Fountain Valley School District Newsletter

Some say it is the most wonderful time of the year. Surely they were referring to the numerous holiday performances and concerts from our drama, orchestra, band and vocal music students! Here are just a few events in the coming weeks.

12/4: Honors Jazz Band

12/5: Talbert Winter Concert

12/6: Masuda Winter Concert

12/8: Christmas in the Gazebo

12/11: Talbert Drama Performance (Cast A)

12/12: Fulton Winter Concert

Talbert Drama Performance (Cast B)

12/13: Fulton Winter Concert

To view the Master Calendar (found on our web site), and additional events, click here.

STAY CURRENT:

CAASPP

CAASPP: General Information

CAASPP: FAQs

CAASPP: Family Guide

STAY INFORMED:

Important Links

District Website

District Calendar

California Math Standards

California ELA Standards

STAY CONNECTED:

Join us online

Hello FVSD Staff, Families and Community Members:

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break! It is always one of my favorite times of the year, as we gather with family and loved ones.

As we return from a week focused on gratitude in our personal lives, I am reminded of the many things we are so thankful for in our District. It is an exciting time in FVSD! We continue to make progress in so many areas from instruction to school safety, and facilities. Included in this issue are updates on:

Request for Proposals for Former Fred Moiola School
Safe School Task Force Convenes
Measure O Project Update for Masuda
Non-Student Day Allows for Ongoing Learning

As always, thank you for all you do to support teaching and learning.

Kindly,
Mark Johnson, Ed.D.

Superintendent

UPDATE: Board of Trustees Issues Request for Proposals for Former Moiola School Site

Following a Town Hall meeting last month, where staff heard feedback from the community, the Board of Trustees took action at their regular November meeting to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the former Moiola School site. The RFP solicits proposals to purchase or lease the Moiola School site. The RFP results will be presented to the Board at a future meeting, allowing them to consider all viable options regarding the property. A copy of the RFP can be found on our site, here.

SAFETY NEWS: Safe Schools Task Force Update

Earlier this month, the newly convened Safe Schools Task Force (SSTF) held its first meeting in the District Office Board Room. The Task Force is made up of over 30 community members, parents, certificated and classified employees, site leaders, district staff, Trustees and representatives from the Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach police and fire departments. The goal of the SSTF is to take a comprehensive approach to studying, analyzing and discussing all aspects related to school safety. Topics include: school climate, social/emotional mental health, communication, physical environments, emergency preparedness and community partnerships. The SSTF will meet again in December, and subcommittees, focused on each of the areas associated with school safety, will begin meeting in the coming weeks and months. As always, we will continue to make the safety of our students and staff a top priority and look forward to learning more about the SSTF's work throughout the school year.

HIGHLIGHT: The Second Phase at Masuda is Complete!!

Phase II of modernization at Masuda Middle School is complete! The A Core boasts new flooring, paint, ceilings and most importantly, air conditioning! Staff moved back into their rooms over the Thanksgiving Recess, and greeted students to their modernized classrooms on Monday. Work at both Courreges and Masuda, our first two schools to undergo modernization under Measure O, continue to move along at an impressive pace!!

In addition, a big thank you goes out to the staff, students and families at both Courreges and Masuda for their understanding and flexibility during modernization. And, a tremendous thank you goes out to our community for its generous support of Measure O!! Lastly, I want to personally thank our Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Mrs. Christine Fullerton, and our Director of Facilities, Maintenance and Operations, Mr. Joe Hastie, for their ongoing efforts to lead our Measure O projects with great passion and expertise.

FOCUS: November 9th Non-Student Day a great success for Professional Development in FVSD!

On November 9th, staff across the District participated in professional development. Our elementary teachers met at Plavan for a full CGI Sum+It, focused on Cognitively Guided Instruction. With breakout sessions led by our own FVSD staff as well as specialized consultants, the day was packed with tools and strategies for our elementary teachers to enrich their math instruction. Kudos to TOSAs Joanna Burch and Kimberly Costigan, in addition to our presenting teachers and our Educational Services Team for executing a well thought out and productive event. With nearly 150 staff in attendance, it was a very successful day!

In addition, our middle schools focused on Depth and Complexity. Masuda Middle School staff heard from Kimberly Dodds Keran. Ms. Dodds Keran is an expert in the field of Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction. Throughout the day, she introduced staff to the iconic prompts of Depth and Complexity, using grade level curriculum as a foundation. Staff had the opportunity to participate in simulation lessons in addition to designing lessons for use in their own classrooms.

Similarly, Talbert and Fulton staff joined forces at Fulton Middle School for presentations by Dr. Sandra Kaplan and Dr. Jessica Manzone to also focus on Depth and Complexity. Dr. Kaplan is an expert in gift education and differentiated curriculum. The day provided teachers an opportunity to first work with Dr. Kaplan and Dr. Manzone and then break into small groups.

We are grateful for the opportunity to provide professional development on this scale for our staff. It is the continuous integration of these training opportunities that further our drive for ALL students!

TAG IT!: #FVSDDriven #WeHeartFVSD

As noted above, our theme for 2018-19 is FVSD Driven! We hope that you will join us in documenting how you are "FVSD Driven" by capturing the amazing moments in our schools and tagging your photos on social media #FVSDDriven #WeHeartFVSD.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Have a question or a comment you would like to share? Contact us. We would love to hear from you and value your feedback.

Like what you see? Forward to a friend and help us to include more of our community in the conversation.