Smarter Balanced Assessment Field Testing Is a Learning Experience 

During the past month public schools throughout San Mateo County have been conducting field tests of the new Smarter Balanced Assessments in English language arts and mathematics aligned with the Common Core State Standards. The tests, given online, are "a test of the test," with no high-stakes results attached. The field testing has given schools and students the opportunity to see what will be expected of them in the years to come, both in terms of content and the necessary technology to  administer the test.

School districts have been working diligently to make sure their technology  

infrastructure and Internet bandwidth are adequate to meet the demand, and for the most part, there were some hiccups but few overriding technological glitches. "The technological interface was easier than we thought," noted Jeff Gilbert, principal at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo. "We were bombarded with 90-page documents, webinars and manuals, and that created a lot of anxiety before the test, but in the end we found the system pretty intuitive."

"We're definitely looking at upgrading our technology for both teachers and students. Some of our equipment is just too old and slow," noted Burlingame High Principal Di Yim.

Having enough computers, and figuring out the scheduling of the tests presented challenges to some schools. At Burlingame Intermediate School (BIS), Mac carts and computer labs provided enough devices for the testing but meant that technology could not be used for instructional purposes during the month of April, said Patricia Du, IT technician at the school. At Burlingame High School, a variety of platforms were used, and administrators noted greater difficulties using Chromebooks and older PCs. Noise in the hallway when students passed between classes and the click click click of keyboards caused an annoying distraction for some Burlingame High students.

Logging in created one of the greatest challenges. In some schools, just getting students set up with headsets, login instructions and the mechanics could take up to 25 minutes. Once logged in, however, most school personnel reported that the students had few problems with the test interface. "Kids are remarkably adept at manipulating screens," noted Gilbert.

The content and format of the tests presented new challenges for students, who were used to skimming through multiple choice tests. "The tests are extremely dense and text-oriented," noted Gilbert. "They require a whole new level of engagement and perseverance." One student at BIS commented, "This test is much more thorough than the STAR test; rather than just some random facts, it's a test of what we've learned." But a Burlingame High student had this to say in frustration with the format of the math test: "Who, in God's good name made the program for the graph? I could have cut my time in half if it was easier to just place a line on a point in a grid...seriously, there's got to be a better way."

Sarah Press, English language arts teacher at Hillsdale, noted fatigue with the length of the test, which contained many texts and open-ended questions. "It was also unclear what would be graded and how much detail to provide for each writing prompt," she said. "But I feel good about preparing my students for this type of test. These are good skills for kids to learn."

At Burlingame High, Principal Yim noticed students getting tired and then trying to skip questions, but the test requires students to write something before going on to the next question. She also noted that it was difficult to get 11th grade students to take the test seriously, given that they have AP and SAT tests with greater stakes in play this spring.

Many district staff members were relieved to have the opportunity to participate in the field test. Erika McCrea, Strategic Instructional Coordinator for the Burlingame Elementary School District, commented "The state of California was smart to have this field test as a dry run. Now teachers will know what to expect for the content and how to incorporate technology into the curriculum, and students will get a taste of how the test is changing."  

"The biggest hurdle is figuring out the mechanics," noted Michael Barber, Burlingame school board trustee. "There will be hiccups with the assessment but the Common Core curriculum will require the development of skills that students will need to succeed in the future."

Beyond Newtown 2 Summit Will Bring Community Leaders Together 

 

In April 2013 the Beyond Newtown Summit brought together leaders from throughout San Mateo County to address the need for school and community safety in response to the horrific events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 children and 6 adults were killed.  

 

Michele Gay, a Sandy Hook parent, will speak at Beyond Newtown 2.

One year later, on May 5, 2014, the community is coming together again--nearly 300 leaders from government, education, health, and public safety--this time to hear from a parent tragically affected by the Sandy Hook massacre, and to celebrate the progress of the work of the three task forces formed following the Beyond Newtown event.

 

The keynote address will be delivered by Michele Gay, a Sandy Hook parent and co-founder of Safe and Sound: A Sandy Hook Initiative. A former teacher and involved parent, Gay chose to take action as an advocate for improved school security and safety in our nation's schools after losing her daughter in the Sandy Hook tragedy.

 

The story on the Safe and Sound website says it all: "We all felt safe in our peaceful town and in our high ranking schools. We learned, too painfully, that we were not....The measures, plans, and procedures we relied upon failed us, tragically. Despite our sorrow, and though we come from a variety of backgrounds, we are united in our mission: To provide safe schools, secure schools, for our children and educators. And to help others do the same in their communities."

