Professional Learning

Middle school educators focused on setting high expectations and leveraging Reading Plus reports for targeted small-group instruction. (Slide 14)

High school educators addressed Year 1 Core Shifts in equitable grading practices and the use of Khan Academy. (Slide 15)

A major highlight was the focus on Priority Standard RL.1/RI.1 (Citing Textual Evidence) and the unpacking of curriculum units by previewing upcoming interim assessments to ensure alignment with daily lessons. (Slide 21)

Use recent Reading Plus data to form small groups that are targeted to specific instructional needs. These groups should remain fluid and flexible, changing frequently based on students' evolving skills. (Slide 5)

Utilize the "Class Skill Support Report" to identify shared instructional gaps and inform the use of in-system "Teaching Tools" and "Small Group Lesson Planning" resources. (Slides 7 - 9)

The WIN (What I Need) block should revolve around three main stations: a Teacher-led Station for direct skill building and feedback, an Online Station for Reading Plus, and an Offline Station for active reading and writing. A "Small Group Planner" can track daily target skills, independent activities, and progress monitoring data for each student. (Slides 13 - 14)

Leverage diagnostic tools and student evidence—such as Reading Plus reports for middle school—to plan and implement differentiated small-group instruction that supports striving readers. (Slide 17) 

In alignment with the district's focus on equitable grading practices, student completion plans serve as a tool to restore marking period grades once a student completes necessary assignments. (Slide 18)

Student performance ranged from a 3–16% increase on IA 1 scores compared to the previous year. We analyzed these trends, identified high-leverage instructional priorities for the next unit, and committed to specific strategies for addressing learning gaps. (Slide 19).

The "Just Words" program is a Tier 2 intervention designed for students in grades 6-8 who struggle with word-level reading. It is grounded in the "Simple View of Reading," which emphasizes that fluent decoding is a necessary foundation for reading comprehension. (Slide 3)

Instruction is organized into 10-day units that move from introducing new concepts in Days 1-2 and 6-7 to focused practice and frequent progress checks, culminating in a Unit Dictation Test on Day 10 to assess mastery. (Slide 14)

For implementation, students should be grouped by need based on Reading Plus assessments. Students who scored in the “Red Diamond” range of the Reading Plus assessment should be placed in Just Words (unless there is evidence that the score is not accurate). (Slide 20) 

Implementing the assessment preview protocol helps identify potential student misconceptions and ensures instructional materials align with the rigor of specific standards. (Slides 8)

Reviewing the language of prioritized standards and evaluating passage complexity helps us better understand what students are expected to know and do during assessments. (Slides 7)

Using insights from the assessment preview identifies evidence of learning and proactively adapts upcoming lessons to better prepare students for summative demands. (Slides 9)