What If......

What if... the students were able to help select the teaching staff at our Super School?

What if...we joined forces with our community and business partners and delivered instruction in a hands-on, relevant, practical approach?

What if... we created Individual Educational Support Plans with student input for those students that are struggling and not meeting their learning goals/targets?

What if... our final submission is chosen as one of the five schools to make their Super School a reality? 

What if... we make this vision a reality? 

All students at the Fairfield High School Discovery Academy pursue a rigorous curriculum that provides the foundation for entry and success at the University of California and elsewhere, as well as success in the world of work.  A partnership with our feeder Middle Schools will allow us to begin a conversation with students about their interests long before they arrive at FHS. The Fairfield High School Discovery Academy will continue to provide awareness of college and career options during a student's freshman and sophomore years. The excitement builds as students join career-focused Pathway Academies for their final two years. Each mini-campus will house an integrated teaching cadre who mentor students through their Medical, Service & Industry, Performing Arts and Media & Technology Pathways. Subjects and projects are integrated and a focus on learning by creating is pervasive. Combinations of short and long term projects are collected in each students digital portfolio. A constant stream of visiting experts and practitioners in each field are a daily sight on campus and on the devices and flat-screen of all Pathway Academies.

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

We Can #Rethink High School

We are getting closer to our final submission for the XQ Super School Redesign Project. Last week we held two community roundtable forums. Partnering with community and businesses to provide real world, hands on experience continued to be woven through each statement. Each adult in the room shared his/her experience with high school. Despite none of us attending the same school or even knowing one another in high school, our experiences were very similar. Almost everyone commented on the social pulls and demands on "fitting" in.  It was clear that if we could have had a more engaging high school it would have benefited all of us.

Our students deserve better. Our students are asking for more. Even without the $10 million from the XQ Super School project we can still #rethink our approaches and provide a much more engaging and meaningful high school experience for our students.

Listen to OUR students in this video and think about how YOU can help us #rethink high school.

https://www.wevideo.com/view/664201183

In order to complete our final phase submission I welcome any comments, ideas, suggestions at the end of this post. 

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Have You Heard????

We all get very busy in our day to day and sometimes miss the amazing things going on around us. Today's post is a tribute to our students and staff and the amazing things that have occurred over the last few weeks.  Have You Heard.....?

Have you heard that PROM 2016 was an UNBELIEVABLE EVENING? Students arrived at His Lordships in Berkeley to a red carpet and paparazzi. The girls were as glamorous as ever. The most popular style of the evening were the floor length gowns. I heard from multiple people at the venue that our students were, "The most well dressed prom students they had ever seen." The guys were equally stunning and dressed to impress. I have to say that the the sparkly red shoes that one male prom goer wore were definitely my favorite.

Have you heard that we raised $300 for Together We Rise, the NEU Charity of the Year? ASB students, Val Quijas and Regina Williams promoted the fundraiser for a two week period. Loose change is all that was asked of students and staff. They were able to raise $300 that will help to support foster youth through the non profit, Together We Rise. https://www.togetherwerise.org/

Have you heard that Chef Tom Dickinson has been working all year with our FA and Vocational Ed students? He has been leading the students through a culinary experience that they will never forget. A culminating activity last week was a cooking challenge that resembled the ever popular Food Network show Chopped. 

Have you heard that our TPP students wrote and published an original book? The senior students in Lynn Bocca's TPP class wanted to create a book as their senior project. Each student wrote a memoir from their life that could be shared with elementary students to motivate and inspire them. The students researched how to publish a book, created a GoFundMe account, raised the $500 needed, and edited and published their original work. They will be providing copies to our feeder elementary schools. You too can be the proud owner of Finding Ourselves. Just go to Lulu.com and enter the ISBN #978-1-365-06410-4. 

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

The Importance of Student Voices

I think we all know that listening to student voices is important to do, but sometimes we forget to take the time to stop and listen. Last week during our Site Council meeting it was our students that contributed the most information and it was truly remarkable. Let's #Rethink High School through the eyes of our students!!

