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March 13-16
Florida
Paula Rutherford
March 31
Dublin, Alameda
April 29 and 30
John Hollingsworth
Silvia Ybarra
Santa Barbara
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PO Box 6630
Los Osos, CA 93412
800-660-9899 |
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Benefit California ASCD
When You Go Shopping!
Affiliate programs are supported when you designate California ASCD and shop with these retailers:
Ralphs - Log in to www.ralphs.com and click on Sign In/Register and follow the directions through the Community Contribution Program. Non profit organization number with Ralphs is 90930. Call Ralphs Community Program at 1-800-443-4438 for personal assistance.
Add cards, Shop eScrip Online Mall, or eScrip VISA - Group ID number is 500019057. Call our office at 1-800-660-9899 (CASCD) and we will assist you with registering for this program.
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CALIFORNIA ASCD AFFILIATE NEWS
FEBRUARY 4, 2009
Congratulations to Alice Petrossian and Robert M. Hudson, winners of the 2008 Helen Heffernan Award for Excellence in California Instructional Leadership!
Alice Petrossian was presented the award by California ASCD President, Sandy Clifton-Bacon, on November 25, 2008 at the Pasadena USD Board Meeting. For a complete script of the presentation of the award click here.
Scott Smith, Leadership Council Leader, awarded Robert M. Hudson on December 11, 2008 at the Alpaugh USD Board Meeting. A copy of the presentation is linked here.
STATE NEWS
Appointment of Glen Thomas
The Governor has appointed Glen Thomas as the new Secretary of Education. California ASCD awarded Glen Thomas the Helen Heffernan Award for Excellence in California Instructional Leadership in 2002. Sandy Clifton-Bacon announced, "Glen Thomas is a great person and gifted administrator. He is a true friend to education." The link to the Sacramento Bee article with more information about the appointment follows.
New CDE Resources
The Standards and Assessment Division of the California Department of Education (CDE) has recently posted a number of new and/or updated resources and publications designed specifically for administrators with curriculum responsibilities, teacher leads, and classroom teachers. Below is a brief description of these resources with the Web addresses that directly link to these resources.
Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program
Teacher guides for the California Writing Standards Test administered in spring 2008 are posted. These guides, published separately for grades four and grade seven, contain the writing tasks with sample student responses and commentaries. Links are also provided to the teacher guides published with tasks and sample responses from previous year administrations.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/resources.asp
CAHSEE in the Classroom Series
This is an ongoing series of publications designed to support CAHSEE intervention and classroom teachers as they provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the CAHSEE requirement. Three issues from this series are already posted.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/intervention.asp
CAHSEE Teacher Guides
There are two CAHSEE Teacher Guides: one for English-language arts (ELA) and one for mathematics. These guides were updated in October 2008. The guides provide explanations of the content assessed on CAHSEE, include sample released questions, and discuss various approaches to assessing the standards targeted by the test.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/resources.asp
California English Language Development Test (CELDT)
A variety of CELDT resources are available. These include publications to assist school staff in understanding how to use CELDT results and to communicate with parents and guardians about the test. Released test questions are also posted.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/el/resources.asp
Physical Fitness Test (PFT) Trainings
CDE recently held a series of PFT trainings throughout the state. The trainings focused on the proper administration of the FITNESSGRAM®, data collection and reporting procedures, and use of results. Physical education teachers and leads will find many of the resources on this site useful to their program and instructional needs.
http://www.pft-info.org
Student Testing
CDE also recently updated the matrices of testing variations, accommodations, and modifications for the administration of California statewide assessments for students with disabilities and students who are English learners. These are posted on the CDE Student Testing Web page along with guidelines on appropriate academic preparation for all state assessments.
Spring Professional Development Opportunities
Register Today and Save on Earlybird Rates
February 28, 2009 Saturday Morning
Dr. Donald Maas
March 5, 2009
California ASCD will
partner with CUE in hosting a Leadership Summit Thursday, March 5th, 9:00AM - 2:00PM.
