Notes on the MCCSC School Board work session of February 11, 2014
Present: Jeanine Butler, Martha Street, Keith Klein, Sue Wanzer
Absent: David Sabbagh, Kelly Smith, Lois Sabo Skelton
I scribbled as fast as I could, but couldn't catch it all. Material enclosed in […] reflects my memory of the gist of what was said. For the best record, please go to catstv.net, do a search for "MCCSC," and select the February 11 work session. --Jenny Robinson
I arrived several minutes late. I believe that Peggy Chambers (assistant superintendent) was explaining plans in development for the new teacher evaluation system. These plans, which tie teacher evaluation to standardized test performance, are required by the state and will go into effect when the current contract with teachers ends in August of 2015.
Peggy Chambers: If we plan now, we'll be trained and prepared.
Keith Klein: Is there a feedback system back to the DOE [so that districts already using this system can express what is working and what may not be]?
Peggy Chambers: It's a work in progress. There's a review of the evaluation system [built into the system].
Martha Street: When will our plan be complete?
Peggy Chambers: We want to do it now to pilot it. The rubric is aligned with the Marzano model.
Sue Wanzer: Meaningful evaluation in the workplace is important. The point is, this will reduce some of the subjectivity in evaluation, since evaluation will be tied to data. What kind of feedback are school corporations who are already using this system getting from teachers?
Peggy Chambers: [Per the state], salaries are tied to evaluations. That will be negotiated. The level of certification, like having a master's degree, can't be more than 30% or so. Other districts are starting to work through those things. We're hoping we can learn from their experiences.
Sue Wanzer: I have always worked in situations where part of my salary has depended on performance evaluations. Let us know what we can do to help [smooth this process].
Peggy Chambers: A greater part of the performance will be tied to the teacher performance rubric. This will have an impact on RIF [reductions in force]. What we've had up till now is much different, RIF has been tied to seniority [newest hires get riffed first]. Now we'll be able to look at what we think is best for the good of the corporation.
The committee looking at this has been Jan, Tammy, Jason, Kathleen Hugo, and several teachers. We believe this is something that will help our teachers [improve instruction?].
Dr. DeMuth: We've had time to practice…we're in a better position than the trailblazers.
Martha Street: At what point will this be presented to teaching staff?
Peggy Chambers: [It's still in development.] Last year we put a link up on the web site to let teachers know that a committee was working on this.
Dr. DeMuth: Thanks to Mrs. Chambers.
Next, the new Templeton principal, Mr. Carver, presented on how things are structured at Templeton.
Mr. Carver: [We've got a great school and a great staff.] There's a lot of pride going on. This is my first year [so a lot of the credit has to go to the teaching staff].
First, I'll give you an abbreviated history. Nine or ten years ago, Templeton was a completely multiage school. We still have a multiage K-6 room, and we also have a K-2 that's expanding to a K-3 next year. We do some looping, too [when a class of kids stays with the same teacher as they move to the next grade]. We have a family concept so that the kids especially in the primary years have those nurturing connections.
We continue to focus on how we can meet each individual student's needs. We have a robust RTI [response to intervention] program. It gives us a roadmap. We use the weekly PLC [professional learning community] meetings to decide what resources to put where.
All students get the full curriculum including science and social studies {Mr. Carver stated this after he mentioned Tier 1, but I am pretty sure he meant all students at Templeton, not just all Tier 1 students). Basically there are three tiers. Tier 1 are students who are working and succeeding with the grade level curriculum. With Tier 2 students, who are struggling, we make sure they have small group reading instruction. We are providing extra support in the classroom. These groups are based on ELs (essential learnings) or reading levels. We are working on fluency and comprehension. Also, this allows us to increase enrichment and self study projects [for Tier 1 students]. It's gone really well. Tier 3 students are way behind. These students get one-on-one or two-on-one instruction. This is our pull-out group. Our interventionists work with them all at least fifteen minutes a day. They work exactly at their skill level. We have all hands on deck. I have a group that meets in my office. Also, we are using the special area teachers to do one-on-one instruction in math, science [?], and writing. We also want to make sure we are intervening for the high flyers. We have Templeton Tiger Time. This is thirty minutes a day for math or language arts. We take the Els and do a pre- and post-test every three weeks. Our goal is to have every student at a 3 or a 4 on the EL skills. We are encouraged to see the numbers of 3's going to 4's. Some of our kids are above grade level, but some started two levels behind.
Dr. DeMuth: This is the "Week of Compassion" at Templeton. Each day, they are building in an activity of caring for each other.
Mr. Carver: We want to be a school for everybody. It takes a village, and the Templeton staff believes that concept. We really like the looping that we do in the primary grades. It provides the nurturing relationship and continuity that a lot of our kids need.
Next, the new Clear Creek principal, Ms. Prenkert, presented on how things are structured at Clear Creek and the academic progress there as indicated by rising NWEA scores.
Ms. Prenkert: Thanks for the opportunity to serve as Clear Creek's principal. Eight years ago, there was a multiage program, and it worked well for the children in it, but we have updated [Clear Creek's structure] to be successful for all students.
We are individualizing learning for our students. We have a school-wide reading block [in which students go to a group that is their level, with a classroom teacher. This is not defined by the grade the kids are, but by their level]. It is possible for students to move to different levels, and we see growth. In terms of group size, we push in lots of resources for students who are struggling. We want to find out where are their gaps, where are their holes, and we work to fill in those areas.
