Founded in 1999 by Mary Wright Shaw, Molly McCrory and Jean Bacigalupi, Reading Partners has expanded out of the Bay Area and throughout California. This non-profit organization partners with low-income schools to help transform struggling youngsters into confident readers that are excited about learning.
Each reading center is located on a school campus and operates out of a classroom or library. The centers are staffed by a Reading Partners Site Coordinator who works with the school to provide individualized reading instruction while recruiting and training volunteer tutors.
The Valley Way location is the organization's central office. It can be found in the Sobrato Center for Nonprofits.
Darrell Leffler's Academy of Music has been teaching music for for eight years in Milpitas. It offers music lessons for piano, vocal and guitar. Its other location is on 3237 S. White Road in San Jose, and it has been in the music instruction business for more than 30 years. It offers both private and group lessons for students age 4 to 17. There are also voice lessons for adults.
In addition to music instruction, the school has a Maestro Darrell's Music Workshop and a children's television show on a local channel. Call for more information.
Its motto is: "Music is a wonderful thing to share."
US College Success helps high school students apply for college. For a fee, the consultants will walk you and your potential college-bound kid through the admissions process. The staff determines what level your teenager is at and develops a course of action.
The company's mission is to provide one-on-one, custom educational advice to students that will maximize their skills and prepare them for the future.
Milpitas Christian Preschool caters to children 2 years and 9 months through pre-kindergarten. The curriculum is based on the Bible and emphasizes Christian values in students' coursework. Therefore, a child's spirtuality is nurtured in addition to his social, physical, emotional and intellectual being.
Retention rates of students moving on from Milpitas Christian Preschool into kindergarten and beyond at Milpitas Christian School is quite high--in 2009, over two-thirds of the full-time pre-schoolers enrolled as regular students. Kindergarten to eighth grade students attend a separate campus on Birchwood Lane in San Jose, a few blocks outside the Milpitas border.
Summer day camp and year-round day care for pre-kinder is available.
This school offers adults of all ages a way to continue their education, either as a bridge to practical goals, such as a new job or career, a GED diploma or US citizenship, or simply as a fun way to continue learning. Career-oriented tracks include training to become health care workers, such as EKG techs, clinical medical asistants or pharmacy techs. Immigrants can take advantage of English-as-a-second-language courses and citizenship classes. Adults without a high school diploma can train to take the equivalency exam. Fees are reasonable, and senior citizens receive a discount.
This is a public school that educates students from kindergarten through 6th grade. There is room for children to play outside, extracurricular activities, and sports teams for them to join.
John Sinnott Elementary has a uniform, and has facilities to help with special needs children. School amenities include an auditorium, cafeteria, computer lab, language lab, library, infirmary, science lab and sports facilities. Student activities include Photo Club, Welcoming Committee, Glee Club, Chess Club and Young Rembrandts Art Club.
The school principal is Stacey Espino.
Russell Middle School serves children in 7th and 8th grade. The public school offers a variety of extracurricular activities and clubs, in addition to the academic program.
Robert Randall Elementary School serves children in kindergarten through 6th grade. In addition to the academic program, this public school offers a variety of activities for its students.
This is an elementary school teaching children from kindergaden through sixth grade. The school principal is Normajean McClellan. This public offers extra curricular activites and ways for children to advance in school quickly.
Located on Escuela Parkway in Milpitas, Thomas Russell Middle School is a public facility offering a safe, engaging and diverse educational environment for students in 7th and 8th grade. The school is dedicated to challenging students with a strong curriculum emphasizing academics, the arts, athletics and a variety of extracurricular programs. The principal is Mrs. Laura Foegal.
