June 1999 News Archive
Thursday, June 24, 1999
Administrative Changes in the Secondary District
Effective school year 1999-2000, which begins July 1, the following changes will occur in the Santa Barbara High School District:
Mike Couch, principal at Dos Pueblos High School, will assume a new position at the District administration level. Couch will be the new Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Instruction, a position that was established by the Board of Education on June 23, 1999. The assistant superintendent will plan and administer the secondary instructional program, including curriculum development, curriculum articulation (K-12), and other federal, State and local programs in accordance with the Districts’ Mission Statement. The duties and responsibilities of this position include the following:
- supervise and evaluate the effectiveness of secondary school principals;
- develop in-service training programs for administrative staff;
- provide leadership for the writing and revision of curriculum materials and guides;
- promote curricular alignment and articulation of elementary, secondary and post-high school educational programs;
- organize and administer the secondary summer school program;
- assist in the development of education specification for all rehabilitation, modernization and construction of school facilities;
- participate in the establishment of District annual budgets;
- oversee the high school athletic and co-curricular programs;
- work with the appropriate secondary school site administrators to evaluate and establish an order of priority needs and requests for capital outlay.
The position was established for two reasons. First, the District enrollment continues to increase. In fact, over the past five years, the Santa Barbara Elementary and High School Districts’ enrollment has increased by more than 2,100 students. (October 1998 enrollments were as follows: Elementary District = 6,201 and Secondary District = 9,660.) Second, and equally important, multiple State reforms are underway and the District is in need of additional administrative support.
Principal Couch remarked of the change, "I have mixed feeling about leaving Dos Pueblos because this school has a wonderful staff, great students, and outstanding parents who have been extremely supportive of me. I’m very grateful and would like to thank them for seven wonderful years." But, this change in posts creates new opportunities for professional growth, as Couch added, "I’m very honored that the Board of Education and Dr. Caston have selected me for this position. We have great schools in Santa Barbara and I’ll be working with all the secondary schools and their principals to continue improving academic achievement in the District. I am looking forward to this new challenge."
Mike Couch received a B.A. in Political Science from Occidental College, Los Angeles (1964); teaching credential from California State College, Los Angeles (1967); and an Administrative Services Credential and a Masters Degree in Administration from California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks (1989).
Couch’s history of service to the children in our schools dates back to 1967, when he began his teaching career at Santa Barbara High School. He taught American government and introductory economics. Then, in 1989, he accepted an assistant principalship at Santa Barbara High and served in that capacity until 1992. In 1992 he accepted the principalship of Dos Pueblos High School, a school that serves more than 1,700 students in grades 9-12. Throughout his career, Couch has participated in school decision making in many ways, such as serving as a mentor teacher (1988-89); chairman, Business-Education Classroom Partnership Program (1988-1998); co-author, Model School Technology Grant for Social Studies ($80,000 grant awarded, 1987-88 and renewed for $80,000 in 1988-89); Blue Ribbon Committee on the Social Studies Framework-State of California (1986); Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year (1986); Goleta Pride Award (1998); Goleta Educator of the Year (1999).
Couch’s current salary is $91,358. His new salary as an assistant superintendent will be $101,913.
David Cash, principal of Goleta Valley Junior High School, will assume the principalship of Dos Pueblos. Dos Pueblos High School was established in 1966. It serves more than 1,700 students. In 1988 and again in 1999 the school was named a California Secondary Distinguished School. "I feel extraordinarily fortunate that I’m going to be at one of the best high schools in the State of California," commented Principal Cash. "I see my primary job as maintaining the incredible tradition of excellence that already exists at DP. It’s an outstanding school with an excellent staff and great students and parents, most of whom I know because they went to Goleta Valley," Cash continued.
During the 1998-99 school year, Goleta Valley Junior High School (GVJHS) served the needs of 904 students in grades 7-8. Established in 1964, it was the first secondary school established in the Goleta Valley. The GVJHS student body primarily originates from six of the Goleta Union School District’s elementary schools (Ellwood, El Rancho, Isla Vista, Kellogg, La Patera, and Mountain View). David Cash has been the school’s principal since August 1995.
