| Archived News
SAFETY FIRST! Visitors Please Check In!
Visitors are welcome at all our schools and the Brewster Public Schools District Office.
Upon arrival, everyone MUST first register at the office or reception area and receive a visitor’s badge to wear while visiting the building. This precaution helps ensure Brewster Public Schools are safe and secure at all times.
2006 Brewster Elementary and Secondary Annual School Performance Report
Mission Statements
Annual School Performance Report!
¡Reporte Anual de las Funciones Escolares!
OSPI Monthly Progress Report
Volunteers
Volunteers are an essential part of our efforts to ensure academic achievement for every student in every school. By tutoring, mentoring, assisting with activities or otherwise sharing unique talents and time, volunteers make a valuable contribution toward the success and well-being of our students.
Interested volunteers should begin by selecting a grade level or program. For more information, call student services at:
Brewster Elementary: 689-2582
Brewster Jr/Sr High School: 689-3449
Migrant-Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee
Meeting Dates
2006-2007
October 2, 2006
November 6, 2006
December 4, 2006
January 8, 2006
February 5, 2007 (WASL Night)
March 5, 2007
April 9, 2007
May 7, 2007 (Special meeting with School Board/Administrators)
6:30-8:30pm
(All fall on the first Monday of the month except for January/April)
WASL Instructional Support Classes for Summer School
We believe that every student can learn and demonstrate the skills and knowledge tested on the WASL. While many students will be successful on all three sections of the test on their first try, some students will not meet standard in one or more sections. We want you to know that help is available for all students to get the skills needed not only to pass the WASL but also further their learning in and after high school.
• AUGUST 2006 HIGH SCHOOL WASL TESTING PERIOD
The 10th-grade WASL will be given again between August 7–10. Students can take the exam for the first time, make up any exams missed during the spring testing or retake any WASL subjects they did not pass. All students have a total of five free opportunities to take the WASL. A student’s highest score will be the only score recorded.
Your student must register to take the August WASL through the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) between June 9 and July 9. Students can register online at www.k12.wa.us/waslregistration or call 1-866-400-WASL (9275) between 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday. Your student’s State Student Identifier (SSID) number, located on the front of the Individual Score Report, will be required for registration. Our school/district’s testing location will be at Brewster Jr./Sr. HighSchool.
• EXTENDED LEARNING/SUMMER SCHOOL OPTIONS
Summer school programs will be offered to help students strengthen their skills before retaking the WASL. We will contact you after student scores are sent home to discuss if summer school is a good option for your student. For some students, the extra learning opportunities we’re building into the next school year will be a better option.
For more information about summer school options please contact Mrs. Blackburn at 689-2581 ext.613.
Math Modules begin on
June 19-22 (4 days)
July 3, 5, 6, 7 (4 days)
July 10-13 (4 days)
July 24-27 (4 days)
July 31 and Aug. 1-3 (4 days) = 20 days
The math day will be 2.5 hours per day for students.
Student Hours are 3:00-5:30
Instructor is Scotti Humphrey
Writing modules begin on
July 10-14 (5 days)
July 17-21 (5 days)
July 24-28 (5 days)
July 31and August 1-4 (5 days) = 20 days
The writing day for students is 2 hours.
Student Hours are 5:00-7:00
Instructor is Casey McCarty
Reading Modules begin on
June 26-29 (4 days)
July 3, 5, 6, 7, (4 days)
July 10-13 (4 days)
July 24-27 (4 days)
July 31 and Aug. 1 (2 days) = 18 days
The reading day for students is 2 hours.
Student Hours are 3:00-5:00
Instructor is Chris Webster
Graduation Requirements
Why are the graduation requirements changing? What is the purpose of the High School and Beyond Plan? What supports are in place to help students in special education?
You will find answers to these questions -- and many more -- on the new graduation requirements Web site launched by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Visit http://www.k12.wa.us/graduationrequirements.
Written primarily to help families and students understand the new expectations that take effect with the class of 2008, the Web site also includes information and resources for educators.
Key features of the site:
• An explanation of each of the four statewide graduation requirements.
• Links to the state learning standards for each subject.
• Links to information about the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
• Information about the academic help being provided to students over the summer and during the school year.
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the requirements.
• Resources for educators, families and students.
Brewster Students Present At 3rd Annual Promising Practices State Conference
Migrant students from the Brewster School District have become proactive in our community and have made a difference for their peers and themselves. Parents have helped create a link between the school, students, and themselves through leadership development.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction hosted the 3rd Annual Promising Practices State Conference: Strategies for Struggling Students at the Spokane Convention Center on October 13th through the 15th.
Students were asked to give two presentations, one entitled “Engaging At-Risk Youth and Local Parents Can Make a Difference – The Brewster Leadership Model”. The second presentation was entitled “Harvesting Student Leaders - What You Can Do”
“Engaging At-Risk Youth and Local Parents Can Make a Difference – The Brewster Leadership Model” focused on a collaborative model between Secondary Education Migrant Education (SEMY) and the Brewster School District that is making a difference for at-risk youth, and for getting local parents engaged in leadership opportunities at the local and state level.
