The State of the District Report: Elementary School Highlights

Commack UFSDBoard of Education Public Meeting

December 15, 2016

State of the District:2016-2017 Timeline

October

Presentation of the Superintendent’s Goals

November

State-of-the-District Report:

District Exit Data and Secondary Program Highlights

December

State-of-the-District Report:

Elementary School Program Highlights

January

State-of-the-District Report:

Advocacy Report and Related Position Paper(s) i.e. Assessing vs. Testing/State

Funding

Special Education Overview: An Update, Regents Graduation Requirements Update,

Extracurricular Activities, and Program Review Update

February

State-of-the-District Report:

Technology, Facilities, and Security

Working Towards Goal Attainment

BOE & Superintendent

Goals

Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment,

and SEL

District Business and Operations

Personnel Management

Security and Technology

Public Relations, Communication, and Educational

Advocacy

Research and develop an age-appropriate curriculum as defined by the Commack

UFSD.

Impart student understanding of how their

actions and words affect others in person and online.

Promote the concept that student assessment must

support learning and guide instructional practices.

Continue the expansion and acceleration of the

curriculum alignment and articulation process in Grades Kindergarten

through 12

Continue to develop a diverse learning program at the elementary school rich

with a variety of well-rounded, developmentally-

appropriate program

ELA(Reading, Writing,

Spelling, & Grammar)

Mathematics

SEL Programs(Peaceful Playground, Character Education,

etc…)

Clubs, Extra- Curricular,

and Other Activities

Science & Science Labs

Social StudiesPhysical

EducationArt and Music

Technology & Computer Lab

Library

The Elementary Education Program:Setting a Well-Rounded,

Developmentally-Appropriate Foundation for Success

The Elementary Education Program:Setting a Well-Rounded, Developmentally-Appropriate

Foundation for Success

Reduction and/or Elimination of

Unnecessary Testing, Advocacy, and Progress

Maintaining Low Class Sizes

Proactive Academic Support and Enrichment

Opportunities

Math In Focus: Monitoring

Implementation and Review - A Brief Update

Revision and Implementation of the

ELA Curriculum in Grades K-5 with Focused

Professional Development

Social & Emotional, Service, and Active

Learning, etc.

Tonight’s Elementary School Program Highlights

Reduction and/or Elimination of Unnecessary Testing, Advocacy, and Progress

Elimination of NWEA in

Grades K-5

Advocacy with Local Politicians

Conversations with the USDOE

T.E.S.T. Act(Federal Legislation written

in conjunction with Rep. Israel)

Opposition of Mandatory Field

Testing

Continued Advocacy

Re-designed, SED Approved APPR Plan that requires ZEROtesting for APPR in

Grades K-7

Continued Use of Assessments that

Matter

Reported to the BOE November 2015

Since the November 2015 BOE Report

Assessments that Matter• Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark

Reading/Literacy Assessments• Locally Selected, Classroom-Based

Math Assessments• Problem-Based, Authentic Learning

Activities• Ongoing Formative Assessments• The Continuous Parent/Student/

Teacher Feedback Loop: More to come!

Position Papers and Letters (Excerpt from Draft

“Testing” Advocacy Letter)

“As the District has repeatedly expressed, we are very concerned with the proliferation of

mandated, high-stakes tests. These “mandated” tests are intended to provide for a measure of school accountability under the Every Child Succeeds Act (ESSA), serve as a means for

evaluating our teachers and principals, and are used as a measure of student performance on

the Common Core Learning Standards. Needless to say, these and other, related New

York State regulations and mandates have flaws and have diminished local control of education

over time.”

