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Dr. Shalee Cunningham

Superintendent

In This Issue
Common Core
Program Improvement
Budget Update/LCAP
Asset Management Team
Dual Language Immersion Program


 

CALENDAR


 

August 20

   Back to School Night:

     Lynwood

August 21

   Back to School:

     NOVA

August 25

    Common Core Math

    Parent Info Night

    for grades 6-12 

    6:30 pm

August 26

   Back to School Night:

     Pleasant Valley

August 27

   Back to School Night:

     Hamilton

     Lu Sutton

August 28

   Back to School Night:

     Loma Verde

     Olive

     San Ramon

     Rancho

August 29

   Staff Development Day

   No School

September 1

   Labor Day

   No School

September 2

    Board Meeting

    5:30 pm Closed

       Session

    6:30 pm Open

        Session

September 3

   Back to School Night:  

      Sinaloa

September 10

   Back to School Night:

     San Marin

     Early Intervention

September 11

   Back to School Night:

     San Jose

September 16

  Board Meeting

  5:30 pm Closed

     Session

  6:30 pm Open

      Session

September 17

   Back to School Night:

     Marin Oaks, Nexus

September 18

   Back to School Night: 

     Novato High, 6 pm

September 26

   Grades 6-12

   First Progress Report

   Period Ends

    

News from NUSD 

August 20, 2014

 

Welcome Back to What Promises to be Another Exciting and Productive School Year!

 

The start of another school year is always exciting as students transition to the next grade level and school - new 6th graders to middle school, new 9th graders to high school, and, of course, new kindergartners. We expect this to be another busy year with the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and mathematics, approved Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), reconvening the Asset Management Team, and exploring the possibility of a dual language immersion program at Lynwood Elementary School.

 


Common Core State Standards 

This year NUSD will be fully implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English language arts and mathematics. Since 2011, we have been investing in our teachers with vast amounts of professional development in project based learning (PBL) and guided language acquisition design (GLAD) as well as focused training in the area of mathematics and teaching depth and complexity. This investment in our teachers is an investment in our students. We are raising the bar in Novato with new standards, new direction and new scores. You'll hear more about this in the coming months as we increase our communication to you about NUSD's implementation of CCSS.

 

A reminder to parents of students in grades 6-12 that you are invited to attend a Parent Information Night on the new College Preparatory Mathematics curriculum being held on Monday, August 25, at 6:30 pm in the NUSD Board Room on 1015 Seventh Street. Parents and families are an integral part in the success of a student's education and we want to provide you with a good understanding of these new standards and curriculum so you may continue to support your student.  The objective of this evening is to introduce the new curriculum and review the parent resources and problem-based lessons. Spanish translation will be provided.

 



 

Program Improvement

Even though new test scores are not available, Program Improvement (PI) under No Child Left Behind remains active and schools that were in Program Improvement in 2013 will continue in Program Improvement. NUSD Program Improvement schools all have Academic Performance Index (API) scores well above the State average of 800 and are meeting the needs of all students. Schools currently in PI include Hamilton (API 842), Loma Verde (API 864), Lu Sutton (API 841), Lynwood (API 834), Olive (API 851) and San Jose Middle (API 845). All scores for district schools can be reviewed here. Letters to parents regarding program improvement schools will be mailed the week of August 25.




 

Budget Update/LCAP (Local Control Accountability Plan)

Last June, the Board of Trustees approved NUSD's Budget under the new State funding model of approximately $70 million. The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) replaced the Revenue Limit formula and the majority of the categorical programs. This formula change redistributes state funding to under-resourced students identified as either English learners, Low-Income or Foster Youth, with accountability measures in the LCAP and a focus on increased student achievement.

 

The passage of Proposition 30, in November 2012, resulted in increased state funding from a �% temporary sales tax increase and an increase in the tax rates of the wealthiest California taxpayers. This increased state funding, in addition to the end of the Great Recession, resulted in increased funding for California school districts starting with the 2013-2014 budget and is expected to continue for several years.

 

The new funding formula was developed with the intent to restore California school funding to 2007-2008 levels, including yearly COLAs, over an eight-year period ending in 2020-2021. Increased school funding is significant after five years of reduced or flat funding; it should be noted that NUSD's funding was cut by more than $50 million since 2007-2008. (More information on the Budget can be found in the  June 17, 2014 Board Report.)

 

At the same June meeting, the Board also approved NUSD's 2014-15 LCAP and it can be found on the NUSD website or here. The LCAP is a critical part of the new Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) adopted by the State of California in 2013 and is a three-year plan that is annually updated. The LCAP is required to identify annual goals, specific actions geared toward implementing those goals, and must measure progress for student subgroups across multiple performance indicators based on eight priorities set by the State.

 


 

Asset Management Team

Since the development of the Asset Management Plan and the approval of the Facility Master Plan last year, three important items need to be revisited by the Asset Management Team.  Karen Maloney, Assistant Superintendent, Business and Operations, will reconvene the Team starting in September to review the San Andreas site, Parcel 1B, and facility needs for a possible future general obligation bond. More information can be found in the August 12, 2014, board report.


 

Committee to Study a Dual Language Immersion Program at Lynwood Elementary School

 

Over the next six to nine months, NUSD will be studying the possibility of implementing a Dual Language Immersion Program at Lynwood Elementary School in the fall of 2015. A Dual Language Immersion Program is a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. Lynwood will be opening school this year with an enrollment of 324 students, has the demographic to support such a program and the capacity for additional students.

 

Dual language programs generally start in kindergarten or first grade and extend for at least five years. These programs aim for bilingualism (the ability to speak fluently in two languages) and biliteracy (the ability to read and write in two languages). Two-way immersion has been referred to as the most effective bilingual program contributing to long-term academic success. Students participating in Dual Language Immersion Programs for this length of time have been shown to demonstrate higher academic performance than their peers in English-immersion programs. On the contrary, students who receive little to no instruction in their native language, during their elementary years, struggle to attain grade level performance in the target language.

 

This may be an opportune time in our community for a Dual Language Immersion Program in our District.  We welcome interested members of the community to work with Rick van Adelsberg, Lynwood Principal, who will be facilitating a committee to explore the possibility of this program. The committee will visit successful programs, analyze and recommend the best form of Dual Language Immersion Programs, examine additional costs to operate a Dual Language Immersion Program, and survey the Lynwood community for their interest and support. This is exciting for NUSD, and I look forward to the committee's work and potential recommendation to the Board.

  

Respectfully,

 

Dr. Shalee Cunningham

Superintendent

 

 

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