HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-02-05 School Council - Wood End Elementary MinutesN OFq
Town of Reading
'r Meeting Minutes
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Board - Committee - Commission -_Council:
Date: 2018-02-05
School Council -Wood End Elementary ,
Time: 3:15 PM
RECEIVED
TOViN CLERK
REA'`.NG, ;4A.
. Ig FEB 20 PM 5; 21
Building: School - Wood End Location: Conference Room
Address: 85 Sunset Rock Lane
Purpose: Monthly Meeting for 2017-18 Year Session: General Session
Attendees: Members - Present:
Ellen Commito, Joanne King, Lynda Michel, Casey Moulton, Melissa Murphy,
Elena Raffa
Members - Not Present:
Andrea Freeman
Others Present:
Jacquelyn Pelusi
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Joanne King
Topics of Discussion:
The fourth monthly meeting -of the Wood End Elementary School Council was held in the
Conference Room of the Wood End Elementary School on February 5, 2018.
Call to order:
A quorum of members being present and the meeting having been duly convened at Wood
End School by Wood End principal, Joanne King called the meeting -to order at 3:15.p.m.
and proceeded with business.
Public Comment:
None
Review and Acceptance of Minutes:
Members reviewed draft minutes from the December meeting.
There were no .corrections or additions. Dr. King moved that the minutes from the
December 4th meeting be accepted. Motion. seconded. The members then voted
unanimously to approve the minutes.
Vote: Minutes Accepted 6-0-0
New Business:
School Budget Update:
Our School Committee recently passed the Superintendent's recommended balanced
budget, but we still have some work to do before we know the budgetary impact on our
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schools next year. Community groups including "YES for Reading" are trying to get.
community members involved so they can become educated about the impact on next year,
including reductions in staffing and programming as well as an increase in class sizes, and
the negative impact this will have on our students. Upcoming meetings for the FY19 budget
include:
Monday, February 5th (RMHS Library,, 7:00 p.m.) -School Committee Meeting to
prioritize and. vote on School Department Reconstruction/Override Budget based on
Selectmen vote
Wednesday, February 7th (Town Hall, 7:30 p.m.) -School Committee Balanced Budget
presented to Finance Committee
All budget information is posted on the Reading. Public School website, located
below: https://www. reading. k12. ma.us/test/budciet-information/fyl9-budget-information/
School Improvement Plan:
The school improvement plan that was approved by this School Council was presented by
Wood End teachers Lynda Michel and Jacquelyn Pelusi. Mrs. Pelusi presented on the
progress towards Goal 1 and Mrs. Michel presented on the progress towards Goal 2 as
follows (updates noted in blue):
Wood End Elementary School Improvement Plan
2017-18
M: To focus our energy and effort in identifying and implementing evidenced based instructional practices and
interventions which will close the achievementsap with our students our students in the high needs group (i.e. special
education, English Language Learners, economic -disadvantage).
Strategic Initiative/Objective:
• Implement block scheduling, academic intervention blocks,.a Multi -Tiered System of Support
(MTSS), mentoring program, CICO, and DCAP to address behavioral and academic needs of all
students.
Monitoring Progress
Process Benchmarks: What will be done, when, and by whom?
Process Benchmark
Person
Date
Status
Responsible
All teachers will have a professional practice and/or student learning
Principal
10/31/17
Done
goal associated with one of the four focus areas for the district (SEL,
Closing the Achievement Gap, Literacy, or Math Instruction)
Using Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS), SRSS/SIBS, grades, and
Principal
11/30/17
Ongoing
discipline data, schools will develop a list of at risk students, develop
interventions for those students, and monitor progress on a regular
basis. Tier 2/3 team progress monitoring; Tier 1 team ODRs
Formative assessments to monitor student progress more regularly F&P,
Teachers
6/20/18
Ongoing
Common Measures, DIBELS,-AMC
K-5
Student centered classrooms with reduced amount of teacher -talk
Teachers
6/20/18
Ongoing
Workshop model
K-5
Lessons aligned to standards and students held accountable for grade-
Teachers _
6/20/18
Ongoing
level work PLCs, Literacy Continuum at staff meetings, report cards
K-5
Align math and literacy to power standards PLCs, Literacy Continuum at
Teachers
6/20/18
Ongoing
staff meetings, curriculum guides
K-5
Progress monitoring systems aligned to standards (i.e. Assessing Math
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Concepts for K-2, pre/post assessments for narrative, information,
Teachers
opinion writing, and F&P benchmarks) Grade level meeting time to
K-5
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review data
Person
Date
. Status
Grade -level meetings will take place every 3 weeks; discussions will
Principal
9/15/17
Ongoing
include all students — looking at.grade level trends, expectations,
Principal
10/31/17
DONE..
