Events & News » Executive Director Update From Robin Oliver, October 2022

Executive Director Update From Robin Oliver, October 2022

Dear Colleagues,

 

Congratulations on beginning another year of cultivating the desire within your students to be life-long learners and knowledgeable caring citizens of our planet. It is with tremendous joy that I share with you numerous accomplishments CAWS has achieved throughout the past year as well as tell you the plans we have for 2022/2023. CAWS' primary objective remains to serve as your advocate within our state and the IBO. And, as we continue working together, I look forward to our combined efforts building and strengthening our Association. 

 

 

IB 2022 Global Conference: Embracing Innovation, Inspiring Action - 

 

In July, CAWS was proud to serve as the host association for the first in-person IB Worlds Schools Global Conference in the Americas since 2019. We welcomed nearly 2000 participants to San Diego, setting an IB attendance record. Excellent keynote speakers and inspiring breakout sessions, many lead by California educators promoted the exchange of ideas and best practices that define IB. CAWS created videos of local students and teachers that were viewed throughout the conference. The displays of student art were uplifting and demonstrated the skills and creativity we have come to associate with IB programmes.

 

 

CAWS/IB Global Conference Community Service Project - 

 

A highlight of being the host Association was CAWS' development of a meaningful local community service project. After reviewing many proposals, we decided to partner with

Comunidad de Apoyo, San Diego, CASD. The purpose of our working with CASD was to assist them in meeting their mission to improve healthcare access for uninsured community members in the San Diego area with critical health needs.

 

 

The symbol of CASD is the Monarch butterfly. It signifies growth and new beginnings for patients. CAWS used this theme as the basis of our fundraising. Participants who made a donation created personal wishes on butterfly clothespins and placed them in a heart which filled to capacity by the end of the conference. Our project succeeded in raising over $5000 and five patients have now benefited by receiving essential health care!

 

Schools are encouraged to create a Butterfly Effect on your campus and continue this as a school project by contacting Comunidad de Apoyo San Diego. To view photos of this project open the link to CAWS IB Global Conference Service Project Photos

 

Butterflies, signifying new life, were the theme. Each donor crated their own butterfly with a message.

Three of the patients already served by our CAWS/IB community service project. 

The CAWS/IB community service project captured the hearts of conference attendees.

IB/CAWS Priorities - 

 

In March 2022 CAWS was selected by Paul Campbell, Head of Regional Development and Outreach Services at IBO, to collaborate with IB in identifying priorities that will specifically support the needs of California IB Programmes. Since that time, CAWS has had several meetings with Paul and numerous IB managers and specialists to finalize their plans. As the year progresses, you can expect to hear encouraging news as IB addresses issues within California. Also expect an announcement that a new IB California Representative has been hired who will focus on developing IB programmes. 

 

 

IB Recognition Team - 

 

A direct response from CAWS priority meetings is the development of an IB Recognition Team. They will address inconsistencies in IB recognition policies within our public colleges and universities. Robert Kelty and Marie Vivas, IBO, plan on conducting in-person visits with leaders of the UC, CSU and CC this November. 

 

 

CAWS University Recognition Successes - 

 

Through the collective work of Dot Battenfeld, CAWS University Liaison and many IB faculty, each of the ten new or revised courses submitted to the UC for review were approved for the 2022-2023 academic year. Open this link for specific details as well as a list of the courses on our priority list for 2023. UC A-G summary and 2023/2024 priorities

 

 

CAWS IB Professional Development Training -

 

We are thrilled to announce that IB has allowed CAWS to increase the number and types of IB Training we will offer! Effective June 11 - 14, CAWS will offer twelve sections of virtual training in addition to our in-person Lake Tahoe training for DP/CP from June 25 - 28 and PYP/MYP June 28 - July 1. The IB list of our training sessions currently has technical issues that should be resolved this week. CAWS will open our registration link by the end of October. We look forward to providing you with the best IB training available. 

