Maximilian Goodly addresses the San Bernardino County Board of Education about how Norton has helped him achieve successes throughout his academic career on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Jisela Corona.)
On Feb. 10, Norton staff and student ambassadors spoke to the San Bernardino County Board of Education (SBCBOE) to highlight Norton’s strongest programs and strategies for improvement. Norton’s showcasing of strengths follows the state’s designation of Norton as a “low-performing” school according to state test scores in reading, math, and science. The current “low performing” designation does not take into account factors like dual immersion programs, proportion of English Learners (ELs), or percent of economically disadvantaged students. Norton’s presentations at the February meeting precede the SBCBOE’s vote for Norton’s charter renewal this upcoming Monday, Mar. 10.
Norton Reviews Verified Data
Lewis Center for Educational Research President/CEO Dr. Lisa Lamb began Norton’s presentations to the SBCBOE by showing the academic growth and score rankings from elementary to high school visible in the school’s different types of verified data, including I-Ready and California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores.
I-Ready reading and math diagnostic data showed that a majority of students were making median percent to typical growth from kindergarten to eighth grade. Notably, middle school students made 155% and elementary students made 88% median percent to typical growth on their I-Ready reading scores this year. Math I-Ready scores were lower, yet still showed a majority of both elementary and middle school students making growth. Specifically, middle school students made 77.7% and elementary students 67.9% median percent to typical growth on their I-Ready math scores this year.
CAASPP data also showed that Norton ranked higher than many other state, county, and local schools and districts with similar student demographics. Similar schools and districts to Norton were defined as ones that have 50% or more economically disadvantaged students and 15% or more ELs. (For reference, Norton currently has 78% economically disadvantaged students and 32% ELs.) Out of 73 similar districts (with 1 signifying the highest-scoring), Norton ranked 31 in English language arts (ELA) and 32 in math, placing Norton in the mid-performing range. Norton also ranked mid-performing for similar schools in San Bernardino County. Out of 267 similar schools in the county, Norton ranked 138 in ELA and 163 in math. However, Norton ranked high-performing compared to other geographically close public schools. Out of the 5 closest public schools, Norton ranked 3 in ELA and 1 in math.
Norton’s Student Ambassadors Speak
After Dr. Lamb reviewed Norton’s verified data, Norton’s student ambassadors highlighted other school strengths, including dual immersion; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); student support; leadership/extracurriculars; and safe, inclusive campus culture.
“I’ve been enrolled [here] since kinder, and my Spanish has grown significantly, allowing me to communicate with my peers who only speak Spanish,” Norton ambassador Corey Zaman (‘25) said. “Secondly, coming from an English speaking household, I feel that many opportunities have opened up for me, especially in the job market (where I will soon be applying) where being bilingual is crucial. Furthermore, our school’s motto is creating global citizens. Dual immersion gives us opportunities like traveling to entirely different countries like Chile where we connect to the Chilean community and immerse ourselves into an entirely new culture.”
“Coming from a strictly English speaking home, Norton has impacted me greatly in my beginning years with their dual immersion program,” Norton ambassador Tiffany Good (‘26) said. “I’m excited to continue learning Spanish, not only during my senior year, but during college as well.”
“We’ve [also] had countless STEM opportunities,” continued Zaman (‘25). “We were invited to the Google Summit by World Savvy to discuss implementing AI into K-12 schools. Our partnership with NASA and JPL gives us something called GAVRT, the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope, which is a 34-meter radio telescope out in Goldstone Apple Valley [that] used by students to analyze NASA’s current data and send it back to NASA scientists. Additionally, through our unique student ambassador program [we] get to travel with our peers to Washington, DC, to speak to NASA executives at NASA headquarters and get exclusive sites at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.”
“At Norton small [class] sizes really allow teachers to connect with students, not only as students… but as individuals… Coming from a large… public, non-charter school, I often felt lost in the crowd like I was just another face in the sea of students,” Norton ambassador David Ruiz (‘26) said. “It was difficult to build meaningful relationships with my classmates and find help outside of that. Norton breaks that mold. The close-knit environment allows teachers to not only recognize us as individuals, but to find meaningful plans and meaningful strategies to help us learn more than we would otherwise. They adjust their teaching methods so much beyond academics. They genuinely care about your well-being, checking in on us and making sure we feel heard, creating an environment, an atmosphere, where we feel safe, valued and secure enough to be ourselves.”
