Dear CNMT Community,

As we continue with budget development, I have learned more about impending cuts from the District that I want to share. Next year, as we know, we are losing our stimulus money. CNMT is also projected to have 38 fewer students, which gets us less funding.

Now I have also learned that the District is planning to only offer summer school to 11th and 12th graders, and they will only be able to take one 5-credit class. Also, LAUSD is only planning to have summer school at 30 sites, so we’re not sure yet if Roosevelt will be hosting a summer school at all, although our students could take it at another site if it weren’t offered at RHS. Continue reading →

Dear CNMT Community,

I have updated the CNMT website, which I’m using Google Sites for. I encourage you to head over to rooseveltCNMT.org to take a look. I have also created accounts for all CNMT faculty and staff, and I have asked the District to unblock this URL so we can use the Google mail at school.

This week, rather than an essay on a single topic, I’d like to give a few short updates. Continue reading →

6 period course of study with notes

8 period course of study with notes

I plan on providing you with a series of documents to consider different issues related to the bell schedule. We need to make a decision soon, as it will affect our budget development. Although I have my own preference, which is for a block schedule with an advisory and common planning time, I realize that there are many considerations.

My main priority with the bell schedule is to have one that helps us to move our school forward and to implement the Linked Learning model. That model includes:

1.     A challenging academic component (A-G courses)

2.     A demanding technical component delivers concrete knowledge and skills through a cluster of three or more technical courses.

3.     A work–based learning component offers opportunities to learn through real–world experiences.

4.     Support services include counseling as well as additional instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics.[1] Continue reading →

Dear CNMT Community,

The end of the Fall Semester is upon us, and with it comes an opportunity for reflection and a fresh start. With final grades submitted and posted, I am looking at the results of a semester’s academic endeavor, and I can say that I am deeply concerned with what I am seeing. Whether grades or test scores are the best indicator of student achievement is a debatable question, but that grades are more important to the individual student is without question.

A student needs a C or better for A-G college-prep credit, and s/he needs a D or better for high school graduation. As I would like to see all CNMT students graduating with their A-G requirements completed, that is the standard I focus on.

My analysis is preliminary, but what is shows is that 50% or more Ds and Fs is typical for CNMT classes, especially in the core subjects of mathematics, English and science. In one teacher’s classes, 83% of students received a D or an F. Continue reading →

Dear CNMT Community,

On Saturday, we started Riders 380, our CAHSEE prep and intervention program. I was so happy to have CNMT represented in force, our students, teachers, counselor and office tech. We had about 100 of our students attend, which is a great accomplishment. I am hoping to have even more students come for the rest of the 5-week session. If you missed Saturday, you can still enroll. We are accepting all 9th and 10th graders as well as 11th and 12th graders who still need to pass one or both sections of the CAHSEE.

I specifically want to thank Mr. Baird, Ms. Bizarro, , Ms. Bracamontes, Margie Castro-Ramirez, Ms. De las Cuevas, Ms. Duenas, Mr. Galvan, Ms. Grajales, Ms. Hayes,  Mr. Pedregosa and Mr. Santiago. We had an amazing team of educators who gave up half of their Saturday to support our students in passing this hurdle on their way to graduation and college.

This week, I want to talk a bit more about Linked Learning, and to get people thinking about what we want to see in the future for CNMT. At this time of year when we are planning our budget, it’s important to stay focused on our school vision as we prioritize our limited resources. Continue reading →