grade 5-6 study follow up committee

Grade 5-6 StudyFollow Up Committee

May 27, 2008

"...no other age level has so clear and legitimate a claim to the designation of unique as does this period of transition between childhood and full-blown adolescence, roughly ages ten to fourteen" (This We Believe (1992), p. 4). NMSA

Committee MembershipFacilitator: Ron Perrault Tootin’ Hills School Principal

Committee Membership: Ana Aguirre Elementary Schools World Language Teacher Scott Baker Squadron Line School Assistant Principal Janice Bell Tootin’ Hills School Grade 6 Teacher George Blick Central School Head Custodian Edward Boiczyk Tootin’ Hills School Grade 5 Teacher Caron Carpenter Central School Grade 5 Teacher Matt Curtis Squadron Line School Principal Ginny Damseaux Squadron Line School School Psychologist Eileen Eustis Simsbury High School Assistant Principal Mary Glendening Henry James World Language Supervisor, 6-8 Betsy Gunsalus CTC Director of Elementary Curriculum Beth Hennessy Squadron Line School Literacy Coach Meg Kraft Latimer Lane School Grade 5 Teacher Joncia Lytwynec Simsbury Public Schools Director of Instructional

Technology Dennis Marolda Elementary Schools World Language Teacher Grace Morris Latimer Lane School Principal Dorothy Norman Simsbury Public Schools Supervisor of Special Education Steven Petrella Latimer Lane School Grade 6 Teacher Cynthia Rehm Simsbury High School Art Dept. Supervisor, K-12 Martha Rouleau Henry James Science Melanie Swider Latimer Lane/Tootin’ Hills Language Arts Consultant Susan Zenick Latimer Lane Library Media Specialist

Ad Hoc Members: Diane Ullman Central Office Superintendent of Schools Erin Murray Central Office Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Original Grade 5-6 Study(2006-2007) Teams of parents, teachers, and

administrators toured several 5-6 buildings throughout Connecticut and interviewed staff to determine the feasibility of creating a similar school in Simsbury.

Conclusion of the study process was that the educational benefits were not compelling enough to disrupt our current K-6 structure.

Superintendent proposed that a committee of teachers and administrators further explore the educational benefits identified in the study in terms of feasibility, cost and impact within our current K-6 configuration.

Grade 5-6 Study Follow Up Committee (2007-2008)

During the 2007-2008 school year a committee of volunteers was formed to carry out the superintendent's charge.

As a result of discussion surrounding the recommendations from the original 5-6 study group we identified four areas of study. Subcommittees were created to address each.

Areas of Study

Opportunities for Social/Emotional Growth

Scheduling Within a Grade 5-6 Program

World Language Tandem/Team Teaching

Review of Middle Level Research Prior to embarking on these

investigations committee members reviewed relevant middle level research to ensure consistency with the Simsbury Public Schools Vision and Core Beliefs.

This step was essential to keep our work consistent with the goal of meeting the needs of our middle level students.


Goal

To identify activities and opportunities that foster the social and emotional growth of the middle level child that align with our character education programs district-wide.

Expand Roles and Responsibilities of Student Councils

Develop Peer Mediation Programs Develop Team Leadership

Opportunities Ensure Access to After-School and

Extra-Curricular Activities Coordinate Initiatives District Wide


Scheduling

Goal

To establish scheduling parameters to support the academic, social and emotional needs of the middle level student.

SchedulingParameters

Structure beginning/ending of school day to accommodate added instructional time/relationship building opportunities

Create uninterrupted blocks of instructional time (support services may be ‘pushed in’ during these time blocks)

Scheduling

Parameters (cont.)

Utilize before/after school hours for large music ensembles and other enrichment activities

Ensure common planning time exists for collaboration between teachers and support personnel

World Language

Goal Expansion of Spanish into

elementary grades. This goal is supported by research and is

aligned with our district core beliefs in preparing students for a global, interconnected society which will require facility with relationships, higher order thinking, technology and languages.