Our data from this year shows a lot of progress. We went from 18% of students working above grade level at the beginning of this year, to 33% of students working above grade level before Christmas. At the beginning of the year we had [about 56] students at least a year behind grade level, and that number has dropped dramatically. We're seeing growth on the NWEA test. Our math data is not quite as strong. We've gone from 23 students on intervention plans (meaning, at least a year behind grade level) to 21 students on intervention plans. Our average math NWEA score has risen from 205.1 to 210.6. In math, we've gone from 29% to 33% working above grade level.
We've got many wonderful things happening. We have a partnership with Crane, through which we received $12,000 this year, and a garden project. Fifth [or sixth?] graders received a visit from the Otaak band [which was a great multicultural opportunity].
Board members had questions.
Martha Street: Do you see the multiage program coming back?
Ms. Prenkert: The data for the multiage program was good for the kids in that program. At this point we are not planning to bring it back. We think that there are other opportunities for building community.
Martha Street: How is the "kids moving on" element happening?
Ms. Prenkert: We've used levels of the Indiana academic standards [to divide up the levels]. If kids top out, the teacher can use a level-change form, and we can move them. Moving up a level would mean moving them to a different teacher. We would contact the parents [and make this decision together].
Martha Street: With the lower level students, do they have the same exposure to social studies and science that the higher level students do?
[I believe that Ms. Prenkert said yes, they do.]
Jeanine Butler: If a third grader is above the peer group, does that mean that third grader would move to another class?
Ms. Prenkert: Students have a home room, and it's with that home room that they have science and social studies.
Jeanine Butler: I don't know these acronyms…can you explain what NWEA is and what a RIT score it?
Ms. Prenkert: NWEA is the name of a test we administer all students. It's on the computer and it adjusts to the level of the child. The RIT score is composite score on the NWEA.
Jeanine Butler: How often do kids move up or down?
Ms. Prenkert: We want our placement to be correct to begin with. We try not to move anybody down.
Jeanine Butler: I know from my time as a counselor, sometimes kids come and they are suddenly having more difficulty. Something is going on in their lives. What do you do when a child is having difficulty?
Ms. Prenkert: We would decide as a team, with the parents' input. We'd use caution.
Jeanine Butler: Is what you are doing now something that could be accomplished in multiage classrooms.
Ms. Prenkert: In a sense our groupings are multiage [they are based on level as determined by the test and those levels have multiple ages].
Jeanine Butler: Could the two work together, the multiage program with what you are doing?
Martha Street: Another concern that I am hearing from parents, and something that rings true to my experience as a counselor, is that sometimes children feel themselves to be low achieving and they put themselves down. What are we doing to keep that kind of thing from happening?
Ms. Prenkert: We do have a level that encompasses 4th through 6th graders. We find that some students feel relief about the level, because finally they can understand the material. Of course we don't want any student to put himself or herself down. They feel successful because we're meeting them where they're at.
Jeanine Butler: How do you deal with kids categorizing themselves as dumb? When we were younger, every class had a group of Red Birds and Purple Birds and all the kids figured out real fast how those were ranked.
Ms. Prenkert: We celebrate progress.
Tammy Miller: Kids begin to see that they have autonomy and control over learning. Something miraculous happens. They actually feel empowered. I remember a kid, his demeanor changed. It was not a feeling of suppression.
Ms. Prenkert: I think it's empowering for students.
Martha Street or Jeanine Butler: We've heard about a notebook that charts kids' progress. Are those notebooks still being used?
Ms. Prenkert: We have a learning portfolio. It has samples of work and also tracking sheets. It has a reflection page that goes home every Wednesday, where kids can say, Here's what I can do to master this essential standard. It varies, what students and teachers put in there. It is for communication and reflection and seeing where they are.
Sue Wanzer: So kids get to put stuff in…
Ms. Prenkert: On Wednesday, teachers take time to say, what did we do this week? What evidence or documentation can we provide to show that?
Sue Wanzer: So you've got little kids who know the word, "documentation."
Ms. Prenkert: Yes, a lot of them.
Sue Wanzer: This is a great way for parents to learn what they can do to support their children's learning.
Ms. Prenkert: Well, we don't get them all back signed, [but we're making the effort].
Next, Tammy Miller, our director of elementary education who is currently interim principal at Fairview, presented on Fairview.
Tammy Miller: I'm also going to give you a little history on Fairview. In the spring of 2013, we participated in the IU Turnaround Program due to the F grade that Fairview received. We got one coach from the Kelly School of Business and one from the School of Education. Karen Adams participated as did some teachers and one parent. These were their recommendations for closing the gap [between Fairview students' achievement and grade level achievement]: 1) pacing; 2) more time spent on achieving missing skills; 3) individualized instruction for each student, 4) highly effective teachers.
I was distraught [about the test scores at Fairview. We have 70% reading below grade level.] Recently I heard a reading expert say, "Literacy is the new civil right and if 90% are not reading at grade level, you have a crisis." That resonated with me.
Dr. DeMuth: We were invited to participate in this prestigious program when we got an "F" for the second time. Fairview was one of 23 schools statewide to receive that honor.
