Issue: #49

August 2014

In This Issue

Achievement in Motion

Featured Article

John Fry is the new Educational Services Manager for SMCOE Court Schools.

Achievement in Motion Shines a Light on Exemplary Schools in SM County

A new initiative at the San Mateo County Office of Education aims to spotlight exemplary schools and districts that are doing great work in closing the achievement gap and making a difference for underserved students. Achievement in Motion: Closing the Gap (AIM), launched in July, will be a vehicle for spreading positive news about quality learning activities happening in classrooms throughout the county every day.

In July, San Mateo County Superintendent Anne Campbell sent out a call for nominations to school superintendents in the 23 districts in the county. Any school district employee may nominate a district, school or specific program for recognition and nominations will be accepted on an ongoing basis. A committee of five San Mateo County Office of Education staff members--Gary Waddell, Deputy Superintendent; Nancy Magee, Administrator, Board Support and Community Relations; Brian Simmons, Director of Accountability, Innovation and Results; Deann Walsh, Educational Data Analyst; and Mefula Fairley, Administrator, Educational Support Services--will review the nominations as they are received.

Plans are in the works to highlight these schools and districts through outreach to the news media and social media channels, spotlights on the San Mateo County Office of Education website and in this enewsletter, and through special events throughout the year. "We want this to be an ongoing process and not be static, so we will be highlighting these best practices throughout the year," notes Fairley.

The initiative is in its beginning phase. More details will be forthcoming in the months ahead.

If you would like to nominate a program for AIM, please contact Mefula Fairley at mfairley@smcoe.org.

Common Core Brings Positive Changes to

Classroom Instruction

"Teachers and administrators in San Mateo County are focused on maximizing the potential of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for their students," says Dr. Gary Waddell, Deputy Superintendent, at the San Mateo County Office of Education. The shift to sequential, internationally-benchmarked standards with their emphasis on higher order thinking skills represents a major change for K-12 schools. Teachers and administrators have been diligently preparing for this transition and are hopeful about the opportunities the new standards offer their students.

Ever since the California State Board of Education adopted the Common Core in 2010, teachers in San Mateo County and across the state have been making steady progress toward full implementation. California is now one of 43 states and the District of Columbia to have adopted the standards. Since 2010, the San Mateo County Office of Education has been working with school districts throughout the county, providing professional development, assisting with implementation planning, and assuring that districts have the information and expertise to implement the Common Core as well as the technology and capacity to administer the related Smarter Balanced computer-based assessments.

Getting the Facts

For implementation to be successful, it's important for parents, policymakers, educators and the general public to have a clear understanding of the context and content of the Common Core. Currently, many misconceptions exist so factual information about the new standards is vital to help clear up any misunderstandings.

Contrary to some recent statements that have been circulating, the Common Core Standards are not a nationally mandated curriculum and a federal takeover of education policy. In fact, 43 states voluntarily adopted the Common Core Standards and while the standards are the same for each of these states, curriculum and materials will be chosen locally. The standards establish what students need to learn, but do not dictate how teachers should teach.

The standards were created by a large group of state governors, chief state school officers and teachers. The federal government was not involved in the development of the standards, but has lent its support following the adoption by multiple states. The standards represent a significant step forward by bringing the best thinking of experts throughout the country on what students should know and be able to do.

As for concerns about student privacy, the standards do not intrude on student privacy rights and there will not be any inappropriate tracking of student data. The federal government does not have access to individual student-level data. As they have in the past, states remain in control of their students' private information.

The standards are designed to build upon the most advanced current thinking about preparing all students for success in college and career. California has been a leader in the development of curriculum standards and the Common Core will move California to the next level. The Common Core State Standards are a step forward in ongoing efforts by our public schools to provide the best possible educational experiences so our students are well prepared for success in the 21st century.

