High Achieving Learning Environment

January Update:  Correia Middle School:  A team of educators from San Diego County and Harvard University spent the day at Correia observing teaching and learning.  The purpose of the visit was to assist our staff in collecting observable data in order to support one area that we would like to focus on in order to strengthen both teaching and learning.  The San Diego County of Education chose Correia because of our diversity and our recent gains toward closing the achievement gap. The hard-working staff at CMS recognizes that teaching is an extremely complex task that requires constant feedback from reliable sources.  This activity will help all of us move from “good” to “great” as we serve our children.

December Update:  Correia Middle School:  The National Center for Teachers' Development (NCTD).  SDUSD identified 5 schools for a group of 18 Japanese educators to visit.  Correia, the only middle school chosen, qualified because of diversity and recent gains in closing the achievement gap.  NCTD dispatches educators abroad in order to enable them to meet people involved in education in various countries to deepen their understanding of the educational systems, histories and cultures of the countries they visit.  These educators are responsible for investigating our school system, community, and interscholastic cooperation in order to disseminate what they learn to their students and community members upon their return to Japan.  Their goal is to develop a higher level of international understanding in Japanese people.  They spent three hours touring classrooms and asking questions of our educational system.  Several observations they articulated:

 

·          In Japan, only one "World Language" is taught - English.

·          The use of technology, specifically computers in the classroom, is largely absent.  The 18 educators consistently expressed surprise at the heavy use of technology at Correia.  Their students rely heavily upon textbooks, paper, and pencil.

·          All athletic, arts, and music programs take place after normal school hours.

·          Classroom size averages 40 + students.

·          The academic year starts in April and ends in March, with the month of August reserved for vacations

November Update:  Correia Middle School:  Because of the tremendous achievement gains made by Correia during 2009, SDUSD selected Correia and 7 other schools to interview and study in order to determine, if possible, what contributed to these schools' overall successes.  The findings of the study, called "Project Schools Making a Difference," were presented to the Board in January.

 

“While factors outside of school are certainly very important sources of unequal outcomes, superior education policies and practices at every level-federal, state, districts, school and classroom-matter profoundly for student achievement.  American education is filled with instances in which students with similar backgrounds and traits achieve  very different results.”  (McKinsey & Company, 2009)

Common Threads:

 

1.       Strong principal leadership and support

2.       Focused and frequent collaboration

3.       Consistency of rules, expectations, and instruction

4.       High expectations: everyone expects the best of themselves and students

5.       Strong and effective organizational structures (ILTs, PLCs, master schedules, shared-decision making, reciprocal accountability)

6.       Tight, consistent, and fair student management

7.       High visibility of staff that is positive, supportive, and encouraging

8.       Use of assessment data via DataDirector to inform instruction

9.       Strong sense of ownership from all stakeholders

 

Correia Middle School is a recipient of the GEAR UP Grant, which will work with the entire 2008-2009 seventh-grade class through graduation day in 2014 from Pt. Loma High School.  The mission of GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) is to inspire students to become active in their educational experience and to ensure they are academically prepared for advancement to post-secondary education.  Students participating in this 6-year GEAR UP grant will receive tutoring in core subjects, college tours of area universities, mentoring, assistance with college applications and financial aid information, summer educational experiences on college campuses, and practice in test-taking and college admissions exams.  GEAR UP will host its first event on February 24th.  For more information, please contact the GEAR UP staff, led by Site Coordinator Felipe Martinez and SDUSD Counselor Holly Cook, at (619) 222-0476 ext. 4310.

Pt. Loma High School Advanced Placement Program:  consists of college-level courses and rigorous end-of-course exams for senior high school students developed by the CollegeBoard out of Princeton, New Jersey.  Over 90% of the colleges that most AP candidates attend give credit and/or advanced placement at many of the nation's colleges and universities to students whose examination grades are considered acceptable. In addition, college admissions officers view a candidate taking AP courses and the College Board exams favorably whether or not the student scored well enough to receive credit at their institution.  AP classes - when compared to other high school courses - go into greater depth, often take more time, require more work, and give greater opportunity for individual progress and accomplishment. The end-of-course exams, an important part of each course, allow for the assessment-driven curriculum, ensuring adherence to higher expectations and standards that are common throughout the country, and produce measurable results.