May 2013 Message from the Superintendent

A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

A Monthly Update from Suzette Lovely, Ed.D. to Families in our World-Class District

May 2013: Building on a Distinguished Record  

          For the second time in ten years, Aviara Oaks Middle School (AOMS) has been named a 2013 California Distinguished School! The first time AOMS received this recognition was in 2003, just five years after it opened. That same year, AOMS was also named a California Title I High Achieving School. In 2010, it earned Odyssey of the Mind State Finalist recognition.

          AOMS is one of 19 schools in San Diego County and one of 218 schools across the state to be recognized this year. The California Distinguished School Award honors public schools that have demonstrated educational excellence for all students. Schools must be invited to apply for the award and meet a variety of measures, including looking outside the norm to find new approaches to meet the needs of every learner. The application is reviewed by a team of educators under the direction of the California Department of Education and culminates in a site visit.

           Schools that earn the Distinguished School title agree to share their “signature practices” and become mentors to other California schools. Principal Megan Arias said it was an incredible honor to be recognized as a California Distinguished School not just once, but twice. Ms. Arias noted, “This prestigious award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the AOMS student body, staff, and greater community.”

          We are proud of our academic record in CUSD. To date, eight elementary schools, all three middle schools and Carlsbad High School have all been named California Distinguished Schools one or more times. Several have been named California CBEE Honor Roll Schools and received other recognitions.

          Together, we can continue building on our distinguished record.

Stay abreast of District doings at www.facebook.com/carlsbadunifiedschooldistrict

April 2013 Message from the Superintendent

A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
A Monthly Update from Suzette Lovely, Ed.D. to Families in our World-Class District

April 2013: Transitioning to Common Core 

        California is one of 46 states that have adopted Common Core Standards in English-Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. An overarching goal of Common Core is to link academic expectations from state to state, district to district, and school to school. (An overview is at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/.)

          To prepare for implementation of the Common Core Standards, CUSD teachers and principals have spent the year conducting side-by-side analyses of current instruction in ELA and Mathematics. To ensure a successful transition for every student, teaching teams are fine-tuning the existing curriculum to create a logical progression as students move through grade levels.

 

Shift in Assessment

         Common Core represents a major shift in both assessment and process. Currently, students in grades 2-11 take the multiple-choice California Standards Test (CST) that measures knowledge in key content areas. CST results are used to calculate an Academic Performance Index (API) score for every school and district in the state to show year-over-year progress.

          By contrast, Common Core assessments will be administered in grades 3-8 and 11 and will be performance-based. In ELA, for example, students may be asked to conduct research, describe an account of events, or write an analytic essay. In Math, students will solve problems based on a series of calculations and tasks. Rather than focusing solely on the right answer, students will be challenged to explain how they arrived at the answer.

           In addition to the shift in the type of tests given, Common Core assessments will be taken online. This spring, students at Buena Vista and Kelly Elementary and at Aviara Oaks Middle participated in pilot exams. Administrators and teachers found the process to be a valuable way to learn more about the test format, type of questions asked, and areas in which students struggled.

Focus on College and Career

          Rather than look at Common Core as a recipe for how to teach skills, our teachers will be using the new standards as a blueprint for good teaching. Through the implementation of Common Core, CUSD schools will keep the best of what they have, narrow the topics covered to a more manageable number, and continue to deliver a world-class education that prepares each of our 11,000 students to succeed in college, career and life.
 

Stay abreast of District doings at www.facebook.com/carlsbadunifiedschooldistrict

 

March 2013 Message from the Superintendent

A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

A Monthly Update from Suzette Lovely, Ed.D. to Families in our World-Class District

March 2013: The Madness of March

 

          We don’t have to be basketball fans to know that the nation’s biggest single elimination college basketball tournament takes place every March. However, what we may not know it that the term has its roots in a beautifully written essay published in 1939 by an Illinois High School coach. The coach wrote:  

He exists through summer and fall, shows signs of animation through the winter and lives to the utmost during March when a hundred thousand pairs of rubber soled shoes slap the hardwood in a whirlwind of stops and pivots and dashes on the trail to the state basketball championships.…When the March madness is on him, midnight jaunts of a hundred miles on successive nights make him even more alert the next day.

In Carlsbad Unified, March Madness represents a frenzy of academic as well as athletic events. Here are just a few activities in the CUSD playbook:

Jump Shots and Rebounds

            For the 5^th consecutive year, jump shots and rebounds will reign as teams from all nine CUSD elementary schools, along with their cheering fans, participate in the March Madness basketball tournament. The tournament, which begins at 2:00 p.m. on March 7^th,, features 5^th grade boys and girls who have been practicing free throws and zone defense for several weeks.

            In partnership with the City’s Parks & Recreation Department, CUSD Wellness Coordinator Rosemary Eschelman helps coordinate this popular event. Ms. Eshelman notes, “Win or lose, this intramural event is designed to promote fitness and friendly competition. Meeting peers from around the district provides a connection before students head off to middle school.”

Which two winning teams will carry trophies off the court for another year of bragging rights?

Math Fact Madness

            Teachers throughout the District have been fueling students’ brains with math facts to build proficiency. According to Aviara Oaks Elementary Principal Leslie Harden, “Math facts are a foundational piece of all math concepts. Knowing them with accuracy and fluency is essential at every grade level.”

AOE teachers made FAST FACT goals part of their daily instruction and homework practice. Calavera Hills Middle School hosted an evening event, “Are you Smarter than a Middle Schooler?” to engage parents and students in a friendly game of math competition. Calavera Hills Elementary students received Math Mastery Awards for whizzing through their facts. Finally, at Jefferson, teachers and students wore math facts shirts on Wednesdays to make a Math Fact fashion statement. Principal Chad Lund pointed out, “If a student wears 9x5 we address him or her as 45.” Who knew there were 10x10 ways to make math so fun?

Speaking of Fun

            CHS Speech and Debate students are gearing up to host the San Diego/Imperial Valley State

Qualifier March 8^th and 9^th. This event draws teams from around the county to demonstrate their

skills in Expository Speaking, Thematic Interpretation, Advocacy, and Original Prose and Poetry.

Last year, the Lancers won top honors in the county and state competitions and were ranked in the top 1% of the nation. Watching these oratory specialists in action is incredible. Not only do they excel at researching complex topics, students are able to deliver a speech with brilliant simplicity. Under the leadership of English teacher, Minnia Curtis, competitive Speech and Debate has become a highly important and successful activity at Carlsbad High School.           

            Speech and debate builds effective communication skills regardless of students’ career path. But an added benefit is the fact that it’s fun to win an argument!

 

Stay abreast of District doings at www.facebook.com/carlsbadunifiedschooldistrict