MACES has earned national recognition after receiving the Merit of Excellence Award from Magnet Schools of America, a national organization that honors high-performing magnet programs across the United States.
According to the MACES Principal, Dr.Torres, The Merit of Excellence Award is presented to magnet schools that demonstrate strong academic programming, instructional quality, school culture, and alignment with their magnet theme. Schools must apply through a competitive annual process that includes a detailed written application evaluated using a strict rubric.
Ms.Vera, a staff member part of the administration, also discussed the rubric of this award and explained the difficulty with what are referred to as pillars in this application. “The pillars that we have to have as a Magnet School are Diversity, Innovative Curriculum and Professional Development, Academic Excellence, Leadership, Family and Community Partnership that helps the school get this award.” Ms. Vera also shared,” As the first pillar, we try to embrace diversity by creating an inclusive environment like clubs and sports where students from different backgrounds feel represented, respected, and valued. With the second pillar, Innovative Curriculum, we maintain through ongoing professional development that equips teachers with modern, engaging instructional strategies like our elected classes. The third pillar, which is about our Academic Excellence that is demonstrated through continuous student growth, high expectation, and the use of data to guide instruction. The fourth pillar is about leadership, and how we as the school shows that is the support of teachers and students by fostering collaboration, accountability and shared goals like ASB leadership with students and our newspaper team which collaborate on sharing news and expressing the voices of themselves but also other student voices.”
Mr. Vera also wanted to add “Completing the magnet school application is a rigorous process that requires intentional planning, collaboration, and a clear demonstration of how each pillar is meaningfully implemented into MACES.”
According to Dr. Torres, the award recognizes magnet programs that consistently meet national standards of excellence. “This recognition is awarded to magnet schools that meet specific criteria based on their programming, courses, and alignment with the school’s theme,” Torres said. “Schools apply every year intending to earn recognition.”
Dr. Torres explained that the application evaluates multiple aspects of a school’s program, including the types of courses offered, electives available to students, and how well those courses align with the magnet focus.“The programming and the classes students take are a major factor in earning this award,” Torres said.
Mr. Cueva, assistant principal at MACES, described the award application as a rigorous process that examines nearly every part of the school’s magnet program. “Schools must complete a written application with precise prompts and word limits,” Cueva said. “The rubric looks at academics, instruction, parent engagement, school culture, and how well the program reflects the magnet theme.”
