Mark Keppel Visual & Performing Arts Magnet’s large, comfortable campus is situated in a family residential community with the unique close proximity of Toll Middle School, located next door, and Hoover High School, located across the street. This school configuration allows our students to transition from elementary school to middle school, and middle school to high school with relative ease.

Keppel is a K-5 traditional calendar Title 1 school that boasts a multi-ethnic population of approximately 975 students. The population includes 61% Caucasian, including 40% Armenian/Middle Eastern, 11% Hispanic, 18% Asian, 6% Filipino, and 14% African American students. 17 different language groups are represented at Keppel with Armenian (35%), English (43%), Korean (8%), and Spanish (6%) as the largest language groups. 40% of students classified as Limited English Proficient and 19% are classified as Fluent English Proficient.

The comprehensive examination of multiple measures data allows us to create and individualize instruction to meet the needs of our incredibly diverse population. The use of data gathered from Glendale Unified School District’s exemplary assessment and data reporting program, Illuminate, and school and classroom based assessments allow us to create a true picture of the strengths and needs of our students in order to create an engaging and challenging, standards based, educational program guided by our school plan (SPSA).

Through the examination of data such as district assessment scores, iReady scores, and when available CAASPP scores, we set a school-wide focus on writing. This concentration has led to several positive changes in our educational program. Our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meets regularly to guide decisions about best practices towards meeting our goal of 80% of students scoring proficient or advanced in reading and math. Teachers meet in grade level groups monthly to discuss instructional strategies and next steps for teaching.  Effective mathematics instruction and differentiated instruction are two other areas of professional study pursued by Keppel teachers.

Our library and technology programs focus on our school-wide goal. We have Chromebooks for every student and large screen tv monitors in each classroom. Accelerated Reader is networked throughout the school and is used as an incentive program to encourage students in independent reading. Our spacious library has Accelerated Reader books identified and labeled with appropriate stickers for student use.