Principal’s Mid-Year Report 2009-2010

1. Principal’s Mid-Year Report2009-2010 Tony Hutchins Concord Elementary School Math

2. CES Math Goal We, all teachers at Concord Elementary School, will improve students skills in the strand of Numbers and Operations for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students as measured by the summative fall 2010 MEAP assessment, so that: • 90% of all 3rd-5th graders score proficient and advanced levels, while accelerating performance of students who are economically disadvantaged • 75% of economically disadvantaged students score proficient or advanced levels. • All 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will improve by 3% - 5% on the Numbers and Operations portion of the County Wide Common Assessment administered in the Spring of 2010.

3. Evidence of Action • Achievement Data with Analysis: Study Island reports, CWCA, MEAP Test results. • Student Work: Student developed Math Dictionaries. • Other Tangible Products: Parent support tool-kits, Lesson Plans indicate differentiated instruction practices, T.E. tabbed to mark Number and Operations GLCE lessons.

4. Looking at the Data

5. Objective #1 Strand 1: Teaching for Learning Teachers will create GLCEs-based lesson plans to address areas of weakness derived from data analysis. Tasks/Action Steps: • Distribute GLCE correlation to Everyday Math to all grade level teachers. Teachers will tab number and operation lessons in the teacher manuals to prioritize which lessons need to be focused on first. • Teachers will indicate differentiated instruction methods within weekly lesson plans.

6. Evidence of Success • Students perform at a higher level on number and operations (focused area). • Everyday Math GLCE correlation distributed to teachers. • Lesson Plans list differentiated instruction practices.

7. Objective #2 Strand1: Teaching for Learning Teachers will provide support resources for all students focusing on Numbers and Operations skills in math. Tasks/Action Steps: • Teachers will guide students through math vocabulary, as concepts are taught, by building a comprehensive Math Word Wall and Math Dictionary that includes definitions, examples, and number model representations and examples.

8. Evidence of Success • Students understand Math Vocabulary. • Students can identify math vocabulary on Word walls posted in classroom. • Student math dictionaries developed and are passed on consecutive years to use as resource. (Ongoing)

9. Objective #3 Strand 1: Teaching for Learning Teachers will provide supplemental fraction activities as a subgroup unit of numbers and operations in grades 3 through 5. Tasks/Action Steps: • Teachers will create a supplemental fraction unit to use in addition to the Everyday Math series. • Teachers will chart all students’ progress in all fraction concepts achieved from Study Island.

10. Evidence of Success • Supplemental Fraction Units developed and compiled into math binders. • Study Island usage and student progress reports. • School Usage Reports • Student Home Usage Reports • Student “Fractions” Progress

11. Objective #4 Strand 4: School and Community Relations Teachers will provide parent resources for all students. Tasks/Action Steps: • Use Home Connection book and Study Island to create unit resources for parents that provide additional practice and answer keys.

12. Study Island Parent Letter September 2009 Dear Parents, Welcome back! We are excited to start another great school year. Our school now has access to a great resource called Study Island. Study Island is a web-based program that covers all of the Michigan Standards - Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) that we teach your child in the classroom everyday. We have a building license for Study Island, which is accessible to students from school, home or anywhere they have internet access. This is a great tool to use with your child at home throughout the school year! Your child can access Study Island from your home computer, or any other computer with internet, to practice and review their everyday class lessons. To access Study Island: Go to www.studyisland.com Student: ______________________ Username: ____________________ Password: _____________________ We are excited about the potential benefits Study Island can bring to our students, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity by using Study Island. Please feel free to contact Study Island at 800-419-3191 or support@studyisland.com if you have any questions. 

13. Parent Information Using Study Island from Home Since the Study Island state assessment program is completely web-based, students can access it from any computer with an Internet connection and a standard web browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape). Results from students study sessions are recorded and made available to the teachers. This includes results from sessions completed at home. The program is divided into sections based on subject (math, reading, etc.). Each section is made up of 10 to 25 topics, which contain about 20 to 25 questions each. Many topics are accompanied by a lesson, which includes some brief information about the material covered by the questions in the topics. It is helpful to view the lesson before answering the questions in the topic. Follow the instructions below, in order to use the program: • Go to www.studyisland.com • Enter your username and password at the upper-left of the screen, and click “Login”. • Note: Students will receive a username and password from their teacher at school. • Click on the section tab (math, reading, etc.) that you wish to work on. • Click the "Pretest" in order to begin the pretest for the section. You must complete 10 pretest questions before moving on to the topic in the section. • Once you complete the "Pretest,” you may work through the remainder of the topics in any order you like. You must "pass" all topics before taking the "Post Test". • To pass a topic, you must satisfy the group's passing requirements which are based a minimum number of questions answered (usually 10) and a minimum percentage correct (around 70%). A blue ribbon icon is displayed next to all passed topics. • Once you have passed all the topics in the section, you have to pass the "Post Test" for the section before the section is complete. Ignore this step if the section has no "Post Test". • When you pass all topics in all sections, you have completed the program and will be well prepared to take the state test. • To access the Reports: • After your child has logged in, select a subject from the left-hand side of the screen to access the reports. (See the screen shot below.) • Here, you will find a variety of reports with information such as how much time your child has spent on various subjects, how they used their time, and what questions they missed. You will also be able to compare your child with other children in their class and in their state that are using Study Island. You can select reports by Subject or select the Summary option to get all subjects.

14. Evidence of Success • Study Island is available to parents and families on-line. • Study Island usage and student progress reports. • Student Home Usage Reports—1% usage • Student “Fractions” Progress—70%

15. Objective #5 Strands 4: School and Community Relations Staff will conduct Family Math Nights to provide parents information about Everyday Math concepts, practices and procedures. Tasks/Action Steps: • Teachers will plan and participate in Family Math Fun Nights 3 times per year; September, November, and April.

16. Parent Survey Results

17. Parent Survey Comments • What would you like to hear, see, or do at the next FMN?: • “More math examples might be helpful…” • “What is the purpose of the estimating…” • “…students demonstrating processes and games…” What would make it easier to help you child at home? • “…correct procedures for completing the problems”. • “The handouts helped!”

18. Evidence of Success • Data should represent increased student and parent interest and knowledge of math. • Increased attendance (75% of families) at Family Math Night. • Math is Fun!

19. External Monitors’ Input • Evidence of students’ success should be derived from assessment data • Add “Teacher Buy-In” column on plan to list “tasks” that teachers will complete. • “How do you ensure that all parents receive and understand [resources]?”

20. What’s Next? • Develop ideas to attract more families to attend Family Math Nights. • Continue to generate supplemental Parent support tool-kits. • Develop Pre and Post unit tests to assess student progress. • Correlate the Study Island usage data to students (who are using it) to student-progress and performance. Revisions: • Develop data management processes that allow staff to compile, interpret and analyze data to improve instructional practices.