M e s s a g e f r o m H e i d i . . .

Dear Parents/Guardians,

While summer did fly by, I am so excited to start the 2014-2015 school year. I am looking forward to a successful year. It is going to be another great year of accomplishing wonder-ful things for our students. Every year we strive to be better than the last ensuring that we are offering and delivering an exemplary education for all of our students.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I am blessed to serve the LOCS district and community.

Please be sure to take a few moments to read this newsletter for all of the latest happenings and updates in the Teaching and Learning Department.

Wishing you and your students a successful 2014-2015 school year.

S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 4

Teaching and Learning Parent Newsletter

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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14/15 MI Statewide Assessments

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Math 3

CIA—T&L 4

Book Drive 4

Standards Based Grading

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School Score Card 6

attachments

1. Standards Based Grading

Heidi Mercer Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

BUSY SUMMERBUSY SUMMER

The summer months in the district remained busy. There were several summer school programs and classes held for students. In addition, we continued to offer and provide teacher training and professional development on various top-ics. We had a great turn out from both students and staff regarding these op-portunities. Based on our continued success and interest, we will continue to expand and enhance our summer offerings in the future.

Teaching and Learning

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There have been a lot of discussions between legislators and the Michigan De-partment of Education regarding state testing. Please see the update from the

State, below, regarding testing for more detailed information including the testing window for Spring.

Regardless of the state test, Lake Orion will continue to focus on teaching the standards. We are not preparing students to take a test rather we are teaching students to think critically, problem solve, communicate and apply their knowledge. These skills will prepare students for

any test they will need to take. We must prepare our stu-dents for the world of today and the future. I am confi-dent that Lake Orion is doing just that as evidenced by our continued gains in student achievement.

Common Math Prac ces K‐12 

Currently, public schools in the state of Michigan are implemen ng the Common Core State Standards for Mathema cs.  These standards determine “what we teach” at each grade level, and also incorporate a set of “prac ces” that outline the processes of problem solving and proficiency.  The Standards for Mathema cal Prac ce describe ways in which our students should increase their engagement and curiosity toward math as they grow throughout elementary, middle and high school years. 

There are 8 Standards for Mathema cal Prac ces. Last year in each newsle er a mathema cal prac ce was highlighted.  We are con nuing this year.  We are on part three of  eight. 

  Construct viable arguments and cri que the meaning of others. 3 Highlighted Classroom

First graders at Pine Tree Elementary began working with analog clocks in order to tell  me to the hour and the half hour.  Ms. Giberson was working on telling  me to the half hour and the students no ced that every  me the minute hand was poin ng at the 6 (half past the hour) the hour hand was between two numbers on the clock.  This lead to a discussion on which of the two numbers would tell you the correct hour.  While most kids come to the conclusion it would be the smaller number, when the  me is 12:30, this statement does not hold true.

   

Ms. Giberson gave her students the problem above and asked them to analyze the thinking and if it was incorrect, explain why the reasoning was flawed.  They did an amaz‐ing job cri quing the reasoning that this is a special case when it’s not the smaller number! 

 

 

Ms. Cami Giberson (1st Grade) 

Pine Tree Elemntary 

Home Connec on

Helping my child construct viable arguments and critique the meaning of others… Elementary: Have your child sort objects and ask them why they sorted them in that way. Now you sort the ob-jects in a different way and ask your child to explain how you sorted the objects. How are they the same, how are they different? Middle Level: Pose multiple solutions to a common prob-lem and ask your child to critique each solution and con-struct a viable argument for the best solution. High School: Discuss a controversial topic with your child and others (ex. Students should wear uniforms). Have them discuss their stance with reasoning and logic. "We all have an enormous responsibility to bring to the atten-tion of others information they do not have, which has the po-tential of causing them to rethink long-held ideas.” - Howard Zinn, American historian, author, and activist, "Changing Minds, One at a Time,” Mar. 2005 (1922-2010) 

Related Sources Common Core State Standards for Mathema cal Prac ces: h p://www.corestandards.org/Math/Prac ce 

Teaching Cri cal Thinking: An evidence‐based guide h p://www.paren ngscience.com/teaching‐cri cal‐thinking.html 

S E P T E M B E R , 2 0 1 4

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What does it mean? 

