Wednesday, October 16, 2013

AOP Business & Industry Summit

Pendleton High School CATE Completers
attend the Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Business & Industry Summit

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Montessori Meets Technology

Pendleton Elementary School
Elementary Montessori Class

All PHS Juniors to Take the ACT this Spring

Anderson School District Four’s Graduate 2024 plan is a system-wide approach to engaging all learners in every opportunity for success. One goal is to ensure that every graduate is college and career ready. Towards that end, we have implemented successful at-risk programs to increase our graduation rate and decrease the dropout rate. These include support courses for English language arts, math, high school transition, and online learning. Personalized strategies are in place to increase student participation and performance on college and career assessments such as SAT, ACT, and WorkKeys.

During the 2013-14 school year, we will offer additional opportunities for practice and tutoring. In April of 2014, Pendleton High School will administer ACT to all high school juniors. This opportunity to take the ACT during the school day at no cost is part of a comprehensive district strategy to ensure college and career readiness for every student and increase the number of students pursuing post-secondary education. Students will have the opportunity to have their ACT scores sent to colleges and universities of their choice. This will also provide the district with feedback to align high school instruction in English, reading, math, and science to better prepare students during their senior year for college coursework.

As a part of the SC Work Ready Communities collaborative, we are also pleased to offer Pendleton High School students the opportunity for free training and assessment for work ready credentials with WorkKeys. WorkKeys assessments measure employability skills that are required across multiple industries and occupations. These are skills that employers feel are critical to job success. Please contact the high school guidance counselors for additional information.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Standards-Based Report Cards - Frequently Asked Questions

The Office of Curriculum and Instruction published an article for all Anderson School District 4 parents on Standards-Based Grading in the back-to-school issue of News 4 You! (Vol. 1 No.1, Fall 2013 p.3). The purpose of this communication is to provide answers to questions we have received thus far. We hope this helps build a stronger foundation of understanding.

A. Is Standards-Based Reporting being implemented because of Common Core State Standards (CCSS)?
No, standards-based reporting has been used in Anderson School District 4 for several years in grades K-2, as well as across the state in grades K-12. Standards-based reports include both State standards for science and social studies and SC’s newly adopted CCSS. The purpose of the standards-based report card is to describe students’ learning progress based on our district’s learning expectations for each grade level. It is intended to inform parents and guardians about learning successes and to guide improvements when needed.

B. What does it mean for MLES to ‘pilot’ standards-based reporting?
The 2013 district-wide grading committee recommended that the district work to provide information and gather input for a larger group of parents and stakeholders regarding standards-based reporting. Mount Lebanon was selected as a pilot site based on the faculty’s extensive research on best practices in assessing student learning. This year’s pilot will provide key data and guidance for K-5 district-wide implementation in 2014-15.

C. Since it is a ‘pilot’ project, when, where, and how will the success be assessed? Will there be opportunities for parent involvement?
The success of the standards-based reporting pilot will be assessed each quarter through analysis of student performance and feedback from students, parents, and teachers. So far, there has been an information session for parents at the Mount Lebanon Elementary School Parent Information Night (September 5, 2013 at 6:00 pm). A more detailed question and answer session was hosted by the MLES School Improvement Council (September 17, 2013 at 7:00 pm). All MLES parents will be asked to provide feedback after the first report cards (October 31, 2013). Additional opportunities to learn more about standards-based grading and to provide feedback will take place throughout the year. Based on the feedback, the administrative team will work to refine the program to meet learner needs and the goals of the program.

LaFrance, Pendleton, and Townville Elementary schools will host parent sessions in the spring to provide information about standards-based grading prior to district-wide implementation of the K-5 standards-based report card in 2014-15.

D. What is the plan after the pilot year?
We are committed to the successful development of the standards-based reporting in achieving the goals of enhancing communication of student mastery of the standards. The 2013 district-wide grading committee’s research led the group of parents, community members, and educators to the conclusion that standards-based reporting is the right thing to do for students. The committee recommended phasing in the standards-based reporting over a three year period. The pilot and phase in gives us the opportunity to modify the implementation, as needed.

