http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?type=lnews&title=Innovative%20school%20programs%20recognized&id=233345

Erin Hanau’s class was taken by the 2008 presidential campaign.

The fourth/fifth grade combination class at Central Elementary School in Belmont was eager to talk about the topics discussed by the candidates from energy to international affairs.

Jokingly, Hanau told a student she would vote for him. That sparked an idea that’s developed into a program called Institution Constitution. In the fall, Hanau’s fifth grade class researches the different branches of government and how those roles could be translated into jobs in the Belmont classroom.

The secretary of energy, for example, monitors the lights and recycling. The secretary of education writes the daily schedule on the board and helps with handing out papers. While every student ends up with a job, only two positions require an actual election — president and vice president. Students who “run” for office partake in a debate, primary and speech before the election.

Hanau enjoys watching students take responsibility for their jobs as well as come up with their own ideas through the engaging program that grows a little each year. This year’s president, for example, started a weekly blog about the class happenings for parents, which the senior press correspondent publishes along with photos.

Institution Constitution is one of the 20 programs recognized this year by the San Mateo County School Board Association 2012 J. Russell Kent Awards. Given to outstanding and innovative educational programs, applicants must demonstrate how their program promotes student success, employs a high degree of creativity and demonstrates transferability.

“We continue to be impressed by the outstanding innovative programs provided by our schools particularly in these difficult economic times,” said Seth Rosenblatt, president of the San Mateo County School Boards Association and San Carlos Elementary School District Board trustee. “We are excited to celebrate them.”

The 2012 Kent Award winners include programs that focus on innovation in the areas of learning models, community service, environmental stewardship, special education, services for at-risk students, counseling and character development, health and wellness and extracurricular activities. Winners will be honored during a ceremony Monday, May 21.

Hanau was excited to be recognized but said buy-in from her students was necessary for it to be successful. To celebrate, the class will hold a state dinner — i.e. pizza lunch with sparkling cider.

In Hillsborough, Operation Risk at West Elementary School was recognized. The program challenges teachers to take risks by exploring new ways to improve student engagement. As a result, Principal Jaime Adams has seen a more positive energy from both students and teachers.

“Walking around the school has a different buzz. I call it the joy of  learning. Our school community seems more connected by this common goal,” Adams said via email.

How this challenge was embraced was different for teachers at different grade levels. The kindergarten team, for example, devoted a chunk of time every Friday to allow learning to take place in a more organic and evolutionary way called “challenge Friday.” Activities on Fridays focus on collaboration and problem solving. On one such day, children were given eight marshmallows and several toothpicks and asked to work in teams of four to create a closed three-dimensional shape using all items provided. Students had to work together through the challenges and possible attempts.

In fifth grade, students explored words focusing on figurative language like similes, metaphors and idioms. Using YouTube, students found pop culture examples in movies and music that used figurative language. Teachers also developed an activity called “Figuring out Figurative Language,” in which students took examples of each a simile, metaphor and idiom from a novel and sketched the language.

Included in the award recipients is the winner of the Emily Garfield Preventive Counseling Award, an award created to honor local education pioneer Emily Garfield and focuses on successful alcohol and drug prevention programs as well as positive youth development and community wellness programs. The winner of the 2012 Emily Garfield Preventive Counseling Award is Diahanna Flores from Brentwood Academy in the Ravenswood City Elementary School District.

For more information about the Kent Awards visit http://www.smcsba.org.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by email: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.

