(Above Left): SyllaBoards™ Word Kit  from Really Great Reading (3rd Grade, Mrs. Iwanicki’s class)

(Above Right): 3rd grade class applying open/closed syllables 

Information Technology Pathways at EGPS

By Marjorie Light

March 2022

Over the past few years, East Granby Public Schools has increased our computer science and information technology career pathway options for students. Some careers leading from these courses include: software development, computing programmer, IT security analyst, web developer or administrator, computer systems engineer, video game designer, and network support specialist. Students might choose to go directly into some computer-related careers right from high school, using the knowledge gained from East Granby courses. Our students who want to study computer science at a higher level at a university are getting a head start on their learning by following the Information Technology pathway, as outlined on our school counseling College Career Pathways page for East Granby High School. 

In 2018, East Granby high school offered its first computer science course. Since then, we have added AP Computer Science, Game Design, as well as created a K-12 Coding Continuum for all students. The vertical alignment of coding was done by Brett Lowman (K-5 teacher and Curriculum Leader) in tandem with Wendi Meunier (6-12 Computer Science and Manufacturing Tech). She teaches a highly-popular drone course, which involves using simulation software, along with our advanced manufacturing technology courses.

Students begin coding in Kindergarten at Carl Allgrove Elementary School with Mr. Lowman, our elementary librarian. They continue learning code with him through fifth grade. Students use code.org, quickly learning the basics. This website is free to use and provides an introduction focusing on logic and computational thinking. As an example, in second grade, one of the coding projects relied on students using their knowledge of repeat loops to create a really fun configuration of sticker art. If you remember playing with a SpirographⓇ as a child, imagine that design on a digital platform! Students coded the computer to create geometric shapes called hypotrochoids and epitrochoids in a digital form.

At R.D. Seymour Elementary School, fifth grade students used their knowledge of sprites and variables to create a virtual pet. (A sprite is a digital characterization.) After students each created a virtual pet, they selected objects and food for the pets to have interaction. Many students enjoyed creating a virtual dog and then giving the pet a toy, food, and bowl of water for interaction. Across the elementary grade levels, students have a variety of different projects, on a progression, building on previous knowledge and preparing them for more complex tasks as they advance in grade levels.

In sixth grade coding class at East Granby Middle School with Ms. Meunier, students coded mini animations. Using code.org, they first learned what a loop is and how to use one to animate a series of pictures to create the illusion of smooth movement. A finished project might include an underwater scene with swaying seaweed and fish swimming across the screen - all done with coding that is looped.

Our students have opportunities to learn Computer Aided Design (CAD) in the middle school CAD class, as well as utilizing a more advanced CAD application in the high school architectural design and manufacturing courses. In seventh grade, students in Ms. Meunier’s class used Tinkercad to create a 3-D model of an animal. They then import this animal into a virtual environment using the platform Cospaces.edu. Afterwards, students utilize virtual reality (VR) goggles to “walk around” in the environment they created. Students individually designed a number of animals so each had their own virtual zoo. Classmates use the VR goggles to visit and explore each other’s zoos.

VR goggles were also used in the Game Design course. Students explored javascript, CSS, and HTML programming in a hands-on way, by typing their own code to create a text and image-based adventure game. Each student created their own characters, environment, and game. This course is taught by Mr. Friedberg, who shares his enthusiasm for all things coding and computers in both the middle school and high school. 

Mr. Friedberg’s middle school students have been working with robotics and coding, with two of them creating Invention Convention projects using artificial intelligence and robotics. One project helps people with hearing impairment, while the other is working towards a robotic pollinator.  His students have also created instructional videos for one another.

Middle school students also have an opportunity to explore in Mr. Berardy’s Digital Media class. Aside from learning about how to integrate digital media into research presentations, students have lessons on artificial intelligence. One of their favorite learning units involves Lego animation.

Through the high school’s Computer Science Principles course, students have an introduction to a wide variety of topics, such as programming, artificial intelligence, and CSS and HTML. The course explores how computer science is a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun. In this class taught by Ms. Meunier, students build websites, apps, and use data for machine learning. 

The high school added AP Computer Science in the 2019-2020 school year. The College Board, which oversees AP courses, provides the curriculum and guidelines to prepare our students for the AP test given in the spring. This class introduces students to the central ideas of computer science and computational thinking. It is designed to provide a deeper learning of content while developing skills through creative aspects of the field of computer science. Some universities give credit for AP classes completed in high school. Having these high level courses on a school transcript illustrate a student’s ability to handle the rigor of a challenging course. Mr. Friedberg completed the required training to teach this course and loves leading students through this truly next-level learning.

Next year, East Granby High School will offer a new Cybersecurity class to juniors and seniors. Students will learn to assess cyber risks to computers, networks, and software programs from Ms. Meunier. This honors class lets students learn how to create solutions to mitigate cybersecurity risks. It is a highly-needed skill in today’s world.

Article by: Marjorie Light; Director of Curriculum and Professional Development; East Granby Public Schools

Simultaneously published in Let's Talk Turkey, East Granby's Town Newsletter

A Retrospective: EGPS Looks Back

By Marjorie Light

March 2021

A year ago this month, Governor Lamont announced a two-week closure of schools beginning March 15th, 2020, as the number of COVID-19 positive cases in CT increased to 26 people. We now know, those two weeks stretched on and on, until the 2019-2020 school year came to a close. Luckily, East Granby Public Schools began preparing for such an event in February. We discussed with faculty and staff how we could accomplish online schooling, as well as training those who hadn’t used Google Classroom. Teachers who didn’t already have an online classroom established began to formulate one. Our Instructional Technology Department quickly assessed our inventory and ordered additional devices, thereby avoiding the shortage faced by so many districts across the nation. (There are still schools in our state without enough devices to this day!)

