STRATFORD SCHOOL CURRICULUM MEETING

March 14, 2013

Principal: EileenVota

Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez

                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

Teacher Reps: Laura Connolly, ChristineMustacchio

                                                     Summary

 Core Curriculum Update: 

  Parents found workshops helpful but are still struggling with the day to day aspect of helping with homework and studying for tests.  There is another core curriculum meeting in April that Stewart School will be hosting to help address some of these concerns. The district is on track to have a new math textbook series in September.

 Specials-Grading on Report Card:

 Special areas including art, gym and music have rubrics based on specific content. In addition to general ed teachers special area teachers are also being assessed for APPR.  The acuity tests are being administered in the 3^rd - 5^th grade this year.

 Technology:

 The PTA recently voted for a Microsoft Tablet Grant. Stratford is receiving 11 tablets. These tablets will be able to be signed out on a class by class basis. The tablets will be connected to the server on the mainframe.

The elementary report card in June will not be on the parent portal.

 Summer Reading and Math:

 There will be changes to the summer reading and math to reflect core curriculum.

STRATFORD SCHOOL CURRICULUM SUMMARY

January 14, 2013
Principal: Eileen Vota
Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez
                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt
     Teacher Reps: Laura Connolly, Christine Mustacchio         

 SUMMARY:
Fourth Grade Inconsistency:

 Parents have been raising questions regarding inconsistencies with the workload across fourth grade classes (i.e. amount of homework, tests and book reports).

 Homework should be relatively uniform amongst all fourth grade classes. Approximately 40 minutes of homework and 3-4 items per day. All classes are following the same curriculum however, teachers may choose to access in different ways. Some teachers may continually assess through quizzes in class while other teachers may give more traditional “end of unit” tests. Book reports are given in all classes but some are done in class while others are assigned to be done at home.

 If parents have any specific concerns they should address the teacher directly.

Science Fair:

 No changes have been made to the science fair in regards to picking partners. Children will be able to pick partners from there own class or another third grade class. Children also have the option to work alone and this has become more common in recent years.

Library Resources:

The curriculum committee met with the Garden City Library Monday, January 7^th in regards to utilization of library resources. The PTA is trying to facilitate better communication between the schools and Garden City Library in regards to research projects, summer reading and on line databases. Students have access to list of reference databases via the GC library website. This includes such tools as Live Homework Help, which is administered through Tutor.com. Many parents are not aware of the resources the library has to offer. The PTA is trying to come up with ideas on ways to communicate what is offered at the library to both students and parents.

 In addition, the library representatives came to the January 18^th PTA meeting.  Parents found the information they gave to be very helpful.   The PTA plans on continuing to facilitate better communication with the library going forward.  

                         STRATFORD SCHOOL SUMMARY

December 4,2012
Principal: Eileen Vota
Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez
                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

Teacher Reps: Laura Connolly, Christine Mustacchio

 Pearson Math Link:

 The Pearson program that is currently on teacher websites is aligned with the previous math program. The district is currently researching different math series that are aligned to the common core.

 Reading groups:

 Reading groups happen weekly across all grade levels and reading levels. The guided reading program has not been affected by common core. The only change that might be apparent is the increase in non-fiction literature.

 Stratford website:

 The links to the common core workshop that is taking place on December 10^th and a parents guide to the elementary report card will be added to the Stratford home page.

 Report Card:

 The first report card is being distributed on December 17^th.  The district is hoping that parents will have online access to the next report card in March.

STRATFORD SCHOOL SUMMARY

October 2012

Principal: Eileen Vota

Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez

Teacher Reps: Laura Connelly, Christine Mustacchio

                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

Update on Focus

A new brochure was distributed at Back to School Night explaining the trips and program. The students will be going to Jones Beach this year in place of Compstat Park.

Core Curriculum

 Parents inquired if there were new math textbooks in addition to the new workbooks the children were using this year in all grade levels. 

 It was explained the District has not purchased a new math textbook series.  Different programs are still being considered.  When the district officially adopts a program new textbooks will be purchased. The workbooks are being used as a supplement to the new curriculum.  Currently 3^rd-5^th grade use 2 workbooks and 2^nd grade uses three workbooks.

