Measuring performance, and data driven decision making, are increasingly hot topics these days, and it is important to us here at Saklan as well.

In fall I wrote on this topic, and articulated the message that we need to be concerned with statistics without ever losing sight of our dedication to each individual child, which too great a concern with “data” could obscure. Here I want to take a bit more time to share with you some of methodologies for tracking our school’s effectiveness, and assure you we are continuing to develop our systems for this process.

Every spring we eagerly await the news of the success of our soon-to-be graduates in the quest for selective secondary school admission. This is a stressful process, to be sure, and it is critical to note that there are many excellent options available for most of our graduates, including top notch local public schools, a diverse array of private day schools, large and small, and of course, many excellent boarding schools. That said, our graduates tend to focus narrowly on the nearby NAIS high schools, Bentley and Athenian most notably. This year, once again, we were strongly successful: five out of eight applicants to private high schools received admission to their first choice school, and two others to their second choice. Bentley accepted five of our graduates, Athenian three, and we also received happy news from Orinda Academy, Holy Names, and DeLa Salle. Tracking out students’ admissions each year provides us important data for reflection upon the effectiveness of our program.

Other important external data for our purposes of examining the effectiveness of our academic curriculum include the results annually of our ERB scores, which we report on to our board and family. Our 2005 results were again outstanding, with scores consistent with other independent schools nationally in the language arts and reading comprehension sections, and significantly exceeded the NAIS norms in the mathematics section.

Important too is our six year accreditation report, prepared by a team of four educators from other California schools-- in 2004, they thoroughly reviewed our school curriculum and instructional program, and provided us zero “content” recommendations-- in other words, they find not a single cause for offering us a suggestion to correct or improve our school’s curriculum. They did recommend we strengthen our curriculum review process, because we stated to them that that was our intent, but that was a process recommendation. In contrast, all five of the accreditation teams on which I have served visiting other schools offered a minimum of two curriculum content recommendations.

We are also employing internal survey data more frequently. We intend to employ a comprehensive parent satisfaction survey biennially. Last year, K-8 parents reported more than ninety percent satisfaction in both our verbal and mathematics area curricula, something our consultant said she had not observed in any of the other 20 California independent schools to which she had consulted. We also are surveying our faculty, and on our most recent such survey one statement received a 100% agreement from the 18 teachers answering: “It is demonstrated by teachers at Saklan that setting the highest attainable academic standards for students is essential, and this constitutes one of our faculty’s most basic value..”

Our national association is urging us to be ever more transparent about our academic effectiveness: to quote NAIS President Pat Basset’s most recent “e-bulletin,” “this discussion raises questions that we all should address: How does your school measure “academic success”? What are you willing to share with parents regarding test scores, school and college placements, and the success of your graduates at the next level of schooling? How will you accommodate parents’ increased need for data about results?”

NAIS has prepared a comprehensive summary of the effectiveness of our type of schools. Summarizing ERB testing data, we find that: “a 4th grader at an independent school who scored at the 50th percentile among independent schools students had stronger quantitative ability than 87% of the students around the country (National Norms) and stronger quantitative ability than 65% of students at suburban public schools. A student scoring at the 25th percentile at an independent school equates with the 72th percentile nationally (NN) and 43th percentile of suburban public schools (SN).” And looking at SAT statistics: “For students from families with incomes over $100,000 the SAT score differential favored NAIS independent schools by 112 points (NAIS students:1227; public school students:1115).”

We are not content to rest on the laurels, our ERB scores, CAIS Accreditation, and Parent Surveys have bestowed upon us. In collaboration with the academic administration, and with input from the faculty, we are refining and enhancing our curriculum review process. The following is a draft version of a curriculum review policy that I have prepared, and which we will be implementing next year.

