WUSD Teaching & Learning

Dear Friends & Colleagues of WUSD,

As cool weather puts a bite in the air, in our schools, December and January mark the mid-point of our school year. Students and staff have settled in and have built relationships, identified learning needs, and are moving toward increased growth and achievement. This time of year also marks the mid-year assessment windows to monitor student progress and inform instruction to continue to target key areas of skills and study for learners.

The Whitewater Unified School District utilizes a variety of universal assessments to gather this data. The 2023-24 WUSD Schoolwide Assessment Calendar shares an overview of the assessments throughout the year. Please click on the links below to learn more about each benchmark assessment:

4K: PELI

K-5: Forward, NWEA MAP, DIBELS & Lectura mCLASS

6-8: Forward, iReady

9-12: Forward, CERT, STAR (limited)

There are a number of ways that you can maximize your child’s learning capabilities throughout the school year, which can lead to confident test-taking. Some of these strategies include:

• Assisting your child with homework and ensuring that your child is completing all homework assignments
• Helping your child to develop good study habits, thinking skills, and a positive attitude towards education from an early age
• Ensuring that your child has good, consistent attendance at school
• Staying in communication with your child’s teacher(s)
• Encouraging your child to read as much as possible, and to increase their vocabulary
• Looking for educational games and programs that engage your child
• Helping your child learn how to follow directions carefully (Dietel, 2008; IRA (2002); Narang, 2008).

If you'd like to learn about strategies to prepare for testing, click here to access more.

Happy mid-year, and happy winter season!

Terilyn

Teachers, administrators, and community members around the state of Wisconsin and the nation continue to build understanding of the Science of Reading. Last school year, the Whitewater Unified School District began the journey toward identifying literacy needs and developing a pathway to student success through the implementation of practices and curriculum aligned with the Science of Reading. Through continued learning, we aim to build knowledge and capacity as a school district and engage in learning alongside the community. The below resources and references provide an opportunity for continued awareness of the Science of Reading.

2023 Wisconsin Act 20 states that all Wisconsin schools are required to provide science-based early literacy instruction in both universal and intervention settings. Science-based early literacy instruction is defined as the following:

Instruction that is systematic and explicit and consists of all the following:

• Phonological awareness
• Phonemic awareness
• Phonics
• Building background knowledge
• Oral language development
• Vocabulary building
• Instruction in writing
• Instruction in comprehension
• Reading fluency

The Advanced Learner program in the Whitewater Unified School District supports learners and teachers in a variety of ways, from small-group project-based learning, to in-class enrichment opportunities, and competitive academic opportunities in writing, spelling, and more! Access the AL Newsletter for updates below!

The WUSD Mentorship Program provides logistical support for the newly hired educators and guidance on navigation and fulfillment of District processes and procedures. The program also provides ongoing professional development to new teachers through collaborations and training sessions. All newly hired educators joining the Whitewater Unified School District are assigned a WUSD Mentor for their first years of employment. Outlined for the 2023-2024 school year, the WUSD New Teacher Mentor & Partner Program aims to provide mentors, partners, and mentees with:

• Community- being a part of the WUSD community and forming a sense of belonging
• Culture & Acclimation- learning about the how-to’s of the site and district, as well as learning about the culture of student-centered learning of WUSD
• Professional Practice- engaging in continuous improvement and professional learning and reflection

This program benefits new staff and existing staff through building positive relationships, learning and growing collaboratively, and enhancing professional practice. Thank you to all of our mentors, mentees, and partners!

Please contact me with any questions, comments, or just to check in!

Email: trobles@wwusd.org
Website: https://www.wwusd.org/
Location: 419 South Elizabeth Street, Whitewater, WI, USA
Phone: 262-472-8711 608-561-8477