October 30, 2008
TO: Michael Green, Superintendent
FROM: Mark Houk
RE: WPS MONTHLY UPDATE
At the beginning of the year, our staff discussed five important concepts for us to guide ourselves by, support each other in, and engage our community in this year:
-Relationships
-Rigor
-Community Connections
-Interventions for students
-Staff Development
Why these particular areas? Our district is coming off the past few years where a great amount of "Content" has been added in terms of curriculum (Math and Reading). Along with this has come the basic in-servicing and training - some of which continues this year (Math Standards especially). With so much being focused on the "stuff" we teach with, it was fairly unanimous that some re-focusing was needed in terms of how we actively engage students and their families. Are we fully engaging students in meaningful instruction? Do we work with them as partners to address behavior and learning challenges? These are examples of questions I hope we are asking ourselves, collaborating with students on, and including families in.
We are all working to conduct activities via our School Improvement Plan (SIP) that support these 5 areas. Some examples from this past month or so include: The grouping and ongoing monitoring/adjusting of student placements for reading instruction, the placement of students in the variety of interventions we have (per individual need), and the work many staff have done in collaboration to help certain students receive a "very tailored" learning plan intended to assist them in receiving focused instruction per their need. Also, we have hosted the first session of Project READY! where almost 30 families of 2-4 year old children joined us for a family meal followed by an evening of practical learning of activities families can do to prepare students for Pre-School and Kindergarten.
Reading Interventions
We are pleased to have added an additional reading intervention this year. Titled, "Lindamood Bell," or (LMB) for short, this is an intensive, small group oriented program that relies on well-trained facilitators. It is closely connected to students' language development and formation of sound/letter connections.
Currently, it is being utilized with some of our most struggling students for whom Read Well does not meet their learning needs.
We have Deb Kernen to thank for making it possible for Kim Kellstadt, Sandy Owens, and Nancy Harms to receive initial training. It will now be our responsibility to insure they are each encouraged, and given opportunity to receive on-going training in this program.
Coming Up
We hosted a successful set of fall conferences - many of which students themselves were very involved in demonstrating their learning for parents. Coming up the first week of December, we will send home a first Report Card. As a result, quite a bit of formative assessment is being collected these next few weeks so that we can accurately report on student's progress relative to set targets. (Formative assessment is designed to help us determine what students need to be taught. Summative assessments are designed to tell us if students have learned what we wanted them to)