Caryn Elementary School presented to the board last night and brought a few students who shared with us what they thought PBIS meant and how it has improved their school.  Caryn Elementary makes their school a safe place for everyone.  Be Safe.  Be Respectful.  Be Responsible.

I received the nicest letter of congratulations in the mail.
Here is what it had inside:

Your smile is the messenger of your good will;
Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it;
Your smile is like the sun breaking through the clouds;
Your smile reminds me of the joyand hope in the world;
Your smile follows you wherever you go rather than a momentary flash in the studio shot;
Your smile is your hallmark slogan"I care for your kids and I represent you"
Your smile made the voters remember you and vote for you.

We make a difference..... together.

We have a community which supports the education of children.  
We have parents and families who value education and are consistent and supportive of our schools, a district administration which provides the teachers with facilities and materials they need, a school site administration which provides direct supervision of teaching, and teachers who are hard working professionals and challenge every child in their classroom to do their best.  It is a successful partnership between the schools and families of the Etiwanda School District. 

I believe in....

I believe in:

 *a rigorous curriculum that includes the application of skills in real world settings, career exploration, fine arts and a rich array of elective offerings. 

* targeting the specific needs and learning styles of all students to better provide the support necessary to achieve success. 

*the use of technology to help our students excel, our administrators lead and our community stay connected. 

*teacher training and support to help them function effectively in our diverse and changing world. *being fiscally responsible so that maximum dollars reach the classroom. 

*providing a safe environment and sense of community for both our employees and students.

I believe that our leaders must model the core values of the district in word, thought and action. I seek to communicate the high expectations of the Etiwanda School District in a clear and supportive manner. I will work hard toward the common goal of student achievement and success.

Election time for me always makes me appreciate my community.  I drove by a few signs the other day to see if they had survived my absence during my recent trip to England.  Well, as far as I can tell, all of them survived.  A couple were in notably different places, but they were still standing on the same corner that I had placed them.  I am left feeling very grateful to my friends who will watch out for me and my signs.  Without being asked, they are kind enough to place it back up for me.

A new median out there is the Fb/twitter/instagram, etc. world.  I have had more than one person without being asked share their support of my re-election.  I have had them share my photo of my campaign sign.  That makes my heart happy.  Even though election time brings with it extra stresses and things to do, I am supported by a community of such great people.  It makes me even more happy to serve them. #votecadman

Time for the E3 Foundation Fun Run

The E3 Foundation supports our students in all things education.  You can offer your support as well by participating in the E3 Fun Run.  I love the Volunteers that give of their time to make this event happen.  They have been doing it for almost 10 years.  Here is a short movie I made at this public event from 2008, back when it was the 3rd Annual Fun Run.

Odyssey of the Mind

http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/whatis.php

We recognized the students from Etiwanda Colony and Golden Elementary Odyssey of the Mind Teams who went to Iowa for the 2014 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals at the Etiwanda School District Board meeting last night.  These teams were so good.

My favorite quote of the presentation.  8 months for 8 minutes.
That is 8 months of preparation and hard work to compete for 8 minutes.  This is another example of a successful partnership between the schools and families of the Etiwanda School District.  Everyone working together to help these students make and reach goals.

Here is a quote from the link above:

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.

I love the type of learning that takes place with this type of challenge and competition.

Etiwanda Schools Excel

2014 California Distinguished Schools

Congratulations to Windrows and Caryn Schools! Both were named as 2014 California Distinguished Schools. Only thirteen schools in our county and 424 schools in the state were honored this year. The Distinguished School Award honors schools for their strong commitment and innovative approaches to improving student achievement and results in narrowing the achievement gap.

Article on CA Distinguished Schools

Title of 2013 Honor Roll school
Etiwanda School District announced that 15 school(s) have been selected by California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) as 15 of 2,099 public schools in California to receive the title of 2013 Honor Roll school. Additionally, following an extensive analysis of student data for every public school and district in California, Etiwanda School District stood above the rest in raising students to grade-level proficiency and beyond, and Etiwanda School District was then named one of seven California Business for Education Excellence Honor Roll Districts for 2013.

ESD in the news

2013 Schools to Watch
Summit Intermediate is one of twelve model middle schools in the state of California to receive this honor this year.  The Schools to Watch-Taking Center Stage program recognizes exemplary “high performing middle schools that demonstrate academic excellence, developmental responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents social equity and organizational support” according to the California Department of Education. In congratulating these middle schools, State Superintendent Tom Torlakson noted, “Their success is the result of effective and innovative practices that motivate their students to learn and excel.” As a Schools to Watch model school, Summit will serve as a demonstration school for other middle school administrators and teachers seeking to implement successful programs for students. Each of the schools will be honored in Sacramento at the California Middle Grades Alliance annual luncheon, and at the California League of Middle Schools Conference. Additionally, Summit will be recognized along with peers from across the nation at the national STW Conference in Washington, D.C.

ESD web site