School News

March 16, 2017

SBAC Testing is upon us. Personal earbuds are welcome during testing. And please, limit those out of school appointments. Students that test with their regular class always do better than those during make-ups!

This year is going to be a bit different for testing, so I want to be sure that you’re well informed. We’ll do practice tests next week, Monday, March 20 & Tuesday, March 21. These are an opportunity to ensure all students have the correct computer access and are familiar with the online testing. Tuesday, March 28 & Wednesday, March 29, both 5^th and 8^th grades are taking the Science test. The results will not be reported this year, but are a way to calibrate the test across the state. All of these days will be our regular bell schedule.

Our unique bell schedule for testing begins on April 24. We’ll be posting that schedule on our website. We’ll go to block schedule the week of the 24^th – 28^th, for MTTHF. Wednesday is always our minimum day schedule, even during testing. 

The first two weeks of May will be a combination of block schedule and regular day. I won’t even try to explain it, but suggest you check out the link on our website. That’s what I’m going to look at. 

It might seem early, but it’s time to begin planning for the upcoming school year. As always, I look to our RHMS families for input on what we value as a community for our school goals. These goals are contained in our Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). Over the next few weeks, there will be opportunities for parents and students to give input on our goals. The first opportunity was at our March PTA meeting, and another will be at the April 19 meeting. Other input will be solicited at our Spring Band Concert/Book Faire, and then again when we send out the parent/student surveys. I value your suggestions, ideas, and comments, and hope you can find the time to participate in one of these opportunities. In the past, community voice has supported our increased technology, our drama teacher, and most recently, our split lunch for grades 5/6 & 7/8. Please let your voice be heard!

CUSD Preschool – 8 School Community Input Sought

Please join our District Transition Team on Thursday, March 23rd at Campbell Middle School beginning at 6:00. Our district is seeking family and student voices as they work to develop a new Preschool - 8th grade school.  The evening will begin with a general convening and then move to specific stakeholder breakout groups, facilitated by Transformation Team members. Your expertise would be of great benefit to the development of this new school. If you are planning on attending please let me know by emailing me at: cdodd [at] campbellusd.org ()

The March BAY Teacher of the Month is Blesilda Ilano-Tenorio who received a grant to take her 5th graders on a sea odyssey expedition.

 Grant helps middle schoolers learn about marine science in a hands-on way

Bleilda Ilano-Tenorio received a Wells Fargo Teacher Innovation Classroom Grant from the Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF) provide funds for her students trip as part of their study of “Preventing the Sixth Extinction”.

“The purpose of “Preventing the Sixth Extinction”, is a unit to introduce the human effects on our planet.  Students will attend the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, a hands on experience to encourage the protection and preservation of our living sea and communities.  Furthermore, students will work in the school garden all year long.  They will be exposed to the concepts of plant life effecting humans and our oceans.  As part of the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, students will contribute to our planet’s regeneration by conducting a community service project.  Students will work in teams to organize a project related to design thinking that will lead to the our human responsibility to preserve and protect our earth.”

“The most beneficial aspect of the SVEF Innovation Grants is that students are able to experience the study of science through real life application.  By taking students on the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, they will be able to participate in six learning stations in three locations on the Monterey Bay.  On a vessel, dock/pier and classroom, students will actively investigate navigation, marine habitats, marine ecology and conservation.   By giving students this experience, they learn and build upon the knowledge of human responsibility for our planet.  It will be the catalyst to seeing how as humans, we can prevent more damage to our planet.”

Rolling Hills Middle School, Campbell Union School District

“Rolling Hills Middle, one of the District’s three grade 5-8 middle schools, educates a diverse population of approximately 1000 students from Campbell, Los Gatos and Saratoga. Our staff provides a safe and orderly campus, fosters individual creativity, promotes a culture of respect for all, and encourages students to reach their full potential by engaging in their own learning and giving support back to their community.”

The ongoing classroom challenge

“The biggest teaching challenge that is faced by teachers is the need to ensure that the academic, social-emotional and well-being of all of our students are being met.  The need for support services at the school level is without doubt a concern that teachers face on a daily level.   The fact that we have homeless students, students with learning challenges and students with emotional issues makes teaching the curriculum secondary to giving students a positive environment to spend their day.   Challenges are a source of motivation for me.  Every student that I am able to help on a daily basis is how I face the challenges.”

About Blesilda

After teaching 27 years in a variety of positions, Blesilda is currently teaching 5thGrade at Rolling Hills MS in Campbell Union School District.   She has taught all subjects from Kinder through University.   Some of her positions have included Equity Coach, Bilingual/ELD & Spanish Teacher, Teacher Mentor and Refugee Grant Coordinator in Santa Clara and San Francisco Unified School Districts and San Jose State University.

“Being a teacher is the most rewarding profession because the daily connection with students and other teachers has contributed immensely to my own life.”

NAEP 2017 PARENT/GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER
Civics, geography, mathematics, reading, U.S. history, and writing assessments

ROLLING HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL
FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Dear Parent or Guardian:

Fifty randomly chosen Rolling Hills students will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on February 15, 2017. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. It is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from ourstate assessment because it provides a common measure of student achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public.

Your child might take an assessment in one of the following subjects: civics, geography, mathematics, reading, U.S. history, or writing. The assessment also asks students questions about their daily routine and their educational experiences. For example, students are asked if there is a computer at home and about the amount of reading they do. Student responses are anonymous, and they provide context and meaning to the assessment results. Please visit http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/bo... to review sample questions.

The assessment takes about 120 minutes for most students. The results are completely confidential (in accordance with the Confidential Information Protection provisions of Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347).

The information collected is used for statistical purposes only.

• Your child’s grades will not be affected.
• Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question.
• While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education. However, if you do not want your child to participate, please notify the school office in writing by February 10, 2017.

There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. A brochure that explains what participation in NAEP means for you and your child is available at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/pdf/pare.... Contact Sue Odom at 408-364-4235, x5150, or at SOdom [at] CampbellUSD.Org if you have any questions.

We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP. We know that Rolling Hills' students will show what our nation’s students know and can do.

Sincerely,

Cynthia L. Dodd
Principal

Welcome 2017! Part of starting a new year is the traditional New Year’s Resolutions. Mine is the same as every year: I will eat more healthy foods; I will exercise more; I will be more organized; and I will save more money. This year I noticed a common theme- I always say “more”. Unfortunately, I seem to fail on each of these resolutions (as do many of us). So….

This year I’m not going to say “more”. Instead, I will try to do these things.   I will try to eat healthy, I will try to exercise, I will try to organize, I will try to save money. I spend every day telling students “Just try it and see what happens” or “You never know until you try” or even “Just keep trying- don’t give up”.  If I say I will do more and feel I’ve failed, well then, it’s an excuse for me to give up. So this year, I’m just going to try to do these things, and I’m not going to stop trying.

Maybe then, this year will be different. This year I won’t fail. This year, I succeed.

Have a great start to your year,
Cynthia Dodd
Principal, RHMS