Curriculum and Instruction News
September 2018
Bring Your Own Chromebook
Fall PEPs
Need Grade Book Help?
District Speaker Series
Naviance, College Fairs and ACT
Screenagers Documentary Screening
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Curriculum Updates
K-5 ELA
This year Tina Risse will begin work as the Fox C-6 Elementary Curriculum Coordinator. During the course of the 2018-2019 school year, the elementary curriculum work will primarily involve development in the areas of ELA and science.
Our ELA curriculum writing team has been fortunate enough to secure more teachers for the upcoming year. Curriculum writers are digging deeply into the reading units of study implementation this year. Our main focus is in using the scoring guides we developed last year with the students we currently have in our classrooms. In doing so, we aim to produce a document for the Board of Education by this spring.
The C&I department has ordered several resources to support balanced literacy in our buildings. We deployed 178 classroom libraries as well as materials to support working with words. Additional reading Units of Study kits were also purchased to support the implementation of reading workshop.
K-5 Science
Our science curriculum writing team will pilot two units of MySci this year. The program, out of Washington University, was launched in 2005 with a grant from the Monsanto Fund. Each of the mySci units:
Integrates science, engineering, literacy, and mathematics
Encourages student dialogue and collaboration
Utilizes a variety of methods for formative assessments
Uses project-based approach to encourage students to apply their knowledge to real-world problems
We have curriculum team members representing each of our elementary buildings. It is important to have conversations with these team members in an effort to learn about where we are in respect to adopting science resources for the 2019-2020 school year.
6-12 Science
6-12 Math
6-12 ELA
English Language Arts teachers on the 6-12 Curriculum Writing Teams are currently piloting texts for Unit 1 and Unit 2 this year. The CWT begins meeting on 9/11/18 to finalize texts for Unit 3 and Unit 4.
After finalizing and ordering texts for pilot teachers this year, our focus will be on aligning our assessments and performance tasks.
Take a look at our draft curriculum documents here:
ELA 6-12 Pilot Curriculum Document 2018-19
The scheduled meetings are on Tuesdays from 3:45p to 5:45p:
Sep. 11th, 2018–SHS Library
Oct. 9th, 2018–FHS Library
Oct. 30th, 2018–SHS Library
Dec. 4th, 2018–FHS Library
Jan. 8th, 2019–SHS Library
Feb. 12th, 2019–FHS Library
Mar. 12th, 2019–SHS Library
Apr. 16th, 2019–Fox Service Center Training Room
There is still room for more people to join the committee. If you are interested please fill out this form:
ELA 6-12 Curriculum Writing Team Application 2018-19
6-12 Social Studies
The Social Studies 6th-9th Grade Curriculum was approved by the school board on June 5th, 2018. All 6th through 9th grade classrooms have new materials and online access from TCI.
Social Studies 6th-9th Curriculum Documents
This year the curriculum writing team will focus on developing units for advanced courses 6th-8th and refining the pilot curriculum for 10th-grade World History and 11th-grade American Government.
The scheduled meetings are on Tuesdays from 3:45p to 5:45p:
Sep. 25th, 2018–SHS Library
Oct. 16th, 2018–FHS Library
Nov 6th, 2018–SHS Library
Dec. 11th, 2018–FHS Library
Jan. 22th, 2019–SHS Library
Feb. 26th, 2019–FHS Library
Apr. 2nd, 2019–SHS Library
Apr. 30th, 2019–FHS Library
There is still room for more people to join the committee. If you are interested please fill out this form:
Social Studies 6th-12th Curriculum Writing Team 2018-19 Application
Professional Development
PD Update
We had an amazing Summer of Learning this year! We had over 730 registrations for our summer PD offerings! Teachers learned about a variety of topics to help improve student achievement and also supported our curriculum work and our evaluation system. Some of these topics include:
Balanced Literacy
Technology Integration through Chrome Academy, Digital Breakout, and Flipped Classroom
Coding in K-5 Classrooms
Designing Lessons in a High School Block Schedule
Critical Thinking and Engagement Strategies in Mathematics
Best Practices in Co-Teaching
K-5 and 6-12 Reading and Writing Workshops
Kindergarten Literacy Academy
Social Emotional Learning
Dyslexia Training
RTI and PLC
STEM TQ
August PD days allowed buildings to build on the summer learning of their teachers and started conversations around RTI and what it looks like in the individual buildings. PLC teams also collaborated around best practices in their content areas. Additionally buildings discussed building strong relationships in the school community and providing supports for students.
Our PD days for the school year are:
- October 25 (8:00-11:00)
- November 6
- March 21 (8:00-11:00)
- April 2
During PD days teachers will continue to build on the learning from the summer and have time to work with their PLC teams to ensure that they are meeting the needs of all learners. PLC work will continue to be guided by the 4 corollary questions:
What do we expect our students to learn?
How will we know if they have learned it?
How will we respond if they haven’t learned it?
How will we respond if they already know it?
Please remember to complete the PD survey after each PD day to ensure that we can continue to plan professional development that meets your individual needs.
2018-2019 PD Opportunities
We will again be offering Professional Elective Programs (PEPs) for the fall and spring semesters. This is an opportunity for you to sign up for content specific PD and receive a stipend OR earn graduate credit. Click here for the fall PEP offerings.
If you are interested in PD outside of the district that are specific to NEE indicators or specific for your content area, click here.
Steps to Request PD
- Complete the on-line PD request form as early as possible. Teacher Professional Development Request Form
- Wait for an approval confirmation email. If you do not receive confirmation within 10 days, email Robin Greene (greene@foxc6.org).Register for the event using the PO number provided in the approval attachment. (district pays registration, hotel and airfare upfront- mileage is reimbursed after) Your are responsible for registering yourself for your PD.