standards Collaborative time, analysis of student work
Effective instructional practices identified through observations and
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
walk-throughs; • rovide time for teachers to observe inother classroom
'Specialist
(school and district -wide) SPED had observed all programs in district,
Principal,
6/20/18
Ongoing
schedule times for March 2018 for all teachers to observe; principal
Leadership
continue to focus on specific areas during observations (i.e. teacher talk,
Team
collaboration between students, use of support personnel)
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Intervention blocks established for Grades K-5 to provide academic
Principal •
8/28/17
Met
support for all students Allows time for SPED team to provide services so
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
students to get "double dose"
PD for paras to provide effective support; coaching and modeling
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Workshop on November 7 and April 13, ongoing consult time with SPED
LC Teachers
teachers
Provide additional support from reading specialist and tutors to
Reading
10/10/17
Ongoing
identified students (Tier 2) in addition to classroom teacher instruction
Specialist
(double dose) LLI with identified students (2 or more levels below grade
level) used consistently, in addition to instruction provided by general
education classroom teacher (most qualified)
CAP staffA e,00.5 mice nt and P to promote best practices in all classes
Principal
12/15/17
Ongoing
Reviewed at grade level meetings, during SST .
All elementary students will receive at least 30 minutes of social
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
emotional learning weekly through their Open Circle lessons Every
Wednesday morning in all classes, all -school meetings focused on Core
Values, all -school enrichment programs
Utilize all -school time for Open Circle each week to provide consistency
Principal
8/28/17
Met
and include para educators
Based on our school data, we will implement Tier 2 and 3 interventions
Leadership
6/20/18
Ongoing
matched to needs of students (mentoring or CICO) Training on
Team
Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) and Proactive Solutions, mentoring,
CICO are being implemented monitored by Tier 2/3 team
A clear decision-making process for determining student access for Tier
Leadership
6/20/18
Ongoing
2 and 3 interventions will be developed for students with regular
Team
progress monitoring; establish entrance and exit criteria Collaborative
progress monitoring (Google) with 5% of student population receiving
interventions; using SRSS/SIBS data and ODR data, connectedness
survey for students, feedback surveys from intervention facilitators
Measuring Impact .
Early Evidence of Change: Changes in practice, attitude, or behavior you should begin to see if the initiative is having its
desired impact
Early Evidence of Change Benchmark
Person
Date
. Status
Responsible
All staff will have a student learning or professional practice goal that aligns
Principal
10/31/17
DONE..
with one or more of the four focus areas
Identify at least one evidence based intervention strategy to address the
Reading
6/20/18
DONE
achievement gap in literacy (i.e. LLI)
'Specialist
Building Leadership Team meets 2 x monthly or equivalent to refine T2/3
Principal,
6/20/18
Ongoing
interventions and monitor universal support systems Tuesday morning,
Leadership
Thursday afternoon on a month
Team
Ensure through observation and review of schedules that Open Circle
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
curriculum is being implemented with 100% fidelity
LJe �«r,cc.c4-Geacc
Regular review at data team meetings of grade -level data, ODRs, PAWS Staff
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
meetings for basic overview, more in-depth review with specific grades as
needed during grade level time, monthly staff emails to update on PAWs
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There will be.a decrease in in the achievement gap between the general
Principal
9/30/18
Ongoing
population of students and the high needs group on state and local
Teachers K-5
assessments Using MCAS, F&P, Writing assessments
Principal
8/28/17
Met
Resources Supporting Implementation
The staff and financial resources allocated to support this initiative
Resources
Professional Development time and subs — regular education and special education
Comprehensive data collection review and analysis calendar
Time and resources to provide intervention blocks for struggling students — academic intervention time in schedule for
Grades K-5
Leveled Literacy Intervention Program for use with students reading below grade level
Additional PD and coaching in the use of Applied Math Concepts (AMC) assessments to provide small group skills -based
instruction, K-2
oal 2: o improve literacy instruction for ail students by providing teachers with time and training, timely supervision and
coaching, evidenced based Tier 2 student interventions, grade level progressions, clear expectations and pacing chart.
Strategic Initiative/Objective (Curriculum Implementation)
• Implement MA Curriculum Frameworks in ELA in all classrooms, with particular focus on grade -
level expectations fog all students.
Monitoring Progress
Process Benchmarks: What will be done, when, and by whom?