Sue Wanzer: Does this reflect the transiency rate? We can't control this by ourselves. I appreciate Dr. DeMuth's sense of urgency, [but we need some help from the community.] The community helped by passing the referendum.
Tammy Miler: Leadership is coming together to say that we have to do something about this. This issue is near and dear to my heart. I have been at the forefront of literacy efforts in this district. The IU turnaround plan was implemented in the spring of 2013, but that plan was not comprehensive. It fell short. In June 2013, Fairview had a change in leadership. When school started in August of 2013, students received reading and math instruction at their individual level, which was new. Students who were behind received instruction to catch up and those who were accelerated got what they needed.
Sue Wanzer: I'm sorry, Tammy, you said that was new? I did not realize that.
Tammy Miller: In November of 2013, a change in leadership again: I arrived on the scene. We used NWEA and AIMSweb to review the data. We know that 71% were below grade level in 2nd grade, and 65% were below grade level in 3rd grade. Other grades had similar percentages.
Dr. DeMuth: This is piece of data and we can have lots of questions about it, but you have to know who is not reading and how to address it.
Tammy Miller: NWEA breaks it down by child and skill. We administered AIMSweb to the kindergarten and first grade classes in December as a temperature check. This is the snapshot. It told us that three fourths of the students are not where they should be. If students are not reading, we have to know what they need.
The IDOE required that we meet with them because Fairview had been declared a priority school due to it being in the lowest category because of the "F" for two consecutive years. Our IDOE contact is Heather Baker. Also, there is legislation in the Senate that would move this all up. The IDOE told us that we must submit an achievement plan on February 1, but we have an extension. This plan is supposed to have 8 principals or requirements:
1) an effective principal with a proven track record as a turnaround leader
2) a school environment that supports the needs of children
3) rigorous and research-based strategies
4) foundational documents, which means test data
5) recruit effective teachers
6) redesign time
7) increase academically focused family and community engagement
Sue Wanzer: I feel like these requirements are lip service.
Tammy Miller: To recap, in December of 2013, we learned that 7 of 10 students were not reading at grade level. Fairview was named a priority school. An achievement plan was due. A reading crisis was permeating the school.
In January we had a plan to improve reading. It included reducing the student-teacher ratio for struggling students, increase their time for reading so that they could get instruction on missing skills. Also I wanted to decrease transitions, [so the plan was that those students would stay with their new teacher almost all day]. The plan was also to accelerate students who were on grade level or above. Artful Learning could be continued for these groups [the at- or above-grade level ones].
A key event is that Heather Baker from the IDOE has visited three times. She and her team are supportive and want us to succeed. We had two evening parent meetings on the 13th and 14th in which we discussed the laws and requirements from the DOE. Artful Learning training for staff is being planned, with a target time of April. We will have had three meetings with parents, on Feb. 6, 10, and 11, with day and evening meetings and different locations. Also, the teachers have met for 6 hours to discuss the achievement plan. There will also be a public hearing on February 26 at 6 p.m. in the Fairview library.
Sue Wanzer: Might there by childcare?
Tammy Miller: [That's a great idea. I'll look into that.]
Keith Klein: After hearing what was said, it would make you want to cry. I hear your passion, I hear your frustration. Let me ask you point blank: Is Artful Learning helping what you're trying to do there, for the kids who need to learn to read?
Tammy Miller: Here's the thing. I think they can be blended. High engagement is important. We even put it in the rubric that we're working on for teacher evaluation. You go back years and years and you talk about kinesthetic learning, auditory learning, spatial learning--an old Gardner term for the artistic piece. We want to provide all those opportunities, but we also want to make sure that the kids learn how to read. What we have to figure out is, can we use Artful Learning in the way that it was intended, for the kids who are at grade level, but perhaps we need to modify how the Artful Learning is delivered, for the kids who are behind. They can't just have 90 minutes of reading per day, for kids who are two years behind, and catch up. We do use engaging methods like Reader's Theater [where the kids practice reading and performing a script with expression]. We have to be cautious in how we put it together so that the kids are learning how to read. The kids who are above grade level, they can fly. They can have all those pieces in place, and be challenged at their level, and have a beautiful experience. With the other kids, we need to get them on grade level and use the Artful Learning strategies to support them.
Keith Klein: You have two different levels of parents too, one with kids who have severe reading challenges and others who may be above grade level. Do those two [sets of] parents understand each other and what you have to do?
Tammy Miller: We're working on that.
Dr. DeMuth: That's a challenge that Tammy and her staff have. If you [saw media coverage of the two evening meetings for parents in January,] you saw that one level was addressed the first night. At one meeting, we talked about those children who were at grade level and above. The next night, we had what one parent termed as "the real Fairview community." I remember vividly…we had one mom who got up and said, "Look, I have three jobs. When I get home, I'm exhausted, I can't read to my son or daughter." And we had another person say, "I don't know how to read. When you say 'grade level,' I don't know what that means. I trust you to teach them what they need to know," and there was a grandmother who took a bus there and was taking a bus home who said, "My grandkids need to read to me, so I rely on you to teach them." Two different worlds, two nights: that's the challenge at Fairview.
