Each year, schools and districts review policies and practices to consider ways to improve and enhance student achievement. Defer Elementary School continually strives to be a better school on a daily basis. School Improvement is not a topic for the administrator, or a binder on a shelf – it is the way we do business at Defer. So what are we doing right now in the area of School Improvement? I thought you’d never ask!!! I’d like to share a specific action we are taking for School Improvement each month in my newsletter.
RtI
Response to Intervention ( RtI) is a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students for their learning needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom. Students struggling on a topic are provided with interventions at increasing levels of intensity to accelerate their rate of learning. Throughout the RTI process, student progress is monitored frequently to examine student achievement and gauge the effectiveness of the intervention. RtI is not a special education intervention, but is a part of general education.
So what does RtI look like at Defer? Three times a week, for a minimum of 20 minutes in each session, students are grouped for RtI work in their grade. The focus of learning is based on the data from instruction in the classroom. Let me share two on-going examples of RtI during the month of November with you.
In 2nd grade after six weeks of reading instruction, data was used to group students for RtI. During RtI time four teachers come together and work specifically with smaller groups on the reading skill areas needed. Two of the teachers are the Reading Specialists and they pull those students needing very intensive reading interventions. During that same time the two second grade teachers then regroup the remaining students into a decoding group and a comprehension group, based on the classroom data. At the end of six weeks of RtI, we will access students on the specific skills taught during the RtI session to evaluate and plan for the next RtI session.
In 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, their November RtI sessions are focused on Math. After teaching the entire math unit, they used the data from the math chapter test to group students for reteaching. During this RtI session, some students are in groups working on telling time because that is where they are struggling, while another group is doing enrichment work around factoring because the data reveals that they have mastered the basic understanding and would benefit from enrichment on the topic.
To put it simply, no longer does the student that did poorly on subtraction on the math test just move on to the next topic. They are given intensive interventions on that topic to help them master it.
So who is a part of our RtI teams? The answer is - everyone at Defer. For instance, Mrs. Raab and Mrs. Moses are a part of the 1st grade RtI team and it is scheduled in a way that they can work intensively with a small group or an individual student. For the month of November they are working on Fluency with 1st graders as a part of RtI. Kindergarten is including parents as a part of their team, and they are doing RtI at the end of the day when parents are available. Karen Labarge, Sheila Russo, and Stefan Harris, our Title 1 team, are a part of RtI teams at all grade levels. Clearly, we are in this together!
Will we make a difference, our assessments will tell us, and that information will keep driving where we go with each 6 week session of RtI this year.
Have questions? Ask!!! The staff and I are anxious to share and so excited about the work we are doing!
Monday, November 11, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Summer tips to stay sharp
Ahhh! Summer. A time to relax and enjoy those lazy days filled with trips to the
park, family vacations and backyard barbecues, right? Not so fast! Summer can
entail more than just a change from the usual routine. For children, it can mean
a serious loss of learning. Research shows that many children experience a
‘summer slump’ and can lose about four weeks of growth from the previous
school year. However, there are many things a parent can do to keep their
child’s brain active. Here are a few ideas recommended by experts to help
prevent the dreaded ‘brain drain.’
Read between the lines. Have your child join the local library’s summer
reading program or start their own reading program or book club. They can set
a goal for reading so many books and even keep track on a book ‘growth’ chart.
Incorporate reading into everyday activities by pointing out billboards, fliers,
food containers and such. Younger children can play the alphabet game on
longer drives.
Talk the talk. Ask questions about anything and everything, but not the kind
of questions that only illicit “yes” or “no” answers. For instance, ask “What did
you like about…?” Get children talking, and you may be able to turn a normal
experience into a teaching moment.
Got Game? Organize game nights not just for your family, but in the
neighborhood. Play educational games like Scrabble, Uno crossword puzzles,
Sudoku or basic card games. They make for a fun night and reinforce skills such
as memory, concentration, logic and reasoning. They also teach children how to
take turns, and be both a good winner and a good loser.
Vacation your body, not your mind. Going on a trip can be a great time to
expand more than your physical horizons. Use the library and internet to learn
about the destination and its historical sites. Study maps and plot mileage.
It all adds up to fun. According to the National Summer Learning Association,
losing math skills is the biggest threat. Try a number of activities to reinforce
math skills. For instance, look at the measurements in a recipe you’re making
and ask your child to double it. Ask your child to compute the 15% tip on the
restaurant bill, or determine how many gallons of gas are needed to travel the
50 miles to grandma’s house. Make math a part of your everyday life.
Let’s stamp out summer slump when it comes to our Defer Dragons!!
park, family vacations and backyard barbecues, right? Not so fast! Summer can
entail more than just a change from the usual routine. For children, it can mean
a serious loss of learning. Research shows that many children experience a
‘summer slump’ and can lose about four weeks of growth from the previous
school year. However, there are many things a parent can do to keep their
child’s brain active. Here are a few ideas recommended by experts to help
prevent the dreaded ‘brain drain.’
