BW Update - September 20, 2023

Welcome back to the Bristol Warren Regional School District. We are committed to providing the best possible educational experience for your child, and we are continuously working to enhance our facilities and programs to meet this goal. We are excited to share with you some updates on our capital projects that will positively impact our school environment. The plan includes the building of a new high school and many necessary repairs and upgrades to all of our schools. Please go to our Capital Projects tab for all of the latest information.

These projects are part of our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and conducive learning environment for your child. We are dedicated to ensuring that our facilities foster an atmosphere where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Furthermore, we want to remind you that all our efforts align with the goals outlined in our strategic plan. Our strategic plan serves as a roadmap for our district’s future, and it focuses on key areas such as academic excellence, student and staff well-being, and community engagement.

By following the strategic plan, we aim to:

Goal 1. Engage families and community partners in creating safe, inclusive, vibrant, and adaptive learning environments that support all students in realizing their full potential as productive and successful members of our community.

Goal 2. Strengthen students’ PK-12 roadmap to college and careers through high quality core curriculum and robust Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) within each school.

Goal 3. Develop high quality Professional Learning experiences for all staff that are relevant, purposeful, systematic, and structured with a goal of improving and building upon educator’s practices and student outcomes.

Goal 4. Expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings for students and create the infrastructure and policies to support CTE expansion.

Goal 5. Communicate timely and intentionally with students, families, staff, and the community to create and deepen an intentional, inclusive, and transparent culture.

Throughout the year, we will keep you informed about our progress on these capital projects and how they contribute to achieving our strategic goals. We also look forward to involving you in various school activities and events that foster a strong sense of community.

With our children in mind,

Ana C. Riley

Superintendent of Schools

Included in this Back to School Update:

• Office of the Assistant Superintendent Teaching and Learning Updates

• Pupil Personnel Services Department Updates

• Information Technology Department Updates

• Business & Finance Department Updates

• Human Resources Department Updates

Staff Recognition

During our Aug. 30th Staff Orientation, we recognized the dedication of staff who have been with the district over 15 years! We also announced our 2023 District Teacher of the Year, Kerry D’Angelo, high school English teacher, and our District Support Staff Member of the Year, Mollie Taylor, a teacher assistant at Kickemuit Middle School. We are extremely grateful for the talent and dedication of all of our staff, and for their commitment to ensuring that every BWRSD student succeeds.

Increasing Achievement in Literacy and Mathematics

Our strategic plan goal is that 75% or more of our students will be proficient in Literacy and Math by 2027. Data from 2022-23 shows we are making progress at many grade levels:

• Grade 1 is at 79% or higher proficiency across all elementary schools

• 4th graders had their highest proficiency (54%) on RICAS math in recent years, surpassing pre-Covid numbers

• 6th graders showed a 17% increase in RICAS math from the prior year

• Mt. Hope High School had a 24% increase in the ELA portion of the SAT and were recognized as the highest performing district in the state in terms of growth over last year

These increases are the result of the expertise and commitment of our staff, the hard work of students, and the ongoing support of families and the community. A few new programs have been added this year: LEXIA, a reading intervention program provided by the RIDE, and Fluency Flight, a new component of our K-6 iReady Math Classroom program.

2023-24 Focus Areas for Professional Learning

• Science of Reading - At the end of this year, we will have trained nearly every PK-12 teacher in the Science of Reading. The new approaches learned, along with the shared knowledge and expertise developed, is already having a postive impact.

• Research-based instructional routines in Math and ELA to increase engagement and better address the needs of diverse learners. We will also use Classroom Look-For tools and Instructional Rounds to support the adoption of new approaches.

• Science - Middle and high school teachers are working with the RI Department of Education to evaluate and pilot new science curriculum. We anticipate K-12 adoption of new curriculum in 2024-25.

• Social Studies Curriculum Updates - We have begun reviewing the new RI Social Studies Standards, exploring curriculum and instructional resources for local history.

Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)

The MTSS model is designed to ensure every student has access to high quality instruction and the supports needed to meet academic, social, and behavioral expectations. Last year, we made great strides in developing our MTSS model under the direction of Dr. Deborah DiBiase. Her leadership and expertise will be missed as we wish her well in her new position at the RI Department of Education (RIDE). Members of our MTTS Core Design Team will focus this year on supporting schools in MTSS implementation.