Carl Allgrove Elementary school has a new principal after Mrs. Maylah Uhlinger’s retirement this September. Mr. Bob McGrath, former principal at R.D. Seymour Elementary made a smooth transition before her departure. Recently, Mrs. Uhlinger reminisced on the switch to remote learning last spring. “The Allgrove teachers met the challenge of quickly moving to online teaching and learning through collaboration, persistence and dedication. Since not having had prior experience with Google classroom, they had to not only master it, they had to develop, record and post lessons.” The teachers helped students and parents develop the skills needed to navigate the virtual learning activities and troubleshoot problems. Mrs. Uhlinger continued, “The Allgrove teaching staff did an outstanding job of developing meaningful and high quality learning opportunities in record time and throughout the spring, they refined their skills and knowledge.” It was a true learning partnership. 

One of the online platforms used in PreK through third grade is Seesaw, which Kristie Smith uses for both remote learning and in-class activities. Mrs. Smith said, “I also like how I can go through the community of activities, save them and then modify them for my own class or I can create activities from scratch. This comes in really handy for students with special needs who may need to work on skills at a lower grade level - I can easily find activities to help me differentiate.”

Over the summer, all classrooms were transformed with the help of large storage containers at each building. At Allgrove, gone were the story rugs, bean bag chairs, and cooperative play activity tables. In their place, desks six feet apart, in rows. When the students returned to Mrs. Ariel Clark’s first grade class, the Aniskoff family wanted to make sure students would have some childhood joy. Together, the Aniskoffs made cardboard vehicles that attached to the front of the distanced desks (see photos at end of article). The students loved them! They would raise their hands through the “sunroof” and pretended their plastic dividers were windshields. 

Throughout the spring and summer months, the custodians and administrative assistants worked with the admin team to prepare the buildings for welcoming back students and teachers to in-person learning, with student and staff safety as our number one priority. Thanks to their tireless efforts, extreme dedication to our district, and many hours, we were able to open on time in a hybrid model. In October, we transitioned to a model for expanded in-time learning. Our faculty and staff, once again, helped make the pivot occur successfully.

When the pandemic began, Marsie Luckenbach was the Dean of Students at East Granby High School, where she worked throughout the summer. With Mr. McGrath’s departure from Seymour Elementary, however, Mrs. Marsie Luckenbach, became the new principal there this fall, returning to her “home” building where she had been a fourth grade classroom teacher for many years. Recently, Mrs. Luckenbach described a math lesson with Mrs. Kathy Iwaniki’s class, which was impressive with their understanding of mathematical concepts, as well as their use of technology. “Students were using Flipgrid, an online tool, to demonstrate their understanding of fractions. As part of their asynchronous learning, students created videos explaining their understanding of basic fractional concepts. Some enhanced their explanation with paper/pencil drawings. Others used flip grid tools to create digital drawings to show their knowledge.”

While school began this fall with in-person learning, one of the disappointments was that we couldn’t have school-wide assemblies, concerts, or presentations. Clever teachers created ways to still have a sense of community, even though visitors weren’t permitted in the building. Mrs. Lepak’s music classes had virtual concerts and Mrs. Shawn Agogliati’s students wrote poems and informative texts based on research, which they presented virtually to families watching from home or work. Seymour changed the in-person school-wide assemblies to virtual ones, celebrating such occasions as Veterans Day and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They continue to be connected to families through their weekly blog, highlighting activities and events, along with spotlighting grade-level and specials classes, featuring lessons students have learned.

Mr. Tim Phelan, principal of EG Middle School, talked about how quickly people across the nation point out the loss of teaching and learning due to the new world of this pandemic. This is true in many places, as students haven’t been in school for a year, or don’t have computers or internet access. He pointed out, “Our students have been fortunate enough to have learned, despite the challenges we face, a multitude of new soft skills for the working world that they never would have experienced.” Students are “scanning and submitting work/evidence, teleconferencing, remote collaboration, differentiated instruction through digital platforms...the list could go on and on. Throw in some good old fashioned aseptic techniques for reduction of germ transmission, and you've got a great list of successful on-the-job learning experiences that will never be assess-able on a standardized test. I'm proud of them all for thriving and better preparing themselves for their future.”

Students in the middle school are creating presentations with Google Slides, collaborating between those who are in-person learning and remote learners, connecting with one another throughout the week, then presenting virtually. Teachers are providing variety through Choice Boards, as well as utilizing a variety of resources, such as Nearpod, CommonLit, and Bitmoji Classroom.  Teachers at EGMS have been paving the way with new teaching techniques that are, essentially, involving teaching in front of a live studio audience.  I often observe teachers navigating back and forth between the in-person students and the remote learners at home to best support all of their needs, and it's no small feat.  Our teachers, despite the obstacles thrown at them, have added more tools to their craft and advanced their pedagogy.

