Annual Report of the Superintendent - North Branford Public Schools

Program Improvement
Initiatives in Core Subjects
Based on Strategic Planning Goals, Curriculum Management Cycle Recommendations,
and State Testing Results
Mathematics
At the K-5 level full implementation of the Everyday Math program is in effect. This program spirals concepts throughout
the grade levels and emphasizes the application of skills and concepts through a problem solving approach. Teachers
have had a year of training in the methodology of teaching and learning using the Everyday Math program. Additional
training will occur on an ‘as need’ basis. Increases in
the percent of students attaining goal level or above
on the 4th generation of the Connecticut Mastery Test,
have been noted at each grade level tested.
The 6-12 mathematics review team studied the
present 6-12 program in relation to what is and what
should be. Internal and external factors impacting the
current math program were analyzed and resulted
in recommendations for updating the present 6-12
curriculum. During the 2007-2008 school year, the
6-12 mathematics development team will consider
the changes in the Connecticut State Mathematics
Frameworks and the recommendations of the review
team and will revise the present 6-12 curriculum with
respect to content, teaching strategies, assessments, and
resources. CMT 4 results for grades 6-8 have noted an increase in the percent of students reaching goal or above in grade
7, but a decrease in grades 6 and 8. An increase in students reaching goal and above has also been noted for the same class
over time in grades 3 - 6. At the 9-12 level, Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) results indicate that while
over 90% of students are proficient or above in math, over the last three years, those students reaching goal level have
declined. These findings support the need to update the present 6-12 math curriculum.
Reading
A trainer of trainer’s model has been adopted at the 6-8 level to improve the teaching of reading across the curriculum at
the middle school level. A cross section of educators have been trained in the STEPS model during the summer of 2006
and have worked throughout the 2006-2007 school year in providing literacy strategy training to their colleagues for
specific content areas. The purpose of using content literacy is to help students learn content while developing the literacy
and thinking skills necessary to become independent lifelong learners. The goal of this project is to help middle school
educators guide their students’ reading of textbooks and other resources. The focus of STEP strategies is on the integration
of problem-solving strategies and processes. The strategies are the skills competent readers use before, during, and after
reading. Training is STEPS will continue over the 2007-2008 school year with potential for expanding into the 9-12 level.
6 Annual Report to the Community www.northbranfordschools.org