- 2009 Base API: 872
- Number of faculty: 33 teachers, all fully credentialed
- FY 2007-08 Total expenditures per pupil: $3,056
- Percentage of parents who are college graduates: 32
- Percentage of students who are English learners: 14
- Percentage of students with disabilities: 10
- Percentage of students who are: Asian, 44; Filipino, 18; Hispanic, 17; White, 7; African-American, 4
- Percentage who students who receive free or reduced-priced lunches: 33
- Number of expulsions/suspensions: expulsions, 0; suspensions, 176, of those 48 are violence or drug related.
At Safari Kid, there is a "jungle" of activities and academia available to children. Curriculum is based on a child's ability to master certain skills and tasks, rather than based on his or her age. The website boasts that sometimes four-year-olds can read the newspaper. Creativity is also fostered at Safari Kid, where kids can be involved in Bollywood dance, a game of chess or even the Hindi language.
St. Thomas Catholic School accommodates children ages 2 to 5. The focus of their curriculum is to prepare children academically, socially and emotionally for entering elementary school. The Christian-based education also gives children a solid spiritual foundation to draw upon throughout their lives.
This school has gone through some changes, with St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Church as new management. A fully renovated facility was completed in February 2010.
Besides offering childcare before and after school, St. Thomas also provides transportation and lunch for an extra fee.
Foothill Adventist School adheres to the philosophy that true education goes beyond the four walls of the classroom--it extends into the church, the home and real-world experiences. In the spirit of this belief, Foothill Adventist School prepares students academically and spiritually to take on life's challenges using Christ-centered teaching and Biblical application. From grades to eating habits and appearance, the school strives to instill a sense of excellence and pride in all of its students.
Milpitas High School boasts a impressive graduation rate, a winning football team, a marching band with more than 100 students and plenty of extracurricular activities for students. The principal is Mr. Ken Schlaff.
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- 2009 Base API: 783
- Number of faculty: teachers, 124 fully credentialed, 4 not fully credentialed
- Total expenditures per pupil: $3102
- Percentage of parents who are college graduates: 43
- Percentage of students who are English learners: 13
- Percentage of students with disabilities: 9
- Percentage of students who are: Asian, 38; Filipino, 22; Hispanic, 20; White, 11; African-American, 4
- Percentage who students who receive free or reduced-priced lunches: 33
- Number of expulsions/suspensions: expulsions, 13 with the majority violence or drug related; suspensions, 378; less than a third violence or drug related
- The Milpitas High School PTSA meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 5:45 pm - 7:10pm in the library.
Sources: California Department of Education, Ed-Data and the Milpitas Unified School District SARC. All data is from 2008-2009 unless otherwise noted.
Rancho Milpitas is one of two middle schools in the district offering 7th and 8th grade. The principal is Ms. Leticia Villa-Gascon.
- 2009 Base API: 829
- Number of faculty: 30 teachers, all fully credentialed
- FY 2007-08 Total expenditures per pupil: $2,944
- Percentage of parents who are college graduates: 26
- Percentage of students who are English learners: 22
- Percentage of students with disabilities: 10
- Percentage of students who are: Asian, 36; Filipino, 23; Hispanic, 23; White, 11; African-American, 4
- Percentage who students who receive free or reduced-priced lunches: 40
- Number of expulsions/suspensions: expulsions, 6 (1 involving firearm or weapon); suspensions, 76, one-third drug or violence-related
Young Rembrandts offers arts and drawing classes at Weller, Pomeroy, Sinnott, Zanker, Curtner and Merryhill schools in Milpitas. The instructors teach drawing history and basics based off of a proprietary program designed to incorporate math and reading to assist in the development of fundamentals with regards to dimension, structure, depth perception while gaining valuable insight to the beginner and intermediate artwork realm.
Power Math offers classes, summer programs and tutoring services that help children gain a proficiency in mental arithmetic in a lively and engaging environment. The skills gained through Power Math's abacus-based techniques can improve a child's performance across a range of disciplines, including concentration, memory, powers of observation, reading and writing. Director Huey-Chiang Huang has extended her teaching and methods to programs at many schools in the Bay Area.