STAR testing is important

I want to use this opportunity to talk to the parents and students of our community about STAR testing and the WASC process. As you may know, this is the time of year that students across the state participate in the annual STAR testing process. For Fallbrook High students, this means four days (mornings) of testing — April 26-29. It is our hope that by limiting the number of days and hours that students test we will have an improved student participation rate during our four-day testing window. For our teaching staff, this is an opportunity to collect student performance data on a variety of subjects (English, math, science and social studies) and to determine how well students are performing in meeting the California State Academic Standards in these subjects.

Our student data is compiled by the state then compared to student performance data across the county and across the state. Our school is then provided with a rank or rating that tells us how well Fallbrook students are currently doing compared to other schools with similar demographics on this type of test. It is my hope that we can continue to improve our participation and our score on the STAR test. I truly want to show the community how well our students are able to perform on the academic standards and course goals and objectives that are being addressed in their classes each day. To make this goal a reality, I am asking for parent assistance in getting students to school on time. I am also asking that students try their very best on the STAR test each and every day, thus providing all of us (students, parents and teachers) with the most accurate scores possible. I would really like an accurate representation of student academic performance, which can be provided given each student strives for his or her best academic performance on the STAR test. Thank you for your assistance in this student learning goal.

In addition to the upcoming STAR test, we are also working as a school on finalizing our WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) Action Plan. For those of you who may need additional information, WASC is an accreditation process that all schools must go through in order to assure that the school’s academic program is recognized by the state. The WASC process finds FUHS staff, students and parents, looking at student performance data and determining what we can do as a school to continue to improve overall student performance. We examine the data from a variety of sources (student grades, STAR test results, CAHSEE test results, attendance data, discipline data, etc.). Indeed, we look at as much student data as possible in order to write an Action Plan that will guide us in our student achievement decisions. I would like to thank those parents who have been involved in this process. In addition, if you are interested in serving on a WASC parent group committee, please contact the high school office at (760) 723-6300, ex. 3102, to learn more about how you can offer input into this process.

The goal of our WASC is to create PRIDE in our school. The PRIDE acronym stands for creating students who are Productive workers, Responsible citizens, Innovative thinkers, Determined learners and Effective communicators. We hope you will join us in taking PRIDE in our Expected Schoolwide Learning Results (ESLRs).