PUSD Education News A Publication of the Paramount Unified School District
15110 California Ave., Paramount, CA 90723 • Tel: 562-602-6000 • Fax: 562-634-6029
June 2014
Paramount Unified School District Celebrates Teacher of the Year
On May 14, 2014, school and district staff and members of the Board of Education met to celebrate each school’s Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year recognition honors the positive effect teachers have on the lives of students each day. The Board of Education awarded each of the 20 recipients a plaque to honor their contribution to Paramount Unified School District’s students and community. Schools select one outstanding teacher to represent their school for this honor. In making this selection, teachers give careful consideration to the person who best meets all of the following criteria: • Shows commitment to professional growth. • Supports his/her colleagues to develop their skills. • Pursues educational activities beyond the school day. struction. • Delivers high quality in- • Communicates positively
tee chooses the District-wide Teacher of the Year, he or she has the opportunity to apply for the Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year competition. This year the RSP teacher from Jefferson, Heather Calvert was selected to represent PUSD as the district wide Teacher of the Year. We congratulate Ms. Calvert, her students and her school for this outstanding honor!
Paramount Unified School District’s 2014-15 Teachers of the Year
with students and parents. After a selection commit-
Early Childhood Education - Damaris Peraza Alondra Middle School - Isela Griffith-Wu Collins School - Kirsten Albert Gaines School -Wafa Kaluzok Hollydale School - Imelda Espinoza Jackson School - Sandra Gonzalez Jefferson School - Heather Calvert Keppel School - Helena Chun Lincoln School - Mandy Murrietta Los Cerritos School - Sonia Morales Mokler School - Shauna Grover Paramount Park Middle School - Janel Lenox Roosevelt School - Toby Tryon Tanner School - Margie Domino Wirtz School - Cheri Lujan Zamboni Middle School - Julie Ortiz Paramount High School-West - Dannie Brayboy Paramount High School - Julia Fulton Buena Vista High School - Mira Smeltzer Paramount Adult School - Jennifer Tribe
Paramount Unified School District Plans Textbook Adoption for Students with Severe Disabilities Paramount Unified School District will implement the Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics in the 2014-15 school year. In order to provide students with programs aligned to these standards, new textbooks and materials are needed to meet the needs of students with disabilities. A committee composed of Special Education teachers evaluated materials aligned to the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and mathematics and other content areas. The following programs are being recommended to the Board of Education for approval. Pathways to Literacy is a research-based curriculum for preschool students with significant developmental disabilities who do not consistently use words, pictures, or other symbols to communicate. This curriculum addresses the needs of students with multiple
disabilities, including those who are nonverbal. It provides strategies to increase awareness and engagement in story reading while systematically building comprehension. The Early Literacy Skills Builder program for grades Kinder through 5 incorporates systematic instruction to teach both print and phonemic awareness. ELSB is a multi-year program with seven distinct levels and ongoing assessments so students’ progress at their own pace. Teaching to the Standards and Explore are curricula for grades 6 through Adult Transition. The curriculum supports students of varying abilities by providing materials at three literacy levels: objects/photos, concrete symbols and abstract symbols/text. The authors created and/or adapted popular works of literature used in gen-
eral education classes (like Holes, Number the Stars and Dragonwings) using simplified text with symbol supports. Genres covered include fiction, nonfiction, plays, and poetry—16 forms of literature in all. The recommendation of the materials for students with severe disabilities is an important step in the transition to Common Core State Standards.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATE June 11, 2014 * June 23, 2014 (Monday) Board of Education meetings are held at 6:00 p.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office, 15110 California Avenue, Paramount, and are open to the public