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Joaquin Miller Elementary
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Joaquin Miller Elementary 720 East Providencia Avenue (Get Map) Burbank, CA 91501 Telephone: (818) 558-5460 Fax: (818) 843-6077 Principal: Mrs. Judy Hession |
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Welcome to Joaquin Miller Elementary School! Miller School, a California Distinguished School, is situated in the City of Burbank, a few miles north of the Los Angeles Civic Center. Burbank is a community of 100,000 residents which has undergone a dramatic change in its economy and in the make-up of its population. The economy has improved because of the growth of the television and entertainment industry in the city and the immigrant population has expanded rapidly. As a result, many areas of the city have become very diverse and multi-ethnic.
Miller Elementary School reflects these changes in the City of Burbank, perhaps more than any other elementary school in the Burbank Unified School District. Currently the student population of 887 Kindergarten through Grade 5 students is 22% Hispanic, 4% African American, 9% Asian, 5% Filipino, and 60% White. Our language census shows an even greater diversity. In March 2003, 620 or 69% of the students spoke another language in addition to English. Armenian, Spanish, Tagalog, Korean, and Arabic were the highest in number of the 21 languages listed as being spoken by students in addition to English. A large number, 69% of the 620 students (46% of the total school population) are designated as Limited English Proficient and are still in English Language Development programs learning to speak, read, and write in English. We welcome and embrace the broad cultural and ethnic diversity and feel that it is strength of our school. While pursuing academic excellence, Joaquin Miller Elementary School has a high regard for respecting and preserving the traditions of all cultures as well as an emphasis on identifying and fostering common values that unite all people. We believe that our students are benefiting from this rich and varied learning environment. Miller Elementary School has been the largest and fastest growing school in the District for the past decade. Our surrounding neighborhood has changed from mainly single-family dwellings to now a vast majority of multi-family dwellings. Currently, nearly 80% of our students live in these multi-family dwellings. This change, along with our moderately high mobility rate, has certainly contributed to the rapid growth of our school population, which has gone from 699 students in 1992 to a record high of 1000 students in March of 2001 to our current number of 887 students. Providing classroom space for the increased student population, coupled with the advent of class-size reduction in Grades K-3, has been a challenge and resulted in the opening in 1995 of a new Miller Kindergarten facility (on a separate site six blocks away for up to 150 Kindergarten students) and the construction in 1999 of a new two-story, 28 classroom building (replacing 17 portable classrooms). Miller recently completed the modernization of 16 classrooms and the offices. We are enjoying our new facilities. The Miller Kindergarten School is a unique facility built and planned specifically for kindergartners and their special needs. It is a positive and nurturing learning environment for all students. Parents are very supportive of the school and its programs. It is a safe and secure environment where all members of the school staff know all of the students and their families and can provide the support needed to help each student succeed. When the students at Miller Kindergarten successfully complete their kindergarten year, they move to the main Miller School campus for first grade. This transition is made quite smoothly because the Kindergartners have experienced twice-a-month field trips to the main campus throughout their Kindergarten year. Kindergartners become familiar with the "Big School" because of their visits to the library, computer lab, the playground, and to "buddy" classes. More than half (54%) of Miller students participate in the Federal breakfast and lunch program. Since a large number of families in our school community receive other State and Federal assistance, Miller School qualifies as a Title I school. Title I funding has been used, along with other categorical monies, to supplement our basic core curriculum programs to meet the special needs of our students. The Miller tradition includes a dedicated staff, community involvement, high expectations, and a strong academic curriculum. Our goals for students focus on literacy and math. Students are actively engaged every day in learning activities, which build speaking, reading, writing, and problem-solving skills in meaningful contexts. Our goal for ELD students is competence in English. In addition, we believe all students will acquire social and critical thinking skills needed for responsible citizenship in a democratic society. Miller School is a school where students and staff want to be. Our attendance is significantly high (96%), verifying that students like coming to school each day to learn. Parents choose to have their children attend Miller School. Each and every day we are living our school motto - STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE! We are proud of our school and our students. We welcome visitors. Please contact us if you would like to arrange a tour of our distinguished school. Judy Hession, Principal  | |
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SCHOOL DESCRIPTION
What Makes Miller School Special…
Highlights of Miller School include…
At Miller Elementary School we believe:
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© 2008 Burbank Unified School District. All rights reserved. |
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