Read between the lines. Have your child join the local library’s summer
reading program or start their own reading program or book club. They can set
a goal for reading so many books and even keep track on a book ‘growth’ chart.
Incorporate reading into everyday activities by pointing out billboards, fliers,
food containers and such. Younger children can play the alphabet game on
longer drives.
Talk the talk. Ask questions about anything and everything, but not the kind
of questions that only illicit “yes” or “no” answers. For instance, ask “What did
you like about…?” Get children talking, and you may be able to turn a normal
experience into a teaching moment.
Got Game? Organize game nights not just for your family, but in the
neighborhood. Play educational games like Scrabble, Uno crossword puzzles,
Sudoku or basic card games. They make for a fun night and reinforce skills such
as memory, concentration, logic and reasoning. They also teach children how to
take turns, and be both a good winner and a good loser.
Vacation your body, not your mind. Going on a trip can be a great time to
expand more than your physical horizons. Use the library and internet to learn
about the destination and its historical sites. Study maps and plot mileage.
It all adds up to fun. According to the National Summer Learning Association,
losing math skills is the biggest threat. Try a number of activities to reinforce
math skills. For instance, look at the measurements in a recipe you’re making
and ask your child to double it. Ask your child to compute the 15% tip on the
restaurant bill, or determine how many gallons of gas are needed to travel the
50 miles to grandma’s house. Make math a part of your everyday life.
Let’s stamp out summer slump when it comes to our Defer Dragons!!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Welcome Spring!!
With the promise of nice weather it is a good time to review some guidelines so that Defer students are a part of a healthy, safe, and orderly learning environment.
Clothing
We all know that Michigan weather will prevail so please send your child to school prepared for a day of sunshine and warmth or a mid April cold snap.
Children should wear or keep a jacket at school. Students are allowed to go to recess without a coat if the temperature reaches 60 ° or higher.
Safe footwear must be worn at all times. Bedroom slippers are not allowed. ‘Flip-flops’ or sandals are permitted, but only if socks are worn with them. Our playground has wood chips and a student in flip-flops is susceptible to foot injury without socks.
Shorts and skirts must be at least finger– tip length.
Tank tops are not allowed.
Tops and bottoms must meet in the middle with no gaps.
Bike Safety
Students riding their bikes to school need to lock them in the bike racks located at the Nottingham end of the school.
Elementary students ride bikes on the sidewalk, not on the street.
Walking Safety
Any student crossing Kercheval Ave. must cross at the light in front of Defer with the assistance of our Crossing Guard.
Students are not to walk through the parking lot. This is very unsafe. Little people are difficult to see among the cars.
Students are not to ‘hop’ the fence at the back end of the Defer field.
Students should be walking to and from school in pairs or in groups.
Automobile Safety
Do not use the parking lot to drop off or pick up students. This is for the safety of all of our students.
Do not park on Kercheval unless it is in an area marked for parking.
The east side of Nottingham is a drop off and pick up lane. It is not to be used for parking. The west side of Nottingham is intended for parking.
Cross Nottingham with the crossing guard. Do not cross Nottingham in the middle of the street.
Clothing
We all know that Michigan weather will prevail so please send your child to school prepared for a day of sunshine and warmth or a mid April cold snap.
Children should wear or keep a jacket at school. Students are allowed to go to recess without a coat if the temperature reaches 60 ° or higher.
Safe footwear must be worn at all times. Bedroom slippers are not allowed. ‘Flip-flops’ or sandals are permitted, but only if socks are worn with them. Our playground has wood chips and a student in flip-flops is susceptible to foot injury without socks.
Shorts and skirts must be at least finger– tip length.
Tank tops are not allowed.
Tops and bottoms must meet in the middle with no gaps.
Bike Safety
Students riding their bikes to school need to lock them in the bike racks located at the Nottingham end of the school.
Elementary students ride bikes on the sidewalk, not on the street.
Walking Safety
Any student crossing Kercheval Ave. must cross at the light in front of Defer with the assistance of our Crossing Guard.
Students are not to walk through the parking lot. This is very unsafe. Little people are difficult to see among the cars.
Students are not to ‘hop’ the fence at the back end of the Defer field.
Students should be walking to and from school in pairs or in groups.
Automobile Safety
Do not use the parking lot to drop off or pick up students. This is for the safety of all of our students.
Do not park on Kercheval unless it is in an area marked for parking.
The east side of Nottingham is a drop off and pick up lane. It is not to be used for parking. The west side of Nottingham is intended for parking.
Cross Nottingham with the crossing guard. Do not cross Nottingham in the middle of the street.
Friday, March 22, 2013
School Wide Goals
The Defer Staff is working on two, school-wide goals. Read below to stay informed about both!!
