News
 Balboa Named Nation’s Top Math Elementary
 Intel’s award goes to Shelltown neighborhood school
June 1, 2007

Support our troops postcard Balboa Elementary has been named top elementary school math program in Intel Corporation’s annual Schools of Distinction Award.

The Shelltown campus was honored for its rigorous, challenging and engaging program and its track record in improvement over the last several years.

“We’re pleased that Intel has chosen to recognize nationally the excellent work of the students, parents, teachers, staff and principal at Balboa,” said Dr. Carl Cohn, San Diego’s superintendent of schools. “The remarkable track record of Principal Sylvia Gonzalez and her staff over the last several years shows how persistence can pay off in math for our students.”

The Santa Clara, Calif. -based computer chip maker’s annual Schools of Distinction Awards are given in several categories. For Balboa’s honor, the school showed it offers students a rigorous, challenging and engaging program. They learn how math can solve real-life problems, plus teamwork, critical thinking and communications skills.

Support our troops postcard Balboa is located near the City of San Diego/National City boundary, in an economically challenged area. Approximately 91 percent of the school’s 790 students are Hispanic, with students from Central Asia and Africa also in attendance. During the last five years, the school’s math test scores increased substantially; for example, in 2006, students scoring "proficient" or "advanced" in the math portion of the California Standards Test was 175, rising from a 51 in 2002.

At a ceremony honoring the award on May 30, San Diego Board of Education President Luis Acle told the students and teachers that they are "the pride of the San Diego Unified School District."

"What you have done is extraordinary," he said.

In his remarks to the school, Dr. Cohn lauded the efforts of the teachers and staff.

"This type of hard work makes all of us who head the school system look good, but most importantly it creates a bright future for these youngsters that we are privileged to serve," he said. "I salute you and thank you for this amazing accomplishment."

Intel Corp. News Release