Beasley Weekly Bulletin
Week of February 1st, 2016
Message from Dr. BC
Network 9's instructional priority is to see evidence of small group instruction happening in your classrooms. First, we must all share a common language of what small group instruction is and what it is not. Small group instruction is a "differentiating instructional strategy." Because small group instruction is a highly effective differentiating instruction strategy it is widely used in elementary classrooms. Teachers who already use this strategy know that successful implementation doesn’t happen overnight. The work involved in preparing students to operate within a small group instruction model takes time and patience. But the work will pay off! Small group instruction:
1. Builds stamina for children
2. Establishes strong classroom management routines
3. Frequently used as a formative assessment
4. Based upon student data assessments to build student mastery
5. Makes sure you know who needs you the most
Small group instruction is not:
1. Sitting in groups but every student does the same thing.
2. Done as whole group instruction
3. Used as a summative assessment
4. More than a participation grade
REACH does require evaluators to look for evidence of differentiation in the learning. Please make sure that you think about this as you plan your lessons.
Beasley ILT at the Network 9 ILT Institute
Our celebrations are that we have a highly functioning ILT, we have identified our Targeted Instructional Strategies, we have assessed multiple forms of data to include: On-Track, Attendance, GradeBook and Quarterly Student Assessments (authentic student work), and 2 Parent Learning Walks to share our CIWP priorities.
Our challenge has been the ILT Learning Walk. We have experienced challenges with scheduling this with fidelity. We are letting all teachers to know and expect an ILT member to come into your classroom for about 15 - 20 minutes and will be collecting data for a frequency analysis to determine coherence within our instructional strategies. Then we will analyze what areas that we may not see evidence of an instructional strategy and let you know. On a separate email you will receive our ILT Checklist that spells out all of our instructional actions. If you have any questions, please let your ILT Leads know:
Ms. Fanella and Ms. Hickman (K)
Ms. Harris (1st)
Ms. McGowan (2nd)
Ms. Mun (3rd)
Ms. Beck (4th)
Ms. Johnson (5th)
Ms. Armstrong and Ms. Thornton (6th)
Mr. Berdell (7th)
Mr. Clark (8th)
Ms. Johns (PreK)
Beasley Goes to DePaul University (CPS Pillar/College Readiness)
Missed Preparation Periods
There is no school for students on Friday, February 5th. It is a School Improvement Day
2nd Quarter/1st Semester SY 2016 Grade Posting Schedule
We are exploring other ways to communicate student progress to parents in addition to our standard Report Cards, Progress Reports and Parent Portal. Students in 3rd, 6th and 8th who are struggling in Reading or Math (only) will receive a copy of the On/Off Track Parent Notification Form. Administration will meet this week and have these forms ready to go home with the child's Report Card. We also intend to have the student to sign that they received this data report.
End of 2nd QuarterThursday, February 4, 2016
Grade Entry cut-off (5 p.m.)*Friday, February 5
IMPACT generates report cards (with HS class rank)Saturday, February 6 - Monday, February 8
Report Cards ready for School Print (after 12:00 p.m.)Monday, February 8