W-E Curriculum Department Update

Thank you ALL for contributing to a successful and productive day of learning with and from each other. When we reflect on the sessions from Tuesday, we should feel proud that we are continuing to lead, learn and grow. We had sessions organized to support the PLCs, Portrait of a Graduate PBLs, AI tools, FLEX experience, Gifted instruction, Readiness Assessments, The Writing Revolution, Middle School Teaming model, and more. ALL student-centered focused work! We will share links, folders, and resources from PD day sessions in this newsletter for you to access.

Thank you for your positive and honest feedback. We will use it in planning our next PD Day.

If you haven't completed this form yet, we are still interested in hearing from you.

I'd like to share some of the responses that we received, highlighting the work from Tuesday.

• Meeting as an elementary music staff was extremely valuable! We almost never have to opportunity to see each other and collaborate. Andrea Tredent, being a former music teacher, was the best facilitator. Please always assign her to us on these PD days!!!
• It was great to meet with all district K teachers and discuss ideas and daily schedules. Lots of great ideas shared. Google doc created for culminating activities for CKLA knowledge. Courtney Lausin was an awesome facilitator!
  
• Having the opportunity to brainstorm the POG competencies with teachers of the same content was beneficial in visualizing what the competency looks like in our content area.
  
• I thought that I gained a lot from both the schooljoy session and our PLC work today
  
• Flex class presentation was very good
  
• Meg Skinner and Heather Rundo did a great job helping with restart readiness!
  
• The speaker was very entertaining and was able to offer a lot of helpful tips and information about working with teams. Working with other teachers in the district is always very informative and helpful.
  

K-5 PD Day PLC Slideshow

K-5 Literacy Decision Rules

The Writing Revolution Refresher Session Presentation

The Writing Revolution Resource Folder

K-5 AI Information Session Articles and Links

Enrichment Extravaganza Resources

Music PLC Resources HERE

Christa Samber, 8th grade science teacher at Willoughby Middle School, presented about her experience implementing "March Mammal Madness" in her classroom. The program, developed by Arizona State University, provides an engaging experience for students to explore ecology, biology, and critical thinking skills through a competitive March Madness bracket approach.

Charlie Peters and Katie Reilly of Willoughby Middle School presented ways to use Deeper Learning to enhance engagement with the community and expose students to real world problems. They focused on the importance of teaching through PBLs in order to expose students to 21st century competencies every student will need in the future.

The Readiness Checkpoint assessments are proving to be helpful to learning what students know and providing useful data to drive instruction. Many teachers are asking how they can provide additional practice for their students and how to create their own assessments. Use these SLIDES to take you step-by-step through the process of Assessment Authoring.

Grant Innovation STEAM Lab Site 🤩

OST Released Items

Use this LINK to access the many released items. In the search at the top “2024 Released Items" or other years you seek to find. On the left side of the screen use the filter “Refine” to select a particular grade-level and/or content area.

Translation Tool on Canva

Did you know Canva has a translation too? Canva has a feature that will translate PDF files or any other files on your computer that you can upload. Simply upload the file into Canva, and it translates the document for you. Check out this How to Video to learn how to use the translation tool.

Ohio's Teacher Bootcamp Program provides reimbursement to Institutions of Higher Education for tuition costs of coursework taken by teachers to up-skill themselves. Qualifying coursework is to be delivered in bootcamp format and graduate credit coursework. The goal is to incentivize teacher professional development and strengthen the quality of education in sectors like Advanced Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Broadband & 5G, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Transportation, or other Trades.

2012-2024 Fine Arts Crosswalks Available

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Check out the crosswalk guidance documents for the 2024 Fine Arts Standards on the Fine Arts Standards webpage.

The Ohio NGSS Network will be a space for sharing and supporting one another through the instructional transition, bridging 5th and 8th assessment gaps, and navigating other hurdles specific to Ohio. If you are a curriculum leader at your district or ESC, or a teacher leader involved with curriculum adoption and implementation, you are invited to join representatives from other districts going through similar transitions. You can indicate your interest in the network on this form.