 There will a presentation at Stratford on Oct 23 (2^nd and 3^rd grade) and October 24^th (4^th and 5^th) for parents to learn the new math and ELA component of the core curriculum.

 Parent – Teacher Conferences

 The acuity tests will be given at the end of October and again in April. The tests are part of the APPR – which is the new teacher rating system coming from New York State. The acuity test results will not be shared with parents but will help teachers see growth in specific areas and in some instances may help flag students that need extra help in a certain area. However, the purpose of the Acuity Testing is to measure teacher performance.  They will be given to grades 3-5. 

  Back to School Night

Feedback was very positive. Parents appreciated the extra time to get to multiple classrooms.

 Robotics

The Robotics Club is up and running for grades 2 - 5. Since it is a new program, they are not going to promote it until they have sufficient staff to accommodate more students and time to gauge how the program is received.   The program is not based out of the school.  However, the school would be willing to send home flyers ect if approved by the District.

 New Report Cards

New report cards will be distributed this year. There will be 3 report cards: December, March and June. They will have the same distribution dates as the Primary Schools’ report cards. The goal is for parents to utilize the parent portal and view the report cards online. However, initially parents will also receive a hard copy from the school.  The new report cards will also have a grade for FLES.  Children will no longer get a progress report from FLES.

 There will be a presentation in November that will give an overview of the new report cards.

                  STRATFORD SCHOOL SUMMARY

June 4, 2012

Principal: Eileen Vota

Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez

                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

Teacher Reps:  Leigh Dowden, Amanda Mathers

New Topics:

Career Day – The speakers were a big success.  Many classes planned Career Day activities, such as dressing up as your future profession and inviting parents up throughout the month of June to talk about their career.  Feedback from parents was positive.  Some suggested that next year we do a Career Week or month and have all the classes and grade levels more aligned in the different activities they participate in.  Career Day feedback will be given to the site-based team and an effort will be made (based on the testing schedule and staff development, ect.) to streamline Career Day activities into one week.

Cycles – Stratford will go to a 5-day schedule (Mon.-Fri.) cycle next year in order to better align with outside service providers.  The children will attend the same number of specials - nothing will change.

Follow up:

Update on New Report Cards - The new report cards were presented at the Board of Education work session on Tuesday, June 5^th. The goal is to have them ready for the 2012-13 school year.   The new report cards will reflect Common Core.  It will be a standards based report card and they will still use a 1-4 system.  Elementary school parents will also be able to access the parent portal to view report cards online.  They will not be sent home.  The Stratford Representatives on the Report Card Committee are Brian O'Neill and Margo Padala.   There will be an opportunity in the Fall to see the report cards and ask questions either at a PTA meeting or at a Joint Principals Forum.

Focus for 2012-13 – Brochures explaining F.O.C.U.S will be given out in the fall with a website link.  Parents are encouraged to go on 5th grade class websites to see pictures of the trips.

Update on Core Curriculum – More time will be allotted on back to school night for Core to be discussed.  The district is working on new curriculum guides for fall.  The National PTA Pamphlet on the new Core Curriculum is a valuable resource for parents.

School Newspaper –  Parents expressed an interest in a school newspaper.  A club or activity involving children’s work cannot be run by a parent.   A school newspaper club would  have to be  run by a teacher.   This cannot be considered at this time due to budget constraints.

     STRATFORD SCHOOL CURRICULUM SUMMARY

March 20, 2012

Principal: Eileen Vota

Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez

                 PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

Teacher Reps: Leigh Dowden, Tia Albig

Follow up:

Keyboard - Computer teacher presented on the Custom Typing program at the last PTA meeting.  Information on the Custom Typing program and how to access it will be on the website and in the next Stratford Newsletter.

Summer Packets – Based on the teachers and administrators reports, the rate of return on summer packets was about 90% for the fifth grade, and less than half for the second, third and fourth grades.  We discussed options for summer supplemental work such as castle learning (computer program), which is used in the middle school.  However, this program does not allow students to show math work. Teachers find this to be important at the elementary level. Also, teachers use the problems that have the most errors on summer packets as the  “problem of the day” in the start of the new school year as a review. 

New topics:

Literacy Week - Parents had questions regarding Literacy Week.  This year the activities seemed inconsistent across classes and grade levels in comparison to last year.