World Language

Maintain Spanish in Grade 6. (90 min. weekly)

Expand Spanish into grade 5. (90 min. weekly)

Expand 7th grade Spanish to a full year course thereby completing Spanish II by the end of 8th grade

Expand World Language options in high school

Tandem/Team Teaching

Goals To improve the quality of instruction

through teacher specialization in subject areas and or units of study to develop expertise in increasingly complex content.

To better prepare our students for the demands of a middle school schedule.

To allow for more targeted professional development and an economy of materials.

Tandem/Team Teaching Plan

Grade 5 Students organized on either a 2 or 3

teacher team Teachers specialize in individual

science units and students change classes as they progress through 4 science rotations.

Social Studies content integrated with reading and writing instruction at points throughout the year.

Tandem/Team Teaching Plan

Grade 6 Students organized on teams of 2 or 3

teachers On a 2 teacher team, one teacher

specializes in math/science and the other specializes in writing/social studies

On a 3 teacher team one teacher specialize in math, one in science and one in social studies

In both circumstances students have a homeroom teacher responsible for all other areas of academic instruction

Next Steps: 2008-2009 School Year Teams/Tandems Implementation 08-

09 Using existing resources, begin

implementing recommendations of Social/Emotional Growth Subcommittee at the building level

Apply currently viable scheduling parameters in development of 08-09 school schedules

Requiring Further Review

Continue to evaluate the feasibility and impact of expanding world language in the elementary and middle grades

Explore the feasibility and impact of district coordination of social / emotional growth initiatives

Investigate the creation of a flexible period to be utilized within a six day cycle for academic support, enrichment, pull out instruction, world language, etc…

Committee MembershipFacilitator: Ron Perrault Tootin’ Hills School Principal

Committee Membership: Ana Aguirre Elementary Schools World Language Teacher Scott Baker Squadron Line School Assistant Principal Janice Bell Tootin’ Hills School Grade 6 Teacher George Blick Central School Head Custodian Edward Boiczyk Tootin’ Hills School Grade 5 Teacher Caron Carpenter Central School Grade 5 Teacher Matt Curtis Squadron Line School Principal Ginny Damseaux Squadron Line School School Psychologist Eileen Eustis Simsbury High School Assistant Principal Mary Glendening Henry James World Language Supervisor, 6-8 Betsy Gunsalus CTC Director of Elementary Curriculum Beth Hennessy Squadron Line School Literacy Coach Meg Kraft Latimer Lane School Grade 5 Teacher Joncia Lytwynec Simsbury Public Schools Director of Instructional

Technology Dennis Marolda Elementary Schools World Language Teacher Grace Morris Latimer Lane School Principal Dorothy Norman Simsbury Public Schools Supervisor of Special Education Steven Petrella Latimer Lane School Grade 6 Teacher Cynthia Rehm Simsbury High School Art Dept. Supervisor, K-12 Martha Rouleau Henry James Science Melanie Swider Latimer Lane/Tootin’ Hills Language Arts Consultant Susan Zenick Latimer Lane Library Media Specialist

Ad Hoc Members: Diane Ullman Central Office Superintendent of Schools Erin Murray Central Office Assistant Superintendent of Schools

Appendix

5th Grade Science/Social Studies Sequences

5th Grade Sample Schedule 6th Grade Sample Schedule

5th Grade SequenceScience Rotation / Social Studies Integration for a Team of 2

[Tariffville, 2 teachers from Squadron Line, Latimer 2 teams]

Teacher A Teacher B

August 25-October 3 Electricity and Magnetism

Class A Light and Lenses Class B

October 6 – October 24 Senses/Catch It Class A Sound Class B

October 27– November 14 Senses/Catch It Class B Sound Class A

November 17 – January 9 Social Studies Exploration Unit is taught by homeroom teacher and is integrated with the Nonfiction Reading and Feature Article Writing units.

January 12 – February 27 Electricity and Magnetism

Class B Light and Lenses Class A

March 2 – March 13 Science Review/CMT Testing

March 16 – May 1 Social Studies Colonial Settlement Unit is taught by homeroom teacher and is integrated with the Historical Fiction Reading Unit.

