Learning Together

Message from Troy D. Olin, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

Celebrating the Success of Our First GC Data Day!

The first-ever Gates Chili Data Day was a huge success! This half-day event marked the culmination of a year of planning, training, and collaboration to establish a district-wide data action protocol.

The purpose of the day was to ensure that every instructional staff member had the opportunity to understand and use the protocol, while also identifying the data that would be most helpful to their specific role. Throughout the afternoon, it was great to see everyone engaged in meaningful discussions while analyzing student data. A special thank-you goes out to our building leadership that helped facilitate each session and to all the participants for their active engagement and commitment to this important work.

The feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive, with many staff members expressing appreciation for the protocol, time to focus on data and collaborate with colleagues. Additionally, the insights shared in the survey will help us refine our approach as we plan for our next Data Day on Wednesday, Feb. 5.

The lasting impact of this day will be seen in how we continue to use the data action protocol and student data to inform our instructional practices, ensuring that decisions are made with student growth in mind. This collaborative effort is a key step toward achieving our district goal of maximizing academic achievement for each student through data-driven insights and rigorous instructional practices.

Thank you for making this day impactful for our entire school community!

The Office of Instruction is dedicated to supporting a consistent, high-quality Tier 1 curriculum that meets the diverse needs of all students. Providing consistent Tier 1 instruction that is aligned with curriculum and district goals ensures every student has equitable learning opportunities.

This is the cornerstone of student success and implementing it with fidelity across classrooms and departments is essential.

A major step forward this year is that all levels and departments have begun participating in Tier 1 meetings. These meetings foster collaborative conversations focused on curriculum, assessment, and instruction, helping educators align their teaching practices with our shared instructional expectations. Tier 1 meetings ensure all students have access to high-quality learning experiences tailored to meet their needs. These collaborative discussions allow us to refine our approaches and make sure that instruction is equitable and effective.

Another key practice supporting this focus is the ongoing development and use of Atlas for unit planning. We continue to collaborate with teacher leaders to update and plan for further development in Atlas across all courses as curricular enhancements are made. This platform provides a structured framework to view the stages of a unit, helping to create a cohesive and aligned Tier 1 instructional program.

• Stage 1 identifies curriculum standards, knowledge, skills, and guiding questions, establishing clear expectations and goals for instruction.
• Stage 2 outlines both required and suggested assessments, which help teachers gather evidence of student learning and plan targeted interventions.
• Stage 3 offers a range of required and suggested learning activities, ensuring that all students engage in meaningful learning experiences that support their progress toward the goals outlined in Stage 1.

By participating in Tier 1 meetings, utilizing Atlas for unit planning, and adhering to these consistent instructional practices, we ensure that all students—regardless of their background or learning needs—have access to rigorous and equitable learning experiences. Together, we are committed to creating an environment where every student can thrive.

The Equitable Grading Task Force held its first meeting of the year to review the work completed over the summer. We are committed to transparency and open communication with all staff about our work and progress, so we will be sharing updates here regularly.

This year, the key grading practices we will continue to investigate include:

• avoiding zeros
• acceptance of late work
• extra credit
• participation and effort
• homework
• retakes
• minimum grading

Several of these practices are related to each other, and they are all connected to how we assess and communicate our students' understanding of learning standards and demonstration of skills.

We look forward to your engagement as we work towards more equitable grading practices, and the first thing we'd like your input on is current homework practices across the district.

Please share your thoughts by filling out the brief survey linked below.

We are excited to announce the formation of a 6-12 Literacy Team, which will serve as an extension of the GC Literacy Team that was formed in the spring of 2023. Moving forward, we will have two teams: one for K-5 and one for 6-12. These teams will collaborate and come together a few times throughout the year to ensure alignment across grade levels. The new 6-12 team will focus on assessing our literacy needs and making recommendations specifically for the secondary level.

We welcome representation from both middle and high schools and hope to see a variety of departments involved. The team will meet one Wednesday each month from 3:30-5:30 p.m.

If you’re interested in joining us, please fill out the interest form linked below. Confirmation of team membership will be sent by Friday, Nov. 1.

Our K-5 Literacy Team has been hard at work this year, meeting twice so far to support and strengthen literacy instruction across our elementary schools. During the first meeting, the team reflected on the current implementation of our new literacy programs. This collaborative reflection allowed us to identify areas of growth and share successes.

One key area the team focused on was the opportunity to better align our literacy instruction with science and social studies standards. By integrating content from these subjects into ELA lessons, we aim to create more meaningful and cohesive learning experiences for our students. The team is excited to explore these connections further, ensuring that our literacy program not only builds strong readers and writers but also deepens students' understanding of the world around them.

Updates regarding this work will be shared through out the year as the K-5 Literacy Team continues to enhance our approach to literacy instruction!

Learning Labs are designed to offer job-embedded professional learning that fosters collaborative communities in which educators can learn from one another and collaborate to enhance instructional practices. At this time, Learning Lab participants are identified in conjunction with working with GC Instructional Coaches and/or GC administrators, and will follow a structured process that includes collaboration with a coach, observation in a host classroom, and time to debrief and plan to implement strategies in your own spaces.

If you have questions or an interest in exploring if a Learning Lab is right for you, reach out to your administrator or one of our instructional coaches for more information, or check out the Learning Lab Guide on the Staff Intranet - Professional Learning Page!

Differentiation with A.I.

Start Date: 11/4/2024

Location: asynchronous

**Participants must have already taken Intro to AI to sign up** In this course, Differentiation with A.I., participants will explore the fascinating world of artificial intelligence by comparing two powerful tools: Copilot and MagicSchool. Participants will learn how to leverage A.I. to create personalized learning experiences, break down complex skills into manageable steps, and offer diverse teaching approaches. Join us on this journey to enhance your teaching practice through cutting-edge technology! Must complete all work by 11/15/24 *PREREQUISITE COURSE: INTRO TO AI*

A.I. and Unit/Lesson Planning

Start Date: 12/2/2024

Location: asynchronous

**Participants must have already taken Intro to AI to sign up** In "A.I. and Unit/Lesson Planning” participants will explore and compare two powerful A.I. tools: Copilot and MagicSchool. They will learn how to harness the potential of artificial intelligence to create personalized, standards-based unit and lesson plans. Join us as we delve into the exciting world of A.I. and streamline your unit and lesson planning practices! *PREREQUISITE: INTRO TO AI*

Using MagicSchool.ai to Enhance Instruction

Start dates: 12/2/2024

Location: asynchronous

Ever wonder how MagicSchool.ai can support your teaching? Join this asynchronous course to dive deeper into MagicSchool.ai.

Please note: you must already be logged into Frontline to access these links. Otherwise log into Frontline through ClassLink, and find all the offerings under Activity Catalogs - District Catalog

Congratulations to Sharon Benedett, Kristen Joseph, and Angela Palumbos who were the first three to respond to last month's riddle correctly.

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!

October Riddle: How many triangles are in this image below?