Math and Reading Updates

Pictured from left to right

• Mrs. Stein: Reading Specalist Grades 3-5
• Megan.Stein1@fcps.org
• Mrs. Hott: Math Interventionist / Math Specialist Grades 4-5
• Elizabeth.Hott@fcps.org
• Mrs. Aulthouse: Reading Interventionist
• Teresa.Aulthouse@fcps.org
• Mrs. Miller: Reading Interventionist
• Holly.Miller@fcps.org
• Mrs. Roebuck: Math Specialist Grades K-3
• Karen.Roebuck@fcps.org
• Mrs. Welsh: Reading Specalists Grades K-2
• Raleigh.Welsh@fcps.org

This year, Maryland has Revised Maryland College and Career Ready standards (MCCRS) for mathematics. The revisions to the PreK – Grade 5 standards aim to clarify expectations, emphasize specific strategies and representations, and strengthen foundational numeracy skills. At certain grade levels, adjustments are made to ensure a more cohesive progression across grade levels. Some of the key shifts you will notice in the next month include:

• Kindergarten: Standards were added to support the development of number sense, including counting backwards and subitizing.
• 1st Grade: Standards were revised to support the development of number sense, including counting backwards, skip counting by tens, and composing/decomposing numbers.
• 2nd Grade: Standards were revised to support the development of number sense, including counting backwards, skip counting by 2s, 5, 10s, and 100s, and composing/decomposing numbers.
• 3rd Grade: Standards were revised and added to support the development of place value concepts, including composing/decomposing numbers and estimation. Standards have been added to explicitly emphasize estimation of quantities and assessing the reasonableness of sums and differences.
• 4th Grade: The standards were revised to emphasize using and articulating a variety of strategies. Several standards will require students to represent and explain their computation by connecting visual models and/or equations to the meaning of the operation. This promotes conceptual understanding before applying procedures.
• 5th Grade: Standards were revised to support the development of operational fluency through number sense. Numbers and Operational Sense (NOS) standards language includes applying estimation strategies to reason about quantities, connecting computational strategies to one another and to previous learning, and determining when one strategy is more efficient than another.
• Pathways: Students build on understanding of using visual models (e.g. area models and number lines) to multiply and divide whole numbers in order to develop an understanding of operations with decimals and fractions. Number lines are also emphasized as a tool to interpret absolute value. Standards emphasize using and articulating strategies that promote conceptual understanding before applying procedures.

At North Frederick and all FCPS, we believe every child deserves what they need to grow — whether that’s extra support, deeper challenges, or time to practice key skills. That’s why we’ve built a dedicated daily time called the Success Block into our school schedule

⏰ What Happens During the Success Block?

During this time, all students receive targeted instruction based on their individual needs. Here’s what that could look like:

• 📖 Reading Intervention: Some students may receive small-group support to boost their reading skills.
• ✨ Enrichment: Some may dive deeper into challenging content or creative projects.
• 🔁 Pre-Teaching or Re-Teaching: Others may get extra help reviewing or previewing key concepts from their classroom lessons in reading or math.

🔄 Groups May Change

Student needs can change — and so can their Success Block groups. Some students might stay in the same group for the year, while others may shift every 4–6 weeks, based on ongoing data and teacher observations.

If you have any questions about your child's success placement, please reach out to the math and reading specialist for your child's grade.

Mrs. Welsh: Reading Specalists Grades K-2

Mrs. Stein: Reading Specalist Grades 3-5

Mrs. Roebuck: Math Specialist Grades K-3

Mrs. Hott: Math Specialist Grades 4-5

What is it?

• i-Ready inform is a computer-adaptive test for K–12 students that measures reading and math skills. It changes question difficulty based on answers to find a student's exact learning level, track growth, and guide teacher instruction
• Watch this video to learn more about iReady Inform

When will students take the assessment?

• Week of 8/24: 4th and 5th grade
• Week of 8/31: 3rd grade
• Week of 9/7: 2nd grade, Kindergarten
• Week of 9/14: 1st grade, Kindergarten

Will I know how my child did on the assessments?

• Family reports will be send home in your child's Thursday Folder or Daily Folder after the grade has completed the iReady Inform testing
• Parents will be shared beginning of the year assessment data during parent teacher conferences on October 28th, 29th, and 30th.
• You can also access iReady at home to get your child's scores and more information about iReady, and your child's strengths and focus areas.
• How to log on to iReady at home
• How to access your child's results

What is it?

• DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) is a series of quick, one-minute individual tests used in schools to check early reading and literacy skills. Teachers use it from kindergarten through second grade to find students who might need extra help with reading.
• An Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) assessment is a quick, one-on-one test where a student reads an unfamiliar, grade-level text aloud for one minute. The teacher counts the total words read and subtracts errors to find the Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM) score. Teachers use it fourth grade through fifth grade.
• The Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) assessment is a brief, individually administered screening tool that measures how quickly a student can verbally name familiar, repeating items—such as numbers, letters, colors, or objects—stored in long-term memory. Teachers use this assessment in Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

When will students take the assessment?

• Because each assessment is given to students individually, there is a range of dates your child might be assessed. Students will start to be assessed starting on 8/24 and assessments will end by 9/30.

Will I know how my child did on the assessments?

• Parents will be shared beginning of the year assessment data during parent teacher conferences on October 28th, 29th, and 30th.

What is it?

• The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) is an evaluation given to incoming kindergarten students during the first few weeks of school to measure their preparedness for kindergarten. The assessment checks skills across four main areas:
• Social Foundations: How a child interacts with others and regulates their emotions.
• Language and Literacy: Early reading, listening, and communication skills.
• Mathematics: Basic counting, shapes, and number concepts.
• Physical Well-Being: Fine and gross motor skills, like holding a pencil or moving safely

When will students take the assessment?

• Because the assessment is given in small groups and individually, there is a range of dates your child might be assessed. Students will start to be assessed on the week of 8/31 and assessing will end by 9/17.