FUSD’s CCSS Journey

INFO FROM 2014-15 school year. The Instructional Services team is excited to share the district’s plans for moving from the “transition phase” to a robust and successful K-12 Common Core State Standards (CCSS) implementation.

We have been asking for and listening to feedback to ensure that we are responding to whole district needs. Based on these ongoing conversations, we wanted to share what you can expect in the Fremont Unified School District this school year:

• As we move into full implementation mode, the Instructional Services department will be refining FUSD’s collective vision, outreach, timelines, and district-wide Common Core implementation plan. Developments will be regularly shared via the district website, social media platforms, community meetings, and from school sites to parents.

• For Fremont to continue to be a center of innovation, we need our schools to prepare students who are ready for a complex and unpredictable future. Preparing for the opportunities ahead requires adding new skills to the traditional curriculum. That includes updating the ways we teach English Language Arts, literacy and mathematics. In the coming years, new science and social science standards will also be adopted and implemented

• The CCSS are a focused set of up-to-date learning goals that students need to learn at each grade level to become active participants in our communities and workplaces. Elementary report cards have already been revised to reflect CCSS this fall. Grades will be reported in a different format than parents and students may be used to, so we will work hard to communicate these changes and solicit feedback on how to improve these tools for the long term.

•  Consider this analogy: We’re in the midst of a major renovation of our school system—updating the design of curriculum and instruction so we can focus on preparing Fremont students for the opportunities awaiting them. In any remodeling job, there’s bound to be dust, noise, and inconvenience—but it’s all worth it in the end. We understand that parents may have concerns and we want to reassure you that we are working to get it right for your children. At the same time, educators need our patience and support as they commit to these significant shifts. We’re not at the final step yet—but we’re making major strides toward getting there. Pardon our dust!

•  School support is a priority and we will enhance our two-way communication, follow-through, and responsiveness to parent, student, and staff feedback regarding materials, assessments, and Common Core strategies that students are engaging in at school.

Parents and guardians are crucial partners in laying the groundwork for a smooth transition to the new standards:

• • Learn more about the CCSS by reviewing the California Department of Education CCSS Web Page, or scroll through Oliveira's website "Curriculum tab".
  • Talk to the principal about the school’s implementation plans to learn what will be different about these new standards and what will remain the same for students.
  • Attend a board and/or community meeting to discuss district goals and timelines.