Quincy Reporter

Community Consolidated School District 181 Board of Education Academic Success Committee met Sept. 7.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Call to Order

The Academic Success Committee meeting of the Board of Education of Community Consolidated School District 181, DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois, was called to order by Grace Shin, Board Member, and Committee Chair, at 12:01 p.m. on September 7, 2023.

On roll call, the following members were present: William Cotter and Grace Shin.

Also present: Dr. Kathy Robinson, Dr. Dana Bergthold, Kristin Reingruber, Sara Clary, Chaidan Leshinski, Jake Wertz, and Recording Secretary Jean Duggan.

Guests: Meg Cooper, Board Member, and Jessica Schultz, Teacher on Special Assignment

Pledge of Allegiance

Grace Shin led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of Minutes

Grace Shin made a motion to approve the minutes from the June 15, 2023, Academic Success Committee meeting. William Cotter seconded the motion. All in favor, the motion carried.

Public Comment

No public comment.

Discussion Topics

Curriculum & Professional Learning Highlights 2023

Dr. Robinson, Dr. Bergthold, and Ms. Reingruber shared an overview of the D181 staff summer development opportunities and curricular highlights for 2023-24. The highlights are as follows:

● Curriculum Resource Implementation

○ Middle School Grammar/Writing Resource - No Red Ink

○ Middle School World Language Resources - SOMOS, Nous Sommes, EntreCulturas

○ Elementary Music - Quaver Music

○ Elementary Process Writing Curriculum

● District Resource Pilots

○ Elementary and Middle School Science

● Social Emotional Learning Focus

○ Elementary and Middle School Science

● New Rising Stars Classroom at Madison

● Opening 23-24

○ Students & Staff Highlights

○ Summer Learning PD - D181 Foundation

○ August Professional Learning

● Rising Stars Classrooms

○ Elm, Madison, Monroe & Prospect

○ Opened the additional classroom at Madison

● Hired one additional FTE at Madison - Mrs. Egan

● Welcomed 72 Rising Star students on August 28th

○ 15 families declined enrollment

● Developed new Rising Stars mid-term progress reports

Professional Learning Opportunities

Professional Learning Summer 2023

● D181 Foundation-funded summer learning opportunities for staff for $7,500

● 25 teachers were approved for summer courses

● Course Titles:

○ Enhancing the Social-Emotional Climate of a Classroom with Mindfulness ○ Strategies for Small Group Reading Instruction

○ Restorative Practices in the Classroom

○ Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities Part II: Multi-Sensory Teaching Strategies ○ Teaching Writing Skills All Year Long

○ Communicating Expectations for Learning

○ 14 Powerful Strategies to Boost Reading and Writing Achievement ○ Introduction to Literacy Stations

○ Educating for Character

○ Orff Music Education

○ Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools

○ Reading Comprehension

Conference Branching Minds 2023

○ Administrators and Building Psychologists Training Days August 3 & 4

New Staff Induction 2023

● Welcomed 20+ new staff members on August 10-11 & 14 at the D181 New Staff Induction & Development days

August Staff Professional Development Days 2023

All D181 certified staff participated in 10 hours of learning on August 16 & 17

● Executive Functioning - Sarah Ward

● Launching the Writer’s Workshop - Shona Lansdell

● Essential Writing Lessons - Smekens

● Mystery Science - Discovery Education

● Elevate Science - Savvas

● Small Group Math MS Instruction - Borden, Gesbocker

● Safety & Security - Alstadt, Herrmann, Kowalt

● A.I. in the Classroom - Myron Dueck

● Legal Updates in Special Education - Caroline Rosselli

● NoRedInk

● Storyboard

● Embrace Service Logging

● Satchel Pulse

Dr. Robinson confirmed that the parents of the Rising Stars students were invited to Curriculum Night.

Review of Summer Programs 2023

Dr. Robinson shared that the District offered five summer programs to students in D181. The programs offered during the summer of 2023 were Summer Learning, Bridge Math Program, Time to Shine, Extended School Year, and Math Camp. She introduced Ms. Jessica Schultz, Summer School Administrator and Teacher on Special Assignment.

Ms. Schultz shared that the five programs ran concurrently from June 12-30, 2023, at Clarendon Hills Middle School and Prospect School.

● Summer Learning Program:

○ Ms. Schultz said the Summer Learning program aims to provide a variety of activities designed to address the needs of all learners and provide extension and enrichment opportunities for students. She noted that many courses offered were interest-based enrichment programs that students could self-select. Some classes were specifically targeted as remedial opportunities for instruction in core subjects. Lastly, she shared positive feedback from parents, students, and staff.

● Math Bridge:

○ Dr. Robinson shared that the summer Bridge courses are designed for students in grades 3-8 and recommended to accelerate their math pathway within District 181 based on approved placement criteria. She said each class provides in depth instruction, practice, and assessment for standards that are needed to bridge to an advanced/accelerated math pathway. It was noted that the summer Bridge program was taught in person, with a virtual option. The classes included live instruction, small group sessions, independent practice, homework, and assessment. Lastly, Dr. Robinson shared the positive feedback from parents, students, and staff.

● Extended School Year (ESY):

○ Dr. Bergthold shared that students enrolled in ESY work to maintain skills in Reading, Math, and school functioning (OT/PT/Speech/Social Work). Students also worked on IEP goals to help them sustain the skills developed during the regular school term. Dr. Bergthold then shared the positive feedback from parents, students, and staff.

