Great Things Going On
Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday Center Schools grade 6-12 Jump Start participants took their post program NWEA tests and typical for the end of a good year of learning and three additional weeks of intense targeted instruction a vast majority of them showed academic growth equal to greater than one year compared to their NWEA results from last fall. Doing so meant high school students officially earned their high school course credit and middle school students were officially promoted to the next grade level. This annual testing window is typically very stressful on kids and adults alike, but continually observing children coming out of their testing sessions having shown more than one, two, and even as much as three years of academic growth in one year of time is extremely rewarding for both them and for their teachers. I want to thank the entire 6-12 instructional staff for the great work they did preparing our kids for this measurement.
I also want to pass forth kudos to the Center Schools technology department for the great work it did in the preparation and distribution of one-to-one program devices to all students last week. This had to be done prior to our 6-12 grade NWEA testing and short of some slight miscommunication all devices were in hand and ready to go for kids to complete their tests. This year all 650 Center Schools students will have an iPad to use in the course of their daily education, and all grade 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students will be assigned a laptop to supplement that. We know the cost for annual device insurance is not cheap for parents at $25 per iPad and $45 per laptop, but feel this fee guarantees the district has dollars to repair and replace them when they are broken, lost, or stolen. We also want to make it clear to the community that if the cost of device insurance is a hardship for a family we will set up a multi-moth payment plan, or even allow students to work off the cost on our technology or custodial crew. Please contact Director of Technology Julio Paez, Tech II Teddy Garcia, or Tech I Ascencion Najera if you have any questions about this program.
In conjunction with distribution of technology devices the secondary school also did a great job of conducting student registration and orientation processes ahead of the first day of school. A special thanks goes out to Skoglund Middle-Center High School
In conjunction with distribution of technology devices the secondary school also did a great job of conducting student registration and orientation processes ahead of the first day of school. A special thanks goes out to Skoglund Middle-Center High School
secretaries Debra Lujan and Marsha Felmlee for how smoothly this process has gone. I also want to thank MS-HS guidance counselor Adele Alfson and RTI coordinator Susan Banning for the great work they did organizing the 6th grade parent-student orientation that took place on Wednesday evening. It was fun seeing kids excited about getting their schedules, Skoglund principal Luis Murillo presented great information to parents about changes middle level students go through, and I got to practice my time honored skill of showing kids how to execute their locker combinations properly!
Finally, I want to offer a gigantic thank you to director of instruction Lori Cooper, and Center Schools ESL instructors JoAnn Lopez, Anna Bishop, and Nate Koerber for the great job they did presenting information about the WIDA English language proficiency standards to all of our staff members. A major aspect of our 2014-15 district academic improvement plan is to bolster our skills for instructing English language learner students and this was a great place to start this work.
Finally, I want to offer a gigantic thank you to director of instruction Lori Cooper, and Center Schools ESL instructors JoAnn Lopez, Anna Bishop, and Nate Koerber for the great job they did presenting information about the WIDA English language proficiency standards to all of our staff members. A major aspect of our 2014-15 district academic improvement plan is to bolster our skills for instructing English language learner students and this was a great place to start this work.
Big Things We Are Working On
The bulk of our work last week was aimed at wrapping up our grade 6-12 Jump Start program and getting our doors open to all secondary students at the beginning of this week. We also held a committee meeting to begin the process of being more thoughtful about encouraging more students to walk or bike to school in a safe and orderly fashion through work we are engaging the Colorado Department of Transportation with. I want to thank the Town of Center and Saguache County for sending police, administrative, and health department representatives to participate in this first step planning process with us.
The Past Week
As stated above, on Tuesday afternoon I met with a committee of folks who hope to submit an application for a future Safe Routes to School grant that would improve bus, walking, and bicycle access to our school campus and throughout town. On Tuesday all grade 6-12 students received their personal technology devices for use during the school year. Grade K-5 students received their devices by the end of the week. On Wednesday evening Skoglund Middle School held a 6th grade parent-student orientation meeting. On Wednesday and Thursday Jump Start students took their end of session NWEA tests so we could determine if they made adequate growth in key subjects to justify moving them on to the next grade level or to allow high school students to earn their course credits.
The Week Ahead
Tuesday September 2nd is the first day of regular school for all grade 6-12 students. I will be participating in some of the fun things the staff has planned for the kids, including an all-student assembly and motivational speaker presentation, an all-student body pep assembly, and fun movement activities that will take place in the afternoon. During the rest of the week I will be working on tasks related to district and administrative policy revision, making sense of 2013-14 TCAP data, and preparing for next week’s annual District Open House event.
On Thursday our Haskin Elementary School 4th and 5th grade students get the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the unveiling of the Sand Dunes National Monument quarter event that takes place at the dunes This is very exciting for the Valley as a whole and it is wonderful that some of our students will get to witness it first-hand!
Thanks for listening once again and have a great week!
George
On Thursday our Haskin Elementary School 4th and 5th grade students get the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the unveiling of the Sand Dunes National Monument quarter event that takes place at the dunes This is very exciting for the Valley as a whole and it is wonderful that some of our students will get to witness it first-hand!
Thanks for listening once again and have a great week!
George