One of our student Site Council members proposed an idea for a before the school day intervention. She suggested not just a tutoring session but a time where students could get help on resume writing, college applications, financial aid applications, listen to industry speakers, etc. It was a great idea and one that we wrote into our Single Plan for Student Achievement for next school year. Additionally, another student member who will be attending UC Davis next year stated that she liked the idea so much she could see how it could really impact students.  She said would come back and help with it. The brainstorming continued and the students expressed how important it is that more students go on college field trips and visit trade schools. After that discussion, another action item was drafted and written into our site plan. We will now be coordinating field trips for next year that will allow 500 students to visit college campuses.  The timing of field trips was also key according to the students so that the trips coincide with juniors thinking about college options and seniors actually applying to their colleges of choice.

Our students have great ideas and want to make their high school years the best they can be. Take some time to ask your students what they would like to see in your class and in school. What career field do they want to go into? What colleges are they considering? Look at your standards and see how you could deliver your instruction so that your students see the relevance to their lives and are able ultimately to use what they learn to impact the world around them.

Here is what a few of our students have to say about high school.

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Staff Appreciation Week!!

This is always a great time of year. It is the time to appreciate all of the staff on campus and all that they do. From the teachers, support staff, clerical, and custodial, everyone's job holds an integral part to making the school year a success for the students.

I want to take a moment to say Thank You!! Thank you for giving your all each day. Thank you for putting the students first. Thank you for taking risks and trying new things. Thank you for choosing to work at Fairfield High. Thank you for thinking outside of the box. Thank you for being team players. Thank you for trusting your administrative team.  Thank you for just being you!!

Here are a few videos highlighting just some of the great moments from 2015-2016!

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Transformation Takes Time...

Whether we want to see a physical, mental or systemic change... it takes time. Most of us, myself included, can be impatient waiting for the transformation to take place. However, if we want the transformation to be lasting and with positive results we must be patient, persevere, and continue to make strides towards that goal.

I saw a quote on Twitter this weekend that I had to retweet. "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." --Lucille Ball

If we see something about ourselves, our classroom, or our school that we don't like we need to face it. We need to take a good look at what it is we are challenged with. We must determine what we could do differently to potentially bring about the change we want. Keeping in mind that the genesis of the change we desire must be rooted in positivity. Once you are committed to the transformation you must begin to adjust your habits you have become accustomed to. We all know Albert Einstein's famous quote, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Ironically, in education we tend to more often than not do the same thing over and over again year after year and complain that we aren't making progress.

I am proud to say that at FHS we are working as a collaborative team to brainstorm and develop new approaches that are in the best interest of our students. Both our math department and English departments have committed to systematic changes for next year to bring about positive results for our students. We recognized a need and we are adjusting so that we don't keep replicating the same problem year after year. Changing the systematic approach is just one step. The teaching and instruction must also adapt to better engage and support our learners. We would be naive to think that merely making a schedule change would fundamentally improve student learning. Each must go hand in hand in order to bring about the transformation we want to see with our students.

Fairfield High is in the midst of TRANSFORMATION. We are making strides and progress. However, there are moments that are stressful and discouraging and that is a reality that must be faced and not ignored. Remember, as Lucille Ball once said, "...nothing can be changed until it is faced." So, when the days get tough that is when we must dig in even deeper and remember why we are here. We are here to deliver the best education we possibly can to our students. We are here to be role models they may not have in front of them at home. We are here to be the facilitators of learning. We are here because we are the Fairfield High Family! We are here to push each other to be the best WE can be! In turn we push our students to BE the BEST THEY CAN BE!!

Let's keep working on this Transformation one day at a time! 

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!

Our XQ Super School Project: Now in the Final Phase

On Friday, April 8th we received the FANTASTIC news that our proposal made it to the final phase of the XQ Super School Redesign Project. As an XQ Team we successfully created a concept and design for our new Fairfield High School Discovery Academy. The next phase is called "Develop" and is a series of exercises and questions designed to help push our imaginative skills and for us to show our capacity to actually implement our school design.

Through the XQ Directory we have reached out to experts in several fields. However, we can use your help too. We still need team members with expertise in the fields of finance and physical space. Spread the word and join our TEAM!! Help us in our DEVELOP phase so that we can make our Fairfield High School Discovery Academy a reality.

Fairfield High School Discovery Academy

Our Concept: A school designed around vibrant participation in a student interest themed environment. We will empower our students to access pathways through exploration of different fields. This access and exploration will allow our students to engage in learning that will prepare them for a life of learning and career opportunities.