Process Benchmark
'Person
Date
Status
Responsible
All K-5 teachers have 60 -minute uninterrupted block for
Principal
8/28/17
Met
reading instruction five days per week, and a 60 -minute
block for writing at least 4 days per week, Integrated K has
been a challenge in meeting the time for ELA,and math
Academic intervention blocks established for Grades K-5 to provide
. Principal
8/28/17
Met
tiered support in math/literacy to all students Blocks set for each
grade level 4 x 30
Grades K-5 Teachers will be utilizing Units of Study for
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing .
riters Worksho and provide instruction at least 4 days
per week SPED teachers attended TCRWP training for
writing; still need to provide PD for teachers to develop
skills; use observation opportunities to focus on
"workshop model" in other classrooms
Utilize common assessments K-5 to monitor student progress —
Teachers
6/20/18
In
F&P Benchmarks, DI BELS, and pre/post assessments for writing All
Progress
teachers are doing this and following assessment calendar; using
data in grade level meetings, sharing time to model grading of
student writing using rubric
Utilize Leveled Literacy Program (LLI) to provide small group
Reading Specialist
6/20/18
In
intervention for struggling readers Identified students in K-5 and
Progress
provide set times for LLI instruction 4 x 30 week,,except K is 5 x 30
Use staff meeting time to provide coaching and training to use F&P
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Literacy Cqntinuum to identify grade level expectations, reading
Literacy Team
progression, and targeted instruction Lori (K-2) and Keri (3-5) are
providing training using reading/literacy continuum with all
teachers during staff meetings
Establish methods for staff to capture and report results of
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
assessments, progress monitoring online Courtney Fogarty has
Data Coach
developed established data sheets for record keeping; compiles
school-based data to share with each school and at the district
Page 14
level
Person
Date
Status
Grade -level teams utilize data from MCAS results and interventions
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
to determine growth/success and identify appropriate use of
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
academic support times Data walk done with all grade levels, K -S;
identified areas of focus for the year (i.e. poetry)
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Collaborate with Reading Specialist about trends, strengths, areas
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
of need, in an aggregate way to help inform feedback to teachers
Reading specialist meets with grade level teachers during grade
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
level time to.plan instruction, small group strategies; Lexia is being
SST
used and monitored with SPED; data is reviewed with each grade
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
level; not to be used in place of direct instruction (should be done
Teachers
at home for selected students)
K-5
Effective instructional practices identified through.mhe
Principal
6/20/18
In Progress
observations and walk -throw h ;'provide time for teachers to .
Reading
observe in other classrooms (school and district -wide) Provide time
Specialist
in March to allow teachers to observe and note practice; Work with
Principal
9/30/18
Ongoing
School Council to set up activities for each class and provide parent
support (no additional work for teacher to plan for observation) or
provide time for students to read & write independently
Measuring Impact
Early Evidence of Change: Changes in practice; attitude, or behavior you should begin to see if. the initiative is having its
desired impact
Early Evidence of Change Benchmark
Person
Date
Status
Responsible
Observations of teachers would see evidence of increased differentiated
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
instruction strategies within classroom
Observation of teachers would include evidence of teacher collaboration
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
Increased level of consistency across classrooms as seen on common
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
assessments, especially in Writers Workshop
Decreased numbers of students referred for special education testing
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
through implementation of effective interventions
SST
Identified students are receiving appropriate interventions during
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
academic intervention blocks in addition to literacy blocks
Teachers
K-5
Trer 2/3 interventions provided have data that indicate successful
Principal
6/20/18
Ongoing
instruction, improvement of student achievement
Reading
Specialist
There will be a decrease in in the achievement gap between the general
Principal
9/30/18
Ongoing
population of students and the high needs group.on state and local
assessments Using MCAS, F&P, Writing assessments
Resources Supporting Implementation
The staff and financial resources allocated to support this initiative
Resources
Units of Study in Writer's Workshop for Grades K-5 — materials and teacher manuals
F&P Benchmark Assessments, DIBELS Monitoring System
Leveled Literacy Intervention Program & Materials
Time & district funding for.substitute coverage — instructional rounds, observations, PD
Professional Development
• Data Teams — data analysis
• Lesley Literacy Institute
• F&P Benchmark Assessments
• Units of Study for Reader's Workshop at Teachers College
evised 1.31.1
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Focus Area for Student Council:
Based on a review of the School Improvement Plan and the goals of the. school, the
members agreed to focus on one area to support teaching and learning for Wood End.
School Council will begin working on a way to support teachers and provide time for
classroom observations. This will take place in March and.the event will be ."March Madness"
where parent volunteers will cover classrooms. Teachers'will have. opportunities to sign up
in advance to observe a colleague in an area of interest. Dr. King will work with the teachers
to select classrooms and provide appropriate. coverage for students without having teachers
plan for this additional time. Details will be reviewed at the next School Council meeting.
Misc:
Dr. King noted there will be 8 half-day students from Wood End who will be attending.
kindergarten at Killam Elementary in the fall. This is due to space constraints and two full=
day.classes at maximum capacity. Information about Kindergarten screening will be sent
out in March.
Adjournment
There being no further business, the School Council adjourned at 4:00 p.m—with plans to
reconvene on March 5, 2018.
Respectfully Submitted,
Joanne King.
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