Public Hearing

Public Hearing

Use of Categorical Flexibility for 2012-2013

At a regularly scheduled public meeting

of Corcoran Unified School District

CUSD Board Room, 1520 Patterson Avenue, Corcoran, California

May 22, 2012

6:30 p.m.

Due to the cuts to education by the State of California the District is allowed to transfer specific amounts from various categorical programs to any other educational purpose.

The District proposes to take advantage of the allowable transfer provision to sustain vital services and reduce the impact of the state cuts.

Public Hearing

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on May 22, 2012, or as soon thereafter as

practicable at a regularly scheduled public meeting of the Board of Education of

Corcoran Joint Unified School District, which will be held at 1520 Patterson Avenue,

Corcoran, California, the Board will consider entering into energy service contracts with

AmSolar, or an affiliate, for the installation of certain energy savings measures and solar

generating facilities on the property of the Corcoran Joint Unified School District, and

related site agreements. Prior to consideration of the contracts, the Board will hold a

public hearing on and consider a resolution to adopt findings required by Government

Code, sections 4217.12, regarding anticipated energy cost savings and other benefits the

District may receive if the Board decides to enter into the energy service contracts and

related site agreements. The resolution, agreements and supporting documents will be on

the Board’s regular public agenda for public comment and discussion.

Rich Merlo, Superintendent

Corcoran Joint Unified School District

Bond Information Town Hall Meeting

TOWN HALL MEETING

Tuesday, May 15

6:00 p.m.

Technology Learning Center

1101 Dairy Ave.

The community is invited to attend

the meeting in order to get a better

understanding of the proposed

school bond and what the monies

from that bond would accomplish.

Frequently Asked Questions about Measure V (Bond)

Although it appears that our schools are in good shape based on achievements by our students, our classrooms need significant repairs.  Faced with aging classrooms and the need to bring school facilities up to current standards, the Corcoran Unified School District has placed Measure V, a general obligation bond measure, on the June 5^th ballot to modernize and renovate our aging schools.

The following information is provided to assist voters in understanding the facts behind Measure V and how its passage will affect the District and our community.

What is Measure V?

Measure V is a $9.0 million general obligation (G.O.) bond program.  It is intended to address the needs of the student population through modernization projects.  Measure V will modernize outdated classroom and school facility interiors and exteriors, replace aging portable classrooms, and repair dry rot and plumbing systems. Read more

Newly Appointed Administrators 2012-2013

Eduardo Ochoa                  Lora Cartwright                    Steve Berry

Click on “Read More” for Articles on Administrators

Read more

Caught in the Act: Carolyn Rooney

1. How long have you worked at CUSD? 32 years
2. What schools have you worked at in CUSD? John Muir Middle School and Kings Lake Education Center
3. Why do you like working with students? I like the students and enjoy trying to motivate them.  Some students have never been successful in their lives.  When they get that first passing grade on a test or earn a credit, I like to see the smiles on their faces. Read more

21st Century Learning

Corcoran Unified School District

District Update

Click Here for More Information

Quotes and Proverbs

“Teachers should know to stop the lesson and make adjustments if the lesson is not working.  Finding as much feedback from the student through various methods of checking for understanding is the mechanism from which teachers will know this.  Leaders build into teachers the efficacy, skills and freedom to exercise this “adaptation” much the same way any employee at the Toyota car plants can shut down the whole assembly line when they detect failure in manufacturing quality.”

This is a quote we came up with after a discussion on building a collective efficacy among all staff members.  Teachers should have the professional autonomy to stop a lesson and make adjustments because the core intent is student learning; not covering content.  That is the paradigm shift we are seeing. Read more

Caught in the Act: Jennifer Banales-Estrada

1. How long have you worked at CUSD? 19 years
2. What schools have you worked at in CUSD? Ten years at Bret Harte in kindergarten and first grade; nine years at Kings Lake Continuation High School.
3. Why do you like working with students? I enjoy working with my students and helping them work towards receiving a diploma.
4. What do you like best about your job? When past students come back to tell me how well they are doing in college and work.  I like the staff and all their support, and the smiles on the students’ faces. Read more

Powerful Learning and Teaching

Students Expressing Themselves

One of the questions that was posed to several administrators at a recent conference was, “why is it adults do most of the talking in our classrooms?”  The implied question is, why do we not structure more opportunities for students to express themselves orally and academically?

The discussion was interesting because as we drilled down deeper and deeper into the why behind our work as educators, we found some critical factors.  After we reflected on how most educators learned and “did school,” we realized that most of us learned sitting at a desk, listening, taking notes with little to no discourse during class time.  Most of us did school well, and most of us learned in the traditional style of teaching and learning.  In other words, most of us were “good at school.”  It is important to note, we still have students like us, but the reality is most students are not. Read more

Powerful Learning and Teaching

Where would we be without teachers?  What would the world look like without adults who teach the younger generation the right things?  And more importantly, where would we be without adults who loved us enough to see we learned the truth?  This rhetorical question is not pondered enough.  Teachers are much like great leaders. They are influencers.  And, without the right influence, we are headed for disaster.  Teachers do not just convey knowledge.  They are motivators, inspirers, leaders, positive mentors, relationship builders, etc.  And among many others, I will add: positive prognosticators!  They help us create a framework for our future, they help paint the picture of our possibilities and potential, and they give us hope for tomorrow.  They are hope builders and dream instigators. This is why we continually remind ourselves and each other of one of the strongest principles (often ignored) about our personal vision:

Read more

Philosophy on Student Learning

The true gift of teaching is not in our inherited or developed talents; it is in student learning.

Why do hospitals focus a great deal on patient welfare?  Why do companies that create airline parts spend time and resources on quality control?  Why is it professional athletic coaches spend so much time analyzing the outcomes of their contests?  The answers are obvious.  They all have to do with the outcome of their work.  Why is it then education has been viewed in many cases so differently?

Here is a list of reasons I think why we have received a pass in this regard:

1. Students do not always want to learn.  We cannot force them to learn.
2. Students come from homes and backgrounds where education is not important.  They are not motivated to learn and they have too much ground to make up academically.
3. Students are not always responsible; they need to take responsibility for their education.
4. Learning is the responsibility of parents and students.  Teaching the material in a powerful way does not guarantee student success.

Read more

Weekly Challenge

These are challenge questions for each one of us after each and every week of school:

•After the first week of school are your students closer to meeting the goal of reading at grade level?

•If you do not know, how do you as the educator go about finding out? (How do you keep monitoring this, even weekly?)

•If you do know, what evidence do you use?

I fondly remember one of my high school football coaches who promoted the idea of me leading a chant after every game; win or lose:

“Every day in every way we get better and better and better!” I remember saying this especially after the few games we lost. The saying was even more meaningful. In order for us to help our students break the “reading barrier,” we have to be engaged in their progress weekly. We cannot afford to have a “wait and see” attitude because the task of improving reading works on a day by day basis. We ask the question, “how are my students doing today with their reading?” And, more importantly, “what am I doing about it if they are struggling?” Whether they are close to your goals or far, the day-by-day work is still the same: provide tasks where every day in every way, they get better and better and better!