E. How will standards-based grading impact grade point averages?
Grade Point Averages (GPAs) are not reported for students in grades K-5. They are reported in high school courses, as required by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education’s (CHE) point averages for academic ranking, and are required by most post-secondary institutions and scholarship organizations. Anderson School District Four will continue to report academic progress for high school credit-bearing courses. Please see the link below for further information. You can also see how the letter and numerical grades are converted on a 4.0 scale. See page 2 of the web link for the conversion scale: http://www.che.sc.gov/Finance/CHEMIS/Ind070904Student%20Enrollment%20RS.pdf

F. What is the standard goal for the gifted and talented program?
Grade Point Averages are only used to evaluate eligibility for the gifted and talented program if students have met at least one of the first two dimension qualifiers in elementary school. Most elementary students qualify on the basis of Dimension A (CogAT or OLSAT) and Dimension B (ITBS, MAP, or PASS). If a student in grades two through five has met only one of the two dimensions above, the district will administer a Dimension C test (STAR) in March to determine eligibility. In grades six through twelve, the GPA can be used as a Dimension C qualifier. On this, a student must have a 3.75 on a 4.0 scale.

Before implementing standards-based reporting in grades six and above, Anderson School District 4 will develop a model for conversion. This may involve a hybrid of reporting grades and standards-based reporting. State regulations for gifted and talented programs were revised in June of 2013; however, we are still awaiting guidance from the SC Department of Education on updates.

G. Will student success continue to be recognized?
Yes, recognizing students who demonstrate success is highly valued by educators.

H. Is Anderson School District Four the only district changing to standards-based reporting?
No, schools across the country are seeing the educational value in making changes to their assessing, evaluating, and grading procedures. Standards-based reporting provides parents with information on how their child is doing in each skill assessed.

I. Where is the research on the effectiveness of Standards-Based Reporting?
Many of the leading educational researchers in our country (Doug Reeves, Robert Marzano, Tom Gusky, and Richard DuFour) have identified the educational benefits of increasing the fidelity with which students receive feedback regarding how they are performing in relation to clearly identified standards. By using a standards-based grading and reporting system we are following the results of educational research and best practice.

Friday, October 11, 2013

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

 
La France Elementary Olweus Kick-off
  
Pendleton Elementary
Olweus Kick-off



 












With the state's first K-12 district-wide Olweus implementation, Anderson School District 4 schools are celebrating successes of the program with annual kick-off events during National Bullying Prevention Month! The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is a whole school program that has been proven to prevent or reduce bullying throughout a school setting. In the spring of 2011, Anderson School District 4 joined the South Carolina Association of School Administrators (SCASA), the Hazelden Foundation, Clemson University, the South Carolina Department of Education, and the National Association of Elementary School Principals in the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program partnership.



Thursday, October 10, 2013

Collaborating on the Core: Reading and Math


Over the past three years, Anderson School District 4 has participated in professional development in preparation for implementing Common Core State Standards. Through our efforts in technology integration and project-based learning, teachers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to make the classroom both engaging and interactive. Along with the rest of South Carolina and many other states, we are focusing on specific strategies for building student literacy across all curriculum area, enhancing student understanding of math concepts, not just the procedures, and elevating the rigor for all students. Many of the skills in CCSS are similar to the standards previously adopted by the state of South Carolina. What’s different? How we teach.

Building student literacy
The Common Core State Standards have established 10 reading comprehension standards for each grade level. The standards involve more than just reading poems, stories, novels, and plays. A quick glance at a high school or college curriculum (or the reading demands of the typical workplace), and all can easily see that literature makes up a small portion of what most people must read. All content area teachers must teach reading.

