Estabrook Buzz
February 4, 2019
DON'T FORGET: Meet the Principal Finalists - Tuesday, February 5
Both finalists will spend the morning at Estabrook on Tuesday, February 5. Parent forums will be held in the Literacy Center.
- 8:50-9:10 Candidate 1
- 9:15-9:35 Candidate 2
Anyone who attends will receive an email link to provide feedback.
IMPORTANT: Change in Report Card Date
Due to a breakdown last week in the platform we use for report cards, data entry by teachers was delayed. Report cards will now be available in the parent portal on Friday, February 15 (one week later than previously announced). Please be sure to test your portal log-in prior to that date and email parentportal@lexingonma.org if you need assistance.
Also This Week
- Wednesday, February 6 - NAEP Testing (for randomly selected Gr. 4 students)
- Friday, February 8 . 6:30 pm Estabrook Science Fair
Coming Up
- Tuesday, February 12 - 6:30 pm Gr. 4/5 Math Night (Snow Date: Feb. 26)
- Wednesday, February 13 - Safe Routes to School Day
- Wednesday, February 13 - 2:00 Gr. 2 ACT Performance
Sandeep Das “Tabla: Talking Drum from Northern India”
Friday, February 15 - 10:15 Gr. 4 ACT Performance: Promised Land (Instrumental Group “Sounds That Shaped America" http://yamass.org/promised-land/
- February 18-22 - School Vacation Week
Principal's Corner
At last week's Principal's Coffee, Assistant Principal Christina Gavin and I provided a mid-year update on curriculum and school improvement work that is happening this year. Lexington is continuously refining and updating its curriculum at the district level. Meanwhile, at the school level, teachers and specialists work together on the day-to-day and week-to-week implementation. Here are some highlights from Mathematics and Science. English Language Arts and Social Studies will follow in a future column.
Mathematics
Lexington does not use a single packaged mathematics program, but rather identifies outside resources or develops its own. This year that includes:
- New district-created 'Math Matters' Student Math Journals in Grades 1-5. These workbooks were created to provide practice aligned with the content and lesson sequence in our curriculum.
- We have begun using a new on-line IXL program in Grades 4 and 5 to support students in math problem solving and standards based practice using technology. These tools allow students to work at their own pace and can be accessed at home when needed. IXL is in addition to the Xtra Math and Fraction Nation programs already in place.
- Every grade began the year with a Week of Inspirational Math to promote growth mindset in mathematics for all students.
Meanwhile at the school level, our math specialists working closely with grades 3-5 teams to fine tune the structure of Math Workshop in order to provide more effective differentiation.
Science
A district-wide Science Curriculum Review Committee (that includes 4 teachers from Estabrook) has made significant progress over the past three years to realign our curriculum and instruction to the new 2016 Massachusetts Curriculum Framework. New or updated units have been developed in every grade and are being phased in over time.
As one example, at last Thursday's early release day, first grade teachers across the district gathered at Estabrook to explore a new Sound & Light unit and try out a Kibo, a robot kit specifically designed for young children that will allow students to further investigate ways sound and light help us to communicate. The focus of learning in these new units shifts from learning about a topic to figuring out why or how something happens and how it connects to our natural and designed world.
Another area of focus this year is to engage students in the eight science and engineering practices to ask and answer questions and design solutions to problems.
Finally, we have created a district-level Big Backyard Coordinator to support the program through leadership, education, and curriculum development. We will be developing exciting new walks to support curriculum changes over the next year. This position frees the K-5 Department Head to focus on supporting the classroom curriculum and instruction.
Rick Rogers