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Achievement Gap Home About Us Our Services Our Team Our Clients Our Partners Contact Us Site Map		Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students Best practices for student success Teachers, principals and district office administrators from schools and districts throughout California present best practices for engaging African American students and supporting their success in the classroom, grades K-12. Featured Presenters Elois Brooks, Senior Advisor for Academic Program Improvement for Total School Solutions, identifies challenges facing African American students who are two to three years behind grade level, shares her personal story as a student in segregated schools in New Orleans, and presents specific, proven solutions that include high expectations, intervention programs with proven track records, fidelity to the core curriculum, trained parent liaisons, effective use of social workers, a process for tracking success, using data, courageous conversations and specialized counseling. Ms. Brooks is the former Chief Academic Officer for the San Francisco and St. Louis school districts and the former Deputy Superintendent for the Washington D.C. school district. Currently, she works with San Bernardino City USD through her affiliation with Total School Solutions. She also consults with the Philadelphia school district. She will address issues pertinent to grades K-12, with an emphasis on strategies that work for middle school students. Dr. Gary Smuts, Superintendent, ABC USD (Los Angeles County) presents the district-wide effort to close the achievement gap, with particular emphasis on African American students. He reports on the plan to improve relationships with key parent and community groups, and offer consistently high quality programs across the district’s K-12 and adult schools. He describes the role of the Superintendent and the Governing Board in this important work. Gina Zietlow, Principal of Gahr High School, a California Distinguished School, presents specific information about access to rigorous curriculum and systems of support for all students. She reports on how teachers and administrators made critical adjustments in programs to ensure that all African American students received the opportunities they needed. Stephanie Harris, Principal, 54th Street Elementary School, Los Angeles USD, reports on how promoting high expectations through the implementation of state academic standards has been the driving force behind the frank data analysis, academic inquiry, and utilization of the reflective cycle that have lead to outstanding academic growth. The school went from Program Improvement status in 2005 to a school that has consistently met Adequate Yearly Progress, grown 137 points, come out of PI, and become a leading academic institution in our community. David Silver, Principal and teachers from Think College Now Elementary School in Oakland USD explain their standards-aligned assessment and intervention systems, parent and community outreach approaches, and after-school opportunities. Felisberto Cedros, Principal and Kal Phan, Assistant Principal, Kennedy High School, Sacramento City USD, a California Distinguished School, present information about the systems of social and emotional, and academic support that are key to the school's success. they discuss the agreements they reached with teachers about effective instructional practice and the frequent classroom walkthroughs based on the agreements. Kennedy is a large, diverse suburban school. Dr. Kenneth Magdaleno, Assistant Professor, California State University, Fresno and former California Middle School Principal of the Year, focuses on the importance of establishing schools where all students are expected to, and do, succeed. He discusses key elements in building an asset-rich learning culture where educators know, and build on student assets rather than dwell on perceived deficits. Adonai Mack and Brett McFadden, Association of California School Administrators, report on recent developments to position California to compete for Race To The Top funding and to prepare for challenges that may result from the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. They report on the Governor's January budget proposal that calls for removing statutory and regulatory barriers pertaining to teacher seniority and substitute costs. And they highlight elements of the recently enacted SBX5 1 and SBX5 4 that provide for open enrollment, school reforms triggered by parents, alternate credential programs and new academic content standards that are internationally benchmarked. All of these initiatives may have significant impact on schools and districts as they continue efforts to close the achievement gap. Total School Solutions (TSS) is working with other schools to identify quality programs and excellent presenters and will be updating the information about workshops as it becomes available. Date, Time & Location Wednesday, April 28 Registration: 8:00 AM Workshop Start Time: 8:30 AM Hilton, San Diego/Del Mar 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014 (858) 792-5200 You may call 1-800-Hiltons or make a reservation online at www.sandiegodelmarhilton.com using Group Code: TSS Group Discount Dates: 04/27/10-04/29/10 Cost $195 per person (until April 19, 2010) Cancellations prior to April 16, 2010 will be subject to a $50 fee. Cancellation after April 16th and "No Shows" will be subject to the full registration fee. All materials included Breakfast and lunch included Registration To register for this workshop, submit the registration form online, email to workshops@totalschoolsolutions.net, or fax the form below to (707) 422-6494: Registration Forms

Closing the Achievement Gap for African American Students

Best practices for student success

Teachers, principals and district office administrators from schools and districts throughout California present best practices for engaging African American students and supporting their success in the classroom, grades K-12.