During the first nine-weeks of the 2013-14 school year, Anderson School District 4 teachers have participated in a number of collaborative sessions on literacy. Whether it was the elementary gifted and talented training session on William and Mary units, the CCSS Learning Series on Pathways to Common Core, or the Literacy Design Collaborative (a Southeastern Regional Education Board initiative), we have heard from our participants, “This is what good teachers have always done in the classroom.” CCSS respects the professionalism of the teacher and makes clear what is best for student learning. All teachers can use literary and informational (science, social studies, career and technology, etc.) texts to guide students to higher order thinking and application.

Enhance student understanding of math concepts
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics allows us to focus student learning on fewer key topics, building the foundation of success in operations, fractions, geometry, algebra, and beyond. For example, students enrolled at Pendleton High School this year have an additional period for understanding and applying the concepts of Algebra 1. With the CCSS Math Learning Series and Mentoring Mathematical Minds training for teachers of elementary gifted and talented programs, we are working to build skills within and across grades, develop speed and accuracy, and make sure students really know how to use math in the real world. In short, we want them to be able to think fast AND solve problems.

Increased rigor
CCSS increases the rigor for all students; our gifted and talented (GT) students are no exception. Anderson School District 4 is offering a course to ensure that all teachers of honors and gifted and talented courses are endorsed. Through the University of South Carolina Aiken, 25 teachers are engaged in a 2-course sequence to learn more about meeting the needs of academically gifted students. Teachers of Advanced Placement (AP) courses will participate in workshops provided by the College Board.

Like our students, teachers are life-long learners! We will continue to update our skills, refine our talents, and master the art of teaching in a global society.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

College Application Day at Pendleton High School

In an effort to promote college awareness and access, Pendleton High School will participate in College Application Month, a statewide initiative sponsored by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the South Carolina Department of Education during the month of October.

Pendleton High School hosted an event, College Application Day, with the senior class on October 1, 2013. The school hosted representatives from Tri-County Technical College, Converse College, SC State University, Erskine College, the Commission on Higher Education, and Educational Testing Services. College Application Day at PHS was very successful with 122 students completing 259 applications!

Anderson-Oconee-Pickens (AOP) Career Showcase




On October 2-3, Riverside Middle and Pendleton High School students engaged in career exploration and conversations about post-secondary opportunities. The Anderson-Oconee-Pickens (AOP) Business Career Showcase hosted over 50 business, industry, and educational leaders from across South Carolina representing career clusters in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), health sciences, manufacturing, human services, and more. With workforce development being a critical issue facing our nation, this event is designed to provide students an opportunity to interact with company representatives and ask questions regarding careers and necessary skill development. The goal of this event is simple; to help young people and their parents understand the decisions that they need to make now in order to thrive in their future careers. The 2013 Showcase was just a small taste of the amazing things our local industries and businesses are doing and how to obtain a highly-skilled / highly-paid job opportunity in our own backyard.









Friday, October 4, 2013

Demystifying Common Core State Standards

During this time of the year, many of us enjoy the art of fiction, scary stories, and horror movies. Whether you love Washington Irving or Steven King, most agree that the best writers know how to spin a story that can make us afraid of the dark. The best thrillers evoke the fear of what could happen to the edge of the probability that it will happen, to keep us in suspense and eager to find out what will happen next, a page turner.

Education is evolving rapidly in ways many of us could never have imagined ten or twenty years ago. For some, this in and of itself is scary. The world has changed. In order for the Unites States to compete nationally in this changing economy, the National Governor’s Association recognized that we must elevate student literacy and math performance. This required a change in the definition of what it means to be educated in America. Change can be scary; however, keeping education the same as it was ‘when we were in school’ would devastate future generations. When you know the truth and are able to discern fact from fiction, there is no need to be afraid. The purpose of this article is to unmask the myths of Common Core State Standards, to clarify what it is and what it is not.

What is the purpose of Common Core State Standards?
The most important message to keep in mind is that the purpose of the standards is to elevate the level of student achievement.

Common Core State Standards are NOT an initiative of the federal government?
The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce (http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards). Forty-five states, four territories, and the Department of Defense Activity have adopted CCSS. South Carolina adopted CCSS in July of 2010 for implementation in 2013-14. Anderson School District 4 is committed to the successful implementation of all standards adopted by our State.

