Principal’s Message
Dear Friends and Families of Los Ranchos,
As many of you know, California has been making changes in our accountability system. In the past we use ‘API’, which was a number that ranked schools with a very narrow focus. Our state leaders in education have been working to reform this system to include more indicators including Language Arts, Math, English Language Learners, school climate and more. Please check out the Data Dashboard on this California website for more information. You may also enjoy the Video explanation. The Data Dashboard website was launched this month. We will keep you posted as it develops and changes.
We are having our last Parent Coffee on April 7 in the library from 8:30 - 9:15. Our school counselor, Mary Kay Stratton, will be sharing strategies for students to recognize and refuse bullying behaviors. In addition, she will help parents understand the difference between bullying and conflicts or impulsive "mean" reactions. We hope you can join us.
Have a lovely weekend.
Sincerely,
Marlie Schmidt
Help Still Needed
- We are excited to have Tim Choal as our afternoon Crossing Guard. We appreciate his support! We are still looking for someone to greet our students and keep them safe in the morning at the crosswalk. In addition, we are looking for a parent, or community member, who would like to join our Noon Supervisor Team at lunch. This position is one hour a day, from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. We are looking for five days a week, but we welcome anyone who is interested in 2 to 5 days a week. It is a great way to become involved in our school community and support a happy and positive lunch/recess time.
Upcoming Dates
- PTA Meeting, Tuesday, April 4h at 12:15 p.m.
- Parent coffee with Mrs. Stratton, School Counselor, Friday, April 7th at 8:30 a.m., Los Ranchos Library
- Spring Break - April 17th - 21st, Students return Monday, April 24th
- Celebration of Science and Innovation, April 27th
- Variety Show - Friday, April 28th
Thank you SLO Provisions
We'd like to thank SLO Provisions for their generosity! Thanks to all the families who went yesterday, they're donating $500 to Los Ranchos! Please try to visit them as the food was delicious and the service was even better!
California Dashboard
March 2017
Dear Parent/Guardian:
California is field testing a new website designed to help communities across the state access important information about K–12 districts and schools. Called the California School Dashboard (http://www.caschooldashboard.org/), the site features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success, including test scores, graduation rates, English learner progress and suspension rates. The Dashboard is part of California's new school accountability system based on 2013's Local Control Funding Formula. It is the next step in a series of major shifts in public education that have raised the bar for student learning, transformed testing and placed the focus on equity for all students.
To learn more about California's accountability and continuous improvement efforts, visit the CDE Dashboard Web page (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/cm/).
Why a new system and new tool?
The Dashboard is a key part of California's commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. California's future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate ready for college, careers and life. For schools to reach this goal, teachers, parents and the community need clear and useful measures of progress. As an accountability tool, the Dashboard will help the state identify schools (including charter schools) and districts needing targeted assistance.
What’s different?
In the past, accountability systems for districts and schools relied solely on test scores. But one test taken on one particular day doesn't provide a complete picture of all the ways schools are helping students succeed.
Think of it this way: You can’t drive a car by only watching the speedometer. You also keep your eye on the road, check the mirrors, monitor the gas tank and pay attention if the engine light comes on. Similarly, the Dashboard provides information on different aspects of student performance, which will give a more complete picture of a school’s progress. The Dashboard also reports on growth to show a school’s trajectory over time.
What’s next?
The Dashboard is deliberately designed to be a work in progress: Metrics and reports will be added over time. During the field testing phase, the state will be gathering feedback to make additional modifications.
The exciting changes taking place in education will take time to fully implement. While schools are making progress in many key areas there is always more work to do. The Dashboard is part of an ongoing conversation with our community on both how we're doing and how we can do better. Meeting goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for every student.
Sincerely,
Amy Shields
Director, Elementary Learning and Achievement
