2018-2019

Elementary Reconfiguration

May 1, 2018 Parent Forum

Welcome and Introductions

Dr. Michael P. Ghilani, Superintendent

Mr. Matthew J. Patterson, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education

Ms. Tina J. Mayer, Principal, Gill Hall Elementary School

Mr. Christopher M. Very, Principal, Jefferson Elementary School

Mrs. Jodi L. Merwin, Assistant Principal, Jefferson Elementary School

Mr. Justin S. Liberatore, Principal, McClellan Elementary School

Community Forum Topics

● School Attendance Boundaries● Achievement v. Growth● Curriculum Updates● Small group and whole group instruction in:

○ Math ○ Reading ○ Writing ○ Science ○ Intervention programs and the use of Reading Specialists ○ Enrichment

● Staffing and the assignment of building principals ● Gill Hall Expansion Project● Full Day Kindergarten ● Student transportation systems

Community Forum Topics

2018-2019 School Attendance Boundaries

Why?

Achievement AND Growth● Demographic Makeup

○ Link between poverty and achievement

○ “Apples to apples” comparison

● Economically Disadvantaged

○ Percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch pricing

○ All five of our schools ranked in the top 500 schools in PA with the lowest percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch (2,994 total school entities).

■ A snapshot in a single moment in time

● Right v. wrong

○ Example: weekly spelling test, math unit

test, etc.

Achievement

Reading Achievement

Math Achievement

Science Achievement

● Progress over time

● Local and national comparisons

● Examples:

○ MAP - three times a year

○ PSSA - annually, 3-8 ELA/Math; 4/8 Science

○ Sight word mastery

○ Math fact fluency

● Indifferent to poverty

Growth

● One year’s growth for one year’s input○ Pennsylvania's Value Added Assessment System (PVAAS)

Growth

Curriculum Updates

● Reading ○ Research and pilot new core reading program - 2018-2019 school year○ Adoption of new core reading program - 2019-2020 school year

● Math ○ Eureka Math ○ “Teaches the ‘why’ of math, not just the ‘how”

● Writing ○ Units of Study - Writing○ Scope and Sequence example

Curriculum Updates

● Science ○ Asset, Science Technology Engineering Art Math (STEAM)○ Project-based learning

■ Buck Institute

● Social/Emotional Learning ○ Second Step ○ Bullying Prevention add-on○ Benchmark screening and evaluation (3 times/year)

■ Small group, focused support

Curriculum Updates

● NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

● Homeroom and small group assignments of children

○ Teacher driven, based on:■ Teacher’s knowledge of child as a learner■ MAP■ PSSA■ PVAAS■ Grades

○ Flexible

Small Groups and Homerooms

Low Achieving Teacher/Child Needs/MAP/PVAAS/PSSA High Achieving

SG 1 SG 2 SG 3 SG 4

SG 5 SG 6

SG 1

SG 4 SG 5

SG 2 SG 3

SG 6

Reading Specialist

Special Education

Certification

Small Groups and Homerooms

● Points of Emphasis

○ Groups are flexible

○ Data helps inform decisions

■ Poor test takers, bad day, etc.

○ Groups sharing similar MAP scores need similar skills

○ Students are grouped based on Reading achievement

■ Options for Math groupings if the child’s achievement exceeds the average achievement of the group

○ Not a “low” or a “high” classroom (homogeneous)

○ Reduces the range of achievement within a small group/whole group

■ Allowing teachers to focus their instruction

● Avoids “teaching to the middle”

● Personalized

Parallel Block Scheduling

Reading Teacher

Writing Teacher

Paraeducator

4, 10, 16

SG 16

SG 4

SG 10 SG 16

SG 4

SG 10 SG 16

SG 4

SG 10

8:45-9:45 9:45-10:15 10:15-10:45 10:45-11:15

Primary English Language Arts

Reading Teacher

Writing Teacher

Paraeducator

4, 10, 16

SG 16

SG 4

SG 10 SG 16

SG 4

SG 10 SG 16

SG 4

SG 10

6, 12, 18

SG 18

SG 6

SG 12 SG 18

SG 6

SG 12

SG 18

SG 12

SG 6

Reading Teacher 2

Primary Math/Science

Math Teacher

Science Teacher

A, B ADay 1

Day 1

Day 2

Day 2

A, B B

B

A

Math Teacher BDay 1

Day 2 C, D

C, D C

D

C

D

Primary Tier 3

● Special Education and Elementary Education Certification Required

● Provides ELA and Math Support to the lowest three instructional groups

● Serves children with and without IEPs

● Researched-based interventions delivered with fidelity

● Serves all grade levels

● Combination of included co-teach and pull-out

Primary Paraeducators

● “Instructional para” able to serve children with/without IEPs

● Supervises children in literacy/math, center-based activities

● Center activities planned by teachers

● Ex: Word work, listening, read aloud, technology-based learning, high-frequency/letter

reinforcement, etc.

