The "Oskaloosa Syllabus"
November, 2014 - "News YOU Can Use!"
Site Visit Findings
The feedback was centered around the 7 Areas of School Improvement. I do not have room for all of the comments, so I will choose the most significant for this medium. You will see the final report when it comes our way.
1. Vision/Mission
Strengths
- Theory of Action graphic shows commitment to continuous improvement
- Lanyard and card worn by all staff
- Staff has confidence in administrators and feels there is a good relationship between groups
Recommendations
- Collect data in DAC, DLT, (survey data, etc.) - could create a plan for how you will use the data once collected
2. Leadership
Strengths
- Adding Dean of Students at the Elementary!
- DAC meets monthly - authentically engaged
- Many leadership opportunities exist
- Students have opportunities for leadership too
Recommendations
- Community communication beyond digital
- Add a SPED Coordinator
3. Collaborative Relationships
Strengths
- CTE - dynamic and work collaboratively on projects!
- Many community partnerships exist
- Title I - school-wide program
- PLC's have grown in effectiveness and efficiencies since last site visit
Recommendations
- Para-Educators need additional professional development
- Para-Educators and SPED teachers need additional collaborative time
4. Learning Environment
Strengths
- PBIS in Elementary and MS
- All students mentioned Character Counts, Learning Supports, Counseling
- Solid counseling program - small groups
Recommendations
- Parents - some security concerns mentioned - not part of conversation
- Students desire information on cyberbullying
5. Curriculum and Instruction
Strengths
- 5-year cyle
- Learning Targets posted
- Accelerated courses offered
- Extended Learning opportunities/RtI, Summer School, After School Programs
- Technology infrastructure at Elementary
- SPED - inconsistencies across buildings
6. Professional Development
Strengths
- PLC process
- Curriculum Teams
- Loose and Tight structure
- Tool for Improvement!
Recommendations
- Peer Review/Observations tied to Tool for Improvement
7. Monitor and Accountability
Strengths
- Walk through observation template
- Multiple means of collecting data
- SWAT Teams analyze data
Recommendations
- Program Evaluation should be reviewed - At Risk for example
Thank YOU
Thank you for allowing site visit team members to visit your classrooms as well. The planning that went into their visit allowed us to project Oskaloosa as a Learning Community who truly cares for students!
Board Meeting Day Changed
1st Meeting of the Month - 2nd Monday at 7:00
2nd Meeting of the Month - 4th Monday at 7:00 - this meeting date is determined by need at the 1st board meeting.
TLC Grant Due October 31st
Our goal is to be awarded the grant for next year, but if we can get a score of 73 or higher we are guaranteed to get the grant dollars for the following year. We will be notified sometime mid December.
PLCs To Watch for November - HS CTE
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Industrial Technology
- Business
- Agriculture
SMART Goal for 2014-2015
100% of our students will achieve a 2 or better on each departmental GLB involving math computation.
- As part of the Perkins Consortium, they must focus on an area students across their program have struggles with. Math is an area the data suggests is an area of improvement. Math Computation is something spanning across each of their courses.
Action Plan for Collaboration is to work on a PBL together for a Fashion Show
Rationale: PBL has shown students learn when engaged in meaningful, real world problem solving.
PLC Collaboration Video Ideas
Technology Integration
DLT Update
- SMART Goal is: 100% of teachers will understand, plan with, and incorporate the Tool for Improvement into instruction during the 2014-2015 school year as part of Oskaloosa’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports.
- The purpose of grading and report cards in the Oskaloosa CSD is to provide quality, specific feedback to students and parents the progress being made toward meeting established Learning Targets.
- Update on Early Literacy Initiative (ELI)
a. Define terms
Universal Tier--Evidence-Based Curriculum and Instruction shall be provided at the Universal level. Schools provide evidence-based curriculum and instruction to all learners in the general classroom. The Term Universal Tier takes the place of past language of Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.
o All schools shall use instructional methods that are systematic (structured), sequential, and cumulative, that are organized and presented in a way that follows a logical sequential plan, with no assumption of prior skills or language knowledge, and maximizes student engagement. This instruction proceeds at a rate commensurate with students’ needs, ability levels, and demonstration of progress.
For next meeting—Is the Universal Tier sufficient?
If the Universal Tier is not sufficient, what are the needs that must be addressed?