School Mission and Culture: All students at Fairfield High School Discovery Academy pursue a rigorous curriculum that provides the foundation for entry and success at the University of California and elsewhere, as well as success in the world of work. Our school articulates common expectations for learning that value 21st century skills, the integration of hands and minds, and the merging of academic disciplines. Assessment is performance-based: all students develop projects, solve problems, and present findings to community panels. All students are required to complete an academic internship, a substantial senior project, and a personal digital portfolio. Teachers employ a variety of approaches to accommodate diverse learners, and recognize the value of having students from different backgrounds working together.

Teaching and Learning: 

LEARNING EXPERIENCE ONE: Project Based Learning 

United States History classes will skip the standard timeline of history approach and create online and physical exhibitions for the WWII Museum in New Orleans. Student teams work in tandem with local Veterans groups and complete interviews and public symposiums as data gathering. They then are encouraged to read and blog about their areas of interest as well as asking their peers what questions they have. After a design thinking webinar with the Stanford Design School, the students build their display prototypes, write scripts and edit footage for a culminating event featuring Veterans and students presenting their satellite Museum display for the public, press and remotely with the education team from the WWII Museum.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE TWO: Career Tracks/Pathways 
A partnership with our feeder Middle Schools will allow us to begin a conversation with students about their interests long before they arrive at FHS. The Fairfield High Discovery Academy will continue to provide awareness of college and career options during a student's freshman and sophomore years. The excitement builds as students join career-focused Pathway Academies for their final two years. Each mini-campus will house an integrated teaching cadre who mentor students through their Medical, Service & Industry, Performing Arts and Media & Technology Pathways. Subjects and projects are integrated and a focus on learning by creating is pervasive. Combinations of short and long term projects are collected in each students digital portfolio. A constant stream of visiting experts and practitioners in each field are a daily sight on campus and on the devices and flat-screen of all Pathway Academies.

Student Agency and Development: Our students awake to their school text wake-up service of choice. Their electronic assortment of assignments and announcements are organized with an elegant app. They arrive at the Cognitive Cafe and select their healthy smoothie and warm sandwich.

They reach their “Learners Choice” session just after the ambient music starts on the PA, no jarring bells of old. Subject Matter Experts (SME) from the community start their workday as guides in the multiple career and project-focused Choice sessions.

Jose heads for the Health & Wellness Wing after his surgical simulator session. He finds his integrated team of Language Arts and Science teachers are finalizing the setup for the UCLA Medical Center videoconferencing session with Residents regarding their lessons learned in their journey. He already checked his blog post on his expectations and planned questions for today. He had a few tips from his Integrated English teacher and his Science teacher suggested further inquiry and refinement of a question he posted.

The English teacher departs the Health Wing and strolls past the dirt and native plant exhibition of the Landscape Architecture class and drops in to see Jasmine in the Service & Industry Wing. Jasmine’s capstone project was both her Learners Choice project and a major part of her Integrated Design class. The entrepreneurship module of her class was 20% online with her nearby community college. Her required community service led her to the Rotary Club where she met her mentor who advised her on her capstone project. Her effort was a comprehensive website and promotional plan matching local volunteers with local events. Jasmine has to take care of her grandmother three times a week, so she has taken advantage of the evening classes her school now offers.

Student choice, relevance, community engagement and an empowered student body. Welcome to our Super School.

Networks and Partnerships: Partnerships with community members and business will be a core element of our redesigned Super School. Subject Matter Experts (SME) from the community will act as guides in the multiple career and project-focused choice sessions. These experts in their fields will help facilitate the hands on project based learning experiences. At the Fairfield High Discovery Academy we will use career pathways so students can explore their curiosities while engaging in research and teaching others the foundations of their chosen pathways. The hands on learning experiences allow students to synthesize information from their pathway from day one. Assessment is performance-based: all students will develop projects, solve problems, and present findings to community panels. All students will be required to complete an academic internship, a substantial senior project, and a personal digital portfolio. Teachers will employ a variety of approaches to accommodate diverse learners, and recognize the value of having students from different backgrounds working together. Student choice, relevant, community engagement and an empowered student body. Welcome to our Super School.

Flipagram photo stream: https://flipagram.com/f/kDa9FZ8jtK

Our next meeting will be Monday, April 18th at 12:14 in B21!!

Our ONE goal: To graduate every Fairfield High Student and to ensure that they leave FHS college and career ready!!! 

Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Many more great things are in store for Fairfield High!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!