The ILT Minute

The FOCUS team continues to support the master scheduling process at the secondary schools. As a reminder, students entered course requests earlier in the semester. The FOCUS team helped scheduling teams review these course requests and start determining the number of sections of each subject the schedule would need. Secondary buildings will continue to determine the best arrangement of courses for our schedules. The FOCUS team also continues to refine the attendance screens and views in the system. Recently, the team has been reviewing the attendance impact of students being absent due to a late school bus. The team will continue to develop additional attendance reporting to help support the district’s attendance goals.

Attending the Collaborative Common Assessment Conference proved to be an inspiring experience for educators, as it sparked fruitful conversations and generated innovative ideas on improving student learning outcomes. Teachers from various disciplines gathered to engage in thoughtful discussions about the pivotal role assessments—both formative and summative—play in ensuring that students master the essential standards for each unit.
Throughout the conference, educators shared insights on how assessments are not just tools for grading but critical checkpoints in understanding whether students are truly grasping the core concepts. Formative assessments, such as quizzes, discussions, and peer reviews, provide valuable ongoing feedback, allowing teachers to adjust instruction and support students in real-time. Meanwhile, summative assessments serve as the final measure of student mastery, confirming that they have fully internalized the learning targets for a given unit.
One key takeaway from the event was the reaffirmation that assessments do not have to be limited to traditional multiple-choice formats. Instead, the conference emphasized the importance of authentic assessments—ones that mirror real-world applications and challenge students to demonstrate their mastery in meaningful ways. This might include projects, presentations, written reflections, or practical demonstrations that authentically reflect the skills and knowledge students are expected to acquire.
Ultimately, the conference reminded all attending educators that assessments should be designed with the ultimate goal of supporting student growth. By crafting assessments that align closely with the standards and provide opportunities for deeper student engagement, teachers can more effectively gauge where students stand and what additional support they may need to succeed. The collaborative nature of the conference itself fostered a powerful exchange of strategies and ideas that will undoubtedly impact the way assessments are used in classrooms going forward.

During the week of April 7th, Master Scheduling Teams from each secondary building received training and support from the Focus Team and C&I Team for the development of each of their master schedules. This is an intricate and challenging process, as creating a master schedule involves a great deal of problem solving, detail orientation, and collaboration. Teams also navigated various changes with master scheduling in regards to new CEPG courses, Freshman Academy and Seminar, and overall ensuring that the scheduling needs of students are met. We are proud of our master scheduling teams and appreciate their efforts and dedication to the process!

Students in Raytown Secondary classrooms have the opportunity to participate in Math 180, one of our Tier 3 programs supporting students who are below grade level. Math 180 in an intervention program meant to prepare students with skills and strategies which will help them be successful in Algebra 1, as well as the topics which support algebraic thinking. Students in sixth through tenth grade are placed in Math Academy when their NWEA scores are below grade level. During Math Academy students spend half of their class period working with a small group and their teacher on a specific lesson. The other half of class is spent working individually on the software platform. The program has six book series including: Multiplication/Division, Fractions, Decimals/Integers, Ratio/Rates, Linear Proportional Relationships, and Linear/Nonlinear Thinking. A math 180 coach visited eight of our district math academy classrooms this week. He was impressed to see teachers using the teacher tools in their lessons, students working on the platform, and students talking with one another and reasoning during small group instruction. While the program is well planned out, teachers must prep each lesson to include mathematical language, student discourse, and take the time themselves to understand the math content students might be struggling with. It was impressive to talk with all of the young people in these classes. Each student who had the opportunity to work with one of the visitors in the classroom was eager to think and reason about the mathematics in their lessons. We have great students in Raytown, ready and willing to achieve in mathematics.

The district site for the Strategic Planning Overview is linked here. The Strategic Planning Dashboard linked here provides an overview of the 45 Strategic Planning Projects that will occur during the 24-25 school year. Each project is aligned to a Board of Education Goal.

At the April 15 BoE Meeting, an update was presented regarding the launch of the Freshman Academy at Raytown High School and Raytown South High School in 25-26. The presentation is linked here. Additional communication will be shared with staff and families in the coming weeks. Additionally, a stakeholder group, including HS teachers, will continue planning during the next round of meetings (Phase 3-Visit 3) with Ford Next Generation Learning Coaches (May 7-9). Also, those teachers participating as Freshman Academy staff will participate in professional learning and have additional time to collaborate this summer.

Raytown's English IV students are diving into a six-week Client Connected Project focused on two important themes: Mental Health Awareness and Community Building. Each high school is working with two different community clients to tackle real-world challenges and make a positive impact. The project gives students a chance to use their voices, creativity, and critical thinking skills in meaningful ways. It also supports Raytown’s Profile of a Learner by encouraging students to be academically sound, reflective, able to relate to others, active contributors, and professional in their work. Students will showcase their projects and share their learning on May 6th and 7th. Also, students will be earning a Market Value Asset credential, which is part of our Real World Learning partnership with The Kauffman Foundation.

As we launch into EOC and GLA testing season, it’s time to come together as a team to create a calm, confident, and focused environment for our students. These assessments provide valuable data to guide instruction and celebrate student growth, and your support makes all the difference.

📅 Testing Window: April 28 – May 7 (EOC) and May 16 (GLA)

• GLA: Grades 3–8

• EOC: Algebra I, Algebra II, English II, Biology, American Government

💡 How You Can Support Testing Success:

• Encourage students to get a good night’s rest and eat a healthy breakfast.

• Review key testing strategies and content during warm-ups and bell ringers.

• Maintain a positive, encouraging tone throughout the building—your words set the climate!

• Remind students of the purpose: to show what they know and how far they’ve come.

🧰 Resources & Readiness:

• Test Administrator training is complete—thank you for your preparation!

• Classroom and technology checklists have been shared—please double-check everything is set for Day 1.

• Students have had opportunities to practice using the testing tools and formats—confidence is key!

Let’s bring the same energy to testing season that we bring to our classrooms every day. Thank you for your continued dedication to academic excellence. We are ready, and our students are too!

• May 1 - RQS Retirement Dinner @ Cinder (HCC)

• May 2 - Learning Walk @ Blue Ridge

• May 5 - Special Education Learning Lab

• May 6 - Real World Learning Team Meeting

• May 7 - No Early Release

• May 7 - May 9 - High School Career Academy Transformation Phase 3 Visit

• May 7 - Special Education Professional Learning Academy

• May 9 - Job Olympics in Blue Springs

• May 10 - Special Olympics Track Meet in Belton

• May 12 - Board of Education Meeting

• May 13 - RQS Belonging Committee Meeting

• May 14 - Early Release Wednesday

• May 18 - HS Graduation (SHS @10am/RHS @2pm)

• May 21 - Early Release Wednesday

• May 23 - Last Day of School

• May 26 - Memorial Day (District Closed)

• May 28 - Summer School Prep Day (See principal for hours)

• May 29 - Summer School Prep Day (See principal for hours)

• May 30 - Summer School Begins

• May 30 - AP/Admin Intern PD