May 4 – June 12 Social Studies American Revolution Unit is taught by homeroom teacher.

5th Grade SequenceScience Rotation / Social Studies Integration for a Team of 3

[Central, 3 teachers from Squadron Line, Tootin’ Hills]

Teacher A Teacher B Teacher C

August 25-October 3 Electricity/Magnetism

Class A Light and Lenses

Class B

Senses/Catch ItSound

Class C

October 6-November 14 Electricity/Magnetism

Class B Light and Lenses

Class C

Senses/Catch ItSound

Class A

November 17 – January 9 Social Studies Exploration Unit is taught by homeroom teacher and is integrated with the Nonfiction Reading and Feature Article Writing units.

January 12 – February 27 Electricity/Magnetism

Class C Light and Lenses

Class A Senses/Catch ItSound

Class B

March 2 – March 13 Science Review/CMT Testing

March 16 – May 1 Social Studies Colonial Settlement Unit is taught by homeroom teacher and is integrated with the Historical Fiction Reading Unit.

May 4 – June 12 Social Studies American Revolution Unit is taught by homeroom teacher.

Grade 5 Sample Schedule

Period Time 2-Person 3-Person

Teacher 1 Teacher 2 Teacher 3 Teacher 4 Teacher 5

1 8:15 – 8:30 10-Minute Math

10-Minute Math

10-Minute Math

10-Minute Math

10-Minute Math

2 8:30 – 9:30 Math Math Math Math Math

3 9:30 – 10:10 Specials Specials Specials Specials Specials

4 10:15 – 10:45

Language Arts

Language Arts

Language Arts

Language Arts

Language Arts

5 10:45 – 11:35

Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading

6 11:35 – 11:55

Read Aloud Read Aloud Read Aloud Read Aloud Read Aloud

7 11:55 – 12:55

Lunch/Recess

Lunch/Recess

Lunch/Recess

Lunch/Recess

Lunch/Recess

8 12:55 – 1:45 Science or Social Studies Rotation*

Science or Social Studies Rotation*




9 1:45 – 2:30 Writing Writing Writing Writing Writing

10 End of Day Prep

End of Day Prep

End of Day Prep

End of Day Prep

End of Day Prep

Sample 6th Grade Schedule

Period Time 2-Person 3-Person

Teacher 1 Teacher 2 Teacher 3 Teacher 4 Teacher 5

1 8:15 – 8:25 10-Minute Math 10-Minute Math 10-Minute Math 10-Minute Math 10-Minute Math

2 8:25 – 8:45 Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts Language Arts

3 8:45 – 9:25 Specials Specials Specials Specials Specials

4 9:30– 10:20 Reading Reading Reading Reading Reading

5 10:20 – 11:10 Math (1) Writing (2) Math (3) Science (4) / 1x per week

Social Studies (5) / WL 1x per week

6 11:10 – 12:00 Math (2) Writing (1) Math (4) Science (5) / WL 1x per week


7 12:00 – 12:55 Lunch/Recess Lunch/Recess Lunch/Recess Lunch/Recess Lunch/Recess

8 1:00 – 1:50 Science (2) / WL 1x per week

Social Studies (1) /WL 1x per week

Math (5) Science (3) / WL 1x per week


9 1:50 – 2:40 Science (1) / WL 1x per week


Writing (3) Writing (4) Writing (5)

CEP’s 11 Principles of Character Education Programs Principle 1 Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good

character. Principle 2 Defines "character" comprehensively to include thinking,

feeling, and behavior. Principle 3 Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective

approach to character development. Principle 4 Creates a caring school community. Principle 5 Provides students with opportunities for moral action. Principle 6 Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum

that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed.

Principle 7 Strives to foster students self motivation. Principle 8 Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community

that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students.

Principle 9 Fosters shared moral leadership and long range support of the character education initiative.

Principle 10 Engages families and community members as partners in the character-building effort.

Principle 11 Evaluates the character of the school, the school staff's functioning as character educators, and the extent to which students manifest good character.