SPEAKER SERIES
November 17, 2021 - Abenicio Baldonado, Think New Mexico
Summary of Meeting The topic of the meeting was the Think NM education reform priorities for the 2022 legislative session. There were 23 participants in the meeting. Relevant Information is included in the November 2020 report ImprovingEducation the New Mexico Way—An Evidence-Based Approach (https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/new-mexico-improving-education-report)
Number of Persons Present - 25
UPCOMING DATES
Next Meeting is on January 19, 2022 on Zoom
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the CPE Value: We seek to interrupt the racist patterns and hierarchies in our society, through our choice of words, our advocating for policies and in our actions.
Carmen Gonzales, Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) Board member, urged members to send email and letters to the NM Public Education Department (PED) in support of approval of the proposed new K-12 social studies standards. She said that it is essential for our students to learn about and from history in order not to repeat mistakes. A commenter noted that teachers have expressed concern that they will not have access to the instructional materials and professional development needed to teach the new standards.
Carmen also mentioned that redistricting is moving relatively smoothly in New Mexico with no obvious adverse outcomes.
PRESENTATION
Think New Mexico’s Commitment to Education, presented by Abenicio Baldonado, Education Reform Director at Think New Mexico. Abe described how his organization is working on educational reform initiatives in the state. The first major initiative the organization is advocating for is personal finance education for all K-12 students. New Mexico is one of only five states that doesn’t have personal finance standards for students. Families benefit from their students learning about personal finance as well; Colorado and Utah have personal finance standards, and the states report many benefits as a result. A commenter suggested that rather than creating entirely new courses for secondary students, the material could be incorporated into economics classes. Students need to understand what supply and demand and interest rates mean to them. This classwork could be taught by individuals with teaching credentials in business education or mathematics.
The second initiative is encouraging districts to maximize dollars spent in classrooms. In New Mexico, 61 of 89 school districts spend more on administration than in the classroom.
Dialogue Summary:
There must be a reduction in PED mandates and requirements to achieve a reduction in administrative spending—for example, 200-page annual reports and required training. (These could be replaced by biennial reporting or reports when there is a principal turnover.) Superintendent Chavez is looking forward to meeting with Think New Mexico. Understanding of topics related to money is not required in K-8.
It is important to understand how improving education in NM influences teacher recruitment and retention and cultural competence.
SFPS could offer dual credit courses in personal finance.
There are good free resources on personal finance available for professional development.
What strategy should Think New Mexico use to develop a 10-Year Plan for education reform?
Who is asking what do teachers need now?
More dollars could be invested in K5+, but it is difficult to get teachers interested or incentivized to participate.
Paying principals more is considered an investment in classroom spending (not administrative spending) and teacher retention. More teachers leave from schools where principal turnover is more frequent.
Even community members are interested in personal finance learning opportunities.
Reports and Discussion:
SFPS Update (SFPS Superintendent Larry Chavez)
Chavez reported a productive dialog in meeting with legislators; priorities are funding for a 10% raise for teachers and agreement to hold districts harmless in the face of decreased enrollment. He also requested that the Education Retirement Board (ERB) allow retired teachers to return to work in a few months after retirement rather than remain out of schools for a minimum of one year as current ERB regulations require.
SFPS has increased pay to substitute teachers and launched a COVID dashboard on their website to provide parents and the community with timely information.
SFPS continues work on an entirely new website.
The ESSER III funding is being distributed, and principals have autonomy to determine what is needed most at their sites. Progress will be determined by academic growth from beginning of year assessments to mid-year assessments.
City Volunteer Program (Lynn Bickley)
CPE members assisting with this program have had productive meetings with Bernadette Salazar and Bernadette Garcia, city employees responsible for the program. There have been information meetings for interested city employees, and strategies such as a buddy system for volunteers or an online menu of volunteer options are being explored.
Five Year NM Tech Initiative (Judy Reinhartz)
Community Schools are the “heart” of this program. The intent is to request $30M over five years to be divided between SFPS and Socorro Consolidated Schools to develop robust K-4 math and reading support. NM Tech will serve as the fiduciary agent for the funding.
Commenters suggested that teachers be involved in this effort.
The initiative aligns with PED pathways and extension of public/private partnerships.
CPE meeting topics or speakers to Melinda Silver. One suggestion offered was to invite the Dean of the College of Education at UNM.
Reflection Summary
The reflection reviewed the values discussion, the Think NM presentation, the Chavez report on SFPS, the city volunteer program, and the NM Tech initiative. Meeting participants commented that they appreciate hearing directly from the Superintendent at CPE meetings.
October 20, 2021 - Becky Rowley, PhD, President of the Santa Fe Community College
Summary of Meeting Lynn Heffron introduced and welcomed as special guests Helen Molanphy and Dr. Thomasinia Ortiz-Gallegos, both employees at Santa Fe Community College. Sharon Eklund acknowledged that we gather on the ancestral lands of the Tewa.
Number of Persons Present – 27
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: Seeking to be supportive and catalytic to stimulate and support multiple initiatives to accelerate student achievement. Sharon asked how ICPE can implement this value. Lynn Heffron asked Cynthia Torcasso to respond to Sharon’s question because of her participation in tutoring. Cynthia noted that Mayor Webber spoke with several CPE members at Milagro Middle School about how the City could help SFPS. Shortly thereafter, the Mayor announced that City employees would have four hours a month leave to volunteer in SFPS.
Presentation by Becky Rowley, PhD, President of the Santa Fe Community College (SFCC). Lynn introduced Dr. Rowley, the ninth president of SFCC, and outlined her academic credentials. Dr. Rowley acknowledged the negatives that we hear about higher education, including the high cost of tuition and males not appreciating the relevance of college. She noted that In New Mexico, college students are about 65 percent female and 35 percent male and said that SFCC is trying to attract more male students. SFCC’s focus on how to attract and retain students represents a big shift. Retention requires eliminating barriers to completing degrees. Dr. Rowley said that last year, after SFCC closed on-campus instruction, SFCC staff reached out to students to see how it could help them stay in school. SFCC also joined the City’s pilot program to give 100 students $400/month for a year to determine whether the extra funds help them stay in school. Covid has also led to a lot of innovation at SFCC, including faculty posting classes online so that students can watch them at their convenience. SFCC has used federal funds to aid students directly and to create high-flex classrooms in which classes are broadcast online simultaneously with the in-person class and can also be watched later. SFCC is also working to get beyond “old school rules” to create a more equitable playing field for students by
Offering student services like financial aid online;
Making placement tests less restrictive so that students can move into college level work as soon as possible even if they have not completed all remedial courses;
Meeting with the business community and creating short-term programs to cater to needed skills so that training required for many jobs may take six weeks or six months rather than two years; and
Partnering with other institutions to provide job skills In other fields.
SFCC believes that dual credit is a valuable concept for many students, particularly in required college classes like English and history, and students in dual credit programs are more likely to persist in completing their degrees. Reforming and improving dual credit is one of SFCC’s primary goals.
Questions for Dr. Rowley:
What happens to SFCC students when the federal funding ends? Dr. Rowley believes that the NM Legislature will expand the “opportunity scholarship,” and SFCC will promote other scholarship opportunities for students.
Do NM universities typically accept credits from SFCC? Dr. Rowley said that public colleges in NM and Texas do typically accept them.
What is SFCC doing to increase the number of qualified teachers in Santa Fe? Dr. Rowley said many students have a bachelor’s degree when they come to SFCC to get alternative licensing to teach.
Can SFCC use federal funds to help students reduce student debt? Dr. Rowley said probably not, but SFCC students do not have a lot of student debt.
What percentage of SFCC students are taking remedial classes? Dr. Rowley did not know the percentage but said 90% of students don’t do well on placement tests. She believes that placement tests are not an accurate predictor of whether a student needs remedial instruction. She said SFCC should look at other proficiency exams and high school grades to make that determination.
Lynn Heffron commented about the excellent mental health services at SFCC.
OctobReport from SFPS – Superintendent Larry Chavez gave a brief summary of what has been happening at SFPS. He said that SFPS is trying to increase dual credit courses. He noted that Capital High School is providing transportation for its dual credit students to SFCC. There are five high schools that might be able to take advantage of this program. ECO and Mandela are at capacity and need to expand their facilities. The City needs plumbers and welders so SFCC’s short term programs are much needed. SFPS started a pilot community service class at Capital High School where students will help in the kitchen and receive $14/hour in wages. This will provide a pipeline for the community and provide opportunity for students to have work-based opportunities and income. In-person learning is SFPS’s priority, but SFPS will continue to provide online learning at Desert Sage. He also discussed partnerships with SFCC, internships, and volunteerism with the City.
Questions:
OctobWhat is SFPS enrollment this school year compared to pre-pandemic enrollment? SFPS lost 615 students (representing a loss of $2.9m in funds) last year. This year SFPS has lost approximately 100 students. Desert Sage has helped stabilize student enrollment by providing online teaching.
Does SFPS have enough substitute teachers? Superintendent Chavez said that administrators are pitching in when substitutes are not available. SFPS is looking at providing an adult supervisor in the classroom with a trained substitute teacher providing online instruction.
Other Updates –
Status of MOU between ICPE and New Mexico Tech (NMT). Judy Reinhartz reported that ICPE is working on three initiatives with NMT. NMT is hoping to get funding from Legislature and Octobprivate industry to fund these initiatives. ICPE is working on a white paper with background on the initiatives that can be used when meeting with legislators and private donors. A budget to implement the initiatives has been completed. John Lonergan and Doug Turner are meeting with NMT tomorrow. ICPE hopes to receive funds by next spring.
OctobReport on MathAmigos. Lynn Bickley reported that MathAmigos is doing an in-person workshop October 30 for teachers to learn ways to better engage students in math. 41 teachers have signed up. Grants are used to give stipends of $150 to teachers who attend the workshop. Workshops have also been scheduled for November 20 and January 29.
Report on Social Studies Standards. Roberta Colton reported that the draft Social Studies Standards prepared pursuant to the Department of Public Education’s rule-making procedure have been issued, and public comments may be made to PED prior to or at the November 12 hearing. She urged everyone to send in written comments and/or make comments at the hearing in support of the Standards which, according to two members of her Indivisible group, are ”brilliant.” She warned that most comments on the PED website to date oppose the Standards because they mistakenly claim that they promote critical race theory and these comments must be refuted.
Reflection Summary – Cynthia Torcasso said she sees a lot of community support coming out of the past year and one-half. She reported how happy the students at Aspen are to be back in school in person. She is encouraged by the efforts of SFPS and City to work together. Lynn Heffron is an AVID tutor at Santa Fe Public High School and at Milagro and commended this program to Larry Chavez. She is finding that students are very excited, too, about being back in school in person.
September 15, 2021 - Sascha Guinn Anderson, Newly Appointed SFPS Board Member
Numbers Present - 22
UP-COMING DATES
Next meeting is on October 20, 2021 at 4pm on Zoom.
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value: We seek to embrace cultural differences understanding that diversity of cultures is a strong asset.
In the discussion of this value, participants commented on how important it is to teach children about cultural differences and to provide them opportunities to explore the topic, all while honoring that we are all part of the same family.
PRESENTATION
Sascha Guinn Anderson, newly appointed Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) Board member, prefaced her presentation with her commitment to being in clear alignment with her predecessor, Lorraine Price. Sascha introduced herself as a member of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma. She has three children, two of whom are presently in SFPS.
Dialogue Summary:
Ms. Anderson stated that her focus is immigrant justice and children and families. Her driving principle is equity and the importance of opportunities, outcomes, and experiences. She feels that early childhood education is essential, and her mission is to listen to everyone.
School Advisory Committees?—Ms. Anderson plans to look at data on gains and losses in participation and to propose school-by-school interventions. Family engagement is essential; parents want to be where they see others to whom they can relate.
Dual Credit Programs?—These are needed to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary education.
Role of School Board?—Manage district finances, work with Superintendent to set policy, and speak with families. Listening sessions will be critical.
Standardized Testing?—Assessments are important to measure progress.
Greatest challenge with respect to Special Education?—It is under-resourced and understaffed. She is excited about Amanda Chavez’s new leadership role in this area.
How can reinvention return?—Part of the reimagination initiative must include leveraging the importance of schools to Social and Emotional Learning and to supporting working parents.
Reports and Discussion:
1. SFPS Update (Crystal Ybarra and Sabra Romero)
Establishment of on-site locations for COVID surveillance testing for students and staff
Career and Technical Education (CTE) study session scheduled for 4pm on 9/24
SFPS is working on a partnership with a local university for new high school graduates
Volunteer training is now open for registration
There is now a Certificate of Completion program for new volunteers
2. Volunteer Fair (Judy Reinhartz)
At least 100 people attended the Fair, and 20 organizations were represented
There were a number of people who expressed interest in ICPE and signed up for information
The Superintendent has asked one of his staff to catalog all the organizations that are supporting the schools
3. Community Schools ICPE Summit Initiative (Melinda Silver and Crystal Ybarra)
Cesar Chavez has established a support group of many community partners
Family engagement and wrap-around service delivery are going well
Cesar Chavez staff performed home visits last year, and staff “found” all but two students who had not enrolled
Bi-lingual tutoring and teacher coaching are available
An outdoor classroom is in planning—for both students and parents
14 parents have participated in leadership training
SFPS is seeking to hire community school (CS) coordinators for Kearney and Milagro; they will begin work on the planning grant by preparing needs assessments and asset maps
A CS coordinator is also in process for Nina Otero
4. Reading and Math Summit Initiatives (Sharon Eklund and Judy Reinhartz)
Reading tutoring in five schools is currently in the assessment stage to determine where each reader needs to start
Math Amigos has a workshop scheduled for October 30, and 50 teachers have participated in training
5. STEM to Career Summit Initiative (Lynn Heffron)
Working on establishing more STEM-focused education at elementary, middle, and high school levels
Important not to leave STEM readiness until junior or senior years
Seeking platforms to bring business professionals into schools to talk to students and to increase dual-credit options
Reflection Summary
Participants expressed excitement about changes in membership on the School Board and felt that the meeting conversation was upbeat and indicated forward movement.
August 18, 2021 - SFPS Community Schools Needs Assessments
Number of Persons Present – 33
UP-COMING DATES
Next meeting date is September 15, 2021, at 4pm on Zoom.
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value: We Seek to Be Persistent
George Packard facilitated the discussion in which many examples were shared about ways to be persistent
including never giving up; calling upon history to find ways we have been persistent; supporting community
schools; and continuing to collaborate with community partners, teachers, and parents. Then the discussion
focused on what is the opposite of being persistent: giving up, walking out, and quitting.
PRESENTATION
SFPS Needs Assessment for Cesar Chavez Elementary and Santa Fe High School, Two Community Schools
After a welcome to all, the speakers were introduced along with an overview of the program.