Explainsthinkingandtriestounderstandadiffer‐ entway.  Usesde initionsandpreviouslyestablishedcauses/ effects results inconstructingarguments  Makesconjecturesandattemptstoproveordisprove throughexamplesandcounterexamples  Communicatesanddefendstheirmathematicalreasoning usingobjects,drawings,diagrams,actions  Listensorreadstheargumentsofothers 

Decideiftheargumentsofothersmakesense 

Askusefulquestionstoclarifyorimprovethearguments 

Teaching and Learning P a g e 4 P a g e 4 P a g e 4

NEW NAME

The Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Department has a new name: Teaching and Learning

This new name encompasses more of the services and responsibilities of the department. It is shorter, too!!!

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For the last three years the district has been working to implement The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in all buildings. This school year Blanche Sims, Carpenter and Webber will implement Olweus, which will result in all buildings having the Ol-weus Program.

LOCS, being committed to keeping children and young adults safe, be-gan this program in the 2010/2011 school year.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

Implementation is on the district level, as well as building, class-room, individual students and community.

The program has been very well received with staff and students embracing and supporting it, making it a success district wide.

All LO schools will be collecting used books from November 7th-25th. Books for all ages will be collected. Boxes of books may be dropped off at any Lake Orion school during regular school hours or during parent teacher conferences (if the dates coincide). Books will be sorted and teachers will “shop” for books for students in their classrooms. Books that go un-adopted will be donated to

charity. It’s a great time to clean those bookshelves!

LOCS to Host 5th Annual Book Drive

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STANDARDS BASED GRADING

The Lake Orion Community School District is moving to standards based grading this school year for grades K – 3.   

Let me begin by explaining that Standards Based Grading is a fancy way of saying that we want to report to you and your student(s) about their pro‐gress toward Michigan Academic Standards, or learning targets for your student’s grade level.  Each content area, like reading, wri ng, math, social studies, science, art, physical educa on, etc. has its own standards, which tell us what students need to know and be able to do at certain points in learning in these content areas. Standards Based Grading allows us to have common language and prac ce across our system in what we expect of students at various grade levels and various content areas. Standards Based Grading allows for parents and students to understand the expecta ons and their next steps toward being on grade level. 

Standards Based Grading works in a way that provides a learning con nuum. As teachers plan for lessons, they use units of study that align to these standards and determine what assignments and assessments students will do along the way.  Once completed, teachers then look at those assign‐ments and assessments and determine student progress toward the standards.  When an assignment or assessment is assessed, it is assigned a 1, 2, or 3.  The descrip ons of the 1, 2, and 3 level work for final grading purposes can be found in the gradebook repor ng criteria for each content area.  It is through the gradebook repor ng criteria that we support common expecta ons for student performance across our en re district. 

In addi on to gradebook repor ng criteria for final grades, teachers also use assignment or assessment criteria to let you and students know what expecta ons are of student work, as well as how our student did on a par cular assignment or assessment.  O en the criterion for certain assign‐ments or assessments is in the form of a rubric.  For example, if students write a poem in a poetry unit, the teacher might share a rubric with stu‐dents that describes the elements of quality poetry.  Some mes teachers even create these rubrics or criteria for certain assignments along with students. 

One very common misconcep on around Standards Based Grading is that students may not receive a 3 un l the end of the school year.  This is FALSE. Students may receive a 3 at any point in the year.  The common theme in 3 level work is that students take what they know about a standard and apply that knowledge to new and unique circumstances. Likewise, it is typical for a student to earn a 2 throughout the year with the expecta on of a 3 at the end of the year. Teachers are working to make sure students have opportuni es all along the year to apply their knowledge to new and unique circumstances.  At any given point along the year, students will be given opportuni es to apply their learning at a level 3.  Please also note that if a student is performing at a level 3, then he or she is performing at proficiency for that grade level.   