In the “Harvesting Student Leaders - What You Can Do” workshop, migrant students from Brewster and Oroville School Districts, who attended the Bert Corona Leadership Institute in Washington DC, led an interactive discussion on how this experience has altered their lives.
In addition to a brief video presentation of their trip highlights, the students led small groups to create agendas about issues affecting at-risk students that were presented to their state representatives. Audience members had the opportunity to question students about their experiences.
Participants heard from noted researchers, experts, and colleagues in education. A variety of strategies and techniques that could be applied immediately in the classroom in all content areas, including reading and math, and identifying ways to evaluate student progress were provided.
This annual conference is targeted to teachers and other school staff who work with students struggling academically due to poverty, limited English proficiency, high mobility, learning disabilities, or limited family involvement. The goal of the conference is to provide a wide variety of research-based techniques and resources for teacher use within the classroom including evaluation and assessment.
Lupe Ledesma, High School Counselor, Tapped for State Advisory Committee
Under Section 1304(c)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), Public Law 103-382 requires the state applicant to assure that "in the planning and operation of programs and projects at both the State and local operating agency level, there is appropriate consultation with parent advisory councils for programs of one school year in duration . . ."
Members of the Washington State Migrant Education Advisory Committee (SAC) consist of migrant parents and students (51 percent) and delegates from the Washington Education Association (teacher), Washington Association of School Administrators (principal), Washington Association of Educational Grants Managers(WAEGM) (grants manager), Washington Association of School Administrators (superintendent), Washington State School Directors' Association (school board representative), Commission on Hispanic Affairs(CHA) (representative), a local school district paraeducator/home visitor, and a secondary school counselor advocate.
Lupe also serves on the Latino/A Educational Achievement Project (LEAP) Advisory Committee.
School Improvement Information
October 2005
Since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, the federal government has assumed a stronger role in education. This law clearly sets forth an expectation that all children achieve their state’s academic standards and that schools, districts and states be accountable for student learning. Under this federal law, schools and districts that receive federal education dollars (Title I) and miss making yearly achievement goals, commonly referred to as adequate yearly progress or AYP, face specific consequences. In our state, reading and math scores from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning are used to calculate AYP.
Schools are expected to make AYP in up to 37 different categories, and districts can have as many as 111 categories. Regardless of Title I status, schools and districts are identified for “needs improvement” status if they miss making AYP for two consecutive years in the same subject areas (e.g., math in 2004 and 2005). And until they make AYP in all their categories for two years in a row, schools and districts continue to be identified for improvement. Making it one year and then missing the next means a school or district maintains its improvement status and must restart the two-year cycle of making AYP.
Washington is required to report the names of all schools and districts that are in “improvement” at the start of the school year. However, only those receiving federal Title I funds face federally-mandated consequences. Not all of the schools on the list receive Title I funds; we have noted which schools received Title I money in the 2004-05 school year.
While federal law may require our state to apply a specific definition of “needs improvement”, our education system is based on the premise that all schools and districts strive to make continuous improvements based on their locally-approved school improvement plans.
Schools in Improvement
This year, Washington’s reading and math AYP goals rose between 12 and 21 percentage points – a significant increase. Partially due to the rise in the AYP goals, 180 Washington schools are in school improvement in 2005. This compares to a final count of 156 schools identified for improvement last year.
--OSPI News
Schools Receive Recognition, Money For Achievement
OLYMPIA – June 17, 2005 – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson is handing out $20,000 in cash awards to Brewster Elementary and Brewster High schools for making noteworthy academic improvements and helping narrow the achievement gap among their student ethnic groups.
"I am delighted to recognize these Title I schools with a monetary award to acknowledge their efforts to raise the achievement of all their students," said Bergeson. "They are making important strides in closing the performance gap between white students and their minority peers which is an essential focus of our work in public education."
The awards are funded through a special set aside of federal Title I money given to states through the No Child Left Behind Act. This is the first time Washington has been given money specifically to honor Title I schools in this way.
To be eligible, schools must have received Title I funds for the past three years and made "adequate yearly progress" in at least two of the previous three years. Additionally, based on scores from the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, they needed to have substantial reductions in the achievement gap or scored higher than the statewide average in reading, writing or mathematics over a specific period of time in one or more of the ethnic minority groups.
Final consideration for selection included additional information about the eligible schools, such as the size of the academic gains, the number of minority groups making the gains and the number of subjects where gains were made.
While schools and districts have great flexibility in the specific use of their awards, the money must be used in a way that benefits student language arts (reading and writing) and mathematics achievement.