Principal Cash spoke highly of the school’s staff, students, and parents when he said, "Goleta Valley Junior High is an excellent school as demonstrated by its recent recognition as a California Distinguished School. I’m going to miss all of my colleagues and friends at Goleta Valley but I know that they will continue their work in providing the best possible educational experience for students. And, in fact, I am counting on them to do so because Goleta Valley students will end up matriculating to Dos Pueblos High School."
Dave Cash, originally from Long Beach, CA, received a B.A. in Anthropology and B.A. in Political Science from University of California, Santa Barbara (1978); J.D. Willamette University, College of Law (1981); teaching credential, University of California, Irving, College of Teacher Education (1988); M.A. in Educational Leadership, University of California, Santa Barbara, Graduate School of Education (1993).
Prior to beginning his principalship at Goleta Valley Junior High School in 1995, Cash was the superintendent/principal of the Buellton Union School District (1992-1995); principal of the Santa Barbara County Special Education Location Plan (April-July 1992, 1993, and 1994); resource specialist, Peabody Elementary School (1990-1992); social science, special education, alternative education teacher, Woodbridge High School, Irvine (1988-1990); and served as a trial lawyer and managing partner of Francesconi and Cash, Attorneys at Law (1981-1987).
Cash’s professional affiliations include the following: president, Association of California School Administrators, South Coast Santa Barbara Chapter (1993-95); participant, California School Leadership Academy, Foundation Program (1992-95); member, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (1992-present); member, University of California Administrative Services Credential, Field Advisory Committee (1993-1996).
Cash’s current annual salary is $90,043. In his new position as principal of Dos Pueblos High School, his salary will be $93,729.
A search will begin immediately for a new principal at Goleta Valley Junior High School. An announcement will be made once that position is filled.
Other shifts in District personnel for the school year 1999-2000 include:
- Bonnie Switack, former principal of Roosevelt Elementary School, will serve as an assistant principal at Santa Barbara Junior High School.
- Fred Madrigal, assistant principal at Goleta Valley Junior High School, has been assigned to the same post at Santa Barbara Junior High School.
- Cynthia Leffler, assistant principal at Santa Barbara Junior High School, has been assigned to the same post at Goleta Valley Junior High School.
"New assignments are part of a natural evolution for school administrators. They give personnel an opportunity to work with different populations, develop new or different skills, and help meet the larger District staffing needs," according to Superintendent Michael Caston.
Governor Gray Davis delivered the final installment of $3.189 million in State bond monies to Roosevelt Elementary School
Speaking before an audience of students, parents, community leaders, and educators, Governor Gray Davis delivered the final installment of $3.189 million in State bond monies to Roosevelt Elementary School in Santa Barbara, California. The State funds, part of a school reconstruction bond passed in November 1998, will bolster the $6 million Measure R (Rebuild Roosevelt) bond passed by local voters in 1995. A new two-story building, which will replace 30-year-old portable classrooms, is under construction.
Listening to the Governor’s remarks are (left to right)
State Senator Jack O’Connell, parent representative Bill Collyer,
and Superintendent Michael Caston.
Roosevelt Elementary School students welcome Governor Gray Davis.
California School Districts Await STAR* Program Results
(*Stanford 9 and SABE/2 Assessments)
Background
As part of the State-mandated Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program, in late-April approximately 11,800
students in grades 2-11 in the Santa Barbara School Districts were administered the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth
Version, Form T (Stanford 9). In grades 2 through 8, students were assessed in reading, written expression (language),
spelling, and mathematics. In grades 9, 10, and 11, the test included reading, language, mathematics, history-social
science, and science.
This is the second year that students in the Santa Barbara School Districts and throughout the State have taken the Stanford 9. (For many years, the Districts administered either the CTBS or the ITBS assessment program.) Additionally, this year students took test questions that match the State-adopted content standards for language arts. This new portion of the test is called the STAR augmentation. For the STAR augmentation, all students took 35 additional language arts items in grades 2-11. Students in grades 2-7 and grade 11 also took 35 additional items in mathematics. Students in grades 8, 9, and 10 took a math augmentation test determined by their enrollment in specific math courses.