One School, One Book
March is National Reading Month and Defer is taking reading to our families! During the months of March and April the entire Defer community is reading the same book - The Lemonade Wars. The Defer PTO purchased a copy of this book for every family, and the Defer staff has organized six weeks of reading activities including:
Kick-off assembly in which Chapter 1 of The Lemonade Wars was read to the entire school followed by a glass of lemonade and a class discussion of the characters and setting
Three chapters assigned for home reading per week (This week is Chapters 4, 5, and 6)
Trivia Tuesday – All students compete is answering a trivia question based on the previous week’s chapters. Winners from each class receive a lemon head candy
Guest readers every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in the Defer library for those students unable to read at home that week or those who would like to hear the chapter again
Covering our One School, One Book bulletin board with pictures of families enjoying reading The Lemonade Wars at home
So read – improve your child’s chances at school. It will entertain and delight them, and it will also develop vocabulary, improve their ability to read, and – perhaps most important – foster a lifelong love of books and reading.
Batter-Up Baseball
The Defer students are hitting homeruns in our new school-wide Batter-Up Baseball program. Our goal is for all of our students to master their basic math facts. What does master mean? It means that they can recite the math fact answer as readily as they can say their names. Can your 2nd grader tell you the answer to 5 + 7 automatically? Does your 4th grader know that 6 x 7 is 42 and can recite that readily? That’s our goal.
So here’s how it works:
The Batter-Up Baseball bulletin board lays out a baseball field with all the Defer staff playing in the field.
Each week in school students spend time on the computer using a fact mastery program called Xtra Math. Each Friday their progress is reviewed and if they achieve their goal, a baseball with their name is placed on the bulletin board.
Students can add tally marks to their baseballs each Friday as they continue to reach their goal.
Our kick-off last week was marked by a special guest. Chris Getz, a former GP South student and professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals sent a video clip to the Defer students. In the video he introduces himself and tells about his career in baseball. He shares how important knowing your math facts is to baseball and calculating statistics and he applauds them for their hard work to master them. His message is Go For it DEFER – Math is important!
One School, One Book
March is National Reading Month and Defer is taking reading to our families! During the months of March and April the entire Defer community is reading the same book - The Lemonade Wars. The Defer PTO purchased a copy of this book for every family, and the Defer staff has organized six weeks of reading activities including:
Kick-off assembly in which Chapter 1 of The Lemonade Wars was read to the entire school followed by a glass of lemonade and a class discussion of the characters and setting
Three chapters assigned for home reading per week (This week is Chapters 4, 5, and 6)
Trivia Tuesday – All students compete is answering a trivia question based on the previous week’s chapters. Winners from each class receive a lemon head candy
Guest readers every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in the Defer library for those students unable to read at home that week or those who would like to hear the chapter again
Covering our One School, One Book bulletin board with pictures of families enjoying reading The Lemonade Wars at home
So read – improve your child’s chances at school. It will entertain and delight them, and it will also develop vocabulary, improve their ability to read, and – perhaps most important – foster a lifelong love of books and reading.
Batter-Up Baseball
The Defer students are hitting homeruns in our new school-wide Batter-Up Baseball program. Our goal is for all of our students to master their basic math facts. What does master mean? It means that they can recite the math fact answer as readily as they can say their names. Can your 2nd grader tell you the answer to 5 + 7 automatically? Does your 4th grader know that 6 x 7 is 42 and can recite that readily? That’s our goal.
So here’s how it works:
The Batter-Up Baseball bulletin board lays out a baseball field with all the Defer staff playing in the field.
Each week in school students spend time on the computer using a fact mastery program called Xtra Math. Each Friday their progress is reviewed and if they achieve their goal, a baseball with their name is placed on the bulletin board.
Students can add tally marks to their baseballs each Friday as they continue to reach their goal.
Our kick-off last week was marked by a special guest. Chris Getz, a former GP South student and professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals sent a video clip to the Defer students. In the video he introduces himself and tells about his career in baseball. He shares how important knowing your math facts is to baseball and calculating statistics and he applauds them for their hard work to master them. His message is Go For it DEFER – Math is important!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Welcome back and welcome to 2013! I hope all the Defer families had a wonderful
holiday filled with family, friends, and fun! We are excited to pick-up where we left off in our school year. I’d like to thank all the families that attended our December Student-Parent-Teacher conferences. It provided the opportunity to review student achievement and growth and to set goals as we continue the school year. We look forward to this continued progress as school and home combine efforts to help students grow as learners and thinkers. Your support in this process is essential.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your
own name
holiday filled with family, friends, and fun! We are excited to pick-up where we left off in our school year. I’d like to thank all the families that attended our December Student-Parent-Teacher conferences. It provided the opportunity to review student achievement and growth and to set goals as we continue the school year. We look forward to this continued progress as school and home combine efforts to help students grow as learners and thinkers. Your support in this process is essential.
Here are 3 great school New Year Resolutions for families:
*Spend time reviewing your child’s homework
*Be sure reading is going on every night in your home
*Practice basic math facts until they become as automatic as reciting your
own name
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)