Dad, I love you. Thank you for providing for us and being available for us as well. Thank you for advising me and reminding me that you will always love me and support me regardless of whatever the future holds. Thank you, Mom, for your kindness and dedication to raising us. for keeping a smile through tough times, to your selflessness. You've been a role model. Thank you both for being open to new conversations and reminding me that I can do anything and everything. I'll continue to work hard for you guys so that eventually one day I'll be the one taking care of you guys without any worries. Um, Thank you everyone and again congratulations to the class of [Applause] 2025. I wish everyone the best. Good afternoon, class of 2025. To quote Cortez alumnist Alice Cooper, the most the two most joyous times of the year are Christmas morning and the end of school.
Mencha, John Lee, Howell Morgan, Devia, Victor Omar, Puebla Rodriguez, and Alisa Grace, Tenulua Ene Raj. We as a community acknowledge and respect your remarkable achievements. Thank [Music] you. Students who are ranked academically in the top 3% are honored tonight as graduates of high distinction. If you're in the top 3%, please stand. We recognize and thank your accomplishments. Finally, I would like to acknowledge those students who are ranked academically in the top 10% of this class. While I will not present them to you individually, please draw your attention to their names which are marked in the commencement program and ask you to applaud their accomplishments. [Applause] Students who are graduating with highest distinction have been selected to speak on behalf of the class of 2025. John Lee will speak first followed by Morgan Dvilla, Victor Pueblo, Pueblo Rodriguez, and Andeliza Raji. Following their remarks, Aden Lopez Ion, senior class president, will make a presentation on behalf of the senior [Applause] class.
Not to mention the adults who affirm them and sometimes lead to irreversible irreversible sterilization of our youth. Thank you. I must speak out for these young people so much like I was. Thank you. Um our next is going to be I apologize. I forgot my timer that usually shows you. So I apologize if I interrupt you. Um PK per P perk Thank you. Good evening. I'm PK Parak. Uh my comments today are about uh community engagement and transparency uh which I've talked about a few times, but things are necessary to build trust in the community. Um the first thing regards the uh superintendent search process. Uh there are a number of good proposals in your packet. Look forward to hearing your discussion about that later. uh whichever firm the board chooses, I encourage you to fully utilize the options for meaningful engagement with a broad range of stakeholders, including district staff, unions, parents, students, and leadership roles and otherwise voters without kids in the district and key community organizations to get input on the attributes of a new superintendent that are desired.
And uh we have as many kids try out for the math bowl team as we do basketball. And that says a lot about her. Um and I just want to say thanks again for an opportunity to recognize these amazing uh students um and their coach Clarissa White. So thank you very much. Congratulations. Congratulations. Thanks for coming tonight. Congratulations. Congratulations. Way to go. And I love your shirt. At least we can see. Yeah. Where's the basketball team? Easy. [Applause] And next, another student celebration, academic team celebration. We have both uh state championships from the North Side Middle School math academic bowl team and um the North High School English Academic Bowl team. So, Mrs. Udi, Mrs. Mr. Brandom, Mr. Campbell, Mrs. V, come on up. They're shy. North Side was the first name you said, so I'll go first. Uh, good evening, uh, Dr. Phillips and members of the school board.
We have some conflicts with scheduling there. So that's probably going to change. uh we'll notify you of that new uh date. Um I need a motion and a second to adjurnn. I'll make a motion. I have a motion and a second to adjurnn. All in favor?
The board of school trustees publicly recognizes this achievement and renders it permanently to its minutes to be preserved for public posterity dated this 19th day of May, 2025. So, coaches, do you want to come on up? You guys tell us a little bit about our accomplishments this season. Um, thank you everyone for coming. Um, we had a momentous year. Um, we really created a legacy here. These girls worked their tails off um and won everything and everything, every competition, everything. Um, it was wild. Um, and that's never happened here at Wheeler. So, they created our this they're a legacy. This is a legacy team. Very proud of them. We were undefeated in our ensemble as well. Wheeler's first ever ensemble. So, it's pretty cool to have a a three repeat undefeated season. Um, and then actually following up from last year's season, which was a double state champion title as well.