Maintaining Low Class Sizes

Data Source: Infinite Campus Homeroom Section Count Report*June 30, 2013, 2014, 2015, and November 29, 2016

2625

24 24

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL CLASS-SIZE AVERAGE

2221 21 21

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASS-SIZE AVERAGE

Proactive Academic Support and Enrichment Opportunities

Enrichment Opportunities (3-5)

• School-Wide Enrichment Model• The Hour of Code• The History of Inventions • Math Around The World

• Lunch-and-Learn• Engineering• Design and Production

Instructional Aides (K-2)

• Support students as they engage in mandated, sometimes developmentally-inappropriate work in ELA and Math

• Provide a more conducive educational environment for small group differentiation

• Instructional aides will support students as teachers are engaged in guided reading, small group instruction, and locally-driven, teacher-identified assessments

The objective is to provide proactive support (before the student fails) rather

than reactive support (after they fail)

Curious

(through asking deep and interesting

questions)

Collaborative

(through engaging in thoughtful discussion)

Critical

(through giving reasons and evidence)

Creative

(through generating and building on ideas)

Caring

(through developing awareness of self and

care of others)

Design and Production:5th Grade Challenge:

Create a Device that can Launch a Pom Pom

Engineering:Design the Tallest Tower Using Only

Cups

Engineering Cohort Group: Design a Playground for

your Pet Rock

Proactive Academic Support:Support students proactively (before

the student fails) rather than reactive support (after they fail)

Providing Proactive Support and Enrichment with Project-Based Learning

Math-In-Focus:Implementation and Monitoring

Initial and Summer Training

• June 2016 – All teachers received ½ day training with a Math-In-Focus professional development consultant

• July 2016 – Team of 4 teachers and the Director of Mathematics attend a three-day summer workshop sponsored by HMH.

Professional Development During Implementation

• September and October 2016: Turnkey training from the summer workshop

• October 2016: All teachers received another ½ training with a Math-In-Focus consultant

• November 2016: Staff Conference Day• Primary teachers met with

consultant from Generation Ready• Intermediate teachers – additional

turnkey training with the Intermediate Math specialists

Parent Workshops:

• October 2016: Parent workshop with Math-In-Focus consultant (overview of the program)

• November 2016: Think Central help-desk sessions held in every building

Math-In-Focus: Monitoring Implementation and Progress –How Will This Work?

Identify Areas for Review

Collect Data Analyze Data Draw Conclusions Recommendations Communicate

We are here!

Identified for Review:• Curriculum• Standards• Assessments• Materials/Resources• Technology Resources

“First Blush” Student, Parent ,and Teacher Math-In-Focus Quotes

Student Quotes Parent Quotes Teacher Quotes

“I like learning about high numbers like hundreds and

the one thousands.”-Primary School Student

“I would love to see more interactive homework

assigned using a digital platform. Currently the work

he brings home is all paper and pencil.”

-Primary School Parent

"The online resources -especially the virtual

manipulatives -work well with the Smartboard."

-Intermediate School Teacher

“Love playing with the manipulatives.”

-Intermediate School Student

“I am concerned about the

way Math is being taught to

my child and I think it is too

soon to teach some of the

concepts.”

-Primary School Parent

“Going forward, we need to reformat some of the

worksheets so that the students have more room to

show their work.”-Primary School Teacher

“Love the hands on, pictures and space to write.”

-Intermediate School Student

“I love how my daughter can now thinker deeper about the

math, is learning different strategies in problem solving

and has a better understanding of the concept

that are being taught.” - Intermediate School Parent

“The wide variety of resources in the program are helpful

when planning my daily lessons.”

- Intermediate School Teach

“We might want to re-evaluate the sequence of some of the

chapters.”-Primary School Teacher

Identify Areas for Review

Collect Data Analyze Data Draw Conclusions Recommendations Communicate

Revision and Implementation of the ELA Curriculum in Grades K-5 With Focused Professional Development

We are here!

We Considered:• Standards

• Unlike Common Core, Commack is interested and focused on what we want students to know, be able to do, and truly understand at developmentally-appropriate levels as determined by Commack educators.

• Curriculum• How will we prepare students to know, be able to do, and truly understand at

developmentally-appropriate levels that which has been determined by Commack educators (standards/benchmarks)?