When will the sideways triangle be shared with faculty (See below)
- Standards for Professional Learning
Iowa Code – professional learning standards
“Professional Learning increases educator effectiveness and results for all students through.. Learning communities, leadership, resources, data, learning designs, implementation, and outcomes.
- Quick Reference Guide Review
- Kiosk Activity – Dig into the meaning of each Standard
Each group looked at one of the Standards and recorded answers to the following
- What information or ideas are important to know about this standard?
- Which behaviors are observable when this standard is fully implemented?
- What visual representation would help people remember this standard?
- As a large group we discussed for each standard:
- What steps are necessary in our district in order to implement this standard or to grow in this standard?
- How do these standards align to the work of DLT?
Tier 1 - Core - Universal Tier Instruction - New Language from the Department of Education
Universal Tier Instruction (Formerly Tier 1) - see the graphic above... it is the area colored green. This should be high quality instruction spiraling from grade to grade
Targeted/Supplemental Support - Area of yellow - for students who need additional support beyond the Universal Tier instruction (Formerly Tier 2)
Intensive Support - Area of red - for students who need intensive supports beyond the Targeted and Universal Tier.
Special Education - think of it as the 4th Tier - if MTSS is not working for students an additional layer of support is added with specific, targeted means to help them overcome an identified disability.
What is Universal Tier? It is the quality instruction provided to ALL students based on their academic needs. The Universal Tier Instruction in Oskaloosa may look different than in any other district based on our students needs.
How does that work? Simply put, through differentiated instruction. Developing Iowa Core aligned lessons with scaffolding so students can meet the demands of complex texts and the expectations of grade level content/skills.
DATA TO ASSIST with Differentiation and Small Group Instruction
- Grades 3-10 have MAP data providing them Iowa Core Standard aligned differentiated groupings.
- Aimsweb Data to provide a baseline of skill development in literacy and Math K-8
- K-5 Text Leveling data helping you to know where students are in relation to grade level norms
- Formative Data in the classroom based on your GLBs
Triangulate your data - look for consistent areas of concern and areas of strength to guide your instruction. Let the data speak to you!!
Interesting Quote regarding Universal Tier and Special Education: "Is it a curriculum deficit or is it a disability?"
DAC Update
Thank you to all the DAC members who took part in the site visit interviews!
Tool for Improvement - Learning Targets
Effect Size
Posting Learning Targets ALONG with talking to students about Learning Targets AND having students set goals around those Targets = minimum of .75 and as much as 1.0 - depending on the depth of use of Learning Targets.
So What - What does that mean? Cohen (1988) proposed rules of thumb for interpreting effect sizes: a “small” effect size is .20, a “medium” effect size is .50, and a “large” effect size is .80.
.75 and up to 1.0 is HUGE when it comes to the impact it has on student learning. It is so simply, yet has such a powerful impact. Still need convincing?
Research on Learning Targets
POST YOUR LEARNING TARGETS DAILY!!!! I CAN....
November Challenge Question
1.
2.
3.
?????????????
BONUS Question: What does MTSS Stand for??
Double Dog Dare Challenge Question
Iowa Core and Characteristics of Effective Instruction
Teaching Video Resources
November Curriculum Team Meetings
- November 3rd - CTE/FL
- November 4th - 2nd Grade
- November 7th - 4th Grade
- November 11th - 5th Grade
- November 17th - KP/Kinder
- Novemeber 24th - 1st Grade
- November 25th - MS/HS LA
Novmeber 14th Professional Development
1/2 Day Work Day - PM
Elementary - Iowa Core
MS/HS - Still to be planned - tentative is PBL
Technology PD in November
- October 29th- MS and Elementary = Google and HS = Technology Integration
- November 12th - Elementary = More Google and MS/HS = Infinite Campus
Each building's Technology Vertical Team will be working to plan these learning opportunities - more information will be coming from them in the near future.
Grading Purpose Revisted
Ask yourselves as a PLC:
- Are you communicating, through your grading practices, to parents AND students?
- Is your feedback to students allowing them to improve for the next time? IS THERE A NEXT TIME?
- Are all of your tasks and formative assessments aligned to your Learning Target?
- Do you have your grade book up-to-date so parents can track student progress?
- Do you have sufficient evidence so you know students are meeting the expectations of your Grade Level Benchmarks?
- Do you put ALL tasks in the grade book or do you gather only the evidence necessary to document students' demonstration of the GLB's.
- Do you have enough evidence to support the grade you are giving to students?
All questions you need to be able to answer and defend to parents - but more importantly to yourself and your team!