F R O M T H E D E S K O F C A T H E R I N E B E R R Y A N D T H E C U R R I C U L U M T E A M :

L Y N E T T E G R A V E S , K I M J O H N S O N , S H A R O N J O H N S O N , B R O O K E M O S E R , A M Y W A L K E R , A N D N A N Y O R K

May 2015 Newsletter-Curriculum Updates

A Culture of Learning Summary of Best Practices Observed During the RCSS Instructional Rounds

The curriculum division visited all 31 of our schools during the 2014 2015 school year with the primary goal of creating an educational culture to support professional growth and collaboration. The interdisciplinary teams were also working to determine what strong instructional practices were consistently observed in classrooms throughout the district and what areas needed additional support or resources. Principals were also asked to identify, based on their own schools data, the area of focus (problem of practice) for their own school prior to the visit. Having an area of focus helped the teams narrow their attention throughout the day at each school. Many best practices were observed throughout the K-12 schools in our district.

After visiting all of our schools, the curriculum team members have identified several strong K 12 instructional practices that are consistent across the district:

Evidence of collaborative instructional planning among grade level and/or content teachers Students participating in academic conversations with the teacher and each other

Opportunities for student collaboration through the use of various groupings/settings Good management and use of instructional time - including agendas, bell-ringers, early finishers, and smooth

transitions Well-planned lessons and activities

Well-maintained, safe and clean learning environments Walls that teach (Academic Vocabulary/Word Walls, Anchor Charts, Display of Student Work)

The team members have also identified instructional practices that are areas of need throughout the district. These prac-tices should become our priorities in the school system and in each school over the course of the next school year:

Evidence of data analysis and progress monitoring teachers using data from common assessments and forma-tive assessments for daily instructional decisions and students tracking their own data and developing their own goals. This evidence can be documented through MTSS minutes, data team minutes, data walls, data notebooks, lesson plans, etc

Differentiated learning opportunities that address the strengths and needs of individual learners in all classrooms. This can be through personalized learning, small group instruction, collaborative groupings, scaffolded lessons, etc

Student engagement in challenging problem based learning activities and academic conversations. Students leading discussions and citing text as evidence to support their own ideas. Technology being utilized by students to research and create.

As we move forward into the 2015- 2016 school year, the curriculum team will continue the instructional rounds process. The goal will be to conduct unannounced visits at all schools during first semester and conduct abbreviated visits during second semester. Principals will be given the dates, but we do not want the staff members to know when the teams will visit each school. The teams do not want to disrupt the instructional day at the schools and want the day to be as normal as possible. Instructional rounds are valuable learning experiences for those involved and it is strongly recommended that principals also conduct instructional rounds within their own schools through peer observations and classroom walkthroughs. Vertical instructional rounds within a quadrant and horizontal instructional rounds between grade levels will be an expected professional practice as a way for principals to connect with each other and grow as instructional leaders. If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself. (Henry Ford)

We have great teaching and learning happening across our district! Working together toward these instructional priorities will move Randolph County School System from Good to Great!

Thank you!

We appreciate your hard work!

Examples of

Best

Practices

Observed

2014-2015

Spring Testing Dates

May 19-June 9 End-of-Grade Math, Reading, Science, and Middle School North Carolina Final Exams (NCFE's) Extend I window opens for Grades 3-8, and Grade 10 May 27-June 9 End-of-Course Biology, English II, Math I, and High School North Carolina Final Exams (NCFE's)

Keep the focus on creating a calm environment for students and staff

Summary of Best Practices for Technology

Best practices for technology are summed up in the article, What is Successful Technology Integration? "Successful technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is:

Routine and transparent Accessible and readily available for the task at hand Supporting the curricular goals, and helping the students to effectively reach their goals

When technology integration is at its best, a child or a teacher doesn't stop to think that he or she is using a technology tool it is second nature. And students are often more actively engaged in projects when technology tools are a seamless part of the learning process." http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-description The video, SAMR in 120 seconds, provides a quick introduction to the SAMR Model. SAMR is a model designed to help educators in-fuse technology into teaching and learning. Developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and ena-bles teachers to design, develop, and infuse digital learning experi-ences that utilize technology. The goal is to transform learning ex-periences so they result in higher levels of achievement for stu-dents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us0w823KY0g

Image 2012, by Dr. Ruben Puentudura

SAVE THE DATE March 13-16, 2016

Randolph County School System AdvancED Accreditation Review

THE MORE WAYS WE TEACH, THE MORE STUDENTS WE REACH

Flexible grouping based on results of common formative assessments. (Who already knows

it and/or can do it?)

Learning centers yes- even in middle and high school!

Whole group, small group, facilitating, workshops, acting, singing, moving, drawing, reading,

writing, calculating, etc...

Student choices in the types of assignments they complete.

Keeping data on skill mastery and re-teaching those who need it, while challenging those

who do not.

Different types of delivery, processing, student output, and grading.

Students receive feedback on a regular basis (systematic approaches).

Cooperative learning.

