
Learning Together
Office of Instruction Newsletter - Template

Message from Troy D. Olin, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction
As we approach the Thanksgiving break, we wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication to supporting our students. Your hard work and commitment have not gone unnoticed, and our students continue to benefit from the passion and expertise you bring each day. Your resilience and creativity have created a supportive and enriching environment for our students. As we pause to give thanks, please know that your efforts are recognized and appreciated. Wishing you a restful and joyous Thanksgiving with friend and family.
Literacy Update
The Gates Chili Literacy team continues to meet this school year to support our program alignment to reading science. The team membership includes elementary teachers from each building, building reading teachers, instructional coaches and building leaders.
Quality assessments are an important part of a comprehensive literacy program. Last spring, the team focused on literacy assessments for learning versus assessments of learning. Time was spent learning about assessment systems, including the importance of universal screening and diagnostic assessments. The team reviewed grade-level assessments based on literacy development and made recommendations to the Office of Instruction to be considered for implementation this school year.
For the 2023-24 school year, the team has continued to anchor into the components of a quality program. This includes oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics and spelling, fluency, syntax (sentence-level skills), vocabulary and morphology, and text comprehension and written expression. With a common understanding of these components, the team has begun reviewing potential programs and materials that are aligned to our learning and support evidence-based, explicit instructional practices rooted in reading science. The review process will take us through the year with the goal of the team providing feedback and a recommendation to the Office of Instruction this spring.
Thank you to our team members for their time and dedication:
- Florence Brasser: Sarah Amesbury, Sara Collom, Todd Gundy, Leigh Herkamp, Tara Roberts and Tim Young
- Neil Armstrong: Carissa Binger, Leslie Conroy, Cassidy Dailey, Karina Keefe and Rebecca Scott
- Paul Road: Paul Adams, Kelly Chatz, Dena Knight, Shannon Parmele and Andraya Cutaia
- Walt Disney: Beth Bunk, Margaret Drzewiecki, Lauren Henderberg, Becky Schneider and Dan Zdanowski
- Office of Instruction: Jen Christensen and Wendy Taylor
Equitable Grading Practices
Now that we are into November, several departments have started to discuss equitable grading practices at their monthly meetings. The goal this year is to learn and discuss together, and to think about the practices we currently use and how we can improve. Joe Feldman is the author of the book, Grading for Equity, that we are reading with teacher leaders. His article linked below gives a great summary of why this work is so important for our students. As you read through this article, think about a quote or two that resonate with you. Here's one that really stood out for us:
"We may bring new curriculum and instructional strategies to our classrooms, engage in courageous conversations about identity, and collectively dedicate our schools to equity, but we undermine it all when we continue to use many common grading practices."
Reflecting on the work that we have done through our strategic plan for equity, examining and improving our grading practices is the natural next step for us to take and we are excited about the work ahead.
Seal of Civic Readiness
We are proud to offer this recognition to our high school students for the first time this year. We currently have 63 seniors that have applied and are working toward earning the Seal of Civic Readiness upon graduation. Successful candidates will be recognized at a Board of Education meeting in June.
Paper Tutoring
Students in grades 6-12 have access to 24/7, personalized academic support through Paper. This can be accessed through ClassLink. The live tutors that work with students have been trained to assess what students already know and guide them towards solutions on their own. A great time to remind students to use Paper would be when they are struggling with an assignment during study hall, or if they have an essay that they need feedback on (including college application essays and resumes)! They will receive feedback on written assignments within 24 hours, and they can even upload their teacher's specific rubric so that the tutor can adjust feedback to the success criteria that has been established.
Teachers have access to a dashboard that allows them to monitor student sessions, and the teacher resource center provides activities to support teachers who would like to introduce Paper to their students. Empower students to use critical thinking skills and take ownership of their learning by encouraging them to use Paper when they are stuck on a problem or assignment. Asynchronous professional learning will be available for middle school and high school teachers soon!
Professional Learning Reminders
Take a look at some of the upcoming offerings in our district professional learning catalog! Be sure to check back regularly for new additions!
Dates: Jan. 31 to June 13
Location: Mix of in person and virtual
The purpose of this foundational training is to provide all existing and future Gates Chili instructional staff with a common experience that builds their background knowledge of culturally responsive education and creates the space for staff to examine their own identities and personal histories and the impact these have on their role as an educator in Gates Chili. Please note the dates, times and locations of all sessions as they will be a mixture of four (4) after school virtual sessions, two (2) full-day in-person sessions, and one (1) after school in-person session.
GC Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) - 3 day training
Dates: Feb. 2-9
Location: In Person - HS GCPLC
This TCI training is offered as a three-day format which allows for training in verbal and physical interventions. This entire training will be conducted in-person. Participants must attend all three days.
GC Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) - 1 day REFRESHER
Dates: Feb. 15
Location: In Person - HS GCPLC
This TCI one-day refresher training is ONLY for staff who have already participated in the FULL TCI training within the last two years. This one-day training will be a refresher in TCI skills including verbal and physical interventions. This training will be conducted in-person.From Concept to Classroom *6-12 Instructional Staff Only*
Dates: Jan. 10 to Feb. 7
Location: HS Library Mezzanine
Master the art of designing lessons that meet the goals and standards of your units while also engaging your students. Whether you're a seasoned educator or just starting your teaching career, this course offers valuable insights and practical strategies. Throughout this course, you'll discover how to create cohesive curriculum units, craft engaging lessons, and assess student learning effectively. You'll be guided through each step of the planning process, honing your ability to tailor your teaching to your students' needs. By the end, you'll be better equipped to plan, teach, and reflect on your teaching practices, ultimately enhancing your students' learning experiences. This course is open to 6-12 Instructional Staff only.
Middle School Civics Capstone Collegial Circle - *Secondary Social Studies and SPED teachers only*
Dates: Jan. 10-31
Location: Middle School room 201
This Collegial Circle intended for Social Studies or SPED Middle/High School teachers will focus upon learning about and creating the civics capstone project for middle school students to earn one (1) credit towards the Seal of Civic Readiness.
Book Study: Exhibiting Student Art - *K-12 Art teachers ONLY*
Dates: Jan. 3 to March 27
Location: Florence Brasser, Room 207
This course will explore authentic and student-centered strategies for exhibiting student art. Participants will use the book Exhibiting Student Art by David Burton study to learn about common practices for exhibiting student art, NYS visual arts standards and NYS CR-SE standards. This course is intended for ONLY K-12 Art Teachers.
Riddle Me This...
Congratulations to Maddy Falletti, Kimberly Burgholzer, and Kevin Whitmore who were the first three to respond to last month's riddle correctly - Bookkeeper
If you know the answer to this month's riddle, click HERE to submit your answer. The first three (3) people who answer the riddle correctly will receive a special prize in their mailbox next week!
Good luck!
November Riddle: A girl has as many brothers as sisters, but each brother has only half as many brothers as sisters. How many brothers and sisters are there in the family?
Check out "Learning Together" on the third Friday of each month!
The Gates Chili Central School District is dedicated to fostering curiosity, growth, and diversity within our school community. The district celebrates and embraces differences and strives to dismantle exclusion, bias, racism, and prejudice of all forms.