Publications, Podcasts & Videos


SCOE Bulletin

The SCOE Bulletin is a Sonoma County Office of Education publication for teachers and administrators that is published three to four times per year and distributed throughout Sonoma County.

Boy with Telescope

Focus on 21st century skills | April-May 2013
This year, SCOE launched an initiative to focus on 21st century teaching and learning. This SCOE Bulletin highlights this effort and provides examples from local schools.

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Cradle to Career

Cradle to Career | Oct 2012
What would it look like if an entire community made educational attainment and support of youth its top priority? This SCOE Bulletin explores Sonoma County’s Cradle to Career initiative and the cross-sector connections it is creating.

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Teacher

Teacher Effectiveness | April 2012
As part of a cross-county project, local districts are exploring strategies for developing and evaluating teacher effectiveness. This SCOE Bulletin provides background on this effort.

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Rincon Valley Team

Lessons from the Leadership Network | Jan-Feb 2012
The Sonoma Leadership Network identified key best practices for improving schools and is helping put those practices into action.

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2011 Archive


Reading, Writing & the Common Core | Nov-Dec 2011
This publication takes a closer look at the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, and the relationship of those standards to literacy learning across the curriculum. | Text

Transitional Kindergarten | Sept-Oct 2011
In this SCOE Bulletin, the new legislation mandating Transitional Kindergarten is explained and two local programs, KinderSKOR in Windsor and Kinderprep in Healdsburg, are profiled. | Text

Formative Assessment | April 2011
This SCOE Bulletin explores formative assessment and the important role it plays in improving instruction and advancing student learning. | Text | Audio | Activity Guide | Self-Study Survey | Related Videos: Student Interviews | Questioning | Verbal Exit Cards | Whiteboards

Common Core Standards | Feb 2011
This publication provides background information about the common core standards and highlights key components of the new English language arts and mathematics standards. | Text | Audio

2010 Archive


Achievement and School Culture | Dec 2010
This SCOE Bulletin introduces Dr. Anthony Muhammad's ideas about the connection between highly effective schools and their faculty culture. Video clips, an activity guide, and a self-study survey are available for schools interested in further study of this topic. | Text | Audio | Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Activity Guide (pdf) | Self-Study Survey (pdf)

Distinguished Schools | May 2010
Meet our county's ten Distinguished Schools and learn about the signature practices that characterize these exemplary sites. | Text

Student Engagement | March 2010
Strategies for increasing the quality and quantity of student response are highlighted in this SCOE Bulletin. The accompanying video shows the use of rehearsal strategies in a fourth-grade classroom. | Text | Audio | Video

PLC Teams | January 2010
Learn about the power of high-performing Professional Learning Community (PLC) teams and how they can result in improved learning. The video shows a team from Whited School in a PLC meeting. | Text | Audio | Video

2009 Archive


Student Interviews | November 2009
Interviews can challenge our assumptions about what students know and lead teachers to adjust instruction. Learn more and watch a video of students explaining their understanding of equivalency. | Text | Audio | Video

AVID Strategies | October 2009
AVID is closing the achievement gap and making college accessible to all. Five key AVID strategies are explained in this issue of the SCOE Bulletin. The accompanying videos show two strategies in action at Roseland University Prep. | Text | Audio | Video: Socratic Seminar | Video: Philosophical Chairs

Data-Driven Decision-Making | September 2009
This publication presents an overview of how educators can use data to make instructional decisions. Four related videos show how assessment data can be accessed and analyzed using technology tools. | Text | Audio | Video: CST | Video: CELDT | Video: Formative Assessment | Video: DIBELS

Data Trends | August 2009
This issue presents an analysis of Sonoma County's enrollment and achievement numbers and highlights some issues the numbers have raised for educators and the community at large. | Text | Audio

J.X. Wilson School | March 2009
J.X. Wilson School has implemented an improvement strategy that has yielded impressive results for its diverse student population. This issue profiles the school's action plan. | Text | Audio

Tackling Text | January 2009
SCOE language arts specialist Lynn Fitzpatrick provides ideas for what teachers can do before, during, and after a lesson to enhance reading comprehension among upper elementary and secondary students. | Text | Audio

2008 Archive


Response to Intervention (RTI) | December 2008
This SCOE Bulletin introduces the key ideas of Response to Intervention and the RTI pilot program under way in Sonoma County. | Text | Audio

Improvement Strategies | November 2008
Three elements of school improvement are discussed: increasing teacher knowledge and skill, building student engagement in learning, and providing challenging academic content. | Text | Audio

Contact

  • Suzanne Gedney, Communications Specialist
    (707) 524-2620,