Crystal Ybarra, Chief Equity, Diversity, and Engagement Officer, Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS)
Hilda Perez-Vargas, Community School Coordinator, Cesar Chavez Elementary School
Tommy Rodriguez, Community School Coordinator, Santa Fe High School (SFHS)
Crystal Ybarra reported that the SFPS District has five community schools (CS): Cesar Chavez Elementary
School (in its third year), Santa Fe High School (in its second year), and three beginning this school year
(Milagro Middle School, Nina Otero Community School, and Kearney Elementary). She shared that the SFPS
Hilda Perez-Vargas and Tommy Rodriguez discussed the needs assessments (NAs) for their respective
schools. They explained that asset mapping was used to develop items for them. Some of the questions
were/are open-ended, facilitating identification of the needs of families and of what families do for fun and on
Sunday. NAs are unique to each school.
At SFHS, the NA was sent to families, students (grades 9-11 with 1500 responding), and teachers (40
responding). A sample question was, “What activities can be added to make SFHS better … to meet students’
needs?” The purpose of the NA is to seek ways to improve services for families (rent assistance, food) and for
students. With input from students, there is now a newly decorated “resource room,” where students come to
be with other students. Also, there is a mentoring program in which seniors meet with freshmen in the
resource room to see how the seniors can support them in transitioning to in-person learning. In addition, a
credit recovery program is being established that is staffed with two paid teachers, and students work with
them Monday through Thursday from 4-6 PM. Moving forward, efforts are underway to enhance the
counseling center, expand outdoor opportunities (e.g. rafting), and dance programs.
Dialogue Summary
Julia Bergen commented on the role Communities in Schools (CIS) plays in supporting community
schools in SFPS. CIS is operating in 11 schools through their contract with the District and will be
returning to Cesar Chavez Elementary School this fall after a 2-year break.
Questions asked and responses/comments:
A. What are other barriers beyond financial resources to support community schools (CS) across
the District? The following were cited: a third of the schools have new principals, and the
concern is not to overload them, but there was optimism that community schools will spread.
There is the hope that the PED would expand community schools, and we need to advocate for
them.
B. Do you interact with other CS coordinators across the state? The PED brings CS coordinators
together once a quarter, and Ms. Ibarra also meets monthly with other District CS Coordinators.
C. How can federal money be used for field trips? The response was to use ESSER III funding.
A suggestion was made that we need to work to raise money to hire CS Coordinators for every school
to increase CS implementation. Superintendent Chavez expressed that he would like to explore this
further with education partners.
Report from Santa Fe Public Schools
Superintendent Larry Chavez commented that there was a successful opening of the school year, and COVID
has not been widespread. Students and teachers who are unvaccinated will participate in weekly testing
(aligning with the Governor’s mandate). Information regarding the results for using the ESSER III funding is on
the SFPS website, and the allocations to schools have been disseminated. He noted that no one had questions
about the funding they received. He reported that Desert Sage Academy has 259 K-12 students enrolled for
online instruction. Volunteers must wear masks when they go on campus for tutoring. His priorities include
having a teacher in every class, and he mentioned the ideas of a teacher pipeline, expanding pre-K offering at
additional schools, and having more internships in the District.
Other Updates
Lynn Bickley reported on the ICPE meeting with Superintendent Chavez on August 2, 2021. The ICPE members
at the meeting focused on presentation and discussion of Coalition Action Proposals (Community Schools,
Math and Reading, and STEM High School to Career and College).
April Gallegos presented information on School Advisory Councils (SACs). For additional information, go to the
https://www.icpesantafe.org website.
The ICPE Back to School Guide was presented by April Gallegos and can be accessed at
https://www.icpesantafe.org website.
Reflection Summary
Cynthia Torcasso thanked our presenters for their very informative remarks and invited comments from
others.
July 21, 2021 - SFPS Mentorship Programs
Summary of Meeting
Lynn Bickley restated the mission of the ICPE and its goals. She acknowledged that we gather on the ancestral lands of the Tewa.
Number of Persons Present – 28
UP-COMING DATES
Next meeting date is August 18, 2021, at 4pm on Zoom.
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: To be appreciative.
To illustrate “being appreciative,” Lynn Heffron acknowledged her appreciation of the students who are in attendance. She noted that it is important to appreciate ourselves as well as others. Carmen Gonzales said she is appreciative of the teachers. Kathleen Jones is appreciative of the opportunity to live in Santa Fe and to do the volunteer work that she does. Celia Ludi is grateful for having family she is close to and who are involved in the community. Lynn Heffron said that one of the best ways to be appreciative is to volunteer. Research shows that volunteering is equally beneficial to the volunteer as to those being helped.
Presentation
Steve Heil, SFPS Gifted Education Support Specialist, facilitated the presentation by Capital High School student Ada Sophia Santos and Santa Fe Public High School students Pieta Bunker-Ruiz, Owen Aalberts, and Tanya Medrano, all of whom participated in SAGE Mentorships for credit during the past school year. Steve Heil expressed his appreciation for all Judy Reinhartz contributed during the past school year. Directors Amanda Chavez and Lucia Garcia lead the Exceptional Student Services Department which seeks to improve equity of student access to and participation in advanced learning opportunities. The state of New Mexico uses IEPs as a basis for funding individualized programming beyond general education programs, fills opportunity gaps, and addresses educational disparities due to race, gender, ethnicity, and language. The SAGE Mentorship class, a full-year program, is in two high schools. Last year was the third year of the program. During the last school year, the mentorships had to be performed on Google Meets. Sabra Romero developed new policies and the Homework Hotline. There were 26 high school mentorships completed for credit, as well as six middle school mentorships (not for credit.) Each student produced a video highlighting their mentorships.
Ada Sophia Santos is a rising junior. Her mentorship during the last school year was in communications. She made a film on how the railroad came to Santa Fe. Her draft video won third place in the regional competition, and her final video won first place in the State in western history. Her dream is to enter a film festival in the future. Based on the advice of her mentors, Ada enrolled in a Santa Fe Community College class on film-making.
Pieta Bunker-Ruiz is a rising sophomore. Her focus was cinematography. She researched the influence of media on teen girls and made a video based on her research. She may want to become a film critic or a teacher as her career.
Owen Aalberts is a rising junior. His focus was on education and its purpose in society and in his
life. He looked at the Finnish and Swedish educational systems. He thinks it is important to expose students to as much information as possible. He interviewed his peers on what they thought about education.
Tanya Medrano is a rising senior. She focused on making art using reiterative mathematics. Equations used to create attractors are based on natural systems.
Dialogue with Presentation led by Judy Reinhartz and Steve Heil
Compare your first impressions of the class with thoughts on the completion of the mentorship. Owen found the mentorship to be much less rigid in terms of curriculum than he had expected. Ada found the mentorship to be fun. Making the film was incredible.
How was it having an online mentorship? It was more difficult doing everything online, but her mentor made it enjoyable. Owen found meetings with his mentor to be easy online.
To what extent did your mentorship change the way you think about your future? Owen said that the information he learned has had an impact on his current life by changing his outlook. Creative classes like film-making and wood-working are generally electives rather than core classes. The mentorship program demonstrated that high school students can explore creative careers.
What do you want to say to students who have not yet had a mentorship? Keep an open mind in exploring new areas. Don’t focus on setbacks. Think about doing what you really want to do rather than focusing on how much money you can make in a particular job. Computer programming is a viable option for a career.
Talk about the process of mentoring. Ada described the mentorship process as one that allowed her to dive deep into making films. The curriculum prepares students for the mentorship and for developing a project.
How would you redesign high school based on your mentorship? Owen thinks every student should have an IEP. Ada agrees that IEPs and individualized classes are a good idea.
Report from SFPS
Superintendent Larry Chavez gave a brief summary of what has been happening at SFPS. He introduced his new cabinet members. They are at the job fair for teachers. There is a great turnout at the job fair -- about 100 attendees. He thanked those who attended the townhalls recently. Results of surveys and townhalls will be posted online. SFPS will present to the Board of Education on results of surveys and townhalls on August 5. The final decision on the use of ESSER III funds will be made on August 19. Superintendent Chavez will meet with members of ICPE’s Leadership Circle on August 2, 2021. Teachers return to school on August 2, and students return August 6.
Other Updates
Lynn Bickley spoke about the ICPE Summit held on June 12, 2021, at the Santa Fe Convention Center. There were three working groups: community schools, math and reading proficiency, and STEM to career. A Summit report has been circulated among the attendees of the Summit. Each group is developing an action plan with three recommendations to present to Superintendent Chavez on August 2, 2021. Jules Natowitz asked whether the recommendations of ICPE will dovetail with the recommendations that the superintendent will present to the School Board. Lynn Bickley responded that ICPE’s intention is to be a partner to SFPS to enhance the District’s priorities and add capacity. Lynn Heffron noted that funding for community schools is for three years. ICPE is seeking funding to continue programs that are created with ESSER III funding.
Reflection Summary
Cynthia Torcasso thanked Judy Reinhartz for highlighting the SAGE Mentoring program and invited comments by others on this program. Steve Silver encouraged SFPS to include all students in the Mentoring program to discover and explore subjects that they are passionate about. Cynthia thanked the students for sharing their talents today. Judy Reinhartz thanked Lynn Bickley, Lynn Heffron, Melinda Silver, and Cynthia Torcasso for helping her put on the program today.
June 16, 2021 - SFPS Volunteer Tutoring Program
SUMMARY OF MEETING
Number of Persons Present - 30 people
The primary focus of the meeting was volunteering in Santa Fe Public Schools. Sabra Romero, the volunteer and event coordinator for Santa Fe Public Schools, presented the current volunteer options and programs along with new projects on the horizon.
UP-COMING DATES
Next meeting date is July 21, 2021, at 4pm on Zoom.
MEETING CONTENT
Special Tribute to Lois Rudnick: Sharon Eklund gave the following tribute to Lois Rudnick, ICPE member who passed away.
Lois Rudnick was a community activist, scholar, author, curator, and professor emerita in American Studies at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, where she chaired the American studies program for 25 years. According to her daughter Deborah, she held Wonder Woman as her idol as a fighter and an empowerer of people, and Deborah remembers Lois as "always having a million interests.”
Others describe her as a “true intellectual, with a seemingly boundless appreciation of the arts, culture and the natural world” and with a “fierce drive to build a more equitable society through teaching, advocacy and activism,” according to a posting by Collective Works Bookstore which last month hosted a virtual chat with her and Jonathan Good Day Coming about their collaborative work, Eva Mirabal: Three Generations of Tradition and Modernity at Taos Pueblo.
Lois was born in Boston on June 18, 1944. Santa Fe was fortunate to have her as a part of our community for 10 years, and she was an important force with Interfaith Coalition for Public Education. Lois passed away on June 6 in Denver, having made a significant difference in our organization and in our community.
Meredith Mechen has donated a $1000 gift start up fund for ICPE honor of Lois Rudnick. We will provide information soon on how you may augment the fund.
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: We Seek to be of Service
George Packard led the discussion on “We Seek to be of Service” by remembering Lois Rudnick’s call to the community to help improve the district’s earlier graduation rate of 67% and how that call was answered by community members offering their time to volunteer in schools. Meeting attendees also identified nurses and everyone working in education as answering the call to be of service. Working in a group instead of alone can also be considered an act of service - a group will sustain each other.
Presentation:
Sabra Romero, SFPS Volunteer and Event Coordinator, presented the current status of the SFPS program and plans for new projects within the program.
Currently, SFPS has 458 registered and vetted volunteers
259 selected affiliation as a community member
90 selected affiliation as familial
approximately 12 volunteers are students
110 speak Spanish
26 indicated they speak Chinese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Hindi, French, German or Italian
86 volunteers are non-Hispanic white or Euro-American - remaining volunteers left this blank or preferred not to answer
Increased number of bilingual volunteers as a result of the article published in the New Mexican on August 15 sending out the call for bilingual volunteers
New Help U Homework Hotline launched on October 5, 2020. Current stats: 27 volunteers, 400 student or parent phone calls
Pen Pal Program launched in August 2020 with encouragement and support from Lois Rudnick, ICPE member. Current stats: 74 students participated, 69 volunteers, 288 letters written between students and volunteers
Next Steps:
Expand and streamline Pen Pal Program
Volunteer Training:
NM PED is requiring new application and training programs - additional information to be provided when received from PED
Consolidated training modules for SFPS volunteers: Launch of Volunteers Advancing Student Discovery & Achievement
Help U Hotline
Continue to offer virtually
Time adjustments
Additional internal leadership
Additional marketing schedules
Goals:
Write a grant to fund volunteer liaison positions to be the main point of contact and support for volunteers, collect data, retain and recruit volunteers
Collect additional data that will help direct the program’s work
Provide volunteer recognition incentives and additional training tools
Please visit Volunteering at SFPS for more information.
Presentation Discussion Points:
ICPE noted the immense value of dedicated volunteer liaisons, ideally at each school. Members also recommended:
Creating volunteer teams that can follow students through feeder schools
Encouraging volunteers to find a “tutoring buddy” at the school to support each other and facilitate communication
Provide volunteers with lessons in advance
Create a volunteer calendar that includes professional development days and other times that may impact volunteers
Reports of ICPE Activities and Discussion:
2021 ICPE Summit was held on June 12, 2021
32 people attended
The Summit had three Working Groups:
Community Schools
Math & Reading
STEM to Career
Working Groups focused on aligning ICPE’s work with SFPS initiatives
Working Groups will report out to ICPE Leadership Circle in the coming weeks. ICPE will then share the goals and action steps with SFPS School Support Cabinet, align our goals, and then report out to ICPE members.
ICPE Leadership Circle met with Dr. Garcia, SFPS School Support Cabinet, and Kate Noble, SFPS BOE President, on June 9, 2021
Dr. Garcia emphasized the importance of forming strong and trusting relationships between SFPS and community members by communicating and aligning work with each other
Dr. Garcia encouraged the incoming superintendent, Mr. Larry Chavez, to continue the partnership with ICPE
SFPS will seek community input on how best to spend $13 million that must be spent over the next three years. Special funding provided by pandemic relief funds (ESSER II) - ICPE will recommend funds to be used on Transformational Leadership training for schools and transforming schools to Community Schools as defined by the Learning Policy Institute
Report from SFPS:
Incoming SFPS superintendent, Mr. Larry Chavez, provided the following updates
The SFPS Strategic Plan will be updated in the coming months
Teachers will be provided professional development on Standards-based Grading
Teams will be trained to implement a new program for graduates to create and present portfolios prior to graduation
SFPS intends to continue current momentum and initiatives:
Reads First program has shown great impact with 3rd-grade reading efficiency rates increasing from 32% in 2019-2020 to 68% in 2020-2021 - caveat: the assessment was a different test year over year but scores are promising
Professional Learning Circles (PLCs) for teachers will continue - PLCs are producing very positive results through teacher collaboration and alignment
Desert Sage Academy (located at the Old Capshaw building) will be the only remote learning option for students this fall. All other schools will return to 100% in-person learning. Families must enroll students in Desert Sage Academy if they wish to continue remote learning.
SFPS has announced it will utilize the Remind app as the primary tool to provide two-way communication between SFPS, school, and families. Launch date and more information TBD. SFPS will also be updating the sfps.info website and will be forming focus groups to help inform, update, and achieve the best possible product. Please contact April Gallegos, ICPE Families, if you are interested in participating in the focus groups. April will submit interested persons’ contact info to Crystal Ybarra, Chief Equity, Diversity & Engagement Officer.