The initial pivot during distance learning saw the high school leading by example. Almost every teacher had a Google Classroom last March, which students already used regularly. In addition, the students were already 1:1 with computers. High school teachers began experimenting with Google Meet last spring and helped shape the guidelines for the district. Working with their middle school counterparts, departments disseminated their knowledge in teacher-to-teacher PD, sharing tips and tricks for engagement, online assignments, and pacing. Mr. DeMelo, the principal explained how teachers embraced online learning, “There were teachers taking students for ‘walks’ by the river for poetry inspiration, ‘hikes’, in the woods for science, and having virtual bake-offs in their kitchens for International Baking.”

Flexibility was key when the students returned to the building in the fall. To accommodate shifting guidelines, the need for social distancing, and changing class sizes, some teachers moved their classroom several times or had shifts in their assignments. Once again, we were dealing with unparalleled challenges. Administrators spent hours talking to schools from around the world who had already shifted to in-person learning, Japan, Australian, and Sweden, to name a few. Our association with NEASC was a boon during this shift, as they had many webinars on effective ways to teach online, structuring lunches, and creating pods within school buildings. 

In January, East Granby High School was fortunate enough to hire Patrick Gustafson as the new Assistant Principal. He began his career in West Hartford as an English teacher before transitioning to school leadership in 2010, serving as an assistant principal at both the middle and high school levels. We are thrilled to have him aboard! Mr. Gustafson is the proud father of four boys, so he has an understanding of how changes in education over the past year impacts students from a parent perspective. 

To complement our general education staff, East Granby is so proud of our special educators, teachers , interventionists, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and nurses. “One of the biggest takeaways from this is we formed really great relationships with families, “ said Karen Gogel, Director of Student Support Services. “All our meetings became virtual - so we were in each other’s homes. With provided guidance from the state and consultation with families, Distance Learning Plans and Learning Model IEP Implementation Plans were developed to meet individual needs and unique learning situations. Teams, along with families, developed a heightened appreciation and respect for one another.”

The special education department swiftly adapted their delivery methods. Some of the ways teachers and paraprofessionals went to great lengths using creative measures to help all students learn included delivering supplies to kids homes so all students would have the same materials, making individualized videos for instruction, conducting virtual live sessions, and having paraprofessionals work with students online throughout the day to keep students engaged. “We built strong collaborative relationships with families,” said Mrs. Gogel, “We had to meet all the individualized needs by providing virtual support across all grade levels.” Our team, working together - parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and specialists - did a phenomenal job of ensuring students continued to learn and master benchmarks, despite a global pandemic.

By Marjorie Light, Director of Curriculum and PD

 Also published in local East Granby town newsletter: Let's Talk Turkey, March 2021

Focusing in Fall 2020

By Marjorie Light

As we traverse through the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, we are implementing a variety of learning options for our students. We began in August by educating children through a hybrid model (with some remote learners), then transitioning to a full in-person model in October, while some students stayed remote. Our faculty and paraprofessionals are giving their all so they can meet the needs of their students. Custodial staff, bus drivers, and office workers, too, are going above and beyond. 

Despite the strain of the day-to-day changes the pandemic has wrought, we continue looking toward the future and focusing on our six categories of the Portrait of an EGPS Graduate: Intellectual Agility, Mindfulness and Mindset, Global Acumen, Creativity and Innovation, Leadership and Collaboration, and Technological Ability.

R.D. Seymour Elementary’s fourth grade students are developing new ways to spark an idea for narrative writing. The students use people, places and experiences from their own lives to develop a narrative story idea. They are learning that inspiration can come from a variety of sources and they just have to be flexible in looking at a situation to ignite an idea.

Another way students are honing their creative and innovative thinking skills is in third grade mathematics. Students are being challenged to look at problems through multiple solutions in math, realizing that math is about creativity and making sense. Multiple pathways allow for arrival at the correct answer.

As you may know, East Granby Public Schools has considered students’ social-emotional health of high importance for many years. For the 2020-2021 school year, the State Department of Education deemed this topic a high priority across all districts, due to the impact of the coronavirus. As a result, our faculty’s main goal this year centers on Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). From Carl Allgrove Elementary to East Granby High School, and all grades in between, teachers are doing their part to ensure our children’s SEL needs are recognized and addressed.

At Allgrove Elementary, Ariel Clark’s first grade students are using technology to create a World Cloud (similar to Wordle), which is a visual, often symbolic picture, formed by the words themselves. Students brainstormed together words and short phrases on the topic: What Helps Us Learn. These ideas, such as Listening, Reflecting, and Persevering are housed in a rainbow illustration, reflecting the students ideas. (See below) Students were so excited to see how their ideas were transformed before their eyes!

In second grade, students began the year getting to know one another through “Guess Who?” posters and t-shirt glyphs. A glyph uses symbols or pictures as a way to represent data or other information. (This visual is also on the EGPS parent curriculum resources page, see: Curriculum Articles.)

Another way second grade is addressing SEL is through books. Teachers read inspirational books such as The Curious Garden and then students wrote about their hopes and dreams they have for themselves for second grade this year. They also had a read aloud using Have You Filled A Bucket Today?, after which students played charades, acting out ways they could fill someone else's bucket (with kindness). 

The students in Kristi Smith’s class read The Most Magnificent Thing, sparking thoughts about times of triumph they have had and then times of failure and discussing the emotions attached to both. It culminated in a  discussion about how sometimes we fail before we get something right, along with the importance of perseverance, even when something is difficult. 