Keith Klein: I would recommend that we think of providing bus service in the evening to pick up parents. This is not just a Fairview problem, but it is a community problem. How can we get the community involved in turning this around? I agree with you, Tammy, I think it's eminently doable, but it's not going to be easy, and there's going to be a lot of crying along the way about someone's toes getting stepped on somewhere, because someone's not going to like it. I think we have a lot of people that we're not hearing from, who care dearly about their kids performing way below level. Everyone who's been in education knows that reading is fundamental to everything that follows. I'm frustrated now, because I knew there was a problem at Fairview. We've got to do something immediately.
Tammy Miller: Yes.
Keith Klein: And thank you for what you're doing.
Sue Wanzer: Keith, I appreciate your suggestion about the bus picking up people. I wonder if there's anything we can do so that those parents that Judy described are not afraid of school--maybe that's where the community can help, with tutoring the parents.
Dr. DeMuth: I think it was the most humbling experience that I've ever gone through. Every parent loves their child, and if they don't advocate for their child, no one else will.
Jeanine Butler: Whitney T. was hired, I believe, to be an outreach person. Maybe, Sue, she can do some of those things you're talking about.
Tammy Miller: Whitney is fantastic. It is our responsibility to teach these kids to read. These families have put their trust in us. I absolutely believe it is possible. I know there's a lot we have to deal with, even politically, but the reading part: I know what to do.
Keith Klein: You've done it. You did it at Clear Creek.
Tammy Miller: Whitney and I have talked about something else, too. We want, from the moment that the kids get to Fairview, to have them begin to develop an educational plan with their families, so that they know they can get some higher education. We can start early so that they know that they have a future.
Jeanine Butler: You could piggyback on Habitat for Humanity's efforts. They do something similar.
Sue Wanzer: Tammy, you're to be commended. I know this has been difficult. The plans were wonderful. We missed out on the communication piece. I commend you for wanting to go forward.
Keith Klein: You were the subject of lots of personal criticism, which was totally unfair. This board stands behind you.
Tammy Miller: I take responsibility for acting too quickly.
Jeanine Butler: I would encourage a model that has all kids, including those below grade level, involved in Artful Leaning. At the school we visited, they had classrooms that were not ability grouped. Artful Learning doesn't have to be all day, it can be a unit.
Sue Wanzer: I'm struck by what Keith says about it being a crisis. The need was a long time ago There's an urgency. You're just doing what has to be done.
Dr. DeMuth: Before we move to our next agenda item, I just wanted to note that at the last meeting [where parents gave public comment objecting to the changes at Fairview and the structure at Clear Creek], the children from Clear Creek came home and couldn't understand why their beloved principal was being yelled at. So we're going to see some changes in the agenda because of that. [Note: I'm assuming that she may mean that in future board meetings, student presentations/celebration of success may precede public comment--JR.]
Next came a presentation by Jan Bergeson about possible application of three schools to the International Baccalaureate program.
Jan Bergeson: The IB program is a renowned one, and we have three schools that are interested: Templeton, Childs, and University. We are going to visit Washington Township [where all the schools are IB schools?]. We've already visited an IPS school that is an IB school. There is a price tag, but it seems to be worth it. The challenge is being accepted. It involves training and onsite visits, and IB will constantly hold us accountable. We are excited about this opportunity. We're going to be doing more exploration, but it seems like a tremendous opportunity.
Schools in the IB program would offer foreign language twice a week. It does not designate what foreign language that would be. The program also has a thematic base and involves real-world application of ideas studied.
Dr. DeMuth: We're just at the starting point.
Sue Wanzer: Is there a fee per school or is there one application fee?
Jan Bergeson: The fee is per school. [I asked her about this after the meeting, and she said it is $40,000 to $50,000 per school.--JR]
Dr. DeMuth: I appreciate your patience on the weather. The bottom line is safely. We're having a meeting about early dismissal. We don't like to to that, but it may be necessary. Parents have to be ready, they have to be prepared in their home life.
Next, Peggy Chambers presented on substitute hours and the Affordable Health Care Act.
Peggy Chambers: As you know, the government extended some deadlines for the Affordable Care Act, but for us, it doesn't change much. We want to offer insurance to our employees, but we do not offer it to some groups. One of those groups is our substitutes. We need to avoid penalties. Substitute hours are difficult to track. It would also be difficult for us to get insurance for individual employees [rather than classes of employees].
Most substitute teachers are not working many hours. We have 240 substitutes on the roster.
The ACA requires that 95% of employees that work 30 hours or more be offered insurance. Now we have a year's reprieve and this year the requirement is 70%. But, if we failed to offer health insurance to an eligible worker, we get fined for each employee. It would be a 2.5 million dollar penalty. So we're nervous about substitutes. We're nervous about the tracking piece. The idea of the ACA is that these fines would be used to support people who cannot get insurance through their employers.
I was on the phone right away with our advisor when they issued this delay on implementation, but he recommended not to change anything, to continue as we are.
Sue Wanzer: Can we make substitutes contractors? We have contract bus drivers.
Peggy Chambers: We're putting this in discussion statewide. People [human resource managers of districts?] are considering outsourcing substitutes as a result of the legislation.
Obviously, for long-term substitutes, we want continuity in the classroom.
