Parent Resources

Programs

Band

Music at Hickman Charter is offered by a group of experienced teachers who will challenge your child to strive for excellence. From recorder to strings to jazz band, kindergarten chorus to honor choir, there truly are music offerings for every child. In an era where music programs are being cut, Hickman families are grateful to be able to choose from such a wide variety of options.

Band with Cathy George O' Connell

Be part of the Band!

Instrumental Music

Guitar - Students will learn the basics of guitar playing: chords, standard notation, and tablature. Each student must provide their own acoustic guitar for the class.
Violin - Weekly lessons are offered in a small group setting on the Hickman Charter campus. This class requires dedication to daily practice and commitment to attending weekly classes. Students need to rent or purchase their own violin.
Piano/Keyboarding - This program uses electronic keyboards and focuses on the learning and application of musical concepts. Students as young as 3rd grade will be able to read music in both clefs, understand rhythm and meter, and experience expression and articulation.
Band Choices - Beginning Woodwind, Brass, Percussion; Intermediate and Advanced Band, as well as Jazz Band

Gifted & Talented Program (GATE)

Hickman Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

PROJECT BASED LEARNING FOR GIFTED CHILDREN

At Hickman, we implement a GATE program as unique as our district. Our program not only provides students with individualized learning projects, it provides them the opportunity to take charge of their own learning.

Qualifying for the HCCD GATE

Program (Grades 3-8):

Option 1 - Automatic Qualification

To automatically qualify for the GATE program, a child must either:

Score at the Standard Exceeded Level in math and language arts on the California Assessment of Students Performance and Progress (CAASPP) tests for two consecutive years.

OR

Score at the 95th percentile in math and reading on the fall Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests for two consecutive years.

This method does not include third graders.

Option 2 - MAP Results > OLSAT Testing

A student who scores Standard Exceeded in math or language arts for two consecutive years or scores at the 95th percentile in math or reading, on the fall MAP tests for two consecutive years, may be eligible to take the OLSAT for consideration into the GATE program.

For third grade students without two years of test data, teachers/ ECs may recommend OLSAT testing based on fall MAP scores.

With the appropriate OLSAT score, the 9th Stanine, they will qualify for GATE.

*OLSAT testing window is September-October

Option 3 - Recommended for OLSAT testing

Option 4 - Parent Request > Teacher Recommendation

Like to know more?

For more information please contact:

Marie Reynosa, GATE Coordinator
209-874-9070, ext. 237 mreynosa@hickmanschools.org

Visit our GATE website!

Special Education (SPED) Program

SELPA Membership

Each school district is part of a Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA). The SELPA Director helps to ensure that each school district is adhering to legal requirements.

The SELPA also coordinates with school districts for the delivery of services to provide consistent and equitable education to all Special Education students from school district to school district. Hickman Community Charter District is a member of the Stanislaus SELPA.

Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

The Community Advisory Committee (CAC) is open to parents, caregivers, guardians, grandparents, and family members with children in general and special education, and educators and representatives of local agencies who are interested in quality education for the disabled. Click here for a brochure.

Contact Information

SELPA Office: 209-541-2944

SELPA Website

Special Education

The Special Education Department is responsible for providing and coordinating the following
district programs: 1) Special Education services, 2) Psychological and Counseling services.

The mission of the department is to provide quality services to students, staff and families.
The department provides essential preventative and intervention services to all students in
the district.

No qualified person (student) with a disability is excluded from, denied benefits of, or
subjected to discrimination in any course, program, service, or activity solely on the basis of
disability.

Student Study Team

In the public school system, before referring a child for Special Education Services, the school district is required to provide various levels of intervention to students struggling academically or behaviorally. Each school has a team, usually consisting of the child's teacher, the parent, and other professionals, who review interventions available to the child and make intervention recommendations prior to assessing for Special Education.

If you suspect your child may have some difficulties in school you can seek help by discussing your concerns with your child's teacher(s). You may find that the teacher shares your concerns and is trying to address them in the classroom setting. If your concerns continue, you should contact your child's teacher again and ask that a Student Study Team meeting. Information regarding your child will be gathered by staff for that meeting.

Student Study Team (SST) Process

Students experiencing academic and/or behavioral problems in the general education program may be referred for discussion to the Student Study Team by anyone having knowledge of their functioning, including: physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and parents. The referral will be reviewed by the Student Study Team at the local school site.

The Student Study Team is a regular education forum composed of personnel with varying specialties and experience chaired by the principal or designee of the school site. It is the intent of the SST to act as a resource when intervention assistance is sought. The SST may suggest regular program interventions within the classroom and/or support services available to all students.