It was explained that due to scheduling changes the school was not able to host a school-wide DEAR (DROP EVERYTHING AND READ) as they did last year-with parents coming in to classrooms school – wide.  They decided to kick this year off with an author visit, which was well received.  All classes participated during the week and different literacy activities were taking place across all grade levels.  This included additional reading blocks.  Teachers introduced children to new books.  Parents received a letter indicating all the events that would occur during Literacy Week.  We discussed ideas for next year, which included the possibility of having a Math Day.     

Test Prep State Tests - Are all teachers required to prepare their students for the state tests in the same way or is up to the teachers discretion based on the needs of their individual classes?   

All classes participate in the same test prep.  Test prep units are utilized across grade levels.  Benchmarks are given school- wide so that students will be prepared for the length of time of the test. In grades 3-5 they practice taking 90 minutes tests. The second grade will begin some test prep in May to prepare for state tests that they are going to take the following year.

Cursive Writing - What is the curriculum regarding cursive writing? 

Cursive is introduced in second grade after January. Each child in second grade receives a workbook.  In third grade print is reviewed early in the fall and then script is practiced everyday.  The children have a workbook and learn all upper and lowercase letters in cursive. Each class does this at their own pace.  Cursive is not required at any grade level.  It is the child’s preference and what is most legible in fourth through middle school.

Writing - Parents are interested in a school newspaper or a creative writing club.  They would like to see writing incorporated as an extracurricular activity i.e. School Newspaper, Reading Club etc. 

A proposal needs to be brought to school board and they need to approve the budget to run new clubs. Currently, we have difficulty enlisting staff for the current clubs.

 Communication Regarding Common Core Learning Standards

When will the parents be made aware of the all the changes? Do you plan to use back to school night as a time to introduce changes?

The Common Core Curriculum will be discussed at Back to School Night and how the changes will impact each grade level will also be addressed.  There will be longer time to present at Back to School Night. It will also be discussed at the first or second PTA meeting of the year. The National PTA website has a link entitled “Parent’s Guide to Student Success” which provides families with information about the Common Core Learning Standards (http://www.pta.org/4446.htm ).

 November 15, 2011

In attendance:
Principal, Eileen Vota
Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez
Teacher Reps: Laura Connolly
PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

SUMMARY

CogAT

The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) is administered to 3^rdand 5^th graders in October to determine admission intoQuest, a gifted enrichment program focusing on enhancing higher- level critical thinking.There is no longer aQuest program has in the 6^th grade.  Questions were raised regarding the 5^th grade Quest program (e.g., how many students will be admitted? will the scores be used for any other purpose?).  There are three primary uses of the CogAT scores: 1) to guide efforts to adapt instruction to the needs and abilities of students 2) to provide an alternative measure of cognitive development and 3)an element in the entrance criteria to QUEST.  It was explained that children entering the program in the 5^thgrade must have both a composite score of at least 130 on the CogATas well asa specific ELA and Math scalescore on state assessments.Criteria for admission into the Quest program arereviewed each year.  The CogAT scores are not used for placement in middle school clusters. 

Mathletes

Mathletes started on October 31^st and is off to a good start.  The program is for both 4^thand 5^th graders.  The children can attend either a morning or after-school session.  The 4^th grade does not compete but the 5^th graders are entered into competitions.  They compete monthly. Awards will be given out at the 5^th grade awards ceremony in June.  Mr. Messier is runs the program and information can be found on the school website. 

Classroom Websites

Teachers are asked to update their websites in September and are encouraged to continually update as the year progresses, however they are not required to do so.  Some teachers prefer to communicate through their websites while others do not.  We discussed the transition for both parents and students entering the middle school in the area of school-home communication.  At the middle school all communication is web-based.   The point was raised thatit might be beneficial for the 4^th and 5^th grade students to have more consistent involvement with their class websites, however it was acknowledged that the middle school teachers utilize the parent portal and the teachers have an administrative period that allows them time to work on the computer. 

Science in 2^nd grade

All the classes follow the same science curriculum. They attend the science lab once every other cycle and can also sign up for an additional period if available.  There will be follow-up on what type of science assessments are used in the classrooms.