[Dr. DeMuth clarified that those long-term substitutes fall into the 5% that don't have to be offered insurance--so they should be able to keep working the longer hours. This whole presentation was a much more detailed discussion than what I was able to record here.--JR]
Present: Jeanine Butler, Martha Street, Keith Klein, Sue Wanzer
Absent: David Sabbagh, Kelly Smith, Lois Sabo Skelton
I scribbled as fast as I could, but couldn't catch it all. Material enclosed in […] reflects my memory of the gist of what was said. For the best record, please go to catstv.net, do a search for "MCCSC," and select the February 11 work session. --Jenny Robinson
I arrived several minutes late. I believe that Peggy Chambers (assistant superintendent) was explaining plans in development for the new teacher evaluation system. These plans, which tie teacher evaluation to standardized test performance, are required by the state and will go into effect when the current contract with teachers ends in August of 2015.
Peggy Chambers: If we plan now, we'll be trained and prepared.
Keith Klein: Is there a feedback system back to the DOE [so that districts already using this system can express what is working and what may not be]?
Peggy Chambers: It's a work in progress. There's a review of the evaluation system [built into the system].
Martha Street: When will our plan be complete?
Peggy Chambers: We want to do it now to pilot it. The rubric is aligned with the Marzano model.
Sue Wanzer: Meaningful evaluation in the workplace is important. The point is, this will reduce some of the subjectivity in evaluation, since evaluation will be tied to data. What kind of feedback are school corporations who are already using this system getting from teachers?
Peggy Chambers: [Per the state], salaries are tied to evaluations. That will be negotiated. The level of certification, like having a master's degree, can't be more than 30% or so. Other districts are starting to work through those things. We're hoping we can learn from their experiences.
Sue Wanzer: I have always worked in situations where part of my salary has depended on performance evaluations. Let us know what we can do to help [smooth this process].
Peggy Chambers: A greater part of the performance will be tied to the teacher performance rubric. This will have an impact on RIF [reductions in force]. What we've had up till now is much different, RIF has been tied to seniority [newest hires get riffed first]. Now we'll be able to look at what we think is best for the good of the corporation.
The committee looking at this has been Jan, Tammy, Jason, Kathleen Hugo, and several teachers. We believe this is something that will help our teachers [improve instruction?].
Dr. DeMuth: We've had time to practice…we're in a better position than the trailblazers.
Martha Street: At what point will this be presented to teaching staff?
Peggy Chambers: [It's still in development.] Last year we put a link up on the web site to let teachers know that a committee was working on this.
Dr. DeMuth: Thanks to Mrs. Chambers.
Next, the new Templeton principal, Mr. Carver, presented on how things are structured at Templeton.
Mr. Carver: [We've got a great school and a great staff.] There's a lot of pride going on. This is my first year [so a lot of the credit has to go to the teaching staff].
First, I'll give you an abbreviated history. Nine or ten years ago, Templeton was a completely multiage school. We still have a multiage K-6 room, and we also have a K-2 that's expanding to a K-3 next year. We do some looping, too [when a class of kids stays with the same teacher as they move to the next grade]. We have a family concept so that the kids especially in the primary years have those nurturing connections.
We continue to focus on how we can meet each individual student's needs. We have a robust RTI [response to intervention] program. It gives us a roadmap. We use the weekly PLC [professional learning community] meetings to decide what resources to put where.
All students get the full curriculum including science and social studies {Mr. Carver stated this after he mentioned Tier 1, but I am pretty sure he meant all students at Templeton, not just all Tier 1 students). Basically there are three tiers. Tier 1 are students who are working and succeeding with the grade level curriculum. With Tier 2 students, who are struggling, we make sure they have small group reading instruction. We are providing extra support in the classroom. These groups are based on ELs (essential learnings) or reading levels. We are working on fluency and comprehension. Also, this allows us to increase enrichment and self study projects [for Tier 1 students]. It's gone really well. Tier 3 students are way behind. These students get one-on-one or two-on-one instruction. This is our pull-out group. Our interventionists work with them all at least fifteen minutes a day. They work exactly at their skill level. We have all hands on deck. I have a group that meets in my office. Also, we are using the special area teachers to do one-on-one instruction in math, science [?], and writing. We also want to make sure we are intervening for the high flyers. We have Templeton Tiger Time. This is thirty minutes a day for math or language arts. We take the Els and do a pre- and post-test every three weeks. Our goal is to have every student at a 3 or a 4 on the EL skills. We are encouraged to see the numbers of 3's going to 4's. Some of our kids are above grade level, but some started two levels behind.
Dr. DeMuth: This is the "Week of Compassion" at Templeton. Each day, they are building in an activity of caring for each other.
Mr. Carver: We want to be a school for everybody. It takes a village, and the Templeton staff believes that concept. We really like the looping that we do in the primary grades. It provides the nurturing relationship and continuity that a lot of our kids need.
Next, the new Clear Creek principal, Ms. Prenkert, presented on how things are structured at Clear Creek and the academic progress there as indicated by rising NWEA scores.
Ms. Prenkert: Thanks for the opportunity to serve as Clear Creek's principal. Eight years ago, there was a multiage program, and it worked well for the children in it, but we have updated [Clear Creek's structure] to be successful for all students.
We are individualizing learning for our students. We have a school-wide reading block [in which students go to a group that is their level, with a classroom teacher. This is not defined by the grade the kids are, but by their level]. It is possible for students to move to different levels, and we see growth. In terms of group size, we push in lots of resources for students who are struggling. We want to find out where are their gaps, where are their holes, and we work to fill in those areas.
