2009-04-23

April 23, 2009**
 * LLT Meeting

NOTE: RtI 8:40-9:00
 * 8:00-3:30 - Room 112**

=__MORNING SESSION:__= 

__In Attendance (AM)__: Veronique Taylor, Joanne Engel, Debbie Pye, Kim Rollings, Donna Elmore, Valerie Piccini, Stacey Varone, Mary Teresa Maule Alft, Marie DiGiulio, Gail Peck

 * ===School Action Plan===
 * //Provide an update on status of action plan. What have you accomplished? What do you still need to work on?//
 * Small LA focus groups: This will occur during 09-10, rather than this year. Preliminary gathering of materials has been done. Dates will be selected when the PLE Google calendar is created at the end of this year.
 * Survey LA Staff for Small LA focus groups: A rough draft of the survey was created in Survey Monkey at today's meeting. Mt will revise and edit this survey and send it to the LLTs for a final check. Kim will send an email to staff informing them that a survey will be sent in May, as a follow-up to her email to staff last month on the topic of the small LA focus groups.
 * Analyze Performance Tracker data: This was done in January and March for RtI.
 * Wiki Training: This was done at a faculty meeting by Pat M. and at the New Teachers Meeting in April.
 * Schedule Learning Walks: This has been done, dates need to be added to the Aciton Plan
 * Address the Needs of Students Who Exceed Year-End Standards: Put on next year's LLT agenda; need to ask third grade if they have mid-year data to help us support grading; possibility of Stage 9 in Grade 1 "E" and Stage 10 in Grade 2 "E" if mastery of a Level N text (currently Stage 11 is mastery of Level O and a Grade 3 CRI).
 * Parent Explanation Meeting: consider a meeting regarding report card, reading instruction, etc. Currently a report card meeting is held in the Fall.
 * **Classroom Instruction in Core Literacy chart**
 * //feedback//
 * The flow chart concept, in place of the scaffolded triangle, explains the process.
 * A larger title box would make it easier to determine where to start reading.
 * Use all straight lines, rather than diagonal lines.
 * Add an explanation to the ESL section.
 * Use shapes that correlate to the concept (eg - square for 'in-classroom', triangle for specialized service, etc.) and add a key to the shapes. Don't use colors.
 * This flow applies to all academic areas, not just core literacy.
 * This will be helpful for teachers and parents.
 * **Comprehensive Literacy Plan**
 * //feedback//
 * Looks good. LLTs see the need for both layouts: Intervention programs with detailed eligibility & exit criteria and K-12 scope & sequence overview by remedial program.
 * **ELA 2009-2010**
 * //Provide an update on any proposed changes for the ELA program in your building for the 2009-2010 school year.//
 * Self-selected learning community groups for LA professional development; calendar TBD in conjunction with building calendar
 * Focus on best practices in reading, in conjunction with Harcourt stories and in flexible reading groups.
 * Writing Workshop Professional Development with materials
 * Review of phonics and spelling/student progress
 * **Professional Development 2009-2010**
 * //Provide a list of professional development needs for the 2009-2010 school year.//
 * Writing Workshop
 * Meeting of PLE lead teachers across all curricular areas, to recognize and share common goals and strategies
 * Monthly LA meetings are recommended; more time is needed; time will support morale building
 * Schedule regular LLT meetings
 * **Summer Curriculum Work**
 * **//Provide a list of work to be completed for the 2009-2010 school year. Include resources needed to complete work.//**
 * Time to link best practices to Harcourt stories (instructional strategies/techniques) [several days]
 * Time to research and discuss above grade level assessments [one day, dependent upon data collection and information from grade 3]
 * Revision and expansion of PLE Language Arts web page, to provide easy access to all documents and forms, and to replace the LA Notebook. [one or two weeks]
 * ===Common Assessments===
 * P//rovide an update on where you are with common assessments. What common assessments do you have developed? What work still needs to be done?//
 * 2008-09 Language Arts
 * Grade 1: Second & Third Trimesters; used a combination of Harcourt holistic stories and Harcourt practice book pages that focused on selected weekly strategies; students responded in test booklets and teachers transferred answers to bubble sheets
 * Grade 2: First, Second & Third Trimesters; used a combination of Harcourt holistic stories and Harcourt practice book pages that focused on selected weekly strategies
 * Students responded in test booklets and teachers transferred answers to bubble sheets
 * Bubble sheets were scanned; teachers met in grade level groups to look at results in Performance Tracker