One other important understanding is for you to know that your student can and should have the opportunity to show progress toward a standard mul ple  mes.  Many teachers allow students to re‐do work, or re‐take assessments a er further prac ce, to show progress toward standards over me.  A student’s grade will not be averaged, which allows lower performance on assignments and assessments to bring down a grade.  Instead, 

your student’s performance will be looked at over  me. 

We are excited about the poten al of Standards Based Grading as a tool to support common expecta ons for all students in all standards. Each ele‐mentary school will be hos ng informa onal mee ngs regarding Standards Based Grading on the same evening as curriculum night.  If you cannot a end your home school’s informa onal mee ng on curriculum night, you are more that welcome to a end the mee ng at another elementary that fits your schedule.  Addi onally, you can find informa on on our website under the Teaching and Learning tab.  A ached is more detailed infor‐

ma on with some frequently asked ques ons regarding Standards Based Grading.            SEE ATTACHMENT 1 

We have been looking forward to this change in our grading system and feel that it will provide our students, parents and teachers with more spe‐cific informa on about how each student is performing on the standards. 

Thank you for your con nued support as we work collabora vely in the best interest of our students. 

Please see below the schedule of report card training sessions. The mee ngs should run approximately 30 – 45 minutes.  You are free to go to any one of these that is convenient to you .

BUILDING DATE 1ST SESSION 2ND SESSION

Blanche Sims September 17 7:25 P.M. 8:05 P.M.

Orion Oaks September 11 6:30 P.M. 7:10 P.M.

Paint Creek September 11 5:00 P.M. 7:15 P.M.

Pine Tree September 4 5:30 P.M. 6:45 P.M.

Stadium Drive September 11 6:00 P.M. 6:45 P.M.

Webber September 4 7:30 P.M. 8:30 P.M.

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SCHOOL SCORE CARDSSCHOOL SCORE CARDS

On August 13 MDE  made public the Michigan School Accountability Scorecards for Districts and schools. The Scorecards replace Michigan’s Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report cards that were required under No Child Le  Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Michigan received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Educa on in 2012 that allowed for the development of a new repor ng system for school performance. This is the second year for this report.  The system is par ally a point based system which uses school specific Annual Measurable Objec ves for all stu‐dents and subgroups. Each school or district earns an overall proficiency percentage which corresponds to one of the colors in the five color system. Scorecards use a color coding system in place of an AYP status. In order of highest color to lowest, they are: Green, Lime, Yellow, Orange, and Red. Colors are based on mee ng targets in the different Scorecard components. Missing targets in some components will automa cally lower the overall Scorecard color even if the school or district is mee ng all other targets.   Overall, the Lake Orion Community Schools and all of its elementary and middle schools met the proficiency tar‐get (green) for All Students in Reading, Mathema cs, Wri ng, Science, and Social Studies. However, the final overall Scorecard color for the District and schools was lowered to a yellow or lime because one or more sub‐groups is not on track to reach 85% proficiency or did not test over 95% of the popula on. In addi on, this year we had students test at CERC through the Learning Op ons program and the alterna ve high school students. CERC did not meet the proficiency target (red).  

     

Addi onal informa on may be found at mischooldata.org  

There is also a PowerPoint presenta on on the  Lake Orion  website under the Curriculum tab. 

In addi on to the Scorecard system, MDE has also ranked schools on a Top‐to‐Bo om list, which may result in a specific school designa on of Reward, Focus, or Priority. We are proud to announce that the following schools have been designated as Reward Schools: 

•    Carpenter Year Round •    Orion Oaks  •    Paint Creek •    Pine Tree •    Stadium Drive •    Webber   

Standards-Based Grading Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What grade levels are moving to standards-based grading?

For the 2014-2015 school year, kindergarten through third grade will be using standards-based grading. More grade levels will be added in upcoming years.

Why are we moving to a standards-based grading system?

We want to improve student achievement for every student. Research supports standards-based grading as a basis of communication that will help students learn more effectively through better feedback. Providing specific and frequent feedback has proven to be a factor in increasing student achievement. Standards based grading aligns more closely with this type of feedback.

What is standards-based grading?

