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• Lodi family in tragic crash

• Local exam results remain stable

• Show of pride

• Lockeford nightclub owner gets $75,000 from Board of Supervisors

• Regional Roundup

• Success stories

• More Lodi Unified schools scoring in the 800-plus point range on standardized exam

November 21st, 2009

• Logbook

• Holiday drive spreads cheer to U.S. troops

• Galt High students want board to approve open-campus policy

• Poisoning victims remain hospitalized

• Expert: Half a mushroom cap can be deadly

• Tokay grad files claim over Lodi's Grape Bowl

• Lodi Middle School holds annual Turkey Trot

• Regional Roundup

• No motive or suspect in shooting

• Sacramento cop arrested for alleged kidnapping

November 20th, 2009

• Acampo woman killed

• Salvation Army Kettle Kickoff

• Advocacy groups sue East Bay Municipal Utility District over Pardee expansion

• Regional Roundup

• Galt plans to help residents with energy-efficient projects

• Stable southeast of Lodi approved

• One year after a heart attack, Lodi's Judy Mims thanks rescuers

• National Guard troops return home in time for the holidays

• Real estate market gets on more solid ground

November 19th, 2009

• Operation: Christmas

• Logbook

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Chase ends in crash

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Corrections

November 18th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

November 17th, 2009

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Regional Roundup

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clarification

November 16th, 2009

• Correction

• Public Meetings

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Regional Roundup

November 14th, 2009

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Regional Roundup

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (165)
• Obama is not a moderate (130)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (71)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (49)
• The haves should help the have-nots (30)
• Public health care is a Christian option (30)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• Government-run health care is a bad idea (17)
• Young woman fatally shot at Acampo home (17)
• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi (16)

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Success stories

Galt's River Oaks continues to make marked improvements in AYP reports

Maybe it's the teachers or the make-up of the student population, but River Oaks Elementary in Galt continues to lead the district pack in raising standardized test scores.

Over the last four years, the school has consistently scored 800 points or better in the Adequate Yearly Progress report released every fall and continues to grow. This year, the school went up five points, from 878 last year to 883.

That's remarkable when you compare it wieth schools across the state, which earned an average of 742.

The federal government's No Child Left Behind Act requires schools and school districts to meet a variety of academic performance goals, also known as the AYP score. The state index ranges from 200 to 1,000 points, and most struggle to reach the 800-point benchmark.

Judy Bullard, Galt Elementary's director of curriculum, said the district is proud of River Oaks' consistent growth over the years.

"Every significant subgroup once again earned an API score over 800, and they met all AYP proficiency targets for all subgroups as well," she said of the results released late last week.

The size of the student population and its demographics may have had something to do with the extraordinary score.

Less than 400 students were among those whose scores were computed to arrive at the 883 rate. And, according to the state's figures, less than a fourth of the students are English-language learners.

"The staff at this California Distinguished School is heralded for its teamwork and dedication to continuous improvement," said Bullard, who served as River Oaks' principal for 10 years prior to her current assignment.

"The adults monitor student achievement carefully, they plan lessons together in grade level teams and they share successful instructional strategies that help their diverse student population master the California Content Standards."

Earlier this year, River Oaks was among the 343 elementary schools statewide to receive the state's coveted Distinguished School Award. To get the award, schools must first be invited to apply and invitations are based at least in part on the schools' standardized test scores.

Then they must go through a lengthy application process before a team of judges visits the campus. In this year's annual progress report, other Galt elementary schools made great strides. Marengo Ranch, for example, raised scores by 22 points, bringing its base score to 781 for 2008, while Lake Canyon went from 775 to 796.

In sum, five of the seven district schools met their federally mandated targets.

While Fairsite Elementary was the district's only campus score to drop, it only went down 11 points to arrive at a new base score of 708, well above the rate of many neighboring districts.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.