Tuesday October 7, 2014
Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes Reports to Gov. Gary Herbert on Utah Core Standards
I was invited to attend the press conference of the Attorney General's finding on the Common Core. The AG's office analyzed a series of legal questions regarding educational authority and policy of the Common Core. The findings state that Utah has complete control over the Utah Standards and is not ceded this control to any outside sources including the Federal Government. Local Boards of Education control the curriculum in their districts. Utah did not receive any funding for adoption of the Common Core. Because of complete control Utah can change or modify any standard. I would hope that as a community we can now begin to move forward without fear or misinformation. If we have concerns over any standard lets work to make it better. If there are curriculum issues let's come together to solve it. As a local school board member I will continue to do all that I can to support excellence in the educational opportunities of our children. Alpine District is a leader academically and fiscally in the state of Utah. I want to continue moving forward doing what is best for our students, parents and teachers.
View the full report here
Friday July 18, 2014
Yesterday I had the privilege of being invited to attend Governor Herbert's press conference on education in Utah.
For the past several months I have been involved with the Governors Education Commission studying the issues of the Utah Standards in Math and Language Arts, SAGE testing, data, grading, etc. It became very evident that the Governor needed to take the leadership to bring our great state of Utah back together from all the controversy of the Common Core State Standards and our own Utah Standards to allow the best possible education for our students. He has created a great plan to answer the questions and put to rest the misinformation and misunderstandings on both sides of what we have in Utah. I will be very interested in the findings of the AG's office and also how the standards fare with the evaluation of our education professional team led by Rich Kendall of higher education and including Matt Holland as the President of UVU. I also make a commitment to my constituents that I will help implement and encourage any change from these findings and also a commitment to continue to offer the best possible academic opportunities for our ASD students through rich and thorough standards. I also commit that I will continue to provide all the tools, resources and professional development possible to our teachers as they develop their curriculum with their teams.
Also as part of the Governors plan their is a survey that you can take to share your feelings about the standards specifically. Please take time to do the survey.
Here is the information on both the Governors press release and the survey site.
http://blog.governor.utah.gov/2014/07/governors-remarks-strengthening-utah-education-for-our-students/
Educating All Students
In Alpine School District we reach out to all students who live with in our district boundaries. We not only have our traditional public schools but have many alternative schools.
Alpine Online School is a K-8 school offered by Alpine School District for students who are primarily home schooled. The mission of Alpine Online is to partner with students, parents, and the community to ensure that all students have the best opportunity for learning.
Alpine Online enrolls students from all over the state of Utah. Our enrollment is generally around 400 students. The majority of our students live in Utah County (56%) and Salt Lake County (23%). About 20% of our students are dual enrolled with their local school.
Alpine Online offers the following to families wishing to enroll:
* A certified teacher, who should be used as a resource and help in providing a rich and effective curriculum for the student.
* A full schedule of core classes with complete materials for the school year.
* A foreign language option through Rosetta Stone or K12 World Languages.
* An option for Saxon math for interested parents.
* Regular field trips and activities for students and families.
* Access to the full use of the family’s neighborhood school media center in the Alpine School District – including checking out books.
Polaris High School - Alternative HS
It has been a great year at Polaris! It is a great place of hope and hard work. Many students have overcome tremendous obstacles to enjoy success in their accomplishments at Polaris. So far there have been 137 students graduate and a few more will make it this summer. This number includes 4 students who graduated a full year early, 5 young mothers and 17 students who have overcome learning disabilities.
This is a recent post from Facebook and a comment from his Mom:
Kayden Mitchell: “I…I love Polaris along with everyone there I actually liked going to school. I didn't hate waking up for school like I did my other school. Polaris has saved me. It really has. I extremely recommended it to anyone that has the chance to go there. I will promise you that you will never meet as nice of teachers, be around as chill of students, and still learn like you would be able to at Polaris. It has changed me for the better. Everyone that goes to Polaris, students and teachers, you all have a special place in my heart. … Just know that I love you all, and I'm here for every single one of you. Don't be a stranger.”
Mom:” … He's right - Polaris saved him and got him headed where he needed to go and I will always be thankful to you all for that.”
