Newark Unified School District Office of the Superintendent

To : Board Members

From : Dave Marken

Subject: Weekly Board Update

Date : March 14, 2014

Upcoming Week Dates / Events

Weekly Attachments Board Planning Calendar

Educational Services

Secondary Professional Development Day

On Monday, secondary teachers attended a professional development day with Sharroky Hollie, whose expertise is Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Pedagogy. The focus was on teaching strategies to engage all teachers that are traditional, responsive, and culturally responsive. Dr. Hollie stressed the importance of all three to validate and affirm all students. Feedback from teachers was overwhelmingly positive. This is the first of four days of “Foundational Training.” Educational Services will work with site administrative and teacher leaders to determine ways to support teachers to implement the strategies provided and to determine next steps.

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Newark Memorial High School Common Core Professional Development Committee

Last week, Newark Memorial High School’s Common Core Professional Development Committee met to plan coming professional development for staff on Technology in the Classroom with the Common Core. The presented was Spanish teacher Tommy Edwards, who demonstrated ways to engage students using technology. The PD session that they planned will be offered to staff later this month.

Local Control and Accountability Plan Training at ACOE

Today, Friday, Soleste Hilberg and Noreen Bastian attended the first of three

training and support sessions hosted by Research, Assessment and Accountability Partnerships (RAAP) to support district teams in completing a Local Control Accountability Plan. Writing the Plan Work Session AGENDA: 9-10 LCAP Communication Strategy by Unique Holland, Director of Communications & Public Affairs. It’s important to hear from a broad array of stakeholders on what they want, and that it is up to the LCAP leads to ensure those needs are addressed in the LCAP. Write simple, clear scripts for all to use to communicate to community stakeholders. The purpose of the LCAP is to communicate what our district is all about, what we value, where we are going, and how we plan to get there. 10-11 LCAP Template Sections 2 & 3: Writing the Plan: Goals to Actions by Ingrid Roberson, Director of Research, Assessment and Accountability

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Partnerships. Write to motivate. What are the goals, how and when we will get there. Bring everyone to the table. Write compelling messages that stick. 11-12 LCAP Template Section 1: Engaging Parents and Community by Jason Arenas, Parent & Community Engagement Specialist Remaining sessions are tailored to a specific work phase of plan development: April 11th: Writing the Plan - This session will continue to focus on writing the content for each of the three sections of the LCAP with a special emphasis on your communication strategy. May 9th: Reviewing the Plan - This session will provide an opportunity for feedback on your draft LCAP. May 30th: Reviewing the Plan - This session will provide an opportunity for feedback in preparation for final adoption of your LCAP. Each session will be at the Alameda County Office of Education from 9-12. These sessions will be led by Ingrid Roberson and include support from our Communications & Public Affairs Department and Parent & Community Engagement Team.

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District Leadership Meeting

At this week’s District Leadership meeting, Jenny Rios and Tonya Conn0lly met with principals to provide information on the construction and maintenance projects that will occur at sites in the Spring and Summer. Superintendent Marken stressed the importance of communicating with all staff that the construction is necessary and the process will be stressful at times. The important idea is that we are working to provide needed upgrades and improvements that we all desire. Principals also discussed the great need to strengthening the elementary English Learner program. Currently, Newark’s approach is 30 minutes of ELD instruction daily. Using this approach, we have had success bringing a number of ELs to English proficiency; however, there is also a large number of ELs who do not achieve English proficiency before learning elementary. The greatest problem is that these students’ limited proficiency in English hinders their success in all of their classes, not just English. District Leadership and the new District English Learner Advisory is now considering how NUSD might move toward implementing an accelerated program for English learners.

