Newsroom
Ninth Annual Education Summit set for Thursday, October 27, 2011
Riverside County Superintendent of Schools Kenneth M. Young has invited a group of outstanding educators to present 24 successful educational programs at the Ninth Annual Education Summit Thursday, October 27, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs.
More than 300 educators, parents, and community leaders are expected to attend the event themed “In Pursuit of Excellence: Intervention Systems that Work.”
The keynote speaker on Thursday morning will be Dr. Richard DuFour, a public school educator for 34 years who is now one of the most foremost authorities and influential spokespersons on building the capacity of school staff to make meaningful improvements to benefit students across the nation.
The day will be devoted to a series of workshops on school programs that have earned the distinction of “Models of Academic Excellence.” Each award winner will be recognized at a lunchtime ceremony.
Each program being recognized as a Model of Academic Excellence has a proven track record resulting in an increase in student academic achievement.
The Models of Academic Excellence workshops include:
Aligning the Targets
Val Verde USD
Aligning the Targets is necessary in order for students to meet federal and state proficiency levels. At Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School, data-driven instruction was implemented to increase student proficiency and hit both federal and state targets simultaneously. The school has achieved substantial growth based on the AYP, resulting in the honor of being named a Title I Academic Achievement School and California Distinguished School, and nominated as a National Blue Ribbon School.
A Systematic Approach to Master Schedule Design
Riverside USD
To maximize student achievement, Sierra Middle School developed a Systematic Approach to Master Schedule Design which includes increased student accountability. The focus is to ensure that appropriate class placement of students, ongoing monitoring of student achievement, strategic adjustments to the master schedule, and improved content/delivery in intervention classes occurs on a regular basis.
Pyramid of Support and Accountability: Interventions and Innovation
Riverside USD
The Interventions and Innovation model includes a pyramid of support and accountability, expanded opportunities for voice and choice, and encouragement and support for purposeful innovation. The pyramid reflects a differentiated, prioritized, and focused system for supporting schools, while holding everyone accountable for high levels of student learning.
Standards-Based Practices
Val Verde USD
At Victoriano Elementary School, staff determined that simple Standards-Based Practices were needed to boost students to the next achievement level. With four goals put into place - including every student will reach proficiency; the achievement gap between subgroups will close; the gap between ELA and Math scores will close; and Victoriano will be the first school in the district to reach an API of 900 - a strategic plan was developed to ensure high academic achievement for all students through the implementation of standards-based instructional practices.
Biology InterRichment
Alvord USD
The Biology InterRichment program features an innovative way to assist students in achieving higher test scores on common summative assessments in biology. This exciting approach has resulted in tremendous gains in biology CST scores over the past three years.
Project-Based Learning Workshops
Beaumont USD
Project-Based Learning Workshops enable students to participate in thematic projects to earn credits towards graduation. The projects serve as enrichment for all core content areas. This innovative program has proven results including an increase of high pass rates on the CAHSEE and an increase in the number of students graduating.
English Learner Program
Perris Union High SD
Heritage High School has had phenomenal results with their EL subgroup because they use every tool possible to ensure that the individual needs of each student are being met. In the English Learner Program, teams meet on a regular basis to monitor students and refine the practices currently in place. Success is evident in the CAHSEE passing rate for English Learners, the high graduate rate for English Learners, and the huge numbers of parents that participate in literacy classes and graduate from the PIQE institute.
SMART Form (Success Monitoring and Remediation Tracking)
Banning USD
The SMART Form (Success Monitoring and Remediation Tracking) tracks all students and designates those who are identified as EL, GATE, and RSP, as well as those participating in the school-level intervention program. The process has led to all staff being more data-driven in providing a quality education and appropriate interventions for all students.
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program
Hemet USD
The AVID Program at Diamond Valley Middle School is a staple program at the school, and has been recognized for many achievements during the past seven years. Continuous site- and district-based training in AVID methodologies encourage staff to teach core and elective subjects with research-based strategies, thereby affecting students on a school-wide level.
Response to Intervention (RTI) – School-Wide Intervention Model
Hemet USD
The Response to Intervention – School-Wide Intervention Model at Cottonwood Elementary was organized with clear procedures while using assessment data as the driving force to develop goals, formulate effective interventions, and organize flexible student groups. The model has helped close the achievement gap for all subgroups with staff focusing on increasing student proficiency rates by implementing specific interventions to assist all students.
SAFE After-School Program – Making Connections and the Power of Giving Back
Hemet USD
Families need a safe and educationally-based after-school program that is connected to the regular school day, the local school community, and focuses on teaching the value of giving back. The SAFE After School Program in the Hemet Unified School District partners include all elementary and middle schools within the district, as well as the Hemet Police Department, Valleywide Recreation and Parks, Hemet Community Watch, Grandfathers for Golf, and Hemet Lanes to provide a robust delivery of after-school connections.
FAST Talks (Focus on the Achievement of Students)
Riverside USD
FAST Talks are weekly conferences held between the classroom teacher and the principal. The purpose is to increase learning for all students by effectively monitoring their academic progress. With FAST Talks, teachers are held accountable for each student’s academic progress and for setting high expectations for student learning, and the principal is provided a purposeful monitoring system that is manageable and practical.