Curriculum Review and Planning at Saklan Valley School

Principles and Goals :

Saklan Valley School is committed to undertaking an ongoing process of review and revision of our curriculum, with the following goals:

1. Consideration of the effectiveness of our curriculum in general;

2. Consideration of the curriculum’s standards as compared to external “standards,” including the ERB test standards, the California standards and those of the professional associations (NCTM, etc) and also ongoing analysis of our effectiveness in preparing students for academic success when advancing or transferring to other academically excellent schools;

3. Consideration of our effectiveness in preparing our students for a rapidly changing world, both globally and nationally;

4. Ensuring continued attention to, and excellence at, promoting an enthusiasm and an intrinsic motivation and an exuberant love of learning among our students; and

5. Ensuring that we are not just reviewing but also innovating in our curriculum, making the link from reflection to implementation and measuring, promoting, even rewarding, curriculum innovation.

Procedures and Schedules
Italics indicate new systems to be implemented.

1- Ongoing and Ad-Hoc: Curriculum issues Identification and Addressing
As we have always done, nothing in this new policy limits or prevents us from just taking notice that there is something we can do be doing better; we have done in this in the recent years in regards to the math, science, and grammar curricula, and we will continue to do so.

2- August: ERB Review
Every summer, the Head of School meticulously scrutinizes the school’s test results, and draws conclusions that are then brought to the faculty for consideration and curriculum reform; in recent years reading comprehension strategy instruction was revised as a result of ERB score interpretation.

3- September: Futurist Review (Summer Reading and/or other)
New: The faculty will begin conducting an annual reading or other lecture/film experience in order to better examine how the world is changing, and then discuss how our curriculum requires modification as a result.

4- October-December: Standards Examination
Ms. Mitchell and Mrs. Schofield will continue managing a process with the faculty of curricular strand reviews including close analysis of the California standards, and careful comparison, to consider how our curriculum might be refined or enhanced to ensure we are both meeting nad exceeding state standards in all curricular areas.

5- January-March: Graduate Report Card and Survey Results Review
New: We will begin to request and collect the report card grades of our recent graduates, and to survey via email our graduates and transfer students to evaluate how well prepared they are for the academic work at their new schools. Results will be tabulated, shared, reflected upon, and then curriculum refined as deemed necessary.

6- April: Student Enthusiasm Assessment & Review
New: Even as we ever strengthen our academic curriculum, we want to make sure we are always promoting in our students a love of learning and an enthusiasm for education, and we will develop methods to measure this and to promote ongoing commitment to it.

7- April/May: Report Card Review
Our division directors will continue to guide the faculty in reflection upon the effectiveness of our report grade measurements, and refine them to ensure we are assessing what we are teaching, and teaching what we are assessing.

8- May/June: Biennial Parent Survey and Review
As we did a year ago, we will perpetuate, every other year, a comprehensive parent satisfaction survey, and employ the results for the purpose of curriculum review and revision.

9- May/June: Curriculum Innovation Documentation/Measurement (Head of School)
New: We will be developing a measurement matrix for documenting, counting, and reporting the quality and quantity of curriculum reforms adapted each year as a result of the procedures listed above.

Jonathan Martin

Head of School

Maintaining Nutrition within your Families’ Busy Life Styles

by Kim Carlock & Ben Lederman

We all have our own ideas of how to balance our children’s diets. We all want happy, healthy children. Unfortunately, we have learned that just wanting healthy children doesn’t mean that it comes automatically.

We had the benefit of recently attending a workshop that focused on Child Obesity and Nutrition. We were both somewhat surprised when one of the speakers mentioned that the most common vegetable eaten by children is french fries and that the number of overweight children has more than doubled since 1970.

Because of this trend, kids are getting chronic diseases earlier than ever before. Some of these diseases include heart diseases, high cholesterol, hypertension, type II (adult onset diabetes), breathing problems, depression, disordered or restless sleep, early maturation and joint problems. Most of these diseases used to manifest primarily in adults that had lived a relatively unhealthy life. However, due to a few changes since the 1970’s, American children are now at risk for these same illnesses.

