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Dear Lowell Families:

Every year, each public school and school district in Massachusetts receives a report card. Just as your child’s report card shows how they are doing in different subjects, the school’s report card is designed to show families how our school is doing in different areas. A link to our school’s report card is available at Link.

The report card includes multiple measures of a school’s performance – more than just MCAS scores. It represents a new way of looking at school performance, by providing information on student achievement, teacher qualifications, student learning opportunities, and more.

Report cards are designed to be useful tools for everyone connected to our school. Families can use the information to have meaningful conversations with us about what the school is doing well and where there is room for improvement. Community and education leaders can use the information to better understand how to support students and our school.

The James Russell Lowell School proudly affirms its consistent excellence in performance and growth within the state's accountability system, maintaining its status as a top-performing institution. The school's accountability percentile, an impressive 86, signifies its exceptional overall performance in comparison to schools serving similar grades. Notably, 73% of Lowell’s multilingual population has achieved English Language Proficiency at Lowell meeting performance targets, showcasing a commitment to inclusive education and academic support. A further highlight includes the notable high growth of fourth and fifth-grade students exceeding typical growth in Math. The pivotal role of teachers in influencing student learning outcomes is emphasized, with success attributed to collaborative partnerships with families. Despite these achievements, the school remains vigilant about challenges, recognizing the need for ongoing efforts to ensure sustained excellence in education and address any emerging obstacles.

More detailed information pertaining to your child is located on the enclosed Parent/Guardian Report. We will present our 2024 MCAS Results at the November 6th School Committee Meeting. For additional information regarding MCAS assessment results please visit this link, or to view school and district profiles visit this link. If you have questions about your child’s performance, we encourage you to meet with your child’s teacher(s) to discuss the results. Your child's teacher can also talk to you more broadly about your child's academic growth and about his or her social and emotional development.

We encourage you to become involved in helping us improve our school. We see parents as critical partners in the success of our students and school, and we are grateful for your continued support.

Finally, since your child attends a school that receives federal Title I funds, you also have the right to request the following information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teachers:

· Whether your child’s teacher is licensed in the grade levels and subject areas they teach,

· Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under an emergency license or waiver,

· The college degree and major of your child’s teacher, and

· Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

If you have questions about our school’s report card, would like to become involved in school improvement activities, or would like to request information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher, please contact stacy.phealn@watertown.k12.ma.us. To see our district’s report card or to search for other schools’ report cards, visit reportcards.doe.mass.edu.

Sincerely,

Stacy A. Phelan

Dear Lowell Families,

Friday, January 31st you will receive your child’s semester 1 report card and (in the case of students in grades 1-5) their updated i-Ready diagnostic assessment results. These are being sent home with students via backpack. Each of these reports will provide you with information about your child’s progress. In many cases, the two reports are in close alignment. In some cases, they may appear to differ. Keep in mind that the information from the teacher is a synthesis of many pieces of information while the information from i-Ready is one snapshot in time.

Below you will find a list of frequently asked questions regarding Standards-Based Report Cards and i-Ready assessment reports. I hope this is helpful to you as you review the information.

As always, feel free to reach out with additional questions!

Thank you,

Stacy Phelan, Principal Lowell School

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is a standards-based report card?

A standards-based report card:

• Assesses student performance against a specific and observable grade set of skills;

• Enables teachers to clearly define for students what it is that they should know, understand, and be able to do;

• Measures each student against the identified grade level ‘end of year’ standard;Is clear and specific about the academic standards and pro-social learning indicators;

• Is aligned to the Massachusetts State Framework as indicated through the Common Core Curriculum Standards;

• Supports consistent assessment and reporting across the district;

• Does not measure how the student performs compared to other students.What is included on the report card? How many times per year will my child receive a report card?

Content Standards in English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and all “specials” as well as, pro-social skills and attendance are included on the report card. In grades K - 5, report cards are distributed in February (Semester 1) and in June (Semester 2).

How will my child be assessed? What are the ratings?

Teachers use multiple sources of information to assess student growth toward standard-mastery including: classroom observations, classwork, frequent formative assessments, summative/cumulative assessnts, and for each standard on the report card, there is an accompanying rubric. These rubrics are based on ‘end of year’ expectations. Many students will be ‘approaching’ standards in February for Semester 1, as the entire standard may not have yet been covered. Students will be eligible to receive “mastery” on the second and final report card, after the entire standard has been taught.

