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Grade 5-6 Study Follow Up Committee

Grade 5-6 Study Follow Up Committee. May 27, 2008. "...no other age level has so clear and legitimate a claim to the designation of unique as does this period of transition between childhood and full-blown adolescence, roughly ages ten to fourteen" ( This We Believe (1992), p. 4). NMSA.

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Grade 5-6 Study Follow Up Committee

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  1. Grade 5-6 StudyFollow Up Committee May 27, 2008 "...no other age level has so clear and legitimate a claim to the designation of unique as does this period of transition between childhood and full-blown adolescence, roughly ages ten to fourteen" (This We Believe (1992), p. 4). NMSA

  2. Committee Membership Facilitator: • Ron Perrault Tootin’ Hills School Principal Committee Membership: • Ana Aguirre Elementary Schools World Language Teacher • Scott Baker Squadron Line School Assistant Principal • Janice Bell Tootin’ Hills School Grade 6 Teacher • George Blick Central School Head Custodian • Edward Boiczyk Tootin’ Hills School Grade 5 Teacher • Caron Carpenter Central School Grade 5 Teacher • Matt Curtis Squadron Line School Principal • Ginny Damseaux Squadron Line School School Psychologist • Eileen Eustis Simsbury High School Assistant Principal • Mary Glendening Henry James World Language Supervisor, 6-8 • Betsy Gunsalus CTC Director of Elementary Curriculum • Beth Hennessy Squadron Line School Literacy Coach • Meg Kraft Latimer Lane School Grade 5 Teacher • Joncia Lytwynec Simsbury Public Schools Director of Instructional Technology • Dennis Marolda Elementary Schools World Language Teacher • Grace Morris Latimer Lane School Principal • Dorothy Norman Simsbury Public Schools Supervisor of Special Education • Steven Petrella Latimer Lane School Grade 6 Teacher • Cynthia Rehm Simsbury High School Art Dept. Supervisor, K-12 • Martha Rouleau Henry James Science • Melanie Swider Latimer Lane/Tootin’ Hills Language Arts Consultant • Susan Zenick Latimer Lane Library Media Specialist Ad Hoc Members: • Diane Ullman Central Office Superintendent of Schools • Erin Murray Central Office Assistant Superintendent of Schools

  3. Original Grade 5-6 Study(2006-2007) • Teams of parents, teachers, and administrators toured several 5-6 buildings throughout Connecticut and interviewed staff to determine the feasibility of creating a similar school in Simsbury. • Conclusion of the study process was that the educational benefits were not compelling enough to disrupt our current K-6 structure. • Superintendent proposed that a committee of teachers and administrators further explore the educational benefits identified in the study in terms of feasibility, cost and impact within our current K-6 configuration.

  4. Grade 5-6 Study Follow Up Committee (2007-2008) • During the 2007-2008 school year a committee of volunteers was formed to carry out the superintendent's charge. • As a result of discussion surrounding the recommendations from the original 5-6 study group we identified four areas of study. Subcommittees were created to address each.

  5. Areas of Study • Opportunities for Social/Emotional Growth • Scheduling Within a Grade 5-6 Program • World Language • Tandem/Team Teaching

  6. Review of Middle Level Research • Prior to embarking on these investigations committee members reviewed relevant middle level research to ensure consistency with the Simsbury Public Schools Vision and Core Beliefs. • This step was essential to keep our work consistent with the goal of meeting the needs of our middle level students.

  7. Opportunities for Social/Emotional Growth Goal • To identify activities and opportunities that foster the social and emotional growth of the middle level child that align with our character education programs district-wide.

  8. Opportunities for Social/Emotional Growth • Expand Roles and Responsibilities of Student Councils • Develop Peer Mediation Programs • Develop Team Leadership Opportunities • Ensure Access to After-School and Extra-Curricular Activities • Coordinate Initiatives District Wide

  9. Scheduling Goal • To establish scheduling parameters to support the academic, social and emotional needs of the middle level student.

  10. Scheduling Parameters • Structure beginning/ending of school day to accommodate added instructional time/relationship building opportunities • Create uninterrupted blocks of instructional time (support services may be ‘pushed in’ during these time blocks)

  11. Scheduling Parameters (cont.) • Utilize before/after school hours for large music ensembles and other enrichment activities • Ensure common planning time exists for collaboration between teachers and support personnel

  12. World Language Goal • Expansion of Spanish into elementary grades. • This goal is supported by research and is aligned with our district core beliefs in preparing students for a global, interconnected society which will require facility with relationships, higher order thinking, technology and languages.