There are four factors that contribute to childhood obesity in America. The first factor is genetics. Genetics determines what body type your child will have and how their body stores and burns fat. Another contributing factor to childhood obesity is endocrine problems. Hormones and thyroid issues tend to slow down a child’s metabolism and can contribute to excessive weight gain. Next, children who have to take medications for certain conditions can also gain weight as a side effect. Finally, the factor that has changed most significantly and dramatically since the 1970’s, is our lifestyle habits. American children get much less physical activity, eat more sugar, have too much screen time, and have less P.E. in school. These habits alone can be harmful, but together are now causing 9 million children to be overweight.

Here are simple yet effective life style suggestions that can help us make more informed choices:

1. Model good eating habits ourselves.

2. Encourage the whole family to eat more fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains, limit juices and use 1% or nonfat milk.

3. Keep healthy snacks on hand and get rid of tran’s fats.

4. Teach your children the pleasure of activity. Take them on walks, hikes, and encourage them to do outdoor activities. Activity feels good!

5. Provide regular, sit down meals.

6. Talk openly and enthusiastically of ways to keep active as a family, and own it!

7. Offer the same foods for your entire family at mealtimes.

8. When a child is telling you that they are full, respect them.

By age 5, our children’s body composition is formed; however, our children have the potential to grow into their bodies throughout their childhood and adolescence. As parents, one of our goals is to have each child grow into their height in a well-balanced, proportional manner. By first monitoring our own eating habits and keeping an active and healthy lifestyle, we are modeling our own healthy choices to our children.

So what is your family’s typical day like? Is there any type of structure that lends itself to including physical activity on a regular basis? If not, this is a great time to start. Family walks, hikes, cycling, basketball, tennis, frisbee, or really any type of cardio is beneficial and provides meaningful together time with your family.

Genetics play a certain factor in our children’s body type; however our children’s eating habits and the active opportunities that we engage them with contribute greatly towards their development. It is sometimes helpful to begin by breaking down each member of your family’s day. Is it balanced? Typically our school/work days are more regimented and the window for engaging in active physical activity has to either be planned in advance or will be easy to simply miss. Is this important enough to make it a priority to you? Will taking the time to condition these types of positive habits help you and your family? Research shows us that it will.

Other than challenging ourselves to become more conscious and in tune with our own family’s well being, what are we up against? Balance your child’s T.V. viewing time. Over 70% of advertisements that are directed at our children are geared to sell either candy or cereal. 33% of our homes have televisions in our children’s bedrooms with an average of 11 commercials per hour. 40 billion dollars each year is spent on various types of diet programs directed towards both children and adults.

We are faced with certain challenges when it comes to working out balanced schedules and good eating habits within our family’s busy life styles. It is up to us to decide how to prioritize our time to ensure that our families maintain a healthy lifestyle and positive attitude towards being active.

At Saklan Valley School, we realize that we are a smaller, yet important part of maintaining your child’s health and offer a nutritious menu for snack and lunch. We screen our lunch vendors thoroughly, and we only choose companies that follow our healthy food standards. Our standards are high, which means we don’t serve foods that have transfats or are high in sugar content.

Ms. Melissa Wright, our snack provider, strives to prepare well-balanced snacks each day for all the children, and pays special attention to food allergies. The Saklan lunch and snack supervisors make it a priority for the children to eat protein, vegetables, and fruits before eating carbohydrates and/or dessert items. Another policy that we strongly adhere to is absolutely no candy or soda is allowed at school during snack, lunch or extended day time. We realize that every way we can model and offer healthy choices for our students will contribute to a better quality of life for them.

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Sun - Nov 09 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM		Open House 2PM - 4PM
Fri - Nov 14		End of Trimester I
Fri - Nov 14 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM		Author visit: Paul Feig Grades 5-7
Sat - Nov 15 -- Sun - Nov 16 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM		Basketball Clinic Sports court
Tue - Nov 18		Professional Development Day NOON DISMISSAL
Fri - Nov 21		Parent Association Meeting After flag at the church next door.
Mon - Nov 24 -- Fri - Nov 28		Thanksgiving Week NO SCHOOL