Learning Together

Message from Troy D. Olin, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

Over the past few months, we have shared updates on our efforts to enhance and expand teacher leadership opportunities across the district. These roles are a key part of our commitment to a distributive leadership model, ensuring that instructional leadership and decision-making are collaborative and reflective of our shared goals.

Teacher leaders play an essential role in strengthening collaboration, improving instructional practices, utilizing data to drive student success, and supporting MTSS structures. By expanding these opportunities, we are empowering educators to lead, grow professionally, and make a lasting impact on student learning.

We encourage all interested staff to review the job descriptions and consider applying. The Elementary Grade Level Leader job description has been shared with elementary staff for review prior to the positions being posted later this spring. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

As we look ahead to our upcoming Conference Day, here are a few important reminders:

• Personalized schedules will be sent via email next week, and printed copies will be available at your session with Dr. Muhammad.
• Additional guidance for the district-scheduled collaboration time will come from the district and building administration.

It’s going to be a busy day of great collaboration and learning, so please be on time for sessions, come ready to engage, and maybe even bring a little extra caffeine—it’ll be a full day of growth!

The Equitable Grading Task Force continues its work to explore, understand, and refine grading and assessment practices in Gates Chili. Our goal is to develop consistent, equitable, and inclusive grading policies that support all students’ academic success and well-being.

During our full-day session on March 10, the Task Force spent time reviewing data from the Grading Category Survey results, as well as data from School Tool about grading categories that are currently being used. Thank you to everyone who responded to that survey. We identified inconsistencies and discussed potential refinements.

Focus groups were formed to develop action plans in key areas, including grading categories, where we worked to establish clear and consistent definitions; grading scales, where we examined alternatives to the traditional 0-100 scale; student accountability, where we discussed the impact of attendance and behavior on grades; and practices and procedures, where we considered consistent expectations and language around homework, retakes, late work, and extra credit. These focus groups will continue to work in these areas to make recommendations for actionable steps for the 2025-26 school year.

As we move forward, the Task Force will continue refining recommendations and gathering feedback. Your insights are valuable—please reach out to any Task Force member with questions or thoughts. Together, we can ensure that grading is fair, transparent, and aligned with student learning!

The 6-12 Literacy Team recently met on March 5 to continue their work in identifying and assessing the literacy needs of secondary students to support their academic growth and success. This team is focused on making targeted recommendations in key areas, including curriculum, assessment systems, tiered instruction, resources, and professional learning—aligning with our district’s Literacy Mission and Beliefs.

During the meeting, the team reviewed progress toward our Year One Goals and examined tiered instruction, interventions, and assessments. Small groups were formed to focus on strengthening literacy support at both the middle and high school levels, with groups dedicated to Middle School Tier One, Middle School Tiers Two & Three, High School Tier One, and High School Tiers Two & Three. Their work is grounded in examining the essential components of a MTSS Literacy Framework for grades 6-12, ensuring that literacy instruction includes high-quality Tier One instruction, universal screening, data-based decision-making, progress monitoring, tiered support systems, and ongoing collaboration and professional learning.

As the team continues this work, they will further assess strengths and gaps in current literacy practices and explore ways to strengthen literacy instruction across grades 6-12. Stay tuned for more updates as we work together to support literacy success for all students!

This week, the literacy team met to review progress on the integrated units developed for grades 2-5 and received updates on the work completed so far. The team engaged in a reflective protocol to support planning for the upcoming year. Through this process, members identified instructional practices to start, stop, improve, and continue, ensuring a focused and strategic approach to literacy instruction moving forward.

WIN groups will not meet on elementary state testing days for ELA, Math, and Science. Due to the need for staff to assist with test administration and adjusted building schedules, WIN groups will be paused on these days.

Grade levels not impacted by state assessments are encouraged to use this time for skill reinforcement, extension activities, or pausing point activities.

Thank you for your flexibility and support!

Planning for the upcoming Summer Learning Program is well underway with student registration currently occurring. The Summer Learning Program will begin for students on Monday, July 7 and end on Thursday, July 31.

It will be a busy summer at Neil Armstrong Elementary and Gates Chili Middle School as dedicated staff work to provide fun, engaging and important learning opportunities to our students.

As mentioned above, the end of March will see the finalizing of student registration with the hiring process beginning in April. May will be focused on logistical planning for each site. Buildings will have up-to-date information regarding registration so outreach to families can be coordinated to ensure families have the information they need and can enroll their students in these programs.

More information will be shared with Summer Learning Program staff over the next few months.

Congratulations to Katie Szwejbka, Michele Donnelly, and Kelly Borcyk who were the first three to respond to last month's riddle correctly.

If you know the answer to this month's riddle, click HERE to submit your answer. The first three (3) people who answer the riddle correctly will receive a special prize in their mailbox next week!

Good luck!

March Riddle: HINT - The answer can be found within this months newsletter!

I measure learning, but I'm more than a score,

Fair and clear, to help students soar.

Not just numbers, but a path to succeed,

With equity and support for all who need.

What am I?