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www.valleycharterschool.org Spring/Summer 2013, Issue #8

Standardized Testing:The Nitty Gritty

(It’s All About the Acronyms)

by Founding Principal Leslie Lainer

Standardized testing is a reality in public education. But why, you ask, are we required to assess our students yearly?

The Federal Accountability Requirements The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) increased academic achievement expectations of each student in every public school in the nation. NCLB supports standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The act required states to develop assessments in basic skills. These assessments monitor schools’ progress towards the 2013-14 NCLB goal, which states that 100% of all students must be proficient or above in English Language Arts (ELA) and math. Since 2001, every school has been expected to meet the Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) of NCLB by meeting the target number of proficient students (100% in 2013-14), testing at least 95% of students, and meeting the state required API target of 800.

The State Accountability Requirements California’s Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) of 1999 requires the California Department of Education to annually calculate an Academic Performance Index (API) for each public school. The API is a statewide accountability and ranking system used to monitor school progress. The primary goal of the PSAA is to help schools improve the academic achievement of all students. The API is calculated based on the results of the California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, which measures student performance on the California Standards Test (CST), the California Modified Assessment

(CMA), and the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA).

At Valley Charter Elementary School, standardized testing does not drive our program. We use the state content standards as a guide to developing our project-based curriculum. We do not allow the pressure of increasing our test scores and API to affect our creative and engaging approach to teaching.

However, we do not ignore the test. T h e C S T i s a criterion-referenced test. This type of test is designed to reveal w h a t a s t u d e n t knows, understands, or can do in relation to the standards. Our lessons and units are b a s e d o n s a i d standards so we are preparing students from day one of s c h o o l . W e d o r e c o g n i z e t h a t m u l t i p l e c h o i c e quest ions can be tricky and confusing to students so we spend time in the spring working on specific test taking s k i l l s . M u l t i p l e choice questions are not necessarily the best indicators of a child’s understanding so the classroom teachers include other forms of assessment to demonstrate student success throughout the year.

We do take testing seriously in that we want our students to do their best and we want to prepare them for success without stifling their creativity. We analyze the data and use pieces of it to drive our instruction. It is a

The Scoop! news & views from Valley Charter Elementary School

W h a t i s t h e f u t u r e o f s t a n d a r d i z e d t e s t i n g i n California?The 2014-2015 school year will be a year of change in terms of accountability. We will fully implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in our curriculum (more information about the CCSS to come in the future). With the new standards comes a new student assessment – the Smarter Balanced Assessment. The State is involved in a consortium to develop the new assessment so there are many unanswered questions. We do know that Smarter Balanced will be given to grades 3 – 11. It will be computer-based. And it will be given over a 12-week window. In addition, it will include less multiple choice questions and m o r e s h o r t a n s w e r s a n d performance tasks, which measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple standards.

continued on page 4

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Inside 2nd Gradeby J. T. Krul

Walking onto the VCES campus the morning of Thursday, March 21, I noticed a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, but not quite the ones I was used to seeing. Abraham Lincoln? Mahatma Gandhi? Annie Oakley? Was I that over- tired? Had I accidentally stepped into some time warp? Then I remembered it was biography time for the second graders. While the basis of the “People Who Make a Difference” project stems from the standard Social Studies requirement for all Los Angeles schools, Ms. Aronchick and Mr. Risiglione take it even further at VCES, allowing the students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of those they admire.

The teachers described the extensive process each student undertook through the course of the project. “Our study of the life of influential people throughout history has been designed as an interactive performance where students research information from several books, work in teams of same person of interest, answer some of their own questions about their person of study, and then collect data. Their final presentation is the information collected and then rephrased as questions and clues for the participating audience to figure out.”

The end result is way beyond a mere report of facts and dates, as the students literally become their person of interest in order to better connect with the character and moral fiber of these unique individuals. It’s about more than their accomplishments and what they have meant to the world around them. For the teachers, they are looking for the children to connect with the material in a deeper and

more meaningful way - to almost see the evolution of such icons, as they became who they would be.