This is an email a couple days after graduation:
I just want to drop a short note regarding the tremendous repore I witnessed between the students and faculty at your recent graduation ceremony.
I am the grandfather of Hunter and CJ Bowcutt and your work with them has been outstanding and a real blessing to both of them.
It was obvious to see that the students had great esteem for the faculty and many of your speakers indicated life changing experiences at Polaris High School.
Thanks for all you do for these students.
Summit - Alternative HS (youth in custody of the state)
Summit High School has just celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2014 with a graduation ceremony at the UVU ballroom. Forty three students earned their diplomas and were honored during the ceremony. This is a remarkable tribute for students who have faced so many roadblocks on their way to graduation.
Thirty nine of the graduates are students who are in custody of the State of Utah. Students in state care do not typically live with their parents. Instead, they live in foster homes and group homes while they and their families work for reunification. Others are striking out on their own with some support in independent living arrangements. To navigate the challenges of high school graduation without the support of a typical family situation is challenging for these students. Our graduates have met that challenge and like the theme of our graduation ceremony, are “Unstoppable!”
Local Control and Flexibility
Every school community has its own personality and culture. Local control gives a small district feel through ownership and voice of the local patrons. Flexibility is not as cost efficient, but it is more community connected and increases patron satisfaction. There are eight clusters in the district represented by each of the high schools and the feeder schools with in the high schools. We have seen great success and innovation as SCC and professional development teams have created great learning centers for our students in each of our schools. It is parents and teachers collaborating together on curriculum and student achievement for all students determining the needs of their school that has made Alpine School District so successful. We must have autonomy for each school to bring about the best student achievement. As I am in the schools weekly and listening to teacher teams and parents I see what great success we are having. Every student including our special needs or our gifted student has an educational plan.
I support local control and flexibility.
Parent Involvement
Parent involvement has always been very important to me from the very beginning of my service on the board of education. In fact it is so important to me I have been heavily involved in my children’s schools as they each went through the public school system. We have put in place many ways that parents can have input to what we do in the district.
*On the district level we have the only District Community Council that has been meeting for over 14 years. Other districts are now seeing the great support system that gives to us and are beginning to incorporate district councils in their districts. We meet several times a year with representatives from each board members district who are directly responsible for 2-4 schools in their area. We also have a representative from administrators, certified and classified. Three board members and the superintendent always attend this meeting. We also use many of these people for district committees and we discuss current issues to get feedback.
*Our PTA’s and SCC are very active in our schools and I visit them at least twice a year to hear their concerns. In recognition of the great SCC's we have in our district, Lakeridge Jr High was chosen Best of State in the volunteer category. I was honored to have written one of the letters of recommendations.
**We also hold public meetings in the evening once a year with each community to share our direction and get feedback from them.
The Orem City Council, Mayor and the Superintendent, Business administrator, and any board members who would like to attend, meet every other month to discuss Orem issues. We have had a lot of success in working together to help meet the needs of our patrons and students in this community.
Here are some additional ways we engage our parents and the community:
- We hold an annual mayors luncheon
- We meet with our legislatures regularly
- A 55+ focus group
- Communication with parents through :
Summer “Back to School” mailer
New and updated website
A new App that will be ready this fall
FaceBook and Twitter
Student Learning
Student learning is the most important thing we do in public education and it is the focus of what we do in a Professional Learning Community (PLC), the model for education renewal used in our local schools.
ASD believes in:
- data-driven instruction and assessments that help both the student and the teacher improve,
- a collaborative culture that includes parents,
- a nurturing environment with high expectations and
- the support necessary to achieve those expectations.
Fiscal Responsibility
Alpine School District spends 73% of all general funds on the classroom as of the most recent Utah Taxpayer Association school spending report. Alpine is one of only four districts and charter schools that spend over 72% of all general funds on instruction, which is primarily classroom teacher salary and benefits.
Alpine School District has the lowest school and district administration expenses per student of all 41 school districts and charter schools in Utah. This conservative approach allows the Board of Education to focus resources on other priorities like targeted class-size reduction, incentive (merit) pay, summer collaboration grants for teachers, and technology.