Positive Behavioral Support

Addressing student behavior is vital to student success. We have partnered with EAB, a national research organization in learning new approaches to behavior management. Hugh Cole and Guiteras will join a national cohort of schools participating in Building a Better Behavior Management Strategy for the most effective strategies for addressing disruptive behaviors. This information will be shared across all schools.

In addition, we are strengthening our approach to Tier 1 behavioral support through:

• Clear and consistent schoolwide and classroom behavioral expectations, posted in all schools to provide clear expectations for positive behaviors. (Also a component of Responsive Classroom, used in grades K-5).

• Second Step in grades K-8, provides weekly lessons on recognizing and managing our emotions, developing caring and concern for others, establishing positive relationships, making responsible decisions, and handling challenging situations.

• Panorama SEL Screener in grades 3-9, to identify students who need additional support.

• Signs of Suicide in grades 6-12 to teach students about mental health and how to seek help if they are worried about themselves or a friend.

Schools will share additional information on each of these programs in upcoming months.

College and Career Readiness

Welcome to Xello, a new platform for students in grades 6-12 to develop Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) that map out their path to graduation and college/career goals.

Our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are growing in new and exciting ways! We have updated our KMS STEM lab for learning in Engineering, Computer Science, BioScience, and the new Green Architecture course. Our high school Architecture and Construction, Engineering, and Business and Finance programs continue to grow, as well, providing new opportunities for work-based learning, earning industry credentials, and college credits.

School Attendance Matters

Join us in increasing awareness of the importance of consistent school attendance! We are increasing our outreach to families, starting at the beginning of the year, making sure everyone is aware of the importance of consistent school attendance and the positive impact on learning and graduation outcomes. We have hired a part-time Family Outreach Coordinator, Emily Spence, also of Parents as Teachers, who will be working at Hugh Cole and Colt Andrews through Title I funds, to support families in addressing the barriers to consistent school attendance. In addition, Mt. Hope, Kickemuit, and Hugh Cole will participate in a training with districts around the country to analyze trends in attendance data, establish goals, and implement strategies to increase daily attendance.

We want to make sure families are aware of the impact of chronic absenteeism — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences, or suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. We hope that you will join us in making sure students come to school every day. School principals and social workers are available to support you in these efforts.

Promoting Positive Learning and Workplace Environments

Positive learning environments are important to both student and teacher success, and job satisfaction. Teacher morale impacts teachers performing at their best, staff retention, and the ability of schools to succeed in improvement initiatives. This year, we will continue to use staff surveys to identity how we can address aspects of the workplace environment that are impacting morale (i.e., safety & belonging, trust, feeling valued, time and resources). Please join us in recognizing the amazing staff we have and the hard work they do each and everyday on behalf of students.

Other News: Community Partnerships

• Learning Inside Out Initiative Grants - Congratulations to Rockwell and Kickemuit Middle School for each receiving $100,000 grants to create outdoor learning spaces, and a special thank you to Shannon Rozea, BWRSD parent and Founding Director of Thrive Outside, for assisting with the grants.

• Learn365- We look forward to partnering with the town of Bristol and Herreshoff Marine Museum in developing a Municipal CTE Academy Program, funded through the Governer’s Learn365 initiative. The program will provide afterschool programs for high school students to extend learning in science and math beyond the school day and develop career readiness schools through work based learning experiences.

• Bristol Warren Education Foundation (BWEF) - We are grateful each year for the many wonderful opportunities BWEF provides to our teachers and students. This year’s grants will enhance a number of programs, including world language, KMS alternative learning, multilingual learners, the Green Team at Hugh Cole, and more!

Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! The Pupil Personnel Services Department is responsible for student services that supplement and support the instructional program for students. The office works with school and district leaders, teachers, students, and families to provide the tools, guidance, support, and services needed to ensure access to the curriculum for all students, including students with disabilities. The main areas of oversight are Special Education and Related Services and Section 504. We look forward to partnering with you during this school year.