Distinguished Schools Site Validation Visit to Kennedy Elementary

On Friday, validation officers from Distinguished Schools visited Kennedy Elementary School to validate their application to become a Distinguished School. Kennedy’s last Distinguished School designation was in 1998. It’s been awhile and principal and staff are excited at this new possibility. The validation visitor’s, were Mrs. Margie Sherratt, Board President in Alameda, and Ms. Marianne Schmidt principal of a Fremont Distinguished School. Also present were District representatives. This is an exciting time for the Kennedy staff. The final determination should arrive in April.

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Grant for Elementary Honors Science Program

Newark Unified received a grant for an elementary honors science program. Elementary Science Coordinator, Eileen Weeks, worked with Science Department Chair Kerry Knight at Newark Junior High School to draft this proposal for the use of these funds:

ELEMENTARY HONORS SCIENCE PROGRAM LEGO ROBOTICS

Proposal submitted by Eileen Weeks, NUSD Science Coordinator, March 11, 2014 Summary: This program would focus on 5th grade students in our elementary schools to introduce them to STEM, (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through an engaging hands-on robotics workshop using NGSS. Student advisors from NJHS STEM classes will provide mentorship as advisors and create interest in future STEM programs. These students will be supporting their own STEM learning while giving back to the community. We propose to pilot the program this spring offering 2 two-hour workshops in May. The intention is to offer the program at all eight elementary school sites in 2014-15, purchasing the necessary equipment.

Students will build a basic robot using Lego Mindstorms Education EV3 Core Sets on loan from NJHS Science Department (pilot year)

Workshop will be taught by NJHS Science Department Head, Kerry Knight

8th grade STEM students will be voluntary advisors, and will provide their own transportation to the sites (3 students: 1 NJHS advisor)

Two workshops held on two Friday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. at a one or two elementary schools (May 2 and 16, 2014, alternate date May 23.)

Up to thirty - 5th grade students participate in each workshop

School Sites will provide multipurpose room with table set-up

Super Stars Literacy

Research points to extending the school day for closing the achievement gaps between groups of students. The Super Stars Literacy Program does just that. They promote Reading as the key that opens the door to opportunity and achievement. Acting on the belief that every child deserves an equal opportunity to learn and succeed, Super Stars Literacy provides extended learning time intervention services to under-performing K-2nd grade students to help them develop the literacy and social skills that are the foundation for future learning. Super Stars Literacy was developed as a service project of the Junior League of Oakland-East Bay, Inc. (JLOEB), an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Throughout its more than 75 year history, JLOEB

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has focused its efforts on improving conditions for vulnerable children throughout Oakland and the East Bay Area by collaborating with other community based organizations and social service agencies to develop sustainable strategies that address unmet community needs, providing resources to community organizations, and dedicating volunteers to support project development, implementation and outreach efforts. Super Stars Literacy was launched in 2002 at a single Oakland school site, and separated from the JLOEB to form its own non-profit organization in 2008. Since that time, the program has been continually expanded to serve additional Bay Area schools. The Super Stars Literacy mission is:

Every child has the potential to learn and achieve. Every child deserves equal access to resources and opportunities for achievement. Both early literacy skills and social/emotional development are critical to success in

school and life. Learning must be filled with joy, fun and friendship. Families and caregivers are integral to children’s literacy development. Collaboration with community partners enables student success. Effective after-school programs adapt to the school community context and the

needs of each child. An effective literacy program must complement the classroom experience and be

outcomes-oriented and evidence-based. Super Stars Literacy provides intensive literacy instruction combined with social/behavioral skill development five times weekly, for two to three hours each day after school. The Super Stars Literacy model draws on the cultural and economic assets of the surrounding communities and is adaptable to a variety of school settings and collaborative approaches. The program provides:

Whole group and small group literacy activities (including Read Alouds, Guided Reading, Phonics, and Phonemic Awareness instruction as well as literacy through music, art or science instruction)

Literacy Extension Activities (independent learning centers based on reading, math, science, and art themes/skills)

