Grade level meetings October 13, 2011

1. Grade level meetings October 13, 2011 Grade 6

2. Why are we looking at ela data? State Test New curriculum coming ELA needed in all areas Other exams are relying more on reading Growing focus on literacy

3. literacy is the foundation for learning • We are using ELA data to learn about the process of forming/implementing data teams. • First, we looked at trend data to practice writing conclusion statements and ask questions. Why? • Today: • We will examine the ELA gap analysis at each grade level. • Where are the gaps? • If we closed any of these gaps, which one would most benefit my class? • Each grade level will choose one literacy goal. • What strategies can we use to address this gap? (brainstorm ideas for data team) • Mr. Achramovitch posed the question to the staff, as an example: Why did only 29% of special needs students score proficient on the ELA?

4. Data team meeting October 27 • Look at the goal identified at each grade level. • Narrow the focus and choose specific teaching strategies to implement. • Prepare strategies for the next grade level meeting on 11/17. • Next Steps: • 11/17: Staff development on the specific teaching strategies, discussion about how to implement the strategies in classrooms • 11/17-12/8: Teachers implement strategies in the classrooms • 12/8: grade level meetings to share student work, review, revise, repeat

5. Action Plan for achieving SMART Goals

7. Small group discussion • Consider the data from the perspective of your classroom. • What conclusion statements impact your curriculum? • In your group, choose one statement for focus. • Teachers thought more information on the difference between special needs and free/reduced lunch should be explored. • Teachers thought that the data on poetry and literary devices was important. • The gap analysis data for informational text was also a trend that teachers thought was important to explore. • For the gap with informational text, the reasons why this might be an area of concern were identified as: lack of resources, non fiction literature involves more critical analysis, more fictional story reading takes place in elementary, and there aren’t any accommodations for special needs students on state assessments. • We need the grade 3,4,5 data on these students to see what were areas of growth or decline. Are there any patterns or areas that continually to be high or low success rates? • break down the 3, 4, 5 data and the gap analysis presented into SPED and GenEd – are there any trends? • Is one special ed placement (self contained, consultant, of 12:1:1) seen more successful for students • For the gap with critical analysis and evaluation where students need to identify other perspectives (social, cultural, ethnic) it was stated that this is not a very diverse district or area. • It was noted that there was only one area where we had a gap with the region. • The highest gap, use of literary devices, the reason why this might be an area of concern were identified as; not taught enough, we do not have the materials,/resources what other grade levels if any are these being taught in, symbolism is over the average 6th graders ability to understand

8. Large group discussion What is the one conclusion statement that could have the most impact on student achievement? Notes: When teachers looked more closely at their focus statements, lack of resources might be one area that could be addressed. Goal: By the end of the school year _____ % of our students will ________ as measured by___________. Strategies: Mr. Achramovitch thought one goal could be: by introducing and exposing more students to a greater literary rich non fiction environment students will score better on local and state assessments.

9. Concluding thoughts and new business Next meeting on 11/17/11 Strategy Staff Development New Business Notes: Medieval Times was approved.