CENTER LINE
January 2015
Center Aim
Since ancient times people have welcomed the new year with rituals to attract good fortune. As we ring in 2015, I am proud of the great fortune we have in the Center Joint Unified School District. We have a wealth of teachers, instructional staff and support staff committed to the academic, social and emotional growth of all students. I am proud of the achievement of our students from the kindergartener learning to read to the high school senior planning the next chapter in his life.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." It has been over 200 years since Benjamin Franklin penned this famous quote. Yet, in 2015, the statement is both relevant and essential to preparing students for college and career.
Students in elementary through high school are expanding their reading experiences to include both literary and informational text. Students are moving away from subjective responses, toward a deeper level of understanding that requires students to really engage with the written language and use evidence from reading to support their writing.
In mathematics, students are gaining a more conceptual understanding of key skills with the support of math manipulatives in elementary classrooms through Algebra II at the high school. Students not only use computation skills, but apply key mathematical concepts to real world situations and communicate the process and rationale used in solving posed problems. These heightened expectations are preparing students for the level of comprehension, written expression and mathematical competency that is demanded in college, technical training programs and the work force.
The District has made technology in classrooms a priority with the purchase and implementation of Chromebooks at every school site throughout the district. Teachers use Chromebooks as a teaching and learning tool in place of a worksheet or traditional paper and pencil tasks. Chromebooks extend learning, provide a research tool, expand communication and collaboration while enhancing production.
State standards have new and different expectations for students, with the goal to prepare students to be college and career ready. The new assessment will be administered in the spring to students in grades 3rd-8th and 11th. The assessment will utilize a new format to measure student progress toward standard.
As we continue with our first year of implementation of our CJUSD Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP), I am happy to say that we are making some real progress in attaining the goals we have established. As required, we will be annually reviewing our plan to ensure we are on the correct path to bring success to the students of our district. To know if we are still heading in the right direction, we would like your input. Please follow the link below to provide your input or thoughts on our current plan.
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Building a Community of Generosity
In December students and staff at Dudley Elementary collected and donated 24 blankets, 88 hats, 37 scarves, 69 pairs of mitten and gloves and 76 miscellaneous items including jackets and socks to the benefit local homeless families through the Highways and Byways Street Outreach.
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CJUSD Board of Trustees
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LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
STEVE JACKSON, Principal Arthur Dudley Elementary School
Steve Jackson began his career with CJUSD in 1989 as a science and elective teacher at Center Jr. High. He transferred to North Country Elementary where he taught kindergarten, first grade and fifth grade and spent one year mentoring teachers as an Open Court Curriculum Coach. Mr. Jackson moved into administration as an Assistant Principal at Wilson Riles Middle School followed by Assistant Principal at Center High School before taking on his current position as Principal of Dudley Elementary.
Mr. Jackson has been married to fellow educator and North Country teacher, LoAnne Jackson, for almost 29 years. They have two children, Jonathan and Julia who went through CJUSD schools. Both children graduated from CHS and now attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. With both children away at college, Mr. Jackson is very involved in his church and enjoys spending time walking, hiking, bike riding and golf.
When reflecting on those who have impacted his educational career, Mr. Jackson expressed, "I have had the honor to work with and for many wonderful teachers and administrators. I have learned so much from Joyce Frisch at WCR and Mike Jordan at CHS while I worked with them. Both of them are amazing professionals who strive to do the right thing, even when it is hard and put kids first in their decision making.
I also draw inspiration from my wife, LoAnne Jackson, who teaches at North Country. When we taught together, we often bounced ideas off of each other. Now that I am in administration, she allows me to keep the classroom perspective at the forefront. I don't know anyone who works harder to know her students and support the challenges they are enduring academically or emotionally."
As the principal of Dudley, Mr. Jackson is most proud " to continue supporting the wonderful culture of caring that we have at Dudley Elementary. I can not take credit for initiating this culture, but I work hard to promote it and keep it thriving. Each day I walk around and I can't help but notice someone going out of their way, and typically outside of their job description, to help a student, parent, or fellow staff member. I try to remind my staff frequently how they make Dudley Elementary the best place to learn and work.
I also want to acknowledge the efforts of the Dudley Community supporting a culture of caring. Last year we had several opportunities, to "give" to others: Crazy Sock Drive, Soup-er Spirit Day, Pennies for Patients, St. Baldricks, and Hats for Heroes. Each time, the staff, students and their families displayed great sacrifice and selflessness to exceed expectations for what they were asked to give. This spirit of generosity and caring can not be replaced by typical curriculum lessons."
If given three wishes, Mr. Jackson would wish for the following:
"My first wish would be that people have their "needs" met. Whether those are physical, emotional, or intellectual needs. When needs are met, effort can be focused on teaching and learning.
My second wish is for a community where communication is a premium. A place where people feel free to effectively express their point of view AND where people are equally open to respectfully considering another's point of view. To borrow from Epictetus,"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."
My third wish would be for all of our students to be able to reach their full potential, to attain what they are dreaming of, and to learn that hard work and persistence are the true path to success."
Center Joint Unified School District
Email: superintendent@centerusd.org
Website: www.centerusd.org
Location: 8408 Watt Avenue, Antelope, CA, United States
Phone: (916) 338-6400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centerusd
Twitter: @centerusd