ABC Hip Hop with Ah-Choo

Nov. 1 - 5

MATH UPDATES
Presented by Velvet Simington

Intended Curriculum vs. Implemented Curriculum

“The opportunity to learn has the strongest relationship with student achievement.”
What Works in Schools, ASCD

Ø Intended Curriculum – SCOS
Ø Implemented Curriculum – What is delivered by the teacher
Ø Attained Curriculum – What is actually learned by the students

The Intended Curriculum and the Implemented Curriculum need to be correlated to be most effective. Textbooks are usually the barrier between the Intended and Implemented Curriculums.

Things to keep in mind as you are planning your instruction:

We are still using the 2003 SCOS
Be intentional in your classroom activities.
Know your SCOS! Teach your SCOS in depth before you extend into concepts that are not in the SCOS.
Are these “natural extensions” necessary, i.e., taking away time that could be spent going deeper into a concept?
Use Indicators and Descriptors if you have questions about how to use items in instruction. DPI Resources
Has your grade level “unpacked the standards”? Are you aware of what you are actually teaching and what needs to be taught?

Get Ready 2012-2013!

The Core Standards for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science will all go into effect with the 2012-2013 school year.

Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013
From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”

Useful links for learning more about the Core!!

North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards

Timeline for Change

Common Core State Standards Initiative

Reminders

Grants News - November Grants News December Grants News

CogAT Testing for 2nd Grade – November 3-5, 5th Grade on Nov. 5
ITBS Testing for 2nd Grade – Nov. 15-17, 5th Grade on Nov. 16

Social Studies Updates
By: Patty Grant

The social studies standards are being revised. Click here for links:
K-2 Social Studies
3-5 Social Studies

Questions:
How can we integrate social studies into our day?
How do we integrate social studies into our day?

The strands will be Civics & Government, Geography, History, Economics, and Culture. Global Connections are woven through each strand.

K-3 Focus
Ability to demonstrate chronological thinking

Ability to think like a historian by asking questions that historians ask
Grade 3 introduces the five themes of geography.

Grade 4
NC pre-colonial through reconstruction
Draw parallels to contemporary issues and their historical origins.

Grade 5
US history form pre-colonial through reconstruction
Canada and Mexico removed

New Structure

There will be Essential Standards, not goals and objectives
There will be a reduced number of standards
More conceptual thinking
Strands begin with verbs (Explain, Identify, Clarify, etc) to reflect higher order thinking skills

Have an opinion???

Feedback will be accepted at DPI until Nov. 10. Send your feedback to DPI but let Patti Grant know you sent something so that she will have a record that teachers in WSFCS did indeed respond. North Carolina’s State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction will receive public comment and create an operational roll-out plan for the fall of 2012. Comments are being received at commoncore@dpi.state.nc.us.

Oct. 4 - 8

DIBELS Report

The beginning of year benchmark went smoothly, both for WSFCS and Gibson. Thank you to our K-2 teachers and new sweep teams for making this happen!
Data from last year can be accessed through Direct Report Archive. This data can be used for PEPs, parent conferences, SAT, etc. See Kim if you need any of this information.
This week is our first week to progress monitor your red students. Remember...red students are progress monitored every two weeks, yellow students are progress monitored every four weeks.

Fluency Facts..........
Fluency is not just reading fast. It involves automaticity, rate, accuracy and procity. A NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) study found that 44% of a representative sample of the US's fourth graders were low in fluency. The study also found a close relationship between fluency and reading comprehension.
What to do?
Repeated and monitored oral reading improves reading fluency and overall reading achievement. Teachers should model fluent reading and then have students reread the text on their own. Have students repeatedly read passages aloud with guidance. For fluency purposes, students shoudl read texts at their independent level.
Check out this fluency resource:
Fluency Ideas!

Math Updates from Velvet Simington

Students need the opportunities to think, discover and make math their own. Be intentional in the development of math lessons so that students have the opportunity to problem solve......show them there is more than one way to do it!
*We are still using the 2003 Math SCOS and there is no new content for this year.
*Be sure to use indicators when planning. They can be found on Learning Village if needed.

Partners for Mathematics Learning – Year 3
February 21, 2011-RC Day 8:00-3:00

Year 3 focuses on new curriculum guidelines that will include 2009 Essential Standards and Common Core State Standards and Formative Assessments

Common Core Standards – Operational 2012-2013

From NCDPI: “The new standards define the knowledge and skills students should have throughout their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. The standards:
· are aligned with college and work expectations;
· are clear, understandable and consistent;
· include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
· build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
· are informed by other top-performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society; and
· are evidence- and research-based.”
Useful links for learning more about the Core!!
North Carolina Adopts Common Core State Standards
Timeline for Change
Common Core State Standards Initiative

PEPs by Clara Chavez

The PEP is a working document. Be aware of and prioritize the goals selected. What goals will assist students in being successful?