Featured Presenters

Elois Brooks, Senior Advisor for Academic Program Improvement for Total School Solutions, identifies challenges facing African American students who are two to three years behind grade level, shares her personal story as a student in segregated schools in New Orleans, and presents specific, proven solutions that include high expectations, intervention programs with proven track records, fidelity to the core curriculum, trained parent liaisons, effective use of social workers, a process for tracking success, using data, courageous conversations and specialized counseling. Ms. Brooks is the former Chief Academic Officer for the San Francisco and St. Louis school districts and the former Deputy Superintendent for the Washington D.C. school district. Currently, she works with San Bernardino City USD through her affiliation with Total School Solutions. She also consults with the Philadelphia school district. She will address issues pertinent to grades K-12, with an emphasis on strategies that work for middle school students.

Dr. Gary Smuts, Superintendent, ABC USD (Los Angeles County) presents the district-wide effort to close the achievement gap, with particular emphasis on African American students. He reports on the plan to improve relationships with key parent and community groups, and offer consistently high quality programs across the district’s K-12 and adult schools. He describes the role of the Superintendent and the Governing Board in this important work. Gina Zietlow, Principal of Gahr High School, a California Distinguished School, presents specific information about access to rigorous curriculum and systems of support for all students. She reports on how teachers and administrators made critical adjustments in programs to ensure that all African American students received the opportunities they needed.

Stephanie Harris, Principal, 54th Street Elementary School, Los Angeles USD, reports on how promoting high expectations through the implementation of state academic standards has been the driving force behind the frank data analysis, academic inquiry, and utilization of the reflective cycle that have lead to outstanding academic growth. The school went from Program Improvement status in 2005 to a school that has consistently met Adequate Yearly Progress, grown 137 points, come out of PI, and become a leading academic institution in our community.

David Silver, Principal and teachers from Think College Now Elementary School in Oakland USD explain their standards-aligned assessment and intervention systems, parent and community outreach approaches, and after-school opportunities.

Felisberto Cedros, Principal and Kal Phan, Assistant Principal, Kennedy High School, Sacramento City USD, a California Distinguished School, present information about the systems of social and emotional, and academic support that are key to the school's success. they discuss the agreements they reached with teachers about effective instructional practice and the frequent classroom walkthroughs based on the agreements. Kennedy is a large, diverse suburban school.

Dr. Kenneth Magdaleno, Assistant Professor, California State University, Fresno and former California Middle School Principal of the Year, focuses on the importance of establishing schools where all students are expected to, and do, succeed. He discusses key elements in building an asset-rich learning culture where educators know, and build on student assets rather than dwell on perceived deficits.

Adonai Mack and Brett McFadden, Association of California School Administrators, report on recent developments to position California to compete for Race To The Top funding and to prepare for challenges that may result from the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. They report on the Governor's January budget proposal that calls for removing statutory and regulatory barriers pertaining to teacher seniority and substitute costs. And they highlight elements of the recently enacted SBX5 1 and SBX5 4 that provide for open enrollment, school reforms triggered by parents, alternate credential programs and new academic content standards that are internationally benchmarked. All of these initiatives may have significant impact on schools and districts as they continue efforts to close the achievement gap.

Total School Solutions (TSS) is working with other schools to identify quality programs and excellent presenters and will be updating the information about workshops as it becomes available.

Date, Time & Location

Wednesday, April 28

Registration: 8:00 AM

Workshop Start Time: 8:30 AM

Hilton, San Diego/Del Mar

15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014

(858) 792-5200

You may call 1-800-Hiltons or make a reservation online at

www.sandiegodelmarhilton.com using Group Code: TSS

Group Discount Dates: 04/27/10-04/29/10

Cost

$195 per person (until April 19, 2010)
Cancellations prior to April 16, 2010 will be subject to a $50 fee.
Cancellation after April 16th and "No Shows" will be subject to the full registration fee.
All materials included
Breakfast and lunch included

Registration

To register for this workshop, submit the registration form online, email to workshops@totalschoolsolutions.net, or fax the form below to (707) 422-6494:

Registration Forms