What We Do and Why

Team,

We have approximately 55 days before state assessments and about 40 days to spring MAP.  As we are working to increase student learning and achievement, let's all agree to work smarter and share strategies that work. 

School-wide norms (these things must be tight and should be already in place)

• All are planning with the Classroom Instructional Framework structure (please keep plan books on your desk for viewing during walk-throughs) We want to be sure provide a structured lesson that allows for modeling, guided practice, independent practice and assessment.  If all teachers base lessons on this structure it builds consistency throughout the building.  This also builds high standards for work quality and achievement. 

• Increasing teacher clarity --  teachers are identifying the success criteria for meeting the grade level standard and sharing this criteria with students so they understand how to demonstrate their learning (introduced on Gold Day, follow up at last faculty meeting, and professional development during faculty meeting this week).  I saw great examples of this in Mrs. Holloway and Mrs. Stith's classrooms. We must give students the information they need to be successful.  It is much easier to hit a target you can see.

• All are planning and using daily formative assessment to check student learning and make adjustments to instruction based on these results.  Daily formative assessments should be planned along with lessons - this ensures cohesion and inclusion in the lesson.  The daily formative check should measure the learning target for the day.  This quick measure provides the teacher information as to whether students understand the concept, skill, or process.  That information is used to adjust teaching for the following day to best meet the needs of the students in your classroom.  Why teach blindly when you have a wealth of data available to you?

• At each grade level, students have been identified as part of our MAP acceleration plan and have an individualized plan to support and accelerate their growth.  We will progress monitor with students to assess their growth every two weeks.  We have to teach, provide practice, set up students with technology programs, monitor reports, and assess students to see if they are learning what you are teaching.  If we don't intervene and monitor progress - how would we know if students are learning?

• In both reading and math, all teachers have a checklist by student by standard to keep up with who is meeting the standard and who needs more practice or additional lessons.  This is how we know who has it and who is not there yet.  This is the main thing.

• Communicate student progress and needs to parents and provide timely feedback to students.  We must engage families in this work.  Parents have to be informed as to what students should know, do know, or need more help to know.

 Coming up soon:

• SBDM Meeting Monday, February 4th @ 7:45 AM in room 104
• Faculty Meeting 2/5 in library -- Teacher Clarity
• Parent Teacher Conference forms should go home by Monday, February 11th.  PTC day is Monday, February 18th.
• We will send home the parent Comprehensive School Survey Monday (2/11) and push to have them all returned by Thursday (2/14) -- turning it in will be their ticket to the Valentines Day Classroom Celebration.  I will also sponsor a celebration for the first primary and intermediate classes to get all forms returned.
• Please check your professional development hours -- to be off on February 15th you must have 18 hours otherwise you should sign up for professional development sessions.  You need 24 hours to be off on the May PD day.
• Progress reports go home February 11th, these should be printed from Infinite Campus.

***If you need assistance or clarity on any of the above items, please let me know.  

****Morning meeting will be rescheduled this week -- TBD

*****Please remember to check the living calendar and daily updates