Our data from this year shows a lot of progress. We went from 18% of students working above grade level at the beginning of this year, to 33% of students working above grade level before Christmas. At the beginning of the year we had [about 56] students at least a year behind grade level, and that number has dropped dramatically. We're seeing growth on the NWEA test. Our math data is not quite as strong. We've gone from 23 students on intervention plans (meaning, at least a year behind grade level) to 21 students on intervention plans. Our average math NWEA score has risen from 205.1 to 210.6. In math, we've gone from 29% to 33% working above grade level.
We've got many wonderful things happening. We have a partnership with Crane, through which we received $12,000 this year, and a garden project. Fifth [or sixth?] graders received a visit from the Otaak band [which was a great multicultural opportunity].
Board members had questions.
Martha Street: Do you see the multiage program coming back?
Ms. Prenkert: The data for the multiage program was good for the kids in that program. At this point we are not planning to bring it back. We think that there are other opportunities for building community.
Martha Street: How is the "kids moving on" element happening?
Ms. Prenkert: We've used levels of the Indiana academic standards [to divide up the levels]. If kids top out, the teacher can use a level-change form, and we can move them. Moving up a level would mean moving them to a different teacher. We would contact the parents [and make this decision together].
Martha Street: With the lower level students, do they have the same exposure to social studies and science that the higher level students do?
[I believe that Ms. Prenkert said yes, they do.]
Jeanine Butler: If a third grader is above the peer group, does that mean that third grader would move to another class?
Ms. Prenkert: Students have a home room, and it's with that home room that they have science and social studies.
Jeanine Butler: I don't know these acronyms…can you explain what NWEA is and what a RIT score it?
Ms. Prenkert: NWEA is the name of a test we administer all students. It's on the computer and it adjusts to the level of the child. The RIT score is composite score on the NWEA.
Jeanine Butler: How often do kids move up or down?
Ms. Prenkert: We want our placement to be correct to begin with. We try not to move anybody down.
Jeanine Butler: I know from my time as a counselor, sometimes kids come and they are suddenly having more difficulty. Something is going on in their lives. What do you do when a child is having difficulty?
Ms. Prenkert: We would decide as a team, with the parents' input. We'd use caution.
Jeanine Butler: Is what you are doing now something that could be accomplished in multiage classrooms.
Ms. Prenkert: In a sense our groupings are multiage [they are based on level as determined by the test and those levels have multiple ages].
Jeanine Butler: Could the two work together, the multiage program with what you are doing?
Martha Street: Another concern that I am hearing from parents, and something that rings true to my experience as a counselor, is that sometimes children feel themselves to be low achieving and they put themselves down. What are we doing to keep that kind of thing from happening?
Ms. Prenkert: We do have a level that encompasses 4th through 6th graders. We find that some students feel relief about the level, because finally they can understand the material. Of course we don't want any student to put himself or herself down. They feel successful because we're meeting them where they're at.
Jeanine Butler: How do you deal with kids categorizing themselves as dumb? When we were younger, every class had a group of Red Birds and Purple Birds and all the kids figured out real fast how those were ranked.
Ms. Prenkert: We celebrate progress.
Tammy Miller: Kids begin to see that they have autonomy and control over learning. Something miraculous happens. They actually feel empowered. I remember a kid, his demeanor changed. It was not a feeling of suppression.
Ms. Prenkert: I think it's empowering for students.
Martha Street or Jeanine Butler: We've heard about a notebook that charts kids' progress. Are those notebooks still being used?
Ms. Prenkert: We have a learning portfolio. It has samples of work and also tracking sheets. It has a reflection page that goes home every Wednesday, where kids can say, Here's what I can do to master this essential standard. It varies, what students and teachers put in there. It is for communication and reflection and seeing where they are.
Sue Wanzer: So kids get to put stuff in…
Ms. Prenkert: On Wednesday, teachers take time to say, what did we do this week? What evidence or documentation can we provide to show that?
Sue Wanzer: So you've got little kids who know the word, "documentation."
Ms. Prenkert: Yes, a lot of them.
Sue Wanzer: This is a great way for parents to learn what they can do to support their children's learning.
Ms. Prenkert: Well, we don't get them all back signed, [but we're making the effort].
Next, Tammy Miller, our director of elementary education who is currently interim principal at Fairview, presented on Fairview.
Tammy Miller: I'm also going to give you a little history on Fairview. In the spring of 2013, we participated in the IU Turnaround Program due to the F grade that Fairview received. We got one coach from the Kelly School of Business and one from the School of Education. Karen Adams participated as did some teachers and one parent. These were their recommendations for closing the gap [between Fairview students' achievement and grade level achievement]: 1) pacing; 2) more time spent on achieving missing skills; 3) individualized instruction for each student, 4) highly effective teachers.
I was distraught [about the test scores at Fairview. We have 70% reading below grade level.] Recently I heard a reading expert say, "Literacy is the new civil right and if 90% are not reading at grade level, you have a crisis." That resonated with me.
Dr. DeMuth: We were invited to participate in this prestigious program when we got an "F" for the second time. Fairview was one of 23 schools statewide to receive that honor.
