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 and acknowledge contributors to the best of my ability several times each school year.

Educatorchat.weebly.com - our educator curriculum, instruction and assessment resource tool (being developed over time as a team)

Curriculum Team Matrix 2013-14

* SCIENCE: All WUHS feeder districts have agreed to utilize an integrated model for science 6-8. This year is a reflect, study, and further develop phase in the curriculum development cycle with 6 grade integrated science the goal for the Fall 2014. The K-5 Science Team is continuing to study the standards and create 3 meaningful units of study - one per trimester. Engineering standards are incorporated into the new Next Generation Science Standards K-12 in addition to direct connects with ELA and Math Standards.

* ELA We are talking about teaching skills in context, clustering learning with regard to the CCSS, essential questions and resources. The goal for this year is to create a Year-At-A-Glance for each grade level and also potential units that can be developed as we roll out the new curriculum throughout the 2014-15 with training by trimester K-6 and quarterly for 7-8. Consistent graphic organizers for the three types of writing in the CCSS will be ready for the Fall also.

* Math - the teams just met and created Year-At-A-Glance pacing by trimester guides for future scoring to the standards by trimester or quarter. The K-8 team members are also creating instructional guides which include standards by units, vocabulary - that need to be specifically taught and vocabulary expected in teacher and student discourse. The Year-At-A-Glance are similar in nature to the one above. Math Practices are a key part of each unit. Use this math practice rubric to further understand the math practices in the CCSS.

* All K-1 Teachers, Rdg Teachers as well as others received a half day of PALS training.

* Reading Plus -- extended subscription for all the current students until March 28th at which time we need to have transitioned those who won't be continuing off the program. Reading Plus will continue with 30 licenses at TS via Title One funds and 50 district licenses - mainly for FR for intervention students but a few WF + EG students will use a license for the next 3 years -- we received a buy 2 years get the 3rd year free!!!!!

* All 6-8 Science and Social Studies Teachers reviewed the ELA standards that they need to teach and assess in their content area. Some common work between ELA and these areas is in the process. Teachers in grades 6-8 have specific standards for these content areas in addition to career-technical courses.

* Interactive notebooks are in full force at this time. 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 and critical thinking. The notebook should be a natural part of the instruction to allow the student to "think on their own". There are so many good things going on at this time. I am looking for digital picture samples.....send me a couple samples from your content area or class and see what you get in return!!!!!

It is time to gather a team to talk about the connection between the IN9 notebooks and the vocabulary binders. The team will work after school from 3:45 - 4:30 on March 18, April 9 and May 7th in EG #21. The team will work together with me to make a recommendation for 2014-15 of how we can insure strong vocabulary instruction. Let me know if you are interested in joining this team!

*New Teachers are supported by so many of you! Thanks to all the mentors, teachers and principals that have shared talents and skills to welcome and assist!

Click here to see WI Assessment Calendar 2014-2015 visual

RTI (Response to Intervention) There has been a lot going on behind the scenes with the leadership of several district educators. In the assessment area, Michael Rosandich, Sara Schoepke and Jessica Andersen have been working on student achievement data. Mike Rosandich is leading a team to create consistent district-wide cut-scores for entrance and exit criteria for selected and targeted levels (all special ed, ELL, etc are looked at according to their level of achievement versus their label to insure all student's needs are met) Ruth Brook is working with a Math Intervention Team and a Reading Intervention Team to review and finalize information about all of our current intervention tools as well as looking for pockets of missing or needed intervention. This information is being prepared for the Fall 2014. Contact Mike or Ruth if you have questions. Writing will be a focus in future years - benchmarking, interventions, progress monitoring, etc. We are at a really good point in RtI.

AIMS - Next year we will be adding the math applications test for benchmarking. With the cut-score work will be updated protocols - all students need AIMS in Fall but not all students need the Winter or Spring if their proficiency above the grade level mark. Conserving time when assessing will be critical with all these assessments.

Data Retreat- A grant was written to offset the costs for building level and a district level data retreat training. Judy Sargent has been secured for the training. Here is the flyer on the Data Retreat. Principals are gathering the teams and I am putting together the District Level Team.

PALS Assessment - Next year PALS will be administered in K-1 and 2nd grade will be added also. There is a 4K PALS that we use for the Title One Preschool also. Click here to learn more. Students who need winter testing will be further thought about after our last training. If you would like to provide me feedback on that feel free to do so via e-mail.

Smarter Balanced Assessment All 4 buildings will be involved in the SMARTER Balance Assessment in March and/or April. FR = 8th Math, WF = 3rd and 6th Math, TS = 4th and 6th Math in addition to 5th ELA and EG = 3rd and 6th Math. On the educatorchat.weebly.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. It is key for all of us to know about SMARTER Balance and the types of questions, activities and performance tasks they require. The SMARTER Balance Test will occur during the last 12 weeks of the school year.

WKCE in the Fall - 4th and 8th grade students will be taking the WKCE in the areas of science and social studies only. This will occur until further tests in this area can be developed. Thanks to our fearless school counselors for coordinating this test.

MAP - 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.

Common Assessments: The curriculum teams will be looking at the common assessments that were created as they work through the curriculum process. I am currently working on an "Assessment Module" so that we can use what we know about "best practice" in assessment + what we know about "state testing" to create or revamp common assessments to fit both of these needs. Using common assessments for SLO's in the Fall is in high demand. Those who will work on district-wide common assessments will utilize this module so that we have uniformity in our assessments over time.

Data Days Watching your data days is exciting. I have seen the efficiency with data, great ownership with ideas and bringing data to the table with interventionists and classroom teachers alike. The dialogue about what interventions for which students is growing as our tools are growing. Sometimes we are so focused on the <25%ile students that we have not had time or taken the time to celebrate the growth of all the other students. Two things to consider when determining a student's success this year -- 1) how successful they have been at achieving 60% of their targeted growth by Winter MAP testing and 2) how much have they grown since Spring Map Testing - both of these are strong indicators for end of the year success. There has been a lot of strong interventions at the classroom and interventionist level and lots of passion from teachers who want their students to perform at this MAP independent knowledge and skill level. Sometimes the students need to work on academics and sometimes students need to work on independent skill stamina.

March/April Curriculum Meetings Calendars

Next year, the District and School Calendars will be in Google. This seems to be what most teachers are requesting so it is something that Sara Schoepke will assist administration with creating for efficiency for all. There are so many neat tools that can be used for agendas, reminders for meetings, etc.

The District Calendar would include all assessment days, Curriculum Meetings, EE timelines, MAP testing, AIMS testing, SMARTER Balance testing, Data Days, RR deadlines, etc. This is in the process of being created already for next year.

* Ken Quandt has offered to code your fabs so you can access EG for meetings. This will be set up over time to make it easier especially for early morning meetings.

* The school counselors and school nurse have taken on the change in the #504 laws with strong teamwork. This is a huge task and the majority of the #504's are done.

* Thanks to everyone who is helping with the Title One Preschool Advisory - Jenn Velleux is now the facilitator of the team.

* Thanks to Jane Aegerter for facilitating the Science K-8 meetings with me.

* Thanks to everyone who is involved in the Anti-bully campaign.Thanks to the teachers, counselors and TAG teacher who are currently leading student groups in each of the buildings to further the student training and continue the message.

* Thanks to Jim Dembosky for facilitating the Math meetings with me.

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