In a standards-based system, teachers report what students know and are able to do in relation to the Michigan and LOCA Standards. The system includes:

• The improvement of student achievement of required learning outcomes in all content areas,

• The mastery of defined learning outcomes instead of the accumulation of points, • The reporting of student achievement toward meeting learning outcomes at a given time

by analyzing recent trend information based on various forms of evidence, • A record keeping system that provides teachers with information that allows them to

adjust learning practices to meet the needs of students, and • A system that encourages student reflection and responsibility

What are the purposes of standards-based grading?

The purpose of standards-based grading is to increase student achievement by clearly communicating students’ progress towards learning outcomes in a timely, accurate, fair, and specific manner. In addition, standards-based grading allows teachers to report student progress specifically on the standards. It us to have a common language and practice across our system in what we expect of students at various grade levels and various content areas and make sure parents and students understand that expectation and their next steps toward being on grade

level. Standards-based grading accurately communicates student achievement to students, parents, and educators. The influence of work habits on student learning is reported separately from the academics.

How does standards-based grading work?

Traditional grading averages a student’s achievement data with other characteristics, such as work habits. Standards-based grading removes extraneous factors and focuses solely on a student’s academic achievement and continued mounting evidence that indicates a true assessment of the student’s present attainment of learning. Other characteristics are reported separately.

How is standards-based grading different?

The student’s grade more accurately represents the progress toward proficiency of standards than traditional grading does. Subject areas are subdivided into big ideas related to standards and their respective learning outcomes that students need to learn or master. Each target is assessed. Scores from activities that are provided solely for practice will not be included in the final assessment of the learning outcome. The influence of positive and consistent work habits on student learning is reported separately from the academics.

What are the advantages of standards-based grading?

Learning outcomes are clearly articulated to the students throughout instruction. Parents and students can see which learning outcomes students have mastered and which ones need re-teaching or re-learning. Standards-based grading can change the complexion of at-home conversations between the student and the parent/guardian from, “Why didn’t you finish your work?” “Did you make up that quiz you missed?” and “Have you finished your project?” to “”Tell me your understanding of this standard,” “How does your teacher connect your in-class work to the unit’s objectives?” or “What more do you need to do to achieve this standard?” Some students struggle at the beginning of units, fail assessments and give up; with standards-based grading, the door remains open to achieving standards.

What are the disadvantages of standards-based grading?

Of all aspects of our education system, none seems more impervious to change than grading and reporting. Changing long-held traditions is a difficult and lengthy process.

Why aren’t grades just averaged?

Because the purpose of standards-based grading is to report what students know and are able to do, averaging does not represent an accurate picture of where a student is in his/her learning. A student who struggles in a class at the beginning of a grading period and receives poor grades, but who keeps working and by the end of the grading period can clearly demonstrate competence in the subject, should receive a grade that reflects that competence. The average is a fixture in most grading systems, but the average does not always represent the data accurately. Consider two students, Stewart and Maria. Stewart earns the following scores: 85, 85, 85, 85, 85, 85, 85, 85 and 85. The average is not difficult to calculate, and Stewart’s grade is posted as a B. Maria struggles in math and turns in this performance: 50, 60, 65, 70, 80, 85, 90, 90, and 90. Her mean score of a little over 75 would result in a C on her report card, but it is obvious that Maria now understands the math even though she struggled in the beginning.

How are we going to teach our kids that in the real world or on tests such as CSAP, ACT, etc., that they must do their best the first time or on a continuous basis?

Our goal is student learning. We all know students learn at different rates, and students have issues that may affect their testing ability on a given day. Many real life final tests such as driver’s license, ACT, SAT, bar exam, etc. offer multiple opportunities for mastery with no penalty for number of attempts. There are still deadlines within units and some of the practice work is time bound. There are indeed cut off times for assignments per teacher discretion when late work will simply not be accepted because the unit is over.

How will student progress be measured?

The Michigan standards were synthesized into major learning goals (report card criteria) to provide clear and concise information to parents regarding student progress. Teachers collect evidence of student understanding through observations, class work, projects, and test data then evaluate overall performance using the following scale:

3 - Consistent understanding of the end of the year standard

2 - Progressing towards the end of the year standard

1 - Limited understanding of the end of the year standard