together and build school spirit, I believe that our scores will continue to rise! But, we can’t do it alone. We need your support! We welcome you to all of our functions; we’re here to serve you and your children!

Roberto Antonio Martinez

Principal