To learn more, check these resources:

Common Core State Standards 101 (from the Alliance for Excellent Education)

Six Ways the Common Core is Good For Students (from the NEA)

Common Core State Standards: Myths and Facts (from ASCD)

Teacher Celebration Coming to San Mateo County Office of Education

Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching (ECET2), a Bay Area conference created for teachers by teachers, is slated for March 14, 2015 at the San Mateo County Office of Education.

ECET2 will provide an opportunity for teachers to celebrate their profession and collaborate.
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The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) received a grant of $9,400 from ECET2, a program of the New Venture Fund, to plan and host this event.

The purpose of ECET2 is to elevate the teaching profession, inspire teachers and give them the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. Although similar conferences have taken place on a national and regional level across the country over the past three years, this will be the first time ECET2 is held in the Bay Area. Teachers from San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara and Alameda Counties will be invited to attend.

ECET2 will provide a venue for participants to focus on the power of collaboration and how it can both improve relationships among stakeholder groups and lead to high levels of student achievement, particularly among historically underserved students. Breakout sessions will include several topics related to collaboration:

Professional collaboration through Professional Learning Communities and Colleague Circles
Collaborative learning in classrooms to support Common Core instruction
Model programs of community-based partnership and their impact on academic success for students
Teacher leadership and its impact on CCSS and CAASPP
Tools and websites that support collaboration through technology

Mefula Fairley, Administrator, Educational Support Services, and Sue Wieser, Associate Superintendent, Human Resources, are the co-organizers for the event at SMCOE. An initial planning meeting was held in the spring and a second meeting will be held on September 4, 2014, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. at the County Office. Teachers interested in joining the planning committee or presenting a workshop at the conference should email Mefula Fairley at mfairley@smcoe.org or call 650-802-5314.

John Fry Takes the Helm at San Mateo County Court Schools

On July 1, 2014, John Fry took the helm as Educational Services Manager for the Court Schools at the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE), and he has been busy ever since, learning the ropes and getting to know the staff at the three court schools--Hillcrest, Camp Kemp and Camp Glenwood.

For Fry, taking this new position at SMCOE means coming back to his roots in California. One of six children in his family, he's happy to be back closer to his family, especially his 83-year-old father, who lives in Davis,

John Fry is the new Educational Services Manager for SMCOE Court Schools.

and his son, who works for a start-up in Palo Alto.

Fry had been based in Denver, where he was principal for three years at High Tech Early College, a turnaround school he helped to get off the ground. Before that he was director of education in Denver for Rite of Passage, an organization that provides opportunities for at-risk youth. He also helped to establish Ridgeview Academy, a charter court school in Denver.

Fry says he's been impressed with the leadership for court schools provided by Dr. Toni-Sue Passantino and Dr. Joan Rosas, and the community-wide collaborations that have been established with parents, StarVista, County Probation, and many other agencies. "My vision is to carry on the great work that's been done, and especially to foster that collaboration," he notes.

Fry plans to expand collaborative efforts with Each One Reach One, an organization that provides mentoring for incarcerated youth and Project Change, a year-long bridge program providing outreach and mentorship to students in transition from Hillcrest to College of San Mateo.

He has also been working with Dennis McBride, a school board trustee and CPA in Redwood City, to start a monthly speaker series for court school students. The program has several goals: to provide information about the many professions in the county, to provide opportunities to hear stories of real people and how they came to their chosen occupations, and to give youth the necessary social skills to listen to speakers and ask relevant questions.

For now, Fry's mission is to get to know everyone at the Court School campuses. In his limited spare time, he says he plans to enjoy time with his wife of 28 years, and explore the "natural beauty, diversity and culinary delights" of the Bay Area.

Check Us Out on Facebook

The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) now has a page on Facebook. We'll be providing frequent upd facebook logo

ates on SMCOE events and education news of interest, adding groups of interest, and linking to other education organizations. Check us out and "like" us today on Facebook!

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 23 public school districts, charter schools, the Community College District and County Office of Education staff.

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