School District Preparing for Opening Day

From administrative retreats to professional development and new programs for the students, the Lacey Township School District is preparing full force for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 6.

Lacey Patch sat down with Superintendent Dr. Sandra Brower recently for an update on

Professional development

The district’s administrative team will spend four full days engaging in professional development and preparing to open its doors, Brower said.

The administration is working on its leadership skills, decision making and teaming, Brower said. 

“We focused a lot on the student first philosophy,” Brower said. The district administration analyzed what that philosophy actually means as it varies from those students who are considering dropping out of school and those who need a greater challenge.

A committee is being developed to establish a new teacher evaluation model, as required by the state. Teachers and administration are serving on that committee to identify which model the district will move forward on as well as setting benchmarks and a time-line for the progression of implementation.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Vanessa Clark said.

The committee isn’t entirely established yet but will consist of teachers from each school level, central office administrators who will oversee the evaluation process, school administrators conducting evaluations, Brower, the special education administrator, a parent and a member of the school board.

The committee will meet in September, Clark said. Under the state, the district must adopt a research-based framework and rubric including four levels of performance by January 2013. By August 2013, the district will have to refine the framework and rubric for the new school year.

“This school year will be the pilot year,” Clark said, although a decision has not been made on when the pilot will begin.

“It would be a shame not to start that as soon as possible,” she said. Once piloted, all staff will be trained. “We have quite a bit of work ahead of us. I do believe we’re on the right track.”

Although the new model doesn’t have to be in place until the 2013-14 school year, the school district is currently considering the Charlotte Danielson’s Evolution for Effective Evaluation. In this model, administrators and teachers know their expectations and develop a variety of approaches for a more student-centered classroom.

Also, for the upcoming school year, new teacher orientation has been extended to two days. Administration volunteers their time to assist, Brower said. Topics of discussion include classroom management, parent communication, expectations, setting up the classroom and technology.  Topics that aren’t discussed will be brought up during monthly meetings.

This year, new teachers will be paired up with more experienced teachers who will act as mentors. There are 31 new teachers. 

Curriculum mapping

Brower calls the district’s curriculum mapping “exciting.”

“Curriculum mapping is a calendar-based method of organizing and planning what is happening in our classes at specific points during the school year,” she said. “It is a very collaborative process – requiring professional development, time and dedication from our teachers.”

Approximately 62 teachers spent the summer working on aligning the kindergarten through grade 12 curriculum to the common core, she said. This is a process that could take several years.

But the process begins with the end in mind, she said. The committee looks at the objectives of what they want the students to learn as well as transfer goals and more.

“Students and teachers can get to the big idea,” she said.

The team working on the curriculum mapping is called the Atlas Core Team, since the district is using Rubicon Atlas, a web-based curriculum management tool, Clark said. It consists of representation of every grade level, supervisors and more.

The district is utilizing Understanding by Design, an educational planning tool that focuses on teaching for understanding. Currently Language Arts and Math are the focus so the district will be aligned with the state’s common core standards.

“This year, our goal is to increase the transparency of what is happening in our classrooms. We will be developing our website to allow all district stakeholders on-demand access to our language arts and math curriculum maps,” Brower said.

Once the curriculum mapping is completed, parents and students will have the ability to go online and view and follow the curriculum. The district will host evenings where parents can learn about the curriculum mapping, Rubicon and how to navigate the webpage, Clark said.

The information online will provide parents with an overview of course content and focus, Brower said. The maps will include enduring understandings, essential questions, content, standards and skills.

“It’s a work in progress,” Clark said. “There will be a learning curve for staff and parents. I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.”

Once Language Arts and Math is completed, the district will move on to other subjects, Clark said.

Other updates:

• The Director of Athletics is working on athletic programs that will avoid conflicts for students.
• On Aug. 7, Lt. Scott Tirella and Captain David Paprota met with administration to discuss safe schools and crisis management. The district discussed protocols, communications, scenarios and the memorandum of agreement.
• The special education program has moved from Deerhead Lake back to the high school. This program teaches the students job embedded skills and training. Story to follow in the upcoming months.
• Much physical work was done on the schools, including the new bleachers in the high school and upgraded lighting in Mill Pond.
• An adjustment was made to the high school schedule regarding homeroom. The district is considering block scheduling for the 2013-14 school year.
• The district is starting to implement Brower’s initiative to encourage students to be involved in four activities. Data as well as counselors will be utilized to identify individual interests.
• The kindergarten pilot program is well under way after a lottery was drawn. Although Brower expects “growing pains,” she said early childhood education naturally addresses many parents concerns about any educational gap.