On Tuesday night, Downieville School held its first School Site Council (SSC) meeting of the year. The Council is a committee of teachers, parents, staff, and community members that works with the school principal to plan for the school’s needs. Its job is to look at student data and school information, identify needs and areas of improvement, and help in the creation of the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA), which is the school’s blueprint for actions that will be carried out to improve school and student achievement. The SSC must also monitor the use of school district funds to benefit students and provide input and oversight if something needs to change. Council members generally serve two-year terms, with half beginning in even years and half in odd. The staggered terms stabilize the Council, allowing new members to acclimate. The guidelines call for a minimum of ten members, half of which must include the principal and teachers. In developing the SPSA, the Council utilizes the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) report and recommendations as a school improvement guideline. The WASC Committee visits and evaluates schools every six years at a minimum and provides the official accreditation crucial to the school and the students. Accreditation is what gives value to a student’s diploma. While some schools are underperforming and may have to go through this laborious process every two to three years, Principal Berardi proudly shared the report of the committee which visited in the Spring to the Site Council, stating that Downieville School received high marks as a whole, with just a few areas of improvement. While the school faces some challenges being small and having multiple grade levels taught in the same classroom, WASC highlighted how a small school also has advantages that translate into higher student achievement. Most importantly, The committee recognized how closely the school and the community are tied together, providing a variety of methods and delivery of instruction with a high degree of experiential learning. They were impressed at our high graduation rates and how well students are prepared for the next chapter in their lives, whether for a career right out of school or college. Kids don’t fall through the cracks as they might in larger districts; faculty collaborate on a personal level to ensure that students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP), something almost impossible to accomplish in large schools. Downieville School also provides valuable Career Technical Education Classes (CTE) such as Woodshop, Welding, and Art, which help to prepare students for careers and college and to extend enjoyment in leisure activities. In contrast, many schools in California have eliminated CTE classes. Areas recommended for improvement include embracing more diversity, focusing on English Language Learners (ELL), and utilizing student data to drive decision-making for professional development, resource management, and social-emotional learning (SEL) support. They also noted that school leadership should implement consistent and reliable ways to communicate school activities daily and monthly, including daily bulletins read in each class and a newsletter to announce and encourage involvement in activities. WASC articulated that the Sierra Plumas Joint Unified School District Board (SPJUSD) and District Superintendent should ensure that Downieville School has consistent and reliable school leadership and management. With Superintendent Berardi stepping back from his previous role as Superintendent of the District and focusing on his full-time principal position this year, they are already heading in the right direction. The Site Council next meets on 10/24 at 5 p.m. There is room for anyone interested in joining. The Downieville Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and the Downieville Booster Club will also meet simultaneously and need community volunteers who care about the future vitality of our school and students. If you are interested in being part of one of these important groups, please contact Tessa Jordan, President of the Site Council, at gc441@hotmail.com or show up on October 24th! In other school news, Downieville School is excited to have new soccer goals thanks to a recent grant. Tom Mooers is starting after-school soccer on Thursdays, and some of us local soccer fanatics are beginning to play pickup on Sunday mornings and Monday afternoons. You can keep up with the upcoming activities by joining the Facebook page for the Downieville Soccer Club. Finally, please come out and support our schools on October 7th by participating in the 12th Annual Swing for the Schools Golf Tournament at Plumas Pines Golf Resort that the Sierra Schools Foundation sponsors. This event provides much-needed funding to support the 400 students here in Sierra and Plumas counties. They are in great need this year in particular of both sponsors and participants. You can learn more at https://www.sierraschoolsfoundation.org/golf or contact foundationsierraschools@gmail.com to sponsor the event and get your spot swinging clubs on the course!