Staff Meeting #7: 4/18/2023

Our 7th Blue Ribbon Committee meeting took place on April 18th. 

The agenda is posted below as well as a summary of the information discussed and determined during that meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE 4/18 MEETING & THE ACTION PLANS

This week, two of our Blue Ribbon Sub-Committees had their final target area meeting before coming back together as a group at the end of the year. 

Sub Committee 1 and 3 picked up where they left off in January to work on Target Area 1 - Excellence in Practice, and Target Area 3 - Academic Supports. 

Target Area 1 Committee Work

EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICE: Build upon the cycle of teaching, learning, assessment, and data analysis to improve alignment with NJSLS and student performance by reviewing (and possibly redefining) curriculum scope and sequence and prioritizing skills and standards to maximize student growth and achievement. 

PRIORITY GOAL: Work through curriculum courses to potentially redefine the scope and sequence of each course and prioritize skills and standards as needed to facilitate the growth we are aiming for.

ACTION STEPS: 

• Research NJSLS Priority Standards 

• Identify grade level and curricular level weaknesses 

• Find ways to incorporate the weakest standards across grade levels and content

• Communicate vertically to identify and share gaps between grades 

• Student/Teacher Conference reflecting on topics/benchmarks as well as Instructor and Administrator Reflection 

Subcommittee 1 reflected on the work we have done to identify NJLSA priorities based on the last two years of testing and share that information, paired with targeted practice problems in those areas. We discussed reaching out to the state to see if similar data will be shared in future Science testing cycles as well. In prioritizing our next steps for April-June, June-July, and next year, the subcommittee decided we should focus our energy on the following: 

April-June Priority: 

• Facilitate vertical articulation between consecutive grades (and across buildings) to enhance communication and better understand the spread of strengths and challenges specific to the transitioning cohort of students. 

• Identify specific categories and guidelines within departments or grade levels for staff with regard to assignments, grading weights, etc. to improve consistency across shared courses (primary) and ultimately across grades/subjects (secondary). Create shared folders for teachers to do this work. 

Summer Priority: 

• Develop a comprehensive K-12 "short list" of platforms for student use in various subject areas and establish highly recommended usage parameters for specific grades and subjects. Share with staff so they can plan for the upcoming year. 

Fall Kick Off Priority: 

• Work towards enhanced consistency in grading, assignments, and platform usage wherever possible to minimize any disjointed expectations for students. 

Target Area 3 Committee Work

ACADEMIC SUPPORTS: Build upon existing academic supports to tailor instruction, interventions, and assessments so they meet our diverse student needs by identifying and addressing learning gaps across grade levels, differentiate learning to meet personalized needs in the classroom, and explore ways to provide more inclusive classroom support for ELL students.  

PRIORITY GOAL: Find additional ways to provide more English Language Learner support in our inclusive (all) classrooms. 

ACTION STEPS: 

• Facilitate additional training, coaching, sharing to disseminate best practices for supporting ELLs in all classrooms

• Examine available resources and seek out tools, programs, and resources for use in the ELL program and in the inclusive classroom with ELL students. 

• Examine pros and cons of schedule for future planning.

Subcommittee 3 talked about formative assessment and data - driven planning for all interventions, not only for ELL students. We are looking into how to house more of our formative data in Genesis to facilitate progress monitoring and portfolio building K-12. Then, the subcommittee dove into setting up our priorities for enhancing and solidifying our supports and interventions for our ELL population. In prioritizing our next steps for April-June, June-July, and next year, the subcommittee decided we should focus our energy on the following: 

April-June Priority: 

As part of the vertical articulation facilitated between consecutive grades, share information on gaps and needs for specific students and interventions that have shown success with those students.  In this conversation, collaborate on heterogeneous vs. homogenous grouping plans for the upcoming year to maximize interventions. 

• Identify possible resources to be modeled and chosen from for additional practice and growth opportunities for ELL students. 

Summer Priority: 

• Set up plans for the upcoming year for improving intervention models, balancing ELL schedules, and pairing staff for optimal co-teaching for ELLs and other students needing interventions. 

• Choose and purchase any additional resources for those needs. 

Fall Kick Off Priority: 

• Set up differentiation training with experts from the companies modeling use. 

• Set up data-driven planning training with experts from IXL and iReady on how to best make and use groups in the classroom. 

• Training on stations, centers, and student-centered rotations that allow for more small group intervention time. 

• Establish new ELL coaching and co-teaching cohorts for the upcoming year.