Reflection Summary:
ICPE is working to move forward in concrete and meaningful ways. We seek to be of service to the children of Santa Fe. Increasing the number of caring adults in children’s lives makes a significant impact.
May 19, 2021 - ICPE Families to Increase Family Engagement
Summary of Meeting: The meeting focused on family engagement in schools and the new task force established by parents to expand family engagement and communication between parents and school administrators and teachers.
Number of Persons Present – 23
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: To be inclusive and comprehensive. We engage in concerns with a particular focus while attempting to hold the big picture
To illustrate “inclusive and comprehensive,” George Packard cited an example from before the pandemic when Santa Fe was in the process of closing three schools because of budgetary concerns. Parents objected to closing these schools and showed up at the School Board meeting to voice their objections. We reflected on the conundrum within this situation and the decision that emerged: The School Board decided to commission a study of equity across the district and postponed closing the three schools pending the commission’s recommendation. We described this decision as one based on inclusive and comprehensive thinking.
Presentation
April Gallegos, SFPS parent, speaking of her experience and the importance of parents being involved in school activities and decision making:
It is important to have multiple people running for PTA, School Advisory Council position. This is a way of getting to know the complexity of the school
Find a way to be a part of important conversations
Every child has the potential to learn if the adults in their lives work together
Set goals considering the potential of the whole child
Engage with those in the school community that have different perspectives
Find out how decisions are made and what values are at the center of decision-making
When parents show interest and are supportive, teachers and administrators take note, and show more interest in the student. Something magic happens.
We need to work together to create ways for parents to be more easily involved
We are launching a Family Engagement Task force as part of the work of the Interfaith Coalition
This is an initiative of a group of parents to help families build a larger community that they can draw on when they need assistance.
It will be somewhat informal and flexible to the needs and schedules of parents, and will at first focus on communication
We will start by sharing ideas
A key concern will be to create ways for SFPS to include parents
It is important to invite parents into the conversation on public education at every level
If you are interested in engaging in this task force contact April Gallegos: aprilgallegos@live.com
April 21, 2021 - SF Center for Transformational School Leadership
Summary of Meeting:
Numbers Present- 42
Decisions Made
Topics Covered: programs and characteristics of transformational schools
Relevant Information in Print: https://transformationalschoolleadership.com/
Up-Coming Dates: Next ICPE Meeting May 19 2021 4-5:30
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: “We seek to Work Intelligently, strategically investing our professional skills, relationships and experience.” Members commented that we need to work smarter, not harder. We need to learn from the past. We need to keep the end result in mind as we pursue our projects.
Presentation: Linda Henke, Director of the Santa Fe Center for Transformational School Leadership, together with Zach Taylor, Director of Santa Fe and International Programming, and a panel that includes a principal and teachers from Santa Fe schools: "What does it take to transform a school?"
KEY POINTS
Dr. Linda Henke:
School in Missouri moved from the bottom 25 of 525 to the top 13 after 12 years of collaboration.
Many schools still follow the industrial model of the 1900s that emphasizes efficiency, with an assembly line organization, including rows of desks with a standardized curriculum and testing. Today’s world has entirely changed but schools look the same. In the past there has been change from the outside in, one size fits all, and “reward and punishment”.
Transformational change means change from the inside out and focuses on the humanity of the staff and students. Characteristics include: shared purpose of students and staff; an assets focus; adoption of rapid cycles of change; and support for peer coaching and reforming goals.
See slide of Model for Human-Centered School Transformation: https://transformationalschoolleadership.com/transformation-leadership/model-for-human-centered-school-transformation/
Zachary Taylor:
We want teachers to take ownership of transformation, with a high level of teacher collaboration and effective and shared leadership.
It is important to foster empathy, the meaning of listening, how to coach well and make meetings efficient, and the habits of systemic thinking and intended consequences. Important to work at both the systemic and granular levels.
Felicia Torres, Principal, Amy Biehl: Collective Aspiration
Important to create a compelling purpose and pull the whole school together
Their core values: green school; connectedness; collaboration; humor; and a positive school culture.
They share their compelling purpose through positive messaging to students and families as the “Trailblazers of Tomorrow”. The Student Council has broken down each sentence and embedded it into the school culture.
They promote an “ethic of excellence” and work together to grow a culture of the excitement of learning.
Aviva Markowitz, Teacher, Amy Biehl Community School: Collective Aspiration
Positive connectedness
Create a compelling purpose statement
Develop core values and an Ethic of Excellence
Jenae Mirabal, Teacher, Amy Biehl: Culture of Deeper Learning
They develop “curious classrooms” and related strategies.
Her class read “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carl, took photos, then went outside to draw and talk; then they created a poster about the study of trees and designed models using their own materials. This approach leads to kids asking questions with comfort and taking ownership of their learning. Their questions guide their learning, often in directions the teacher would not think of.
Tina Morris, Principal (since 1991), Aspen Community School: Transformational Culture and Learning Transformation
They are “always learning something new about teaching and learning…and want a culture where there is a system for any information that comes in.”
They have shared leadership so they can absorb whatever comes in, independent of leadership changes. Change “can be a good thing”.
They are honored to work with collaborators who take the work seriously and bring joy to their work, and root their conversations in a growth mindset. They goal is meaningful multi-layered conversations that are always grounded in their compelling purpose and their 9 principle of practice.
Dialogue Summary
To use this new approach in the presence of “old lessons” they decide priorities with students and do projects across all content areas. They assume that active learning by the students will allow the students to meet the core standards.
To become part of Dr. Henke’s Transformational Center, groups should work with the Superintendent to carefully select the school principals. The Center for Transformational School Leadership team is currently in Amy Biehl, Aspen Community School, and Tesuque Elementary Charter School. The full program takes 3 years ($32,000). They try to avoid changing principals. There is a certification process. They want successive cohorts so the progression is visible. The Santa Fe program is still developing.
They need teacher leaders that work with the principal. They do not want to take teachers out of the school community.
There are many central directives, but the Center tries to develop a locally-based model rather than a compliance-based model and encourages the principal to be courageous.
To fill the gap when parents are working or not able to back up students, Dr. Henke advises “start reading”, build excitement and energy around stories with the child, do side-by-side or peer reading; avoid teaching only a set of skills that is not within a context.
Parents are included in creating the compelling purpose and subsequent monitoring. They are instrumental in creating the school culture.
Reports and Discussion
1. MathAmigos: Held its 12th workshop and 3rd Zoom workshop on April 17. 28 teachers attended.
2. New Mexican Community Voices column, Learning Page every other Monday: be sure to read this column to learn about the many worthwhile programs working within SFPS.
3. SFPS: Deputy Superintendent Larry Chavez will begin as Superintendent July 1. He expressed appreciation of the partnership with ICPE and related that he will be respectful in reaching out to us. Gabe Romero described the many facilities changes needed for children to return to school; 75% are allowed if we remain under the DOH Covid Rating of turquoise but only 25% if the city regresses to the rating of yellow. Sabra Romero noted the presentation by Dr. Jeannie Oakes and Dr. Carmen Gonzales’ Report on Improving Education the New Mexican Way to the Dismantling Racism Class at the First Presbyterian Church.
Reflection Summary
We welcomed incoming Superintendent Chavez. We noted the amazing work of teachers as they have worked intelligently this past year during in-class and through on-line teaching. Dr. Henke and her team have provided many insights into working intelligently on school transformation.
March 24, 2021 - NM Public Education Department Secretary Ryan Stewart
Summary of Meeting
Number of Persons Present – 39
Decisions Made: Secretary Ryan Stewart will send his power point presentation to Judy Reinhartz.
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value: “We seek to be Flexible and Responsive
Modifying our modes of operating when necessary, in order to be effective”
We shared many examples of how the Santa Fe Public Schools, our legislature, the City,
and organizations present have modified modes of operating to work together and meet needs
during the pandemic.
Presentation
Dr.Ryan Stewart, Secretary of Public Education Department of New Mexico.
Overview of PED Strategic Plan started last summer working with many partners across the education spectrum to create long and short-term goals. The Strategic Plan creates strategies for establishing (i) an Educator Ecosystem to attract and retain teachers, (ii) Pathways and Profiles, (iii) Access to Opportunity, and (iv) a Working Group on Special Needs Students. Each strategy in the Education Ecosystem must focus on the four disadvantaged groups identified in the Yazzie-Martinez court decision. Pathways and Profiles is focused on creating more experiential learning for students. Access to Opportunity is focused on increasing community investment for academic and social supports and greater access to health services for students. The Plan makes barriers to attendance and closing the digital divide a focus as well as improved academic outcomes, social emotional learning, and multilayered system of supports (MLSS). It requires curriculum and pedagogy to be culturally and linguistically relevant. The assessment program must be robust. Enrichment and extracurricular programs are being addressed, too. The Special Education Working Group will address behavioral needs of students with disabilities, PED’s role, supporting families through the evaluation process, initial evaluation, and educator training and support.
Funding from 2021 Legislative Session
Maintaining Recent Investments in Education.
$80M in additional funding for K-5+ and Extended Learning Time Programs. Increased flexibility in timing of K-5+ programs.
HB 6 Ended Impact Aid Credit.
Family Income Index is a way to direct state funds directly to schools that have the greatest number of students in poverty. $30M pilot program to allow study of how the Family Income Index is working. The Family Income Index will be applied to charter schools as well as public schools
Investments in Native American Education ($9M for libraries and education departments) for language recovery and cultural strengthening programs and other urgent needs.
Community Schools investment of $20M. $3M invested in Career Technical Education (CTE) fund which will allow reaching more students who can get certificates qualifying them for certain careers.
School Re-entry to In-Person Learning starts as of April 6, 2021
The re-entry process will prioritize health and safety of students and teachers
All school staff who want to be vaccinated will be vaccinated in the next three weeks
Sports and music programs will also return to in-person participation.
See PED website for details of re-entry process. Students and staff will still be required to wear masks. PPE for staff and isolation rooms for students exhibiting covid 19 symptoms will be available. School meals are a key area of safety emphasis. Meals will be outside and provided to students who choose remote learning.
School systems are positioned strongly to come back from the pandemic after the toughest year ever experienced in public education.
Dialogue with Presentation
1. How will PED implement recommendations in the Learning Policy Institute report? Recommendations are included in PED’s Strategic Plan.
2. ICPE has embraced multi-pillared approach to community schools. What has been Dr. Stewart’s experience in emphasizing all aspects of community schools? Community schools have to avoid being siloed into a place where they offer only wrap-around services. A community school that is functioning well as a hub should focus on what the assets and the needs of the community are. The goal is to set up all students for success. Community schools need to focus on developing the right partnerships to achieve the community school’s goals.
3. Is there an emergency clause in the Family Income Index Act? No, but a lot of the work has been done among multiple agencies so that the information on the Act will go to schools before the end of this budget season.
4. Will there be exceptions this year for graduation requirements, assessment, and attendance? Assessment has been a major area of discussion nationally among school leaders. PED is waiving assessment requirements and is providing districts with a bevy of alternatives for collecting data on student achievement. PED has established graduation supports which provide districts with flexibility to demonstrate the competency of its students. Attendance measures have to be modified because of hybrid learning. What is important is whether students are logging onto online classes and/or turning in assignments.
5. Will the standards be rewritten so that experiential learning is tested in civics and other areas? There is no formal standard for experiential learning. More training and supports on how to build experiential learning will be provided to teachers.
6. What leeway do teachers have in altering grades of students? Grading is generally decided at local level. PED puts out guidance to teachers. If a student did not have access to an assignment and gets a zero, for example, PED guidance suggests that the teacher look at whether the student demonstrates mastery of the subject and what barriers the student experienced that could explain failure to complete an assignment.
7. Is it in PED’s Strategic Plan to bring in community members for summits to share information and expertise? Regional meetings are planned in the Spring on special education and teacher Inspire conference. Dr. Stewart is open to other ideas for gaining community input. We can email Dr. Stewart or Katherine Avery, PED’s Strategic Outreach Director (Katherine.avery@state.nm.us) directly with questions.
8. Does he have any sense of teacher workforce planning to return next year? What is PED doing to recruit or grow more teachers in New Mexico? PED is monitoring teacher retirements. The number of retirements is actually down. What worries Dr. Stewart is what effect the pandemic will have on teacher retirements. PED plans to use some federal funds to create a teacher fellowship program so teachers can work with master teachers. “Grow Your Own Teachers” bill passed the New Mexico legislature. Recruitment and marketing campaigns are being planned as well as more training and mentorship support for teachers.
Report from SFPS:–Larry Chavez, Vanessa Romero, and Gabe Romero, and School Board Member Carmen Gonzales There is a lot of planning going on right now to support reopening of schools in person. Schools will be open Monday through Fridays with early release on Wednesdays.
Questions:
Are there options for children who want to go back to school in person if their teacher does not plan to return? All children do have option to return to the classroom.
What is the search process for the new superintendent? Friday, March 26 is closing date for search input. (this date was later amended, though it remains on the SFPS website as March 26)
Are teachers required to teach in person if they have been vaccinated? SFPS is still discussing this issue with the teacher union.
Reflection Summary
We noted that the group attending this meeting included representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Santa Fe School Board, The Santa Fe New Mexican, teachers and administrators, tutors, The Santa Fe Community Foundation, The Santa Fe Public Library, the NEA and engaged volunteers: multiple sectors of our city. Expressing what was especially good to hear in the presentation and reports. Responses included Dr. Stewart’s answer about his vision of community schools which is more robust than what was in his power point presentation; Dr. Stewart’s plan to establish fellowships for supporting and mentoring of teachers; and the emphasis on all students learning about cultures and values of their neighbors. Clearly, those gathered represent the deep interest that our community has in the quality and importance of public education.
February 17, 2021 - Community Schools Partnership in Albuquerque
Summary of Meeting
Numbers Present-40
Decisions Made: 1. ICPE leadership circle will meet with Jose Muñoz to obtain additional information on developing Community Schools. 2. Obtain copies of PED reports for Santa Fe High School and César Chávez. It was noted that there are some privacy issues related to students that are directly tied to the report, and perhaps a meeting with the Community Coordinators will be the best way of providing information on what is happening.
Up-Coming Dates: Next meeting date is March 24, 2021 at 4pm on Zoom.
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: Working Intelligently, using professional skills and relationships to implement critical strategies while building relationships.
Presentation
Jose Muñoz, Vice-President for Equity and Impact at the National Institute for Educational Leadership, and former Executive Director of the ABC Community School Partnership in Albuquerque, NM. Jose collaborated with the Albuquerque Public Schools, City of Albuquerque and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in his work.
History: The National Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) was created by the Federal Government in partnership with George Washington University Training Center for Elementary Education. It is a 55-year-old diverse national non-profit. There are over 10,000 leaders throughout the nation involved in the Educational Fellowship program. In Albuquerque, community schools grew from 4 to 26 schools. While in Albuquerque, Jose served in multiple roles and also working with Boys and Girls Clubs.
Institute for Educational Leadership Goals:
1. Lift up the voice of youth with disabilities, immigrant refugees and work with communities. Educational Leadership:
The Institute views the public schools as the center of their community where they work together and thrive.