Academic Performance Standards

M - *Mastery - The student consistently, accurately, and independently demonstrates proficiency in the grade level standard

A - Approaching - The student is progressing towards mastery and demonstrates basic concepts and skills, may vary in consistency, accuracy, and/or independence in the grade level standard

D - Developing - The student is beginning to demonstrate basic concepts and skills; may lack consistency, accuracy, and/or independence, towards the grade level standard

N - Not yet demonstrating the grade level standard

*Mastery does not mean the teaching and learning ends, rather it indicates the student has reached a level of performance expected of that grade level with consistency, accuracy, and independence. Instruction and learning will focus on gaining a deeper understanding by solving more complex problems within the standard and across standards, more challenge applying the standard, and more opportunity for critical thinking within the standard (think Bloom's Taxonomy).

Pro-Social Learning Indicators (Personal Development/Classroom and Community Skills; Approaches for Learning)

3 - Demonstrates most of the time

2 - Demonstrates some of the time

1 - Requires ongoing intervention to develop skill

What if my child has an IEP/504? What if my child is an English Language Learner (ELL)?

All students are held to the same standards. The standards-based report card indicates how a student is doing in relation to the standards; the IEP Progress Report provides specific information on how a student is doing in relation to the goals and objectives of the IEP, which may differ from the standard. IEP progress reports are distributed along with the standards-based report cards.

Where can I read the full text of the standards represented on the report card?

Full language for each standard can be found on the WPS website: (http://watertown.ss19.sharpschool.com/about_our_district/assistant_superintendent ), and on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website (Curriculum Frameworks): (http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html)

English Language Learners are assessed according to the standards ai-Ready (Grades 1-5)

What is i-Ready?

i-Ready is an online program that helps us determine your child’s needs, personalize his or her learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child exactly where he or she is and provides data for us to increase your child’s learning gains.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your child’s needs. Each item a student sees is individualized based on his or her answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier questions. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade, but instead to determine how best to support your child’s learning. Your child participates in these two, 45-min assessments (one literacy, one math), three times per year (fall, winter, late spring). Our final testing window will occur at the school year's end.

i-Ready is an online program that helps us determine your child’s needs, personalize his or her learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child exactly where he or she is and provides data for us to increase your child’s learning gains.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions to suit your child’s needs. Each item a student sees is individualized based on his or her answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier questions. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade, but instead to determine how best to support your child’s learning. Your child participates in these two assessments (one literacy, one math), three times per year (fall, winter, late spring). Our final testing window will take place at the end of the school year.

This year, we are continuing to use DIBELS as our literacy screening tool in grades K - 5. Teachers use this information to determine the best support for each child during WIN and across the day. You will see the DIBELS HomeConnect letter inside of the report card sharing your child’s performance on the middle of the year assessment. Please reach out to your teacher with any questions that you may have.

If your child is on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and receives specialized support in any area (reading , writing math, classroom participation, speech, OT, PT, social emotional or counseling) you will receive Special Education Progress Notes from their service provider. The Special Education Progress Notes outline the progress that your child has made towards their IEP goals as written in the IEP that has been signed and accepted by their parents/caregivers. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to your individual special education teachers.

Students who work regularly with a Reading Specialist will receive a report that includes the goal that was being focused on and the degree to which that goal has been attained.

Students in the ESL program will receive another report card based on the student's current listening, speaking, writing, and reading abilities in English. ESL Academic standards are graded on a scale of 1-6. Social-emotional standards are graded on a scale of 1-3. Please reach out to your child's ESL teacher if you need a document translated or have any questions.

ESL Academic Standards

1 - Entering: Knows and uses minimal social language and minimal academic language with visual and graphic support

2 - Emerging: Knows and uses some social English and general academic language with visual and graphic support

3 - Developing: Knows and uses social English and some specific academic language with visual and graphic support

4 - Expanding: Knows and uses social English and some technical academic language

5 - Bridging: Knows and uses social English and academic language working with grade-level material

6 - Reaching: Knows and uses social and academic language with grade-level proficiency.

NY - Not Yet

NA - Not Applicable

Social-Emotional Standards

3 - Demonstrates most of the time

2 - Demonstrates some of the time

1 - Requires ongoing intervention to develop skill

Email: stacy.phelan@watertown.k12.ma.us
Website: https://lowell.watertown.k12.ma.us/
Location: 123 Lowell Street, Watertown, Ma, USA
Phone: (617) 926-7770
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JRLowellElementary