Students in Kate Stewart’s English class at EG Middle School are working on an Identity Self-Portrait project. They brainstormed, discussed, and recorded their “One Word” representations, as well as reflected in writing about their values and their life outside school. Students were so excited about the culminating piece, they requested to have a portrait gallery art show in the hallways to share their final collage, which will symbolically represent their personas. Each student will have a silhouette filled with words, symbols, and illustrations to share themselves with others.  

Meanwhile, at the high school, English teacher Jackie Anderson is using technology by combining Bitmoji and Pear Deck within her Google Classroom to create a welcoming, inclusive space. Students are greeted daily with inspiring quotes, links to expanded learning opportunities and reviews, and a place to check in about how they are feeling. Our guidance department and the rest of the students support system is there, ready to step in when children need them. Additionally, the high school has regular sessions of our Making Connections program during remote Wednesdays this year. 

Teacher Cathy O’Keefe at R.D. Seymour Elementary school ensures her students have experiences with a global reach. This year, due to COVID, India’s Oakridge International School in Telangana, with whom she normally partners with to do live Skype sessions, was fully remote. So, Cathy and Vinita Kamat connected on two occasions this fall using Epic and Flipgrid. First, each class read I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde on Epic. Next, students recorded videos using Flipgrid about what brings them peace. Both classrooms then listened to their counterparts' views on peace. They expanded this topic for International Day of Peace by creating poems and crafts on Flipgrid around the concept of peace and what peace means to them. In addition, the class talked with Carly Batist, a PhD candidate out of City University of NY, who is doing field research in Madagascar. Through Skype, students were able to learn about research on the lemurs of Madagascar, including lemur communication, habitat, and the nature of field research. The students were enraptured! 

Each year, seventh grade students at East Granby Middle School show off their creativity and innovation with a science project in John Langan’s class. For their Rube Goldberg project, students have to create a Rube Goldberg machine with at least eight connections to accomplish a task, film it, and submit it via Google Classroom. If you or your student has had Mr. Langan in the past, you may be familiar with this project. If you’d like to know more, you should check out the award-winning book by Sarah Aronson, Just Like Rube Goldberg: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines, available everywhere books are sold.

As a prime example of leadership in our community, student Sheza Chaudhry (photo below) combined her AP Computer Science training and knowledge of Python into a wonderful EGHS Capstone project. Working with the East Granby Public Library, Sheza spent last spring and this summer redesigning the library’s website. She worked closely with the librarians to ensure both their and their customers’ needs were met. The presentation is now available to other Capstone candidates as an exemplar. Additional congratulations to Sheza, who is the recipient of the 2020 Connecticut Affiliate for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing.

If you want to see how you can combine collaboration and technological ability, look no further than Señora Mullane’s high school Spanish class. Students in Spanish became “profesoritos” (teachers-in-training) for a day. Paired by opposing cohort students, Spanish IV students used technology to collaborate and create review presentations and practice activities for their assigned topic. Students then successfully co-presented: One at home and one in the classroom to their in-person peers. 

While we continue to experience changes and challenges, often daily, during the pandemic, our strong commitments to our students’ health, emotional well-being, and learning remain in the forefront. East Granby is so fortunate to live in a community where positivity for the coronavirus is very low, but our focus on educating our children safely is paramount. Thank you to all the parents and guardians who partner with our faculty and staff while we work together for learning pathways for East Granby children.

Learning Through Lit Circles 

By Marjorie Light

When East Granby students are in Allgrove Elementary, they begin participating in nonfiction and series book clubs within the Units of Study in Teachers College Reading Writing Workshops. As they advance to Seymour, and then progress to EG Middle School, students gain more independence by formulating their own discussion questions and leading their groups without governance. Teachers have students rotate roles of discussion leader, scribe, and investigator, to name a few, in order for all pupils to have an active and varied experience.

This year, students in 9th grade had the opportunity to continue this exciting learning opportunity through the acquisition of literature circle book sets. A variety of award-winning young adult literature was chosen, based on teacher recommendation, as well as culled from book lists shared by high school teachers across the nation. Following brief book talks, students in Mrs. Ott’s and Ms. Soltz’s 9th grade classes had the opportunity to preview all the novels in a Speed Dating with Books activity. Here, students meet each book, examine the cover and read the blurb before reading the first few pages. When time is called, they move on to the next title. (When I helped facilitate, some students would groan when they thought found a perfect match, but had to move on, which made me smile.) After sampling and getting the flavor of each book, students then create a list of their top three titles. The teachers formulate the literature circle groups that evening. The students are so excited the next day when their books are distributed. 

Literature Circles are mostly student run in the high school. After the students gather with their group, they set their reading goals for that evening. Some groups move along more quickly than others, but as long as they are moving forward at an acceptable pace, allowances are made. For example, if a student has an away basketball game and won’t get home that evening, the group might decide to read one chapter only for the next day and then do four over the weekend. Most groups finish their novel in the allotted learning unit framework. If a group is reading one of the longer books, they may need to continue the novel for their independent reading assignment at the end of the unit.

By bringing in modern, young adult novels into the classroom, students have an opportunity to see themselves, learn about others, and discuss contemporary issues with their class. An article, “In Praise of a Scholarly Force”, by Violet J. Harris for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) quotes Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s insight on how our viewpoints are expanded and informed through literature. “Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created and recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books.” Source:  http://bit.ly/GatewayBooks

After students have read and discussed themes, characterization, connections, and reflections (and more!), they often complete a culminating project. One class is creating a P.R. kit for promoting their books to school peers. Each literature circle group divides the work of designing and writing the necessary components, such as press release, book trailer script, and print ad among group members. These items are slated to be shared on the EGHS Facebook page, as well as the school’s closed-circuit TVs. Each group will unveil their PR packets to a panel of judges in formal presentations.

