masthead updated
Issue: #9October 2010
In This Issue
Achievement Gap Summit
State Budget News
APR Results
School Gardens Grow
Common Core Standards
Yuri's Day
school garden
Featured Article
School gardens engage students of all levels and abilities  in learning.
Achievement Gap Summit Brings Together County Policy Makers
 

On September 25, 2010, more than 70 policy makers from San Mateo County gathered at the San Mateo County Office of Education to learn

Linda Darling-Hammond
Stanford Professor Linda Darling-Hammond gave the keynote address at the Achievement Gap Summit.

about the Achievement Gap and its implications for the county. The Summit, entitled "The Achievement Gap - A Policy Perspective," was sponsored by the San Mateo County Board of Education and the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools. 

In attendance were school board members, superintendents, city council members, town managers, and county staff. Assemby speaker Pro Tempore Fiona Ma, Board of Supervisors President Rich Gordon and Board of Supervisors Vice President Carole Groom attended.

Stanford Professor Linda Darling-Hammond kicked off the morning with a keynote address, "The Flat World and Education." Following her address, a panel of community members reacted to her remarks from different policy perspectives. Their conversation included the need for equity in school funding, reform in teacher evaluation systems, and the importance of making sure high-need schools and students have access to excellent teachers.

Learn more about the Achievement Gap Summit here.

State Budget Finally Adopted 100 Days Late
 

The California state legislature finally enacted the 2010-11 state budget on October 8, 2010. This budget has the distinction of being the latest to be adopted in the state's history, almost 100 days past the deadline. The adopted budget restored $1.5 billion in school funding cuts that were originally proposed in the May Revision. On the downside, Proposition 98, designed to establish a minimum funding level for K-14 education, was suspended, which translates into a reduction of $4.3 billion from the constitutional minimum funding level.

"We're advising school districts to proceed with caution," notes Denise Porterfield, Deputy Superintendent, Fiscal and Operational Services at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). Because the 2010 budget is based on rosy economic predictions for future state and federal revenues, Porterfield is advising school districts to be wary of restoring funding that supports ongoing expenditures as she foresees the possibility of mid-year cuts if the state revenues don't come in as anticipated. She'll be meeting with school district business officials in October to provide assistance and oversight on the budget.

Learn more about the state budget here.

SM County Schools Score Well
In APR Results
 

In September the California Department of Education released the 2010 Accountability Progress Report (APR) - the state's annual report card for California's public schools.  San Mateo County schools and districts continued to show good progress.  Overall, schools throughout California made gains and in San Mateo County scores were higher than the state average. In California, 46 percent of schools met their growth targets, while in San Mateo County 58 percent of schools performed at or above the proficient mark.

"San Mateo County schools continue to perform strongly," notes Dr. Gary Waddell, Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services Division, at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE). "Every district in San Mateo County either experienced growth between their 2009 base API and 2010 growth API or scored an API over 900, a high mark indeed. While we will not be satisfied until we have closed the achievement gap and see every student performing at high levels, we continue to be proud of the strides that San Mateo schools and districts are making on behalf of their students."

 

 

Learn more about the trends in the APR data for San Mateo County here 

How Does Your School Garden Grow?

 

Gardens are sprouting up on school campuses all over San Mateo County. And with these gardens, students at all levels and abilities are growing too,  learning  about science and nutrition in a hands-on way as they till the soil, plant seeds and pull weeds.

SM County Office of Education Garden Programs

school garden
Even severely challenged students are able to help in the Sequoia school garden.

Several San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) programs have incorporated gardens as a way to engage students. Gardens are an integral part of the curriculum at the County Office special day classes at Sequoia High School and El Portal School, and at the Court and Community Schools programs at Community School South and at Gateway Community School.  

At Sequoia, instructor Teena Topoian works with severely multi-handicapped students. Even her mobile-challenged students are able to help -- holding water buckets or garbage bags on their laps from their wheelchairs, or putting seeds in the ground. They are able to work side-by-side with students from the school's service club, an opportunity they wouldn't always have, had it not been for the garden. "It's sometimes hard integrating a county class on a regular school campus," notes Topoian. "This has been a way to engage other students with our county students." The huge sunflowers, morning glories, Indian corn, and sugar pie pumpkins stand out and draw attention on the school campus to what the class has accomplished.

Read about other gardens in San Mateo County schools here.

County Office Plays Key Role in Adoption of Common Core State Standards 
 
 

In August 2010, California joined 35 states and the District of Columbia in adopting the Common Core State Standards - new common learning standards in math and English language arts for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. This adoption will mean new learning frameworks, new curriculum and textbooks and new assessments for schools throughout the state. The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) will play a key role in helping school districts and teachers implement the new standards.

"The adoption of the Common Core State Standards will be a focal point of our work for the coming years," notes Dr. Gary Waddell, Associate Superintendent, Instructional Services Division at SMCOE. "Our staff will provide training for administrators and teachers on the new frameworks, work with districts on textbook adoption processes, and, ultimately, on implementing an entire new system of assessments. These standards are important in that they tell us what should be taught to students, though not necessarily how it should be taught. Our staff will work closely with the state as we roll out these new standards and engage in conversations with school personnel on how most effectively to implement them in the classroom."

Learn more about the adoption of the Common Core State Standards here.

Yuri's Day at NASA Ames Research Center

 

Teachers and students are invited to attend Yuri's Day at NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, on Friday, April 8, 2011 from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. (or any portion thereof). This free, educational, science extravaganza is geared toward students in grades K-12, and will feature interactive exhibits, workshops, displays, and keynote speakers. Thousands of students from throughout the San Francisco Bay Area will explore the cutting edge of science, art, math, technology, engineering, sustainability, and space-related fun and engage with some of the century's most prominent scientists, visionaries, space-enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs from multiple disciplines.

This event is open to school and youth groups, educators, parents and guardians. Free busing for school groups is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students are also welcome to volunteer and/or set up an exhibit or workshop.

Last year's event featured a talk by Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak; an interactive exhibit by the California Academy of Sciences; two planetariums; an air show; and a workshop in mini-rocket-launching. This year's event promises to be equally as spectacular.

Registration is required to attend Yuri's Day. Fill out the registration form (and the bus application) here.

This wiki will be the information hub for those bringing groups of students to the event.

The deadline to register is November 15, 2010 for those applying for free busing, and December 31, 2010 for all others.

Check the Yuri's Day website [www.ynba.org] for further details as the event draws near.

If you have questions, email [email protected] or phone 650-733-6704.

About the San Mateo County Office of Education
 
The San Mateo County Office of Education provides a variety of instructional, business and consulting services to the County's twenty-three public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District, and County Office of Education staff.

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