June 2022

 

June concludes our journey through this school year.

Students came back. Classrooms were filled. Schools remained open.  It was good to be back where we belong.

There was joy and excitement with caution and safety.  A "Welcome Back to School" unlike any other.  Now wishing the best to the Class of 2022.

Education resumed full time and continued throughout the school year.

Students and staff were tested consistently, enduring new challenges.

They passed through weekends and holidays successfully, and knew what to do in case of a positive result.

They received the expected results of learning loss through CAASPP.  Yet, students and staff met the challenges and passed the tests.

It is now a time for all to rest and recreate for the summer.

To be ready to return for next school year with cheer.  To learn and study on our own, at our own pace, with the subjects we like.  To be one with ourselves, and be amongst other.

It is now time to take a break and enjoy the summer. 

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2022.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

April 2022

 

The clouds of precipitation begin to recede as April comes to an end and we look forward to the sunny days of May and the summer ahead.

Our students are arduous at work on the California Assessment of Student Progress and Performance (CAASPP) whose results we will await throughout the summer hoping that they are much better that the limited results received last year.  Students also begin to wrap up classes as the school year comes to a close with the pomp and circumstance that the last two years lacked due to the pandemic.

But before we check out for the summer break we all so much deserve, it is recommended that stock be taken of how this school year went for students, teachers, parents, administrators, and all who took part in the development of education through the 2021-22 school year.

So hang in there and remain focused as the last day of school gets near and look back at the rear to a school year which saw the return of students to school, a winter spike of a new variants, a rise in the financial pressures families endure, the spring of an aggressive invasion halted by standing up in solidarity, and the personal choice to decide how to confront a now endemic airborne virus.

Bright days lay ahead and they will be enjoyed by all of us who have endure some tumultuous times.  Hope will always lift our spirits high.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2022.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Back To School 2021

 

School is Back!!!

Welcome Back to School.

Schools are now open and ready to kick-off the 2021-22 school year.

After being shut-down for almost a year and a half, schools are ready to welcome back students into their classrooms.  It has been a long time since students have sat next to their classmates, had lunch at the cafeteria, played a pick-up game on the court, or just sat down on the field to talk and hang out.

The dark clouds of smoke that COVID brought in 2020 are beginning to clear up with the help of facemasks, vaccines, and regular testing.  However hot-spots remain, ignited by new variants.  It is our responsibility to remain vigilant of our symptoms and be aware of those around us.

While the possibility of another statewide school shut-down is minimal, it could be possible that at the district and school level it could happen based on exposure.  It is imperative that there be an alternative plan in place for schools and classrooms to execute should the need arise.  It will also be needed for students and staff who test positive and have to quarantine as guided by health and medical recommendations.

Another challenge that education will face is the ever increasing achievement gap expanded by COVID into what may be an abyss of struggling and underperforming students.  Schools will have to make accommodations to address this by implementing various innovating programs that are accessible to students and their families while at the same time ensuring success through accountability.

It will be a long year ahead with challenges along the way that must be identified and solved one step at a time.  But the first step, returning to school, has already been taken.  Just have to keep going.

Welcome Back To School Students.  You were missed.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Impact of COVID in Education

COVID-19 caused schools to shut down and drastically shift instruction from in-classroom to remote learning.

After one spring, two summers, and an entire school year, it is adequate that pause and reflect on what impact COVID-19 has had on education.

What has been learned about education since the beginning of the shut-down and how can this help schools prepare as they ready to open for the 2021-22 school year as the delta variant emerges as another threat to education?

The primary concern is the long-term effect on student learning and growth.  What will it be? How will it manifest in students? How can educators identify it? What can be done to provide support for students, families, schools and future employers. 

Five key points learned from the effect of COVID-19 in education are:

•  Education MUST GO ON.
•  Distance Learning CAN be implemented successfully.
•  Distance Learning HAS limits.
•  In-Person Classroom Instruction is the MOST effective method for Teaching and Learning.
•  Hybrid Instruction (A mix of In-Person and Distance Learning) COULD become the model for the future of education.

Educators, advocates, and stakeholders in classrooms, schools, and districts should take time to fully understand the benefits/challenges that have been faced since the spring of 2020 in order to prepare for the upcoming school year and beyond.

 

Manuel R. CotezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.

Looking Ahead: The 2021-22 School Year

With April coming to a close, and the 2020-21 school year coming to an end, students, educators, and parents can gladly finish one of the most challenging and critical schools years in education history. However, before everyone checks out for the much awaited Summer Break, there are certain procedures that schools must execute to ensure a smooth reopening for the 2021-22 school year.

Before the current school year comes to an end, schools must reach out and engage with families to determine what they intent to do for next year.  Do they want full time on site learning? Are there those who would rather continue with distance learning? Do they prefer some type of hybrid learning? Schools must collect and analyze this data in order to plan and prepare for next school year over the Summer.

During Summer, teachers and administrators should make use of as much professional development as needed for instructional design and student scheduling in addition to addressing the needs of students and their families regarding achievement gap, emotional support, social development, confidence building, etc.  Utilize all collected information, and experience learned this past year, to come up with a plan that accommodates students' needs.

Once it is time to return back to school, starting off right will be imperative.  Students must be welcomed, feel safe, and be ready to learn, with updated safety protocols in place as recommended by health agencies and required by educational governing bodies.  Preparedness and flexibility must be a teaching priority in the event that outbreaks occur and temporary lockdowns are needed.

With careful planning and constant communication the 2021-22 school year can be a year in which learning pivots back towards the development and preparedness of students as future leaders in the community, productive employees of the workforce, and caring members in their families.

Manuel R. CortezRodas - Educator

Copyright 2021.  MRCR Educational Consulting Firm.  All Rights Reserved.