The Institute cultivates and activates leadership.
It builds a sense of agency to make changes in policy and a sense of belonging.
2. Youth network and resources take a nested approach at different levels within the community. It builds a sense of competency and brings a world’s worth of wealth to every conversation. The coalition is an alliance of local, state and national partners developing an equity strategy to grow.
Educational Leadership embraces three values: 1. Equity. 2 Harmony. 3. Democracy. Everyone has a voice and opinion. Organizational goal is to have 25,000 community schools by 2025. Across the nation there are approximately 1200 community schools and we are in the process of a census to identify schools in 400 different zip codes in 28 states. It is our goal to nurture the development of 25 to 30% of the schools in our country to operate as community schools. This number would form a critical mass. To resource these schools, there needs to be need steering committees consisting of unions, alliances and administrative associations.
Dialogue with Presentation
What is the role of community schools?
Community Schools open their doors to involve the resources of a community.
Children and families benefit from the involvement of the community in public schools
Community partners build stronger connections with one another and work in collaboration to design solutions to barriers
Coordination is the cornerstone.
An Example of a Benefit of the Community School Approach
Fourteen moms from Albuquerque Manzano schools developed an idea on how to assist parents who cannot participate with their children at school because they have younger children at home. The moms obtained seed grants from UNM and New Mexico Community College. They volunteered and developed early childhood centers so that parents could participate with their children at school. The moms were trained by UNM. Also, five of those moms started their own early childhood care businesses.
At the national level, we focus on wrap-around services, needs assessments and self-actualization to design and develop community school leaders.
Are community schools similar to segregation? We have 50 years of de-segregation and in a way, it sounds like we are re-segregating.
Community schools address different cultures to develop cultural competency. How do we experience differences? Through education, out of school practice, intentional engagement, discern how we act within our cultures and learn across cultures.
It is difficult to identify how to get the business community to contribute in a meaningful way so that it is a rich part of the school.
IEL learned from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the community level about the business community’s desire to have well prepared employees. IEL desires to not only have well prepared students but to have well prepared employers and business owners to collaborate with the schools.
Need to involve small businesses in plans for community school.
Engage anchor institutions using programmatic dollars.
How can we support public schools?
Three directions:
Start with the willing and engage people in conversation.
Anchor institution design based on Thomas Jefferson quote “The cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated electorate.” Include frequent open meetings with elected officials and anchor institutions.
Community partners should have a voice in developing local Community School plans
Reports of ICPE Activities and Discussion
Community School Activities—Cesar Chavez Elementary. Elise Packard and Melinda Silver
1. Bilingual Tutoring
Elise is the bilingual tutor at Cesar Chavez Elementary and prepared to do on-line tutoring by attending a series of excellent workshops offered by SFPS. She learned that
a strong goal is to engage kids and understand that they long for social engagement. In order to engage the children, she has created a club with 3 seven-year-olds, assigned by their teachers. Another preparation step was to meet with 2 teachers and the Community School Coordinator. They discussed the students’ strengths and identified their needs. In forming the “learning club”, Elise decided to inject fun and humor by including 2 hand puppets in the group: Bobby, who speaks only English, and Carlos, who speaks only Spanish. The girls were happy to have such diversity in their “Club of Angels”. Twice a week for an hour, this little learning club meets to practice values of respect for one another and to help each other to learn to read in Spanish and English as well as to develop math skills. By forming a club the girls are gaining a sense of belonging and a respect for differences.
2. Supporting an Art Teacher
Melinda met with the art teacher and spent time with children from various grade levels in on-line breakout rooms where they identified their needs and strengths. She also coordinated distribution of art kits for the organization. The children loved the art kits and each class also virtually toured Melinda’s art studio, and were given a chance to share artwork, questions about being and artist, and to discuss sources of inspiration.
Report on Math Amigos--Lynn Bickley
Math Amigos helps teachers get kids to love math. Math Amigos presented the second Zoom workshop on January 23, 2021. Thirty-eight teachers attended from elementary schools and 7 other schools. Judy Rhinehart worked with the first through third grade teachers on James Tanton’s Exploding Dots and basic math operations.
Bi-lingual Tutoring Project
The group applied for a Covid grant through Santa Fe Community Foundation and received $5,000 for a bilingual tutoring project. Students from Santa Fe Community College will work with 2nd grade teachers.
Newspaper Writing Project
The Learning Santa Fe initiative is asking community members from School Board representatives to parents who are invested in the well-being our public schools to join the group, which had begun to write an article twice each month for the Santa Fe New Mexican’s Education Page. Look for these articles.
Seventh Grade Curriculum—Lois Rudnick
In the concern for racial justice, Lois and Erica Wheeler (SFPS) worked for four months to create three interdisciplinary units in social studies for 7th grade teachers. The intent of this curriculum is to bring forward aspects of the rich history of our region that have not been emphasized in standard curricula. They constructed units that resonate with cultural heritage and kids’ interest. One unit focuses on the key role of the Buffalo Soldiers; another is focused on food, based on the traditional recipes shared in Fabiola Cabeza de Baca’s book Historic Cookery: Authentic New Mexican Food. Another unit focusses on the History of Chocolate in Chaco Canyon. Along with the curriculum, which can be implemented in a variety of ways, there is a robust resource list for teachers and students. There are plans for a teachers’ professional development session to introduce this curriculum.
Secretary/Treasurer ICPE—Melinda Silver
The ICPE has annually received funding from First Presbyterian Church for operating expenses. Currently we have $1,100.00. We have used this fund in the past for expenses related to public forums; and last year we purchased a large ad in the Santa Fe New Mexican to compliment the work of teachers and staff in the SFPS system. Infrequently, we pay for registration costs for potential tutors who cannot afford the cost. Also, in tracking the ICPE website, the site receives 1,000 visits each year. Our website provides a way to sign up to volunteer for the work that we do.
Report from SFPS—Sabra Romero, Larry Chavez, Linda Sink
Re-entry to in-person school through the hybrid program flex model: Sabra Romero, Volunteer and Event Coordinator, discussed recruitment for the cyber cafe internet hub beginning February 22nd. The cyber cafes were developed to enable students to attend their class when instructed remotely by the teachers who are unable to do in-person instruction. Larry Valdez stated that many internet hubs are possible at secondary level and will be properly supervised. Volunteers will be present with the students and have support from the District. The cafes will also give teachers a break.
Questions regarding internet cyber cafes:
Is there a solution to a problem in which the older sister is to return to in-person instruction but takes care of younger sister at home? The school will work with the city to find options for assistance. They will also look at returning both sets of students within a family to in-classroom instruction.
What will the volunteers do in the Internet Cafes on campus at Santa Fe High School and Capitol High?
Volunteers are not responsible for direct instruction.
The position will be like a substitute teacher relating to 16 students in class and social distanced.
The Volunteer will not be alone but will oversee the internet cafe.
There will be a site administrator, digital learning coach and instructional coaches supporting the volunteers.
There will be clusters of 2 to 5 students per volunteer.
Note: Watch for the PED graduation rates will be announced next week.
Reflection Summary
Cynthia Torcasso said it was an extraordinary meeting and acknowledge Melinda for ICPE work and tutoring and acknowledged second and fifth grade teachers at Aspen Elementary who are patient, kind, innovative and creative. Sabra Romero is our unsung hero! Acknowledged Jose Munoz’ work with the community through collaboration and coordination. Also acknowledged Dr. Elise Packard for tutoring bilingual students and Dr. Lynn Bickley’s math program accomplishments.
Where do we see moving forward with cross sector coordinated entity? Where is the will to do it? Where do we see moving forward in that direction? Interested in Jose Muñoz’ example of mothers trained for Early Childhood Education. Would Jose Muñoz to do a presentation on cooperative education. How can it be incorporated?
January 20, 2021 - Opportunity Santa Fe
During this meeting, held on Inauguration Day, 34 people gathered to hear reports and converse on issues affecting the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS).
Sarah Guzmán, current Director of Opportunity Santa Fe, is leading a reinvigorated Santa Fe Community Foundation approach to make possible greater alignment of community resources supporting public education in Santa Fe. The SFPS district is gearing up for vaccinating teachers and staff and awaiting clear directives about re-instating in-person schooling. Two ICPE task forces reported on continuing activities.
Up-Coming Dates: Next ICPE Meeting: Feb 17, 2021 4pm-5:30 on Zoom
MEETING CONTENT
Opening Statement: We open this meeting, acknowledging that we gather in Santa Fe on the ancestral lands of the Tewa and nuevomexicano peoples, and we honor the diverse cultures so integral to the social landscape where we do our work. We dedicate ourselves to restoring justice as we come together for the well-being of all.
Conversation on the ICPE Value: We seek to Be of Service
Working with a diverse spectrum of organizations toward collective impact
As individuals we cook meals, help with the youth shelters, care for families, perform church work, and participate as retired educators doing professional development with teachers. Many opportunities are limited now. Often service is a family tradition. We serve through our professions. For some, service is a life-long endeavor. ICPE is dedicated to supporting the Board of Education and Superintendent and staff through service projects: tutoring, training tutors, training teachers, coaching, and various projects.
Presentation:
Sarah Amador-Guzmán, Program Director of Education and Opportunity Santa Fe, Santa Fe Community Foundation: “Methods to Help Reinvigorate Opportunity Santa Fe”
Opportunity Santa Fe is following a Collective Impact approach to align community resources in support of quality education for the children in Santa Fe from birth to career. This approach, when it is most effective, includes strong partnerships, bringing together community leaders who embrace a common vision and who agree on measuring impact through data gathering and evaluation. At present Opportunity Santa Fe has a strong track record of working with key partners: SFPS, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, the City of Santa Fe, and Growing Up New Mexico (formerly United Way of Santa Fe) as well as multiple Collaborative Working Groups. It has distributed approximately $110,000 in yearly grants.
Reinvigorating this endeavor will include determining a strong mission focus by the Partners and Collaborative Working Groups. In addition, developing a consistent way to collect and interpret data relative to positively measuring student achievement and effectively engaging disconnected youth will be important. Aspirational goals might include improving third grade reading proficiency levels and increasing youth capacity building through scholarships, internships and externships.
A collective impact endeavor is strongest when it includes systemic change, a shared vision and common agenda, shared measurement, mutually reinforcing activities among organizations that support education, and a strong backbone support organization with adequate funding.
To achieve this, it is critical to have influential community leaders at the table who share a sense of urgency. It is important to include the participation of local employers such as businesses, hospitals, and LANL.
In discussion, there was a reflection on what does change involve or require, and how does effective change take place. There was a concern raised about how to make more collaboration and less duplication of programs and services.
SFPS is backing this Collective Impact endeavor.
Reports and Discussion
Report 1—ICPE Racial Justice Task Force—Elise Packard
Because our school children are disproportionately negatively impacted by the current pandemic, this task force looks for ways that resourcing these families might be more robust. This is a racial justice issue.
After a research and vetting process looking for organizations that are presently providing direct financial relief to families, the task force has created a document that encourages funding for Adelante (part of SFPS), Chainbreaker, Earth Care’s Mutual Aid Network, and YouthWorks.
The task force is asking other organizations and networks to join ICPE in circulating this funding-request document to their mailing lists.
Anyone who is interested in joining the ICPE Racial Justice Task Force is invited to join us at our next meeting, Thurs, Feb 4, at 3:30pm. Contact Elise Packard.
Report 2 –SFPS Cabinet Update—Dr Garcia
Re-entry plans: This is a time of waiting for consistent information from PED and others who create criteria for in-person schooling. There is a priority concern for making in-person schooling available to special ed students in all grades. Everything depends on controlling the virus, vaccinations, and creating a safe in-person learning environment for all. Because of all variables, it has been difficult to anticipate and communicate a re-entry plan.
In the meantime, we will be publishing a regular bulletin blast for broad distribution (parents and internal and external stakeholders). Lots of good things happening in the midst of the pandemic: grants and awards have been won. The Citizens Review Committee has finished a Facilities Master Plan for June Bond Election. This Bond issue will not require an increase in taxes. There will be more information distributed at a community partners meeting in the near future.
Legislative Priorities: During this session the district will be joining in the effort to hold districts harmless for the drop in enrollment due to the pandemic. Enrollment is the basis on which funding is distributed. Through a focused effort we have accounted for all but seven non-attending students. We will be joining in the advocacy for putting on the ballot the issue of releasing a greater percentage from the Land Grant Permanent Fund for funding Early Childhood Education. In addition, we support the concern for re-writing the Spanish Ed Act and for continued advocacy for the Yazzie-Martinez case for sufficient funding. We need Capital outlay for funding cyber security in order to update our current system.
Concerning Covid 19 vaccinations: Our lead nurse has been working with the Department of Health (DOH), asking to prioritize teachers for vaccinations. We have worked in partnership with Albertsons, for vaccinating school employees, after they register with DOH. We are aiming for 100 vaccinations a day.
White Paper on Community Schools: Dr. Garcia is writing a draft position paper holding a vision for a Community Schools framework that would make possible staffing community resource coordinators in schools throughout the district.
Report 3—Education Article Writing Team—Lynn Bickley
We have met with the Editor of the Santa Fe New Mexican to voice our commitment to write a regular article on education issues for the newspaper. These articles will be a maximum of 500 words and will focus on topics related to our local education environment. A small team of writers has formed, and others will be invited. The first article will be published on February 8.
Reflection on the confidence, issues and concerns from this meeting:
It is wonderful that we will have a new national Secretary of Education.
A question was raised about students’ low achievement in reading and math in NM; Is this different from other parts of the country—if so, how much of the difference is attributed to poverty? If the conditions of poverty are improved, will achievement improve? What can be attributed to lack of aspiration? This question was answered with information that the concern for assessment is often political. Signs of this show up in cut-off scores varying by state. There is concern for not lowering the standards. Poverty is a major factor but not an automatic explanation for lack of achievement. Dr. Suchint Saragarm is managing data assessment within the SFPS District. When assessment shifts and cut-off scores for proficiency shift because of politics, it is difficult to adjust. We need a national assessment system. A concern was stated about who is writing the questions, out of what cultural screen? Now the SAT test is changing, and perhaps we will have various ways to assess progress. The concern for lack of aspiration can be questioned. Are we providing robust information to parents? There is a complexity in the concern for education; perhaps it is an opportunity gap. Aspirations are connected with information about opportunities. Becoming a tutor is a very concrete way to make a contribution—nothing like working with a child to help lift aspirations and achievement.
The work and aspirations of Opportunity Santa Fe are impressive. A key question is “how do we get this done?’”
November 18, 2020 - NEA Community Schools
Summary of Meeting:
Thirty people attended the November 18, 2020 meeting which focused on community schools. David Greenberg, NEA Statewide Coordinator of Community Schools presented a power point illustrating that student outcomes are based primarily on out-of-school factors, and to a lesser extent by teachers, in-school factors, and other variables. Speakers from Santa Fe Public Schools and other education experts talked about the many benefits of community schools, especially during times of great challenges like those resulting from Covid-19.