“The hope is that students come to an understanding that personal lives and choices help mold a person's character,” the teachers explained. “Students learn about cause and effect and understand that each of these people, who impacted others, had to overcome challenges and obstacles before they became well-known and successful.”

When it comes to identifying influential figures from history, some of the usual suspects are always present: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King. Still, some of the students found others that piqued their interest and admiration, such as Juliette Gordon (the founder of the Girl Scouts), Diane Fossey (a zoologist who studied gorillas), and John Muir (a naturalist who founded the Sierra Club).

While the students reveled in acting out the roles of their chosen persons of interest, the parents enjoyed the presentation as each child stood before the assembly throwing out clues before asking the big question, “Who am I?” Ms. Aronchick and Mr. Risiglione said it’s just another example of how VCES energizes the curriculum with project-based learning designed to engage, entertain, and, most importantly, educate.

“We found out that by having students personify their character of choice, they were able to invest themselves more in the research process, and showed more acute interest,” said the teachers. “This validates our already established understanding that hands-on learning aides at addressing all modalities of learning and the whole child as well. This makes the education experience more encompassing.”

Want to share an article, photo, news item? Want us to write about something? Email J.T. Krul, Leslee Komaiko or Sylvia Jaunzarins at thescoop@valleycharterschool.org.

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KIDS’CORNER“Inspired By”

by J.T. Krul

"I chose Eleanor Roosevelt, and I picked her because I read this interesting story about her childhood and it racked my brain. She had a really sad life and was an orphan and wasn't the prettiest person but one rich man, she caught his attention and then everyone loved her. That rich guy married her and he became president. She was adventurous and she faced her fears."-Helena B.

"I chose Abraham Lincoln for my bio. I chose him because he is part of my family and he was a president." - Caius M.

"I picked Jane Goodall. I chose her because I was interested in her study of chimps and she is very fascinating." - Isabel C.

"I chose Jackie Robinson. He was was not just an amazing baseball player (I love baseball), he was an amazing athlete! He was great at all sports and played them in college. He is also a great role model. People were very mean to him and said lots of bad words to him, calling him really bad, BAD names, and he never lost his temper. I hope I can grow up to be just like him."- Theo R.

Haley C. picked Martin Luther King for her bio. She said, "He changed the world for Blacks and Whites."

- Haley C.

How Does Their Garden Grow?

by Karen Weiss

Thinking of starting a garden? You may want to enlist a first grade VCES student to help you.

The culminating project for the initial first grade Project Based Learning unit appears beautifully outside the second grade bungalows.

The driving question that led to its creation was: “How can we, as botanists, design and create a living garden?”

To help answer this, the children went on two fieldtrips (to CSUN and Descanso Gardens). The students concluded that gardens have different purposes. As evidenced in their project, gardens can be built to create a space for such things as food, flowers and rocks, as well as attract insects. The first graders went on to study plant adaptations and the life cycle of plants.

Inspired by the rooftop gardens of New York, the students used milk crates as planters. The milk crates were also practical because they can be transformed by each new class of first graders.

Each group worked with four milk crates. Their goal was to determine a logical and attractive way to choose and arrange their plants. In order to acquire bugs for the insect garden, milkweed (to attract monarch butterflies) and cilantro (for ladybugs) were planted.

“The kids became protectors and owners of a living space,” said Ms. Melyan. “They grew, maintained, watered, weeded, and problem solved in order to create a beautiful, living garden.”

None of this could have been accomplished without parental assistance. Big shout-outs go to the Inouye family who gathered 46 milk crates (donated by Smart & Final). Also, Carmela Paez and a host of first grade parents secured soil and plant donations from Home Depot. Many thanks to Livi Perez and Jeannine Hodson for assisting in the transport of the mulch. Additionally, Mitch Ramin built the bench and other elements. Last, but not least, Ms. Nakano is responsible for the solar powered zen water feature.

Students and teachers will collaborate to determine what should be done with this year’s garden. Next year brings a brand new set of first graders and therefore, a brand new garden.

