RIDGEFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PROGRAM NEWSLETTER
Newsletter
Mathematics Edition: Learn more about our math programs throughout the district
Website: http://www.ridgefieldschools.com/domain/112
Location: 555 Chestnut Street, Ridgefield, NJ
Phone: 201-945-7747
Where We've Been
Over the past three years, the Ridgefield Public Schools have worked diligently to research, review, and select content materials that will best enable our students to master these skill areas. The district has invested in resources that include traditional textbooks, online programs and digital media. Teachers have also received professional development to enable them to be educated in the new materials and latest trends in the area of math.
In our K - 5 programming, students have used the Envisions program to learn their early elementary math skills. Through a combination of online, interactive videos, textbooks, and math maps, the students practice their skills in school and at home. The students also used the Study Island and IXL to practice their skills virtually and prepare for the PARCC testing.
In our 6 - 12 programming, the program is aligned using the McGraw Hill math materials and program. Additionally, students have been provided with access to Study Island and IXL. IXL is on online math program where students work on their math skills and must persevere through solving problems until they reach a score as determined by their teacher. This program provides students with the material on their individual levels to ensure their success with math and allow them to progress at their own pace. The program also provides teachers with ongoing data on student progress and program usage.
Building a foundation for math skills and problem solving is imperative for students to have the reasoning skills for use in post secondary education and the work place. The investments that the district has made in the past three years assist in developing those vital skills.
Business & Finance Focus
Money Saving Tip For Parents – Flexible Spending Account
Child and dependent care is a critical issue and a large expense for many American families. Millions of people rely on child care to be able to work, while others are responsible for older parents or disabled family members. If you care for a child or adult who is incapable of self-care, who lives in your home for at least eight hours each, and whom you can claim as a dependent on your income taxes, you may be able to take advantage of dependent care flexible spending accounts (FSAs). These accounts allow individuals to pay for qualified child and dependent care expenses while lowering their taxable income.
Dependent care FSAs are set up through your workplace. Participants authorize their employers to withhold a specified amount from their paychecks each pay period and deposit the money in an account. Instead of using the FSA money to pay for expenses directly, you pay those costs out-of-pocket and then apply for reimbursement.
Once you have paid for expenses that qualify for reimbursement from the FSA you will need to complete a claim form provided by your employer and attach receipts or proof of payment with the form.
The main benefit of an FSA is that the money set aside in the account is pretax, thus reducing the amount of our income subject to taxes. For someone in the 28% federal tax bracket, this income reduction means saving $280 in federal taxes for every $1,000 spent on dependent care with an FSA.
The IRS limits the total amount of money you can contribute to a dependent care to $5,000 each year for married couples filing jointly, unmarried couples, and single individuals, and $2,500 if you are married and filing separately.
For more information, please see the link below.
Where we are now: Math in the blended environment
This year, we are continuing the development of the growth of our programs in the area of math. We have increased the time out of the classroom for the STEM Chairperson to ensure the new initiatives are being implemented with fidelity and are vertically aligned. During the 2015/2016 school year, we piloted a blended learning program in the area of math in grade 5, 7, and 8. Blended learning allows the teacher to individualize learning for each student with the use of technology, teacher lead learning, and independent student work.
Our blended learning initiative has been expanded this year to the middle and high school levels in the area of math. Teachers are using programs such as; Front Row, Aleks, and Google Apps for Education where students drive their own progress through content using digital and online programming. Students can be the author of their own destinies by working individually to move through content standards and grade level work. Each student receives teacher and online instruction at an individualized level. Students may also be viewing lessons at home for homework using Google Classroom and then applying the skills from the lesson the next day in class.
We have also implemented the new Envisions 2.0 program in grades K - 5. This is the continuation and modernization of the Envisions program that was implemented in the classrooms over the past five years. This program better aligns to the newer standards and engages students in constructing understanding and applying their math skills to problems. The Envisions 2.0 program is also being piloted in grades 6 - 8, to provide for vertical articulation of the program throughout grades K - 8.
Spotlight on our Special Services
On Friday October 28, 2016, Our very own STRIVE student Jeremy Silvestri was Award a Certificate of Commendation at the 18th Annual "Salute To Champions" award ceremony hosted by the Bergen County Department of Human Services And the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders: Bergen County Division of Disability Services.
Jeremy was honored for his tremendous work in Art. Last year Jeremy, also known as "Artist American Jeremy, USA," hosted an art exhibition at the North Bergen Library where he displayed many of his wonderful drawings. Many patrons visited his art exhibition and the event was covered by the Bergen Record. Jeremy continues to work on his art as well as volunteering a Shaler Academy to assist the art teacher with projects and classroom preparation. Jeremy's passion for art and tireless work ethic is truly inspiring. He plans on hosting many more art shows in the future.
where we are going: Math in the future
- Maintain the STEM Chairperson in the current role. The continuation and expansion of this vital staff member to provide expertise to the teachers in all grade levels from k - 12 will strengthen vertical alignment of the math program.
- Expand upon the current blended learning program. The expansion of this program will enable teachers to facilitate more individualized learning and allow students to progress at their own pace.
- The addition of one math teacher. This will allow the District to offer a more robust program of high school and middle school electives, including such classes as Probability and Statistics, Trigonometry, Business Math, and more electives in the state-required area of personal finance. It will provide greater flexibility in scheduling. This position will allow our schools to implement our integrated studies initiative between the math and science departments, allowing students to engage in critical thinking and problem-solving across content disciplines and providing a foundation for a math-based physics class.
- Provide the funding for curriculum resources to continue to invest and implement in the programs that have begun their implementation over the past two years. Continue to invest in programs such as; Front Row and Aleks to expand the blended learning program into more classrooms. Provide more math classes with the necessary technology to access these programs. Expand the Envisions 2.0 program to the middle school level for great vertical articulation of the math program.
Mathematics is an important component of the curricula for all students. The ability to problem solve using various modalities is an invaluable skill for the post secondary education and the workplace. The future plans will aide our students in their preparation for the world beyond the Ridgefield Public Schools.
Program Highlights: How math has evolved
In 1989, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) released the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, sometimes referred to as the NCTM Standards. The Standards was the first document to stress problem solving, communication, connections, and reasoning as integral parts of mathematics education.
In 2009, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics were introduced and subsequently voluntarily adopted by forty-five states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have established a set of clear, concise, rigorous, and relevant standards for mathematics education. The adoption of the CCSS marked a dynamic shift in mathematics instruction for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. New Jersey will be implementing the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) in September of 2017 and these will continue to stress there rigorous standards.
In most mathematics classrooms, instruction has shifted from traditional skills-based learning to a process of constructing understanding and meaning of mathematics as a language to understand the world and solve real-world problems. The shift involves less emphasis on memorization and greater emphasis on conceptual understanding, reasoning, and problem solving.
If you would like to better understand the way in which to use the Envisions 2.0 program at home, please click on the link below.