Outstanding 21st Century Educators

This year we made a significant investment in providing our students with easier access in working with an electronic device. We recently purchased over 400 Chromebooks that has given us a student to electronic device ratio of approximately 4 to 1 for our 2,056 enrolled students. In addition, each of our elementary schools maintains a modern computer lab and our middle school has three computer labs in addition to the hundreds of Chromebooks. A special thank you goes out to our supportive parent groups who have made generous donations to assist our district with the recent purchase of these Chromebooks.

Given our commitment to embrace the blended learning movement that provides our students with the opportunity to utilize technology seamlessly during their instructional day, some of our outstanding educators will be attending 21st Century professional training this summer to increase their skill sets in the area of blended learning. Blended learning combines the usage of content and instruction via digital and online media. Here are a few of the exciting training opportunities that will occur this summer for many of our exceptional teachers:

Mini Merit (http://krauseinnovationcenter.org): In conjunction with the Krause Center for Innovation (located on the campus of Foothill College), our teachers will receive enrichment training to reinforce their commitment to infuse blended learning in the classroom.

The Krause Center has an exceptional training record that allows educators throughout the bay area to receive some of the most up to date training in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) instructional development. When our first cohort group completes this summer training we will utilize the skillsets of our outstanding teachers to serve as a model for teachers throughout our district.

By receiving exceptional training through the Krause Center, we will be able to continue our efforts to increase the blended learning opportunities in technology that will result in a student to device ratio of less than 2 to 1. We are committed to provide our excellent teachers with the necessary tools in technology as they prepare our students for the 21st Century. Krause Center for Innovation continues to be on the forefront of technological and educational transformation.

Technology Symposium 3.0 (www.lead3.org): During the month of April our Director of Curriculum Ms. Moira Barker, our Main Street Elementary School principal, Ms. Annette Bitter and our Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary School principal, Ms. Kerry le Roux, attended a multi-day technology conference in Southern California. The purpose of this conference was to showcase some of the best instructional programs that are occurring in the area of educational technology.

The excitement that these three individuals observed in students who are fully integrated in the area of blended learning was uplifting. By capturing the best practices that are occurring in this area today, we will create richer instructional programs that will provide easier access for students to seamlessly incorporate rigorous academia with technology. We also fully support that technology is playing and will play a greater role in our children’s lives. Preparing our students for academic rigor and relevance in utilizing electronic devices is essential. Staff who attended Technology Symposium 3.0 can’t wait to incorporate some of the best practices that they observed during this conference.

Silicon Valley Math Initiative (www.svmimac.org): This summer some of our finest educators in the area of math are signed up to receive in-depth training from the Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI). We are delighted that our teachers have chosen to receive this rigorous training during their summer break.

“The Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative is a comprehensive effort to improve mathematics instruction and student learning. The Initiative is based on high performance expectations, ongoing professional development, examining student work, and improved math instruction. The Initiative includes a formative and summative performance assessment system, pedagogical content coaching, and leadership training and networks”.

The Silicon Valley Math Initiative is extremely successful in providing educators with specific training in preparing our students for Common Core Standards. In addition, the training at the Silicon Valley Math Initiative will provide our teachers with added skills in creating complex lessons that require collaborative work among student groups.

As we embrace the skillsets that are required with the new state standards in math, the training provided by SVMI is aligned with Common Core Standards that our students will be assessed on each year. Implementing rigorous academic strategies at each of our grade levels will enable our students to be highly successful in acquiring the necessary skills that will be required for 21st Century learners.

Our teachers deserve a lot of credit for their continued willingness to attend professional staff development trainings. These trainings will increase their skillsets to provide an instructional program of academic rigor and relevance for all students. Having talented educators who take advantage of opportunities to embrace new strategies for instruction is a win-win for all of us. We are fortunate to have highly professional educators who are embracing training in the area of higher level thinking skills through professional staff development opportunities.