[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9573]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING DARTMOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL UPON ITS RECOGNITION AS A SCHOOL TO 
                                 WATCH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2012

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge and 
honor Dartmouth Middle School upon its recognition as a ``School to 
Watch'' by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform in 
2012.
  Located in San Jose, California, Dartmouth Middle School is a public 
middle school in the Union School District that teaches grades six 
through eight. It was recently named as one of the top performing 
middle grade schools in the country and will be recognized by the 
National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform at their annual 
conference in Arlington, Virginia from June 21-23.
  In 2012, only 103 schools around the country were named ``Schools to 
Watch'' by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. The 
Forum is an alliance of more than 60 educators, researchers, and 
officers of national associations and foundations committed to 
improving schools for young adolescents across the country. Forum 
members choose schools that are academically excellent, developmentally 
responsive, and socially equitable.
  Dartmouth Middle School meets and exceeds the criteria for a high-
performing middle grade school. It involves students in service 
activities, celebrates diversity, and actively engages its students in 
their own learning. It has a Homework Club four days a week where 
students may drop in to get help from teachers with homework questions. 
At a time when schools are cutting back on afterschool activities, 
Dartmouth still allows students to put on a school play, participate in 
various sports, and perform in different levels of band.
  It is indeed an honor and a privilege to have such a dedicated and 
nurturing institution in my district that appreciates its students, the 
community, sports, and the arts. I wish Dartmouth Middle School 
continued success for many years to come.

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