“I chose Jackie Robinson because I didn’t know who he was, and I thought his name sounded cool and it might be interesting to find out more about him. If I had known he was a baseball player, I probably would not have chosen him. But I am glad I didn’t know, because I got to learn that he had a very interesting life.” - Allyson S.

From top left: hauling a mountain of mulch; prepping the ground; plants installed and beautiful

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Middle School Newsby Beau Stacom

M iddle school is right around the corner, metaphorically speaking. “What?” you say, “that’s ridiculous, my son/daughter is only in kindergarten!” That’s what I said too and, trite as it is, time flies and here I am with a son in fourth grade at VCES who is on the cusp of middle school. That fact really hit home with me, and many other fourth grade parents, about halfway through this year. So, in January, we took a tour of the middle school. We walked the campus, observed the classes, and spoke to the administration. After that, a group of fourth grade and middle school parents met with with Robert Burke, our Executive Director, to brainstorm ideas about how we could raise awareness about our middle school among parents in the San Fernando Valley.

We decided to host several small dinner gatherings at the homes of fourth grade and middle school parents in Sherman Oaks and Studio City. It was a real community building, grassroots experience. We brought the food, drinks, and sometimes, extra chairs to the parties, and attended them as representatives of both the elementary and middle schools. Robert gave a presentation about the middle school and its curriculum and some of the middle

school teachers and board members attended and spoke at the events.

These parties were a huge success! We had parents from public and private schools all across the city attending, including Walter Reed, Millikan, Carpenter, Riverside Drive, Colfax , Dixie Canyon, Sherman Oaks Elementary, Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies (SOCES), Knollwood, Lanai Road, Roscomare Road, Hesby, Wonderland, Kester Magnet, Laurence, Westland, Children’s Community School, The Country School, Kirk of the Valley, Hollywood Schoolhouse, Pinecrest, Adat Ari El, and Temple Beth Hillel.

We had as many as thirty parents from outside our school attending the parties and the response from everyone was overwhelmingly positive. The parties culminated in a big open house at VCMS on a Saturday in April, where parents were able to tour the school and hear presentations from all of the middle school teachers and some of their students who were present in the classrooms. Once again, this was a community effort by the middle and elementary school parents, with homemade food and down home hospitality.

So what was the result of all of this effort? Enrollment in the middle school increased significantly and we started to build waiting lists for each grade. Middle school and elementary school parents also got to know one another and work together, bringing our schools together. We plan to continue to work on outreach together and make VCMS one of the first schools valley parents think of when deciding where to send their child to middle school.

useful tool for us but we do not ever make assumptions or judgments about a student based solely on standardized test scores. We look at the whole child.

As we continue to develop our program, we will always look at ways to increase our test scores and increase overall student achievement. While we recognize the importance of standardized testing, we wholeheartedly stand by our curricular program and its impact on student engagement and learning.

Standardized Testing: continued from page 1

Annual Giving: $220,000 Jog-a-thon: $ 19,000 Spring Event: $ 69,000

Grand Total $308,000*

For more info on testing and the 2014 test, visit: cde.ca.gov and smarterbalanced.org

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Congratulations, VCES! Because of you, we are able to sustain and grow our program for the 2013-2014 school year.

* Does not include our retail and community building fundraisers.

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Picture This!

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Earth Day Extraordinaireby Rachel Spalding

When it comes to the challenges facing Mother Nature, VCES students have their heads not in the clouds but firmly on planet Earth. Our school’s third annual Earth Day celebration, spearheaded by parents Lynn Andrews and Jess Rivera McGlothlin, featured everything from the eco-entertainment of performers the Environmental Defenders to giveaways of chemical-free home cleaners to handling a snack attack while saving energy (answer: roast your own s’mores).

While everyone had a blast, what shined through was the commitment VCES students have to bettering the world in which they live. In every classroom, the phrase “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” was old hat; kids were interested in expanding their knowledge base to go, well, greener.

“My art project is to show what the world would be like if there was no pollution. And that would be awesome!” said fourth grader Sophia M. as she cut and pasted construction paper onto a collage. “Well [if people really want a cleaner planet], then they should lower the price of

electric cars,” chimed in Asher G., as other kids in Room 5C nodded their agreement. “You can have really detailed [ecological] conversations with these kids,” explained their teacher, Ms. Barker, with a smile. “They know the issues.”