"Technology in the Classroom--Keys to Increasing Implementation of Effective Instruction"
Dr. Debra Pickering
Palm Springs, CA
March 31, 2009
Dr. Paula Rutherford
Dublin, Alameda County, CA
Dr. Silvia Ybarra and John Hollingsworth
Santa Barbara, CA
Publicize Your Good Work
Is your school or school district doing any unique curriculum, instruction, assessment, or staff development programs, projects or material development you are willing to share with others? We would like to use the California Electronic Connection as an opportunity for sharing across districts the good works various schools/districts are doing. If interested in sharing information e-mail cascd@cascd.org.
Institutional Membership
You are able to save money on your membership by enrolling a team from your site as an Institutional Membership. Convert today and receive four memberships for the price of three at $135/year.
Shop Online at the eScrip Mall and Contribute Free to California ASCD
Use the online eScrip Shopping Mall for your shopping needs and with no extra cost you contribute to your Association! Our group ID number is 5000019057. Thank you for your support.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Colorado District Will Eliminate Grade Levels
A struggling Colorado school district has decided to eliminate grade levels, The Denver Post reports, and instead will group students based on what they know. The standards-based model, which allows students to advance when they have proved proficiency, is currently in use in some districts in Alaska but has yet to be tested in the lower 48 and in a district of this size and with this profile. The Adams 50 district has 10,000 students and 21 schools, serving a working-class suburb north of Denver. Seventy-two percent of its students qualify for federal meal benefits, two-thirds are Latino, and 38 percent are learning English. Two years ago the district was put on academic watch because of achievement troubles, and fewer than 60 percent of its students graduate on time. Superintendent Roberta Selleck, who was hired in 2006 to reform the district, says that current practice isn't working, but "in a standards-based system, time becomes the variable and learning is the constant. Learning becomes much more 24-7." The district has spent the year defining the standards for each level, training teachers, and working with state officials to create assessments, and students will take the Colorado Student Assessment Program annually to monitor individual and school-wide progress. Read more.
Worldwide Study Community Help Students Master Math and Science
Cramster, a global math and science study community that launched in 2003, is a place where students can interact online with teachers and their peers to help solve problems based on subjects such as physics, calculus, and chemistry. The mostly-free online community features a number of study materials, such as textbook solutions and practice exams, as well as an interactive question-and-answer board that is monitored by Cramster "Subject Matter Experts." For more info go to: www.cramster.com
Reinventing the Pen Pal for the Digital Age
What if you could enable 200,000 American kids to work with 2 million of their peers abroad -- online, real time -- on projects that teach them what global trade is all about? Today those subjects and many more are being pursued jointly through a remarkable network that is bringing today's technology to the old-fashioned "pen pal" concept. It's exposing kids from third grade through high school to an eye-opening, firsthand look at foreign commerce and foreign cultures. For the entire article go to: http://www.studentsfirst.us
Culturally Responsive Response To Intervention
Culturally responsive educational systems are grounded in the belief that culturally and linguistically diverse students can excel in academic endeavors. NCCREST's newest professional learning module presents Response to Intervention (RTI) as a culturally responsive framework for ensuring evidence- based, high-quality opportunities to learn in inclusive settings for all students, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Culturally responsive RTI frameworks have the potential to address issues of disproportionate representation for diverse students in special education programs by providing access to curriculum and instructional practice grounded in research that attends to the powerful role of culture in teaching and learning. For more infomation go to: nccrest.org
GRANTS
Educational Resources: Essay Contest
The Educational Resources Essay Contest rewards schools that can show us how they are best at implementing technology for the advancement of student learning. Applicants must submit an essay detailing the technology used, how it is utilized and how it impacted student achievement. Maximum award: $2,500 technology voucher. Eligibility: legal residents of the United States at least 18 years of age. Deadline: April 1, 2009.
Heartspring: Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education
The Heartspring Award for Innovation and Creativity in Special Education honors professionals who get results for children with special needs using creative measures. New ideas create results that matter and educators who are outstanding innovators are the right applicants for this award -- only explorers, pioneers, risk-takers, and innovators need apply. Maximum award: $1,000. Eligibility: professionals who work with children with special needs. Deadline: April 20, 2009. www.heartspring.org/award/
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