MTSS Newsletter

In January, Dr. Stefanie LaPolla represented LCPS' implementation of MTSS at an event for new Virginia Tiered System of Supports (VTSS) cohort school divisions. During this event, Dr. LaPolla spoke about the successes related to MTSS, including approaches to install and sustain implementation, active engagement of stakeholders, and LCPS' coaching model for school-based support. She also facilitated a break-out session on alignment focusing on stakeholder and community involvement, integration of PBIS/RTI/SEL frameworks, and integration of MTSS within the ONE LCPS strategic plan and continuous improvement practices.

As a reminder, any student with an intervention plan must have their goals and plan closed at the end of the school year.

Additionally, if a student transfers from one LCPS school to another throughout the year, the intervention plan should be closed by staff at the school that the student is withdrawing from by completing the following tabs:

• Progress Monitoring: mark "met" or "not met" for each goal

• Plan Outcome: flag the plan for continuation (if applicable), select an option from each dropdown, click Record Outcome
  
  

The receiving school should utilize the Plan Continuation screen to determine the next steps for the student (see more in the Expectations for reviewing MTSS intervention plans for current students and transfer students section of the technical guide). The receiving school may decide to:

• Make a copy of the student's plan and update all tabs to reflect the most current plan for intervention,

• Create a new plan for the student to address Tier 2 or 3 needs, or

• Determine that an intervention is not necessary at this time.

For guidance on how to close goals and plans for students throughout the year or at the conclusion of the year, please visit the MTSS Library>Intervention>Closing Goals and Intervention Plans page.

This is our first year truly implementing MTSS in our high school, and we can already see the value in its implementation. Since we opened in 2019, we have used a variety of mechanisms for identifying and responding to student needs. We lacked a cohesive team to review individual data and school-wide trends and the ability to adjust or personalize those supports into data-driven interventions. We needed the critical monitoring component to determine if our efforts were impactful and translated into greater student success. Since developing our MTSS teaming structure this year, we have streamlined our ability to support students in need of intervention by working as a leadership team rather than as individuals or small silos. For the first time, we are monitoring student data as it relates to individual student goals and benchmarks. Our students receiving intervention are engaged in data-supported programs and are working toward individual goals that are monitored regularly. Rather than just a small group of individuals making decisions for the school, we now involve our entire leadership team in data analysis, identifying root causes, and strategic decision-making. The work of our MTSS team has resulted in a deeper action planning as it relates to our SIP, more equitable delivery of instructional practices and interventions, and impactful small group structures. We are very excited to continue and strengthen this work.

-- Jennifer Traina, Assistant Principal

School teams have access to support for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) implementation through multiple avenues. The PBIS Menu of Supports is an overview of the types of support offered for PBIS coaches at the division level and personalized support for schools. You can click on the icon or find the menu on the PBIS page of the MTSS Library.

Through January, the division PBIS team has provided training and support to approximately 900 LCPS teachers and staff. If you haven't already taken advantage of this opportunity, open the menu during a PBIS or Leadership team meeting and identify which area we can support. Contact Jason Checca to schedule with your school.

The Tier 1 Behavior Strategies Toolkit is a resource for teams (CLTs, ITs, Admin, MTSS, etc.) to utilize when looking for new strategies to implement at Tier 1 for students demonstrating behavioral needs. Once a behavior of concern is identified, teams can open the Toolkit and find the associated behavioral description (e.g., academic dishonesty, defiance, off-task behaviors, etc.). On the page associated with each behavior, you will find Teacher Practices, Environmental Changes, Strategies/Activities, and SEL Connections and identify new strategies for the teacher/team to implement.

Culturally Responsive - Tiered Fidelity Inventory - Due March 22nd

Contact your PBIS support person from the division with any questions related to the CR-TFI.

Professional Learning Opportunities:

Follow the links below to sign up for these professional learning opportunities in Power School

• Tier 2 Behavioral Interventions - Feb. 14, 8:30-10 a.m., Admin

• Responding to Behavior - Feb. 28, 8:30-10 a.m., Admin
• Supporting Student Behavior Through Classwide Feedback - Feb. 28, 5-6:15 p.m., Admin
• Check In - Check Out: A Tier 2 Intervention - Mar. 12, 1:30-3 p.m., Admin

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process for students and adults. Incorporating reflection and connection questions into adult spaces, such as CLTs or staff meetings, can be a simple and effective way for staff to continue building social-emotional competencies.

