Nevada County Grand Jury
• 2016-2017
• Agency Response
Response to:
Cooperation and Coordination among School Districts
Cooperation and Coordination Among Schools - Twin Ridges Responses
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Note: Missing finding numbers detected: F3
Findings and Recommendations 2 findings
F2
Page 2
There is an apparent lack of Professional Learning Communities in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics in the nine school districts in the County. Response: TRESD Partially Disagrees As was stated in the previous finding, Twin Ridges teachers and instructional aides meet on a weekly basis to discuss curriculum and other school related topics. A focus has always been on English Language Arts as well as Mathematics. This focus is directly related to the Smarter Balanced State testing. Even though all core subject matter is taught within the district, the state wide testing has always been driven by ELA and mathematics. Twin Ridges has adopted Common Core curriculum in both ELA and Mathematics on the scheduled adoption rotation. Along with these adoptions came professional development from the publishers and trainings were also conducted with Chicago Park School. Over the past six years Twin Ridges School District has had three intensive multiple day trainings with Step-up to Writing. This pedagogy is a well respected system that ties into our existing English Language Arts instructional program. In addition to what we do in-house and with the other small districts we also participate in the county-wide professional development that is put on by the Nevada County Superintendent of Schools Office. This office also provides us with multiple trainings as needed, for which we a grateful.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Page 3
The individual school districts should select teachers to act as leaders in the process of forming Professional Learning Communities in the areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. This recommendation is already being implemented. This year Twin Ridges hired a new middle School teacher to teach English Language Arts and social studies. In addition to her multiple subjects credential she holds supplemental credential in ELA. This credential authorizes her to teach single-subject-matter (departmentalized ELA) courses. This teacher will now be our English Language Arts lead teacher assisting her colleagues within professional learning communities. We currently break-up our mathematics instruction into two separate elementary groups. Our three primary grade teachers work together as a team. They are given meeting time to articulate and plan best practices. Our middle school mathematics program is split between two teachers. There is not one leader, but rather a team approach. This seems to be the best way to plan and deliver the material. This shared team approach works well in the small school setting as they each know the student as individuals and can best prepare for when the kids move to the next grade level. Weakness and strengths are considered for each student at each level. In addition to Math and English Language Arts, TRESD has participated in trainings and professional development in the Next Generation Science Standards hosted by both the county office of education and the educational instructors from Sierra Streams Institute. Twin Ridges has joined with SSI in developing curriculum for science on over the past five years. We also wrote a state water board grant together that provides on-going science curriculum. A new teacher was hired this year that is a science specialist who will act as a team leader for science.
F4
Page 2
There is a lack of communication and collaboration between the two comprehensive high schools and their feeder elementary districts concerning expectations for entering ninth graders. Response: TRESD Partially Disagrees Twin Ridges partially disagrees with this finding as it relates to our students matriculating into NJUHSD. With several recent changes in the leadership at Nevada Union, TRE,SD believes that the communication and expectations have become more clear. Students are tested each spring in mathematics for a better placement at the high school. Teacher recommendations are sought and the high school superintendent and principals have reached out to our families prior to registration. Our eighth graders have been invited to visit the NU campus for orientation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Page 4
These leaders should establish working relationships with their peers allowing them to freely share their ideas, plans, and the results of their instruction. This recommendation is already being implemented. As a small school district, we have only six classroom teachers, one resource teacher and five instructional aides. This intimate community makes it much easier to form professional and personal relationships. These small numbers create a much easier pathway for school wide peer communication than in larger districts. As was stated in the recommendation # 2, we have two new lead teachers this year. They are brand new to our district but the expectation is that they begin working with their peers within their specialty areas of focus. With our small size and our weekly meetings it is expected that this will happen at a much faster rate than a larger district.