- Use WillSub to request a sub if needed.
- Scan and email confirmation of attendance to foxc6pdrequest@foxc6.org (This can be agenda, sign-in sheet, name badge or certificate.)
- Complete a check request within 30 days of the PD if needed for reimbursement of funds that were mentioned on the original PD request. Also attach confirmation of attendance and original itemized receipts.
Instructional Technology
Fox Technology Leaders Team
For the past three years, the Fox Edtech Advisory Team has worked to provide input around technology planning and to share resources and information with buildings around technology in the Fox School District. This year, though, the Technology Advisory Team will not be meeting. Instead, we will begin the Fox Technology Leaders Team. This volunteer, application-based group is designed to create the capacity for leadership in the area of technology integration and professional development by designing and deploying learning that supports the efforts of Fox C-6 curriculum writing teams and the 4C’s of digital learning. This work will be done with a focus on digital citizenship, student engagement, and critical thinking. The Fox Technology Leaders team will meet monthly beginning in October. To learn more about the Fox Technology Leaders Team and to apply to be part of this group, click here.
Google Classroom Updates
Google rolled out some major updates to Google Classroom just in time for the new school year to help teaches be more efficient and create useful organizational structures inside of Google Classroom. The two biggest changes to Google Classroom are the Classwork page and a new grading interface.
Classwork Page: All class assignments and questions now located on the Classwork page instead of the Stream. Now assignments and questions can be organized by topic (think about learning modules) instead of just listing them chronologically in the stream.
Grading interface: Teachers can now open a student’s assignment in a new window and add private comments and a grade in that new grading window. If the student submitted Google Drive files, the teacher can also leave comments right in the new grading interface. When finished, teachers can switch students with a single click.
Check out the video below for an overview of these major Google Classroom updates and click here to view a comprehensive Google Classroom user’s guide that is great for teachers getting started with Google Classroom.
Fox Federal Programs
Federal Programs Highlights Fall 2018
Title I A., Title II, Title III, Title IV, Homeless & Foster Care Liaison
Title I Overview
2018-2019 Title I Schools
Fox Elementary (school-wide)
Guffey (school-wide)
Hamrick (school-wide)
Hodge
Lone Dell
Meramec Heights (school-wide)
Rockport
Sherwood
Simpson
Funding provided through the Title I federal grant is used to provide research-proven effective, supplemental support delivered by 14 reading/math specialist and 3 paraprofessionals across the 9 schools listed above. Students are selected for participation in the program based on a multi-criteria screening process so each student’s personal needs and learning style are carefully considered. Funding from the grant is also used to help remove educational barriers for students who are currently facing homelessness.
Title III - English Language Learning
The Fox C6 ELL teachers have completed the beginning of the year online screenings and supplemental support services have begun for students needing additional support with English acquisition. Please see the following names and school assignments for the district’s ELL teachers should you have any questions regarding instructional support and/or family engagement concerning these amazing students.
2018-2019 English Language Learning Teachers
Laura Flannery, flanneryl@foxc6.org: Antonia ES, Hodge ES, Seckman ES, Antonia MS, Seckman MS
Mrs. Flannery is also a great resource for helping to support our district’s home-school connections for our ELL families as our district’s ELL Home-school Coordinator.
Tatiana Kennedy, kennedyt@foxc6.org: Fox MS, Fox HS, Seckman HS
Amela Omeragic, omeragica@foxc6.org: Fox ES, Rockport ES
Carolyn Mitchell, mitchellc@foxc6.org: Guffey ES, Meramec Heights ES, Ridgewood MS
Marry Ann Woods, woodsm@foxc6.org: Hamrick ES, Lond Dell ES, Sherwood ES, Simpson ES
Click here for online resources that support our district's ELL population.
College and Career Readiness
Fox C-6 District Assessment Committee
- Thursday, August 30, 4:30-6:60pm, SHS Library
- Thursday Sep. 20th 4:15-5:45 FSC
- Thursday Oct. 18th 4:15-5:45 SHS Library
- Thursday Nov. 1st 4:15-5:45 FSC
- Thursday, January 17th, 4:15-5:45 SHS Library
- Thursday, April 4th, 4:15-5:45 SHS Library
- Thursday, May 2nd, 4:15-5:45 FSC
Upcoming Assessment Windows
Fall (optional) 8/15/18 to 11/30/18
Winter (optional) 12/3/18 to 2/28/19
Spring (required) 3/1/19 to 5/31/19
ACT Aspire
Summative ACT ASPIRE: Oct 15, 2018-Nov 20, 2018
Make up window: Nov 26-30, 2018
Sept 14th ACT ASPIRE training (counselors) 12:00-2:30 FSC training room (invite sent on Google calendar)
Contact C&I
- Declan FitzPatrick, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction: fitzpatrickd@foxc6.org
- Luke Heitert, Director of Technology and Information: heitertl@foxc6.org
- Robin Greene, Director of Professional Development: greene@foxc6.org
- Angie Baker, Federal Programs Coordinator: bakera@foxc6.org
- JP Prezzavento, Instructional Technology Coordinator: prezzavento@foxc6.org
- Tina Risse, K-5 Curriculum Coordinator: risset@foxc6.org
- Maria Scopino,CCR and Assessment Coordinator: scopino@foxc6.org
- Ashley Berding, C&I Secretary: berdinga@foxc6.org
- Gradebook help: sisk12help@foxc6.org