Reflect and Connect: 52 Prompts that Inspire Thought and Conversation is a set of reflection cards that help develop and strengthen the emotional growth of staff, students and leaders. The questions are an effective tool to foster listening, talking, reflecting, building empathy, and discussing difficult topics during regular check-ins and team and staff meetings. The reflection and connection prompts align with the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) five-competency framework and the LCPS Profile of a Graduate. Cards are organized by competency and note the related skill areas and 5C criteria. Each card is intentionally designed to be versatile for use with adults or students and can support Social and Emotional Learning in professional, classroom and personal circumstances.

A card deck will be distributed to each school building and central office department. For additional information and access to a digital copy, visit LCPS-MTSS-SEL-Reflect and Connect.

In efforts to support the well-being of staff, Sterling Middle has created a Staff Social Wellness Committee. The committee has created a yearly calendar that offers a variety of options for staff to explore the type of activities that work best for their individual wellness. When asked about the impact of this work, their lead said, “It really helps to support self-care and building deep connections among staff members.”

Did you miss the fall well-being course? There is another opportunity to engage in reflection and activities for supporting personal wellbeing with Your Wellbeing: A Weekly Invitation to Me Time! (Spring Edition). Based on the educator wellness work of Tina Boogren, PhD, this course is designed for all LCPS staff seeking to explore practices for supporting physical, social, and emotional well-being while connecting to the core competencies of social-emotional learning (SEL). Explore different strategies each week with targeted practice of SEL competencies and use what works for you. Topics include play, email, hobbies, cognition, transitions, listening and more!

Registration opens on Monday, February 5 in PowerSchool. This asynchronous course begins on Monday, March 4 and ends on Friday, May 10. Participants will receive four professional learning points for completing the course.

There are three main components to implementing SEL. The first component is having a supportive classroom environment. The second is explicit SEL instruction. The third component is the integration of SEL and academic instruction. At Lunsford, staff explored academic integration by considering how each of the five SEL competencies is applied in content areas. As part of their beginning-of-the-year work sessions, teachers engaged in a poster activity to show how SEL competencies are applied through learning in their classroom. This process is an important step toward planning intentional opportunities for students to practice and further develop skills for learning.

Leesburg Elementary School is growing its Response to Intervention (RTI) practices and use of the MTSS Intervention Module this year by focusing on data literacy and decision-making. Teams engage in frequent reviews of student progress during weekly Collaborative Learning Team (CLT) meetings and triannual data meetings, resulting in an increased understanding of RTI, stronger implementation practices, and student academic growth. Rhonda Parvin, Leesburg Elementary School Instructional Facilitator, believes a strong focus on data literacy and decision-making, consistent progress monitoring, and implementing the MTSS Module to maintain student intervention plans have had the biggest impact on RTI practices. "Teachers are seeing the growth in their student's progress monitoring data and are excited by it. It's making a positive impact on how they talk about data and plan for instruction in their CLTs."

To better support screening and intervention decisions using Virginia Literacy & Language Screening (VALLS) and FastBridge Learning (FAST) reading data, the LCPS Kindergarten-Grade 2 Reading Decision Tree has been revised to include additional guidance received from Virginia Literacy Partnership and to include feedback provided by school-based staff. A focus group that included representation from instructional facilitators, educational diagnosticians, administrators, reading specialists, English Learner teachers and K-2 classroom teachers convened in December to review feedback and make necessary adjustments that we hope will provide more clarification, guidance, and resources to support mid-year intervention decisions using VALLS and FAST data. Staff can access all LCPS Reading Decision Trees in the MTSS Library, and families can access them on the LCPS website.

MTSS and the Mathematics Office have collaboratively developed new guidance that supports MTSS Intervention Plan goal setting and progress monitoring of elementary and secondary math intervention. Examples for Hands on Standards, Hand on Equations, and Bridges Math Intervention are provided. Staff can access the new document by clicking on the image.

The Response to Intervention Team is offering RTI Office Hours to staff who are interested in learning about the K-2 Reading Decision Tree Revisions, Mid-Year Updates to MTSS Intervention Plans, Math Progress Monitoring, and FAST Reports. Both morning and afternoon sessions are available, and staff can register for these learning opportunities in PowerSchool Professional Learning. Additional sessions will occur in March and April. Please send session topic ideas and requests to Kristin McGraw or Devon Becker.

FAST: April 29 - May 31, 2024

i-Ready Reading: May 6 - May 31, 2024

MAP: April 8 - April 26, 2024

VALLS/PALS: April 22 - May17, 2024