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Garrard County Schools

District Plan for

School Writing/Communication Programs

Grades K-12

Date of review by Garrard District Literacy Team: Feb. 5, 2015

Date of review by Garrard Board of Education: March 5, 2015

1Implementation Beginning Spring, 2015

Rationale:

The Garrard County School District promotes writing/communication skills in all schools for purposes and situations that may be encountered throughout a student’s life. According to Senate Bill 1(KRS 158.6453) all public schools are required to develop a school-wide writing program. In order to support schools and Site- Based Decision Making Councils in developing and monitoring of school-wide writing/communication programs, the following responsibilities outline the role of Garrard County district leaders, school administrators and school personnel. School leadership and SBDM Councils should utilize this document in the development and implementation of school writing/communication policy and plans. District leadership will monitor school-wide programs through the annual Kentucky Department of Education Writing Program Review.

District Writing/Communication Team (Literacy Team)

1. Form a writing/communication district Literacy Team 1. a Members may include school literacy team members, representation from different content areas and grade level,

technology personnel, special education teacher(s), school administrator(s), SBDM member(s).1. b The team should meet annually to review district plan and school Writing Program Review data. Recommendations

concerning data will be shared with district leaders during Instructional Leadership Team meetings.1. c Membership of the team should be reviewed annually to include additional members as needed.

2. Designate a district lead for writing/communication Literacy Team2. a The district lead should schedule meeting(s) for the team and report findings to district leadership.2. b The district lead will provide or locate quality professional development dealing with writing/communication skills as

recommended.2. c The district lead will meet regularly with school appointed teacher writing lead teachers and/ or school administrators to

coordinate district initiatives dealing with the writing/communication district plan.2. d The district lead will coordinate district website support focused on school-wide writing/communication programs.

A district statement is at the beginning of each component of this document. Below each district statement the guidelines for schools’ writing/ communication policies are listed for clarification and guidance.


Administrative Support and Monitoring

3. District shall provide guidance in development and monitoring of school writing/communication program, policies and plans.3. a Site Based Decision Making Council(SBDM) shall determine policies for the school’s writing/communication program and

shall monitor and assess the program annually. 3. b The principal shall appoint a Literacy Team responsible for guiding the school writing program. Members shall include the

principal, writing lead teacher, collaborating special education teacher, a teacher from each grade level, as appropriate, at least one content area teacher.

3. c Responsibilities of the writing team shall include the following: Reviewing relevant, current documents, especially Kentucky regulations, KDE guidelines for program review,

Kentucky Core Academic Standards, and Kentucky assessments. Planning a program that meets state regulations guidelines and local district needs. Developing a professional development action plan (see Professional Development section 9.a) Communicating with the council, the faculty, parents, and others in the community about the program and about

state requirements and guidelines for writing/communication programs. Meeting at least three times a year to analyze/review the program and submitting annually an action plan for the

program to the principal and council. Prior to the beginning of the school year, submitting recommendations for professional development for the

following school year to the principal, based on state and local review. The membership and duration of the team shall be determined by the principal. The school team will oversee the implementation of a chart/plan for writing/communication program at each grade

level e.g., main types of writing/communication skills, main language resources, main use of technology. Other components may be added to the chart, for example, main types of reading, speaking and listening.

3.d The principal shall designate a school teacher writing lead with the following responsibilities:

Meeting with district lead at scheduled times throughout the year to plan professional development opportunities Coordinating implementation of school/communication folder Providing instructional support to teachers as needed

Developing Students’ Communication Skills: Curriculum and Instruction

4. The district curriculum team(s) (E/LA and other content areas) shall construct curriculum maps/units of study at all grade levels aligned, vertically and horizontally, with Kentucky Core Academic Standards, state guidelines for writing programs and needs of local students.