  13. World Language • Maintain Spanish in Grade 6. (90 min. weekly) • Expand Spanish into grade 5. (90 min. weekly) • Expand 7th grade Spanish to a full year course thereby completing Spanish II by the end of 8th grade • Expand World Language options in high school

  14. Tandem/Team Teaching Goals • To improve the quality of instruction through teacher specialization in subject areas and or units of study to develop expertise in increasingly complex content. • To better prepare our students for the demands of a middle school schedule. • To allow for more targeted professional development and an economy of materials.

  15. Tandem/Team Teaching Plan Grade 5 • Students organized on either a 2 or 3 teacher team • Teachers specialize in individual science units and students change classes as they progress through 4 science rotations. • Social Studies content integrated with reading and writing instruction at points throughout the year.

  16. Tandem/Team Teaching Plan Grade 6 • Students organized on teams of 2 or 3 teachers • On a 2 teacher team, one teacher specializes in math/science and the other specializes in writing/social studies • On a 3 teacher team one teacher specialize in math, one in science and one in social studies • In both circumstances students have a homeroom teacher responsible for all other areas of academic instruction

  17. Next Steps: 2008-2009 School Year • Teams/Tandems Implementation 08-09 • Using existing resources, begin implementing recommendations of Social/Emotional Growth Subcommittee at the building level • Apply currently viable scheduling parameters in development of 08-09 school schedules

  18. Requiring Further Review • Continue to evaluate the feasibility and impact of expanding world language in the elementary and middle grades • Explore the feasibility and impact of district coordination of social / emotional growth initiatives • Investigate the creation of a flexible period to be utilized within a six day cycle for academic support, enrichment, pull out instruction, world language, etc…

  19. Committee Membership Facilitator: • Ron Perrault Tootin’ Hills School Principal Committee Membership: • Ana Aguirre Elementary Schools World Language Teacher • Scott Baker Squadron Line School Assistant Principal • Janice Bell Tootin’ Hills School Grade 6 Teacher • George Blick Central School Head Custodian • Edward Boiczyk Tootin’ Hills School Grade 5 Teacher • Caron Carpenter Central School Grade 5 Teacher • Matt Curtis Squadron Line School Principal • Ginny Damseaux Squadron Line School School Psychologist • Eileen Eustis Simsbury High School Assistant Principal • Mary Glendening Henry James World Language Supervisor, 6-8 • Betsy Gunsalus CTC Director of Elementary Curriculum • Beth Hennessy Squadron Line School Literacy Coach • Meg Kraft Latimer Lane School Grade 5 Teacher • Joncia Lytwynec Simsbury Public Schools Director of Instructional Technology • Dennis Marolda Elementary Schools World Language Teacher • Grace Morris Latimer Lane School Principal • Dorothy Norman Simsbury Public Schools Supervisor of Special Education • Steven Petrella Latimer Lane School Grade 6 Teacher • Cynthia Rehm Simsbury High School Art Dept. Supervisor, K-12 • Martha Rouleau Henry James Science • Melanie Swider Latimer Lane/Tootin’ Hills Language Arts Consultant • Susan Zenick Latimer Lane Library Media Specialist Ad Hoc Members: • Diane Ullman Central Office Superintendent of Schools • Erin Murray Central Office Assistant Superintendent of Schools

  20. Appendix • 5th Grade Science/Social Studies Sequences • 5th Grade Sample Schedule • 6th Grade Sample Schedule

  21. 5th Grade Sequence Science Rotation / Social Studies Integration for a Team of 2 [Tariffville, 2 teachers from Squadron Line, Latimer 2 teams]

  22. 5th Grade Sequence Science Rotation / Social Studies Integration for a Team of 3 [Central, 3 teachers from Squadron Line, Tootin’ Hills]

  23. Grade 5 Sample Schedule

  24. Sample 6th Grade Schedule

  25. CEP’s 11 Principles of Character Education Programs • Principle 1 Promotes core ethical values as the basis of good character.  • Principle 2 Defines "character" comprehensively to include thinking, feeling, and behavior. • Principle 3 Uses a comprehensive, intentional, proactive, and effective approach to character development. • Principle 4 Creates a caring school community.  • Principle 5 Provides students with opportunities for moral action. • Principle 6 Includes a meaningful and challenging academic curriculum that respects all learners, develops their character, and helps them to succeed.  • Principle 7 Strives to foster students self motivation.  • Principle 8 Engages the school staff as a learning and moral community that shares responsibility for character education and attempts to adhere to the same core values that guide the education of students. • Principle 9 Fosters shared moral leadership and long range support of the character education initiative. • Principle 10 Engages families and community members as partners in the character-building effort.  • Principle 11 Evaluates the character of the school, the school staff's functioning as character educators, and the extent to which students manifest good character.

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