December 11, 2007 Update

The following provides an update on curriculum issues and assessment/screening issues in the district.

Curriculum and Instruction

Curriculum Discussions:

Specific goals and the final page of the School Report Card is posted on the district web site under: School Report Cards/Improvement Plans. The specific goals each building has established are extensions of the district goals and meet the needs identified in each building.

Writing

The committee of teachers met on November 20th and were provided a document to gather information about what is currently being done in District 61 in the area of writing. (The information shared with the committee is included in the board packet.) All information will be complied by the week of December 17th and the committee will meet in January to discuss the information and move forward.

Again, this is a multiple step process beginning with seeing how we currently address writing in relation to grade levels and the Illinois Writing Standards. It is also a time to share what else is being done with writing across the district.


Staff Development

Amy Brundage has shared the agenda for the December 5th meeting with the committee. I can provide an update, if needed, at the Board meeting. Agenda items are:

- Review 10/19/07 SIP Day survey results.
- EJH-share information from the ROE presentation on 11/20/07
- FISH-building reports. How is the FISH philosophy being implemented and what has the staff response been so far?
- January 18th Institute: 'teachers teaching teachers'. Share topic ideas and plan for the institute.
- RTI: workshop attended by administrators.


Assessment

IMAGE Testing:

No additional information at this time.

Curriculum Needs Summary

Background:

During the month of October the teachers in each building (Eisenhower-October 5th, DeLay-October 9th, and Lace-October 19th) were given the charge to answer two questions in relation to the curriculum needs in the district. Faculty were informed that the purpose of the task was to obtain feedback from them as to the direction the district should take in reviewing the curriculum across the district. Input would be gathered resulting in a strategic plan creating a long-term cycle for curriculum development and review within District 61.

Initially faculty met as buildings and answered the following question:
What subject area needs the most focus?
Summary of Feedback:

Of the 162 responses the following data was gathered: 55 % indicated Language
27 % indicated Math
9 % indicated Science
5 % indicated Social Studies
5 % indicated PE/Health
0 % indicated Spanish
0 % indicated Explore

Once this data identified the subject area for review, each building spent about 20 minutes focusing on Language to identify what they currently like, don’t like and offered prescription for change. Language encompasses reading, writing, speaking, and listening. These responses were later grouped under broader categories based on common elements or ideas.

Overall, the common items identified as "We Like" could be grouped into four categories: Writing, Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Technology.

The common items identified as we "Don't Like" could be grouped into four categories: Basal Series, Writing, Comprehension, and Other.

The common items identified as "Prescription for Change" could be grouped into four categories: Reading Strategies, Writing Strategies, Grammar/Spelling, and Personnel.

Plan of Action:

Based on the feedback received the focus this year will be to review aspects of Language.

Since we already have the K-8 Reading Instructional Model this would cover may of the elements listed under Vocabulary, Comprehension, Basal Series, and Reading Strategies. The goal for this area would be to:

•Implement the K-8 Reading Instruction Model and address identified implementation.


To address the writing comments an identified staff of teachers from each building and a variety of subject areas, should:

•Develop a K-8 Writing Model which will provide a scope and sequence between grade levels and building.

During the 2008-09 school year implementation changes as suggested will begin the process of review/recommendation for the next areas most identified: Mathematics.

The Overview attached shows the cycle to be followed beginning this year and continuing until 2017. While the cycle is listed below it is important to note that each year, as the cycle moves forward, curricular areas are at different phases of review and/or adoption.

Language
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
PE/Health
Spanish/Explore/Fine Arts

November 13, 2007 Update

Curriculum and Instruction

Curriculum Discussions:

The summary of the Curriculum Needs Discussions has been provided in the Board Packet. The following District goals have been established for 2007-08:

*Implement the K-8 Reading Instruction Model and address identified
implementation needs.
*Develop a K-8 Writing Model to develop a scope and sequence between
grade levels and building.
*Continue to use a variety of assessments (ISAT, IMAGE, DIBELS, ISEL,
Curriculum Based assessment) to improve instruction.

Buildings are working on specific goals and the final page of the School Report Card will be posted by the end of the week. This will show the specific goals each building has established. In addition, for more details the final page will direct individuals to the specific school principal.

The building goals will further refine the District goals or address building specific issues based on individual needs identified by staff in each building. In addition, each building will continue to use team meeting times and SIP/Institute days to refine, develop, and evaluate the established goals.

To address the Writing Model a committee of teachers has been established and we are planning to meet November 20th to begin the process.

They will be provided a packet of information which will guide the process. It will be a multiple step process beginning with seeing how we currently address writing in relation to grade levels and the Illinois Writing Standards. It is also a time to share what else is being done with writing across the district.

Currently the following members have been identified for the committee:

DeLay School: Kristie Lupella, Meredith Holdman, Kristin Shell, and Kim McShea
Lace School: Bonnie Bucholz, Janet Boslett, Gerry Dulkoski and Ann Centers
Eisenhower: Jorie Kaspar, Marian Krupicka, Michelle Ktistou, Melissa McGannon

Staff Development

The survey results from the October 19, 2007 School Improvement Day are included in your packet.