And don’t count out Kindergarten. Ms. Purcell’s troupe in Room 1 can tell you which VCES colored trash bins are for recycling and what the word “composting” means (thanks, Olivia S.) while Ms. Bennett’s bunch (Room 2) would love nothing better than to tell you every detail of the water cycle, all the while making eco-bracelets.

From the reading of on-theme books such as “The Lorax” and “Big Earth, Little Me,” to fashioning so-called “flower bombs” (clay, potting soil, wildflower seeds and water) that kids could use to beautify their neighborhoods, each classroom had a highly individualized curriculum for the day that really showed our teachers’ commitment to bringing their own passions to the project at hand.

Best of all, a student body this motivated to roll up their sleeves and tackle the planet’s problems would make anyone feel optimistic. As Ms. Nakano explained: “Between the garden we have been growing [and this today], these kids are inspired to do their part.”

Prom Memoriesby Leslee Komaiko

The Valley Charter community came out in style--women in taffeta and feathered hair, men in ruffled shirts and white jackets--to party and raise money for the school at Flashback Prom the night of May 11. The event and raffle brought in an impressive $69,000! Bravo.

Event chairs Jeannine Hodson and Yvette Gastelo and their devoted committees didn’t miss a beat. The DJ spun 80s hits from the likes of Madonna, Cameo and Van Halen. The room, complete with disco ball, was decked out a la our proms of yesteryear. Female guests were welcomed with wrist corsages. There were food trucks outside, delicious canapés inside thanks to the hospitality committee, a prom style photo booth operated by VCES parent and professional photographer Orit Harpaz, and for much of the night, a full dance floor. (This group can get their groove on.)

The silent auction tables were a big draw. Credit Aubree Sweeney and her crew for the fabulous array of offerings. And the raffle had everyone gathered ‘round with baited breath to find out who was going to win the trip to New York, $1000 gift card, and all the other wonderful booty secured by Dana Marks and her team.

Thank you to T. Jones for her always side splitting commentary. Thank you too to Jeff Marks for stepping up

as MC for the evening. As Deniece Williams sang in 1984, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and everyone e l se who helped to make the night a r o u s i n g s u c c e s s . VCES’s Flashback Prom was definitely a group effort.

And in case you’re wondering what to do with that prom dress or too tight tuxedo, consider donating to a local organization such as I Have a Dream Foundation or Dress for Success.

From left: testing wind power; recycle relay; mixing flower bombs; making non-toxic cleaner

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The 4th Grade TimesScience in Fourth Gradeby Angelica R.

Let me start off by telling you about what will be hard for some of you. Like when you have to turn on the light bulb and the motor together, or on its own. Always ask for help when you need it because you can get hurt.

For some supplies, you might use lots of wires and you always use a circuit board. Also, at some point in the year you will be making a telegraph, so be prepared.

You will have some problems with the batteries. Like when they don’t plug in right. Or when they run out of battery.

For some of the projects you will be working on your own. Pay attention. But don’t worry, you will be using the computer for more research on your topic.

I interviewed August and Aliyah to see what they like about science and it sounds like they liked that we did lots of experiments and that it was fun.

Science is a fun thing to look forward to in 4th grade.

Not Being Friendly in Fourth Gradeby Sophia R. and Charlotte H.

Something happened in our classroom and it was unfriendly. The girl was saying something and she thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. The other girl felt so sorry it made her cry because she felt so bad. The other girl wanted to leave because she thought she was bullied. At enrichment time the girl was sitting in the office waiting for her mom. The girl went to go wash her face and the enrichment teacher saw her crying so she went outside with her and talked about it and the girl told her story about what had happened. She decided to write the other girl a letter and bring a present the next day to make sure she was okay. Right before school ended the whole class talked about it with Ms. Lainer and the class all agreed with what she said, and that we are all going to start a new day.

What Kindergarteners Can Expect in1st Gradeby Noah S., Riley S., Asher G. and Julian W.