The SOAR Literacy Innovation Group will explore the relationship between deeper learning and literacy development. By examining the Language Comprehension side of Scarborough's Reading Rope, this group will curate core practices and resources that enhance deeper learning and literacy across disciplines, focusing on grades 4-12. The first Meeting is coming up on November 13 at 3:00. If you are interested and haven't registered yet, please join us!

Read&Write

Introducing the Three Toolbar Modes —each designed to enhance the user experience in specific ways.

1. Horizontal Mode is great for general use, providing easy access to all tools without requiring any adjustments.

2. Vertical Mode is amore compact toolbar,which can be particularly useful in limited screen space scenarios.

3. Writing Mode was designed specifically for writing-focused tasks, helping students concentrate on the task at hand without distractions from non-essential tools.

Why Use These Modes?

• Personalization: Each student can customize their Read&Write experience to match their preferences and needs.

• Focus: Switching to the appropriate mode can help students stay focused, whether they’re reading or writing.

• Efficiency: Having the right tools at their fingertips means students spend less time searching and more time learning.

How to Switch Toolbar View:

1. Click on the three dots located on the right-hand side of your Read&Write toolbar.

2. Click on “Settings.”

3. Select “General” from the menu.

4. Choose your preferred mode (Horizontal, Vertical, or Writing) from the options available.

• Team calibrated celebrations, areas we are growing and urgent needs

• Curriculum CKLA is new and exciting

• Students are engaged in topics and texts

• We are aware that scheduling needs exist and it’s not going unheard

• Challenges that we are feeling are similar to what the team anticipated based on the Reading League Rubric that was used last year in selection of CKLA.

• Grading needs are heard and being addressed through the committee with the goal of a new ELA aligned report card in year 2

• Team reviewed implementation plan and the purpose behind strengthening sessions, CKLA coaching, Learning Walks, Explicit Instruction PD

• Through the Learning Walks we’ve learned that every classroom is using CKLA and it is evident in the buildings we’ve visited. Teachers are growing in their comfort level with the resource and will continue as time progresses to gain confidence.

• We used a CKLA implementation rubric to identify W-E are past foundational knowledge and moved into initial/full operation implementation.

• We started working to align the power standards on our report card today and the committee will reconvene January 15th to continue looking at assessments in CKLA to build a common document for teams to use next year.

• This is hard work and W-E took on all the layers at once. The implementation process will take time, give yourselves grace to be learners and will be a multi-year process.

Please check out the following resources to help support you as you design learning experiences for your students!

• Updated decision rules
• Intervention Toolkit
• Extension Activities

An Introduction to Fluency in Eureka Math2: Beyond Fast and Accurate

Check out this Eureka Math video to learn about students' many opportunities to work with their fluency skills.

Why is math fluency Important? It contributes to students' ability to solve more difficult problems quicker and more accurately, leads to success in students' future mathematics courses, and builds confidence in students' math ability.

What You'll Explore in This Session:
In this webinar, participants will ground themselves in fluency by learning the definition of and the purpose for fluency in supporting students. They will explore the intentionality and coherence of fluency activities within and across grade bands.
You will also:

• investigate how the structure and variety of Eureka Math2 fluency activities create a foundation upon which conceptual understanding deepens and
• discover how the coherence of fluency activities builds and deepens conceptual understanding over time.

Access the Recording

Eureka PD (virtual) will be taking place on 12/4 ( Edison, Jefferson, Royalview and SOI 2:50-3:50) and 12/5 (Grant and Longfellow 3:05-4:05). We are working on a date for SOI.

Google form coming to gauge topics to be covered.

Ohio schools have an exciting opportunity to apply for cash, partnership grants. These grants can assist with creating new PLTW programs or expanding existing programs. Given the competitive nature of these grants, feel free to schedule a time on my calendar to discuss your plans for your PLTW program.These grant applications are due December 6th.

• Intel Grant (Competitive): All Ohio Schools are Eligible
• Ardagh Grant (Competitive): Schools located in Fremont, Huron
• Burns & McDonnell Grant (Competitive): Schools located in Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Columbiana, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Geauga, Greene, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Lake, Licking, Logan, Lorain, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Portage, Richland, Ross, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, and Wayne Counties should apply
• L3 Harris Technologies (Competitive): Schools located in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren Counties should apply
• PLTW National Grant: In-kind grant through PLTW

Click here to learn more about these grant opportunities. And don’t forget, you can apply right from your myPLTW account. One grant application per program per school is allowed, once submitted our grants team will match based on eligibility.