“At Norton Science and Language Academy we have taken an active role in shaping student life by helping to establish and develop organizations such as the cheer team, baseball team, ASB, Senior Leadership Committee, and Norton Ambassadors Program,” Norton ambassador Desiree Gago (‘25) added. “Our leadership extends beyond school, as we serve on the fifth district Youth Advisory Council, working to bridge the gap between the youth and the local government.”
“We [also] support initiatives like Poetry Out Loud, helping individuals execute their vocal performance and vocal arts at higher level,” Norton ambassador Giovanny Osorio (‘25) said. “Norton also expanded its cultural programs with the launch of the mariachi program [this year]… Our passion for leadership is rooted in creating lasting opportunities for the students while advocating for community growth and civic engagement.”
“I have been a student [at Norton] for the entirety of my educational career, starting in kinder. Since then, the opportunities, both educational and extracurricular, have been substantial and have greatly helped my educational career,” Norton ambassador Maximilian Goodly (‘27) continued. “Norton not only fosters academic excellence, but also prepares students for the professional world. Programs like National Honor Society, Poetry Out Loud and ASB already contribute to student success. Looking forward, the school is expanding with new opportunities, including AP Cyber Security, AP Calculus and the California Cadet Corps, which will develop leadership skills. [What has] kept me returning to this school instead of going to other high schools is the close-knit community. The personalized approach to education ensures that students and families are heard and supported. I built meaningful relationships with both peers and mentors, and I’ve been encouraged to grow both academically and personally in an environment that genuinely wishes for everyone’s success… I’m very optimistic to be taking these new courses with the continuation of the school’s charter. I also hope to see my younger sister Laura Bell thrive at Norton, just as I have.”
“Norton works closely with students, families, and the surrounding community, creating a network of support that extends beyond academics,” Norton ambassador Kasey Medina (‘25) furthered. “For example, we host events like Noche de Las Estrellas and our annual multicultural festival. [Norton also] provides resources that meet real needs, like mental health counseling and after school programs. Personally, as a person with cerebral palsy, the prioritization of our students in need of special education is like nothing I’ve seen before, deserving of the national recognition we’ve received over the last four years, known as the NASET Award, given to only 24 schools in the country. Safety and inclusion aren’t just priorities at Norton, they’re lived values… That’s the ‘rocket way,’ and that’s why I support Norton’s charter renewal, so that we may continue our mission in creating global citizens.”
Past and Present Norton Staff Speak
Past and present Norton staff also spoke to the SBCBOE to share their appreciation for Norton’s academic and extracurricular programs.
Marcia Vargas, former Lewis Center board member and Dual Immersion Coordinator for San Bernardino County Schools, stated her pride in being involved with Norton’s dual immersion program.
“I have been with Norton since its inception. I actually, in past years, was the Dual Immersion Coordinator for the San Bernardino County office. From there, I became the Director of 2-Way CABE, which is the California Association for Bilingual Education, working specifically with dual immersion programs across the state [and country],” Vargas explained. “We were actually with the Norton planning team as they planned on how they were going to begin the school and begin the dual immersion program. As time went by and I retired, I was invited to sit on the board of [the Lewis Center]. And that’s probably one of my most proud pieces of my professional career… I urge you to look at this, this charter renewal, as something very, very special and very advantageous for this county.”
Duberly Beck, former Lewis Center board member, shared her experience as a parent of two Norton alumni. Beck explained that she commuted for years from Fontana, where she works, to San Bernardino everyday because she believed Norton offered a better education for her children.
“I am a parent of two [Norton] students [who are now] alumni,” Beck said. “I am here to advocate for [Norton’s charter renewal]… Both my children have greatly benefited from attending. As I stand here today, my daughter (who is now a freshman in college majoring in marine science and who was a part of [Norton’s] amazing international student exchange program in Chile) was offered an internship at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The reason [she got the internship] was they’ve been impressed with her ability to communicate both in English and in Spanish. We have another alumni currently traveling throughout Asia who is through with university. And there’s so many more wonderful stories of alumni that have benefited from attending [Norton].”