Kent Awards Winner

• Institution Constitution (Central Elementary, Belmont-Redwood Shores School District)

• The Dolphin Club (El Granada Elementary, Cabrillo Unified School District)

• Operation Risk (West Hillsborough, Hillsborough School District)

• Family Literacy and Health Day (Jefferson Elementary School District)

• Third Grade Wilderness School (Susan B. Anthony Elementary, Jefferson Elementary School District)

• Social Communication (Terra Nova High School, Jefferson Union High School District)

• Life Skills Program (Jefferson Union High School District)

• Bayside Explorers (Encinal Elementary, Menlo Park School District)

• Living the Diversity (Encinal/Laurel Elementary, Menlo Park School District)

• Mouse Squad (Vallemar School, Pacifica School District)

• FOSS Science Leadership Team (Clifford Elementary, Redwood City School District)

• Festival of Words (North Star Elementary, Redwood City School District)

• Project-Based Learning (Roosevelt Elementary, Redwood City School District)

• Academic Music (Allen Elementary, San Bruno Park Elementary School District)

• Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPES) (San Carlos School District)

• SAFE Program (Sequoia High School, Sequoia Union High School District)

• S.O.S. Program (Carlmont High School, Sequoia Union High School District)

• Life Skills Program (Brewer Island Elementary, San Mateo-Foster City School District)

• Audubon Technology Program (Audubon Elementary, San Mateo-Foster City School District)

• School-Wide Reform Initiative (Los Cerritos Elementary, South San Francisco Unified School District)

2012 Kent Awards Highlight Excellence and Innovation in Schools Across San Mateo County

 Foster City, CA – April 11, 2012 –  The San Mateo County School Boards Association (SMCSBA), representing 22 school districts, the San Mateo Community College District, and the San Mateo County Office of Education, today announced the 2012 winners of the J. Russell Kent Awards.

The awards are given to outstanding and innovative programs either in the classroom or outside the classroom as well as district-wide programs.  Applicants must demonstrate their programs promote student success, employ a high degree of creativity, and demonstrate transferability.   Named after the past San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools, J. Russell Kent, SMCSBA initiated the J. Russell Kent Award Program in the 1980-81 school year.

The 2012 Kent Award winners include programs that focus on innovation in the areas of learning models, community service, environmental stewardship, special education, services for at-risk students, counseling and character development, health and wellness, and extracurricular activities.

The Kent Awards ceremony will be held on Monday, May 21st at 6pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City, California (social hour and musical performance to begin at 6pm with dinner and the awards ceremony to follow at 7pm).  The 2012 Kent Awards are being sponsored by Chevron Energy Systems.  At the ceremony, the 20 award winners will be honored, including:

• Belmont-Redwood Shores School District: Central Elementary – Institution Constitution
• Cabrillo Unified School District: El Granada Elementary – The Dolphin Club
• Hillsborough School District: West Hillsborough Elementary – Operation Risk
• Jefferson Elementary School District: District Wide – Family Literacy and Health Day
• Jefferson Elementary School District: Susan B. Anthony Elementary – 3^rd Grade Wilderness School
• Jefferson Union High School District: Terra Nova High School – Social Communication
• Jefferson Union High School District: District Wide – Life Skills Prom
• Menlo Park School District:  Encinal Elementary – Bayside Explorers
• Menlo Park School District:  Encinal/Laurel Elementary – Living the Diversity
• Pacifica School District: Vallemar School – Mouse Squad
• Redwood City School District: Clifford Elementary – FOSS Science Leadership Team
• Redwood City School District:  North Star Elementary – Festival of Words
• Redwood City School District:  Roosevelt Elementary – Project Based Learning
• San Bruno Park Elementary School District:  Allen Elementary – Fractions:  Academic Music
• San Carlos School District:  District Wide – Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPES)
• Sequoia Union High School District: Sequoia High School – SAFE Program
• Sequoia Union High School District: Carlmont High School – S.O.S. Program
• San Mateo Foster City School District:  Brewer Island Elementary – Life Skills Program
• San Mateo Foster City School District:  Audubon Elementary – Audubon Technology Program
• South San Francisco Unified School District:  Los Cerritos Elementary – School Wide Reform Initiative

Included in the award recipients is the winner of the third annual Emily Garfield Preventive Counseling Award.  The Emily Garfield Award was established through a grant from Youth Empowering Systems to honor local education pioneer Emily Garfield to focus on successful alcohol and drug prevention programs as well as positive youth development and community wellness programs.  The winner of the 2012 Emily Garfield Preventive Counseling Award is Diahanna Flores, Brentwood Academy, Ravenswood School District.

