Valley GEAR UP Staff (pictured above with award) received recognition for fund raising and support. Will Barker was a recipient of a California GEAR UP Education Trust Award.

On October 23, 2009 during a football game between Davis and Valley high schools, Valley student Will Barker was attempting to make a tackle and was seriously injured.

Davis doctors administered emergency care and Valley coach Preston Jackson accompanied Will in the ambulance to U.C. Davis Medical Center. Will’s family, the Valley coaching staff, players and Athletic Director Stephanie Haas kept vigil while Will underwent six hours of surgery. Will suffered a broken vertebra in his neck. After six difficult weeks at U.C. Davis Medical Center, Will was transferred to Shriner’s Hospital for Children. He has made some gains in the movement of his arms and legs.  He continues to work hard at his therapy. Will often states to visitors, “I am going to walk again.”

During his recovery, a tremendous outpouring of support has come from the Davis and Valley high school communities as well as several other schools, California GEAR UP, other organizations, teams and businesses.

Present at the recognition ceremony were Principal Keven McDonald and Will Barker’s mother, Dorothy Barker, Debi Flory, Davis Booster Club, Stephanie Haas, Valley High School Athletic Director, Ron Riebeek, Valley GEAR UP Coordinator, and many others.

If you would like to support Will and his family, please contact Stephanie Hass, Athletic Director at Valley High School by calling (916) 689-6500. You can also support Will by making a donation to the address below:

William Barker Donation Fund

Attn: Stephanie Hass

300 Ehrhardt Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95823-5699

California GEAR UP Family Initiatives Project (FIP) offers five-week sessions or one day, 5 hour sessions at selected schools based on the need for family programming strategies to enhance the participation of English speaking families at California GEAR UP schools. Schools take the lead in making community connections to ensure full participation. GEAR UP facilitators lead the interactive sessions. FIP Family University sample outcomes:

• FIP provides families with support, information and resources to increase family participation with the school and community so they can help their children succeed in school for a better future.
• The family gatherings focus on family involvement and positive proactive communication
• Helping families navigate the school system on the pathway to college.
• Discuss financial aid, A-G  and graduation requirements
• Positive family communication and interaction
• College: Making it Happen materials.
• Priority application status for FIP graduates at California State University campuses

Here are some comments from attendees:

“Very good keep it up:  Thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for making this workshop fun and very informative.”

“From this workshop I am better equipped to help my son and family with college and personal affairs.”

“Thank you one of the best meetings I have been to. Thank you.”

“This is a very informative and excellent seminar for parents and students.  Thank you very much.”

“This workshop was very informative with lots of information that will be very useful in preparing for college.  I am going to set up that college account.”

“I feel that the workshop was really educational for myself and child.  Real helpful information thank you for your support.”

“Extremely informative and engaging workshop, we need to  present this same information at the beginning of the school year.  Details about how to conduct parent conference were helpful.  African American parents felt heard and validated.”

“The workshop was very informative, educational and exciting.  It wasn’t boring kept me entertained.”

“I think the presentation was good and informative and done at a good pace.  Presenters were well prepared and handouts were excellent.”

Todays event at Everett MS featured laptop giveaway, excellent participation, and a tasty breakfast and lunch for all attendees.

Latptops and continual support for Everett was provided by Extreme Learning/Avanza Online.

A new middle grades report from EdSource provided further affirmation of the capacity building efforts of California GEAR UP. What is particularly interesting for GEAR UP schools is the findings suggest schools who have high functioning Leadership Teams that focus the school community on a shared “future oriented” mission are far better off.

Gaining Ground in the Middle Grades: Why Some Schools Do Better, is based on surveys from 303 principals, 3,752 English language arts (ELA) and math teachers in grades 6-8, and 157 superintendents in California. Educator responses were analyzed against spring 2009 scores on California’s standards-based tests in ELA and math in grades 6, 7, and 8, which were taken by close to 204,000 students.

The study was designed to identify the practices and policies that differentiate higher- from lower-performing middle grades schools that serve similar student populations.

But the single most important overarching finding was in how these higher-performing schools create a shared, school-wide intense focus on the improvement of student outcomes:

• They set measurable goals on standards-based tests and benchmark tests across all proficiency levels, grades, and subjects;
• Their school mission is “future oriented,” with curricula and instruction designed to prepare students to succeed in a rigorous high school curriculum;
• They included improvement of student outcomes in evaluations of the superintendent, the principal, and the teachers; and
• They communicate to parents and students their responsibility as well for student learning, including parent contracts, turning in homework, attending class, and asking for help when needed.

Go here to learn more about California GEAR UP middle grades capacity building model. To read the report in full, please visit EdSource report.

THIS weekend MLK Jr Technology Academy proudly hosts Family Initiatives Project Family University, a California GEAR UP family engagement  program.

If you would like to attend or have questions regarding MLK Jr GEAR UP, please contact Ms. Adebanji: 916-286-4713

Special thanks to Ms. Adebanji, whose GEAR UP page is amazing!