Best Practices for High School EL Programs
Corona-Norco USD
Many high schools struggle with the task of narrowing the achievement gap with English Language learners. The National High School Center has highlighted successful high school English Language learner programs and school-wide recommendations for implementation. Staff at Eleanor Roosevelt High School have implemented some of these strategies and have developed Best Practices for High School EL Programs.
Engagement Through Technology
Val Verde USD
Students at Sierra Vista Elementary School are better connected with their learning thanks to the implementation of Engagement through Technology. In order to teach at the speed of learning, teachers use several technology systems on a regular basis. Since the launch of this technology fleet, there has been a steep reduction of students in the bottom two performance bands, and the near elimination of students in the lowest performance band.
Soaring Eagles
Corona-Norco USD
The Soaring Eagles Program offers an intensive intervention for all students in need of extra time and support for learning. The theoretical framework for the program is the research that supports one-on-one tutoring and repeated readings in order to increase student achievement. In addition to consistent academic progress, the Soaring Eagles Program raises student confidence levels and increases their enjoyment of reading.
FOCUS Groups
Lake Elsinore USD
The school-wide intervention program called FOCUS was implemented three years ago to close the achievement gap. In FOCUS, students are challenged to achieve to their fullest potential, thereby eliminating the achievement gap and dramatically decreasing the number of students scoring below grade level. The program has produced continuous growth, with phenomenal gains in scores including all subgroups showing pronounced growth in both Language Arts and Mathematics over the past few years.
Success for All in Mathematics
Riverside USD
In the Success for All in Mathematics program, Math team members use a CST Blueprint to determine the most heavily tested items and base their curriculum on this information. One important aspect of planning is to identify the ‘who’ to determine the ‘what’ as it relates to appropriate, targeted instruction and interventions for individual students.
Vista del Lago Health Academy
Moreno Valley USD
Health care is one of the leading areas that will need trained professionals in the future. In order to prepare students for this career choice, the Health Academy program at Vista del Lago High School was created five years ago. It is a small learning community with a Career Technical Education elective, an English class, a History class, and a Math class associated with health care. The program is a success, noting that in 2010, 91% of the seniors in the program were certified in entry level health care and 70% received paid summer internships.
Macaw Clubs
Riverside USD
An extra-curricular program, Macaw Clubs, allows each student to be involved and gain ownership of their education. The program is a club period built into the academic day, developed through collaboration between teachers and students, focusing on both academics and students’ unique interest. Macaw Clubs is founded on the concept that if students are active participants and want to be in school, there will be an impact on attendance, academics, and personal accomplishments.
Targeted Assistance Program
Desert Sands USD
Built on a foundation of accountability that teaches monitoring and self-correction to the target population, the Targeted Assistance Program has three goals that include: working with students and parents to identify and remove obstacles to academic performance and sustained achievement, using a mentoring approach, and teaching students the executive skills of self-monitoring. The results of the Targeted Assistance Program include a reduction in absenteeism, chronic or severe misbehaviors, and number of “F” grades.
AVID and Its Specialty Courses, such as all male, ROTC, EL
Moreno Valley USD
AVID targets underserved students, such as first generation immigrant students, to help them get into college. Moreno Valley High School’s AVID program has taken the thought a step further by targeting other groups that are not getting into college including males, ROTC cadets, and EL students and placing these students into pure AVID classes. The results include increased retention rates with the males, EL students graduating and receiving college acceptances, and ROTC cadets graduating and receiving a direct appointment to the US Air Force Academy.
Building the Bridge Between Professional Learning Communities and Response to Intervention
Beaumont USD
Building the Bridge Between Professional Learning Communities and Response to Intervention means teaching the core curriculum with fidelity, using the highly engaging strategies of direct interactive instruction, and insisting on data-driven decision making in PLCs. Proven results have been achieved from the program, including 43% of students exiting the program in the first six weeks as they met their growth goals and showed proficiency on grade level universal screenings, with 76% of the remaining students making significant, measurable progress.
Tenth Grade Program: A Program of the Corona High School Guidance Department
Corona-Norco USD
Targeting all tenth grade students in the school, Tenth Grade Program, enables students to become familiar with career options based on their areas of interest. The program includes a guided tour of online resources, a hands-on completion of an interest study, and a ‘reality check’ component. Success is achieved and grade point averages are increased, as well as students earning credits and remaining on-track for graduation.
Math Spiral Homework
Val Verde USD
The Math Spiral Homework program was developed in 2009 when it was determined that students needed a new system for meaningful homework. It was piloted in seventh grade Math classes. Math Spiral Homework is a concept which constantly changes to meet the needs of students. It requires much time and effort, but it is a powerful tool that has contributed to success in student learning.
For more information on the event, please call Tracey Rivas, 951-826-6570, or email trivas@rcoe.us. Registration information is online at www.rcoe.us.
For information contact:
Rick Peoples,
Public Information Officer
Telephone: (951) 826-6642
Fax: (951) 826-6199
rpeoples@rcoe.us |
