From the Desk of Superintendent Tauchert
Dear Edgewater Community,
I hope this newsletter finds you well and in good spirits. As December begins, I am thrilled to share the Pegasus Periodical. Through this newsletter I aim to keep the community informed about some of the exciting developments in our school district.
One of the significant initiatives we are proud to share is our transition from Intervention and Referral Services to a Multi-Tiered System of Support. This shift underscores our commitment to providing a comprehensive and tailored approach to meet the diverse needs of our students, ensuring that each child receives the support necessary for their academic success and personal growth.
In this edition, you will find information on the importance of regular school attendance. Consistent attendance is fundamental to a child's educational journey, fostering a productive environment for learning, social development, and overall well-being. We encourage parents and guardians to partner with us to emphasize the significance of regularly sending children to school and the importance of arriving on time.
I am also delighted to share the exciting developments in coding. Our students are actively engaged in coding activities, developing essential skills that will prepare them for the ever-evolving digital landscape. We are proud to offer such innovative opportunities to our students and look forward to witnessing their growth.
Did you know that in the Edgewater School District, we speak 31 different languages? What a gift it is to be surrounded by so many people with different experiences. To celebrate this diversity and inclusion in our schools, we are once again hosting our Family Holiday Presentations. These presentations allow our school community to learn about each other's traditions and celebrations. We are proud to say this year we have about 15 families participating! Please ask your children about these presentations the week of December 11th.
I encourage you to explore the Pegasus Periodical for more detailed insights into these initiatives and events. We are committed to maintaining open communication with our community, and the Pegasus Periodical is one of the ways we aim to achieve this.
Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to a year filled with shared successes and achievements.
Sincerely,
Siobhan Tauchert
Superintendent of Schools
Edgewater School District
"Building a Better World, One Student at a Time."
Multi-Tiered System of Supports
The district has moved from an Intervention and Referral Services (I&RS) model to a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework this year. MTSS is a framework that looks at a continuum of evidence-based, system-wide practices that support a comprehensive approach to integrating efforts that support all students' attendance and academic, behavioral, and social competencies. Over the summer, the Edgewater administrative team met with an MTSS consultant to create our MTSS manual and establish what the program would look like within our district and schools. The district also appointed an in-house MTSS Coordinator who has been pivotal to the program's success. The MTSS Coordinator facilitates meetings with the interventionists and the classroom teachers to review student data and create intervention plans for students needing Tier 2 and Tier 3 instruction. Meetings to discuss and track the success of Tier 1 interventions that are being implemented have also been taking place. In addition, the district is also going through a rollout of a new technology platform, LinkIt!, which is used for data analytics and MTSS support. Through the use of this program, all staff can easily access student data to review and analyze student and grade-level achievements and gaps. The program also tracks all students receiving targeted Tier 1, 2, and 3 support. As always, the district staff is dedicated to ensuring the success of all students. To see our updated MTSS Manual, please click here.
Attendane Matters!
In Edgewater, we have seen an increase in students who miss more than 18 school days in a school year. That is a month of missed instruction. If your children are sick, please keep them home, but when children are healthy, sending them to school is paramount as it lays the foundation for their intellectual and social development. Schools provide essential academic knowledge and foster crucial life skills, interpersonal relationships, and a sense of discipline. Chronic absenteeism, or the persistent pattern of missing school, can hinder a child's future prospects. Regular attendance ensures that students receive consistent instruction, participate in classroom activities, and build a comprehensive understanding of various subjects. Absenteeism disrupts this learning process, leading to knowledge gaps and hindering academic progress.
Additionally, school serves as a crucial social environment where children learn to interact with peers, develop teamwork, and build resilience. Chronic absenteeism can isolate students from these experiences, impacting their social skills and emotional well-being. A solid educational foundation significantly contributes to a child's future success; consistent attendance is a critical factor in achieving this. So please plan your vacations around the school calendar and help us set your children up for success.
Coding in Edgewater
It's fantastic to hear that students at EVG are engaging with coding in their media class! Learning to code at an early age has numerous benefits, such as fostering problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Students have been utilizing Dash Robots and an app named Blocky, which creates a hands-on and interactive way to learn coding concepts.
Exploring variables, events, conditionals, and more are fundamental aspects of coding, and they lay the groundwork for understanding more complex programming principles in the future. The playful projects and puzzles are a fun and effective way to make coding enjoyable for the students.
As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in various fields, having a foundation in coding can open up a world of opportunities for these students. It provides valuable skills and promotes a mindset of logical thinking and problem-solving that can be applied in many areas of life.
At GW, the children are coding too! I invite the GW parents to look at Mr. Cunningham's update to learn about Computer Science Week, which is December 4 through the 8th. There are unplugged activities for pre-k and kindergarten students and first and second grade will use coding programs; even parents can join in the fun!