A well publicized and effectively designed program was presented at Dublin High on Wednesday evening. The event was an opportunity for DUSD parents to learn about the upcoming impact of the newly implemented Common Core Standards and Smarter Balanced Assessments. As has been mentioned in previous articles on OneDublin.org, the CCS and SBAC is a dramatic shift away from standardized testing in California and is a movement towards standards and testing that are being conducted in other states throughout the country. The primary philosophy is that students in North Carolina, California and Colorado should be mastering the same skills as they progress through school. Further, the hope is to have students in the U.S. eventually gain mastery in subjects similar to their international peers.
In order to do so, a set of common skills must be established. Further, the assessment of their skills must come with a component that provides additional support to attain a deeper level understanding of the material. The Dublin Unified School District understood that at least one impactful element of achieving this transition was to engage with its parent/guardian population. Wednesday’s approach included an opening session where Assistant Superintendent Tim McCarty explained the rationale for the night and then introduced the teachers and district staff that would lead the breakout sessions. The options available resembled a buffet style menu. Among others, topics included Elementary Math, Digital Citizenship, SBA in Primary & Secondary Education, Instructional Strategies and Critical Reading.
OneDublin.org had the opportunity to sit in multiple workshops. There were two significant observations: One, each session was well prepared and included materials and discussion that spoke specifically to the topic. Two, there was a tremendously high level of involvement by the attendees. Whether in mathematics or English language arts, the adults were tasked with solving problems or interpreting reading passages in a way that would resemble the Common Core evaluation. In some cases, laptops were available to replicate the experience of taking the test versus filling out bubbles with a pencil.
It was a fascinating evening and one of the most impactful programs that the district has provided to its parents in quite some time. Conversely, the Student Union was nearly packed for the introductory segment and it demonstrated that there is a significantly high level of interest in these subjects. OneDublin.org applauds DUSD and its staff members for constructing meaningful workshops for its families – regardless of grade level. For parents that may have had other commitments or that were not aware of this event, a second session will occur on Thursday evening. Your attendance will help you to understand what is ahead for the remainder of your child’s educational journey.
Parent Information Nights on Common Core State Standards and Smarter Balanced Assessments
- Thursday, February 20th
- 6:30 – 8:30 PM
- Dublin High School Student Union
- 8151 Village Parkway
- Free on-site childcare will be provided by the DHS Leadership and AVID classes.
- www.dublinusd.org