Written Information
https://www.facebook.com/NMCommunitySchools
https://www.communityshare.us/las-cruces/
Full Service Schools - Joy Dryfoos ISBN-13 : 978-0787940645 An older book on community schools.
Meeting Content
Conversation on the ICPE Value: “We seek to be supportive and catalytic. To stimulate and support multiple initiatives to Accelerate Student Achievement. “Supportive” brings to mind images of cheerleaders in a pyramid; joining of hands; scaffolding of a building; and pillars of support. “Supportive” also brings to mind advocacy, empathy, and collaboration, while “catalytic” suggests people working together to bring about change.
Presentation: David Greenberg, NEA Statewide Coordinator of Community Schools
Community Schools is an opportunity to redefine/restructure public education according to values of community, collaboration, cultural pluralism, social justice, and self-determination
Student outcomes are influenced by teachers; in-school factors like class size and curriculum; out of school factors like demographics; and unexplalned variables. The biggest influence on student outcomes is out-of-school factors.
Community Schools are based on relationships and are designed to reckon with the inequities that students deal with. What do community schools look like during the Covid 19 Pandemic? What are the roles of families, principals, and others? What does success look like and how do we measure it? What does teaching and learning look like in community schools?
Community Schools are an opportunity to redefine/restructure public education according to the values of community, collaboration, and cultural pluralism.
Education reform has focused on a privatization model that are all more or less the same whereas community schools are tailored to the needs of each community.
There is substantial research in New Mexico showing the benefits of the Community School model in improving student outcomes.
The Yazzie Martinez lawsuit led the way toward investing in community schools.
26 new community schools have been launched in NM since Community Schools Act was signed in 2019 for a total of 84 community schools statewide.
At the State level, additional support is now available to community schools. This includes a statewide policy committee, technical assistance to support schools; a community schools newsletter.
Dialogue Summary
The community school model is serving New Mexico students and their families well, but we need many more of them. This is the best approach for instituting educational reform in New Mexico. The only thing that is constant right now at SFPS is that circumstances are constantly changing.
Reports and Discussion
1. Report 1— Amanda Chavez, Principal of César Chávez Community School.
The school focuses on the whole child and reaches out to families to promote student success. Many families have been negatively impacted by Covid. The school is trying to support those needs. Because many families have lost their jobs during the pandemic, families have basic unmet needs. The school is talking to families by phone to assess their needs. Families are vulnerable, but parents are still trying to be partners in their children’s education.
2. Report 2 – Tommy Rodriguez, Community School Coordinator, Santa Fe High School.
The school is trying to help students reach their dreams. School staff is listening to families and trying to make sure they have food, counseling, therapy, and work opportunities.
3. Report 3-- George Otero, Global Education Consultant
Schools are catalysts more than support agencies. He works closely with Eagle’s Nest Elementary, a Community School in Eagles Nest, NM. Having parents, families, staff and community members working together is key to developing community schools. Community schools are taking on improving “out of schools factors” like building a fish hatchery working with US Forest Service; founding a camp for students; starting a homework café; building a greenhouse and a garden; an equine project that provides therapy for kids; They are also providing relationship building skills to parents, families, staff and community members.
4. Report 4 -- Crystal Ybarra, SFPS Director of Diversity
She appreciates partnership and collaboration with the Community Schools Network emerging locally and statewide.
5. Report 5 – Dr. Garcia, Superintendent of Santa Public Schools.
She would like to share with Dave Greenberg her background in Community Schools. She is very supportive of the Community Schools approach.
The district recently piloted a hybrid (on line and in person) program in SFPS with a tentative amount of success. As the pandemic has become more intense, SFPS decided to close hybrid program until January. Continuous improvement model is used in SFPS---reflecting on the pilot for lessons learned.
SFPS is very concerned about the number of youth who are not participating in online learning as well as the number of failing students.
The biggest factor in increasing numbers of failing students is the lack of student engagement in online instruction. Teachers find it impossible to engage students unless cameras are on, but parents have requested that students be allowed to turn off their cameras due to hesitancy to show their home environments. Google Meets and Google Classrooms now allow students to insert backgrounds so that their physical rooms at home are not visible. Google Meets has created breakout rooms. SFPS will teach teachers how to use breakout rooms. Teachers are being given more digital tools to increase engagement. Schedules will be changed so there are three classes/day instead of seven. Teachers are exhausted. Teach through activities – you don’t have to grade activities. They are assessing student progress in a variety of ways. They are reducing the number of assignments to prevent “on-line fatigue”.
Discussion
Lynn Heffron has been looking at what Arizona has been doing for Latino/Latina population. Arizona has “All-in Education” which focuses on Latino/a parents. Teaches parents how to work with their children on their education. Amanda Chavez provides classes for their families but right now the priority is on helping families with basic needs.
Barriers that Community School Coordinators run into are the new obstacles that constantly arise.
It is difficult to realize potential of community resources when family needs are so enormous.
Boys and Girls Clubs and ICPE, both Community Schools partners, have been very flexible during the pandemic. This is a quality that is much appreciated.
What can ICPE do to provide additional support and encouragement to community schools? A suggestion to expand communication with teachers was offered as a way of providing critical resources and working through problems. Coaching is effective when it is relational.
A suggestion was made to create a Zoom group to support parents who have arrived from other countries, experiencing loss and the need to share their concerns. Councilors from Gerard’s House, a Community Schools partner are doing this using their training in grief counseling.
There are many community resources, waiting to be helpful:
The Santa Fe Public Library: mgreich@santafenm.gov
New Vistas: working with young adults with disabilities : kgarcia@newvistas.org and cell- 505-695-3840
UNM Hospital has developed a peer wellness program run by Dr Liz Lawrence, a possible model. The doctors are also very stressed and find it hard to ask for help.
Mentoring Kids Works NM is providing high school and college mentor/tutors
Reflection Summary
The catalytic and the supportive are necessary to moving toward better educational outcomes for all SFPS students.
October 21, 2020 - SFPS Adelante Program for Homeless Students
20 individuals signed into the meeting.
SUMMARY:
The meeting introduced our newly adopted social justice statement, which reads: “We open this meeting, acknowledging that we gather in Santa Fe on the ancestral lands of the Tewa and nuevomexicano peoples, and we honor the diverse cultures so integral to the social landscape where we do our work. We dedicate ourselves to restoring justice as we come together for the well-being of all”.
Our conversation focused on our newly-adopted value: We seek to interrupt the racist patterns and hierarchies in our society, through our choice of words, our advocating for policies and in our actions. Referring to the latest happenings on the SF Plaza and Cross of the Martyrs, contributary comments were welcomed as to ideas to help dismantle racism. Remediate the lack of authentic knowledge of history and culture and address poor economics and availability of resources were expressed. The importance of a broader membership in this group was suggested.
PRESENTATION
Attiana Virella -Fuentes, coordinator of Santa Fe Public Schools Adelante Program
Attiana’s presentation was interesting and informative. She oversees that the district is in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Act, which is a federal law. Adelante focusses on the homeless of Santa Fe Public Schools. Children have the right to attend school regardless of where they live or how long they have lived there or those with no permanent address. She shared that many families are doubling up or are living in motels, shelters, or other substandard housing. Adelante assists with food, clothing, back packs and school supplies. They also help with financial emergencies. Collaboration with other human service agencies and the community at large is integral to their work. Attiana divides her time to allow for presentations such as today’s to reach out to the community to advocate for the homeless. They also have free tutoring services. Adelante is a valuable asset to our community. They may be reached at 467-2524. Much appreciation goes out to Attiana from Adelante who left us with a quote from Desmond Tutu: “What do you do in times of despair? You show your humanity”.
Questions were asked about the geographic location of the majority of the homeless students and if there was assistance being offered to them for internet connection fees. Attiana stated that many efforts have been made to reach out to the students to make possible internet connection for them (Xfinity offers lower fees of $10.00 a month), but even these lower fees are difficult for many families. We learned that Partners In Education has a fundraiser focused on helping to solve this issue.
REPORTS AND DISCUSSION
Report 1 -- Sabra Romero, Santa Fe Public Schools, the Training Program for Tutors
Sabra shared a PowerPoint centering on the data of the trainings for volunteers. Trainings were provided on tools to help volunteers. Participants were asked for feedback, however, the trend indicated that although only half of participants reported back, that the majority found the training sessions to be very helpful. Upcoming training sessions include: Virtual Tutoring, Reading Quest training on teaching reading, Basic Math, Student Behavior and Trauma Informed Education. She is still working on the training schedule for the Spring. Sabra also reported that there is a newly-established Hotline, staffed by volunteers for students and parents seeking help with studies or homework. Sabra provides on-going support for tutors.
September 16, 2020 - Learning Institute's presenation on "Improving Education the New Mexico Way"
There were 37 people who gathered for the presentation, dialogue and reports.
Summary
The bulk of our meeting was devoted to Jeannie Oakes and Carmen Gonzales’ reporting on the Learning Policy Institute’s summary of their extensive investigative report on the state of New Mexico schools, which includes short-and long-term recommendations. Because everyone who attended received a copy of the summative report, these notes focus on only brief highlights of their findings and recommendations.
Presentation: “Improving Education the New Mexico Way: An Evidence-Based Approach.” Dr. Jeannie Oakes and Dr. Carmen Gonzales
New Mexico’s student profile is unique in two dramatically contrasting ways, one positive and one negative: 1) extensive geographic, cultural, and linguistic diversity and 2) profound and concentrated poverty that has never been adequately addressed by state funding of public schools, leaving New Mexico at or next to the bottom in child welfare and student achievement for many years. Nearly half (46%) of New Mexico public schools serve large concentrations of students from low-income families. Lack of adequate funding has been compounded by many other factors that contribute to the grim statistics, which was the focus of their study and which led to their recommendations. Among the key issues that need to be rectified:
1. The state has never achieved the right balance between state direction/support and local control/capacity—this needs to be a central focus of policies and investments.
2. Inadequacies in resources and opportunities, along with failure to implement policies fully or effectively underlie the persistent low achievement outcomes.
What can be Done?
Focus on the 6 fundamentals of a high-quality education system:
1. Meaningful learning goals
2. Knowledgeable and skilled educators
3. Integrated student supports
4. High-quality early learning opportunities
5. Adequate and equitably distributed school funding
6. A thoughtful accountability system
Few innovations in our public high schools have increased either student engagement or outcomes in college preparation or in career and technical education.
How should the PED and Public Schools focus on these 6 fundamentals?
1. Building Meaning Learning Goals
Improve high level cognitive skills in the core academic disciplines.
Implement culturally and linguistically responsible curriculum and instruction.
Build social and emotional learning into the curriculum.
Develop high school pathways that integrate college and career preparation.
Key short-term steps toward improvement: Close the digital divide; establish a state on-line hub that provides access for high-quality curriculum, instruction, and assessments; provide useful diagnostic measures and school climate surveys to assess student needs; convene a task force to develop a New Mexico College and Career Pathways framework.
2. Develop and Support Knowledgeable and Skillful Educators
New Mexico has sizable shortages in the number of certified teachers. Every year 15% of the teachers leave—twice the national average. Students in the schools with the highest concentration of poverty are almost twice as likely to be taught by inexperienced teachers.
Needed Change: Carry out smart recruitment to boost the teacher supply in critical content areas; insure stable retention of teachers by providing strong preparation, support, and mentoring for teachers and principals
Key short-term steps toward improvement: Build your own teacher pathways from high school on up; build residencies; underwrite training for those who will teach in their own communities; identify best practices for mentoring first year teachers; provide incentives to board-certified teachers to serve as mentors and teacher leaders in high-poverty schools. Convene a high-level task force to evaluate and recommend strategies for improving educator preparation, licensing, and accreditation statewide.
3. And 4. Key Goals for Integrated Supports and High-Quality Early Learning Opportunities
Community Schools are the best means for providing integrated supports for low-income communities and should be built to scale in communities where 80% of students come from low-income families.
Funding for community schools in 2019-2020 was inadequate to support those Community Schools that already exist. Sufficient data should be required to inform ongoing school improvement in community schools. Targeted educator Professional Development is necessary to develop competencies required for managing Community Schools.
Reinstate Funding for K-5 Plus
Establish regional capacity to offer technical assistance and Professional Development to help districts implement Community Schools and expanded learning effectively.
5. Adequate and Equitable Funding: Building a system with the prior four key goals requires adequate funding that is distributed effectively and equitable because NM has resourced its schools inadequately. New Mexico is $1,100 per student below the national average of per-student funding and needs to get closer to the national average. Lack of adequate funding has been a major factor in the state’s not being able to create the capacity necessary to sufficiently educate its diverse populations.
To move forward, New Mexico has to maintain its investments during downturns and increase them when the economy recovers: leverage federal aid to augment local efforts; support districts to align and consolidate multiple federal and state funding sources; strengthen accountability by strengthening the data, expectations, and training for school boards and educators around budget, review, approval, auditing; appoint a high-level, multi-sector task force to develop strategies for generating additional state income.
6. Redesign state’s accountability policies by developing and consistently using a state “Profile of the New Mexico Graduate”
Refine state’s new set of indicators, dashboard, and data system to include multiple measures of students’ opportunities to learn, as well as a broad range of outcomes as identified in the Graduate Profile.
Require robust, community-engaged, local budget planning and accountability processes that use state data combined with local expertise to propose and evaluate local spending focused on community-appropriate, evidence-based strategies for increasing student learning opportunities and outcomes.
The best way to move this agenda forward is to create an independent state-wide commission to plan and provide long-term guidance for educational improvement in New Mexico. This is the only way to get multiple stakeholders on board and prevent continuing and costly lawsuits.
In the Q&A a question was asked about what the presenters’ recommendations were for improving the Teacher Education Programs in the state. Jeannie responded that there needs to be a high-level task force that assesses the quality of our teacher education programs, along with creating licensure and credential requirements that have teachers meet the necessary high standards.
Report from Santa Fe Public Schools Administration:
Dr. Garcia’s report on the roll-out of On-Line Learning: Linda Sink and her team did the heroic work of offering Professional Development—technical, multi-cultural, social and emotional learning--support to 700 teachers in 100 sessions over the course of 4 full days. The teachers are asking for more help with on-line teaching tools, and building lessons. As the curriculum team of the SFPS knows, we have volunteers who are more than ready, willing, and able to help with these requests.
August 19, 2020 - Challenges of Online Teaching
Summary of Meeting: Panel discussion on Challenges of Online Teaching; Reports from Santa Fe Public Schools and Opening of 2020-2021 school year; and update regarding the Office of Equity, Diversity and Engagement.
Number Present-38
Up-Coming Dates: Next Meeting September 16, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. over Zoom
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: We seek to be of service, working with a diverse spectrum of organizations toward collective impact.
What words come to mind when we think of collective impact: voting, powerful, complexity, synergy, working with different organizations, complex roles and responsibilities and new behaviors required. Collective impact requires partnership with teachers at Santa Fe High School, identify how to fund, getting students and parents involved, work with NEA and book delivery. We must have patience and respect for collective impact. It will have a different face to it this year and will be organized around a specific source problem to the organization.