“We continue to be impressed by the outstanding innovative programs provided by our schools particularly in these difficult economic times,” said Seth Rosenblatt, President of the San Mateo County School Boards Association and Governing Board Member of the San Carlos School District.  ”We are excited to celebrate them.”

More information about the Kent Awards presentation and banquet and the SMCSBA can be found at http://www.smcsba.org.

About the San Mateo County School Boards Association

The San Mateo County School Boards Association represents the 22 school districts, the Community College District and County Office of Education in San Mateo County, California.  SMCSBA supports the governance team — school board trustees, superintendents and senior administrative staff –through education on critical public education issues and networking opportunities for its members. SMCSBA is a chapter of the California School Boards Association which is involved in developing, communicating and advocating the perspective of California school districts and county offices of education.

For more information or to schedule a press briefing, please contact:

Seth Rosenblatt

President, San Mateo County School Boards Association

Governing Board Member, San Carlos School District

 (415) 264-4028

srosenblatt@sancarlos.k12.ca.us

SAN MATEO COUNTY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

J. RUSSELL KENT EXEMPLARY PROGRAM AWARD

Summary of 2012 Award Recipients

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Belmont Redwood Shores School District

Central Elementary School

Institution Constitution

Institution Constitution is an engaging, hands-on program that helps students foster an understanding and interest in American government.  This civics platform was designed to introduce fifth grade students to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government by having them participate in a simulated election.  Every year, students run for an actual government position, which has been researched and modified to fit the needs of our classroom community.  The election process includes casting nominations, participating in a debate, speech making, and voting.  Once elected to office, students enthusiastically carry out their assigned duties, promoting independence, responsibility, and patriotic spirit.

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Cabrillo Unified School District

El Granada Elementary School

The Dolphin Club

The Dolphin Club, at El Granada Elementary School, teaches students the importance of learning and extending their core curricular goals through an innovative afterschool program that nurtures the student’s unique talents. The Dolphin Club creates a safe, welcoming program that fosters strong positive relationships with peers and staff.  Students participate in activities that help develop and reinforce positive self-esteem and lifetime skills that will support their development for many years to come.  Each day, students rotate though a schedule that includes healthy snacks, physical recreational activity, academic support and tutoring, and an integrated arts approach to enrichment activities.

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Hillsborough School District

West Hillsborough Elementary School

Operation Risk

Operation Risk inspires teachers to take risks within their practices and to instill the value of risk-taking to their students. Teachers are institutionalizing risk-taking as best practice by trying new methodologies and/or strategies for student engagement.  Operation Risk offers permission for a non-linear, non-conforming and fearless movement for instruction. Teachers move out of their comfort zones and explore ways to improve student engagement through their instruction. Conceptualizing Operation Risk is to make clear there must be an evolution of students’ thoughts and ideas endemic to the teachers’ instruction.

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Jefferson Elementary School District

District Wide

Family Literacy and Health Day

The Jefferson Elementary School District, Daly City Partnership, and PTA joined forces in 2002 to gather families together for a city-wide literacy event. Since then, it has included a health component, addressing the need of combating childhood obesity and also as a one-stop referral to health services in our community.  The event, “Family Literacy and Health Day,” serves to expand family knowledge of literacy activities, linking parents to school curricula.  Thus, true partnership and collaboration with all participants is formed, creating a sense of one community working together to enhance quality of life and ensuring school success.

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Jefferson Elementary School District

Susan B. Anthony Elementary School

3^rd Grade Wilderness School

The Third Grade Camping Trip with the Wilderness School is collaboration between the JUHSD Wilderness School students and Susan B. Anthony Third Grade students.  Through the camping trip, high school students build their leadership skill and third grade students have an authentic opportunity to build community, learn life skills and deepen their understanding of the community they live in by exploring San Bruno Mountain.  Students hike up the mountain, explore flora and fauna, cook, do chores and stay overnight.  The camping trip is part of the Community Environmental Education Program offered at the Wilderness School and introduced to third grade.