The law requires that the Stanford 9 be administered in English, irrespective of student fluency in English. Districts are also required to administer the Spanish Assessment of Basic Education, Second Edition (SABE/2) to limited English proficient Spanish-speaking students who first enrolled in California public schools less than 12 months prior to testing. Special Education students are also required to take the SAT 9 unless they have an Individual Education Plan that exempts them from standardized testing.
Release of Test Results
The State will post 1999 district and school level results on the Internet by June 30 <www.cde.ca.gov>.
Purpose of the Assessment Process
The Stanford 9 results are one way of measuring how well students are moving toward academic goals. The 1998 test
results serve as a baseline. Because the test is implemented statewide, year-to-year comparisons of academic progress
within a district and between districts is possible.
STAR Results are Part of the Total Evaluation Process
Stanford 9 results provide a snapshot of how well students performed on one type of test during one part of the
year. It is a multiple-choice assessment, which does not allow for open-ended or student constructed responses to questions.
The Stanford 9 does provide teachers, parents, students and administrators with some valuable information. It is, however,
an assessment that is limited in scope, both in terms of the depth of content knowledge it elicits from students and
in terms of what it asks students to do when responding to test items.
The Stanford 9 data is being used along with other achievement data to develop a more complete picture of student achievement, to review the success of instructional programs and curriculum, and to plan specific strategies and interventions that will increase the achievement of all students.
In the Santa Barbara School Districts, numerous strategies have been used to monitor student academic progress, such as:
- structured immersion, a major District-wide elementary-level program change;
- curricular changes that include Open Court, Macmillan Reading, Open Court Skills Intervention Material at intermediate grades, and Hampton Brown Into English;
- structured District-wide summer school curriculum
- District-wide after-school tutorials;
- extensive teacher training in the Open Court and CORE reading programs.
- multiple assessments are used at each grade level during the course of the school year.
- each site used 1998 assessment data to determine individual student needs and to develop a school-wide Academic Improvement Plan.
- continuous monitoring of student achievement in each elementary classroom.
- site-based interventions.
1999 K-12 Earth Science Teacher of the Year
Peggy Lubchenco, a 7th-grade teacher at La Colina Junior High, has been named as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists’ 1999 K-12 Earth Science Teacher of the Year. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is the world’s largest geological association.
This award is from the Pacific Section, which represents geologists throughout the western United States. From north to south, the Pacific Section extends from Alaska to California and from west to east it spans Hawaii to Oklahoma. According to the Coast Geological Society, Lubchenco was selected because she developed and teaches an exceptional earth science program at La Colina Junior High School.
Peggy Lubchenco has been with the Santa Barbara High School District since 1995. She joined the District at a time when planning was underway to lengthen the day at the junior high level and add an earth science requirement to the 7th grade. She was one of the teachers who helped develop the curriculum for that program, a program which began with the 1997-98 school year. She has served as a member of the standards committee and also the committee that developed a District-wide assessment for the science program.
Lubchenco is known for the hands-on experiences she creates for her students. She has set up a weather station and a soil profile area at La Colina. She takes her classes out for field trips and conducts earth science teaching workshops for other teachers.
There are five AAPG regions across the country. Lubchenco is now a nominee for the national award, which will be determined in November 1999.
Peabody "Olympics" will take place at SBCC
On Friday, June 4, 1999, beginning at 8:45 a.m., approximately 300 students in grades 4-6 at Peabody Charter School will participate in their own unique version of the Olympics. The Olympic-style track and field meet will be held at Santa Barbara City College’s La Playa Stadium. The meet will conclude at 1:00 p.m. According to Principal Pat Morales, "The purpose of the Peabody Olympics is to foster cooperation, teamwork, and encourage students to perform at their personal best."
