January 15 , 2018 EDCAL 5

ACSA has a rich history of acknowledging students who find success in the face of adversity . That ’ s why the story of Diana Mendez Ramos is one worth noting .

Each day after classes , this Santa Maria High School senior stays involved in clubs or inside the offices studying until the campus is closed . Then , she heads to the public library to finish her homework and study until that closes before she returns home , a place she shares with her brother , sister , mother and father .

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that deepen understanding between groups , both individually and in the school culture . Additionally , the study found that following the Parent Teacher Home Visits process , both educators and families reported a change in their assumptions and attitudes about one another .

Researchers discovered that in general , across four major metropolitan school districts , families who participated in PTHV

“ I walk into the library after tutoring

( others ) every day because my whole family lives in one room ,’’ Ramos said during a recent luncheon honoring her achievements hosted by Computer Connections .

She received a desktop computer and a gift card from

Ramos the program , sponsored by the

Santa Maria Valley Industry Education Council and the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce .

reported being more comfortable around school staff and teachers . As their perceptions of educators shifted from “ distant authority figures ” to “ relatable ” people with common goals , “ families reported increased confidence in reaching out to educators and communicating about student needs .”

Some of the teachers who previously held “ deficit ” assumptions about the families of their students found their perceptions shifting after home visits , moving to “ recognizing students ’ capabilities ” and realizing that families ’ care for their children in diverse ways . Educators reported increased

Ramos has a 4.46 GPA and is ranked fourth out of 633 in her class of 2018 . Her goal is to be accepted to Cal Tech and study software engineering .

Community service is a passion for Ramos . She ’ s racked up more than 500 hours with the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Music and Arts Festival , Strawberry Festival , Toys for Tots , Thrive food pantry , Salvation Army , United Way , other organizations and tutoring . She ’ s also found time for school programs and groups that

understanding and empathy toward their students and families , and described changes in their behavior and their teaching practices , such as including students ’ interests and home cultures in lessons to improve student engagement and motivation , and handling discipline with more empathy than in prior practice .

PTHV maintains that attention to bias , and the study of intervention effectiveness , is more important than ever , as U . S . public schools serve a more than 80 percent majority of Latino , Asian and African American students , and the majority , 70 percent , of support both non-English speaking and English-speaking parents .

Principal Joe Domingues described his student as “ a wonderful young woman and born leader ” who is “ loyal , trustworthy , resilient , humble , smart , caring and a joy to be around . I ’ ve told her to keep doing what she is doing , and after she graduates from college she will be able to buy a house that will have a room for every one of her family members ,’’ Domingues said .

public school students live in low-income households . At the same time , the majority of teachers are white , middle-class and female . Even when a staff is diverse , a single teacher is likely to work with students and their families who are ethnically , linguistically or culturally different than themselves .

The three phases of the PTHV national evaluation are ongoing and funded by Flamboyan Foundation , WK Kellogg Foundation , National Education Association and the Stuart Foundation . Find the full report on Study 1 : Mindset Shifts at http :// wp . me / P83Hjb-p .

A new class at Suzanne Middle School in Walnut Valley USD is teaching students how the world around them works while learning important skills such as teamwork , and problem solving .

Seventh graders have the opportunity to take Robotics and Automation , as part of the district ’ s STEAM initiative .

The new course is one of several Project Lead The Way classes offered to students from elementary through high school .

Students learn about 11 mechanisms that control motion , and how they are used . Mechanisms include chain drive , bevel gear , lead screw , rack and pinion , etc .

“ They are used in every single project ,” said teacher Vicky Silcock . “ Students learn what they ’ re used for , how they work , and how they rotate .”

The group has been putting their skills to the test in a simulated survival challenge . Students had to imagine they were the last survivors on Earth with no running water , electricity , and barely any food .

Using VEX robotics parts , they built windmills complete with a wood-cutting saw , water pump , and grain grinder to ensure their survival .

The project has a real-world application so they can see when and how it is used .

“ There ’ s a lot of trial and error during the engineering design process ,” Silcock said .

Students collaborate and problem solve , and then document their findings in notebooks . There are no textbooks and instruction is computer-based in the PLTW class .

“ We can see a finished product ( on the website ), but we have to figure out how to get there ,” said student Robert McCormick .

Ian Ceballos utilized a mechanism , gear , and chain drive while working on a pull toy challenge .

The class recently created a prototype for a foot orthosis for a child with cerebral palsy during an instant design challenge .

Suzanne Middle School students design and build windmills during a PLTW survival challenge .

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ACSA ’ S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS , CALL 800.608.2272 . ACSA ’ S PD CALENDAR IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW . ACSA . ORG / CALENDAR

ACSA ’ s New Superintendents Seminar Series ( formerly known as Leading the Leaders ), is a professional learning program that has successfully assisted first and second year superintendents for over sixteen years . The program places participants into a yearlong cohort and tackles the current issues faced by superintendents in five workshop settings .

January 23 , 2018 | Monterey Conference Center ( In conjunction with the 2018 Superintendents Symposium )

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