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Jefferson Union High School District

Terra Nova High School

Social Communication

The Terra Nova Special Education Department identified numerous students with a need for a specialized social-emotional communication class.  These students were found to have problems from not understanding social communication hierarchy that most learn through observation. Speech therapy often missed the peer-to-peer cooperative learning model to better teach society’s social norms and how to properly act when face to face with these situations.  Students who cannot understand perspective taking and expected/unexpected behavior often feel confused, angry, depressed and lack healthy relationships.  Social-Emotional instruction has proven to help student’s better deal with the rigorous social demands of society.

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Jefferson Union High School District

District Wide

Life Skills Prom

The JUHSD Life Skills Prom was designed by Staff and the Associated Student Body (ASB) classes for students with moderate to severe disabilities.  These students experience a prom like atmosphere with general education and special education peers that they socialize with on a daily basis.  While these students may attend the school prom, this prom is open to all special education high school students, adult transition students and graduates of JUHSD.  The prom offers an opportunity for special education students to be active in their community as well as the community to be involved with the special education students.

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Menlo Park School District

Encinal Elementary School

Bayside Explorers

The Bayside Explorers Program is an Extended School Year (ESY) program that supports the development of academic, communication, and social-emotional learning through fun, high-interest project based learning experiences.  Thematic activities, events, and academic assignments focus on concepts related to exploring the San Francisco Bay area.  A project-based learning approach provides teachers the ability to build concepts through concrete, experiential learning activities and provides opportunities for students with disabilities to increase their social skills by participating in carefully designed, multi-ability and multi-age project groups.

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Menlo Park School District

Encinal and Laurel Elementary Schools

Living the Diversity

The Menlo Park School District’s Living the Diversity in Spanish Culture program is designed to help build collaboration and community between the English Only programs and the Spanish Immersion programs.  This program extends the Spanish cultural experiences beyond those students in the Immersion classrooms to those in the English only classrooms.  The program teaches all students involved that the Spanish culture spans Europe, North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.  The K-2 students, involved in the program, are given the opportunity to interact with each other as they participate in activities that provide real world experiences.

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Pacifica School District

Vallemar School

Mouse Squad

Vallemar’s Mouse Squad is an after school program that provides a group of 4^th – 8^th grade students an opportunity to learn IT support skills, customer service, communication and leadership skills. Mouse Squad is aligned with the Pacifica School District’s focus and vision for students, which promotes 21^st Century Education. At the same time, students are providing a service to our school. After a hands-on training in the computer lab, the students can be seen around school repairing computers and printers and helping with maintenance of our technical equipment. These students are gaining valuable lifelong skills.

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Redwood City School District

Clifford Elementary School

FOSS Science Leadership Team

Clifford was selected by the Lawrence Hall of Science to participate in a three-year grant that allows four lead teachers, the school principal, and a district representative to attend intensive trainings on how to maximize student learning using the Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits, a hands-on science curriculum. FOSS leadership team members are trained to encourage students to question naturally occurring phenomena around them. The team developed leadership knowledge and skills that provided a toolbox for them to support all teachers at Clifford with the in-depth implementation and integration of FOSS science and literacy.

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Redwood City School District

North Star Academy Elementary School

Festival of Words

Festival of Words is a day-long celebration of the power of language and creative expression. Students were invited to participate in 3 workshops with 25-30 students per workshop that explore how spoken, written, visual and musical languages are used to express ideas and document experiences and knowledge, as well as how they are used playfully in everyday life. Over sixty-six workshops were available to choose from, many led by outside community members. Festival of Words shows students that strong language skills lead to meaningful work, creative achievement and enriching contributions to our shared cultural life.