More information on guidelines, instructions, signature page, and a PowerPoint presentation is on the Teacher Webportal>Information for Teachers>PEP K-8

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William A. Ward
Many thanks to all of you for being great!!!

August 30 - September 3

Single School Culture
This is just a reminder that we will hold our LTM meetings in the corner office/conference room in the back of the office area. If there is a conflict I will let you know. I am excited about this process and look forward to learning together. Thanks for your support.

W-APT Testing
Kindergarten students will be involved with our ESL W-APT testing over the next few weeks. Let me know if you have questions.

DIBELS
Please remember to check your computer to ensure your sync station software is still working. Also please log in to mclasshome.com and verify your email address as soon as possible. Let me know if you are having any problems now so we can resolve those before the sweep begins.

Upcoming Dates.....
September 2 - AR committee meeting 3:15
September 13-17 - DIBELS BOY Sweep
September 23 - Curriculum Night 6-7:30

Welcome Back!

DIBELS

Please remember there will be a DIBELS refresher on Tuesday morning at 9:00 in the media center. Bring your red DIBELS folder because I have information for you to add. Our BOY sweep will be the week of September 13 - 17. More information will be shared at the refresher.

Grade Level Meetings

K-2 teachers please let me know when you will hold grade level meetings so I can plan to attend and share new information.

Single School Culture

I am excited about this new concept and I believe it will help us to grow not only as teachers, but also as learners. We will be learning this process together as we go through the year and becoming learning teams. Let's get started!!

May 10 - 14

DIBELS

Thanks to everyone including our K-2 classroom teachers and PRTs for their diligence in completing our EOY DIBELS Benchmark Sweep. Please make sure you have returned ALL DIBEL materials to me as soon as possible so I can store them to prepare for next year. You all have taken on DIBELS and made it a part of your daily instruction. I appreciate your flexibility and willingness to try new things. I know we will continue to see improvement in our student's phonological awareness and ability to read fluently. You deserve a pat on the back for your hard work. Thanks and pat, pat!!!

Staff Development

June 14 has become an RC day on the school calendar and there will be staff development for some grade levels. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend because these are mandatory.

ALL Kindergarten Teachers - "DIBELS Next Steps for K Teachers" - 9:00-10:00am - Atkins High School Auditorium.

ALL First Grade Teachers - "DIBELS Next Steps for First Grade Teachers" - 10:30-11:30am - Atkins High School Auditorium.

Please let me know if you have questions.

EOG Buddy Parties

Thanks for contacting your buddy teacher and arranging something special for your students. As we approach EOG testing, it is important for our entire school to embrace and encourage our 3-5 grade students. They appreciate your encouragement and support and remember your students will be there soon as well. You helped prepare our 3-5 graders and now they can show what they know!

Calendar Updates

May 14 - EOG Background/Survey
EOG Buddy Parties
EOG Pep Rally
May 15 - Science EOG - 5th grade
May 18 - Reading EOG
May 19 - Math Calculator Active EOG
May 20 - Math Calculator Inactive EOG
May 24 - 27 - EOG Remediation
May 31 - Memorial Day - No School
June 1 - K-2 Web page Training -3:15
June 1-4 - EOG Retesting
June 3 - Literacy Folders/Math Cards/PEPs due to K. Dooley
June 4 - Last day for AR testing
June 4 - K-2 Data Warehouse Spreadsheet Due to K. Dooley

May 3 - 7

DIBELS

We will be administering the EOY DIBELS benchmark assessments this week. Please refer to the schedule emailed to you. We will begin each day at 12:30 and continue until the end of the day. Please make sure you have a space for three testers and a quiet activity students can work on independently while we are testing. I will pull students the following week, May 10 - 14, for make-ups. If you have students absent when we sweep your class please send me an email with their names that day so I can ensure they are on the make-up list. Again, if you have any DIBEL materials in your classroom, please return those to me as soon as possible.

EOG Buddy Party

Please remember to contact your buddy teacher and set up a time to meet on Friday, May 14. EOGs are a whole school effort and working together we can encourage OUR students to do their best! Let me know if you need ideas or help with this event. Thanks for supporting each other!

Staff Development

June 14 has become an RC day on the school calendar and there will be staff development for some grade levels. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend because these are mandatory.
ALL Kindergarten Teachers - "DIBELS Next Steps for K Teachers" - 9:00-10:00am - Atkins High School Auditorium
ALL First Grade Teachers - "DIBELS Next Steps for First Grade Teachers" - 10:30-11:30am - Atkins High School Auditorium
Please let me know if you have questions.

Upcoming Events

May 5 - First Grade to the Zoo (Have Fun!)
May 7 -Young Author's Celebration
May 14 - EOG Background/Survey (3-5)
May 14 - EOG Buddy Party
May 17-20 - EOG Testing