Over the past fourteen months or so, the Santa Ynez High School faculty and staff have been meeting to conduct an in-depth self-study of our school as part of the process of accreditation by WASC, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (www.acswasc.org). David Brown, the executive director of WASC, states that “…accreditation [is] a process designed to strengthen schools in the delivery of quality educational programs. Accreditation is important to schools as it impacts students’ access to colleges and universities and career opportunities in a variety of ways. An effective WASC self-study review is a powerful tool for schools to improve the quality of education and more effectively serve staff and students.” In this spirit, the faculty divided into five multidisciplinary focus groups around the following topics: organization, curriculum, instruction, assessment and accountability, and school culture and student support. Each focus group carefully gathered and analyzed relevant data, examined our current conditions, evaluated our progress since our last accreditation in 2006, and made recommendations to help chart our course for the next several years. Just before winter break, administrators, focus group chairs, and our WASC coordinator met to develop an action plan rooted in the reports from the five focus groups. This action plan was carefully crafted to align with the District Strategic Plan, our Single Plan for Student Achievement, and the Local Education Area Plan. The plan will guide our school improvement efforts in the coming years. At the end of this month, a committee of educators from around the state will gather at SYHS to conduct a visit, the goal of which is to confirm the veracity of our self-study, endorse our action plan, and determine the period of our accreditation. Over the course of three days, the visiting committee will be visiting classrooms; meeting with groups of students, parents, teachers, and classified staff; and reviewing documentation. Our report highlights our school’s many successes but also identifies very specific areas for growth. If you would like to read our final report, it is available on our website at www.syvpirates.org. We are confident that our self-study reflects an honest assessment of our school and that we will make a favorable impression on the committee. We hope that if you are asked to sit on one of the panels, you will give your honest impressions of our school.

We have successfully closed the books on the first semester of 2011-12, and by now you have received your student’s semester grade report. If anything seems amiss or causes you concern, please be sure to contact the teacher or your student’s guidance counselor. There is still time to make course corrections for the second semester if necessary. If your son or daughter has strong marks, encourage him or her to apply for membership in the California Scholarship Federation (CSF). CSF is an honors organization for high school students in grades 10-12. Membership is not automatic, and students must apply after each semester of high school. Applications are available in Student Services and in Mrs. Stotler’s room, P-19. Please note that the completed application, $3.00 dues payment, and a copy of this semester’s report card must be turned in to Mrs. Stotler no later than Thursday, February 16 by 3:00 PM to be considered.

Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 and 8 are important days in the academic lives of our 10^th-graders. On those days, all sophomores will take the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) for the first time during the Sophomore Census administration of the exam. The CAHSEE tests skills essential for life after high school and helps teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators to identify students who need additional intervention and support to develop these skills. As described by California Department of Education, “The CAHSEE has two parts: English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics. The ELA part addresses state content standards through grade ten. In reading, this includes vocabulary, decoding, comprehension, and analysis of information and literary texts. In writing, this covers writing strategies, applications, and the conventions of English (e.g. grammar, spelling, and punctuation). The mathematics part of the CAHSEE addresses state standards in grades six and seven and Algebra I. The exam includes statistics, data analysis and probability, number sense, measurement and geometry, mathematical reasoning, and algebra. Students are also asked to demonstrate a strong foundation in computation and arithmetic, including working with decimals, fractions, and percents” (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/hs/overview.asp). We will administer the English-language arts section of the exam on February 7, and students will be tested in mathematics on February 8. Please note that taking the CAHSEE on these dates is mandatory for all sophomores. Sophomores should plan to get a good night’s sleep the night before and eat a healthy breakfast the morning of these important tests. Remember that sophomores never need to re-take any part of the CAHSEE that they pass during this initial administration. For many of our sophomores, this means that February 7 and 8 are the only days they will have to sit for the exam. For those who fail to pass one or more sections, however, taking the test as sophomores gives us two full years to ensure that these students receive the necessary remediation to successfully pass in the future. The CAHSEE is not only a high-stakes exam for students but for the school as well. Our Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is determined by the results of the tests administered to sophomores on these dates. Please help us to encourage students to demonstrate their Pirate Pride by doing their absolute best to demonstrate proficiency in English and math by their performance on this exam. If sufficient numbers are able to do so, we will take the first step towards clearing SYVUHS’s Program Improvement (PI) status under the federal accountability system. Good luck sophomores!

The CAHSEE is not the only important test on the horizon. The advent of the second semester also portends the coming of California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR), which is given each spring. During the last two weeks of April and the first two weeks of May, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will take standards-based tests in English-language arts, mathematics, science, and social science. These tests are directly correlated to the California State Standards teachers use to develop their curricula. The results of the test are critically important to teachers as they assess student progress and develop and implement new pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment methodologies. Students will take these tests with their regular English, math, science, and social science teachers. Our students’ performing well on all of our high-stakes tests is critical to maintaining SYHS’s excellent reputation and our high Academic Performance Index (API) under the state accountability system. I will  be using part of my column in upcoming editions of the Parent 2 Parent Newsletter to further discuss STAR testing and its importance.

This month, our students are celebrating winter homecoming. The theme this year is Snowcoming. Beginning Monday, February 6, students will participate in dress-up days and lunchtime activities all week. Dress-up days include “Flannel Day” on Monday, “Twin Day” on Tuesday, “Fake an Injury Day” on Wednesday, “Snow Day” on Thursday, and “Pirate Pride Day” on Friday. In a special assembly on Thursday morning, the student body will be presented with the 2012 Winter Homecoming Court. Congratulations to the following princes who have been nominated: Clay Adam, Lee Jensen, Chase LaMarche, Luke Lastra, Cass Lykken, Joey Norcia, Abe Santos, and Fernando Uribe. The 2012 Homecoming King will be crowned at half time of Friday night’s basketball game against the Santa Maria Saints. The dance will be held on Saturday night, February 11, from 7:00-11:00 PM at the Buellton Marriott. Tickets will not be sold at the door; to buy a ticket in advance, students must present a completed, signed dance packet. Packets are available in room B-1 from Mr. Bisbee. Please remember that even though this dance is held off campus, it is still a school event, and students are accountable to all school rules.

Finally, don’t forget that there will be no school on Friday, February 17, in honor of President Lincoln’s birthday or on Monday, February 20 in recognition of President’s Day.