Pacifica School District — Preparing Students for an Evolving World

Pacifica School District (PSD) has just begun our third trimester.  It is quite exciting to see our students at work.  The teachers do such a wonderful job in providing such inspiring and thoughtful learning environments. 

As we continue to educate our students, the California Department of Education is readying for all schools to move to the Common Core Standards by 2014-15, which is when our students will have the first opportunity to be tested with the Smarter Balanced Assessment. 

One major change made was the State’s decision to follow the rest of the nation in the removal of Algebra I as the standard for eighth grade. We are currently working with teachers to review materials and assist with developing a process to ensure our students continue their progress in mathematics.  Two areas we believe to be of major importance are the realigning of standards and the shift in teaching practice that builds on the 21st Century skills of communication, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and global citizenship. 

In PSD we have already embraced this way of teaching as evidenced in the curriculum and assessments we use.  Thus, the shift to common core may not be as difficult in our district as in others. 

Governor Brown continues to push the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), restructuring the State’s approach to allocating education funding.  It is too soon to know how this formula will be finalized.  What we do know is there will be a minimum flat funding plus a 1.65% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).  

Since we did not have to use the dollars set aside had Proposition 30 not passed, we were able to negotiate with our labor partner, LSEA for a one-time salary adjustment of $1,500 per teacher.  This one-time adjustment is in recognition of LSEA’s and unit members’ support including the sacrifices made in recent years to help us cope with the State economic crises as well as their continued professionalism and dedication.  We look forward to working with our other labor partners through the negotiations process.

We continue to leverage our funding sources to support our emphasis of 21st Century Education.  Special thanks to the Pacifica School District community in supporting the Pacifica Education Foundation (PEF) Donation Week.  We must continue to increase the participation rate for our district, which not only strengthens our foundation but helps us in grant applications.   As noted in our last Boardroom Curriculum Display presentation, the walls are filled with examples of experiences supported by PEF.