Assessment

IMAGE Testing:

There will be a change in the way students are tested. English Language Learners will take ISAT this year instead of the IMAGE testing. This change is due to the fact that the United States Department of Education (USDE) did not feel that the IMAGE testing met the NCLB criteria. This has been a concern from the USDE that the ISBE has been working with for the last three years.

This is not a unique challenge in Illinois as nationally school districts are working with identifying a type of assessment for a growing population of English Language Learners. Input meetings are taking place across the State to determine the types of acceptable accommodations that should be given to these students. DuPage County, through the DCCD (DuPage County Curriculum Directors), is gathering input for the county to share at the upcoming meeting. We have provided feedback on suggested accommodations.

October 9, 2007 Update

The following information was provided to the Board of Education on October 9, 2007. The information provides an update on Curriculum and Assessment for the current school year.

Curriculum and Instruction

Curriculum Discussions:

In October buildings have or will be conducting a curriculum needs assessment to determine what subject area(s) need the most focus from a teacher's perspective. A thirty minute meeting will be the kick off in each building to identify the curriculum needs and what we are currently doing that we like, don't like, and prescription for change.

Scheduled Dates for Curriculum Needs Assessments:
Eisenhower Junior High: October 5th
Mark DeLay School: October 9th
Lace School: October 19th

Once the needs are identified we will establish a curriculum cycle which will lay out a plan for regular review and recommendations for curriculum in the district. All feedback from the staffs at each building will be coordinated and shared as we move forward. It is anticipated that a summary should be available by the November update.

Staff Development

The Staff Development committee met on Wednesday, October 3, 2007. The Committee Chairperson for the 2007-08 school year is Amy Brundage.

In addition, we have made changes in the terms of membership. Beginning this year teachers will serve as members on rotating three year terms. The committee currently has representation from each building. The Staff Development plan is in place and will continue to fine tune the plan for the rest of the year and begin the planning of the final year of the three year plan later this year.

Screenings

Illinois Snapshots of Early Literacy (ISEL)

All information has been entered into a database which will be exported into the CRT program by Mr. Hotton. CRT data should be up and available to teachers by the October 19th School Improvement Day Early Dismissal. In the future we will be able to generate reports as needed based on feedback from teacher needs. The double entering of data will be eliminated as teachers will be able to enter the data directly to the CRT web site.

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

Results are being entered into a spreadsheet which will be exported into the CRT by Mr. Hotton. CRT data should be up and available to teachers by October 19th School Improvement Day Early Dismissal. In the future we will be able to generate reports as needed based on feedback from teacher needs. The double entering of data will be eliminated as teachers will be able to enter the data directly to the CRT website.

September 11, 2007 Update

The following information was provided to the Board of Education on September 11, 2007. The information provides an update on Curriculum and Assessment for the current school year.

Curriculum and Instruction

Discovery:

Last year it was recommended that students in second grade be identified for Discovery using the Iowa Test of Basic Skills in the areas of math, reading, and language and the Cognitive Abilities Test.

This test will be administered in February and results are expected back in early/mid April. This will allow for the test data to be used for identification of second graders for third grade discovery.

In addition, students in grade 5 will take the Cognitive Abilities Test in February. This ability test has been reinstated as it will be useful, along with ISAT data and teacher recommendation, to identify students for Discovery at EJH.

The assessment information will allow the teachers to identify students based on criteria developed for the Discovery program.

Learning To Read:

After reviewing the evaluation of the Learning to Read (LTR) program dated June 15, 2007 and talking with Ms. Kelly, principal of DeLay School, we are moving forward with LTR. The following highlights have set the direction to address issues presented in the evaluation and improve the impact of such a program:

-continuation for another year of the LTR program,
-keep a record of students that comprise each teacher group,
-have teachers keep a record of instructional strategies/methods used,
-keep track of students who do not reach mastery for follow up

Ms. Kelly and her staff are developing appropriate record keeping instruments which can be used to record the data necessary for further evaluation of this program.

Elements of Reading Vocabulary:

Grades one, two and three will use the Elements of Reading Vocabulary workbooks for the 2007-08 school year. This is a program that originally began at Fairview school under the direction of the reading teachers. DeLay teachers also used the materials during the 2006-07 school year. Some kits were purchased for use with the workbooks and those already purchased are available within each building. The number of kits will need to be further evaluated as well as the impact of the program in our district.


Screenings

Illinois Snapshots of Early Literacy (ISEL)

Teachers have complete the ISEL screening. Information from the screening was used by Kindergarten teachers to assign student placement before the beginning of the year. Some students who were not screened before the start of the year have been screened and their data is included in the data base.

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

Teachers are conducting the DIBELS screening for students in grades K - 5. This screening is done during the school year as a progress monitoring tool for student performance.

The reading committee is working with the Junior High staff to determine the best way to complete this screening for students at EJH.