PPS Leadership Team

The Pupil Personnel Services Leadership Team is here to assist you. In addition to your child’s special education teacher or related service providers, there are special education coordinators assigned to our district schools who are available to assist you with questions and concerns related to special education. Our special education coordinators will also serve as the district representative at special education meetings. For matters related to Section 504, please contact your building administrator.

Margaret DeFelice

Elementary Special Education Coordinator, Hugh Cole & Rockwell

margaret.defelice@bwrsd.org

Amanda Madore

Elementary Special Education Coordinator, Colt Andrews & Guiteras

amanda.madore@bwrsd.org

Megan Poulin

KMS Special Education Coordinator

megan.poulin@bwrsd.org

Vicki Guthlein

MHHS Special Education Coordinator

victoria.guthlein@bwrsd.org

Deana Dufficy

Early Childhood and Child Outreach Coordinator, effective 10/10/2023

Bristol Warren Regional School District Special Education Local Advisory Committee

The Special Education Local Advisory Committee in the district has been inactive and is in need of a parent/guardian leader. As a leader of the Special Education Local Advisory Committee, some of the responsibilities include setting meeting dates and agendas, working to recruit membership for the SELAC, acting as a contact person for the group, and attending RI Special Education Advisory Network meetings. Training and professional learning for leading a special education local advisory committee (LAC) is available through the RI Parent Information Network and is highly encouraged for any new parent/guardian leaders to participate in.

If you are interested in leading the BWRSD Special Education Local Advisory Committee, please reach out to Tammy Borges in the Pupil Personnel Services Office at tammy.borges@bwrsd.org or via phone 401-253-4000, ext. 5125.

Raising a Question or Concern About Your Child’s Education

In the Bristol Warren Regional School District, parents and guardians collaborate with school teams to ensure the success of our students. We are committed to working closely with families to identify the appropriate educational programs and strategies to meet each student’s needs.

Our IT Department has completed construction and implementation of our own 8 ½ mile fiber optic network. This network was constructed primarily using federal and state funds. The fiber optic network has significantly increased capacity and has decreased latency.

The IT department is also working on an internal wireless infrastructure refresh in which all buildings will enjoy new, state of the art, wireless access points which capitalize on the fiber optic network. These access points provide upgraded internet and network connectivity for all users.

School Meal Program:

Families, be sure you have completed the FREE AND REDUCED PRICE SCHOOL MEALS APPLICATION by 9/30/23. Even if you think you are not eligible or don’t want to participate, this information is part of the state aid formula and the calculation of funds we receive each year.

• The school meal application is online.
• Only one application per family.
• The application only takes a few minutes to complete.

Visit this link https://www.myschoolapps.com to apply online or fill out the form (English; Spanish) and return completed form to your child's school.

BWRSD Volunteer Procedures

At Bristol Warren Regional School District, we greatly value the active participation of volunteers in our school community. Your support and involvement make a significant difference in the lives of our students.

To ensure the safety and security of our students, we have established volunteer procedures that must be followed diligently. We kindly request your attention to the following guidelines:

Volunteer Forms Submission Dates:

The submission of volunteer forms will be accepted twice a year:

• September 1st through September 30th
• January 1st through January 31st.

Completion of Volunteer Forms:

• All volunteer forms must be completed in their entirety. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

• Please ensure that you have filled out all required fields accurately.

Submission Location:

• Completed volunteer forms should be brought to your child's school in person.

• You must present a valid photo ID when submitting your volunteer forms. This is to verify your identity.

Background Check:

• As part of our commitment to safety, a state background check is required for all volunteers in accordance with RI General Law 16-2-18.4.

• The state background check can be obtained at the Bristol or Warren Police stations at no cost or the Attorney General's Office for a fee.

• Please note that we cannot accept out-of-state background checks.

Questions and Assistance:

If you have any questions or require assistance regarding volunteers, volunteer procedures, or background checks, please feel free to reach out to Samantha Perry, at (401) 253-4000, Ext. 5144 or Samantha.Perry@bwrsd.org.

Your involvement in our school community is greatly appreciated, and we thank you for your commitment to the safety and well-being of our students.

Website: www.bwrsd.org
Location: 235 High Street, Bristol, RI, USA
Phone: 401-253-4000