Sue Wanzer: Does this reflect the transiency rate? We can't control this by ourselves. I appreciate Dr. DeMuth's sense of urgency, [but we need some help from the community.] The community helped by passing the referendum.
Tammy Miler: Leadership is coming together to say that we have to do something about this. This issue is near and dear to my heart. I have been at the forefront of literacy efforts in this district. The IU turnaround plan was implemented in the spring of 2013, but that plan was not comprehensive. It fell short. In June 2013, Fairview had a change in leadership. When school started in August of 2013, students received reading and math instruction at their individual level, which was new. Students who were behind received instruction to catch up and those who were accelerated got what they needed.
Sue Wanzer: I'm sorry, Tammy, you said that was new? I did not realize that.
Tammy Miller: In November of 2013, a change in leadership again: I arrived on the scene. We used NWEA and AIMSweb to review the data. We know that 71% were below grade level in 2nd grade, and 65% were below grade level in 3rd grade. Other grades had similar percentages.
Dr. DeMuth: This is piece of data and we can have lots of questions about it, but you have to know who is not reading and how to address it.
Tammy Miller: NWEA breaks it down by child and skill. We administered AIMSweb to the kindergarten and first grade classes in December as a temperature check. This is the snapshot. It told us that three fourths of the students are not where they should be. If students are not reading, we have to know what they need.
The IDOE required that we meet with them because Fairview had been declared a priority school due to it being in the lowest category because of the "F" for two consecutive years. Our IDOE contact is Heather Baker. Also, there is legislation in the Senate that would move this all up. The IDOE told us that we must submit an achievement plan on February 1, but we have an extension. This plan is supposed to have 8 principals or requirements:
1) an effective principal with a proven track record as a turnaround leader
2) a school environment that supports the needs of children
3) rigorous and research-based strategies
4) foundational documents, which means test data
5) recruit effective teachers
6) redesign time
7) increase academically focused family and community engagement
Sue Wanzer: I feel like these requirements are lip service.
Tammy Miller: To recap, in December of 2013, we learned that 7 of 10 students were not reading at grade level. Fairview was named a priority school. An achievement plan was due. A reading crisis was permeating the school.
In January we had a plan to improve reading. It included reducing the student-teacher ratio for struggling students, increase their time for reading so that they could get instruction on missing skills. Also I wanted to decrease transitions, [so the plan was that those students would stay with their new teacher almost all day]. The plan was also to accelerate students who were on grade level or above. Artful Learning could be continued for these groups [the at- or above-grade level ones].
A key event is that Heather Baker from the IDOE has visited three times. She and her team are supportive and want us to succeed. We had two evening parent meetings on the 13th and 14th in which we discussed the laws and requirements from the DOE. Artful Learning training for staff is being planned, with a target time of April. We will have had three meetings with parents, on Feb. 6, 10, and 11, with day and evening meetings and different locations. Also, the teachers have met for 6 hours to discuss the achievement plan. There will also be a public hearing on February 26 at 6 p.m. in the Fairview library.
Sue Wanzer: Might there by childcare?
Tammy Miller: [That's a great idea. I'll look into that.]
Keith Klein: After hearing what was said, it would make you want to cry. I hear your passion, I hear your frustration. Let me ask you point blank: Is Artful Learning helping what you're trying to do there, for the kids who need to learn to read?
Tammy Miller: Here's the thing. I think they can be blended. High engagement is important. We even put it in the rubric that we're working on for teacher evaluation. You go back years and years and you talk about kinesthetic learning, auditory learning, spatial learning--an old Gardner term for the artistic piece. We want to provide all those opportunities, but we also want to make sure that the kids learn how to read. What we have to figure out is, can we use Artful Learning in the way that it was intended, for the kids who are at grade level, but perhaps we need to modify how the Artful Learning is delivered, for the kids who are behind. They can't just have 90 minutes of reading per day, for kids who are two years behind, and catch up. We do use engaging methods like Reader's Theater [where the kids practice reading and performing a script with expression]. We have to be cautious in how we put it together so that the kids are learning how to read. The kids who are above grade level, they can fly. They can have all those pieces in place, and be challenged at their level, and have a beautiful experience. With the other kids, we need to get them on grade level and use the Artful Learning strategies to support them.
Keith Klein: You have two different levels of parents too, one with kids who have severe reading challenges and others who may be above grade level. Do those two [sets of] parents understand each other and what you have to do?
Tammy Miller: We're working on that.
Dr. DeMuth: That's a challenge that Tammy and her staff have. If you [saw media coverage of the two evening meetings for parents in January,] you saw that one level was addressed the first night. At one meeting, we talked about those children who were at grade level and above. The next night, we had what one parent termed as "the real Fairview community." I remember vividly…we had one mom who got up and said, "Look, I have three jobs. When I get home, I'm exhausted, I can't read to my son or daughter." And we had another person say, "I don't know how to read. When you say 'grade level,' I don't know what that means. I trust you to teach them what they need to know," and there was a grandmother who took a bus there and was taking a bus home who said, "My grandkids need to read to me, so I rely on you to teach them." Two different worlds, two nights: that's the challenge at Fairview.