Kindergarteners should expect a big step up in first grade. There’s more reading, more writing and more math. They should also expect more strict rules in the following year. They should also be ready to play in the big yard.

Here we ask a kindergartener what he/she expects in 1st grade:

Jacob: “More homework, big yard and enrichment.”They will have more homework and less recess time.

They won’t have that much time to eat and play. They will go on a lot more field trips. They will learn more interesting facts and make more discoveries. Also, they will learn about different countries. They will also have Terrific Tuesday. Terrific Tuesday is where you do activities like cooking, Spanish, art and taiko. It is a lot of fun.

That’s just some stuff they do in first grade but there is a whole bunch more fun activities.

First grade is going to be a blaaaaaaaaaaaaaast.

In this edition, our 4th graders worked either alone or in small groups, writing about subjects important to them. Be sure to read all of the submitted articles on the attached addendum. Great writing 4th graders!

1940’s Flashbackby Emma K. & Nicholas B.

Let’s go back to the 1940’s. Girls playing baseball. That’s right. After Emma K. and Sophia C. read Players in Pigtails, they decided to start a league of their own. Everybody thinks it’s a great idea, even the boys.

They have a team all set up, but what’s their team name? To find a team name, they wanted it to match with their team color. After [considering] a few options, they settled on the color blue. After tons of name ideas, Sophia C. brought up the name the Blue Jays. Emma K. liked that name so they stuck with it.

So, now they have a team. They have a name. Now all they need is a team to play against. It did not take them long to find a team. Believe it or not, everybody on the team agreed to playing against the boys. Lots of girls said it is the perfect way to show the boys that girls can play baseball too. But do they have some negatives about playing against the boys?

“Some of the boys are getting really competitive about it,” says Stella.

“All we really wanted was to have some fun,” says Sophia C.

What are some other opinions? Aria says, “It’s more fun to do it with my best friends

from room 3C and 5C.”Sophia M. says, “People should have fun. I like what’s

going on.”

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Where VCES andVCMS Meet

by Nola Sarkisian-Miller

Juanita Gonzalez might as well be an ambassador for the Valley Charter schools. She has children at both campuses. Jeremiah is in kindergarten and Amber is in second grade at Valley Charter Elementary School. Jacob is in sixth grade at Valley Charter Middle School. The Scoop had a moment to chat with Juanita about her decision to enroll her kids at both schools. Q: What’s it like having children at both schools?A: It’s very convenient. The campuses are close together, perfect for drop-off. They’re also like-minded schools so it makes it easier to keep up with school curriculum, projects and stuff like that. I think that having one director overseeing both helps keep it unified.Q: How are the schools different?A: Parent involvement is different at VCMS. There, kids tell parents about the activities. Here [at VCES], it comes

more from the teachers. But, you still see lots of parent involvement at both schools.Q: What do you like about VCMS?A: The location is very neat, very private, a small school feeling in the midst of a big high school. It’s a very intimate setting. The kids have their own eating area. The principal knows everyone’s name, which is very welcoming. I also like the study hall and tutoring program after school. The teachers are so committed to it and by the time I pick up my son at 5 pm, he’s done with homework. He can also use the computer lab, which is open after school.Q: What does your son like?A: There’s a lot of art, which is one of his strengths. Lots of projects include art, which he likes a lot. It’s a newer school, so he’s been able to make friends quite easily. Q: Tell us one or two highlights of the past school year at VCMS.A: One was the Earth Day/Community Fair. Jacob was very excited and pumped about it. Each student had their own booth. He was in charge of the ring toss booth. The theme was about recycling so he used recycled bottles and recycled rings for it. It was great they gave the kids that responsibility. Another highlight was family movie night. We had a picnic on the lawn and watched “Despicable Me.” It was really nice to mingle with parents and hang out with the students.

Many Hands by Sylvia Jaunzarins

To everyone who . . .