Intermediate English Language Arts

Reading Teacher

Writing Teacher

4, 14 4Day 1

Day 1

Day 2

Day 2

4,14 14

14

4

ReadingTeacher 2

Day 1

Day 2 8, 18

8, 18 18

8

18

8

Intermediate Math/Science

Math Teacher

Science Teacher

A, B ADay 1

Day 1

Day 2

Day 2

A, B B

B

A

Math Teacher BDay 1

Day 2 C, D

C, D C

D

C

D

Intermediate Tier 3

● Special Education and Elementary Education Certification Required

● Provides ELA and Math Support to the lowest three instructional groups

● Serves children with and without IEPs

● Researched-based interventions delivered with fidelity

● Primarily grade specific but potential to serve multiple grades

● Combination of included, co-teach and pull-out

Life Skills Support

1 Teacher, K-2 (1 building, TBD)

1 Teacher, 3-5

1 Teacher, 6-8

1 Teacher, 9-12

Encores (Specials)● No changes to programming

School Counseling and Nursing Services● School Counseling

○ Lead Second Step social emotional learning and anti-bullying curriculum ○ No changes to current staffing schedule

● Nursing Services - no changes

Elementary Gifted Support

● Co-teach/pull out model

● Serves the highest instructional group(s) of each grade level ○ Provide Support to teachers of high-achieving students

● Serves children with/without GIEPs

● Stakeholder group to convene to evaluate current programming

What does this mean for Elementary children (cumulative)?● Excludes Kindergarten

● 955 hours of whole-group instruction in ELA, Grades 1-5

● 476 hours of small-group instruction in ELA, Grades 1-5

● 476 hours of small-group instruction in Writing, Grades 1-5

● 182 hours of center-based learning, Grades 1-2

● 955 hours of whole-group instruction in Math, Grades 1-5

● 476 hours of small-group instruction in Math, Grades 1-5

● 476 hours of whole-group instruction in Science, Grades 1-5

Teacher Staffing● All elementary positions determined

○ By building ○ By grade level

● Each position described in detail for all teachers

● Two open-forum question and answer sessions with teachers

● April 18, 2018 ○ Each position bid in order of seniority ○ Teacher choice

● Final Bid Day○ May 2, 2018○

● Final teacher assignments will be made public via the WJHSD website ○ Following May 2 Bid Day

Full Day Kindergarten● Enrollment

○ Full day - 210○ Half day - 6

● Average class size = 20● Morning - Core reading and math instruction ● Lunch/Teacher and Student Directed Play/Encore

○ Library ○ Art○ Music ○ Physical Education (twice in 5 days)

● Afternoon - Intervention & Enrichment ○ Hands-on ○ Mindfulness

Full Day Kindergarten● Welcome to Kindergarten!

○ First two weeks of school ○ Teach “All things school”

● Teachers observing behaviors and assessing students achievement levels in reading and math

● Using data, teachers group children in small and whole group settings to create homerooms and small groups

Gill Hall Expansion Project

● April 13, 2018○ WJHSD Team visited McIntyre Elementary, North Hills School District

● Currently seeking a Construction Manager to oversee the project

● No established timeline for completion at the present moment

Building Improvements

● Summer 2018○ Building-wide air conditioning and improved HVAC systems (McClellan

and Jefferson)○ Efficient lighting ○ Security camera systems ○ Door access - photo identification cards○ Security vestibules (Jefferson, PHMS)○ School Police Officer

Transportation ● Currently in collaboration with Durham Transportation

○ Updated attendance boundaries ○ Routing software

● Working with Matthews Transportation ○ Approximate run duration ○ Arrival and dismissal processes○ Determine start/end times

■ Close to current

● Primary and Intermediate children ride together to and from home bus stop

Save the DateRise Up Jaguars

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Save the Date

Spring Spectacular

Saturday, May 12, 2018 2—5 PM

Jefferson Elementary School

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