David Tellyer, current high school English teacher at Norton, also expressed his support for the school.
“I am a rocket. In 2009 I dared to dream of coming to this school, but alas, it was just an elementary school. I had to wait 12 years [for it to have a high school], and finally that dream became a reality in 2021,” Tellyer said. “I would finally able to demonstrate that soy un cohete. My rocket brings over 20 years of educational experience as the lead high school teacher, English language arts department chair, AVID English teacher, AP teacher, ELD teacher, NHS advisor, Senior Advisor, ERWC [12th grade] teacher, Poetry Out Loud coordinator and the 2024 LCER Distinguished Service Award recipient.”
“In Poetry Out Loud our students are soaring to new heights,” Tellyer continued. “In 2023 Kasey Medina placed second in [San Bernardino County]. In 2024 Maximilian Goodly took first place, representing [San Bernardino County] at the California state finals… In 2025 Toochi Sam Sylvanus claimed first place with Maximilian taking third. And once again, we are going back to the state to represent San Bernardino County in the Poetry Out Loud competition.”
“This year we [also] had two students write novels [for the] National Novel Writing Month project [in my Creative Writing class]. They wrote over 50,000 words in one month,” Tellyer said. “I just gotta say [that] all of our seniors are on track to graduate [as well]. This is our first senior graduating class. It’s coming in 2025. The growing pains [of our school] are real, but we are just ready to launch, and we are just getting started. Please renew our charter. You’ll see even greater things.”
Lastly, Jan Correa, former Norton principal who served from 2010 to 2012, shared what successes Norton achieved.
“I had the deep privilege of serving as the second principal of [Norton] from 2010 to 2012. Additionally, I served as the CEO of CABE, the California Association for Bilingual Education, from 2012 to 2013. And I’m also a former team member at SBCSS [San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools], where I served as a director from 2000 to 2008,” Correa explained. “Uniquely in my role as principal in 2012, I was a lead in our first charter reauthorization application to San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools… You may or may not be aware that back in 2006, 2007, 2008… SBCSS was an active partner with the Lewis Center… as it formulated a plan to create a full dual immersion charter school in San Bernardino… The teachers, administrators and full staff in Norton have always been of the highest quality and deeply committed. The students and families choose [Norton] and come with the desire to be part of an educational programming community that believes in them, engages the whole family, builds on their linguistic and cultural and experiential assets to be prepared to be successful in a global, multilingual, multicultural society… I encourage you to improve the reauthorization of [Norton’s] charter school application.”
Board’s Response to Norton’s Presentations
Board members asked for basic clarification of Norton’s programs, including the proportion of English and Spanish used in the dual immersion program throughout Norton’s elementary school and how long the Orton-Gillingham program has been in place.
Multiple county board members expressed admiration for Norton student and staff after their presentations.
“All I could hear was what is in the best interest of the students from the students themselves,” board member Ryan McEachron said. “I did not hear one student or one parent here complaining that [Norton] should not continue as a going concern.”
“Well, I just want to say how impressed I am with everybody, especially the kids,” board member Laura Mancha said. “That’s what I’m most excited about. And look forward to the decision making in March.”
Fiscal Overview
Dr. Lamb also noted that Norton currently has a strong fiscal standing with a projected $9.5 million cash balance by the end of the year. Dr. Lamb noted that the $9.5 million is projected to decrease sometime in the near future to build additional classrooms on Norton’s campus.
Steps for Improvement
Dr. Lamb also shared steps for improvement that Norton hopes to take in the future to return to the middle-performing designation. Steps suggested include continuing improvements for EL students from kindergarten to high school, focusing on increasing math scores through CAASPP preparation and teacher retention, and considering new solutions to address chronic absenteeism.
Looking Forward
Norton staff remain hopeful as the vote for charter renewal approaches.
In an email to Norton staff following the Feb. 10 meeting Dr. Lamb said that Norton “absolutely meets all the requirements for renewal.”
“I think we will get renewed,” Tellyer echoed. “And we will definitely have more successes to showcase for the board and all our students and parents in future years after being renewed.”
This Monday, Mar. 10 the SBCBOE votes to renew Norton’s charter as-is, renew with conditions, or deny. Since Norton is currently designated as “low-performing,” the maximum term before charter renewal is required again is two years.