Our tenth grade students in World Literature will have an opportunity for similar discourse using highly-acclaimed Asian literature, while Mr. Brandien’s seniors will explore dystopian literature during the second half of the school year. By continuing the thread of reading followed by rich book discussion with peers throughout the grades, our East Granby students are better prepared for their futures, whether their paths lead them to careers or further education.

Blended and Online Learning in the Classroom 

By Marjorie Light

     Throughout this school year, educators in the East Granby Public School District have focused on incorporating blended learning applications into their teaching repertoires. In addition, some teachers have created classes for students to take a course online, allowing students to expand their learning and broaden their resumes. Blended learning takes place in a traditional classroom setting, where some of the learning takes place online, along with instruction provided by the teacher. 

     Blended learning allows students to move at their own pace, increases opportunities for remediation, and provides extended learning opportunities. For instance, perhaps there is a student who has a clear understanding of the mathematical concept recently introduced in class. Having a blended learning opportunity, allows her to master the topic by moving forward at her own pace by utilizing a math program online independently. 

     At Carl Allgrove Elementary, the K-2 learners are beginning their explorations into blended learning through secure apps on iPads or Chromebooks. With subscriptions such as PebbleGo, MyOn Reading, Padlet, and online typing, there are numerous opportunities for students to investigate math concepts, advance at their own pace, and have access to a variety of books at just the right reading level.  

     Teachers in R.D. Seymour Elementary, our 3 - 5 building, utilize blending learning in their lesson plans, too. Here, students can explore a topic, such as the foundations of multiplication, by moving about the room to various stations. One station is with the teacher, tackling problems together, while another group is working with manipulatives and sorting pieces into even-numbered sets. The third group is utilizing their computers on a secure site that raises the challenge level as each student advances through the math program. The program adjusts to the student’s levels as he/she completes a section, supplying review and remediation when needed.

     In the middle school, blended learning appears in the Reading/Writing workshop model utilized by 6 - 8 teachers. Students share their original pieces of writing online, then use a peer critique protocol for writing suggestions and editing tips. Work isn’t confined to the classroom, as students can polish their writing wherever a computer and internet access is available. Across the core disciplines (English, Social Studies, Science, Math, and World Language) student group presentations are created using Google Slides, allowing a number of people to work together simultaneously, just as they would in their future work environments.

     All of Sarah Dugre’s art classes in the middle and high schools utilize Google Classroom as an online platform. Students learn through an in-class concept and then choose which path to carry through their Google Class. This is where they individualize their learning.  For example, the eighth graders just finished learning about one-point, two-point, and three-quarter point perspective and are currently researching their ideas for their projects using one of those perspectives.  After the majority of the class completes their rough drafts and research, they have two mini-lessons on watercolor pencils and colored pencils. Then, they return to finalize their project. In the end, they upload their initial work, notes, practice sheets, final project, and artist statement to the Google Classroom for sharing and evaluation.

     As students grow and mature, they can become more independent with their learning. At East Granby High School all students have the opportunity to take an online Personal Finance class with Dr. Mark Waller. Previously offered as a blended learning class, where students reported to the business room during the school day, now students can learn online while completing assignments and projects at their own pace. This class is a fantastic way to earn high school credits, as well as develop financial skills important in adulthood.

     During professional development days, scores of EGPS educators are developing learning units that utilize blended learning. Not only does this help students with mastery of a topic, it also prepares them for the online classes they may face at university or in their future employment.

Portrait of a Graduate

Article for "Talk Turkey" ~ an East Granby Town Publication

By Marjorie Light

     When East Granby Public Schools began working toward revising and improving its Mission and Vision Statements in the 2015-16 school year, they sought input from its various stakeholders: administrators, faculty, students, parents/guardians, community members, business partners, and the Board of Education. Throughout the process, the district examined and identified their vision of the graduate, including what they wanted the students to know upon graduation, as well as the various pathways for students to achieve success. 

     Since 2016, the district has focused efforts on the following six categories for a Portrait of an EGPS Graduate: Intellectual Agility, Mindfulness and Mindset, Global Acumen, Creativity and Innovation,  Leadership and Collaboration, and Technological Ability. How do these characteristics become imbedded in our curriculum and what do they look like in the classroom? Below are instances of implementation. 

     An example of how intellectual agility is reflected in the classroom is evident in the Illustrative Math program in Shannon Provencher’s middle school class. Students share geometric mathematical problem solving strategies by projecting them onto the SMARTboard and justify their mathematical reasoning with their peers. Those who tackled the calculation differently share their findings. Next, the class transitions into working on reflections and rotations on an x-axis using tracing paper. Throughout the district, students use manipulatives in learning stations to help conceptualize a problem, along with other tools to model mathematical thinking such as diagrams, tables, graphs, and formulas.

