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Mary Chapa Academy tells board suspensions fell 60% and attendance holds at 92% amid expanded student programs
Summary
Mary Chapa Academy principal Ursula Bynak told the board the school prioritizes a "culture of belonging," reporting a 60% drop in suspensions, a 92% attendance rate and growth in student clubs to 19 offerings; the vice principal highlighted a district initiative focusing on English learners and said enrollment is 661 with 450 English learners.
Mary Chapa Academy presented progress on culture, community engagement and learning supports during the Greenfield Union School District board meeting on Jan. 8.
Principal Ursula Bynak said the school places "culture at the center of everything we do" and described a "culture of belonging" intended to make students feel safe, connected and known. She told trustees the site has seen what she called a meaningful decrease in suspensions, reporting a 60% reduction from last year.
Vice Principal Marco Iniguez outlined academic supports, professional development and interventions targeted at the district's largest subgroup: English learners. Iniguez said Mary Chapa has total enrollment of 661 students, including 450 English learners and 133 English-only students, and that leaders are using subgroup data to tailor interventions.
Staff highlighted growth in extracurricular offerings; the presentation said student clubs and activities have grown over three years from roughly 8–12 offerings to 19. Bynak and Iniguez credited community partnerships, an active PTA, after-school programs and focused professional development for supporting student engagement.
The school recognized long-serving staff members for their service. The presentation closed with an invitation for further district support and collaboration as site leaders move into continued planning and implementation.
What this means: The site's discipline and engagement metrics were presented as evidence of program effectiveness; trustees thanked staff and asked for continued reporting as the year progresses.