Common Core State Standards are NOT the new national curriculum?
States have always had standards. Standards are the goal for what we want students to know and be able to do. Curriculum is the means for how students reach that goal. All students are targeting high goals, but the means for reaching those goals will vary. Curriculum teams in Anderson School District 4 worked to develop and revise the curriculum for 2013-14, as we do each year. Our curriculum is our means of implementing the standards. We will revise the curriculum annually, based on standards adopted by South Carolina, district progress, and student needs.

Common Core State Standards is NOT part of a plan to sell data about student?
The Fam¬ily Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) pro¬hibits the reporting of aggregate data that could identify individual students. The federal government does not have access to the student-level information held in state databases. States have collected student information through state assessments in compliance with state and federal law, and will continue these practices under new assessments (Reality Check, SC School Boards Association, 2013).

How do we know what is and what is not true?
Years ago, being able to tell fact vs. opinion was a lot easier than it is today. There are ten anchor standards for reading. Standard eight states that students should be able to “delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.” When presented with information on television, news, radio, Internet blogs, wikis, and other media, students should ask the questions, “Who is making the claim?” “Is there an inherit bias?” “What is the evidence?” “Are there other arguments or counter-evidence?” Parents, educators, and leaders should apply this standard in evaluating Common Core State Standards. We invite everyone to:
1. Read the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy and Mathematics documents for yourself. You will find skills for communication, collaboration, problem solving, reasoning, and application with use of data, research, and technology. If there is a standard that does not support college and career readiness, concerned citizens must work with state and local decision makers to provide input on the review and revision of specific standards.
2. Consider the organizations who support Common Core State Standards and why. CCSS has support from across the country to include ACT, the College Board, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the Alliance for Excellent Education, the Hunt Institute, the National Parent Teacher Association, the State Higher Education Executive Officers, the American Association of School Administrators, and the Business Roundtable. In South Carolina, CCSS supporters include the SC School Boards Association, SC Association of School Administrators, and the SC Chamber of Commerce.
3. Work with educators to meet the needs of the students of Anderson School District 4 to provide the highest quality of education to students. We respect the diversity of political opinions and work to support the rules, regulations, and decisions made through the democratic process in our State.

Ultimately, we all want to do what is best for students.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Literacy Design Collaborative

September 9-10, 2013 
LDC Participants from Anderson School Districts One and Four




Instructor, Linda Mabe, interacts with participants
  




  

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Clemson to Host PSAT/SAT Workshop

Clemson University’s Charles H. Houston Center will host a free PSAT/SAT workshop on Saturday, October 5, 2013 from 9am to 1pm at the Clemson House on the Clemson University campus. To register, contact Teresa Kelley of Clemson University at 864-656-3484. All students must pre-register, as space is limited to the first 80 participants. This workshop is designed for high school juniors who will take the PSAT/NMSQT as part of National Merit Scholarships qualifying program. For more information about the National Merit Scholarship program, please visit the National Merit Scholarship Corporation website at http://www.nationalmerit.org.

Friday, August 30, 2013

Anderson School District Four Launches Mechatronics

Anderson School District Four will offer a new career and technical training program in manufacturing beginning this fall, in response to the growing demand of South Carolina's demand for highly trained workers.  Pendleton High School has launched a manufacturing program in mechatronics, which combines industrial and mechanical skills with computer programming and controls.  "When local companies are offering apprenticeship programs to recruit students to train debt-free for jobs paying over $50,000 per year, it is our responsibility to prepare students for such opportunities," says Dr. Charlotte McDavid, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Services in reference to Michelin Technical Scholars and BMW Scholars.  Anderson School District Four began in August with over 40 students enrolled in the program.  The district hopes to expand its collaboration with Tri-County Technical College to offer post-secondary transition opportunities in mechatronics in the future.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Welcome


Welcome to Anderson School District 4, Office of Curriculum & Instruction.