Elementary Academic Highlights

March 2018

Moving into March

As we move into the month of March, we continue to place our focus on standards and 4C's. The March 2018 Academic Highlights, includes pertinent information for elementary school administrators and staff. Please feel free to share the newsletter as a means of communication. As always, our team is here to support you and your schools.

Read to Achieve Updates

Read to Achieve Camp Information for YR and Modified Schools

Please read to find important information regarding Read to Achieve Camp for 1st and 2nd graders. The information is also on the IRT Canvas Site under Read to Achieve - Camp. If you have any questions regarding camp, please email readtoachieve@wcpss.net or contact Tim Marshmon directly, tmarshmon@wcpss.net. Tim Marshmon is the lead for all camps including Read to Achieve Camps.

Camp Schedule for 1st/2nd Graders

Camp Schedule for 3rd Graders

Read to Achieve Essential Dates

YR 2018 Read to Achieve Reading Camp Information

Read to Achieve Camp Teacher Job Description

Invitations to Camp for 1st/2nd graders English Spanish

(note that you will need the Essential Dates information to include in the invitation letter based on track dates)

ELA Updates

mCLASS Updates

Please be sure to check out the March/April mCLASS Leaders Updates for important information. You will find information on progress monitoring, EOY alternate assessors, amplify updates, mCLASS guidelines and more.

EL Implementation

Please be reminded that YR 4th and 5th grade teachers will begin initial training for EL implementation in March. In preparation, teachers should complete at least stage 1 and 2 of the orientation to EL Education prior to training. Grade 4 and 5 teachers will receive Module 1 Unit 1 Teacher Guides by March 21st and should bring the guides to the first day of training.

EL All Block Videos

To support teachers with the implementation of the ALL Block, our team has prepared an ALL Block video outlining the fundamental functions.

EL Implementation: ALL Block

If teachers are having difficulty implementing ALL Block Lessons with EL prescribed task cards and or having difficulty with pacing (3 or more weeks behind) please have your IRT contact me at sjohnson4@wcpss.net and support will be provided on site.

EL Better World Day

Better World Day is an EL sponsored opportunity for students to celebrate service through learning that contributes to a better world. Please find additional information here.

EL Implementation Grade 4-5

As the EL Education Grade 4-5 implementation approaches, we wanted to provide you with useful resources to support you in this process. They include the comprehensive orientation steps, the traditional calendar training flyer, and the YR calendar training folder. Please use these resources as needed.

EL Implementation Text

If you have teachers in need of text for modules 3 or 4 please complete the google form found here.

Elementary ELA Newsletter

In our most recent edition of New Eyes on ELA we explore verbal and nonverbal communication in the classroom. You may find this resource here.

EL Celebration

The WCPSS EL Education K-5 Language Arts curriculum just received the highest elementary ELA curriculum score by Ed Reports!

Writing Continuum

Please find information regarding upcoming writing continuum training here.

Letterland Day at Pullen Park

Calling All Clever Cats, Quarrelsome Queens and Munching Mikes! Letterland Day at Pullen Park will be on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. We need your help to make it a huge success. To ensure that the children have a fun, safe day, we need volunteers to monitor/run the activities. Volunteers would need to stay for at least three hours and arrive 15-20 minutes prior to their scheduled time to review procedures. There will be designated parking for volunteers. Come dressed as your favorite Letterland character! Volunteer to help with one or more of the activities on April 28:https://goo.gl/S4rkMh

WAKE UP and Read

Thank you to all of the schools that have collected books for WAKE Up and Read Book Drive. Please find the drop off times at wakeupandread.org

Math Updates

The Elementary Math March 2018 Updates contain new and important information on the following:

Save the Date- NCSU High Five 2018 Math/Science Summit
K-3 Individual Math Manipulative Kits
Number Knowledge Test
Assessing Math Concepts (AMC)
NC Early Numeracy Skill Indicators (NCEnsi): K-2 Progress Monitoring & PD
Assessing Math Concepts and North Carolina Early Numeracy Skill Indicators Refresh Professional Development Opportunity
Supporting K-2 Math Instruction Course
Developing Number Concepts Kit Assembly Volunteer Opportunity
Spotlight on Math Instruction

Please be sure to read the information carefully and share with your staff as needed. Let us know if you have any questions.

Science Updates

The March 2018 Elementary Science Updates issue includes useful information and resources for K-5 teachers on the following science topics:

Focus on 5th Grade: NCDPI Teacher Resource Packs
Resource Spotlight: Making Time for Science
Science Integration: Integration Resource Guides & Yates Mill Elementary School is all about Science Integration
Professional Development & Opportunities

Please feel free to share this information with your staff. Let us know if you have any questions.

Social Studies Updates

The Social Studies March 2018 Updates includes new updates, resources, and news on the following:

Women's History Month
Thinking Like a Historian Video Series
The Story of North Carolina
City of Raleigh Museum Field Trips

Please be sure to share this information with your staff. Let us know if you have any questions.

All about Dreambox

Twenty four elementary schools are participating in a pilot of Dreambox. Dreambox is an adaptive on-line math program that aligns to current math standards and resources in CMAPP. It is a supplemental resource designed to support core instruction and improve student achievement. A Dreambox study conducted by Harvard researchers has demonstrated meaningful achievement gains. In particular, for every 20 minutes a student spent on Dreambox their MAP score increased by 2.5 points. Moreover, students who used Dreambox for the recommended 60 minutes per week gained three times more (7.5 points) on MAP.

In WCPSS, Dreambox will be used in 12 treatment elementary schools from December through the end of the 2017-18 school year. All K-5 students at the treatment schools will have access to Dreambox; however as a condition of the pilot, all fourth and fifth grade students must use the program. To gather effectiveness data, fourth and fifth grade students must engage with the program between 45 minutes to 1 hour per week in addition to receiving quality core instruction from their teacher. The twelve schools serving as treatment schools are Herbert Akins, Ballentine, Bugg, Forestville, Green Hope, Partnership, Poe, Rand, Reedy Creek, Wake Forest, Weatherstone, and West Lake. The control schools are Baileywick, Combs, Conn, Farmington Woods, Harris Creek, Hortons Creek, Jeffreys Grove, Kingswood, Lake Myra, Sycamore Creek and Timber Drive. Outside of the pilot, we have three elementary schools, Leadmine, Pleasant Union & Yates Mill, who have purchased and are using Dreambox too.