One-on-one Instruction on specific skills appropriate to the needs of each child Family Events (family field trips to local museums and science centers and parent

education events) Coordination with school-day instruction and additional school-day support: In

addition to communicating regularly with our students' school-day teachers, our Group Leaders each spend ten hours per week in the students' classrooms, providing support with individual and group reading activities

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Using Read Alouds, Super Stars Literacy Group Leaders model social behaviors and encourage students to understand social-emotional problems and develop empathy. Our curricula (including Kidzlit, Second Step, and Tribes) explore themes of pro-social behavior, impulse control and anger management. Children are encouraged to express their feelings and grapple with their fears and concerns through discussion, drama, art, movement and writing. Program Outcomes: When at risk children participate in the SSL program, they gain foundational literacy skills and become confident and engaged learners – all of which will allow them to maximize their future academic, economic, and personal opportunities. We measure our impact according to the following outcomes: Literacy Improvement: 50% of SSL students who attend program regularly will achieve accelerated growth toward literacy proficiency. When working with low-performing students, the challenge is to accelerate growth through intensive intervention support so that our students can catch up by 3rd grade. Social/Emotional Development: 60% of SSL students who attend program regularly will demonstrate significant growth in at least one essential skill area of social-emotional development (empathy, conflict resolution, and impulse control). Parent Engagement: 80% of caregivers of Super Stars Literacy students who attend program regularly will engage in literacy based activities with their children during program- provided opportunities. 80% of caregivers will attend at least one SSL-sponsored event. Highlights of our 2012-13 Evaluation Report:

94% of students made literacy gains, with 40% achieving accelerated growth. 68% of kindergarten students exceeded national norms in phonemic awareness (an

important literacy indicator consisting of the ability to associate letters with their appropriate sounds).

87% of students demonstrated growth in one or more areas of social emotional skill development, with half of the students ended the year scoring in the highest levels of the DRDP assessment. Educational Services and elementary site principals are exploring the possibility of offering Super Stars Literacy to Newark children in grades K, 1 and 2.

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Student Development and Pupil Services: Attendance, Student Support Services & Behavior Interventions

Co-Administrator Roundtable Discussions

Coordinator of Attendance, Student Support Services & Behavior Interventions Bill Whitton met on March 12th with the secondary Assistant Principals and the high school Dean. The monthly “Co-Administrators Roundtable” discussion focuses on current topics relevant to these site-based student support positions. School counselors, secondary principals, Parent Partners and school psychologists have attended in the past when planned agenda items included relevant information. This month, the topics included:

Some Field Trip approval steps/ process reminders Co-Administrators need to understand

REQUIRED Notification to Law Enforcement for various dangerous objects [objects listed] (PC 626.10)

Duty of teachers to hold students accountable for their actions; amount of physical control (EC 44807)

Laser Pointer Prohibition on Possession [no student may possess, unless for legitimate educational reason] (PC 417.27)

Safety Plans at school sites Coordinator Bill Whitton distributed a handout quoting the three subsections of California Law.

Afterschool Think TOGETHER program integration with school learning.

Senior Director of Educational Services Soleste Hilberg and Coordinator of Student Support Bill Whitton recently visited the Schilling Elementary School Think TOGETHER afterschool learning program. The purpose of the visit was to observe and learn about the techniques and materials used by the afterschool staff to extend the school’s emphasis on learning and in particular, reading and language arts literacy. The site coordinator works with Principal Nicole Paredes, including attending staff meetings and dialoging with the teaching staff to understand the school’s program and process. In response to the District’s request for an enrichment program to further literacy for participating students, Think TOGETHER adopted a ‘Reading A—Z’ program, which is being implemented at all three Newark sites participating with Think TOGETHER, Schilling and Graham Elementary Schools and Newark Junior High School.

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California Health Kids Survey

As part of the District’s participation in the Alameda County Office of Education’s multi-district Tobacco Use Prevention (TUPE) consortium grant, the California Health Kids Survey (CHKS) is periodically administered as part of the grant-evaluation process. The grant pays for the CHKS administration (duplication, processing and summary reports). Since participation in the TUPE consortium grant is only available to secondary sites, the CHKS will be administered this spring to grades 7, 9 and 11.

