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Somerton district highlights rising letter grades, student growth and meal program
Summary
Superintendent reported districtwide gains: two schools placed in the county top 10 and Somerton Middle School rose 18 points from a low D to a C; the board celebrated athletic wins and continued a weekend meals program serving hundreds of families.
Superintendent Omar Duron told the Somerton Elementary District governing board on Nov. 12 that the district’s recent letter grades reflect “phenomenal” outcomes, noting two schools ranked in the county’s top 10 and that Somerton Middle School increased its score from a low D to a C, rising 18 points.
Duron said the district average letter grade is a B and highlighted individual school results: one elementary (referred to in the presentation as Desert) placed third and another placed seventh. He credited staff efforts and said principals and teachers are already planning further improvements. “We want to make sure that the letter grade is the byproduct of the work that we do,” Duron said during his report.
The superintendent also noted extracurricular and student-support programs. He announced the Somerton Middle School wrestling team won the city championship and will be recognized at the December board meeting and compete at a January tournament. Duron described ongoing “season of giving” weekend meal distributions: about 120 families at TDS, 76 breakfasts and 67 lunches at SVS, and 22 breakfasts and 22 lunches at OJS for the first weekend; the program will continue through November and December.
Duron said the district approved a field trip for about 50 seventh- and eighth-grade students to UOVA in Tucson next spring and praised a recent Special Olympics event, thanking staff and volunteers who organized it.
Board members responded with congratulations and emphasized that test scores do not define students but said they show progress the district can build on. Several members thanked teachers and administrators for their work and for participating in the board survey that yielded increased responses this year.
The board took no formal action in this report segment; the presentation was informational and closed with recognition items scheduled for future meetings.
