Edwin Rhodes Elementary

Rhodes was #1 (API) over several counties for a couple of years. In 2008, the school district closed three schools. In 2009, Rhodes got a huge influx of low achieving students, students who smoke, have potty mouths and fight. We got a few good students, but overwhelmingly, the schools they came from did not have the same high standards that Rhodes does, so the new kids were completely overwhelmed when they had school work and homework that wasn’t mindless busy work.

Rhodes API went into the toilet and it will take a few years to get back on track with these kids and parent who have no idea about “raising the educational bar”. Rhodes is NOT a mediocre school; and that’s what the new kids had before they came to Rhodes and it’s what they expected and assumed all schools were like.

Additionally, the school district did not like that Rhodes’ high caliber principle was petitioning to open a charter school, so they removed her from Rhodes. Rhodes suffered greatly; teachers divided, morale was very low. Some followed Mrs. Roche to the charter school and some who remained at Rhodes were bitter and accused the staff who went to the charter school of stealing things. It’s not been the same at Rhodes since she left.

Mrs. Roche promotes Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligent theory of reaching and teaching kids. The charter school, Oxford Preparatory Academy in Chino, is in it’s inaugural year this year. (2010-2011)