4. a Schools shall provide a rigorous communication curriculum which provides innovative opportunities for ALL students to develop


and refine 21st Century communication skills. A variety of types of communication: oral and written texts, multi-modal communications, communications through

technology The strands of literacy: reading, writing, speaking, listening, observing Opportunities for the three types of writing: writing to learn, writing to demonstrate learning, writing for

publication All text types: narrative, informational/explanatory, argumentative Inquiry and research skills integrated to promote instructional rigor Application of techniques for effective communication and writing (purpose, audience, ideas/support, language and

style) Focus on language skills: effective, appropriate style; command of conventions of standard English; vocabulary;

discipline-specific language

5. District leadership shall promote instructional strategies across the curriculum that reflects a variety of experiences for students to communicate authentically while applying 21st century skills

5. a Schools shall provide classroom instruction across grade levels and content areas to include the following: Competency with current technology, communication tools, applications and resources Competency with 21st century skills Disciplinary understanding in real world learning experiences which integrate communication skills Understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of informational technologies

School Writing/Communication Folder

6. District leadership shall support development of writing/communication folders and monitor passing of folders across schools within the district.

6.a Schools shall arrange for individual students to build a folder of communication products that demonstrates students’ interests and the development of writing and communication skills over time and across content areas. This should be a part of the school’s instructional program.

6.b Contents of the communication folder at each grade level shall indicate growth of writing and communication skills. Students shall be provided opportunities to make choices about what to include in their folder. Drafts as well as finished product(s) (at least one per grade level) shall be evident in the students’ folder.

At each grade level, the following work shall be included in the school’s communication folder:


Informative/Explanatory Texts (at least one piece, dated) Opinion/argumentative Texts (at least one piece, dated) Non-Fiction and Fiction Narrative Writing (at least one piece, dated) Communication Relevant to students’ reading, research and learning Other work as selected and as relevant to the following provisions:

(For Grade Level Specific Requirements, see pages 8-10) Over all, the collection of students’ communications shall demonstrate the following:

Communication for a variety of purposes (e.g., writing to learn, writing/communication to demonstrate learning and writing for realistic/ authentic purposes and audiences in a variety of real-world forms/modes)

Individual work on communication skills in English/Language Arts and in content areas Work relevant to students’ interests, learning, and lives Writing called for in state/national assessments Student use of technology to develop communication skills Student engagement in the writing process, including sharing writing with others (at least one sample) Classroom work on communication over time (including a variety of forms of communication, speeches, etc.) Communication connecting writing, speaking, listening, reading, observing Student engagement in higher-order thinking, critical/creative expression, and problem solving Evidence of teacher feedback, including descriptive feedback from the teacher and/or peers, and student use of

feedback to revise the work and develop communication skills6.c The principal/school literacy team, working with teachers, shall determine a procedure for collecting students’ work in the

school communication folder and passing the folder to the students’ next grade. At grades 3, 5, and 8, the school folder will be purged to make the system more manageable. At these grade levels the pieces that will be passed to the next grade level are the ones that have gone through the entire writing process at that grade level. The procedure shall be communicated with all faculty, who shall cooperate in managing the folder pieces and folder transition through grades.

6.d School shall develop procedures for electronic communication folders. 6.e. School shall organize grade level analysis of student work in writing/communication folder to identify strengths/areas of

improvement in the school’s writing instructional program.

Use of Technology to Help Students Develop Communication Skills

7. District shall provide technical support to schools to help students communicate through use of technology7.a The school’s principal, SBDM council, and others shall arrange for teachers and students to have access to and use

completely a variety of forms of technology.

7.b The annual program review shall include analysis of student/teacher access to and use of technology to help students


develop communication skills.7.c Classroom instruction shall include student use of relevant technology to develop communication skills (see Curriculum and

Instruction section 5.a)

Assessment and Feedback

8. District shall provide technical assistance with assessment both formative and summative regarding the writing/communication school programs.8.a Schools shall develop a plan to monitor student progress regarding development of writing and communication skills

consistent with grade level standards that include the following:

Formative and summative assessments of students’ communication skills provided regularly throughout the year Appropriate grading practices indicated in teacher’s lesson plans Use of rubrics and scoring guides that reflect criteria used in state assessment, as well as criteria for classroom tasks. Formatively assess students’ writing processes as well as products Use of on-demand assessment prompts across grade levels Opportunities for student reflection in order to set goals that are appropriate to them and meet writing standards.