BUILDING AGENDA ITEMS

 * **Assessment/Grading for Above Grade Level Students**
 * Some options were discussed, but no decision was made. The concern is that in second grade, students who master the grade standards prior to the end of the year are placed on a Stage 10. Stage 11 requires a full year of progress to show mastery of third grade standards. How can we show parents that progress has been made beyond grade 2 (Stage 10), but not yet mastery of grade 3 (Stage 11)?
 * Stage 10
 * Book Level M - Indicator of M
 * book Level N - Indicator of E
 * Book Level O ->CRI Grade 3 >Stage 11
 * Stage 8
 * Book Level I - Indicator of M
 * Book Level J - Indicator of E
 * Book Level K >Stage 9
 * Stage 6
 * Book Level C - Indicator of C
 * Book Level F - Indicator of E
 * Book Level G -->Stage 7
 * Need to gather data for Grade K and 1; need to research
 * Grade 2
 * Get info from Grade 2 teachers
 * How many Stage 10 students did they have this year (on our Stage Summary report)
 * What book level had they mastered and when, beyond Stage 10?
 * mt will email and then visit each second grade teacher in person regarding this.
 * Goal: Change for 2009-2010


 * **Finalize Plans for Fall LA Professional Development 2009-10 (10:00)**
 * Materials
 * Time Line
 * Goal Setting, Reflection & Sharing: Gail
 * Suggestions for scheduling
 * how many sessions
 * intervals between sessions
 * sharing sessions
 * additions to resources:
 * ESL: [|www.colorincolorado.org]
 * [|www.readingrockets.org]
 * [|www.readwritethink.org]
 * Gail Peck shared an overview of Professional Learning Communities in Math:
 * Year 1: Teachers brainstormed topics, then formed self-selected groups. They shared goals with Gail, then met mid-year and conferenced with Gail. At year-end, they met again and evaluated the learning and shared with each other.
 * Year 2: Topics emerged and interest groups were formed. Some time was given to apply and practice what was learned.
 * Year 3: Study groups were formed in the second half of the year; no (or minimal) practice of the research. Refleciton and sharing will occur at the end of the year.
 * Survey Monkey: focus on the needs of teachers (in addition to interest); a rough draft of the survey was started
 * Need to set: action plans, goals, evaluation
 * Use the survey again as a "post" tool
 * Rather than study discrete reading "programs," focus on the philosophy & explanation behind the programs; put the programs under the areas of reading, along with applicable books and articles.

__AFTERNOON SESSION:__

 * __In Attendance (PM)__: Veronique Taylor, Joanne Engel, Debbie Pye, Kim Rollings, Donna Elmore, Valerie Piccini, Stacey Varone**


 * ** Update from the Writing Committee **
 * Kim, Valerie


 * **Common Assessments for 2009-10**
 * First, Second, Third Trimester
 * Grade 1 & 2
 * Purpose Statement
 * Assessment Items
 * Select items
 * List the focus/concept area for each item (eg: details, main idea, cause/effect, etc.)
 * Prepare a master copy
 * Directions
 * Schedule
 * Pick three possible dates (for each trimester) to submit to the building calendar for 09-10
 * Teachers worked on written common assessements for 09-10: two for grade 1, three for grade 2: revised this year's assessments, revised the directions, created suggestions for the format; some master copies were created
 * Finalize at June meeting
 * Purpose statement was developed concurrently with the assessment work: //The common assessment is a formative assessment. The results of the assessment are used to guide instruction and differentiate individual needs so students can become proficient grade level readers.//