Brewster $10,000 Brewster High Hispanic—reading, writing
Brewster $10,000 Brewster Elementary Hispanic—math, reading, writing
--OSPI News
Awards Announced For Across-The-Board Gains In Learning
Brewster schools to receive plaques for gains in students’ academic achievement
OLYMPIA – April 19, 2005 – "Congratulations are in order today for students and educators in Washington," said Terry Bergeson, superintendent of public instruction, as she announced the names of schools and districts receiving the first annual Academic Improvement Award.
This new award is given to schools and districts that are increasing the success and achievement of their students. It represents one way the state of Washington is formally recognizing and honoring the progress in our ever-improving education system.
"It is a pleasure to call attention to the tremendous successes and gains being made in hundreds of Washington schools and districts," said Bergeson. "We need to celebrate the fact that thousands more students each year are learning the skills and knowledge they need in order to make their future dreams come true. This is a time to recognize the investments made by educators and parents, and praise our students for working diligently, too."
Several hundred schools and districts across Washington qualified for the award by increasing the percentage of students meeting the state’s standards in three areas assessed by the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL).
Specifically, a school or district earned the recognition by reducing the percentage of students who didn’t meet standard in reading, mathematics or writing by 10 percent between 2003 and 2004.
Unlike the federal government’s measure of "Adequate Yearly Progress," the Academic Improvement Award criterion is calculated individually for each school or district, with gains measured against its own starting point. Previous state awards, such as the 2001 Reading Achievement Awards, also used this "continuous" improvement model. Bergeson supports this approach as a way to spread this well-deserved recognition to all that make gains regardless of their baseline.
The Academic Improvement Award recipients will receive a wall plaque with room to add brass plates for each future year the award is achieved. Recipients in subsequent years will be named each October, and awards given out shortly thereafter.
The names of the 2004 Academic Improvement Award winners are posted on the OSPI Web site: http://www.k12.wa.us/EducationAwards/AcademicImprovement/
--OSPI News
Paraeducators Pass Mandated Assessment
Congratulations to Sandy Childers, Raelynn Dezellem, Arlene Goodell, Roni Jarrell, Sandy Lehrman, Courtney Riggan, Don Doyal, Ramon Najera, Shirley Trumbo, Trina Zweigle, Dorraine Gilcrist, Diane Hobart, Tina Picard, and Kim Brown for successfully passing the federally mandated Paraeducator Assessment.
In addition the following paraeducators either have enough college credit or an Associate Degree: Joneen Ingram, Lisa Cutuli, Cindy Dela Mora, Colleen Groeneveld, Lala Lopez and Patty Camacho.
These staff members have now met the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, and are considered “highly qualified” paraeducators.
“Of course, we knew this long before you took this test, but we are so happy for you, and proud of you for doing the work required to pass this test,” said Superintendent Jim Kelly. “Congratulations to each of you!”
Posting date: 11/1/05
Welcome to Skyward Family/Student Access
This exciting service provides parents/guardians/students access to up-to-the-minute information about attendance, class schedules, food service, discipline, grades, and general contact information.
Link to Skyward Family/Student Access
Posting date: 9/21/04
Registration and Hours of Attendance
School will resume for students on Tuesday, September 2. Schools are open for registration approximately one week before school starts. High school is comprised of Grades 9-12; middle school consists of Grades 5-8; and elementary school encompasses Grades K-6. Students generally attend from 8 AM to 3 PM. For more information, call student services at:
Brewster Elementary: 689-2582
Brewster Jr/Sr High School: 689-3440
Registration and Immunization Requirements
A birth certificate or other verification of age is required for kindergarten students and students entering first grade who have not been enrolled in school before. Kindergarten students must be five on or before August 31; first graders, six on or before August 31. Immunization dates must be recorded on a Washington State Certificate of Immunization form which is required for every student attending district schools.
In addition to the standard immunizations, a three-dose series of hepatitis B vaccine will be required for children entering kindergarten through third grade. Incoming kindergarten students are also required to have a second measles immunization after the MMR. Incoming sixth graders are required to have a second measles immunization. For more information call Laura Brumfield, School Nurse, at 689-2582.
Do you want to give a great bunch of kids the lift they need?
We offer rewarding part-time work to self-motivated people who enjoy working with kids. We offer you employment that fits well with many schedules. Many people, including homemakers, retirees and those with other part-time positions have found our work schedules offer a great fit with their other activities. Not only will you earn extra money, you'll learn skills that are usable for years to come!
• Free Training
• Part-time morning and afternoon hours
• No nights or weekends required
• Days off coincide with school holidays
• Flexible benefits plan to help with medical expenses
Volunteers
Volunteers are an essential part of our efforts to ensure academic achievement for every student in every school. By tutoring, mentoring, assisting with activities or otherwise sharing unique talents and time, volunteers make a valuable contribution toward the success and well-being of our students.
Interested volunteers should begin by selecting a grade level or program. For more information, call student services at:
Brewster Elementary: 689-2582
Brewster Jr/Sr High School: 689-3440
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