California GEAR UP continues its Principal and Leadership Team forums in Berkeley this week. Outcomes for the event include:

• Engage in a professional readings and dialogue
• Have a clear understanding of Outcomes and Expectations for California GEAR UP
• Revisit the Professional Development Action Plan (PDAP) and assess next steps in using GEAR UP services
• Share best strategies as Schools on the Move: Timing Interventions and Support for Struggling Students
• Determine communication steps to move the GEAR UP message forward with school staff and community

The goal of the California GEAR UP state program is to develop and sustain the organizational capacity of middle schools to prepare ALL students for high school and postsecondary education through the establishment of a statewide network of support. Since 1999, California GEAR UP and the 68 partnership projects have impacted over 1/3 of the 1200 middle schools in California, with the State grant serving over 236,000 students in 260 schools in 106 school districts in 25 counties. The state model is designed to create a self-sustaining college-going culture by working with whole schools through the adults that have the greatest impact in student life and experience: the principals, teachers, counselors, families and community leaders. The state model includes one school collaboration, GEAR UP/Valley High Collaboration, where a cohort of students is being followed from middle school through high school graduation.  By increasing the academic capacity of California middle schools, GEAR UP helps students meet the State Board of Education standards and advance toward successful high school completion and college participation.

If you attended todays event please let us know how we are doing! You can leave comments by click on the comments link above this post.

~We want to hear from you!~

180 sixth graders from Hoover Middle School in Merced visited UC Merced recently in fulfilling their goal of getting all students to visit college before they graduate.

Activities included specially designed panel discussions, tours of of the departments, and a university style lunch on the campus.

UC Merced is the newest and 10th campus of the University of California system, and is the first new American research university in the 21^st century, with a mission of research, teaching and service. UC Merced also hosted the First Lady Michelle Obama as their commencement speaker the 2009 graduation ceremony.

Another great step in creating a college going culture at Hoover!

Let us know what you are doing at your school, we want to hear from you!

Here is another sample ETA criteria for your school to consider as you devise your awards process. This criteria was developed by one of our amazing cohort B schools in Granada Hills.

Categories:

Academic (20 points)

Based on student’s cumulative GPA.

• Multiply GPA by 5 to determine point total

Family Background (20 points) based on two parts:

• First in Family attending college (10 points)
• Title I (10 points)

Service Club Participation (20 points) in one or more clubs listed below:

• College/ Career club members (10 points)
• HEART members (5 points)
• Anti-bullying members (5 points)
• Leadership members (5 points)
• Peer tutors      (5 points)
• United Nations team members (5 points)

Persuasive Essay (15 points):

• Topic: How would going to college make a difference in my life?
• Requirements :
• Two pages typed (500 – 800 words)
• Double spaced, black 12-point Times Roman font

Interview (20 points):

• Selected students chosen from application process will be interviewed by members of the Leadership Team

Withhold 5 points for possible staff input.

Our Timeline

1)  Criteria determined at GEAR UP Team meeting – 2/9/10

2)  Finalize Criteria – 2/10/10

3)  Introduce Ed Trust Awards to students – 2/11/10 & 2/12/10

4)  Distribute Application to students – 2/17/10

– Kick off day event

5)  Due Date for application – 2/26/10

6)  Student Interviews begin 3/8/10

7)  Deadline to submit award recipients/ alternates on 3/19/10

This school decided to use straight GPA rather than academic growth. It is up to your Leadership Team to determine how to value each criterion. The only requirements for your process are: 1) Submission of process to your regional coordinator 2) An awards ceremony 3) All recipients have a valid Social Security number.

For more information on California GEAR UP Education Trust Awards, please go here and here.

California GEAR UP continues its Principal and Leadership Team forums in Long Beach this week. Outcomes for the event include:

• Engage in a professional readings and dialogue
• Have a clear understanding of Outcomes and Expectations for California GEAR UP
• Revisit the Professional Development Action Plan (PDAP) and assess next steps in using GEAR UP services
• Share best strategies as Schools on the Move: Timing Interventions and Support for Struggling Students
• Determine communication steps to move the GEAR UP message forward with school staff and community

The goal of the California GEAR UP state program is to develop and sustain the organizational capacity of middle schools to prepare ALL students for high school and postsecondary education through the establishment of a statewide network of support. Since 1999, California GEAR UP and the 68 partnership projects have impacted over 1/3 of the 1200 middle schools in California, with the State grant serving over 236,000 students in 260 schools in 106 school districts in 25 counties. The state model is designed to create a self-sustaining college-going culture by working with whole schools through the adults that have the greatest impact in student life and experience: the principals, teachers, counselors, families and community leaders. The state model includes one school collaboration, GEAR UP/Valley High Collaboration, where a cohort of students is being followed from middle school through high school graduation.  By increasing the academic capacity of California middle schools, GEAR UP helps students meet the State Board of Education standards and advance toward successful high school completion and college participation.

If you attended todays event please let us know how we are doing! You can leave comments by click on the comments link above this post.

~We want to hear from you!~

California GEAR UP Northern California Sustainability (CSP) schools met at the Hilton in Glendale  to work on the following outcomes:

Leadership Teams will:

• Engage in a Professional Learning Community by participating in professional readings and dialogue
• Debrief School-wide SSAR conversations, pre-survey and facilitation
• Revisit Sustainability & determine next implementation steps
• Identify the evidence of growth in the SSAR Conditions
• Sharing Best Strategies: Successful Intervention Strategies & Support for Struggling Students

The Continuing Sustainability Project develops and implements long-term strategies to maintain the active participation of middle schools with California GEAR UP and to chart the sustainability of program initiatives towards the development of a college-going culture. Many of our CSP school have been with us for 5 years and are in the culminating stages of their sustainability plans.

Collaboration is key in creating a sustained college-going reform effort in your school. We applaud all of our schools for their continued effort in rethinking what schools can be!!

For more information on our sustainability program, please visit our website.

What do you think creates a sustainable culture of excellence at your school?

We want to hear from you!

Valley High School Collaborative is a California GEAR UP project that empasizes creating a college-going culture through whole school support.  For more information on this event or the new Valley High School Family Center, please contact Anita Royston: anitaroyston@gmail.com.