STRATFORD SCHOOL CURRICULUM SUMMARY

September 23, 2011

In attendance:
Principal, Eileen Vota
Assistant Principal: Janet Gonzalez
Teacher Reps: Tia Albig, Laura Connolly
PTA Reps: Kerriann Gambino, Jennifer Schmitt

SUMMARY

1.         Library Special.It was explained that library is no longer a special (prep), but is considered an extension, which means the teacher is in the classroom with the librarian. All students will go to library once in each 6-day cycle.  The content of the library program will remain the same. This change was made mainly for scheduling reasons and also because of the loss of the library aid,who assisted the librarian with organizing the materials, etc.

2.         Spanish.  The Spanish (FLES) program occurs twice in the 6-day cycle for 40 minutes and is now considered a special (prep) for grades 2-5. This program is no longer a “push-in” program.   Since there was an available classroom, the students are now leaving theirclassroom to attend Spanish. Children will not receive a grade in Spanish.  The philosophy of the program is to expose the children to the Spanish language and culture.  The objective is for the students to gain an appreciation and interest that will provide a solid foundation for language acquisition in the years to come. Garden City’s language program serves as a model for surrounding districts, many of which do not have language at the elementary level.  Due to the philosophy of the program, no consideration is being given to including a grade on report cards. 

3.         District’s Uninterrupted Classroom/Instructional Time Initiative.The band and orchestra students are provided with small group lessons at 7:15 to reduce the number of pull outs for music during the day.The small group lessons are offered based on the number of students interested in attending in the morning.  The staff is attempting to have one period each day in each grade where no students are pulled out for support services.

4.         Differentiation.Parents questioned the interest survey that went home to all the students. In grades 3-5 there was an individual questionnaire to be filled out by parents. In grade 2 there was a questionnaire and Me Map to be filled out in each household. These forms came from the Differentiation Committee and were sent home by the building principals in all primary and elementary schools.   Teachers are looking through the questionnaires to see patters and get an understanding of a child’s likes/dislikes, etc.Differentiation is constantly occurring in classroomsof all grade levels, even if it is not a formalized tiered lesson plan. Teachers are trying to avoid fostering competitiveness among the children, so differentiation is done on an individual basis based on each child’s needs.   The administration continually provides support to the teachers in this area.

5.         Focus.The Focus kick-off was a success. The children all enjoyed it.  It was discussed that the Focus program should have one packet that is distributed in beginning of the year containing a description of program and details of what is included in the $100 price and t-shirt. Mrs. Vota is in the process of making a brochure for next year to be handed out in the beginning with all the details on the program.

                             
                       Stratford June Curriculum Summary 2011

 Test Preparation for state assessments:  Test preparation at Stratford is done in each class at every grade level.  All teachers use a STARS workbook, an ELA workbook that familiarizes students with format and question structure of the state tests.   This book is completed by each student before the end of the year.  How a teacher uses the workbook may vary-  some may use it in class ( independently or as a whole group), others may assign pages in the workbook for homework.  Teachers use this tool along with in-class discussion  and benchmark assessments to monitor the students’ progress. 

 Critical Thinking:  Critical thinking is an integral part of the curriculum at Stratford.  Teachers are constantly working to guide students to higher level thinking and deeper analysis, particularly in the upper elementary grades.  There is much discussion and debate among the students as they learn to process information and to synthesize deeper meaning.  They are encouraged to formulate and articulate an opinion, a process that requires higher level thinking and analysis. 

 Report Cards:  The administration is working to create a rubric for the current report cards in order to provide parents with deeper understanding of the scores reported.

Communication:  The district understands the parents’ desire for greater communication regarding curriculum and student progress.  The administration is currently assessing the various forms of teacher – parent communication and will be working towards ensuring parents are receiving the information that they need.

                Stratford March 2011 Curriculum Summary

Report Cards

The teachers at Stratford work hard to provide accurate information regarding a student’s progress.  The current report card is structured in two parts:  the scores received in January reflect a student’s achievement for the first half of the year (September – January), and the scores received in June reflect a student’s achievement for the second half of the year (February – June).  Occasionally a student’s scores may change from the first half of the year to the second because the material covered in the beginning of the school year is primarily review while the second half of the year usually covers new and more challenging material. 

