Secondary Update

September 2019

Warren Woods Middle School Update

WWMS ELA

The WWMS ELA department is in the process of administering the fall NWEA reading test. This data will be used to guide instruction for the remainder of the year. The 6th grade started the year by introducing students to five paragraph personal essays. The students are working with graphic organizers, while focusing on transition words and word choice. They will review the specific criteria of each paragraph, topic sentences, details, and concluding sentences. The 7th grade started the year by introducing story elements. This unit will include plot, conflict, character types, point-of-view, and theme. Short stories will be used to teach these, and students will use their independent novels to show an understanding of each concept. The 8th grade is beginning a short story unit focusing on plot and figurative language elements. Students completed a close read of “The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. Next, they will work on a dystopian society project. 8th grade advanced ELA is also focusing on plot and figurative language elements. Students are starting the novel, Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, and will focus on questions created using the D.O.K. wheel, as well as short responses using the R.A.C.E. Method.

WWMS Math

The WWMS Math PLC will begin the school year by renewing its focus on Academic Advisory. Each Academic Advisory consists of students who fell just short of proficient on the MSTEP from the 2019 Spring assessment. Mathematics teachers will be tracking several data points for each of their students with the intent of learning as much as possible about their background achievement levels and academic characteristics. As we progress through the school year, teachers will be assessing both academically and behaviorally each student to monitor progress in the program. Each PLC meeting will devote time to discussions on gathered data results across grade levels (both vertically and horizontally) with the goal of increasing student proficiency on MSTEP and PSAT. Our PLC work will include posting and tracking all learning targets for each mathematics course at the middle school. Once learning targets are posted for each course, we will allot time during each meeting to check off completed learning targets in each course as the school year progresses. All mathematics teachers will be aware of what, where, and when content is taught across the curriculum. As stated in the SIP, each grade will develop a mathematics vocabulary curriculum with assessments and study methods through Quizlet. As time permits, grading practices will be studied, compared, revised, and developed to create consistency from class to class and grade level to grade level.

WWMS Science

The WWMS Science department is examining the essentials that we are teaching. We are working on connecting the standards to phenomena to create an environment of wonder in our classrooms. As we do this, we are also evaluating the resources we are using to teach while monitoring our students' data. Sixth grade is teaching ecosystems. Seventh grade is working on the characteristics of living things. Eighth grade is focusing on geological time. Our department spends time talking about how to give our students hands-on learning opportunities that allow our students to be scientists and not just study science.

WWMS Social Studies

This year, the WWMS Social Studies department will continue their focus on the use of primary source, and inquiry in the classroom. We are now fortunate enough to have another teammate who is part of this year's C3 Tri-County Collaborative, a group that works with educators from Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties to explore the C3 Standards and create inquiry-based lessons. Additionally, we will spend much of this year preparing to implement new Social Studies Grade Level Content Expectations. This includes a huge shift of material between sixth and seventh grades. We will be identifying new Power Standards, evaluating the DOK level of standards, and creating alignment documents to ensure the skills are being taught with the appropriate level of rigor for each grade.

WWMS PI/OHI

The PI/OHI Department follows the Essential Elements standards for both math and reading. Many supports, resources, and lessons are utilized each day for all subjects. These supports, resources, and lessons are geared toward student achievement and preparation for the NWEA and for the MI-Access test for our functional, supported independence, and participation students. Analyzing NWEA data helps us to meet the students needs and help encourage student growth. In the PI/OHI ELA department, we will continue to follow the Essential Elements standards for reading to cover key concepts such as using inferences, using details to identify central ideas and summarizing plot information while reading narrative texts. Students will be using their own independent reading texts of their choice in order to apply key concepts covered during mini lessons where these concepts are explicitly modeled. In addition, students will be engaged with a wide range of informational texts and short stories throughout the year in order to increase their knowledge of a variety of genres and text structures. The PI/OHI department is utilizing programs such as Raz-Kids (a leveled-based reading program), Flocabulary (to supplement lessons) and IXL (to sharpen language based skills through individual practice). In addition, analyzing NWEA data will help us to encourage student growth for these future testing sessions. In the PI/OHI Social Studies department, we are following the Essential Elements standards for reading in order to cross concepts such as making inferences and analyzing information given through primary and secondary sources. Our evaluation of the daily news as it relates to our connection to the world around us will increase our inquiry skills and ability to analyze our sources of information. In addition, the five strands of Social Studies (Economics, Government, Geography, Culture and History) will be covered using various resources such as Flocabulary, CNN 10, and a wide range of other supplemental materials connected to our standards. These skills will be developed over the school year in preparation for the Mi-Access test for our functional, supported independence, and participation students. In addition, analyzing NWEA data will help us to encourage student growth for these future testing sessions in the areas of reading. In the PI/OHI Math classes, we follow the Essential Elements standards for math to cover key concepts such as patterns, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, graphs, and fractions. Students work individually or in small groups to understand key concepts. They work individually with the teacher or paraprofessional on their specific IEP goals. Computer programs that we are using include IXL, Khan Academy, Prodigy, and Splash Math. Students are assigned specific modules/videos to watch and interact with using IXL and Khan Academy. Prodigy and Splash Math are fun, web-based programs to help reinforce skills. Student achievement is our goal. A few will be assessed on the M-Step math portion. The majority of our students will take the NWEA Math test in the fall and spring. All PI/OHI students will be assessed with the MI-Access test in the spring. This will be broken down into functional, supported independence, and participation students based on their IEP. The NWEA math results as well as in-class observations, classwork, and tests, will help the teacher to guide instruction and push for success. The PI/OHI Science classes are focused on teaching critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork through hands-on experiments and investigations. We utilize many different resources including the Distance Learning and Ask Programs through the MISD.

WWMS Counseling

The Warren Woods Middle School Counseling Program includes a student-centered and data driven curriculum that focuses on promoting student success in academics, social and emotional skills, and career preparation. For the 2019-2020 school year we will be creating and administering a student needs assessment in order to ensure that our curriculum meets the needs of our current population. Additionally, we will be embedding the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) survey questions into the needs assessment so we can evaluate the prevalence of these experiences among our students. We will use this data to guide the delivery of interventions and supports as we work towards becoming a Trauma-Informed School. The WWMS Counseling Department will also be focusing on expanding our Career Education Program to meet the new legislative requirements. This will include adding an introductory career component to our sixth grade curriculum and work-based learning opportunities for our eighth graders.

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Warren Woods Tower Update

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Enterprise High School Update

Enterprise has been off to a great start for the 2019-2020 school year. The year began with a celebration PBIS pizza party for the school to reward students for their great growth on the Spring NWEA testing. Enterprise students showed improved RIT scores across math, reading, and science.

Presently, Enterprise has been enrolling new students. Our currently enrollment is 93 students, and there are some Tower students that may be joining us as shortly as well.

Students were pleased when they returned from summer vacation. The many upgrades to the building during the bond issue remodeling at Enterprise are quite noticeable.

Enterprise students and staff are completing the Fall NWEA testing. Testing should be finalized by September 27, 2019. The School Improvement team met the first week of school, and the SIT team wants to begin measuring goals set by the team. In upcoming PLC meetings, Enterprise teachers will be studying the results from the Fall NWEA test along with last year's PSAT 10 tests and last year's SAT and M-M-Step testing.