Secondary Update

WWMS’ Fall NWEA participation results:

Out of 732 students:

-628 completed MATH NWEA, for a total of 86% completion

-601 completed READING NWEA, for a total of 82% completion

ELA Department Updates

The ELA department continues to use our time to develop strategies to engage students in both online and face to face instruction. We're evaluating student progress during the 1st quarter and identifying students who may need additional support for success in the 2nd quarter. Each grade is moving forward with their curriculum map, while identifying the standards are essential to cover this year.

Math Department Updates

The Middle School Mathematics PLC continues to collaborate on the best way to deliver mathematics instruction to our virtual and face-to-face student populations. Multiple issues continue to surface as we navigate and seek solutions during this pandemic. We collaborate and assist those teachers who have taken on additional roles and have developed a check-in system to monitor student participation. We continue to work on our standard practices such as tracking learning targets, organizing and analyzing NWEA data, monitoring Atlas Rubicon, and designing Quizlet vocabulary in Schoology. Our goals continue to seek answers to the four guiding questions of the PLC process.

Science Department Updates

The science department continues to reevaluate our essential learning targets for each marking period. Examining resources to deliver the required content both in person and virtually. The team is also discussing best practices in assessing learning in an online environment. This work takes time as we are constantly evaluating how we are progressing.

Social Studies Updates

The Middle School Social Studies team has been spending a great deal of time trying to find different ways to assess formatively and engage students in learning while virtual learning and social distancing is in place. One strategy we are currently exploring is choice boards. We will also be dedicating time to figuring out how to best support learners who were signed up to be in person, but for whatever reason, need to learn virtually for extended periods of time.

Counseling Updates

Our PLC has been focusing on restructuring our counseling curriculum so that we can still effectively present our counseling lessons to students virtually and in-person. We've arranged for all students to receive a Sexual Harassment Prevention lesson. We continue to focus on providing social, emotional, and mental health support to our students who have been receiving remote learning. We recently finalized the acquisition of Character Strong Advisory Curriculum for our school and are developing a plan for an official launch of the program at the beginning of the second semester.

Instruction

Teachers continue to simultaneously teach students online and in-person. While this is an overwhelmingly difficult endeavor, our teachers have been up to the challenge and have found ways to make it work. The biggest concern staff at the high school has is the lack of student engagement. Discussions at the building level will take place on how to best reach and motivate students, both online and in-person.

As of 11-13-20.....

Online Students - 678 (This includes 16 students who are online due to being quarantined.

In-Person Students - 461

Due to the flexibility in our scheduling, students have the option to switch to virtual instruction at any time. We have also allowed students the opportunity to switch back to face to face if a parent requests it and there is adequate room in the teacher's classes.

Staff

Daniel Graves was hired as an English teacher. The majority of the teachers in the Englsih department were teaching on their prep, with the to teach online and face-to-face kids simultaneously, this became an unreasonable expectation for many our teachers. Daniel has fit in quite nicely and is doing a great job-the members of the Englsih department have helped make his transition a very smooth one.

PLC

PLC teams have spent their last two meeting times to review the pacing of their classes and ensure that all essential standards are being met. A discussion will be taking place at the next School Improvement Meeting regarding what 1st semester final exams will look like in a virtual world.

Testing

In October we administered the following tests:

9th Grade PSAT 8/9

10th PSAT NMSQT

11th PSAT NMSQT

12th SAT

These tests were all optional and were provided to students due to missing them last April. All 9th,10th and 11th grade students will be required to take the SAT Assessments in April of 2021.

College Advisor

Our new college advisor from MSU/Job Core, Megan Boss, has a done a tremendous job reaching out to both virtual and in-person students encouraging and helping them with the college and financial aid process. We Megan received notification from CMU that the number of WWT applying for CMU has jumped 105% from last year and admits are up 200%.

Enterprise is in the middle of the second week of our Second Quarter. To date, we have enrolled eight new students at Enterprise - six from Tower - two from out of the district.

On October 27, 28, and 29, 2020, Enterprise offered students the opportunity to make-up the SAT, PSAT 9, and PSAT 10 that was cancelled last Spring due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking for the Enterprise staff, we were elated that so many of our seniors took advantage of the opportunity to take the SAT. The turnout was excellent, and students tried their very best.

The Enterprise staff has been working hard to help students with the ever-changing virtual learning. Students are adapting to changes, and we are working to solve technology issues when they arrive.

On November 3, 2020, Enterprise teachers participated in a variety of professional development opportunities provided by the district. Kenneth Williams was the lead presenter, and he shared his experiences working with school districts to help improve teacher and student performance.

The Enterprise staff is working every day with SEL surveys to monitor our students emotional well being. We understand that due to the pandemic, life circumstances change daily. We are working to "keep our hands on the pulse" of our students.

Please don't hesitate to contact us with questions, concerns, or ideas.

Email: kbeal@mywwps.org
Website: www.mywwps.org
Location: 12900 Frazho Road, Warren, MI, USA
Phone: (586) 439-4469
Facebook: facebook.com/warrenwoodspublicschools
Twitter: @warrenwoodsPS