The district will initiate the process of revising the elementary report cards to more closely follow the format of the primary report cards.  In the interim, the administration is working to ensure that teachers use similar criteria to determine scores that are reported.  We are also looking into providing information on grading at Back-to-School-Night.

The following are the current performance levels students receive on the report card:

Level 4 accomplished- an exceptional understanding of grade level work

Level 3 Proficient-consistent performance of grade level work

Level 2 Developing- acceptable understanding but at times there are inconsistencies in performance on grade level work

Level 1 Beginning- limited understanding and performance on grade level work

Accelerated Reader (AR)

The Accelerated Reader program is a supplemental reading program that is used by three teachers to encourage independent reading.  It is not an instructional program, rather it is structured such that individual students are accountable for their own independent reading.  A student chooses from a list of books that are organized by level, by author, or alphabetically.  Once a book is completed, the student takes a 10 question quiz on the book.  A student can earn points based on the number of books completed and the quiz scores.  

The Stratford library web page has a link to www.bookadventure.com, a free program which is set up in much the same way as the AR program.  The program can be used at home to help encourage children to read and can also be helpful in finding books for students at the appropriate reading level.

Communication

Communication between parents and teachers has been extensively discussed at the district level throughout the past year.  Teachers use e-mail, phone conversations, or conferences to discuss specific concerns and specific situations with parents.  General communication, however, is somewhat variable.  Some teachers provide parents with weekly communication, some monthly, and some less frequently.  The frequency and content of written communication varies from teacher to teacher, and the administration is currently assessing the various styles of communication.

         
               Stratford Curriculum Meeting Summary- February 4^th, 2011

In attendance:  Mrs. Vota, Mrs. Gonzales, Mrs. Albig, Mr. Messier, Margo Padala and Kim Baker

Grammar

Grammar instruction begins in 2nd grade and, as with many other subjects, the teachers implement a spiral curriculum to teach it.  The spiraling curriculum allows students to repeat the study of a subject in different grades, each time at a higher level of difficulty and in greater depth.  For example, in second grade students may learn about the different types of sentences – “telling” sentences or “asking” sentences.  As time goes on, they will learn the more sophisticated terminology for the particular kind of sentences- “declarative” or “interrogative”.  In addition to grammar instruction and reinforcement in class work and worksheets, grammar is reinforced through spelling and through writing.  Scaffolding (the process of providing learners with as much support as is needed until the teacher gradually fades away completely once mastery is attained) is provided, as well as a means of differentiating to meet the needs of individual learners.

Mathletes

Enrollment has been consistent in Mathletes.  Communication with parents of Mathletes participants is achieved every week through the scored worksheets which allow parents to see progress as well as areas of strength and weakness.  The 5^th grade students have competed in 3 Math Olympiads so far this year.  The results of the Olympiad are kept confidential until the end of the year at which point the Math Olympiad organization will give awards to top scoring teams and top scoring individuals.  Awards are based on the cumulative record of teams and individuals over the 5 Olympiad competitions held throughout the year.  The only person privy to the scores of the Olympiads is the coordinator of the Mathletes program, Mr. Messier.  Stratford offers awards, independent from the Math Olympiad, to the top scoring 4^th and 5^th grade participants. 

Parents with questions or concerns are encouraged to call Mr. Messier, the coordinator of the program. 

Outside Academic Programs: 

Outside programs are typically investigated at the district level as Stratford does not have a discretionary budget.  There are PTA programs that do, however.  The Arts and Education program and Health and Safety have small budgets and they (in collaboration with Stewart School and the principals in both places) consider appropriate programs to bring in to the schools, often in the form of assemblies.  

 Stratford seeks out grant applications that they feel would benefit the school and enhance programs and curriculum.  The administration would gladly work with parents on grant applications if appropriate possibilities are found. 

Stratford November Curriculum Summary

Mathletes 

Mathletes is a national math enrichment program designed to provide opportunities for children who have an interest/aptitude/passion in the subject to engage in problem solving, logical and deductive reasoning, and higher-level thinking.  The program does not follow 4^th and 5^th grade math curriculum, rather the content is based on past topics covered in the Math Olympiads which are held regionally, six times per year.  The program is used, however, to inform our curriculum if we notice that our students seem to struggle with questions that others do better on regionally and nationally. All participating fifth graders are eligible to compete in these six Math Olympiads during 25 minute 1^st period sessions.