The Student Study Team may include the following personnel:

● Assistant principal/Administrator/Designee
● School psychologist
● School counselor
● Community liaison
● Resource specialist teacher
● Reading specialist
● General education teacher
● Parents

You may be invited to attend the SST meeting, share information about your child's school performance and talk about your concerns. The team may decide that modifications of the general education program are appropriate to address your child's needs. If so, these modifications or interventions will be written and monitored.

If these modifications/interventions are not successful, the SST may ultimately recommend additional assessment. Should this be necessary, you will be contacted in order to obtain your informed written consent.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

Special Education program placement and related services are determined by the IEP Team based on assessment results and appropriate goals and objectives.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires that the school, in conjunction with the parents and other professionals, develop an IEP for each student with a disability. The IEP will describe the level at which your child is performing and will identify specific services (e.g. remedial work, tutoring, special education classes) or instruction your child will receive to address his or her specific needs. The IEP and related special education programs are provided at no cost to families. Each year, the IEP is revised based on the child's progress.

Expanded Learning Opportunities Program Plan Guide (ELOP)

General Information

California Student Dashboard

Education Protection Account Notification

What is the EPA?
The Education Protection Account (EPA) provides local educational agencies (LEAs) with general purpose state aid funding pursuant to Proposition 30, The Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012, approved by the voters on November 6, 2012. The EPA funding is a component of an LEA's total revenue limit or charter school general purpose entitlement.

Focus California

Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Frequently Asked Questions

What is Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)?
LCFF stands for Local Control Funding Formula. This refers to the manner in which the State of California funds school districts. This change is a major change from the way public schools used to be funded and will require some time to transition into this new funding system starting in the 2013-14 academic year.

When does Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) start?
LCFF was approved by the California Legislature and Governor Brown in June 2013, and is effective for the 2013-14 academic year. As of the development of this document, the State Board of Education is in the process of putting the process in place. Currently, school districts are being funded through a hybrid model of the previous model (Revenue Limit) and the new model (LCFF).

What is different?
Under the previous model, there were more than forty categories of funding, each for a specific purpose identified by the State. The LCFF model has basically established three forms of funding, with more local discretion on determining how the funds are spent.

Base Grant for all students.
Supplemental Grant (focused on all English Language Learners, Free and Reduced Priced Meal eligible students, and foster youth).
Concentration Grant (focus on each English Language Learner or Free and Reduced Priced Meal eligible student above 55% of the district-wide enrollment).

How will schools be accountable?
Districts must develop a Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) that will better align the academic plan with the district expenditure plan that is approved by the Board Trustees every June. Parents and other stakeholder groups will be invited to participate in the development of the LCAP.

What does the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) measure?
The LCAP must include annual goals in eight specified areas.

Student Achievement.
Student Engagement.
Other Student Outcomes.
School Climate.
Parental Involvement.
Basic Services.
Implementation of Common Core.
Course Access.

How is Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) developed?
Districts must establish and prioritize the eight goals listed above and will be required to indicate the steps it will take to meet the annual goals. Districts must use a State Board adopted LCAP template and will solicit input from various stakeholders.

What does student subgroup refer to?
This refers to the subgroups of students to be included in the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). They are the following:

Black or African American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Filipino
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
White
Two or more races
Socioeconomically disadvantaged students
English Learners
Students with disabilities
Foster youth

What is the term of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)?
Currently the LCAP is a three year plan that has to be updated annually.

When will the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) be adopted?
Districts must adopt an LCAP at the same time it adopts a budget, which is prior to July 1st of every year.

For more information, please visit one of the following:

Measures of Academic Progress

The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments are computer adaptive achievement test in Mathematics, Reading, and Language Arts. As a student responds to questions, the test responds to the student, adjusting up or down the difficulty of the questions presented to the student.

Hickman schools started using MAP during the 2014-2015 school year. Students are assigned one of three versions of MAP based on grade level: MAP for Primary Grades (MPG), MAP 2-5, or MAP 6+. In order to track growth during the school year, students in grades 1 through 8 are assessed two or three times: in the beginning (fall), in the middle (winter), and at the end of the school year (spring).

MAP allows one to look at student growth throughout the school year and across school years. Along with other data sources, MAP helps us to determine instructional strengths and needs for our schools and students.

For more information, see the MAP Parent Toolkit linked here.

ABOUT NWEA; Founded by educators nearly 40 years ago, Northwest Evaluation Association™ (NWEA™) is a global not-for-profit educational services organization known for our flagship interim assessment, Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®). More than 7,400 partners in U.S. schools, districts, education agencies, and international schools trust us to offer pre-kindergarten through grade 12 assessments that accurately measure student growth and learning needs, professional development that fosters educators’ ability to accelerate student learning, and research that supports assessment validity and data interpretation.

To better inform instruction and maximize every learner’s academic growth, educators currently use NWEA assessments and items with nearly 10 million students.

- See more at: https://www.nwea.org/about/

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