Coronado students have some of the top academic test scores in English and math among their peers in San Diego County, and middle school students are focusing more in class thanks to a new policy to set aside their cell phones.
Those were among the highlights at the Coronado Unified School Board meeting on Oct. 19.
CMS: No cell phones? More engagement
In addition to implementing a math lab, or math intervention class, for each grade level, and providing a wide variety of electives, the middle school is piloting lessons in digital citizenship through a program called Neptune Navigate, according to Principal Brooke Falar.
Falar said the new cell phone policy requiring students to put their phones in a cell phone pocket before class starts has increased student engagement.
And, the program Hapara, which allows teachers to regulate what is on their students’ laptop screens, has been a good tool for teachers, she said.
Falar announced CMS has been recognized as a silver Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school in California.
Program Specialists at each site
Director of Student Services Niamh Foley presented a student services update related to the board’s approval of the Program Specialists job description in 2019. Program Specialists are mid-management positions that support the implementation of the Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and special education supports.
Education Specialists have always been located at each school site, but CUSD got enough funding this year to hire Program Specialists for each site.
“It is absolutely phenomenal to have boots on the ground where it is needed most,” Foley said. “We serve almost 400 students with disabilities at all of our campuses.”
No. 1 in county for English Language Arts
District Senior Director of Learning Megan Battle presented a learning department report for the district, reviewing the most recent state and local academic assessment results.
Battle shared that 76.5 % of students in Coronado Unified met or exceeded standards in English Language Arts for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
“I am very excited to share that CUSD is number one again, out of all the unified districts in the county for English Language Arts,” Battle said.
CUSD placed No. 2 out of the unified districts in the county for math, but Battle said that overall, their state testing percentage slightly decreased in science.
“Adopting new instructional materials that are fully aligned to California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) is really that critical first step,” Battle said.
Concern over testing results
During public comment, a community member expressed concern over how CUSD’s assessment results stacked up nationally.
“Please, don’t just care about San Diego County, care about the bigger point of view of where our kids are,” said Coronado resident Vicki Fisk.
64 confirmed for Portrait of a Graduate
San Diego County Office of Education representatives on Oct. 3 led a program called Portrait of a Graduate that included the governing board and district staff, as well as some community members.
It includes planning for up to five years.
According to the district’s Strategic Visioning 2023-2024 document and community invitation form, the plan will help CUSD with instructional, financial, and staffing decisions for the “graduates we want Coronado students to become over the next 12–15 years of formal education.”
During the meeting, the board confirmed 64 people who will be participating in the program.
However, a community member expressed concern over the “Portrait of a Graduate ” program’s ability to enforce productive employment skills by improving education in math, sciences, reading comprehension and economics, as opposed to social emotional learning.
Trustee Scot Youngblood said he was reassured that the district will “get its money’s worth in terms of the amount of effort put in.”
Spotlight presentations
Earlier in the meeting there was a presentation by Cpt. Newt “Bomb” McKissick, the Navy’s Commanding Officer, Naval Base Coronado.
He praised the relationship between the school district and Naval Base Coronado and mentioned their partnerships—such as the military working with the robotics team, and the school’s welcome aboard ice cream social—which make integration into the community easier for military families.
And, a cast member from CoSA’s “Little Women” sang a preview of what can be viewed in the show, premiering at the Coronado Center for Performing Arts on Oct. 27.
In other matters
-The board thanked Emerald Keepers for its $2,000 donation for the Wyland Clean Water Mobile Learning Center event at Village Elementary School Oct. 24 and 25.
-Student Board Member Wyatt Riebe thanked the Optimist Club of Coronado, specifically Mark Blumenthal, for donating pink rally towels for the football pink out game on Oct. 27.
-No action was taken on an item discussed in the executive session relating to personnel matters.
-Deputy Superintendent Donnie Salamanca reported that CUSD is seeing an uptick in Public Records Act requests, and has received 10 within the first two months of school.
The next Regular Board meeting is set for 4 p.m. on Nov. 16.