10 questions are provided each week by the 2 moderators, Mr. Messier and Ms. LiCalzi.  Before the students attempt the questions, one concept from the sheet is taught (each of the 10 questions covers a different concept) to ensure that all the students understand how to apply a particular strategy.  Each week this concept changes, and all groups cover the same sample question, working together with the moderators to solve it.  Once the lesson is completed, the students are then asked to work on the remaining questions for the week.  They can work independently, with a partner, or in a small group.  Once finished, the students submit their work to one of the two moderators who scores the sheet.  Each correct answer earns 10 points. The moderators discuss any errors with the student and the student has the opportunity to correct their mistakes to earn partial credit.  If a moderator assists, the child can still receive 5 points for a question they ultimately solve.  Scores are kept throughout the year and totaled at the end.  Awards will be given to the top scoring 4^th and 5^th grade students (or groups, if the same group has always worked together).

There are approximately 100 students from 4^th and 5^th grade currently participating in the program, with the breakdown at about 60/40 respectively.  The questions that are presented to the students are cycled such that the current 4^th grade participants will not have the same questions if they participate in 5^th grade.

Writer’s Workshop

Staff development has been ongoing to ensure that teachers have the support and resources they need in order to effectively implement Writer’s Workshop into the classrooms at Stratford. Each student will complete 4 major pieces of writing this year within a particular unit of study. The students are currently working on a personal narrative. 

Guided Reading

Staff development for the guided reading program has been ongoing as well, led by staff consultant Erika Pecorale.  Already implemented in 2^nd and 3^rd grade, Guided Reading is currently being rolled out in 4^th and 5^th.  4^th and 5^th grade teachers are working on running records with a sample of students in their class to ensure that they understand how the process works; the program will not be rolled out in its entirety to the 4^th and 5^th grades until next September.  If parents have questions about their child’s progress in Guided Reading, the concepts being covered, or appropriately leveled books, they should contact their teacher for information.   Stratford will be having a joint PTA meeting with Stewart on January 26^th to educate parents on the Guided Reading Program.

Stratford Curriculum Summary- September 2010

 OPEN ITEMS FROM LAST YEAR:

 Differentiation

Differentiation in our schools is currently under review by the district and is one of its curriculum goals for 2010-11.  At Stratford, Mrs. Vota is in the process of learning and assessing what is done here in order to properly and effectively move us towards that goal.

 Guided Reading

Mrs. Vota will be providing a general overview of the guided reading program at the November PTA meeting and will post the presentation on the school website shortly thereafter. The elementary principals are working to determine the best way to keep parents informed about their child’s reading progress during the year.  

 CogAT

The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) will be administered to 3^rd and 5^th graders this October to determine admission into Quest, a gifted enrichment program focusing on enhancing higher level critical analysis and critical thinking for students who earn a composite score of 130 or higher (in 5^th grade, state assessments are factored in to admission decision as well).  A power-point presentation can be found on the “Principal’s Page” of the Stratford website with examples of questions from the various sections of the test.  All teachers across the third grade familiarize their students with the format, make them aware of the time allotted, and give examples of the questions in each section using a practice booklet designed by the company that produces the CogAT.  No further prep is necessary as this is a cognitive abilities test, not an achievement test.

 Spelling

The spelling curriculum at Stratford is designed to create a context for spelling words in order to help the children learn rules to apply going forward rather than simply memorizing words for their weekly test. Although the spelling words may occasionally appear easy in isolation, they are part of a deliberate lesson to teach a particular grammatical or structural rule. In order to share the context of spelling lessons with parents, 2^nd and 3^rd grade teachers plan to inform them of the principle the children are studying each week. 

 Science

Our science lab has been cleaned, reorganized and updated with new equipment.  Over the summer, teacher representatives from each grade spent time with Administration to create grade specific labs that will enhance and extend the science curriculum.  Each class will be going to the science lab once every other cycle as they did in the past and each grade will be conducting the same labs so that all children will have a similar experience.  Also, teachers can sign up for extra lab time when the lab is free in order to conduct additional experiments with their class.  Teachers will be providing an overview of the science curriculum and the labs that will be conducted throughout the year within the next few weeks.        

