Close to Home: This student ‘dream’ is coming true in Sonoma Valley

It is no longer just a dream. It is possible and happening in Sonoma Valley as we speak. The goal is for every student to be within grade level or above in both reading and math by the third grade.

Sonoma Valley students who are English learners, those currently below grade level or high achievers, all benefit tremendously from participating in the Grade Level Proficiency Project. The program is in place at Dunbar Elementary School in Glen Ellen and Sonoma Charter School and Sassarini Elementary School in Sonoma and is providing outstanding student academic improvement in just the first year.

In addition, the academic progress builds self-confidence in the child, which goes a long way toward continued educational success.

“GLPP is designed to catch kids before they fall,” said Melanie Blake, the principal at Dunbar Elementary School. “The program provides the learning foundation upon which future success is built. It complements our Common Core work and offers the best learning opportunity for every child at Dunbar Elementary School. … We are grateful beyond words for the community support that has made our program a reality.”

Why is this program working so well?

First, it provides coaching and professional support for teachers. Second, the program, which focuses on students in first through third grade, provides independent, individually paced learning for students as a foundation to integrated Common Core learning. Finally, it uses state-of-the-art technology, iPads and engaging software, which are integrated into the classroom daily.

Teachers, instructional assistants, principals and students all embrace and rave about the program.

What are the takeaways and early indicators/metrics of student performance and success? Early implementation of the Grade Level Proficiency Project is critical in first grade as it establishes the foundation for success and growth. Reading by the third grade is essential for continued academic progress and educational student success. The earlier the Grade Level Proficiency Project is introduced to students, the better the results.

For example, at Dunbar, 20 percent of first-graders were within grade level of reading at the start of the program last year. By May of this year, 76 percent were within grade level. At Sonoma Charter, 27 percent of students were initially within grade level. Now, 78 percent are. At Sassarini, the number of students reading at or above grade level has grown from 18 percent to 81 percent.

The improvements in math skills - using the Dreambox match software program - have been even more dramatic. Less than a year ago, 7 percent of Dunbar students were within grade level. By May, that had grown to 98 percent. At Sonoma Charter, the number of students at grade level has grown from 10 percent to 95 percent, while Sassarini students have jumped from 2 percent being at or above grade level to 100 percent being there now.

“The results … have been remarkable,” said Kevin Kassebaum, the director of Sonoma Charter School. “Every class has achieved significant gains in both language arts and mathematics. The GLPP is an effective, efficient blended learning program.”

The metrics are outstanding, but we need to ensure that we have a program that is sustainable and scalable. This is our charge for this next year.

The initial funding for the Grade Level Proficiency Project came from private investors, and this past year the Sonoma Valley Unified School District and the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation jointly funded the project.

The major contributor last year was Sonoma Vintners and Growers from Wine Country Weekend, which contributed more than $250,000 to support the program.

This dream is becoming a reality, and the next two years will ensure that our hopes are fulfilled - that every student is within grade level in reading and math. The Roseland School District in Santa Rosa has expressed keen interest in the program and would consider adopting it if we were able to make it available and support it successfully.

All of us can assist in making this dream come true. We will need your support and ongoing investment this coming school year to fund the critical staff that are needed in our schools.

This is not an impossible dream.

Gary Nelson, founder of Nelson Family of Companies, is an investor in the Grade Level Proficiency Project. He also is an investor and member of the board of advisers of Sonoma Media Investments, the parent company of The Press Democrat.