Presentation: “Challenges of Online Teaching”
Panel: Alicia Ayala, El Camino Real Academy ; Delara Sharma, The Academy for Technology and the Classics; John Morrison, Santa Fe High School
Question: How would you describe the 1st quarter of the year?
Key points
Teachers experienced the following challenges:
Major challenge was to get student to engage online;
Using a lot of technology to produce student work;
Uploading assignments was a challenge with the internet;
Experienced attendance problems where kids logged in and looked at work but work was never completed;
Some parents had limited time to spend with children and/or children were alone all day; and
Teachers spent many hours outside of office hours calling and texting students regarding assignments.
How can the community support you?
Dialogue Summary:
Teachers expressed the need for volunteers in virtual classrooms to work with breakout groups. Students were more likely to speak up in smaller groups. Bilingual volunteers are not required. Students need to be assured that volunteer is committed to helping on a consistent basis.
Volunteer “boots on the ground” are needed to help students and teachers in High School. Sometimes volunteers get frustrated with students because of “push back behavior.” We need to keep in mind that a relationship needs to be developed with the students first and then work with them to develop subject expertise.
A question was raised regarding online breakout rooms. Santa Fe Public Schools uses Google Meet which does not have breakout rooms like Zoom. Volunteers must have 2 students in each breakout room, based on SF Public School rules for protection of the student to protect against abuse (non-certified staff cannot have 1 on 1 meetings). SFPS switched to Google Meet because it tracks data that is collected for student attendance and participation. Note: the District does not have a license for breakout rooms so the online block is limited to 40 minutes. Google Meet can better support teachers with Google Docs because it is an open access environment.
Report: Opening of the 2020-2021 school year ---SFPS
And Update about the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Engagement.
As a result of needed budget cuts, administrative staffs are taking on more duties. The administration had to cut 10 district wide positions. A new department, the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Engagement was created, and Dr. James Lujan will be the Chief EDE Officer. Crystal Ibarra is Deputy. Dr. Lujan will do school-based engagement, work with ombudsman program, Title 9 enforcement, alternative ed, GED program, discipline hearings, monthly attendance and safety services. Ms. Ibarra will be in charge of discipline hearings and collecting data and looking at disparate groups along with her other responsibilities, such as Community Schools.
The PED agreed with the union to begin the school year with remote learning.
Deputy Superintendent Linda Sink brought in 70 teachers over the summer to develop lessons so that students are ready for remote learning experience. Last year, it was difficult for the 900 teachers to learn the new platform. The goal this summer was to provide professional development and teach teachers how to help students learn online. They wanted to create lessons that were engaging and useful tools for the teachers. Four lessons per week for k-12 content were developed. This year, the 70 teachers involved in the training will mentor other teachers. The silver lining of the training was that teachers “became one” and understood how to proceed together. The district received positive emails from teachers working together. In addition, they looked at core standards. Dr. Sue O’Brian built curriculum in social emotional learning into the schedule that involved activities that enabled the teachers to get to know kids better. Activities were embedded in the schedule to minimize screen time by doing labs and activities in their home settings and suggesting outside environments.
Dr. Ryan elaborated on how they are preparing students for the school year:
Better access to resources
View as an opportunity to transform education
Better internet access
Change the way students do their work
Provide expectations
Leverage resources and expand school day--not just 1 solution
96% of the students were connecting during the Spring
Lessons are geared to standards, but introduce a different way of learning
This preparation resulted in teachers coming together to make it work. SF Public School had ability to connect teachers and kids district wide.
Other Reports and Announcements
Lynn Heffron--Equity, Diversity, and Engagement Advisory Council, SFPS
Involved with five committees that worked on culture, gender, language, politics, policy, resource and wellness, collaborative learning and anti-oppression and bias.
Lois Rudnick—Community Schools Partnership offering Curriculum Resources, Tutoring and Coaching at Santa Fe High School and César Chávez Community School
Lois Rudnick and Lynn Heffron attended a session with SFHS faculty and with the faculty of César Chávez Community Schools. Both schools have received Community School grants and have asked the Interfaith Coalition to be Partners. At SFHS teachers would like tutors to work in breakout rooms, any kind of professional virtual classroom. At César Chávez, teachers asked for curriculum resources for the lesson plans that they were preparing, as well as bi-lingual tutors. We will continue to meet with the Community Coordinators at each school to determine how we will work together.
Reflection Summary
Comments that stood out from the reports:
SF School District needs volunteers
We need to determine what is effective learning
Quality demonstrated
Educators are overwhelmed and we need to let them know that we have their backs
Excellent teachers are willing to make commitment of time
Advantage of the online learning is that many students are getting 1 on 1 assistance.
Some students were not able to engage because of behavioral problems but now outside of the standard classroom, the problem is eliminated and they are star students!
Adaptability of kids and teachers.
July 15, 2020 - Bo Keppel, NAACP, Veteran Teacher, “Teaching with a Concern for Social Justice”
Summary of Meeting: Numbers Present- 28
Our opening conversation focused on the ICPE value of Embracing Cultural Differences. Diversity of cultures was named as one of our strongest assets. This is a positive value that leads to positive behaviors. This includes demonstrating respect and support of our students, our children, of others and is often considered a cherished blessing. Those seeing cultural diversity as a deficit, often see a world of “ourselves vs. others.”
Those who seek social justice is one aspect of cultural diversity that can be seen today in our streets as protests ensue to bring attention to racial disparities across our country. One can take positive action by being an “upstander” to end bullying, injustice, and intolerance in our schools and workplaces as well as in the streets. This is often seen as offering a helping hand to those in need, another core value of ICPE.
Up-Coming Dates: Thursday, 5:30, July 16, 2020 Special School Board Meeting to discuss opening of schools as COVID-19 continues in our community.
Wednesday August 19, 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., 2020. Next ICPE Meeting.
MEETING CONTENT
Presentation: Presentation: Bo Keppel, NAACP, Veteran Teacher, “Teaching with a Concern for Social Justice”
Bo described how social justice found her. In New York State, an adult woman, providing housing for participants of a music competition, apologized to Bo for having to share a double bed with a "colored girl" who was her friend. This experience was Bo's introduction to white privilege.
She ultimately taught in a NY State residential program for court-remanded teens. While all program adults were white, all students were Black. Influenced by a Black Muslim off-shoot, her students chose Muslim names. The director of the residential program forbad her to allow the students to use their "fake” names. In response, the students and she developed “positive protest protocols,” which allowed them to assert what was important to them in a non-threatening manner
Unfortunately, these "Protocols" did not prevent their being physically and emotionally abused by Staff. After one student was drugged, put in “The Hole”, and straight-jacketed, she resigned at the end of the year, recognizing she could not protect her students.
In conversation we noted that white racism-inspired staff treatment of students was on full display.
Reports and Discussion
Report 1— Report from SFPS: Dr. James Lujan, Director of Dept of Equity Diversity and Engagement on the role and mission of this new department.
Understand and support underprivileged and at-risk students
Coordinate across departments to expand level of engagement of all stakeholders.
Provide an annual report
Organizational chart is on SFPS website.
Crystal Ibarra is Deputy Director and cites making their department’s goals community wide and school wide.
The Equity and Diversity Council continues to meet and advise. They are coordinating with PED’s 15 member Yazzi/Martinez council. Focus also on culture, language, special education, Native Americans, and new immigrants.
Report 2 – NEA 1,000 Book Challenge: Grace Mayer, President, NEA-SF
Grace and the NEA are seeking new, preferably bi-lingual books for the early grades. Books addressing themes of resiliency, overcoming adversity, and diversity especially welcomed. Books can be delivered to the NEA office and ordered off of websites.
Report 3— Community Schools: Partnering with César Chávez Community School—Lois Rudnick
Lois is working on curriculum resources on topics supplied by teachers. Principal, Amanda Chavez convened a meeting of teachers to meet with the ICPE partner team of Melinda, Lois and Elise. Lois is developing lessons on and encouraging Side By Side and Martin’s Big Words; both can be integrated across all subjects.
Reflection Summary
In conversation we shared life experiences of dealing with racism. These experiences included being discouraged from speaking in one’s native language, and thereby coming to see one’s home culture as deficit. When arriving from other countries, others learned to listen carefully in order to fit into new cultural patterns, and sometimes experienced hope and developed compassion for others.
We all can take steps to shift patterns of racism and to stand for social justice:
We can support the core mission of NAACP, and their activities in the schools.
Some mentioned that they will no longer check boxes on forms that ask for racial identities.
Others mentioned the power of personal stories and creating opportunities to share these stories with one another and with children.
There are many curriculum resources for encouraging diversity and social justice that are now posted on the ICPE website.
We can encourage the development of an inclusive curriculum for history, social studies, government, civics.
We can strengthen the dual language programs and expand them.
An ICPE task force is meeting to discern how we as an organization can continue to address issues of social injustice and racism.
June 17, 2020 - Community Educators Network and Responding to COVID-19
SUMMARY OF MEETING:
There were 35 participants in the meeting, and the main topics of discussion were the Community Educators Network and how the NM Legislative Finance Committee Report is relevant to the Santa Fe Public School System.
Resources recommended at the meeting include
Information from the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition:
“Today the SHLB Coalition, SECA, and Funds For Learning joined 1,935 individuals and organizations in asking Congress to introduce and enact the "Remote Learning During COVID-19 Act." The draft legislative proposal would connect the 7.15 million families with school-aged children who currently don't have broadband access.
If you agree with this need to connect students so that they are not shut off from their education during the coronavirus, we would appreciate your help in spreading the word about the letter and the proposal.”
This reference to the Museum of African American History in D.C.: https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race
Up-Coming Dates:
There was an announcement about the Three Sisters Collective would be leading a demonstration on Friday, June 19, at the Santa Fe Plaza to demand removal of the obelisk in the Plaza, the Kit Carson memorial in front of the Courthouse, and the statue of Don Diego DeVargas in Cathedral Park.
The Special Session of the NM Legislature begins tomorrow, June 18, and Dr. Garcia urged meeting participants to encourage their legislators to vote not to cut the education budget.
Conversation on the ICPE Value of Responsiveness
Presentations:
Community Educators Network and Responding to COVID-19
Mollie Parsons, Education Director, Santa Fe Botanical Gardens, provided a brief history of the Network, which focuses on collaboration between organizations and collective projects that provide opportunities for experiential education to address community needs. CEN now includes 50 member organizations. The COVID pandemic caused CEN to look for new ways to respond to teachers who were looking for support for online learning. Since the March school closure, CEN, in collaboration with Math Amigos, Communities In Schools, and others, has distributed 20,000 sets of learning materials for students and parents to use at home, has produced five videos for teachers, and has worked with 21st Century teachers in creating a remote summer curriculum. CEN is preparing to survey teachers to find out what they need, even though the immediate future of classroom education is uncertain.
Legislative Finance Committee Report and Special Session Budget Considerations
Dr. Garcia, Superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools, said that the LFC report was a “broad brush” snapshot of New Mexico and failed to address specific districts that did well with switching to a virtual classroom setting. SFPS chose not to follow the “no grading” guidance, did not rehash old concepts during virtual sessions, had sufficient digital devices for all students (and 96% of students had internet access), and provided learning packets for the remaining 4% of students.
SFPS conducted a survey as part of a national effort to determine how effective the switch to virtual learning has been, and the results of the survey will be shared when analysis is complete.
SFPS intends to conduct a local survey of parents to determine the interest level in several alternatives: a full return to classroom instruction in the fall, conducting only virtual instruction, or a hybrid of both. SFPS is also working with the NEA-SF to survey teachers as to what they are willing to do in the fall. One-third of SFPS teachers are over 60, and there is concern over how many would return for classroom instruction.
Meeting participants discussed the opportunity in virtual instruction mode to create cohorts of students in each classroom who can discuss concepts with cohorts in other schools and other districts. We also discussed alternative methods of assessing learning through project-based learning, portfolio preparation, etc.
Dr. Garcia read a letter she has prepared to the SF legislative delegation requesting that they vote in the Special Session to keep FY 21 education funding and employee raises intact.
Reports and Discussion
1. Yazzie-Martinez Lawsuit Implementation
A hearing date has been set for appeal from the State
In this hearing---held since this meeting—the Judge denied the appeal
2. Community School at Cesar Chavez
Amanda Romero assembled her team leaders – one teacher from each grade level – who will be getting back to ICPE with the subject matter of their units of study. UPDATE: The 1st through 3rd grades have completed the chart, providing ICPE with a wide variety of topics that will be covered in the upcoming school year. This will serve as a basis for providing curricula from ICPE programs led by Judy Reinhartz (integrating science into other subjects), Lois Rudnick (civics emphasis) and Lynn Bickley (Math Amigos).
The school is interested in how to better utilize volunteers in the online environment.
Reflection Summary
During the reflection on the meeting, participants noted several examples of responsiveness—Sabra Romero, Volunteer coordinator, who continues working to facilitate effectiveness of volunteer involvement; CEN, which is working to meet community needs in the face of uncertainty; and SFPS, which is responding to the pandemic by pursuing multiple potential instruction plans for the fall. Participants expressed concerns about the prospect of students starting academically behind in the fall and not having been properly assessed to determine the extent of the problem and about how SFPS will be able to meet the requirements of students with disabilities and special needs.
May 20, 2020 - Cesar Chavez, A Community School
PRESENTATION SUMMARY
We had 37 participants at various times throughout the meeting, which was conducted on Zoom. Amanda Chávez, the principal, and Hilda Perez-Vargas, Community Coordinator at César Chávez Community School, presented on launching the Community School strategy this past year. The major emphasis has been on wellness for the students and trauma-based training and education for staff and teachers. An additional emphasis has been on providing parents with the support they need to support their children’s learning and to build healthier homes and more sustainable communities. Even with the supports available to the students and families, there were 31% waiting for PMS behavioral health services. George Otero noted that the term “relational health” is now being used to encompass all these goals.
To launch the Community Schools approach, the coordinating team at the school has focused on providing integrated social services, expanding learning time, and invited active family and community engagement. These, along with collaborative leadership are the foundational pillars of the Community Schools strategy. The leadership team has convened meetings with community partners as well as the total faculty to discern priorities. During the pandemic shut down, they have been able to switch to on-line learning and continue to host family engagement events on-line. These have included working with partners to have a virtual cooking program. They look forward to hosting other family events that involve community partners, and asked us to suggest ideas. Our brainstorm included game nights, math and book nights, and themes that would emphasize culturalheroes, music, art and traditions.
REPORTS FROM SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A major focus has been insuring that all students have electronic devices to do on-line learning and moving to on-line formats, as well as providing “hot spots” for internet access. In addition food distribution made it possible for families with cars to pick up meals for their children each day from designated distribution sites. This will be a continued focus throughout the summer.
César Chávez Community School has received a grant from the Public Education Department to continue next year implementing the Community School approach; and that Santa Fe High School has received a grant to fund the implementation of the Community School strategy.
OTHER REPORTS
Math Amigos has added a math component to the library summer reading program; and the team will be posting additional activities on the Math Amigos website.
Match NM has nurtured the development of teenage tutors to help students during the summer; but we learned subsequently that there will be no summer school this year.