     As the school year progresses, both Carl Allgrove and R.D. Seymour Elementary Schools will continue their work with positive and healthy mindsets. Embedded into their curriculum is social-emotional security, working collaboratively with one another. One way of teaching healthy mindsets is turning failure into lessons that foster risk-taking in the classroom. Modeling positive self-talk by students replaces “I am terrible at reading aloud” with “Look how much better I am now than when school started.” Similarly, “I can’t ever get this right,” becomes “I’m getting closer to solving this by figuring out what doesn’t work.” Marsie Luckenbach at Seymour Elementary encourages her students to take risks and have a positive mindset in math by telling them their goal isn’t to solve the problem right now, but attack it and explore different angles. Later, they return to the problem and find the solution.

     Increasing students’ understanding of the world is vital in a global market economy, so EGPS is excited to offer students various pathways to earning the new Global Engagement graduation certification offered by Connecticut. Last spring, when the Department of Education introduced this opportunity, our district was ready, as Dr. Christine Mahoney arranged for us to be a part of the pilot. Students Ivanna Pratts and Sosie French earned the accolades. (See details here: http://bit.ly/EGPSNEWS ) This year, in addition to World Languages, Literature, and History, the high school is offering Regional and International Cuisine taught by our new Family and Consumer Science educator, Susan Corey.

     Fostering creativity and innovation is a lynchpin of the Advanced Manufacturing I and II courses in the MET (Manufacturing, Engineering, and Technology) department. Last spring, students created a fully-functioning mini-putt course by combining physics and materials. This year, they are exploring drone manufacturing and flying, as well as utilizing welding simulators and 3-D printers. Teacher Wendi Meunier collaborates with Asnuntuck Community College, creating exciting curriculum for East Granby students interested in careers in engineering, design, and manufacturing.

     In the 2016-2017 school year, our district worked diligently on embedding leadership and collaboration throughout the curriculum. For example, seventh grade Social Studies teacher Vicki Hebeler partnered with the English Language Arts teacher, Kate Stewart, to create interdisciplinary literature circles. The book clubs utilized themed fiction and nonfiction global literature. Students had different leadership roles during the unit, some acting as facilitator, recorder, or reporter. The groups had lively conversation around questions posed to the group by the other members. 

     This year, students in third grade will have additional opportunities for collaboration through participation in Research Clubs. Working with Teachers College Reading Writing Project consultant, teachers will lead students on an exploration through a unit entitled: Elephants, Penguins, and Frogs, Oh My! In Kindergarten, the Push, Pull, Go physical science unit uses physics problem solving in groups through the creation of action models with Kid K’NEX®. Students build swings, spin tops, and ramps, collaboratively engineering their own motion invention.

     With a focus on blended learning and online learning as a 2017-2018 Area of Focus, the Business Department at East Granby High School has further embraced the concept, adding more classes to its already-stellar lineup. Dr. Mark Waller taught an online summer in Business Management to East Granby students, allowing them to earn college credits over the summer. In addition, all high school students have an opportunity to take Personal Finance this year, as the class is being offered online for the first time. Other educators across the district and grades are incorporating blended learning using Google Classroom, giving students more access to materials and helping them have ownership in their own learning.

     Looking forward, this small, but mighty, district has plans for further improving teaching and learning practices through expanded professional development offerings, empowering students to take control of their own learning, and improving student performance by providing multiple learning opportunities through a variety of pathways. The goal, while ambitious, is possible due to the dedicated employees, students, and community members of East Granby.

Preventing the “Summer Slide” 

with Secondary Students 

By Marjorie Light

A Johns Hopkins study “indicates that the summer learning gap is not equal for students at various levels. Instead, learning loss accumulates over time, contributing to a greater achievement gap for high school students than for elementary school students. For many students, this achievement gap continues beyond high school and impacts students for the rest of their lives. It may affect high school completion, college enrollment, occupational skills, and even workforce preparedness.” They suggest students read six books over the summer in order to keep up with their peers. 

     Across  the United States, students take the 40 Book Challenge, reading forty books or more during the course of the year. Students heading to university who want a competitive edge should have an ongoing independent reading novel (or nonfiction book). In addition to physical books in the public library, patrons can also “check out” ebooks and read them on a device such as a Kindle. The East Granby Public Library has hours Monday through Saturday and is a quiet, air conditioned place to read and relax. 

Currently, the library is “looking for teens to help improve and energize our teen area by joining Ms. Paul for a monthly meeting to share ideas (treats will be available).  This WILL count as community service for the graduation requirement.” For further information, stop by the library or contact Kathy Paul at 860-653-3002 or email kpaul@egpl.org

     Summer journaling using fun prompts or responses to nature can help keep students flexing their writing brain. Bookstores, such as Barnes and Noble, have journals with topics to spark entries, but a spiral bound notebook works just as well. Perhaps the family could make their own prompts, put them in a jar, and spend two days a week writing together with whatever random prompt is drawn. One my students loved was, “If you had one million dollars to donate to five charities, how would you divide it?” Another is, “You are stranded in the woods for five days with only a backpack, what would you wish you had in it?”

     Teens can also access learning, both physical and mental, through Granby Recreation Department. They have musical concerts in July, Movies in the Park, bus field trips to the Bronx Zoo and other attractions, summer camps, and Jr. Counselor-in-Training Opportunities. The Junior Counselor Certification Program (JCCP) is a pre-counselor training program for youth ages 14-15, which focus upon gaining the skills necessary to become a camp counselor  (call 860-653-8947 or go to http://www.granbyrec.com).   Area youth can participate in the Granby/East Granby Baseball and Softball leagues (www.Granbeastll.org), Travel Soccer with the Granby Rovers (www.granbyrovers.org), or the Travel Basketball Team (Contact Bill Noyes at 860-653-0743 or go to www.eteamz.com/granbybasketball). Nearby Salmon Brook Park has a sand beach and dock that is open to the public daily for swimming – admission can be paid per day or by membership.  East Granby Rec also brings camp kids there twice a week to swim during sessions.  

