[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 100 (Thursday, July 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1395-E1396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONGRATULATIONS TO CENTRAL UNION ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 23, 1998

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Central 
Union Elementary School. Central Elementary has been honored as a 
California Distinguished School. The faculty and students of Central 
Union Elementary exemplify excellence with exceptional student 
achievement.
  Central Union is located in the outskirts of Lemoore, in Kings 
County. Central Union's heterogeneous groupings, extensive use of 
active learning projects, and popular extra-curricular programs take 
full advantage of richly diverse population and provide the students 
with opportunities to learn and play with children from different 
cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and socio-economic 
backgrounds.
  Central Union Elementary has over 308 diverse students in grades K-8. 
The student body is composed of 29% Native American, 4% African 
American, 28% Hispanic, and 39% White students. Central Union 
Elementary's motto: ``Together, We Achieve'' shows a tradition of 
support for, and pride in, their excellent educational program. 
Evidence of Central Union's history of quality education is seen in the 
large participation by parents in school events, traditional 
celebrations, and programs. 90% of the parents attended their recent 
parent-teacher conferences; 85% of the parents attended the programs 
and visited classrooms during Open House and Back to School Night last 
year.
  Central Union Elementary places emphasis on student results. The 
school's educational strategies and practices are consistent with this 
goal. Their content and student performance standards aligned with and 
are as rigorous as the ``Draft Interim Content and Performance 
Standards.'' Central Union Elementary has a safe, clean, friendly, 
orderly, and supportive environment for children. Parents

[[Page E1396]]

are involved in their children's education and collaborate with staff 
members to ensure achievement. Parent volunteer records document that 
over 3,337 hours were volunteered to assist students, programs and 
special events last year. Volunteer activities included collaborating 
with staff members in planning and evaluating programs in a shared 
decision making process, serving as chairs or members of committees, 
such as safe schools team, SSC, advisories, and supervising field 
trips, serving at the snack bar, correcting reports, and publishing 
newsletters.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I congratulate Central Union 
Elementary, a California Distinguished School. The students and faculty 
of this school exemplify a care for the community and a dedication to 
hard work. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Central Union 
Elementary many more years of success.

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