Almost 200 school board members, administrators, teachers and parents gathered on April 30th to honor the three winners of the coveted Glenn W. Hoffmann award for exemplary programs. Entries are scored based on their impact on students, innovation, creativity, and whether the program is replicable and sustainable. The Hoffmann Awards not only provide an opportunity to honor these exemplary programs, but they also provide a venue for other Santa Clara County schools to learn from, and potentially implement, similar programs that can benefit the students in our community.
Columbia Middle School was one of the few select schools within Santa Clara county who earned this prestigious honor. Columbia’s FLEX for Intervention and Enrichment program earned top scores by a panel of board members and administrators who rated a myriad of programs across Santa Clara County. The FLEX program is a 34 minute period that occurs mid-morning and meets four times per week. During this FLEX period, all teachers teach a class, and all students take either an intervention or enrichment course. A wide range of classes are offered that vary from astronomy and aviation to fitness programs like hip hop and X-Box fitness. The FLEX period allows students extra time for subjects they may struggle with and an opportunity to explore interests that might not otherwise be presented to them.
Principal Mary Beth Allmann and her staff proudly received the award which was presented by County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Ashley Wong, a student at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara. Congratulations Columbia Middle School!
Contributor: Reid Myers, Sunnyvale School District Board President
