Dr. Courtney Spelber shares about the annual College Application Day at Ocean View High School. During the school day, all seniors apply to multiple postsecondary institutions based on each student’s interests and aspirations, and experts are onsite all day to support them through the process.
OBJECTIVES
Bring the community together to support students
Ensure every student is supported in applying to college or postsecondary
Keep doors open for each and every student to have the opportunity to attend college
As we partner with secondary schools, we often find that high school leadership teams face a unique challenge when designing systems of support for their students. Specifically, because high schools typically serve larger student populations, with autonomous departments and individual students with varied interests and aspirations, universal (Tier 1) supports are not as easily defined and are often absent in traditional high schools. However, as school leadership teams work together, we see smart innovative practices emerging that not only ensure all students have resources and supports available to them, but also that they receive what they need when they need it.
Some of the most powerful practices establish universal supports that set the tone and culture for the whole community. For one example, check out this interview with Dr. Courtney Robinson about the annual College Application Day at Ocean View High School. During the school day, all seniors apply to multiple postsecondary institutions based on each student’s interests and aspirations, and experts are onsite all day to support them through the process.
Courtney Spelber, Director of Student Services at the Huntington Beach Union High School District
With a career spanning over two decades in education, Courtney Spelber has dedicated her professional journey to enhancing students’ academic experiences and holistic well-being. Beginning as a teacher, she transitioned into administrative roles, eventually assuming the pivotal position of principal at Ocean View High School. Currently serving as the Director of Student Services at the Huntington Beach Union High School District (HBUHSD), Courtney leads the MTSS team, prioritizing meaningful connections with each student.
Through its work with Inflexion, MUHSD is seeing strong results in student outcomes and in closing the opportunity gap for underserved students. California School Dashboard data show College/Career Indicator scores for African American, Hispanic, English Learners, students with disabilities, students who are homeless, and students who are socioeconomically disadvantaged are 16 to 29 points higher than the state average.
During our May Counterpart meetings, we asked folks to share what they have been engaging with recently. Below is a list of all the resources shared by our incredible community, offering a taste of the diverse and inspiring content they’re currently exploring. This list has something for everyone: from thought-provoking articles to captivating podcasts to must-watch documentaries. So, take a peek, pick your poison, and get ready to dive into something fantastic!
Continuous improvement should be embedded in day-to-day work, in a systemized, organic way. You can think of the cyclical process as a formative assessment of the ideas being tested.
Tucked away in the hills of rural western Oregon, the Vernonia and Gaston school districts defy many of the stereotypes most of us hold when we think of rural schools. Their communities face both common and unique challenges. Vernonia Elementary Principal, Michelle Eagleson, and Gaston Superintendent, Summer Catino, share how their small schools and communities achieve greatness.
Few large-scale policy initiatives speak to the potential of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) more so than the California Scale-Up Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Statewide Initiative—simply referred to as California MTSS.
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