• Assessments• How will we know that students have reached the growth model benchmarks determined

by Commack; using Assessments that Matter?Things to be Considered:• Methodology• Materials/Resources• Grading Practices/Reading Levels

The analysis of data and a review of the existing program have led to the

conclusion that it is now time to begin working with teachers to

revise, provide necessary support, and implement changes to the

literacy program.

Communicate with Board of Education is occurring now and the District will

communicate changes with community as appropriate

Monitoring Student Growth: Summative/Formative Assessments and Related-Guiding Philosophy

Students

“Our guiding philosophy centers on student growth over time, not lockstep and arbitrary measures as indicated with the Common Core and related yearly standardized tests.

At Commack we want to focus on developmentally-appropriate individual student and district growth over time.

Our review is prompted in large part by asking, how are our practices aligned to this philosophy?

Based on the review of data, we’ve identified areas that do not align with this philosophy. Our intent is to assure that our practices reflect our thinking.”

-Dr. Donald A. JamesSuperintendent of Schools

Question: Should this student be “failing” if he or she is demonstrating growth and is at his highest level developmentally?

A Focus on Formatively Monitoring Developmentally-Appropriate Growth In Multi-Year “Chunks;” Not Yearly In Lockstep Like Common Core Tests

Questions We Ask• Has the child received support?• Has the student shown growth?• Was there “summer slip?”• Were there other “conditions” that could

impact the student? i.e. absenteeism

Benefits of Student Snapshot• Questions, like those above, are answered

in one location.• Teachers year-to-year can digitally access

student information more easily.• Parents will have access and be able to

follow their child's growth over time.

Collect Additional Data with Deep Teacher and

Staff Involvement

Analyze Data with Deep Teacher and Staff

Involvement

Draw Conclusions with Deep Teacher and Staff

Involvement

Recommendations with Deep Teacher and

Staff InvolvementCommunicate

Revision and Implementation of the ELA Curriculum in Grades K-5 With Focused Professional Development

As you’ve seen, our analysis of data and a review of the existing program have led to the conclusion that it is now time to begin working with teachers to revise, provide

necessary support, and implement changes to the literacy program.

Communication with Board of Education is occurring now

and the District will communicate changes with community as appropriate.

We have identified an area and now will

include teachers and staff at a deep level.

Social, Emotional, Service, Active Learning, and Other Curricular Learning Activities

Social, Emotional, and Active Learning

• Second Step• Health Smart• “Have You Filled a

Bucket Today”• Spirit Days• Peaceful

Playground/Recess• Peaceful Bus• Building-Level Town

Meetings, Gatherings, and Assemblies

• Arts-In-Education• Principal’s Character

Ed Book• Character Traits

Service Learning and Clubs

• FutureCorp• Visiting Senior Citizen

Program• Community Outreach• Student Council

Events• Charity Events

Other Curricular Learning Activities

• Proactive Academic Support (K-2) and Enrichment Opportunities (3-5)

• The Arts• Physical Education• Music• Science Lab• Computer Lab• Library

“In Commack, we trust our highly-qualified and trained professionals (teachers, administrators, and staff), to

make educationally-sound decisions in providing a developmentally-appropriate, well-rounded program.”

-Dr. Donald. A. James

Commack, either embedded in the academic

curriculums of ELA. Mathematics, science, and

social studies or as a stand-alone program, offers a well-round,

developmentally-appropriate program that exceeds State mandates and focuses on locally-

determined expectations.

THANK YOU

October

Presentation of the Superintendent’s Goals

November

State-of-the-District Report:

District Exit Data and Secondary Program Highlights

December

State-of-the-District Report:

Elementary School Program Highlights

January

State-of-the-District Report:

Advocacy Report and Related Position Paper(s) i.e. Assessing vs. Testing/State

Funding

Special Education Overview: An Update, Regents Graduation Requirements Update,

Extracurricular Activities, and Program Review Update

February

State-of-the-District Report:

Technology, Facilities, and Security