Waterford Graded School District

The purpose of this newsletter is to connect with the WGSD Learning Team (all staff) to insure that the highlights of what is happening in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment are shared quarterly at minimum. Happy Fall Everyone!

Resources for Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (developing over time)

Curriculum Team Matrix 2013-14

* All feeder districts that flow into WUHS have agreed to an integrated model for science 6-8. Our 6-8 Science Curriculum Team met on Sept. 26th to begin this work in the AM with the K-5 Science Team (one rep for each grade level) met in the PM to study and continue designing our Science Curriculum. This year is a reflect, study, and further develop phase in the curriculum development cycle. WKCE Science will be given for sure until 2014-15 in grades 4 and 8th.

* The ELA Curriculum Team is meeting in grade bands so that we can involve one teacher at each grade level in each building in the district. Sept. 30th was grades 3-5, October 4th is grades 6-8 and October 9th is Kindergarten thru 2nd grade. We are talking about teaching skills in context, clustering learning with regard to the CCSS, essential questions and talking about RtI, universal guaranteed and viable curriculum and interventions.

* Thanks to Denise for coordinating all the subs for our curriculum meetings this year.

* Meetings will be held at Woodfield in room 194 - thanks Woodfield for your hospitality - until October 14th when meetings will be held in Evergreen room 21. This move will assist me with overseeing the Title One Preschool program and allow for a more centralized location for after school meetings. I am hoping to begin doing more optional training. With my office so close it will ease some time for me.

* The Math Curriculum team worked just the past week to set up plans of how they can move forward to insure our students are getting the intent of the CCSS, have rigorous instruction, embrace the Math Practices and have common assessments that are similar to the level of performance of the SMARTER Balanced Assessments.

* 23 teachers and one administrator attended a Phonics training on CLOVER - the six types of syllables that assist students in decoding unknown words. This training provides students with patterns for decoding and encoding. It is universal instruction in the CCSS but has typically been missed in classrooms over the past years.

* The Common Core ELA shifts and the focus on literary and informational text was shared with all teachers during the August 29th teacher team meetings. The State of Wisconsin and the CCSS have a strong emphasis on teaching vocabulary, reading and writing in all classrooms. Continued discussion on this will occur throughout the year.

* Interactive notebooks are the buzz these days! Please insure that students and parents understand that the purpose of the notebook is for the student to personally connect on essential understandings through the use of drawings, reflections, collaborative work versus the old time notebook just for taking lecture notes, copying things from the board, etc. The notebook should be a natural part of the instruction to allow the student to "think on their own" and then pair -share.

*The vocabulary binders requirements will continue this year as we take time to reflect and dialogue about vocabulary and interactive notebooks. I can see a team of teachers coming together this summer to view random student binders and notebooks. Then working together with me to make a recommendation for 2014-15 of how we can insure strong vocabulary instruction .

* New Teachers are supported by so many of you! The new teachers will meet soon to learn more about GANAG, Marzano's 9 and Formative Assessment. We have hired Chris Watkins, who formerly was the art long term, as the art teacher at Trailside. Soon we will hire a Preschool Title Teacher.

* 1st grade teachers and new kindergarten teachers began their training on the PALS state assessment on August 29th. This is a new test and they are commended for their work on learning this new assessment. Kindergarten and 1st grade teachers will have time to debrief on this assessment and learn about tools that may assist them in lesson planning to meet the student's diverse needs in phonemic awareness, phonics, etc at an upcoming grade level meeting.

* Smarter Balanced Assessment samples were given for appropriate groups to view during the August 29th team time. On the educatorchat.blogspot.com there is more information with a website to visit where you can take the test yourself or your students can take the test. Check it out if you haven't yet. More discussion on this as we collaborate during grade level meetings coming up.

* MAP window is closed. What a great job that the IT department did in handling this! Sara Schoepke has many resources for working on goals with students. If you need help accessing the data check Sara's recent e-mail information on how to do that and when things will be set.

* The curriculum teams will be looking at the common assessments that were created as they work through the curriculum process. We will suspend the use of the current common assessments for this year. Next year we will have updated common assessments that we will implement in ELA and Math at all levels. This is quite a task but together we can achieve anything! (By the way, if you read this far in my newsletter send me a quick e-mail. The first 25 people will get a treat! I appreciate your time in reading this. Sh, don't share this! Let others discover it on their own.)

* Data Days to review student progress and to determine how we can close the gaps through strong intervention instructional strategies, progress monitoring and having a "ever child can learn" attitude where held at each building starting at Trailside this past week. Tracking student progress and celebrating growth will be our goal after the Winter assessments. Having a strong plan is the first step. Some future opportunities for dialogue and professional development will be offered in the next couple of months. Check the calendar below.

* The school counselors and school nurse have taken on the change in the #504 laws with strong teamwork. Many current health plans will be converted to #504 plans. Kudos

* Thanks to everyone who is helping with the Title One Preschool - there has been lots to do to get the website up, gather furniture, interview staff, etc. Our first Title One Advisory Meeting is October 16th ...............more than 5 teachers, a principal, a secretary, a parent, and a substitute are on the team. If you would like to join let me know. We will meet quarterly to support the program.

* The school musical at Fox River is off and running. It was nice to be invited to help with the tryouts. That was a great experience and way to get to know staff.

*There are many Fall sports and events going on. These are great outlets for kids.

* Thanks to everyone who was involved in the Anti-bully campaign. I look forward to next week's activities.

October

8 K-5 New Teachers pm 12:15 - 3:45 Woodfield room 194

9 ELA K-2 am 8-11:30 Woodfield room 194

10 6-8 New Teachers pm 11:30 - 2:30 Woodfield room 194

15 Grade 2 Meeting am 8:00 - 11:00 Evergreen room 21

15 Grade 3 Meeting pm 12:30 - 3:30 Evergreen room 21

15 Mentor and New Teacher Meeting - 6-8 at FR 2:30 - 3:30; K-5 at EG room 21 3:45- 4:45 (other dates will be reviewed at this time)

16 Grade 4 Meeting pm 12:30 - 3:30 Evergreen room 21

21 Grade 5 Meeting pm 12:30 - 3:30 Evergreen room 21

22 K-8 Math Curr Meeting am 8-11 & 3-5 ELA Curr Meeting pm Evergreen room 21 12:30 - 3:30

November

26 Kindergaren Grade Level am 8:00 - 11:00 Evergreen room 21

26 Grade 1 Meeting pm 12:30 - 3:30 Evergreen room 21

Trying to keep our learning community updated on curriculum - instruction and assessment news.

"Each day you have the opportunity to spread sunshine or rain. Let your sun shine."

Email: hoppe@waterford.k12.wi.us
Website: educatorchat.blogspot.com
Location: Waterford Graded School District, 819 W Main St, Waterford, WI
Phone: 262-514-8250