 

 

Legislation -

 

CAWS continues to work with Gavin Payne as our advocate in Sacramento. As you know, one-third of our representatives will be elected for the first time this November. Both educational committees and assembly leadership will be new. Gavin will be sending out pre and post-election updates this month and in November. In January, he will address the details regarding new leaders and committee chairs. We are looking for new local champions. Please email me if you know of someone CAWS should contact. 

 

 

CAWS Board Strategic Planning and Goal Setting - 

 

Your board members and consultants will meet later this month to review and update our current CAWS Mission, Vision and Goals. This is always a dynamic process that culminates with the development of refined mission and vision statements and our strategic goals for the next two years.

 

 

Membership - 

 

Beyond the intrinsic value of supporting CAWS, your state IB Association, member programmes are eligible to nominate faculty for our CAWS Teacher Awards and CAWS Student of the Year, SOTY Scholarships.

 

  • CAWS Exemplary Teacher Awards -  One each - PYP, MYP, DP & CP for $500.00 each. 

 

  • CAWS Global Conference Attendance Award - One Award for up to $3500.00 reimbursement. The recipient of this award must agree to attend the IB Global Conference 2023 to be held in Toronto, CN from July 27-30, 2023. 

 

  • CAWS IB Teacher Training Award -  One Award for up to $2500.00 reimbursement. The recipient of this award must agree to attend CAWS Virtual Training June 11-June 14 or CAWS IB Training 2023 at Lake Tahoe DP/CP June 25-June 28 or MYP/PYP July 28 - July 1, 2022.

 

  • CAWS 2022 Student of the Year Awards, SOTY - Again this year CAWS is offering an additional $50.00 award to each 2023 Student of the Year. Member schools who submit a nomination will receive a refund of their membership fees, ($200.00 DP/CP or $100.00 MYP/PYP), plus $50.00 from CAWS for their SOTY Awards - $250.00 for DP/CP and $150.00 for PYP/MYP members.

     

     Details on how to apply for these awards and scholarship will be sent in separate

     emails.

 

Open For CAWS Membership Form

 

 

Virtual Events Calendar -

 

CAWS Fall Forum - Respecting the complexities many are facing with staffing, adequate substitute teachers, and new schedules, the CAWS Board decided that everyone would be better served by a series of virtual events rather than a single day in-person CAWS Fall Forum. Two weeks ago, our opening event featured Kelsey Day and Michael Winsatt, CAWS President, who co-hosted CAWS Coordinator Roundtable. This month, we will offer two CAWS/IB virtual events featuring Phil Evans, IBO, and Kelsey Day.

 

October 19 - School-wide adoption of DP courses: CAWS event with Phil Evans, IBO

 

October 27 - Programme Development Planning/Strategic vision with Kelsey Day, IBO

 

November 29 - Programme Evaluation with Kelsey Day, IBO

 

January 19 - Science of Reading in PYP with Kelsey Day, IBO

 

February 21 - Language offerings in MYP/DP/CP with Kelsey Day, IBO

 

April 13 - Agency in the PYP - with Kelsey Day, IBO. 

 

Please look for separate emails with more details and about each event two weeks prior to our meeting date.

 

If you are interested in co-hosting a specific topic for an event please contact me.

 

CAWS Spring Seminar - February 27 - CAWS Spring Seminar, San Diego. Please save the date for this return to an in-person gathering!

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Website Update -

 

In order to provide you with greater diversity of information, our website is in the process of being redesigned. Please check your school's current information on our website to ensure that everything is correct.

 

 

IB Stats - 

 

California continues to boast the largest number of schools and programmes in the Americas with 220 schools offering 273 programmes. In an August update from IB, CAWS learned that we have 43 Candidate programmes. Candidate programmes are eligible to join CAWS and we welcome you to our Association!

 

  

CAWS continues to work as your advocates within our state as well as within IBO. We should all look forward to seeing tangible policies and support from IB that will enhance IB within California, creating an invigorated sense of cooperation, purpose and networking for our educators. 

 

Please keep in touch with me. Send me your questions, local updates and photos of what makes your programme special. We are always stronger when we support each other.

 

 

Warm regards,

Robin