This isn't just about hurtful language. It profoundly impacts their ability to learn, to feel safe, and to thrive within those walls. Therefore, I I am heartened to learn of the efforts being made uh especially regarding the new student handbooks to address some of these issues, to close some loopholes, and to offer greater protection for our students. And I'm I'm also heartened by the administration and this board's response to some of these issues. Um it's a significant step forward, a testament to our community's willingness to confront this challenge. Um and I want to thank everyone here, including um the administration that isn't here for the progress that's been made. However, progress is not a destination, it's a journey. And as we approach the summer break, my hope is that the momentum that we've got that we've gathered does not dissipate. The commit the commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive educational environment for all our students must be continuous, one that extends beyond the se the summer and into the fall.
Beginning in 2020, our stats curriculum was revamped using Stats Medic, which is a highly rated free college board approved curriculum that we've been using ever since. Our AP students have performed extremely well in these years, and our CCR students are finding success in a challenging fourth year of math. The creators of this curriculum expanded to the core math courses and created what is now known as Mathematic. The entire curriculum is free. We pay a minimal amount for professional training and an assessment platform. We adopted this curriculum for geometry in the 2022 2023 school year for 60% of our sophomores. These students outperformed the other 40% students in MCCAST growth by an average of 18%. The following year, we piloted this mathematic curriculum for algebra 1 for 60% of the freshmen and successfully completed the entire course. We also covered geometry and stats that year. Again, the students receiving this mathematic curriculum outperformed the other students not receiving this curriculum.
Okay. So I hate to say that but uh we call it seasoned the seasoned uh month. Um, and on May 31st from 9:00 to 12:00, there's going to be a walk-athon and some other events going on. And we'd love for everyone to uh to go there uh and help us out and uh you know, just kind of walk and raise some funds um and some awareness for some of the the things that are happening in the city uh where we can help others. So, um we will put this out. There's a QR code up here now if anyone wants to um snap it. Uh if not, uh we'll get something out. There was something that went out to the district yesterday or did before. I'm sorry. uh today uh or Friday. Uh so we're really excited about it. So hope to see you all there uh to stop by and and raise some money um for such a such an incredible organization and and a program.
At Freedom each year they have about 90% of their students finish the year at or above and the non-spalding schools have about 61% of their students finish at or above benchmark. Now we will look at the same data but broken down by grade level. In 2324, kindergarten's first year of Spalding implementation for both teachers and students, Countryside had 48% of students and the year at or above benchmark. In 2425, during the teacher's second year implementing Spalding and the students first year receiving Spalding instruction, 69% of students and the year at or above benchmark. Freedom averaged 90% of their students ending the year at or above benchmark over the three-year span and non-spalding schools averaged 69% of students ending the year at or above benchmark. Now looking at first grade in the 23 24 school year, a year with no spalding implementation for teachers and students, countryside had 32% of students in the year at or above benchmark in 2425.
Thank you all for being here today and sharing the milestone of the class of 2025. And I wish you all the best. And now, please welcome Tiffany Vu. [Applause] Hello, good afternoon faculty, family, friends, and graduates. My name is Tiffany Vu, and it's an honor to speak on behalf of the class of 2025. Today represents the pinnacle of our journey shaped by years of hard work, obstacles overcome, and memories made. As we begin on this new journey, I want to leave you all with the gift, a camera. Metaphorically, it represents the ability to capture the fleeting moments of life. High school has been like a camera lens. with each experiences capturing a snapshot of our memories. Every moment is worth cherishing and telling a unique part of our journey. I want to start off by thanking my parents and thank you for my family for flying in from across the country to celebrate the special moment with me.
Please join me in a round of applause acknowledging these accomplishments. [Applause] This brings us to our first student speaker this evening. Would you please join me in welcoming Miss Delaney Bower. [Applause] Hello, class of 2025. It is such an honor to have the ability to speak as one of your validictorians. After four years of dedication, commitment, and perseverance, I come before you as a huge embarrassment. Something you'll find we all can relate to. Now, this statement is not as self-deprecating as you might think since it's been a few years since I've become friends with embarrassment. Before this, our relationship was another story. When I began at Greenway, embarrassment wasn't just a one-time instance of having something stuck in my teeth or toilet paper attached to my shoe. It was a daily emotion. I cringed with every step I took and word I spoke. And when your existence becomes humiliating, you stopped existing, which is exactly what I did.