● Time To Shine

○ Dr. Robinson shared that Title I Time to Shine (TtS) is a balanced literacy program designed to maintain and improve the reading skills of elementary-age students while promoting a love of literacy. She noted that there were students from all nine schools: 131 students entering 1st-9th grade; 14 sections with 16 educators; daily one-hour classes with two sessions; and small group targeted reading instruction. Lastly, she provided positive feedback from parents, students, and staff.

● Math Camp:

○ Dr. Robinson shared that math camp is a grant-funded 1-hour program for students who receive Tier 2 or Tier 3 math support throughout the school year. Math Camp helps students boost confidence in math and develop enjoyment of math and problem-solving as essential academic skills. She noted that there were daily 1-hour classes with two sessions. The program ran 15 days, and there was a total of 92 students with ten sections and 11 educators. Small group instruction included projects, games, warm-ups, and activities, all focused on building math fluency and skills. Lastly, she provided positive feedback from parents, students, and staff.

Summer 2024 Program Dates

● Summer Math Bridge - June 6-28, 2024

● Summer Learning Program, ESY, Time to Shine, and Math Camp

Board member Shin requested that the DOL share information on the Math Bridge program at the next ASC meeting.

Dr. Robinson shared that families and staff prefer the programs run during June.

Committee members asked if the District could extend the program since it is so popular. Dr. Robinson said it would be difficult due to staffing and building capacity.

SEL Satchel Pulse Update

Dr. Bergthold shared that the MTSS Committee members have been working to create a consistent system for identifying student social-emotional needs during the previous two years. Recently, the Committee recommended using Satchel Pulse to determine the needs of Kindergarten through fifth-grade students after successfully piloting the screener. Both middle schools already have an established Advisory plan, which is reviewed annually.

Dr. Bergthold said that during the 2023-24 school year, the District will be collecting data similar to the information that was collected using the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS); however, the data will come from the Satchel Pulse screener. The goal is to gather baseline data and resources and develop a District-wide MTSS model for social-emotional learning aligned with Illinois SEL standards and the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). The data supports the MTSS Committee in curating and designing a plan for lessons that cover the critical competencies that all students need to be successful in their pursuits.

Elementary teachers will complete the Satchel Pulse screener during September by rating their students' competencies in Kindergarten through second grades. Students in grades third through fifth will answer questions about themselves, and their teachers will also provide information. Once the screener is complete, data will be reviewed, parents will be provided results, and interventions will be communicated. Throughout the school year, teachers will utilize some resources available in Satchel Pulse to teach social skills to their students. The MTSS Committee has provided resources from the platform for teachers to use and the opportunity to give feedback to the Committee on student engagement and ease of use. Once the information is gathered, the Committee will create a lesson plan for the 24/25 school year and provide support for using the platform.

2023-2024 SEL Timeline

● July /August 2023 - Completed SEL Calendar; Identified Themes; Previewed Lessons; PD; Advisory Review

● September 2023 - ES SEL; Screener (Satchel)

● October 2023 - Middle School SEL; Screener (DAP); SEL Lesson Introduction

● November 2023 - SEL Lesson Planning; Intervention Reviews

● January-March 2024 -Finalize Tier 1 Plan; PD Planning

Next Steps

• MTSS Committee - Identify Tier I Lessons and processes

• Creation of a District-Wide SEL Plan

• Feedback on SEL lessons

• Feedback on data protocols

• FY25 Satchel proposal (multi-year vs. single year)

Science Pilot Update

Kristin Reingruber, Director of Assessment, Instruction, and Evaluation, shared an update for the K-8 science resource pilot that is taking place during the 2023-24 school year.

Curriculum Renewal Cycle

● The D181 target for a curriculum renewal cycle is five years

● The last science resource pilot and purchase was for the 2018-2018 school year 

○ K-3: McGraw Hill

○ 4-8: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

● The Department of Learning and Science Subject Area Committee Members researched resources and planned the Science pilot in the spring of 2022 and fall/winter of 2022/202

● The K-8 Science resource will begin during the fall of the 2023-2024 school year The Science SAC identified the following priorities for a new science resource:

● Hands-on activities

● Organized resource/units

● Aligned to NGSS and prioritizes the standards that we have identified in our pacing guides

● Assessments and labs included

● If an online component is offered - review the current state of that resource

● Differentiated materials to meet the needs of all students (above, at, and below grade level)

● Cohesive K-8

The Science SAC members reviewed all sample resources:

● EdReports review of resources

○ Focus

○ Coherence

○ Rigor

○ Alignment to NGSS

Pilot Process & Procedures:

● All SAC members and their grade-level team in elementary will pilot

● All middle school science teachers at middle school will pilot

● Each teacher will pilot one unit of instruction from each resource

● Units from the first resource (Mystery Science & Elevate) were selected and paced by the SAC in March. The units from the second resource (Amplify and OpenSciEd) were selected and paced by the SAC in May

● Elementary and middle school teams were trained by Mystery Science and Elevate during back-to-school PD days. Training for the second resource units (Amplify and OpenSciEd) will be conducted during the November 2023 Institute Day.

● The classroom pilots will begin in September 2023 and end in February 2024.

● Parents will receive a letter in September if their child’s teacher will pilot the science resources, along with specific details regarding the pilot.

Dr. Robinson clarified that the teachers still teach to the same standards during a pilot. There isn’t any change for the students as far as performance is concerned.

Sara Clary asked that information be sent to parents about the specifics of a pilot program. Grace Shin confirmed that the District’s common assessments do not waiver.

District-level Committee Updates:

The Department of Learning updated the committee on the District-level Committee meetings.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 1:47 p.m.

https://go.boarddocs.com/il/hccsdil/Board.nsf/files/CWBQM9688009/$file/2023_09_07_ASC_Minutes.pdf