The Pen Pal project between 5th graders at César Chávez and 9th graders at Capital High School writing back and forth to elders who volunteer in the schools is in development. The organizing team has designed prompts and the project is now in the approval process by the SFPS administration. However, since there will be no summer school, the next opportunity to implement it will be in the fall.
April 15, 2020 - Reading Quest
Summary of Meeting:
Numbers Present through Zoom-31
Decisions Made: New Business—a new committee was initiated to reach out to match high school students in writing to elder residents in nursing homes.
Topics Covered:
1. Reading Quest online tutoring.
2. Report on SFPS roll out of online learning
3. Community School Team—Caesar Chavez Elementary
Relevant Information in Print--none
Up-Coming Dates: Next meeting May 20, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.
Meeting Content
Conversation on the ICPE Value—We seek to be flexible and responsive, modifying our mode of operating in order to be effective: Where have we seen this value operating?
There is a great need to do online teaching in our current environment.
Teachers are proud of the work they are doing online.
SFPS receiving great feedback from the online learning program from the community and students.
Principle at Caesar Chavez Elementary did a demonstration of distance learning.
City Council representative did a presentation discussing the issues of raising rents in Santa Fe.
Presentation: Taking the Reading Quest Program Online Rayna Dineen, Eli Feliciano, Hugo Castenada Serrano, Avery Armstrong
Key Points from Reading Quest presentation:
The Reading Quest program started in 2015 and was tutoring approximately 300 children a week prior to the pandemic. Reading Quest is currently tutoring close to 200 children online weekly. The spark for Reading Quest began in 2012 at Santa Fe School for the Arts & Sciences by creating a community wide literacy campaign called Hooked on Books which included reading contests for all SFPS students, distributing free books all over town and a summer Reading is Magic program. Since the schools will continue teaching virtually for the remainder of the school year, RQ has been providing reading tutoring and teacher workshops and sharing educational resources through their website and will continue to do so during the summer. The organization has a great partnership with the schools, and children now have Chrome books and tablets for online learning.
March 25, 2020 - Connecting Parents to Support Their Children’s On-Line Learning
Summary of Meeting
Present: Sharon Eklund, April Gallegos, K. Garcia, Tony Gerlicz, Carmen Gonzales, Penny Holcomb, Elise Packard, George Packard, Judy Reinhartz, Vanessa Romero, Lois Rudnick, John Ruggiero, Julia Ruggiero, Ferdi Serim, Melinda Silver, Hilda Vargas, Kristy Wagner, Pat Rivera, Liz Camacho, Roberta Colton, Cynthia Torcasso (21)
Decisions Made:
ICPE will continue to hold meetings on Zoom until further notice.
ICPE participants should complete the parent survey (discussed below) by March 30: https://bit.ly/ParentConcernsICPE
Up-Coming Dates: Next meeting of ICPE on April 15, 2020, 4-6pm—Zoom Conference
Meeting Content
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: We Seek to Work Intelligently
Participants discussed several examples of working intelligently, citing the difficult decisions Gov. Lujan-Grisham is making daily. An effective strategy for working intelligently requires identifying where the strengths are. For example, the SFPS worked quickly to mobilize their volunteers to feed students when the schools closed.
Presentation: Connecting Parents to Support Their Children’s On-Line Learning
Ferdi Serim introduced himself and the Community Learning Network and asked participants to consider what each of them can contribute in one hour per week of volunteer time, then with one hour per day.
He presented the Parent Concerns Survey and asked everyone present to go online to complete the survey by March 30 in order to provide a sample dataset. The focus of the survey is the concerns parents have about supporting their children’s learning online.
Topics Covered:
Students can’t learn from anyone with whom they do not have an established relationship
“Time banking” is a barter service system that Ferdi is working on to launch in the community. We can coach one another in on-line learning.
We can up-skill our “learning how to learn” abilities; and we can help parents do the same as they support their children’s at home learning
We could coach parents in the use on-line resources that help their children gain basic skills. One of these resources is
PBS Learning Media
We can support Project Learning through the use of Geographic Information
Systems – GIS - which use maps as a way of stimulating learning
ESRI geo information system tools
Is one source that has been used by teachers and parents for years.
Dialogue Summary:
Consider starting with ESRI class online. Each one of us can do this, and Ferdi is willing to coach us. There is no cost for the course or the coaching. We might gain enough skills to be able to help parents. The GIS skill is one which is highly valued and might lead to employment with state agencies as well as in business. This skill is one which can be taught to upper elementary students, middle school and high school students. In the context of community, parents could learn and perhaps gain a skill for employment in the “New Economy” which is emerging with the pandemic.
Volunteers:
Pat volunteered to be a bi-lingual resource to help at Cesar Chavez if there is interest
Kristy will be the contact for SFPS going forward
Liz is working on how businesses can participate
Lois is teaching/coaching
April is connecting with parents
Carmen as a School Board member is in touch with Dr. Garcia and Dr. Ryan about the tech roll out
Several are interested in taking the GIS training course: ESRI Training Course (4.5 hours): https://www.esri.com/training/catalog/57630436851d31e02a43f125/_teaching-with-gis_-introduction-to-using-gis-in-the-classroom/
Reflection Summary:
This time of “sheltering” is stretching us to be innovative and giving some of us the time to think and learn new skills to position for the new economy
Try to view crisis as opportunity
Need to continue checking in on each other as we realize how much we mean to each other
Discover more opportunities for on-line learning
Achieving highest vision of what we could be
Relevant Information in Print/Online:
Politico.com—how coronavirus will change the world
Presentation: https://bit.ly/SERIM_ICPE
Majesty of Music and Math : https://nm.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/majesty-music-math-collection/#.XnvBLpNKiK4
PBS LearningMedia: https://nm.pbslearningmedia.org/
ESRI Training Course (4.5 hours): https://www.esri.com/training/catalog/57630436851d31e02a43f125/_teaching-with-gis_-introduction-to-using-gis-in-the-classroom/
ESRI GeoInquiries: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/education/schools/geoinquiries-collections
Ferdi Serim—Sign up for coaching on GIS Course https://calendly.com/ferdiserim/15min
Announcements:
Kristy talked about the Superintendent’s challenge
Yucca/Earth Care youth have turned their focus to a Community Mutual Aid Project and are identifying needs and who is available to help. For example, they are volunteering as runners for groceries and pharmaceuticals for shut-ins.
February 19, 2020 - Ferdi Serim presents “Next Ready”
Summary
We began with a presentation by Ferdi Serim on an innovative way to both evaluate the SFPS Attributes of a Graduate and to stimulate cross-discipline project learning, setting the tone of the meeting. ICPE Task Forces spotlighted the following: recent developments that would affect extending Community Schools across the state and in our District; how engaged business leaders are working to support apprenticeships; the SFPS process for gaining input on transforming the school system; and ICPE’s related paper on the elements critical to the process of SFPS transformation.
Number of people present: 27
Decisions Made:
A new ICPE task force will handle our feedback on Roadmap to Transformation Process and ICPE “Roadmap Elements” paper. Elise Packard will guide this task force.
Upcoming Dates: March 7: 4:00-8pm (4 sessions)
Body Percussion and Math Workshop at Meow Wolf
March 7: 9:00am-1:30pm at B.F. Young Center (SFPS)
Basic Math Plus Workshop for Tutors
MEETING CONTENT
Conversation on the ICPE core value:
We seek to be Appreciative: Understanding that the work of others over years holds wisdom
Presentation
Ferdi Serim, a veteran school teacher, who has taught in New Jersey and in E.J. Martinez Elementary, presented “Next Ready,” an evaluation method he developed to assess. Last fall used this method to assess the SFPS “Attributes of a Graduate" at Gonzalez Elementary School with 4-8th grade teachers across four disciplines: math, science, social studies, and language arts. The project is described in the video accessed by this link:
The project gathered evidence of SFPS’s “Attributes of a Graduate” (listed below):
Creative, problem solver, a critical thinker, and exhibits a love of learning
Academically proficient
Computer and media literate
Civic and socially responsible
Exhibits grit, courage, and perseverance
Compassionate, empathetic, respectful, and culturally sensitive
Possesses soft skills: communicator, self-confident, collaborative team player,
Healthy in mind and body
Identifies options and has aspirational goals-Future orientation
This Next Ready approach engages teachers in developing curriculum units and includes peer review and the opportunity for students to review and revise their work to achieve their highest level of learning. It also embeds an assessment process within the learning experience that is linked to the SFPS Attributes of a Graduate, which are listed above.
The approach is extraordinarily effective in engaging students and sparking innovation in both teaching and learning. Academics are applied to real-life learning and career-readiness (for well-paying jobs). The Next Ready approach holds great promise for our schools. Its effective application will depend on the availability of funds, professional development for teachers and orientation of students on the tech systems that are involved in managing the challenging and multiple goals of the project.
In the Gonzalez project, teachers created a multidisciplinary curriculum unit to meet standards in several subjects. Students were introduced to the elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Speed. They then took a placement exam whose results determined which of these “Superpowers” they have, using math to calculate their “Superhero”. The “Superpowers” became the theme for problem-solving exercises, such as calculating heredity across generations and determining the impact that people having these “Superpowers” might have had on a particular historical event. In addition, the students wrote their Origin Stories, which they read to their Gonzalez kindergarten “reading buddies”. They produced one or more videos that tied in what they learned to one or more of the attributes of a SFPS graduate.
The presentation was impressive and awe-inspiring to those gathered.
Ferdi described how the “Next Ready” approach also includes a pre-and post-test assessment process that reliably measures 21st Century Teaching and Learning skills for students and teachers engaged in the project. This assessment tool gives the students immediate feedback on what 21st century skills they were using and gives teachers data on how often they were teaching these skills, and allows them to track progress in developing these skills over time. The eight skills measured consistently top lists of employer desired competencies: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity & Innovation, Making Global Connections, Making Local Connections, Self Direction and Using Technology as a Tool for Learning. Each of these is correlated with one of the nine SFPS Attributes of a Graduate.
Ferdi well understands that parents and community members as well as teachers need to be introduced to his approach and its potential impact in order to be supportive. He very much wants to scale this up, but it will take some time to introduce it in ways that allow all parties to understand and support it.
Reports from the Task Forces
Legislative and Community Schools Task Force: Melinda Silver reported on legislative bills and amendments to the Community School grants.
The legislature took specific funding out of the Community Schools grants ($50,000 for planning and $150,000 implementation grants) so that PED could be “flexible” in how much it granted the schools who make it through to the potential of a second year of funding. The total funding for the state was $4M.
The Opportunity Scholarship for College Students was passed with a much-reduced budget of $12M.
The Teacher-Residency Program was passed with funding of $2M.
The Teacher Mentoring Program was passed with $2.4M for mentorship stipends (a decrease).
Teacher raises and raises for all other school staff was approved at an average of 4%.
Engaging Businesses Task Force: Sharon Shoemaker reported on the meeting of 10 business/non-profits (50 people) with representatives of the Early College/Career Opportunities school as well as YouthWorks. Out of this came 7 internship possibilities for ECO students, and one for YouthWorks. The Task Force has met 6 times since the Forum follow-up meeting in August 2019, with a focus on learning about current internship programs and community groups who might help connect students with Santa Fe businesses. Task Force members are working on a video, contacts with the film industry, and a future survey of Santa Fe businesses, possibly with the Chamber of Commerce. The Task Force hopes to identify a leader to supervise this kind of program, which would encourage commitments from businesses. If you have interest in working with this task force, please contact Lynn Bickley (lbick09@gmail.com).
Report on the Roadmap to Reinvention for the SFPS”: Judy Reinhartz reported that Dr. Garcia presented to the School Board on February 18, 2020 her proposal, “Enhancing Equity and Excellence: A Roadmap to Reinvention” (see the document on the SFPS website). The document outlines a process and presents a framework to create equity of options for input from the community about how our schools should be transformed. This proposal was in response to a call from the School Board in November as an alternative to closing several elementary schools. The proposal includes hiring a project manager and forming a steering committee with a suggested structure (see pages 9 and 11of the report).
During the discussion on this framework, there were several concerns voiced that included: 1) The cost of the process; 2) The projected timeframe (18 months); 3) The time it would take for a Project Manager to become familiar with the community; 4) The concern of including voices of teachers; and 5) The concern for participating in such an extensive process during a year when community leaders will be fully engaged with elections and census-taking activities
Also, there was a sense that critical issues also need to be addressed as soon as possible, and these include: 1) Filling teacher vacancies; 2) Changing laws that prevent retired teachers from going back to teach in the system; 3) The crisis of teacher education: 4) Getting enough trained and certified teachers into SFPS, and keeping them there; 5) Encouraging young people to go into teaching, using the medical pathways model currently in place was suggested; and 6) Lifting the teaching profession with respect and abundant salaries.
ICPE Proposal - Critical Elements:
Inspired by Dr. Garcia’s State of the Schools address in December 2019 in which she invited the public to make suggestions on how to transform the SFPS, an ICPE writing group, consisting of 11 members, drafted “A Roadmap to Reinvention: Essential Elements.” The four elements include:
1. Building Community Schools, Recovering Community
2. Invigorating Teacher Education and Developing Lab Schools
3. Strengthening the School to Career Pipeline
4. Supporting Education through a Multi-Sector Education
Leadership Team
These elements are elaborated on in a three-page paper that was presented to Dr. Garcia and to Board President, Kate Noble in early January 2020. This paper continues to be a work in progress.
It was decided to create task force to continue to work on our response to the Roadmap endeavor. Elise Packard volunteered to guide this task force.
Special Thank You’s
Thank you to Lois Rudnick for taking notes during the meeting and to Dean Gerber, Ferdi Serim and Cynthia Torcosso for help in meeting set up. Thank you to George Packard for meeting set up and facilitation.
January 15, 2020 - Earth Care Youth Leadership Institute and YUCCA’s Action
Summary of Meeting: Presentation by Earth Care and YUCCA, reports on Community Schools, Yazzie-Martinez, Education bills upcoming in Legislature, Parents in Action, Roadmap to Reinvention of SFPS.
Numbers Present: 25
Decisions Made: To follow Education bills in Legislature
Upcoming Events:
Earth Care and Yucca handed out leaflets on their Climate Change work and their 1/21 Call To Action to testify against PNM’s proposed new gas plan in the San Juan Coal Plant Replacement Power Case. Important Events Tues, Jan 21: Testimony on San Juan Plant Transition: 9:00am PRC Building. YUCCA Presentation: Roundhouse 11:30-12:30
Opening of Legislature: 12 noon (get in line an hour early) Roundhouse
Open house/ party for businesses/org’s interested in sponsoring internships at Violet Crowne 5:30-7:00 pm, Second Wed. of each month.
