News from Sheridan School District
No. 2
Contact: Mark Stevens [email protected]
303-495-8699 (mobile) • 720-328-5488 (office)
News Release
Sept. 26, 2019
Fort Logan Northgate School Learning Walk Reviewed; School Leaders Praised
for School’s Approach to Accountability
During a work session this week (Sept. 24), Board of
Education members praised the leadership team at Fort Logan Northgate School
for their approach to improving student achievement, citing an attitude that
shows they “own” the challenge as a collective matter.
Board member Karla Najera and others praised a highly
detailed “data room” that tracks individual student progress on an ongoing
basis.
“What a powerful room you all have created,” said
Najera, adding that she imagined the data would provoke meaningful
conversations about how best to support students.
Najera said she was moved by
principal Bill Blandón’s simple question: “What did we not do?” Najera said she
kept that question in mind during the Learning Walk, part of the board’s
regular cycle of visits to all district schools. The “we” approach, she added,
is key. “You took ownership and you took accountability and you were being
honest,” she said. “I saw the ‘we’ in every classroom—it was all about that.
That transparency is important.”
Board member Daniel Stange noted
the school’s improved “ambiance” for learning. Students, he said, seemed “eager
and enthusiastic.” Board president Bernadette Saleh said the students she
observed were “all really engaged and doing what they were supposed to be
doing.” A third-grade classroom, added Saleh, was “very impressive.”
Board member Sally Daigle said she liked seeing
classrooms in other configurations than students sitting at desks. “I don’t think
I saw one classroom that was set up like how we grew up,” said Daigle,
referencing straight rows of desks with a teacher in front of the classroom. “They
all had different set-ups and that is probably more conducive to the way those
kids learn.”
Superintendent Sandos said the school will continue
to work on mathematics instruction in collaboration with the University of
Colorado Denver. The university’s work has focused on helping upper elementary
school teachers assess students’ math conceptions (adding, multiplication,
fractions, etc.) and then tailoring classroom goals and activities to student
needs. UCD professor Ron Tzur may attend a board meeting soon, said
Superintendent Sandos, to provide an update to the board on the collaboration.
Accreditation Issues
Director of Assessment Maegan Daigler told the board
that the district is appealing the preliminary accountability rating of
“priority improvement,” announced by the state last month. One key element is
the School Performance Rating for SOAR Academy, the district’s alternative high
school. SOAR’s School Performance Rating wasn’t available before the preliminary
district performance rating was issued.
While the SOAR rating also
remained “priority improvement,” said Daigler, it’s possible that positive
trends within the SOAR data may improve SOAR’s rating. Daigler also said with
additional optional measures added to SOAR’s framework, that the district was
able to provide the state with a fuller picture of SOAR Academy’s performance.
Superintendent Sandos said he sees
“some early indicators of growth in academic achievement” at SOAR Academy. “I’m
optimistic about where we’re at and I’m encouraged about those pieces and where
we’re heading,” he said.
On a related issue, but not speaking directly about
SOAR Academy's rating, Superintendent Sandos told the board that there is
renewed discussion to change the state’s accountability system. Superintendent
Sandos attended a meeting of state school leadership last week. In particular,
he said, there is “incongruence” when you have a district rated as
“performance” but that is also home to large numbers of students who are
performing far below grade level.
Philadelphia Trip
Superintendent Sandos, Chief Operations Officer Cyndi
Wright, and board members Bernadette Saleh and Juanita Camacho are departing
Thursday (Sept. 26) to visit a school in Philadelphia that offers Career &
Technical Education in collaboration with Johnson Controls.
Superintendent Sandos and the board have expressed
interesting in improving relationships with trade organizations as well as
improving the preparation of students who are thinking of pursuing careers in
the trades.
Other Notes
The board also discussed its participation in
Sheridan Celebrates this weekend (Saturday, Sept. 28), attendance at the
Colorado Association School Boards conference in early December, and the
importance of the October student count process.
About Sheridan School District 2
Located southwest of Denver, Sheridan School District
2 seeks high-level post-secondary options for all students through continuous
improvement of quality instruction. More:
www.ssd2.org
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