Keith Klein: I would recommend that we think of providing bus service in the evening to pick up parents. This is not just a Fairview problem, but it is a community problem. How can we get the community involved in turning this around? I agree with you, Tammy, I think it's eminently doable, but it's not going to be easy, and there's going to be a lot of crying along the way about someone's toes getting stepped on somewhere, because someone's not going to like it. I think we have a lot of people that we're not hearing from, who care dearly about their kids performing way below level. Everyone who's been in education knows that reading is fundamental to everything that follows. I'm frustrated now, because I knew there was a problem at Fairview. We've got to do something immediately.
Tammy Miller: Yes.
Keith Klein: And thank you for what you're doing.
Sue Wanzer: Keith, I appreciate your suggestion about the bus picking up people. I wonder if there's anything we can do so that those parents that Judy described are not afraid of school--maybe that's where the community can help, with tutoring the parents.
Dr. DeMuth: I think it was the most humbling experience that I've ever gone through. Every parent loves their child, and if they don't advocate for their child, no one else will.
Jeanine Butler: Whitney T. was hired, I believe, to be an outreach person. Maybe, Sue, she can do some of those things you're talking about.
Tammy Miller: Whitney is fantastic. It is our responsibility to teach these kids to read. These families have put their trust in us. I absolutely believe it is possible. I know there's a lot we have to deal with, even politically, but the reading part: I know what to do.
Keith Klein: You've done it. You did it at Clear Creek.
Tammy Miller: Whitney and I have talked about something else, too. We want, from the moment that the kids get to Fairview, to have them begin to develop an educational plan with their families, so that they know they can get some higher education. We can start early so that they know that they have a future.
Jeanine Butler: You could piggyback on Habitat for Humanity's efforts. They do something similar.
Sue Wanzer: Tammy, you're to be commended. I know this has been difficult. The plans were wonderful. We missed out on the communication piece. I commend you for wanting to go forward.
Keith Klein: You were the subject of lots of personal criticism, which was totally unfair. This board stands behind you.
Tammy Miller: I take responsibility for acting too quickly.
Jeanine Butler: I would encourage a model that has all kids, including those below grade level, involved in Artful Leaning. At the school we visited, they had classrooms that were not ability grouped. Artful Learning doesn't have to be all day, it can be a unit.
Sue Wanzer: I'm struck by what Keith says about it being a crisis. The need was a long time ago There's an urgency. You're just doing what has to be done.
Dr. DeMuth: Before we move to our next agenda item, I just wanted to note that at the last meeting [where parents gave public comment objecting to the changes at Fairview and the structure at Clear Creek], the children from Clear Creek came home and couldn't understand why their beloved principal was being yelled at. So we're going to see some changes in the agenda because of that. [Note: I'm assuming that she may mean that in future board meetings, student presentations/celebration of success may precede public comment--JR.]
Next came a presentation by Jan Bergeson about possible application of three schools to the International Baccalaureate program.
Jan Bergeson: The IB program is a renowned one, and we have three schools that are interested: Templeton, Childs, and University. We are going to visit Washington Township [where all the schools are IB schools?]. We've already visited an IPS school that is an IB school. There is a price tag, but it seems to be worth it. The challenge is being accepted. It involves training and onsite visits, and IB will constantly hold us accountable. We are excited about this opportunity. We're going to be doing more exploration, but it seems like a tremendous opportunity.
Schools in the IB program would offer foreign language twice a week. It does not designate what foreign language that would be. The program also has a thematic base and involves real-world application of ideas studied.
Dr. DeMuth: We're just at the starting point.
Sue Wanzer: Is there a fee per school or is there one application fee?
Jan Bergeson: The fee is per school. [I asked her about this after the meeting, and she said it is $40,000 to $50,000 per school.--JR]
Dr. DeMuth: I appreciate your patience on the weather. The bottom line is safely. We're having a meeting about early dismissal. We don't like to to that, but it may be necessary. Parents have to be ready, they have to be prepared in their home life.
Next, Peggy Chambers presented on substitute hours and the Affordable Health Care Act.
Peggy Chambers: As you know, the government extended some deadlines for the Affordable Care Act, but for us, it doesn't change much. We want to offer insurance to our employees, but we do not offer it to some groups. One of those groups is our substitutes. We need to avoid penalties. Substitute hours are difficult to track. It would also be difficult for us to get insurance for individual employees [rather than classes of employees].
Most substitute teachers are not working many hours. We have 240 substitutes on the roster.
The ACA requires that 95% of employees that work 30 hours or more be offered insurance. Now we have a year's reprieve and this year the requirement is 70%. But, if we failed to offer health insurance to an eligible worker, we get fined for each employee. It would be a 2.5 million dollar penalty. So we're nervous about substitutes. We're nervous about the tracking piece. The idea of the ACA is that these fines would be used to support people who cannot get insurance through their employers.
I was on the phone right away with our advisor when they issued this delay on implementation, but he recommended not to change anything, to continue as we are.
Sue Wanzer: Can we make substitutes contractors? We have contract bus drivers.
Peggy Chambers: We're putting this in discussion statewide. People [human resource managers of districts?] are considering outsourcing substitutes as a result of the legislation.
Obviously, for long-term substitutes, we want continuity in the classroom.
[Dr. DeMuth clarified that those long-term substitutes fall into the 5% that don't have to be offered insurance--so they should be able to keep working the longer hours. This whole presentation was a much more detailed discussion than what I was able to record here.--JR]