Watertown Public Schools Schools CommitteeBudget & Finance, and Curriculum Subcommittees

January 21, 2010

Stages of Successful Implementations

EXPLORATION

INSTALLATION

INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION

FULL IMPLEMENTATION

INNOVATION

SUSTAINABILITY

Curriculum Task Forces and Leadership Councils• K-5 Math• K-3 Reading• 4-5-6 Science• Early Childhood • Elem WCAP/Map

Data Teams•  3-5 Reading &

Writing Advisory• Elem World

Language Advisory

• Professional Development Council

• T-I-P Council• Teacher Evaluation

Design Team• Universal Design

for Learning Advisory

• Autism Council (proposed)

Elementary Program PresentationOverview

• Commonalities in  Presentation

Curriculum Task ForcesProfessional DevelopmentCommon AssessementsEducational TechnologyCurriculum Liaison

•  Differences at Elementary School

Early Childhood

•  Early Childhood Programso Integrated Preschoolo School based PreK classeso Tuitions

• Task Force Accomplishmentso NAEYC Accreditation o Curriculum Alignment Preschool - K o Assessment Protocols

Creative Curriculum Preschool/PreK ($) o Professional Development

• Next Stepso Preschool -Grade 3 curriculum/assessment alignmento  Align Creative Curriculum with Kindergarten Assessment

• Early Childhood Grants

Reading

• K-3 Task Forceo Continuation of worko Focus on Vocabulary and Managemento Need to address writing and language

• 3-5 New Task Forceo Focus on coherenceo Integration of curriculum

• Refinement of assessmento MAP K-5, QRI-5

 

• Ongoing Professional Development • Technological Solutions and

Enhancements

Mathematics

• Think Matho Textbookso Consumableso Benchmark assessments

• Think Centralo 10 year contract (Currently in negotiations)o On line resources (toolbox)

• FASTT Matho Grades 2-5

• Tier 3 Math program

Science

• Focus on consistent, current and effective science curriculum for grades 3-5 among the three schools

• Utilize on-line resources for virtual experiments and scientific exploration

• Expand Science Task Force web page to share common resources and materials

• Create common end of unit assessment questions

• Infuse non-fiction leveled text at grade levels

• Create common vocabulary units K-5

Social Studies• Teaching American History 

        Grant

• Establish a Task Force

• Align Curriculum Pre-K through Grade 5

• Provide for Professional Development opportunities for Preschool-Grade 5 Teachers

•  Infuse additional non-fiction leveled text at all grade levels

• Create common vocabulary for units Preschool-Gr 5

Response to Intervention (RTI)

• WCAP- Building Based Data Team• 3 Tiered instruction system

o Tier 1 = Core Curriculum = Task Forceo Tier 2 = Targeted Support = BBDTo Tier 3 = Specialized Instruction=Student Service 

• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

• Implementation Tier 2 Reading• Expand RTI  protocols• Professional Development• Challenges 

Common ExpensesShift from District to Schools

• Math Consumables• Reading resources (on-line

subscriptions)• Reading interventions • HWT (Handwriting without Tears)• Brain Pop (Science)

 District Financed:• FASTT Math• Learning Commons

Special Education

• All elementary schoolso specialized instruction for specific learning disabilitieso inclusion support for significant disabilitieso related services

• District based programs for special populationso autismo neurodevelopmentalo language based

• Professional Development •  • Technological Solutions and Enhancements

After School Programs

Common Vision and Opportunities

• Child care • Enrichment 

o Academico Sports and recreation

• Academic assistance •  Funding Considerations• Cost vs. no cost• Access and support for all 

Differences and Challenges

• Enrollment trends, class configuration and staffing 

• Impact of district-wide programs for student services

• Physical Plant

• Typically we have two classes per grade with one multi-age grouping due to particular class of students

• Sharp increase in ELL population o  7% to 14% in last two years

•  Staffing necessary for district wide elementary Learning Support program at Cunniff School (neurodevelopmental) 

Enrollment:• Current• Projected 

Class Configuration• 26 classes PreK -5th• Average class size 21• Incoming and outgoing discrepancy 

 Student Services • Maintain and grow• Autism K-5• Language Based 2-3 & 4-5• ELL 

Physical Environment • Learning Common• Furniture • Cafeteria - sound abatement• Preschool 

Enrollment Trends• Outgoing 5th grade 60• Projected K 79

Class Configuration• 20 Classrooms PreK-5 • may need +1

 Student Services• Maintain• Grow District Based• Return Reading Position to Intervention Services

Physical Environment• Learning Commons• Cafeteria