Leveraging her extensive experience as an accountant, Patty has served as a CFO for a local law firm, bringing her financial expertise to the organization. Thank you for joining us this evening. [Applause] Also with us this evening is our superintendent, Mr. Brian Capistran. Mr. Brian Capistran has dedicated himself to improving GHST community, leaving an indelible mark on the Glendel Union High School District after 30 years. Thank you, Brian. Moon Valley High School confers its highest academic honors by designating the top 1% of the graduating class. I am pleased to present the three students who hold the highest academic rank in the class of 264 members. These students will graduate tonight with the highest distinction wearing a gold medallion. I ask them to please stand as I call their names. Mr. Mr. Linong, Miss Karen Rivera Quas, and Hunter [Applause] Wells. These students have combined a GPA of 4.96 and are on the top 1% of our senior class.
End quote. Needless to say, this guy gets it. On a more serious note, I want to begin by thanking my family as well as the families of all the graduates here today. Without all of you, we wouldn't be here. Your support, encouragement, and belief in us made this moment possible. What we've achieved today is real, and it matters. Though Cortez might be a small school, we've made a big impact. Being part of a team my sophomore year, coming off of a five-year 50game losing streak, and watching that streak finally break, not by luck or by fluke, but through sheer palpable devotion to a cause from a small group of kids against all odds, taught me lessons in overcoming adversity that no textbook ever could. And it's filled me with nothing but confidence and what this class is capable of. At a time in history when it's easy to fall into apathy or indifference, we kept showing up.
Good morning everyone. Today it is my honor to speak to all of you and I'm glad all of you made it. You know, if I had one big takeaway these four years, it was Magic Johnson telling me to go to school every day with the same video every year. Every day your average student struggles to get out of that ever so comfortable bed. And it's a miracle I even made it here. So, I want to take this moment to appreciate my teachers and coaches who've guided me here and dealt with my daily shenanigans. I also want to thank my friends and classmates who make school fun and disrupt the school environment along with me. Lastly, my family who raised me since I was just a baby. They're some of my biggest supporters and I wouldn't be here without them. Today, however, isn't the end of something, but rather the start of something new.
and needed which will inform the job description that you post and the selection criteria. And then during the interview phase, utilize the option for candidate interviews with stakeholder groups representing district administrators, parents, and other community members. So they may provide you with feedback for you to consider before you make your final decision. Doing so will ensure broad engagement by stakeholders throughout the district and the community and build support for your ultimate decision. Uh the proposals also include some great points on how to provide transparency throughout the green process. And although you may pick only one of the providers, I think you could look across and pull in some of the great elements that other ones proposed. Second topic is on um meeting notices uh minutes and streaming and reporting. Um I think I think you know um that uh in principle the more the district can do in public view the better.
Thank you for the invite this evening. I'm Evan Burton, the principal at North Side. Um, could echo a lot of things that Mr. Finley said as far as how the competition is set up and um, how our students uh, compete. We uh, have four dedicated coaches in each of the four core curriculums at Northside that start meeting when we come back from winter break. Meet about once a week as they gear up for the competition. uh that happens uh later in the springtime. Uh and this year we were fortunate enough to have our math academic team uh win uh the state championship in their math competition. So at this time I'll turn it over to our coach uh math department chair here at Columbus North and North Side, Mr. Brad Brandham. Thank you. Good evening to everybody. Drop the clicker. It's my pleasure to be with everybody tonight.
So, it's pretty cool to continue that legacy two years in a row. So, we're really proud of you all and very excited for all that's to come. Um, Hayden Babcock, Annabelle Flanigan, Oh, Ella Benson, sorry, gotta go. Leila [Music] Shira, Hanukkah Edwards, now Annabelle Flanigan, Avery Frick, Alyssa Gadino, Molly Klo, Kenado, Sophie McCormack, Lily Petty, Giana Scholler, Haley Williams, Sabrina Wright, answer. 2.03 Colonel Wheeler 2024 2025 academic Super Bowl team for winning third place in the state and English category. We can bring them in. Um if you want to come in all the way down to the far left as far as you can go line up. There we go. We have a lot so make sure we have plenty of room. Maybe went too far left here. Let's scoot this way. Let's even it out a little bit. All right. Very good. A little bit further.
I don't want to see the progress that we've made falter once September hits. I don't want us to lose sight of the importance of fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and empathy within our schools. I want us to work together as parents, educators, and community members to ensure that when our children return in the fall, they step into classrooms where they feel valued, respected, and empowered to learn free from the shadow of hate. I thank you all for any efforts that you've made. I thank you all for updating these school uh these school handbooks. I hope that we continue to work towards greater progress and there are a lot of us parents who will be watching and making sure that we all hold each other accountable to the value that we take. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. All right, we have Megan Meadows.