Enrollment for the 2014—15 school year

Sites are now enrolling prospective new Kindergarteners and Transitional Kindergarteners for the upcoming 2014—15 school year. Transitional Kindergarten is the first of a two-year Kindergarten program, and is available to students with birthdays between September 1, and December 2, 2009. This date range ‘captures’ those students born after the current year’s enrollment date for Kindergarteners (September 1), up to the older, traditional Kindergarten date of December 2. The State of California ‘rolled-back’ the date for turning 5-years-old from December 2nd over a number of years. The ‘roll-back’ pushed the date back one-month each year

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over several years; it reached September 1st last year and will now remain at September 1st. Students turning 5-years old on or before September 1st enroll in Kindergarten. The families of students who were transferred in the current 2013—14 school year to other elementary sites with available room (the ‘overflowed’ students) are being asked if they prefer to stay in future years at the school they attend this year, or if they prefer to return to the school in the neighborhood where they reside. We as a District do our best to get students back to their ‘neighborhood school’ by accounting for their wishes at this time for the upcoming school year. As in the past two years, Pupil Services will coordinate the district-wide work to accommodate families’ wishes. Business Services then uses the information in the calculations to determine the number of teachers needed at each elementary site for the upcoming school year. After the wishes of the ‘overflowed’ elementary students are accounted for, Pupil Services will then work to accommodate any voluntary requests for an intra-district transfer for Newark residents, followed by inter-district requests for residents of other communities to fill any available ‘empty seats’ in District schools.

Proposal to Joint Youth Task Force

Several months ago, Superintendent Marken worked with Board Members Charlie Mensinger and Gary Sadler and submitted the following proposal to the Joint Youth Task Force:

NEWARK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSAL “PREVENTION, INTERVENTION, AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT”

TO THE JOINT YOUTH TASK FORCE

Newark Unified School District (NUSD) proposes a collaborative initiative with Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center to bring a network of services to NUSD junior high and elementary school students that address bullying and behavioral prevention, early intervention, parent engagement, and community building. The Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center is dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of vulnerable populations by working with organizations to provide integrated health delivery programs. They provide prevention and intervention programs for children to develop mental and behavioral health focusing on how children feel, think, and behave, and how well they manage transitions, routines, changes, and social engagement with family and peers. Scope of the Proposal

I Newark Junior High School This initiative will begin a kickoff event for participating boys and girls, in which

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students watch former program graduates perform a drumming circle, and in which key topics of the program such as self-empowerment and cultural awareness are introduced. This event is tentatively planned for December 2013 or January 2014.

A second aspect of this initiative is a moral development program and curriculum

called “El Joven Noble,” which focuses on teaching youth to make positive choices and to develop healthy coping skills. These groups help students learn positive communication and decision-making skills, and help develop students’ ability to interact positively to enhance their family and peer relationships. Groups also focus on increasing students’ self-esteem and confidence to promote behaviors that support success in school.

The El Joven Noble curriculum includes a number of topics, such as making good

choices, dealing with life’s pains, developing and maintaining positive relationships, breaking cycles of violence, and developing positive values, gratitude, and appreciation.

El Joven Noble Groups have a parent component to inform parents of the skills that

students are developing and thereby enabling parents to support students’ application and development of these skills at home. $2000.

II Schilling Elementary School Anti-Bullying Program, “Kindness Approach”

This anti-bullying program offered by Tricia Banda Consulting involves parents, staff,

and youth in kindergarten through sixth grade in a comprehensive anti-bullying campaign. The first component of this campaign is two kickoff assemblies, one for students, teachers, and noon supervisors, and another for parents, provided in both English and Spanish. At these assemblies, students watch a play that introduces the different roles most often seen in bullying incidences: a bully, a victim, and bystanders. Students are encouraged to play the role of the hero, or “upstander,” who advocates or defends the victims of a bullying incident.