Alpine School District received a bond rating upgrade by Moody's from Aa2 to Aa1 with a stable outlook despite the economic recession and bond rating downgrades for many government entities in the nation. This upgrade was due to new rating models and strong financial results of the Board of Education. The impact to taxpayers is lower financing costs, which translates into millions of dollars of savings in interest expense over time.
The Board of Education has increased the number of major capital projects funded with ongoing dollars rather than issuing debt to finance these projects. This conservative approach has resulted in lower bonds and interest payments on bonds saving taxpayers millions of dollars over time.
Alpine School District was recognized by the Government Finance Officer's Association and Association of School Business Officials International for excellence in financial reporting this year for the 29th consecutive time.
Quality Teacher - Recruit/Retain
Research indicates that the single most important factor in student learning in the school is the teacher. We must attract, retain and support quality teachers through:
- adequate compensation,
- benefits,
- appropriate incentives,
- a healthy school and district culture that supports them, their professional development and a culture of continuous improvement.
Collaboration
Collaboration in a Professional Learning Community is the most effective professional development model for improving teacher instruction and student achievement. It requires collective inquiry into current practice and data, continuous improvement as the culture in the school, stakeholder input, community stewardship and commitment to helping every student learn through quality instruction, timely intervention and appropriate remediation opportunities. This has become one of the best practices that every level of the district uses. ASD leads throughout the state in effectiveness of collaboration and has been recognized nationally.
I believe that opposing points of view are important in a healthy and civil discussion. They help to define, refine, and force priorities, which brings out the best ideas. Collaboration accomplishes this while maintaining respect and trust for the individual and the system, as well as a focus on the common good.
Goals
The goals of the ASD where revised in 2008 after our "What Counts" meetings throughout the district. We hosted over 1,000 community leaders, mayors, parents, teachers, students and staff to help the board of education determine what really counted to the stake holders in our district. These seven goals are the result from those meetings.
In 2013 we met again in a "What Counts" process and working with our community and our partnerships to solidify our belief statements.
Values and Belief Statements of the District
• Equitable Access to Academic Knowledge and Achievement. We provide access to a challenging curriculum and support achieving high levels of learning for each student.
• Engaged Learning Through Nurturing Instruction. We promote student learning through caring relationships, effective teaching practices, and positive classroom environments.
• Stewardship in School and Community. We partner with families and communities to improve public education, teacher quality, and student achievement.
• Civic Preparation and Engagement. We model and teach the knowledge, skills, and respect required for civic engagement and responsibility, consistent with the principles and values on which our country
was founded.
• Commitment to Renewal. We continuously improve through personal, school, and professional development.
Student Achievement - Inspiring all students to engage in learning at their highest level.
Comprehensive Curriculum - Educating students through a wide range of content and learning opportunities leading to the development of the whole child.
Leadership - Developing and sustaining leaders who have vision and passion for student and employee success.
Teacher Quality - Valuing quality teachers by recognizing excellence and facilitating continuous improvement in the art and science of teaching.
Resources - Identifying and providing requisite tools, skills and personnel that lead students toward successful participation in the 21st Century.
Community Relations - Engaging parents and the broader community to support student achievement.
School and District Culture - Sharing values, beliefs and processes that sustain a positive, safe and nurturing environment to promote pride in the school and district.
I support these goals and use them in determining policy and direction for the district.
In 2013 we met again in a "What Counts" process and working with our community and our partnerships to solidify our belief statements.
Values and Belief Statements of the District
• Equitable Access to Academic Knowledge and Achievement. We provide access to a challenging curriculum and support achieving high levels of learning for each student.
• Engaged Learning Through Nurturing Instruction. We promote student learning through caring relationships, effective teaching practices, and positive classroom environments.
• Stewardship in School and Community. We partner with families and communities to improve public education, teacher quality, and student achievement.
• Civic Preparation and Engagement. We model and teach the knowledge, skills, and respect required for civic engagement and responsibility, consistent with the principles and values on which our country
was founded.
• Commitment to Renewal. We continuously improve through personal, school, and professional development.