 

"The community-wide approach advocated by Safe and Sound aligns with our efforts in San Mateo County," says Nancy Magee, Administrator, Board Support and Community Relations at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), and an organizer of the event. "This follow-up half-day event will highlight what we've accomplished, what we're currently working on and what our plans are for the work going forward."

 

Leaders of the three task forces--Emergency Response for Schools, Coordinated Mental Health for Schools, and Information Sharing--will share the significant steps they have taken since last year's event.

 

The Emergency Response task force will describe the development and release of the Big 5, a countywide school emergency response protocol that can be used in schools in the event of any emergency. The protocol has been endorsed by the County Sheriff and all of the county's 20 police chiefs. The Community Packet on the SMCOE website explains the protocol in detail.

 

The Mental Health task force, with funds from Measure A, has promoted the teaching of Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings taught by San Mateo County's Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), offering the course at no cost to school staffs. The training helps to ensure that school personnel understand mental health signs and symptoms, and when to get help for students. BHRS has also offered five new parent project classes to help parents be more effective with their adolescents. In addition, the Mental Health task force has been involved in the adoption of a new position at SMCOE, the Director of Safe and Supportive Schools, and the hiring of Cary Catching to fill that position (see accompanying article in this newsletter.)

 

The Information Sharing task force will describe the draft Memorandum of Understanding on protocols around information sharing among different agencies including SMCOE, law enforcement, probation, child and family services, and behavioral health and recovery services, and how this legal framework helps support the implementation of school-based mental health collaboratives across the county.

 

The program will end with a vision for the work going forward. This next step will focus on the formation of the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities, with the aim of creating a sustainable organization that can continue this important work. A follow-up event is slated for next fall to formally launch this coalition.

 

For more information about the May 5 event, contact Nancy Magee at nmagee@smcoe.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Mateo County School Administrators Get ACSA Awards 

On April 28, at the annual Region 5 Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) awards and installation dinner in South San Francisco, several San Mateo County administrators will be honored for their outstanding service. Scott Laurence, San Mateo Union High School District superintendent; Susan Glines, principal of Laurel Elementary School in San Mateo; Julie Flynn, student services coordinator with the Portola Valley Elementary School District; and Lionel DeMaine, chief operating officer at 

Scott Laurence is Region 5 ACSA Superintendent of the Year. .

 the Adult School in the Sequoia Union High School District, are among the honorees.

Region 5 of ACSA encompasses both San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, and nearly 200 administrators are expected to attend the April 28 dinner at the Best Western Grosvenor Hotel in South San Francisco. Fellow ACSA administrators submit nominations for the awards in 20 different categories; the awards are typically given to candidates who are exemplary leaders and

 have given service to the ACSA region.

Scott Laurence will receive the Superintendent of the Year award. "Scott is just what the doctor ordered," says Larry Teshara, director of the San Mateo Adult School, and an active member of ACSA. "He brought a lot of skills to the San Mateo Union High School District when the district was at an ebb." Superintendent Anne Campbell adds, "Scott is the epitome of a superintendent who is both inspirational and practical. His dedication to the success of all students, to the growth of all staff, and to the well-being of the greater community serve as a model and inspiration for educators throughout San Mateo County." In his fifth year as superintendent, Laurence has seen a strong, upward trend in student achievement, and an all-encompassing renovation of all the school campuses in the district that has brought updated classrooms, swimming pools and performing arts centers.

Julie Flynn will receive  the Pupil Personnel Administrator of the Year award. Flynn, currently student services coordinator, is in her 11th year in the Portola Valley Elementary District. "She's a superstar. When it comes to all things student services, special education and meeting the needs of all students while supporting staff, there's Julie," says Lisa Gonzales, Portola Valley Elementary Superintendent and State Vice-President for Legislative Action for ACSA, who nominated her for the award.

San Mateo-Foster City Superintendent Dr. Cynthia Simms describes Susan Glines, winner of the Principal of the Year award, as "calm, caring and determined to ensure every student receives an excellent education." Glines is in her ninth year as a principal in the district, and in 2012 under her leadership, Laurel Elementary received the California Distinguished School Award. "This feels like an academy award," says Glines. "I'm deeply honored and grateful for the support of a great district and county. This award is not just about one person; you can't do it alone."

Lionel DeMaine, Adult School Administrator of the Year award winner, serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Sequoia Union High School District Adult School. In nominating him, Superintendent Jim Lianides described DeMaine as "a creative problem-solver" and "a strong advocate for maintaining the adult school programs with K-12 districts." Lianides also noted that DeMaine, who has held this position since 2011, has kept staff morale high during challenging times.