Mailbag

Personal experience with TeWinkle is positive

I appreciated Michael Miller's recent article dispelling some of the negative myths about TeWinkle Middle School, ("On a fact-finding mission," March 25). After visiting classes and interviewing students and staff during a day spent on campus, Miller concluded that TeWinkle is not the chaotic, violent place depicted in many letters to this paper. I was disappointed, however, that Miller focused only on the experience of Englishlearners at TeWinkle. I would like to provide some insight into another significant aspect of life at TeWinkle: the experience of high-achieving, native Englishspeakers like my own children.

Two of my children are now at Estancia, and one is at TeWinkle in seventh grade. Each has benefited from the academic program for advanced students.

During each of the years my kids were at TeWinkle, they consistently scored in the upper reaches of the state standardized tests. As one example, the eighth-grade test scores for one of my kids merited a 93rd percentile in reading, 99th percentile in language, 97th percentile in spelling, and 95th percentile in math. I point to my children's high standardized test scores not to brag but to counter the paranoia induced by Robin Benham's recent commentary, ("TeWinkle is hurting its students' futures," Sounding Off, March 4) in which she complained her son was significantly "behind" when he transferred to a different middle school following a year at TeWinkle. Benham's perception that her child lagged academically is no basis for assuming TeWinkle's other high-achieving students are behind their peers at other local middle schools. My family's experience, based on standardized test results, is that TeWinkle prepares highachieving students to perform on par with others statewide.

Several years ago, when TeWinkle was under different leadership, the school did suffer from a lack of discipline. During that time, fights and unpleasant interactions among students were not uncommon at lunch and in physical education class. However, when Dan Diehl took over as principal three years ago, he immediately focused on ensuring safety and discipline on campus. The results were quick and palpable. Today, the atmosphere is peaceful and positive.