Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Performance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Principals report test-score gains and steep suspension decline at Mesa Linda and Theodore Vick
Summary
Mesa Linda principal Genevieve Johnston told trustees enrollment is 726 and said ELA and math scores have improved over recent years while suspensions dropped from roughly 1,800 to 42; Theodore Vick principal Janeline Milana reported gains across grades and outlined targeted supports for English learners and attendance.
Two site leaders addressed the Adelanto Elementary School District board on Oct. 7, 2025, with school-by-school updates and plans for 2025–26.
At Mesa Linda Middle School, Principal Genevieve Johnston said the school’s enrollment is 726 and highlighted preliminary gains in both ELA and math — "we've had a lot of challenges recently, and we have still managed to grow by over 3% in our ELA" and "we have grown by almost 4% in math as a school." Johnston emphasized one striking discipline metric: "Last year, we had a total of, like, 1,800 suspensions. We're only at 42 for the year," and described a suite of restorative strategies and schedule changes — restorative circles, reflection sheets, conflict mediation, adding electives, partner activities with AYA and a single-lunch schedule — as central to reducing exclusions.
Trustees and the clerk asked about alternatives to suspension; Clerk Keier pressed for specifics and Johnston listed restorative practices, conflict mediation, expanding electives and increased adult visibility as primary interventions. Trustees praised the leadership and student engagement as factors in improved attendance and culture.
Theodore Vick Elementary principal Dr. Janeline Milana told the board her school serves 481 students, the majority Hispanic and many facing economic challenges. She reported steady gains in math across recent years and a notable rebound in fourth-grade ELA ("improving by over 10 percentage points") and said English learners have shown strong gains while African American students experienced declines that the school plans to address. Milana described strategies in the site SPSA (School Plan for Student Achievement): data-driven after-school tutoring, MTSS and small-group intervention, a "one school, one book" reading initiative, and family-engagement workshops.
Both principals emphasized the importance of family engagement and targeted supports for subgroups, and both thanked staff, families and the board for support. The presentations were informational; no policy changes were proposed during the remarks.