8.b Schools shall develop a system for providing descriptive feedback to students regarding their writing and communicationskills that shall include the following:

Feedback shall be focused and constructive and shall include students’ own reflection, self-assessment, and planning; student use of models; feedback from peers and teachers

Feedback to students in their writing across the curriculum in a timely manner to enable students to take action to improve

Feedback from peers and teachers used by students to obtain goals

Professional Development

9. District shall provide support with school professional development plans by coordinating a variety of appropriate professional learning opportunities focused on writing instruction(District Literacy Team, 2.b; 3.d) 9.a Schools follow a professional development plan( generated by school’s Literacy Team) to ensure high quality writing and communication instruction that shall include the following components:


Long-term vision for on-going professional learning aimed at strengthening the school’s writing/communication program

Job-embedded and on-going professional learning opportunities Equitable time and resources to implement the professional development action plan Variety of professional learning opportunities to meet the diverse needs among staff Utilize district lead and teacher lead and other outside sources to promote high quality writing and communication

instruction Coordinated with district/school literacy plan

9.b Review of school’s program, including analysis of students’ work/folders, shall assess the impact of professional development

9.c The school’s principal shall maintain records of professional development and plans for professional development, to be available especially in the review of the school’s program.

Communication/Collaboration with Families and Community

10. District leadership shall assist schools in communicating with all stakeholders about writing/communication school programs through all accessible district-wide activities and the district website in order to promote a strong literacy vision for Garrard County Schools. 10.a Schools shall provide regular communication to families and community to encourage parent/family involvement in the writing/communication program and develop an understanding of the school program. Communication and collaboration may be provided at the following opportunities:

SBDM Council meetings Open House with parent and teacher conferences School newsletters/brochures Teacher websites/blogs School Board Meetings PTO presentations Other innovative meetings/activities planned in school writing/communication program

Elementary Writing/Communication Growth Portfolio


In each grade, K-5, teachers will teach skills necessary for students to demonstrate characteristics of effective writing: Purpose/Audience: focus, intent, tone, voice, form, and thesis Idea Development: elaboration, reflection, development strategies, and logical development Organization: unity, coherence, meaningful order, transitions, and closure Sentences: Variety & construction Language: diction, conciseness, and correct grammar Correctness: usage, mechanics, and spelling

Inquiry and research skills should be embedded in all writing instruction while developing writing pieces.Text Type Purpose K

Combination of drawing, dictating,

and writing

1 2 3 4 5

Argument(Opinion)

(Writing for Publication)

Opinion/Argument

Oral or Written Preference/Opinion about a Topic / Book

Letter Letter (With focus on

proficient Paragraph)

OpinionLetter

OpinionLetter

ArgumentLetter

Informational/Explanatory(Writing for Publication)

Clarify Letter How-To Piece *Feature Article Intro

*Feature Article

*Feature Article

*Feature Article

Narrative(Writing for Publication)

Inform, instruct, persuade, entertain

Personal Experience Narrative(Real or

Imaginary)

Narrative (Real or

Imaginary)

Narrative (Real or Imaginary)

Narrative(Real or

Imaginary)

Narrative(Real or

Imaginary)

Narrative(Real or

Imaginary)

Writing to Demonstrate Learning

Extended (open)

Response

Extended (open)

Response

Extended (open)

Response

Extended (open)

Response, On -Demand

Extended (open)

Response, On-Demand

Extended (open)

Response, On-Demand,

OPTIONS FOR CONTENT AREA TEACHERS

Content Connections to Literacy

(Reading, Speaking, Listening)(Writing to Learn)

Select from purposes

listed above

Journals, Oral or Written

Preference/Opinion about

a Topic or Book

Journals, Opinion

ParagraphAbout a topic

or book

Feature Article, Journals

Feature Article,

Journals, Poetry

Feature Article,

Journals, Poetry

Feature Article,

Journals, Memoir,

Compare & Contrast,

Poetry

*For the Feature Article in grades 2-5, include all process work. For all other pieces, include only the final copy.

