Month: January 2010

Northern Sustainability Schools Collaborate at Forum

CA GEAR UP Events and Institutes, School Events, School Sustainability / February 3, 2010

(Shelley Davis pictured above welcoming the schools) California GEAR UP Northern California Sustainability (CSP) schools met a the Berkeley Marina DoubleTree 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 …

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It’s Time for California GEAR UP Education Trust Awards!

Education Trust Awards (ETA) / January 22, 2010

GEAR UP Schools!  It is time to select students from your middle school to become Education Trust Award recipients for the 2009-2010 school year.  Schools will receive their packet of forms at the Forums/CSP Workshops along with the  number of awards from their Regional Coordinator. Process: All GEAR UP Leadership Teams must submit a selection process for nominating students to their Regional Coordinator All GEAR UP schools must have an awards ceremony or celebration for awardees and alternates All nominated students must have a valid Social Security Number and be a current middle school student Deadlines: Selection Form and Student …

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Doing What Works: Turning Around Low Performing Schools

Discussion Posts, Effective Practices / January 22, 2010

New for our ‘Courageous Conversation’ and ‘Discussion’ catagories: Our friends over at WestEd (thanks Sanjay) shared with us a great multi-media site that is a wonderful clearinghouse for research based education practices online. This site is a joint venture lead by the Department of Education to create an online library of resources that may help teachers, schools, districts, states and technical assistance providers implement research-based instructional practice. What we at GEAR UP particularly like about this site is the well produced videos, slideshows, and information under each topic. It is hard to think of another website that has as much …

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O’Connell Announces LEA’s will Partner for Race to the Top

In The News / January 12, 2010

State Schools Chief O’Connell and Secretary of Education Thomas Announce Hundreds of Local Educational Agencies Intend to Participate in Race to the Top “There is tremendous momentum in California to make the systemic changes to improve our public education system called for in the Race to the Top,” O’Connell said. “I am very pleased that more than half of the public school students in our state will get the direct benefit of our reform work by attending a school that is participating in Race to the Top.” The competitive grant program is designed to encourage and reward states and LEAs …

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UCLA Report: Civil Rights Imperative for Increasing College Enrollment

In The News / January 11, 2010

A NEW REPORT Interventions to Support Readiness, Recruitment, Access, Transition, and Retention for Postsecondary Education Success: An Equity of Opportunity Policy and Practice Analysis Recognition is growing about the public health and civil rights imperative for reducing the high rate of school dropouts. However, too little policy attention is paid to enhancing equity of opportunity for those transitioning from adolescence to young adulthood by increasing enrollment and success in postsecondary education. Previous policy and practice reports from the Center at UCLA have provided analyses indicating that reducing dropouts, increasing graduation rates, and closing the achievement gap require more than improving …

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Gov. Schwarzenegger Visits Rosa Parks

California GEAR UP Schools, In The News / January 8, 2010

The Governor held a press conference with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson at Rosa Parks, a local California GEAR UP Middle School. They met with eight graders and announced efforts to go after federal Race to the Top Funds. When interviewed after the press conference, Sacramento Count Schools Superintendent Dave Gordon said ‘Nothing rises above putting the very best teachers and leaders in our schools’. As a California GEAR UP School, Rosa Parks has made the choice to pursue academic and instructional excellence at the school, using California GEAR UP tools and resources to achieve that goal. To watch the full video, …

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Rivera Middle School Has College Dreams

California GEAR UP Schools, National GEAR UP Week / January 5, 2010

Rivera MS in Merced, CA recently shared some great pictures of their GEAR UP Dream Wall. On National GEAR UP Day, Rivera students wrote a college or career related dream on a post-it note and discussed with their classes. They then walked to the gym and posted their dream with the entire student body on the Dream Wall. A powerful message when you see the wall and all of the dreams together. Special Thanks to Principal Brian Ferguson and the GEAR UP Team!