Shoveled sand, washed windows, welcomed new families, handed out popsicles, opened and closed the back gate, led a committee, planned a festival, painted faces, gathered prizes, answered phones, wore the badge of room parent, copied, stapled and glued, designed our t-shirts, sold our t-shirts, helped in a classroom, served lunch, greeted grandparents, beautified our school, drove on a field trip, donated goods, hauled mulch, fixed something broken, built something new, washed dishes, fed our community, made our events special, hosted meetings, recruited families, led tours, photocopied, wrote an article, served on our board, took photographs, applied for grants, stood up and made us laugh, kept us informed, enriched our students, ran a fair, found someone a carpool, gathered pledges, educated parents, picked up Starbucks, packed away comfort kits, decorated our campus, greened our lunch area, encouraged our students to run, wrote code, advocated diversity, helped save the Earth, managed our volunteers, posted on Facebook, thanked our teachers, folded flyers, solicited donations, sold raffle tickets, ran an auction, encouraged us to flashback, organized a dine out, created family fun, ushered guests, made a yearbook, and gave meaningfully . . . an enormous THANK YOU! from VCES.

Summer Cool Downby Leslee Komaiko

One of Los Angeles’ best bargains is its city pools. The pool at Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Park is open

year round. As with all of the city’s pools, children 17 and under enjoy free admission. Note however that children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult. Adult admission is $2.50. However, if you flash your City of Los Angeles library card, it is only $2.00. The Northridge pool on Reseda Boulevard opens June 15 and closes September 8. Kids who are 7 and older, a minimum of 48 inches tall and confident swimmers, can use this pool’s water slide.

For those who live a bit farther east, the city of Burbank just reopened the Verdugo Aquatic Facility after a major facelift. While admission is a bit more, this pool has multiple water slides and prices are still well below what you might pay at a place such as Raging Waters.

Wherever you choose to cool down, swim safe. Also, be sure to call for hours before you go.

Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks Poolhttp://www.laparks.org/dos/aquatic/facility/vannuys_sopool.htmNorthridge Poolhttp://www.laparks.org/dos/aquatic/facility/northridgePool.htmVerdugo Aquatic Facilityhttp://www.burbankca.gov/index.aspx?page=724

Juanita, Jacob, Jeremiah & Amber

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Robert Burke, Executive DirectorLeslie Lainer, Founding PrincipalCarolina Merino, Office ManagerSabrina Dominguez, Office Assistant

Editors:Sylvia JaunzarinsLeslee KomaikoJ.T. Krul

Designer:Sylvia Jaunzarins

Writers:4th Grade ReportersSylvia JaunzarinsLeslee KomaikoJ.T. KrulLeslie LainerNola Sarkisian-MillerRachel SpaldingBeau StacomKaren Weiss

Photographers:Leslie BartonLynn CunninghamOrit HarpazLeslee KomaikoJennifer MelyanJeff SeltzerClaudia VelascoRazi Wilson

Look for us again Fall 2013

In this edition of The Scoop!

The Scoop! Spring/Summer 2013, Issue #8

16514 Nordhoff StreetNorth Hills, CA 91343T: 818.810.6713F: 818.810.9667E: info@valleycharterschool.orgW: www.valleycharterschool.org

august27THWelcome Picinic

september3RDFirst Day of School5THRosh Hashanah, NO SCHOOL19THBack to School Night

october14THColumbus Day, NO SCHOOL

november1STStaff Development, NO SCHOOL11THVeteran’s Day, NO SCHOOL27TH - 29THThanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL

DON’T FORGET . . .

Microgrant SuccessValley Charter Elementary School received over $6,000 in grants during the 2012-2013 school year.

Thank you to our generous donors:

• The Helen and Will Webster Foundation

• Azusa Pacific University (APU)

• Los Angeles County of Education (LACOE), sponsors of the Keeping History Alive Grant

• Target

• Fund for Teachers ProgramFor more information, contact microgrants@valleycharterschool.org

Welcome!PICNIC

Tuesday, August 27th4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

In our next issue . . .

• Q & A with VCMS Principal, Zach Menzer.

• Meet the 5th grade teachers

• Introducing our new music program

• VCES K-5: Look how far we’ve come!

. . . and much more.

Thanks for your readership!

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