  NEW ITEMS:

 ERB Test  

Stratford’s scores improved year-over-year from 4.1/6 to 4.28/6.  The ERB is an independent, non-state mandated writing test (with a rubric that aligns closely with our Write Traits program) that the district uses to inform and improve its own writing curriculum.  Our steady yearly improvement demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction in terms of providing a solid writing program for our students.  Details about the ERB test can be found on Stratford’s website under “Parents” and then “District/State assessments”.

 NY State ELA/Math Assessments

NY state has issued new cut scores on 2010 ELA and Math tests in order to raise the bar academically for our students and to better identify students whose performance is below standards.  Details about the state tests and new cut scores can be found on Stratford’s website under “Parents” and then “District/State assessments”.

Stratford School Curriculum Update - May 2010

Science:  In light of district-wide concern over the elimination of the Science Specialist in the elementary schools, Administration is working to help fill this void.   The lab room at Stratford will be maintained for science use and includes lab equipment that will enable the teachers to engage the children in hands-on lab activities on a regular basis.  Administration is looking into scheduling lab time for each class, and will be working with teachers on each grade level to design labs for each grade to ensure consistency.  In addition, the afterschool science club has been an overwhelming success and administration re-evaluates the program each year in terms of enrollment and available funds.  Depending upon budget and interest, this might be expanded to allow for more hands-on activities.

Character Development – Bucket Filler Theme:

For years, Stratford has built character development into the curriculum.  This year’s “Bucket Filler” theme has been very successful and has given the schools the chance to establish a common language for everyone to talk about and address issues that may come up concerning bullying. 

When specific issues are brought to the attention of administration, the general protocol is to investigate the incident(s) and determine the best way to address it on a case-by-case basis.  When deemed necessary, parents will be contacted and the appropriate school personnel are consulted. 

It is essential for parents to keep an open dialogue with their child’s teacher and administration.  If a problem that has already been brought to the attention of a teacher/administration continues, the most important thing a parent can do is to keep the school informed.  Administration may believe that a situation has been resolved based on what they see and hear.  If that is not the case, they need to be made aware so further action can be taken.  

Class Size 2010-2011: 

Class size has yet to be finalized. 

 Class Placement: 

Placing children in classes for the upcoming school year is a long and careful process that begins in April and extends through August.  Administration strives to match the strengths of each teacher with the needs of the students.  In addition, administration looks to create balanced classes in terms of boy/girl ratio and those who get pulled for support services, etc. 

Administration works closely with the teachers and staff (including the psychologist and social worker) in placing students that may require some extra consideration.  If parents have a particular concern regarding their child, they are asked to write a letter to Miss Hopkins by April 30^th.  Their concerns will be taken into consideration during the placement process.

Stratford School Curriculum Update/ February, 2010

COGAT PRESENTATION:

Miss Hopkins gave a general overview of the assessment at the 1/26/10 PTA meeting which is now posted on the Principal’s Page on the Stratford website for all to view.

DIFFERENTIATION IN INSTRUCTION:

Differentiation occurs in many different ways at Stratford.  Teachers may use re-teach or enrichment sheets to supplement the lesson for those needing extra practice or to provide challenge work for those working at a faster pace.  They also differentiate instruction through the use of manipulatives, hands-on activities, graphic organizers, rephrasing of directions, strategic seating, etc. Teachers can differentiate in terms of process– how the material is taught – by using various instructional strategies depending on the different learning styles in a class.  Teachers can also tailor questioning strategies according to student needs. 

ASSESSMENT OF PROGRESS:

A variety of formal and informal assessment tools including tests, projects and rubrics are used to gauge students’ understanding.  Furthermore, children in grades 3-5 complete monthly ELA and math benchmark assessments which are used to guide curriculum and instruction. 

GENERATING MINI-LESSONS:

2^ND GRADE BALANCED LITERACY:

A complete and informative overview of the program was presented at the 1/26/10 PTA meeting and will be posted on the Stratford website for those who missed it.