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Redwood City School District

Roosevelt Elementary School

Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning (PBL) is an educational approach that organizes lessons and assessments around carefully crafted questions or projects.  The students in a PBL environment become active solution seekers to problems, develop both oral and written presentation skills, and learn to collaborate with their peers to solve problems. During carefully crafted units of study, the students are motivated and highly engaged and at the end of the unit show stronger retention of the content. At Roosevelt School students in Kindergarten through sixth grade participate in Project Base Learning science and social studies units throughout the school year.

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San Bruno Park School District

Allen Elementary School

Fractions:  Academic Music

The Academic Music program at Allen School is an innovative math intervention that uses weekly music instruction to teach fraction concepts and problem solving K-4. Students begin to understand note value as early as kindergarten. The lessons provide students with authentic music instruction, creating natural musical rhythms of four beats per measure. Students step, clap and/or drum the notes’ values and play the music on recorders. Using fraction bars, the number line, and notes, students “break up” the larger notes into the smallest quantity, thus adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators.

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San Carlos School District

District Wide

Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPES)

The Rite of Passage Experiences (ROPES) program, supported by many groups and organizations in San Carlos, is designed as an optional enrichment activity as students complete a cycle of their education.  The ROPES projects give students in fourth, sixth and eighth grade opportunities to explore and demonstrate project based learning and to participate in an academic ritual by way of real-life learning experiences.  These challenges encourage students to use their school learning to suggest solutions, research information, and create products that reflect real life situations.

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Sequoia Union High School District

Sequoia High School

SAFE Program

Starting out slowly, the SAFE program has grown form a sparsely attended program in 2008/09 to one that some days has over 160 students participating in a variety of activities.  It provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere that encourages students to do their homework, get assistance when needed, as also pursue the numerous enrichment activities provided.  Students are becoming a part of the vital after school community and as a result are more positively connected to other students and staff.

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Sequoia Union High School District

Carlmont High School

S.O.S. Program

The goal of S.O.S. is to designate and train student leaders to bring awareness to their peers about pertinent adolescent issues and life challenges.  This is done through presentations that include personal stories, current psycho/educational material, role-play and interactive activities.

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San Mateo Foster City School District

Brewer Island Elementary School

Life Skills Program

Brewer Island School’s Lifeskills Program was developed to promote a positive school learning environment and help students develop lifeskills to support their achievement and success as positive community members, in school and throughout their lives.  Components include: BILL, the Brewer Island Lifeskills Leader mascot, literature aligned with the monthly focus Lifeskills, student leadership opportunities including Team BILL Student Helpers during recesses, Student Council, an annual school-wide Community Service Project, assemblies, and Lifeskills Spirit Days.  The program is kept visible through the use of ‘Billboards’, Lifeskills labeled school areas, and Newsletters that promote and support the use of the Lifeskills.

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San Mateo Foster City School District

Audubon Elementary School

Audubon Technology Program

Audubon’s technology program is based on a teacher driven philosophy of teacher participation, training and accountability at each grade level.  The program targets technology curriculum integration, reinforcing classroom curriculum and student acquisition of 21^st century technology skills.  The program provides every student with the same level of tech experience at each grade level, building on a student’s knowledge from year to year.  Skill expectations include: technology use, word processing, and mastery of communication tools.

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South San Francisco Unified School District

Los Cerritos Elementary School

School Wide Reform Initiative

As a commitment to the educational success of all Los Cerritos Students and in an effort to close the achievement gap, the school implemented school wide reform on systematic signature practices through a coherent vision of explicitly shared instructional practices, teacher collaboration, and a shared belief that all students can learn.

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Emily Garfield Preventive Counseling Award

Diahanna Flores

School Counselor, Brentwood Academy

Ravenswood School District

 Ms. Flores has served in a counseling and parent support role at Brentwood Academy for the last nine years.  Her dedication to the students and families of Brentwood has positively impacted the community, and her focus on both academic and social well-being for every child is a model for the staff.  She runs positive behavior intervention and support teams, and has an unwavering commitment to kids who are at risk.