     If the left brain needs a workout, the Math Insider website suggests playing chess, planning trips for distance and costs, utilizing online learning sites such as Khan Academy and Calculation Nation, as well as tracking sports statistics. When my children were young, we had dinner challenges. I would give them a budget and they would have to plan a healthy dinner for four once a week. After they shopped at the grocery store, the chef would prepare the meal. Another way to stretch your left brain is through science experiments such as building a solar s’more maker, a lemon battery, or creating a human sundial. The library has books available with many more exciting investigations.

     If you’d like more ideas, go to https://wehavekids.com/parenting/100-things-to-do-this-summer-teens or  on the US Dept of Ed Official Blog: https://blog.ed.gov/2014/03/stopping-the-summer-slide/

The Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

By Susan Cavanagh

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is shaping the next generation of scientists and engineers! In preparation for NGSS implementation, the East Granby Public Schools invested in new resources and provided in-service opportunities for teachers. Selected teachers participated in the CSDE science writing consortium including R.D. Seymour School teachers, Marsie Luckenhach, grade 4, and Shannon Karlowicz, grade 5. Last month, the Insider article focused on implementation of NGSS in the primary elementary classrooms. This month, we will visit intermediate elementary classrooms at R. D. Seymour School.

Let us step into a fourth grade classroom where students are immersed in a physical science unit, Energy. The unit includes sessions on energy and circuits, magnetism, electromagnets, energy transfer, and waves. The classroom teachers, Marsie Luckenbach, Laura Martin, Abba Martin, and Sue Olechna launch the unit using an inquiry approach. “At its core, inquiry-based instruction turns students into investigators, rather than passive recipients of information.” (Curiosity in the Classroom: Using Inquiry-based Learning to Harness Student Curiosity and Impact Outcomes by Kirsten Miller Changing Schools Vol. 78, Fall 2017 p.2)

Mrs. Luckenbach poses a focus question, “What is needed to light a bulb?” Collaborative teams of students conduct investigations using D-cells, wires, and a lightbulb to determine how to build a complete circuit and light a bulb. Teachers guide the inquiry by asking questions and listening to explanations. The process of constructing an explanation requires the young scientists and engineers to use their newly acquired technical vocabulary. All possible solutions are shared. Eureka! The lightbulb is shining! Online tutorials on simple circuits, conductors, and insulators are additional resources for students as well as an article, Edison Sees the Light. From this beginning, more questions arise: How does a filament carry electricity? What happens if we add a switch into the circuit? How do conductors and insulators impact the transfer of energy? Students are excited and engaged. It is almost like stepping into Thomas Edison’s studio in Menlo Park, NJ!

Now, let’s visit a fifth grade classroom where students are immersed in a physical science unit, Mixtures and Solutions. The classroom teachers (Shannon Karlowicz, Amanda Striefler, Cathy O’Keefe, and Kim Richevicius) begin an investigation on separating mixtures and then challenge students to identify a mystery solution (NGSS 5-PS1.B: Chemical Reactions). Students don safety goggles and prepare three mixtures. In preparation for this investigation students learned how to measure liquids with a syringe, how to accurately measure solid materials, and how to record the observations of properties of materials. Precise technical vocabulary is acquired as students describe observations and learn new science and engineering concepts. Students work in teams and are challenged to devise an engineering solution: develop a process to separate particulates from liquid. Using screens, filters, and magnets, students isolate crystals for examination. Based upon the crystal formation they can identify the substance. “Mystery mixture solved! The extra ingredient is magnetite, a magnetic material…..There were (the) chunks of black rock clinging to the magnet….So separation by magnet was a good idea,” wrote one student in her journal.

The journal, a record of planning and carrying out investigations, is an important component of NGSS’ Science and Engineering Practices. It requires students to reflect on the process and the results; to analyze the efficacy of their investigation and consider crosscutting concepts like patterns or cause and effect. It helps students to construct an explanation of phenomenon.

Science classes ignite an excitement to learn, to explain, to closely observe, and to ask questions! To see photos of R.D. Seymour students conducting investigations go to: http://bit.ly/2ojFxcq

NGSS: What's New in the Classroom 

By Susan Cavanagh

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are an ambitious and rigorous shift in science curriculum and in-struction. One of the hallmarks of the new standards is three dimensional scientific inquiry – engaging children with thought provoking phenomenon leading to authentic questioning by students. In preparation for NGSS imple-mentation, the East Granby Public Schools provided in-service opportunities for teachers and invested in new re-sources. Selected teachers participated in the CSDE science writing consortium. As 2018 begins, what does NGSS science instruction look like in the primary elementary grades?