Middle School Writing/Communication Growth Portfolio


In each grade, 6-8, teachers will teach skills necessary for students to demonstrate characteristics of effective writing: Purpose/Audience: focus, intent, tone, voice, form, and thesis Idea Development: elaboration, reflection, development strategies, and logical development Organization: unity, coherence, meaningful order, transitions, and closure Sentences: Variety & construction Language: diction, conciseness, and correct grammar Correctness: usage, mechanics, and spelling

Inquiry and research skills should be embedded in all writing instruction while developing writing pieces.Introduction of MLA or APA

Text Type Purpose 6 7 8Argument

(Opinion)(Writing for Publication)

Argument Argument Essay/Speech

*Speech *Speech


Clarify *Feature Article Problem & Solution Essay or Analytical Essay

Problem & Solution Essay or Analytical Essay


Inform, instruct,

persuade, entertain

Narrative(Real or Imaginary)




Extended Response, On-Demand

Extended Response, On-Demand (In addition to Speech, i.e., Letter,

Editorial, or Article)

Extended Response, On-Demand (In addition to Speech, i.e., Letter,

Editorial, or Article)

OPTIONS FOR CONTENT AREA TEACHERSContent Connections to

Literacy(Reading, Speaking, Listening)

(Writing to Learn)

Select from

purposes listed above

Feature Article, Journals, Editorial, Propaganda,

Problem/Solution, definition, process, lab

reports, Expository Essay, Reflection Letter,

Character Analysis, Research Paper, Script,

Letter, Poetry

Feature Article, Journals, Memoir, Compare & Contrast,

Poetry, Problem & Solution, Essay, Lab Report, Cause &

Effect, Definition, Process, Myth, Graphic Novel, Comic Scene,

Monologue, Script, Letter, T.V News Story, Research Paper,

Editorial

Feature Article, Journals, Memoir, Compare & Contrast,

Poetry, Problem & Solution, Essay, Lab Report, Cause & Effect, Definition, Process, Myth,

Graphic Novel, Comic Scene, Monologue, Script, Letter, T.V. News Story, Research Paper,

Editorial

*For the Speech in grades 6-8, include all process work. For all other pieces, include only the final copy.

High School Writing/Communication Growth Portfolio


In each grade, 9-12, teachers will teach skills necessary for students to demonstrate characteristics of effective writing: Purpose/Audience: focus, intent, tone, voice, form, and thesis Idea Development: elaboration, reflection, development strategies, and logical development Organization: unity, coherence, meaningful order, transitions, and closure Sentences: Variety & construction Language: diction, conciseness, and correct grammar Correctness: usage, mechanics, and spelling

-Inquiry and research skills should be embedded in all writing instruction while developing writing pieces.-MLA and APA should be taught and used appropriately

Text Type Purpose 9 10 11 12Argument

(Opinion)(Writing for Publication)

Argument *Position Essay *Persuasive Essay *Argumentative Essay *Problem & Solution Essay


Clarify Definition Essay Compare/Contrast Essay

Cause and Effect Essay Opinion Essay or Analytical Essay


Inform, instruct,

persuade, entertain


Memoir Personal Essay Post Graduate Application Essay

Literary Analysis(Specific to English)

Conflict, Symbol, Theme or Setting

Character, Symbol or Structure

Theme, Syntax or Structure

Stylistic Elements, Syntax or Structure


Extended Response, On-Demand Letter

Extended Response, On-Demand Article

Extended Response, On-Demand Editorial

Exxtended Response, On-Demand

Oral Communication Informational Speech Persuasive Speech Multimedia Presentation

(Text should be included)

Technology Enhanced Presentation/Culminating

Project(Text should be included)

OPTIONS FOR CONTENT AREA TEACHERSContent Connections to

Literacy(Reading, Speaking, Listening)

(Writing to Learn)

Select from purposes

listed above

Feature Article, Journals, Memoir, Compare & Contrast, Poetry, Problem & Solution, Essay, Lab Report, Cause & Effect, Definition, Process, Myth, Brochure, Resume, Cover Letter




*For the Essay in grades 9-12, include all process work. For all other pieces, include only the final copy.


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