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Minutes for membership dinner meeting: http://www.smcsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/unapproved-minutes-SMCSBA-032612.doc

Here is their presentation on Strengthening the Teaching Profession

Please also review their publication A Quality Teacher in Every Classroom: An Evaluation System that Works for California

Membership Dinner Meeting: http://www.smcsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/approved-minutes-SMCSBA-general-meeting-012312.doc

April 17, 2012

9:15 AM – 11:45 AM

Sobrato Center for Nonprofits

350 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City

Featuring:

Linda Fogg Phillips,

National expert on social media in communities and co-author: Facebook for Parents and The Facebook Guide for Educators

Download the brochure at: RESPECT 24-7 Kick-Off Flyer

Board Meeting

March 26, 2012

College of San Mateo, San Mateo

5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

 1. Call to order (Seth Rosenblatt)

2. Approval of 1/23  minutes (Eileen Manning-Villar)

3. Treasurer’s Report (Kevin Martinez)

4. 501(c)3 Update (Eileen Manning-Villar)

5. Sponsorship Update (Alisa MacAvoy)

6. Kent Awards (Alisa MacAvoy)

7. Rep to County Treasurer Committee (Seth Rosenblatt)

8. Board Nominations for 2012-2013 (Eileen Manning-Villar)

9. Dates for Summer Retreat (Seth Rosenblatt)

General Meeting

March 26, 2012

College of San Mateo, San Mateo

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Call to order (Seth Rosenblatt)

Introductions & Welcome (Seth Rosenblatt)

Treasurer’s Report (Kevin Martinez)

Announcement of Board of Director Nominees and Upcoming Meetings (Seth Rosenblatt)

Break for Dinner

Strengthening the Teaching Profession (David Cohen, Accomplished California Teachers)

Registration is now open for Our March 26th dinner meeting on Strengthening the Teaching Profession.

Our guest speaker will be David Cohen of Accomplished California Teachers.  He will focus on areas such as:

• Results of the latest research on quality teaching
• Teacher evaluations
• Peer review
• What are the characteristics of great teachers?

The event will begin at 6:30pm at the College of San Mateo — College Center (Building #10), College Heights Conference Room.  Dinner will be served at 7pm. Maps, directions, and parking info can be found at http://collegeofsanmateo.edu/map/.

Register on our web site at http://www.smcsba.org/events/.  The event is $30/person.

More about our guest speaker:

David B. Cohen co-founded and now serves as associate director of Accomplished California Teachers, and writes an education blog at InterACT. He is also a National Board Certified Teacher, in his tenth year teaching English at Palo Alto High School, and 18th year of teaching overall. A graduate of the Stanford Teacher Education Program (’95), David has presented at state and national conferences, and his writing on teaching and education policy has appeared in several major newspapers and websites.

Minutes from the

San Mateo County School Boards Association

Executive Board Meeting

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

College Heights Conference Room, College Center (Building #10)

1. Call to Order / Welcome (10:00 a.m.) –  President Seth Rosenblatt opened the meeting and welcomed attendees.

In attendance:

President Seth Rosenblatt

Vice President Alisa MacAvoy

Secretary Eileen Manning-Villar

Treasurer Kevin Martinez

Immediate Past President Shelly Masur

John Moseley (Area 1 Rep)

Alan Sarver (Area 4 Rep)

Chris Thomsen (CSBA Regional Delegate)

1. August 25, 2011 Board Retreat Minutes – Secretary Eileen Manning-Villar presented for review the minutes from the August 25 SMCSBA retreat.  Treasurer Kevin Martinez noted that the board decided at this meeting to give the treasurer signing authority without prior board approval for SMCSBA expenses up to $2,000.  (This will be added under the Treasurer’s Report.)  Past President Shelly Masur noted that both she is working with Delegate Assembly Representative Carrie Dubois in organizing the New Board Member Orientation.  (See Communications.)  Approval of the minutes from the August 25, 2011 board retreat with the above-listed corrections, was moved, seconded, and approved unanimously.