Let’s visit a Kindergarten classroom at Carl Allgrove School launching a life science unit, Living Things and Their Needs. Classroom teachers (Linda Kingman, Marcia Chambers, Mackenzie Haeflick, and Lena Rosensweig) pre-pare to immerse students in a 3-week study of Bess beetles. Upon entering the room, you see kindergartners highly engaged in an observation of 3” long insects. In a natural setting, the beetles live in and feed upon rotting wood, but in our classrooms they live in terrariums with wood shavings. Bess beetles make more than 14 distinct sounds by rubbing their legs together, which fascinate the children. Students handle the gentle beetles and use a magnify-ing glass to closely examine the large, shiny exoskeleton and inspect the body parts: head, abdomen, thorax, three-pairs of legs, front wings, compound eyes, antennae, and mandible. They observe how quickly the beetles move from place to place. The students are curious and pose questions, such as wondering why do beetles hide in wood shavings? They conduct investigations to determine habitat preferences of the Bess beetles: light vs. dark, moist vs. dry, and sand vs. wood chips. Following the investigation and guided by their teacher, they talk with their classmates and make sense of what they observed; they construct knowledge. The kindergartners draw and label pictures of the beetle in their science journal where they demonstrate their emergent science vocabulary and their understanding of what living things need to survive.

Next, we’ll visit a first grade classroom where students are immersed in a life science unit, Plants and Animals. The classroom teachers (Ariel Levesque, Claire Hart, Emma Spirko, and Erin Dugan) begin an investigation with a field study to engage students, capture their interest and trigger inquiries. The focus question is, How many differ-ent kinds of plants live in an area of our school yard? First, the teacher demonstrates how to collect the plant sam-ples: leaves only, no roots, stems, or flowers. Students begin gathering a variety of plant leaves from the school grounds. The children begin to notice and wonder: Why do plants’ leaves have different shapes and colors? Why do some trees produce needles and others produce leaves? What leaf variations do I notice on the same kind of plant? And, what variations do I see across different types of plants?

Addressing NGSS standards focused on variation of traits, the students collect a wide variety of plant leaves. Back in the classroom, they use magnifying glasses to closely examine their specimens, excitedly sharing observations with classmates. The first grade scientists work together to sort the samples of plant leaves and categorize by at-tributes: size, color, texture, and shape. They count 18 different kinds of plants! Guided by their teacher’s probing questions, “Did all of the leaves come from the same plant? How do you know?” The students notice patterns and graph their findings. The class displays the Variations in Plants graph in the hallway (visit https://goo.gl/PvPfGs). In their science notebooks, first graders record their observations using labeled drawings and plant leaf samples. As the year progresses, the science journal demonstrates growth in conceptual knowledge as well as fluency with science vocabulary.

It’s an exciting time to be teaching and learning science in elementary school. Leveraging children’s natural curi-osity and inquisitiveness, science is now your child’s favorite class – it invites questions and collaboration with classmates. It’s messy. It’s all about the natural world. And, there is a vast array of facts and terminology to share!

Independent Reading Levels

By Susan Cavanagh

Next month, report cards are sent home and one of the descriptors on the report card is “Independent Reading Level”. So, what exactly is an independent reading level, how do teachers assess this, and how is this information important for students’ reading lives at school and at home?

An independent reading level is a critical element of the language arts curriculum in East Granby because of our partnership with Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. A key component of our reading instruction is based upon students’ access to a wide variety of independent-level texts and the opportunity for students to practice and apply reading skills and strategies to those texts.

A book at an independent reading level is a “just-right” book and the level is based upon three measures:

 Accuracy which is reading the printed words correctly and, in the intermediate grades includes calculating words-per-minute read. This includes the ability of a student to decode and solve words, to self-monitor reading, and to self-correct. Accuracy is so important. Consider the fact that if a reader misses just 5% of the words in a text, it makes the text nearly incomprehensible! (Frey and Fisher, 2009)

 Fluency which is reading smoothly, reading with expression, phrasing or scooping words together, paying attention to punctuation, and reading at a good rate – not too fast and not too slow.

 Comprehension which is reading for meaning, making sense of text, which after all is the fundamental goal of reading.

How do teachers determine a student’s independent reading level?

Teachers use a formal system of reading assessment. They administer reading assessments many times throughout the year, more often in the primary grades where students advance through many levels in a school year. How does a teacher know when it is time to assess? Based upon observations in small group work; listening to, conferring with, and observing students reading; and examining students’ writing all help teachers to determine when a student is ready for a formal reading assessment. In a formal reading assessment, a teacher listens to a student read aloud a book they have never read before. The teacher checks for accuracy, fluency and comprehension. The teacher notices reading behaviors such as substitution of words, self-corrections, repetitions, and omissions. Based upon an algorithm, a score is derived which indicates whether the student is ready to move on to a new level.

How do teachers use this information about independent reading level in the classroom?

Teachers use the information from assessments in their instructional small groups to teach the reading strategies, the structures and features, and the vocabulary of a text level and then guide students in selecting books from the classroom libraries. Teachers organize most of their classroom books into levels based on information from publishers. This facilitates teachers and students selecting appropriate books quickly. Students “shop” for books that are of both high interest and at their independent level. Students read independently, they read with partners, they read in small groups – each interface with the text improving accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.

How can this information support students’ reading lives at home?

Students carry independent –level books home from school to read each night. Parents can support this important home-school connection by listening to their child read (imperative for early readers) and having book talks – conversations about books. You will notice when a child is reading about a topic of personal interest in their independent reading level, their stamina to read increases. This means they will read for longer periods of time and, children who read more…become better readers.

Frey, N. & Fisher, D. (2009). Learning Words Inside and Out. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.

Fountas, I. & Pinnell.G. (2011). Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System. Portsmouth NH: Heinemann.