The Leonard Gelfand STEM Center here in the College of Arts & Sciences at Case Western Reserve University has been hosting the Elementary Science Olympiad on our campus for about fourteen years. We are interested in learning whether you and your students are planning to participate in this unique STEM event for 2025. We've identified Saturday, February 22, 2025, for another opportunity for your fourth to sixth grade level students to compete in this science, technology, engineering and math competition.

The handbook for the Elementary Science Olympiad 2025 is attached.. A registration form for the 2025 event is also attached for those who like to plan ahead.

The registration fee for each team is $65. Participating classroom teachers or home school parents will be asked to execute and manage at least one event depending on the number of registered teams (e.g. two registered teams require managing two events.).

We understand the many classroom demands you are required to address. We are hopeful, however, that you see this competition as one that extends and enhances your student's engagement and learning in STEM. We miss seeing you and your students and family members on our campus and look forward to having you join us in 2025.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact this office at 216-368-5075 or email: kmk21@case.edu. And please let us know about your school's participation in this Olympiad by the week of December 16th.

Curriculum Resources - District Google Shared Folder

ODE Readiness Assessment -

• The Readiness Assessments (RAs) are composed of Benchmark and Checkpoint tests.

• Checkpoints and Benchmarks

• Formative data

• HQSD

• State-tested courses

PDExpress- How to Access PD Express

● District PD

● LPDC - Certification, IPDP, Licensure Renewal, Applications for CEU’s, etc…

Exact Path

• Diagnostic

• Learning Path

• Creating a Class in Exact Path

• Naming your class:

• Elementary - Year_Teacher First and Last Name_ Grade Level

• Secondary - Year_Teacher First and Last Name_ Subject_Period

• Exact Path Instructor’s Guide

• Step-by Step Directions

• Exact Path-Quick Links

Gifted and Title I

● WEPs and WAPs

● Parent and Teacher Referrals

● Gifted Services

● Cluster Schoolwide Model (1-5)

● School of Innovation

● Title I Services

Curriculum Materials by Grade-band
Elementary:

• Tier I, II, III Instruction

• Curriculum Resources:

• English Language Arts

• Math

• Science of Reading ODE Model

• Dyslexia PD Modules (K-3) (4-12)

• Structured Literacy/Science of Reading

• English Language Arts - Prentice Hall and Writing Coach

• Math - Into Math (HMH)

• Science - Smithsonian (STC) and FOSS (7th grade only)

• Carolina Online app (STC)

• Think Link app (FOSS)

• Social Studies Discovering our Past
  
  

• PE: Welnet (Grades 2, 5, 8, HS)
  

Science of Reading Training

Districts and schools are required by the The Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to ensure all teachers and administrators receive Professional Development in the Science of Reading not later than June 30, 2025. Depending on the grade-level and content area in which you teach, there are different courses (pathways) that you will take. Stipends will be provided following completion of the pathways. Certificate Submission Form

We realize that plans were communicated regarding debriefing sessions on Nov. 5 on the SOR sessions/pathways different groups of teachers are completing. The original plan may be adjusted, as we are working on PD Day plans currently. We will share the detailed plans soon.

Department Contact Information:

Katy Nagaj - Director of Teaching, Learning and Innovation

katy.nagaj@weschools.org, (440) 975 - 3755

Lisa George - Elementary Curriculum, Gifted, and Title Coordinator

lisa.george@weschools.org, (440) 283 - 2227

Amanda Steward - K-5 Literacy Coach

amanda.steward@weschools.org, (440) 283 - 4474

Nikki Stotler - Middle School Curriculum, Testing, and Professional Development Coordinator

nikki.stotler@weschools.org, (440) 283 - 4060

Jen Chauby - South High School Associate Principal

jen.chauby@weschools.org, (440) 269 - 3006

Robin Hopkins - North High School Associate Principal

robin.hopkins@weschools.org, (440) 269 - 3046