September 19, 2011 Executive Board Minutes – Ms. Manning-Villar also presented the minutes from the September 19, 2011 Executive Board Meeting.  Approval of the              minutes from this meeting, was moved, seconded, and approved unanimously.

1. Treasurer’s Report:  Mr. Martinez presented the treasurer’s report (copy attached).  He reported that SMCSBA’s total balance of funds on deposit as of 10/31/11 was $32,608.01, which included $14,000 in the CD account.  Acceptance of this report was moved, seconded and passed.  The board discussed the status of the sponsorship payments pledged for the breakfast meeting held earlier in the day.

1. 501(c)(3) Update –  Ms. Manning-Villar presented a draft of the Articles of Incorporation for SMCSBA (copy attached) that she proposed the organization file with the California Secretary of State.  Once these are filed and accepted, the organization can move forward with putting together the application for tax exempt status with the state and federal authorities.  The board thought that the specific purpose set forth in the Articles, namely “to educate and inform the board members of the public school districts in San Mateo County regarding issues affecting their respective districts,” represented SMCSBA’s overarching purpose.  The draft Articles were moved, seconded and approved by the board.

1. Review of Breakfast Meeting Event –  The board gave feedback on the presentation given at the breakfast meeting held earlier in the day.  It was noted that the attendance at the meeting was about the same in the number of attendees.  However, many of the attendees were not the usual SMCSBA participants (e.g. more district staff, Pacifica Library Foundation members), and many of SMCSBA’s more active members usual were not there.  It was thought that the panel of speakers was probably too large.  The group liked College of San Mateo’s facilities, and discussed the possibility of having evening meetings at the site.  One potential drawback is that the facility does not allow alcoholic beverages to be served.

1. Sponsorships Update – Vice President Alisa MacAvoy presented an updated version of the sponsorship agreement (copy attached).  The current options include a gold-level and silver-level sponsorship.  Further details on the program is available on SMCSBA’s website.  It was suggested that members speak to their elected representatives to see if they would be interested in purchasing sponsorships.  The group decided that current efforts should be focused on obtaining sponsors for the Kent Awards in 2012, with efforts for other types of events being kept “low key.”

1. Silicon Valley Community Foundation  –  Mr. Rosenblatt, Ms. MacAvoy, and Area 1 Representative Lory Lawson met recently with staff members of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) to discuss the possible divergence of the foundation’s vision from that of SMCSBA.  The visit was prompted by a recent article from the SVCF’s CEO, Emmett Carson, which made a general charge that school districts are failing kids.  The board discussed what approach SMCSBA should take with connecting the SVCF and the county’s school boards.  The consensus was that SMCSBA should work to educate school districts on how to connect with the SVCF and obtain its support.  It was also thought that SMCSBA should spend some time trying to educate the foundation about  some of the issues facing school districts e.g. unreliable and inadequate funding from the state, but should not go to extraordinary efforts to try to change SVCF’s policy direction.

1. Venues/Topics for Future Meetings  –   The board discussed what topics it could present at the upcoming January and March meetings.  These included responding to a Program Improvement designation and other concerns related to No Child Left Behind, common core standards and how to use technology effectively.

1. New Board Member Training/Mentoring  –  Immediate Past President Shelly Masur updated the board on the upcoming training.  It will be held on Saturday, November 19, 2011 with 4 to 5 new board members registered.  The group is looking for volunteers willing to mentor the new board members.

1. Update on Kent Awards/Rubric  –  The rubric needs a few more adjustments but is basically ready.  Hilary Paulson is organizing the event.

Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.

Minutes submitted by Eileen Manning-Villar, SMCSBA Secretary on January 23, 2011