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Superintendent/Principal: Dave Miller
HUSD Superintendent’s Corner
The Soccer Field is under way and we are trying to beat the rain to complete the construction. We hope to finish this month and have a new field by December at the latest.
There will be a movie night on Friday November 13, 2009. 5p.m. Tacos will be home- made by families in Mrs. Ginn’s Class. 5:30 p.m. is the movie with dessert sold after the movie. Please try to attend. All students must be accompanied by and adult.
Parent conferences were held last week overall, parents and teachers seemed pleased with the feedback.
In the Lower Grades the intervention program seems to be having a very positive outcome for students and is supporting their reading development.
In the Upper Grades we have been examining student academic performance and evaluating parent concerns over the need for academic interventions needed for students as well as some assignments and homework assistance. Last year we had a blocked Humanities schedule, a study hall period for our Learning Center, and intervention math for all upper grades. Recently the Upper Grade Staff and I met to analyze programmatic options to address these concerns. As a result we have developed a schedule/delivery model to better meet all student needs.
Our analysis of student data indicates a need for core math intervention, and a humanities block schedule that better suits curriculum.
Blocking the humanities classes to include History/English will result in fewer transitions effectively increasing on task time and imbedding English, grammar, and punctuation along with the History assignments. This will help to reduce the overall quantity of homework per subject yet maintain the curricular integrity of the programs.
In addition we will be adding a Core intervention math class to assist 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, as well as hiring an additional instructional support staff person. We will add a 6th period study hall in the Learning Center for students needing additional support.
Our outstanding results with the Learning Center last year were due to our staffing ratios, which changed this year. In recognition of this highly requested program we are making the necessary adjustments needed to meet student needs.
The new schedule will have all math classes continue first period with the addition of the intervention math. This class support may be requested by you or recommended by your student’s teacher.
Mrs. Antonini will resume her role as the math intervention specialists for this additional class, and there will be a new Para educator in the Learning Center to provide additional student support.
Blocking the schedule for Humanities will necessitate back-to-back period classes by grade level.
Mrs. Antonini will teach the 6th, 7th, 8th grade Core Intervention Math and 8th grade Humanities block. Mrs. Pringle will teach 6th grade math, 6th grade Humanities block and the 7th grade Humanities block.
All other classes will remain the same, although the periods may change.
The Upper Grade Staff and I believe these changes are in the students’ best interest. We anticipate positive results from these changes and increased educational benefit.
We will start our California Based English Tutoring classes for English Language Learner parents. We will be providing an language enriched child care for these parents as they learn the English Language and will be better prepared to work with their own children.
Although we do not have the percentage of English Learning families in our District to require an advisory group, each year we host several parent meetings to discuss their students progress, test scores and have hosted presenters on topics of interest for our families.
We have a counselor at our school who will be available on Thursday and Friday to meet with students. We will be having students from Analy present to our 7th and 8th grade students about making good choices. They will present on November 18, 2009 during 6th period. They will return one time a month to meet with students in small groups to talk/counsel after the first presentation.