Kicking off the event will be an Olympic-style March of the Flags. In the March of the Flags, all students will enter La Playa Stadium in teams, made up of approximately 12 students per team. They will circle the track, carrying the flag of a country that that particular team has been studying in their classroom. As each team of students circles the field, they will honor a special friend of Peabody Charter School, Cathy Quijano, by giving her flowers as they pass her station along the route. Mrs. Quijano has generously given time to countless Peabody activities during the past eight years, including the jogathon and the track meet.
The Peabody Olympics began in 1994. To prepare for this meet, students practice track and field events in their PE classes, where they learn about the fine points of participation and competition. They will use that knowledge on Friday when each student signs up for three events, such as the high jump, hurdles, shot put, or races. Students will earn points for participation and sportsmanship, as well as winning events. Individual and team medals and awards will be handed out at a school assembly that will take place in the days ahead.
Sandra Robertson named 2000 County Teacher of Year
Sandra Robertson, a 7th and 8th grade English teacher and GATE coordinator at Santa Barbara Junior High School, was named 2000 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made at a press conference May 28 by County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone. Superintendent Cirone expressed hearty congratulations for Robertson’s professionalism, enthusiasm, and successes in the classroom and as a model for others both locally and nationally.
Robertson, one of a number of outstanding countywide nominees for the honor, was selected by a four-person committee composed of teachers and representatives from PTAs and school boards.
Robertson has been teaching for 27 years and has held her currently position for 12 years. She received her B.A. in English, with a minor in history, from the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she also received her secondary teaching credential. She is English Department chair and GATE coordinator, and she chairs the PQR Leadership Team. Currently she is developing an elective course in debate, and she is faculty advisor to the California Junior Scholarship Federation.
Robertson has served as a fellow in the South Coast Writing Project and its Advanced Institute in Literature and Composition. She has been a mentor teacher in language arts and in character education. She was listed in Who’s Who in American Education and has served as a fellow of the Advanced Institute in Composition and Literature. She was also a member of the Early Adolescence English/Language Arts standards Committee. She has served as a scorer and a trainer of scorers for the Education Testing Service, as a member of the advisory panel for the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards committee which developed the exam for middle school English teachers. She has several published articles and has been a lecturer at the Graduate School of Education at UCSB.
Prior to coming to Santa Barbara High School District she worked in Ventura Unified and at the U.S. Naval Air Station at Point Mugu. She has made numerous professional presentations from Indiana and Pennsylvania to Virginia, Kentucky, and Colorado. "Students know, from the moment they enter my classroom, that they will be continually engaged in talking, reading, and writing about exciting ideas, and that I consider their own writing, their ideas, and their questions as important a part of the curriculum as any material I present to them," she wrote.
Wrote principal Gerrie Fausett: "This honor will validate the reputation she holds among administrators, teachers, parents, and students who have had the great pleasure to work with a woman who embodies the ideal of a ‘professional.’"
Wrote parent Brian Barnwell: "Ms. Robertson is highly organized, analytical, keenly focused and exceptionally dedicated She makes learning fun...She provides solid support and encouragement while constantly prodding each student to achieve ever higher levels of integrated comprehension."
Wrote former student Kelly Gleason: "She had an amazing ability to connect to her students, and recognize the beauty and relevance of their lives outside the classroom. It was a feeling that we could accomplish anything in her classroom. When it came time for me to choose a post-graduate direction I knew that in order to fulfill a certain sense of completion in my life, I had no other choice but to teach, and try to come close to making the kind of difference in another child’s life as Sandy did in mine."
Wrote Dr. Sheridan Blau, director, National Council of Teachers of English: "It would be difficult if not impossible to find any other middle school language arts teacher in the nation who over the past decade has done as much to demonstrate in their own classroom what defines the best possible teaching that can be done in the middle grades, who has contributed as much to national thinking among professionals on the question of what defines excellence in teaching, or who has provided as much guidance for colleagues regionally and nationally for strengthening their own daily teaching practice in the classroom."
Robertson’s nomination will next be reviewed for consideration as California Teacher of the Year in the fall. The California winner will then proceed into consideration for National Teacher of the Year.
(Information provided courtesy of the Santa Barbara County Education Office.)