3^RD GRADE LITERACY:

Includes writing in content areas, reading strategies across genres, shared reading, guided reading and development of comprehension skills.  Daily literacy block is 2 periods long and follows model of 2^nd grade balanced literacy.  Guided reading groups meet with teacher approximately 3x cycle and material used in each group is based on level.  Parents can contact teacher to learn what books child is reading and to understand current goals him/her.  Typically while teacher is working with guided reading group, the remaining students are engaged in literacy-based activities such as independent reading (books chosen from leveled “browsing bins”).  Children may be asked to complete graphic organizer giving them opportunity to independently demonstrate skills/strategies previously presented in a whole group lesson.  Running records are administered periodically throughout the year. 

4TH-5TH GRADE LITERACY:

In all grades, students are taught to read for information about a text, within a text and- particularly in the higher grades- beyond the text.  Students are exposed to literacy in various ways including anthologies, content-area reading, vocabulary development, novels, magazines, etc.  Teachers may use flexible groupings in reading based on the students’ needs, skills or interest level. Thus, groups are more fluid and are formed as needed to help students reinforce particular concepts that have been presented such as map reading skills, etc. 

  Stratford School December 2009 Curriculum Update 

 A general note about curriculum:

Stratford follows the New York State Learning Standards for each grade level.  These are guidelines set forth by the state that are prescriptive as to depth of content and time period within which material should be covered.  These guidelines can be found at the NYS Department of Education website www.nysed.gov.

Quest:

 Quest is a gifted enrichment program focusing on enhancing higher level critical analysis and critical thinking. Participation in this program has required composite scores of 130 or higher on the CogAT test. In the past, the CogAT test had been given in various grade levels, however, for the past few years the test has been administered to students in grades 3 and 5.  

Science Curriculum:

The classroom teachers at Stratford are the primary science teachers although Mr. Cronin, our science specialist, works with the students every other cycle on coordinated labs.  Where appropriate, the classroom teachers do hands-on activities with the students as well.  The 3^rd grade science fair, which is a huge undertaking, truly enhances their curriculum.  In 4^th grade, there is an extra science period during the science cycle in an effort to support the work that the classroom teachers are doing and to help students prepare for the Elementary-Level Science Test in May.  FOCUS provides enhancement to the 5^th grade science program by giving students the opportunity to take field trips to explore their surrounding environment and gain a greater appreciation for Long Island.

 Spelling:

 Teachers on all grade levels use a variety of resources to teach and reinforce specific spelling principles and build word knowledge.  “Word Study”, a component of the 2nd grade Balanced Literacy Program, includes spelling principles which focus on sounds and blends.  Grades 3-5 use numerous materials to accomplish this task including spelling books to reinforce specific spelling rules, phonemic awareness, compound words, homophones, etc., as well as various spelling strategies. They also use lists of high frequency words that are often misspelled in student writing, and content area word lists to reinforce the terms learned in subjects such as social studies, science and math. 

Stratford School Curriculum Update

October, 2009 

 -ERB scores from 2009 showed improvement from the previous year demonstrating that Stratford’s continued efforts in the area of writing have been a success.  Teachers draw the “best practices” from a variety of writing programs including Write Traits, and Balanced Literacy Training for 2^nd and 3^rd grade teachers is ongoing.

 -FLES assessment results:  FLES has been very well received, and last year’s assessment results show 306/322 students scoring above 86%.

 -Class size did grow, however, in most cases increase was small.  Teachers are constantly assessing students’grasp of material and are using a variety of methods to address needs including breaking into small groups.

 -Summer Math Packet response was greatly improved from 2008, and teachers used material for review during 1^st few weeks.

 -Science Club was a huge success last year and will be offered again in 2009-2010.

 -Math differentiation is addressed through the teachers’ use of supplemental and extension work to meet the needs of various students.  In addition, there are many resources from which a teacher can draw support in terms of finding appropriate materials to meet these needs.

 -Stratford has been using the book Have you Filled a Bucket Today? as a springboard for discussions concerning character and social-emotional growth.

 -FOCUS (program which replaced Colebrook) so far been a great success.  Kick-off and marine biology trip to Freeport very well-received.

 -Technology integration continues to be a focus at Stratford.  Teachers will begin to use a response system this year which will allow the teacher to question class as a whole, and target areas where they may not be understanding concepts.