Citizens’ Review Committee mtg, public invited re: the development of the SFPS facility master plan---6:00-8:00 pm 610 Alta Vista
Wed, Feb 19: Next ICPE Mtg. 4:00-6:00 pm, HEC, Rm 157
Meeting Content
Presentation: Following Youth Leadership to Respond to Critical Issues: Earth Care Youth Leadership Institute and YUCCA’s Action Bianca Sopoci-Belknap, Miguel Angel Acosta, Veroaylin Campos
Key points: The mission of Earth Care Youth Leadership Institute is “growing leaders from the ground up.” Issues: youth leadership, community development, gentrification, resources for children, youth, and families in order to create healthy, just, and sustainable communities
Dialogue Summary:
Bianca Sopoci-Belknap: Young people are key to a changing the world and have visions and aspirations for social justice. Our job is to figure out how to help activate youth (high school and college age). We are grounded in immigrant, Norteño, low income, Native communities. We make space for youth in decision-making and they choose what issues to research, act on, and showcase. They get public speaking guidance and intensive training and mentorship. Youth set policy priorities.
Veroaylin Campos: The El Puente Leadership Academy is an intensive summer week of workshops. Last summer we worked with Pueblo Youth Alliance. YUCCA is Youth United for Climate Change Action and they mobilized the climate strike last year, the sit-in at the Governor’s office, and the demands for the Governor to declare a climate emergency in New Mexico. YUCCA members brought this demand to the Governor’s office every week. Veroaylin invited us to the January 21 action at the opening of the Legislature. There will be a youth press conference and performance related to closing of San Juan Coal Plant Replacement Power Case. Gather at 9:00 am for public comment at the PRC and 11:30-12:30 press conference and performance at the Roundhouse.
Miguel Acosta: The campaign for resources for Southside is ongoing; and now the focus is on developing a Teen Center for which over a million dollars has been given. The Teens at the Center campaign is engaging youth in designing the center and deciding its programming based on interviews of teens and teachers. A report on the results of these interviews will be published. They did 1000 student surveys and also teacher surveys about their feelings about living in Santa Fe. The teens are making the lead decisions on the creation of the teen center, coming together to co-create their own lives.
In answer to the question: “What can we do to help?” The Earth Care team responded: Be allies, donate resources, bring what the youth are doing to the outside world. Others suggested that we can work within the SFPS to build curriculum that reflects student agency; we can leverage relationships that are helpful to these endeavors, and make introductions.
Reports and Discussion
1) Report – Community Schools and Yazzie Martinez—Melinda Silver - ICPE helped with writing of Community Schools Bill that passed last year allotting $2 million for planning and implementation grants to school districts across the state. Santa Fe has two schools that received grants: Santa Fe High School, a Planning Grant; Cesar Chavez, an Implementation grant.
The Governor is requesting $12 million from this legislative session for Community Schools. At least $10 million is needed to continue the work of turning planning grants into implementation grants. Melinda asked for ICPE members to sign up to help follow education bills and be ready to go to hearings about them. [Update: We have at least 5 people who have volunteered to follow various education bills in the Legislature]. The Governor has requested 4% raises for school personnel and a 17 million dollar increase for PED to meet Yazzie Martinez goals of supporting extended learning tripling K-5 participation in extended schooling, for at-risk youth and teacher end, and for a New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship to cover tuition and fees for students in state colleges.
2) Report—Parents in Action—April Gallegos
Our goal is to engage and empower parents and to figure out what real school support looks like. What are the elements of effective school-family relationships? We want to build positive roles so parents can support social-emotional learning. We want to set a baseline of expectations for parents, to find ways to support the district in strengthening lines of communication and to enhance communication among parents.
3). Report—Roadmap to Reinvention of SFPS—Judy Reinhartz
At a School Board meeting on November 6, the Board passed a resolution asking that, rather than close 3 elementary schools in the District, that Supt. Garcia bring forward a plan to re-imagine or re-invent the schools in the District. Dr. Garcia, in turn, has invited the public to share their ideas on what needs to be included in that plan. A task force of ICPE engaged in a thinking session on the topic and came up with s four key elements for reinventing the SFPS system: 1) Community Schools across the District 2) Re-invigorating Teacher Education and the development of lab schools linked with higher ed institutions such as Northern NM 3) Enhancing school to career pipeline building upon our present assets 4) multi-sector Leadership Team which would include the Mayor, a leader of the County Commissioners, Leaders in the Business and Faith Communities as well as leadership from the school district that would develop a strategic plan and establish benchmarks for collaborative work. This team might be called EXCEL Santa Fe.
The ICPE team has met with Dr. Garcia and Kate Noble, School Board President on our suggested elements, and we will meet with other Board Members and stakeholders in the community. Dr. Garcia will present a framework for this reinvention process to the School Board on February 17.
4). Report—Key Education Bills and Good news from PED
Lynn Heffron spoke about Brian Egolf and Dr. Garcia asking for 10% raises for teachers and increases for the Public Education Department (PED). The good news from PED is that they have hired as a consultant the person responsible from taking Mississippi educational achievement from 49-50 to 24th in the nation.
5). Business Community Engagement - Lynn Bickley invited us to come to an open house party at Violet Crowne on Tues, Jan 21 from 5:30 to 7:00. This will be an opportunity to meet business who are working on developing a model for expanding internships for high school seniors. The pilot program will be launched with students from the Early College and Career Opportunity school, ECO.
5). Math Amigos has 57 teachers signed up for the next workshop, which will be the first given in Spanish.
Reflections at the End of the Meeting:
There seems to be a synergy happening within and between the SFPS, the School Board, and organizations like ICPE and others to really make substantive change for the good in our public schools.
November 20, 2019 - Leverage Relationships through shared information and Dr. Linda Darling Hammond presents the Learning Policy Institute's statewide initiative
Summary of Meeting: This was a non-traditional meeting held in two parts and in two locations. The first part was dedicated to task force reports and held at Temple Beth Shalom. Fifteen people, including 4 representatives of SFPS attended. The meeting was informational, with the intent of enabling each task force to leverage relationships and opportunities through shared information. The second portion of the meeting was a report by the Dr. Linda Darling Hammond of the Learning Policy Institute on their statewide initiative, which was delivered at the Public Education Department. Additional members of ICPE attended this presentation. Notes on the Presentation are embedded in this document.
Up-Coming Dates: December 4 11:30 – 1pm: State of the Schools at the Convention Center. ICPE Meeting: Jan 15, 4-6 P.M., HEC. Selection of new Co-Lead of ICPE (Judy is rotating out to Leadership Team; Elise is remaining and will welcome a new Co-Lead).
Recommended Reading: The Regio-Emilia approach to learning: https://www.reggioalliance.org/reggio-emilia/reggio-children/; Linda Darling-Hammond and Jeannie Oakes, In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School, 2010. Available on amazon.
MEETING CONTENT: Our mission is to support quality education. Introductions – each person attending related their connection to supporting quality education
Conversation on the ICPE Value of: “We Seek to be Flexible and Responsive”.
Examples of flexibility: Modifying our modes of operating when necessary in order to be effective. Discussion of where we have seen the need for flexibility and responsiveness in our work: Community Schools Task Force will change its work plan in light of the two grants to SFPS; the environment within each school is often changing and requiring that we be flexible; Cabinet members are stepping into community events for Dr. Garcia this month while she is on family leave.
Task Forces, Report, and Discussion
Task Forces
1. Youth Engagement: Ralph Holcomb
The goal of youth engagement is to empower youth by offering opportunities for engagement, and following the leadership that they are providing. The group focused on how we engage youth. It is challenging to recruit youth volunteers given the demands on their time. The group discussed giving students credit for volunteering through community service.
Several programs in Santa Fe are working with youth, like Earth Care, WAVE and YouthWorks. These partners should be engaged before moving forward to avoid duplication of effort. YUCCA and the Youth Center on the Southside should also be contacted.
There is a sense that youth are fully engaged in critical endeavors; and in some cases leading adults into activism. It would be good to have a report on these endeavors to see how their activities are complementary and where there might be gaps.
Those who engaged in the conversation on this topic in the August meeting no longer have time to continue this engagement.
2. Community Schools/Yazzie-Martinez: Melinda Silver
SFPS has been awarded 2 Community School grants from PED for work in Cesar Chavez Elementary and Santa Fe High School
This week Melinda Silver, Lois Rudnick, and Lynn Heffron of ICPE and David Carl and Crystal Ybarra of SFPS, Mary Parr-Sanchez, David Greenberg and Grace Mayer of NEA met to discuss the Community Schools planning grant awarded to SFHS. There will be meetings with the school principal and key personnel from the community and essential agencies to conduct a needs assessment and to map the assets that will be key for developing the Community School approach. These activities will be the focus for Year 1, and preparation for a subsequent implementation grant. March is the first reporting deadline. There is an aspiration on the part of key Community Schools advocates to craft a bill for increased funding (perhaps up to $10M) for expanding the development of Community Schools across the state.
In developing the grant proposal for SFHS, there was interest in the feeder schools of Kearny Elementary and Milagro Middle School. Developing the Community School approach in these schools would provide a consistent school culture from Pre-K-12 grade. Teachers at SFHS are critical to the success of the planning grant for SFHS and will be actively involved.
George Otero is working on a $50,000 planning grant for an elementary school in Eagle’s Nest, NM, the only rural school among the grant awards. There are over 20 planning grants that have been awarded to schools across the state, providing opportunities for dialogue and collaboration.
3. Volunteer Engagement System: Sabra Romero, SFPS Volunteer Coordinator
This Task Force met 2 times. SFPS has held 2 volunteer training workshops, which have provided a general orientation, and skills for reading and math tutors.
Jenifer Hooten has been appointed Math Coordinator in SFPS. This position is a great help to those doing tutoring.
There is a new video for tutor training to help orient tutors. A video for teachers on how to work with tutors and volunteers is planned.
They are looking for grant funding to secure volunteer liaisons in each school that does not have a CIS Coordinator.
They are working with Mandela to offer credit for volunteering and encouraging students at the SFHS College Plaza to volunteer as part of preparing their college applications.
The relational aspect of volunteering is important, especially determining what are the teacher’s needs, how the teacher works with the volunteer, and how tutors are matched to students. Many retired teachers could be engaged.
4. Engaging Businesses: Lynn Bickley
This Task Force has met 4 times; its focus is Designing Successful Business Internships. There are over 50 businesses, community groups, and SFPS and City staff on the mailing list, reflecting an unusually high community response. The past 3 meetings have engaged a smaller working group dedicated to creating a proposal with a pilot internship program, possibly at the Early College Opportunity (ECO) High School for 10 students.
The group is planning a Meet and Greet at the Violet Crown Common Room on Thursday January 21 5:30-7pm for the 50 plus member Task Force.
5. School Board Update: George Packard
There were speakers in the Public Forum who spoke against the fact that Education Retirement money is being invested in private prison companies. The Board voted to divest.
Three teachers receiving Golden Apple awards are from Santa Fe!
There was a report on bullying. The bullying and cyberbullying policies are being integrated.
SFPS has 6 propane and 1 electric bus. A grant has been submitted for more electric buses
As a result of the election there will be 2 new School Board members
Discussion – focused on the Task Forces’ presentations above.
Reflection Summary—Relevance to our on-going work. Discussion comments: This meeting creates hope for our public school system. The bigger picture is enlightening. Change and new programs do not always happen quickly. Our meetings are like pebbles thrown in a pond that create even larger circles. Our goal this year was to expand to include more voices. It is encouraging to see community members at our meetings. When you jump in you see how difficult the work is – it really takes a village.
PRESENTATION: Dr. Linda Darling Hammond, Research-based Recommendations
For four months, Dr. Hammond and her team from Stanford’s Learning Policy Institute (LPI), including Jeannie Oakes, who is the New Mexico lead, have been working in collaboration with Patricia Jimenez Latham and Edward Tabet-Cubero (Transform Education NM) and Carmen Gonzales (NM educator and newly-elected member of SF Board of Education) on an in-depth study of education in our state. Linda is presently the head of the California State Board of Education. This report represents the half-way mark of their study, which will provide data and recommendations to the Legislative Education Study Committee and the public.
Mission: “Building a High Quality, Equitable, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Education System” that educates “The Whole Child,” includes a “Vibrant Educator System,” and builds Civic and Cultural competencies (the state of California Board of Education is now drawing up a “Seal of Civic Education” that will be stamped on graduating seniors diplomas, with a set of guidelines of how the seal can be obtained).
Everything, Dr. Hammond pointed out, must start from how kids learn and must draw from students’ cultural knowledge, and what they already know. Brain science has shown the importance of both kinds of knowledge—awareness of how kids learn, drawing from their culture and what they already know—in allowing new learning to happen in a meaningful way.
FACT: New Mexico has a 74% graduation rate, the lowest in the nation.
The areas in which New Mexico needs to build on its assets and enhance academic strength:
1.Career Readiness
“Soft” Skills; e.g., social and emotional development, resiliency, agency, collaboration, communication skills, ability to work collaboratively (which is what employers over and over again say are the qualities they are looking for in new hires)
2.21st-Century skills—knowledge is changing so rapidly that the old model of disciplines and content areas cannot prepare kids for the kinds of good jobs available. These skills include bi-lingualism and mult-lingualism, which “make us more intelligent.” College and Career Pathways are necessary to a revised curriculum and preparation for 21st century
3.Empowered Educators: skilled teachers and leaders who graduate from Teacher Education Programs that provide stipends, mentors in the classroom; high quality mentoring for teachers and principals, raising teacher salaries and standards. New Mexico has a 9% shortage of teachers, high turnover, and declining teacher education enrollment: a 45% decline in ten years. Teachers are underprepared and leave at a 2/3’s higher rate than the national rate. There are two times more inexperienced teachers in poor schools where 50% of the teachers are inexperienced. The PED could create a task force to study teacher preparation in the state, examining how to raise the status of teachers, looking at teachers as “nation builders,” providing release load for collaboration with and observation by other teachers, and release time for master teachers to mentor others, co-teaching opportunities, and “looping”: arranging for students to have the same teachers for more than one year [as already happens in AVID], assigning advisors to stay with the same pool of students for 5 or 6 years. Mentoring of principals and superintendents is equally important.
There are schools designed solely by teachers, which have higher achievement records for their students. (not in our state)
There used to be a New Mexico Leadership Academy and it should be re-instituted. They offered two-year mentorships for principal fellows.
She talked about the importance of Community Schools in helping to meet the goals she laid out and the problems faced by our state school systems. There are now three dozen Community Schools in the state.
47% of New Mexico families are low-income
4. Wrap-Around Services
5. Early Childhood Education (there need to be programs for birth to 5 as well)
In school systems that have, and have clear standards for, pre-K, health care and other wrap-around services, restorative justice, parent engagement, and all the rest of the above, research shows higher rates of attendance, graduation, parent involvement in their children’s education.
Recommended Resources for us to explore:
Reggio Emelia: an international program for pre-K to 5 that is extraordinary in meeting ALL the goals Dr. Hammond laid out. Check out: https://www.reggioalliance.org/reggio-emilia/reggio-children/
The mission of Reggio Emelia:
Malaguzzi [the founder] had an original vision of permanent professional development for teachers; development which included openness towards culture in general—poetry, theater, design, photography, and cinema—which allowed encounter with the most advanced researchers and with new theories of childhood, so that these suggestions could be discussed, metabolized, and critiqued.”
Linda Darling-Hammond and Jeannie Oakes, In Search of Deeper Learning: The Quest to Remake the American High School, 2010. Available on Amazon.