ALL STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO DO SAME ACTIVITIES BECAUSE ALL STUDENTS ARE

NEITHER ON THE SAME LEVEL, NOR DO THEY HAVE THE SAME LEARNING STYLE

NO STUDENT SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO MORE OR FEWER ACTIVITIES. INSTEAD, REQUIRE DIFFER-

ENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING SO THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN WORK AT THEIR OWN ABILITY LEVEL

PROVIDE LEVELED AND ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY CHOICES THAT STRUGGLING STUDENTS CAN COMPLETE

INDEPENDENTLY

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Updates

* NC Textbook Commission - The NC Textbook Commission met Wednesday and Thursday, April 15-16, at the Hilton Durham near Duke University, Durham. Wednesdays meeting was held from 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. Committee members deliberated on submitted items and then developed a list of recommended instructional materials to be presented to the State Board of Education for adoption. Thursdays meeting was held from 8 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Members con-sidered publishers requests for materials not originally recommended for consideration.

* What the Best North Carolina Teachers Do: A Video Series - Want insight into the strategies and techniques that award-winning North Carolina teachers use in their classrooms? The video series, What the Best North Carolina Teachers Do, provides you with these insights, straight from the teachers themselves! District, regional and state Teachers of the Year were asked about what makes them successful and their students soar. Among the topics ad-dressed in the series are:

- differentiation; - classroom organization; - hooking reluctant learners; and - advice for new teachers and much more!

To find out more about the project and view the interviews, just participate in the mini-module through Home Base or visit the project website at http://rt3nc.org/ncvideo. If you are interested in sharing your best practices, please contact Educator Effectiveness Web Manager Andrew Horne at andrew.horne@dpi.nc.gov.

* Global Educator Digital Badge for Teachers Archived Webinars - The principal and teacher archived webinars pre-sented in January on the Global Educator Digital Badge for Teachers are now posted. You can access the webinars along with the Implementation Guide and FAQS on the process at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/globaled/actions/item1-2.

* Global Ready Schools Designation Application Now Available - The State Board of Education approved the Global-Ready Schools Designation Rubric at its January meeting. This designation fulfills one of the action items from the SBE Task Force on Global Education Final Report, and provides the measure for the SBE strategic plan objective to track the number of schools designated as global ready. The spring 2015 application and a presentation on the application process for schools wanting to attain this designation are posted. For a copy of the Global Ready Schools Designation Rubric, the application and the presentation, please visit www.ncpublicschools.org/globaled/actions/item4-2.

* New Resource for Parents on 21st Century Learning and Citizenship - P21 has created a free digital toolkit to help parents support their learners in becom-ing 21st century leaders and citizens. The three-part toolkit was developed with National PTA as a family engagement advisor, and provides an overview of 21st century learning and how citizenship has changed in a digitally and globally connected world, tips and strate-gies for families, and real world examples of 21st cen-tury learning in action. Find out more at www.P21.org/Parents.

AdvancED Accreditation Process Continuous School Improvement

The Randolph County School System will engage in a district internal and external Advanced Education review for the 2015-2016 school year. The last review was conducted in the Spring of 2011.

ABOUT ADVANCED AND NCA CASI/SACS CASI Background. Dedicated to advancing excellence in education worldwide, AdvancED provides accreditation, research, and professional services to 27,000 schools in 65 countries. AdvancED provides accreditation under the seals of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).

The Accreditation Process. To earn and maintain accreditation, schools must:

1) Meet the AdvancED Standards for Quality Schools. Schools demonstrate adherence to the five AdvancED standards which describe the quality practices and conditions that research and best practice indicate are necessary for schools to achieve quality student performance and organizational effectiveness.

2) Engage in continuous improvement. Schools implement continuous improvement focused on improving student performance and school effectiveness.

3) Demonstrate quality assurance through internal and external review. Schools engage in a planned process of ongoing internal review and self-assessment. In addition, schools host an external Quality Assurance Review team once every five years. The team evaluates the schools adherence to the AdvancED quali-ty standards, assesses the efficacy of the schools improvement process and methods for quality assurance, and provides commendations and recommendations to help the school improve. The school acts on the teams recommendations and submits an Accreditation Progress Report at prescribed intervals following the Quality Assurance Review.

The AdvancED accreditation process engages the entire school community in a continuous process of self-evaluation and improvement. The overall aim is to help schools be the best they can be on behalf of the students they serve.

AdvancED Standards for Quality School Systems

Standard 1: Purpose and Direction The system maintains and communicates at all levels of the organization a purpose and direction for continuous improve-ment that commit to high expectations for learning as well as shared values and beliefs about teaching and learning.

Standard 2: Governance and Leadership The system operates under governance and leadership that promote and support student performance and system effec-tiveness.

Standard 3: Teaching and Assessing for Learning The systems curriculum, instructional design, and assessment practices guide and ensure teacher effectiveness and stu-dent learning across all grades and courses.

Standard 4: Resources and Support Systems The system has resources and provides services in all schools that support its purpose and direction to ensure success for all students.

Standard 5: Using Results for Continuous Improvement The system implements a comprehensive assessment system that generates a range of data about student learning and system effectiveness and uses the results to guide continuous improvement.

http://www.advanc-ed.org

The External Review is scheduled for March 13-16, 2016.