The second component of this campaign is school wide workshops, in which each

class spends 45 minutes practicing how to be a hero or an upstander in various scenarios. Students also learn and recite an anti-bullying pledge, and commit to wearing something in honor of anti-bullying for a week, such as wearing a shirt backwards to represent turning away from bullying.

The final component of this campaign is identifying thirty students who will serve as

peace ambassadors to promote peace throughout the school and who facilitate conflict resolution on the playground. $8,800.

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Cost The total cost of this collaborative initiative is $10,800. Costs that exceed the current capacity of the Joint Youth Task Force will be the responsibility of NUSD.

The task force approved this proposal. Coordinator Bill Whitton and Joy Young prepared this update on the work contained in the proposal: What: Prevention, Intervention, Parent Engagement Collaboration with: Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools and Communities, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, East Bay Agency for Children, Fremont Healthy Start, Fremont Resource Center” Alameda County Center for Healthy Schools and Communities: (CHSC) since 1996 has worked to improve education outcomes for Alameda County youth through partnership with schools, school districts, service providers, health advocates, policymakers, community partners, youth and families. As part of strategic work, CHSC has developed the Alameda County Community Schools (ACCS) framework as a comprehensive approach to transform Alameda County public schools into centers of community that create the conditions for all children and their families to thrive. Goal: To have a county where all youth graduate from school healthy and ready for college and careers. Supports prevention, intervention and parent engagement: Provides district wide support to parents in various ways such as: Literacy Classes: For parents district wide to help parents understand the importance of reading to their youth daily. Parent meetings: Supports schools with creating forums to help improve engagement and communication with parents. Positive School Climate Grant: Supports “No Name-Calling Week” anti-bullying initiatives and participating school sites. Healthy Eating/ Nutrition Classes: Facilitates nutrition and “healthy eating” classes in both English and Spanish for Newark Community. Consultation: Provides consultation with school staff regarding how to engage with families in a culturally and linguistically appropriate way.

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Coordinates District-Wide Dental Services for all Newark Youth Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center: Mission Statement “We believe that all people have a right to quality health care, regardless of their ability to pay” Every day, we provide free and low-cost care with dignity and respect to hundreds of uninsured Alameda County residents. Our wellness services benefit the individual, the family, and the community by integrating primary care, dental care, WIC support, mental health counseling, community health education and more under one roof. At TVHC, we know that maintaining good health is about much more than writing a prescription Supports prevention, intervention and parent engagement: Community Health Education

The Community Health Education Department at TVHC is committed to empowering the communities we serve by providing useful health information and increasing awareness of important social issues through peer-to-peer communication and support. By listening with respect to the specific needs of our community members, we also serve as ambassadors to build and sustain community partnerships and to promote healthier lifestyles and positive social change. Our staff is comprised of health educators, community health outreach workers, and trained peer educators (Promotores de Salud). Our health education staff and promotoras reach out to the community through presentations in homes, schools and community centers. They also hold workshops, attend health fairs, and reach out to community members in places like supermarkets and Laundromats. Through our efforts, we foster community coalitions and networks and strengthen the health literacy of individuals and, by extension, their families and friends. Some of our programs include:

Immunizations for children Healthy Aging Chronic Disease Education & Prevention Promotores de Salud (6 week training program) Vida Con Esperanza (A Spanish-speaking breast cancer psychosocial support group) Ventanillas de Salud (in concert with the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco, a

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program that provides health information and resources to undocumented individuals)

Free Zumba classes El Joven Noble Moral Development Classes:

El Joven Noble Rites of Passage, Character Development Program, is a youth development, support, and leadership enhancement program developed in 1996 that provides a process and a vehicle for the continued “rites of passage” development of youth ages 10-24. The program incorporates an approach and curriculum that is based on the philosophy that youth need other men/women, their family, and community to care for, assist, heal, guide, and successfully prepare them for true womanhood/manhood. Jovenes con Palabra is a ten-session curriculum that is part of a more intensive El Joven Noble (The Noble Young Person) Youth Rites of Passage Process. The specific goal of the Jovenes con Palabra curriculum is the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT of young men/women while targeting the reduction and prevention of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, substance abuse, and community violence and to increase the ability of youth to act in a responsible and respectful way in reference to their relationships. Completed: Schilling, Newark Memorial High School, Milani Elementary, Macgregor Starting: Newark Junior High School, Graham, Musick East Bay Agency for Children Mental Health Services, Case Management, Individual and Group Therapy for Youth and Families at Newark Memorial, Newark Junior High and Macgregor. Fremont Healthy Start Rotating Health Insurance Enrollment Clinics for all district youth and families Covered California district wide workshops Fremont Resource Center Case Management Services, Financial Planning, Food Assistance and Emergency Assistance

Upcoming Events

Healthy Living Class: Milani 2/14 and Lincoln 2/18

Latino Literacy: District office 3/6

ToothMobile: Currently at Milani 3/11 and Lincoln

Tiburcio Vaquez: El Joven Noble Youth Groups: Graham 2/7

Junior High School 2/6

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Human Resources

Update on Mowry School House

At the request of the Board staff has done some research on the Mowry School House. We contacted Mr. Tony Koep who provided us a contract with EBRPD. We also explained to Mr. Koep that although we might have a location to store the school house, we do not have the funds to move it from its current location. After speaking with Rafael Brynes at EBRPD we found out that the actual owner of the school is the City of Newark. We have spoken with Ray Collier, Chief Building Official / City Architect, who confirmed the following:

City is the legal owner

City has possessed the school since the mid 1980’s

The sale price is $1

The building went through significant modifications at some point when it was turned into a home, so it now has a kitchen, bathroom, etc.

City’s estimate for restoration, repairs and site prep is $750,000 to $1 million

Current plan is to award the demolition contract within the next two months Below are some pictures that Mr. Collier sent showing the current state of the building. We have room at the Corporation Yard to store the building, but we would be faced with the same challenge the City faced, and that is coming up with the funds to restore the building.

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SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS

BUNKER ELEMENTARY - MARCH GRAHAM ELEMENTARY – JANUARY/FEBRUARY

KENNEDY ELEMENTARY – APRIL LINCOLN ELEMENTARY – JANUARY/FEBRUARY

MILANI ELEMENTARY - DECEMBER MUSICK ELEMENTARY – APRIL

SCHILLING ELEMENTARY – MARCH SNOW ELEMENTARY – FEBRUARY

AGENDA ITEMS – SUMMARY REPORTS

Supper Program

Quick Summary The Supper Food Program for Children is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food and Nutrition Service. Within each State, the Program is administered by the State Department of Education or another agency designated by the State. Purpose This is a great opportunity for the students to be able to eat when they are in our programs until 5:00-6:00 PM. This may also be one of the few meals they eat during the day. All students between the ages of 1 to 17 will be able to eat for free. This cost is fully reimbursed to the Child Nutrition Fund. Background We were approved March 1, 2014 to administer this program to the following sites: Bunker, Graham, Kennedy, Lincoln, Milani, Musick, Schilling, Snow, and the Jr High. This program is detailed in the At Risk Afterschool Meals handbook from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Details Child Nutrition is currently serving 400 cold meals per day. There is no extra labor with the prep and serving of meals. This program

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follows the meal pattern of HHFKA (Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act). The cost of the Supper Program is fully reimbursed from the USDA to the Child Nutrition Fund. There is no cost to the NUSD general fund or to parents. Key Questions/Answers Can you give us a website to read about this program? The website URL is www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/cc/ and is available on the California Dept. of Ed. Website.