Summer 2011 - Grandview C-4 Schools

Math Benchmarks Designed ToEnhance Student AchievementApproximately 25 district teachers (grades 5-12) spent the week of June13th-17th at Grandview High School working collaboratively to designmath benchmarks around the Missouri Grade/Course Level Expectations(commonly referred to as GLEs/CLEs) and the district Math Power Standards.Math benchmarking is a process where teachers identified those math conceptsand skills students must master at each grade level/course, followed by thedevelopment of the actual benchmarks (mini common assessments), whichindicate students’ mastery of the skills and concepts. You can view a videomontage of their work at www.csd4.k12.mo.us/currentnews.html.Once developed, the teachers ordered the math benchmarks and developeda pacing calendar which will be used in every Grandview C-4 school. Thebenchmarks were clustered into “scrimmages” (more comprehensive commonassessments), whichstudents take approximatelyevery 2 weeks. Scrimmagesrequire students to movefrom skill acquisition toapplying their knowledgethrough the completion ofmore rigorous and complexproblems. They are alsodesigned to “spiral” thelearning, to ensure thatpreviously mastered skillsApproximately 25 district teachers (grades 5-12) spent a week inJune at GHS working collaboratively to design math benchmarks toenhance student achievement.and concepts are retained instudents’ long-term memory.GHS teachers who give theEOC (End of Course) exams have been participating in math benchmarking for thepast 3 years. Extending the math benchmarking down through the middle schoolsand into the 5th grade is a huge step in ensuring every student at GC-4 has aconsistent experience, regardless of their school or classroom teacher assignment.As a result of implementing this anchor strategy, a common assessment format,language, pacing calendar, and grading system will now be used in the mathcontent area for all students in grades 5-12. This initiative moves GC-4 toimplementing a guaranteed and viable curriculum for every student, whichwill result in students exiting high school with the necessary college and careerreadiness skills. Many districts implementing this initiative have seen tremendousacademic gains, and GC-4 teachers and administration believes this work will havea positive impact on student achievement levels.This curriculum work was supported through collaborative efforts between thedistrict Curriculum & Instruction (C & I) department and the PREP-KC organization.GC-4 is currently in the process of scheduling ongoing collaborative curriculumrelease days throughout the 2011-12 school year, where teachers across multiplegrade levels will come together and use student achievement data to refine theirteaching and students’ learning around math.Transition DayIs August 10Transition Day will be heldon Wednesday, August 10,for incoming 6 th and 9 thgraders for the 2011-12 schoolyear. It will be a half-day eventproviding students an opportunityto meet the school staff, receivean overview of their classes, andtake a tour of their new middle orIncoming 6th graders receive a tour ofGrandview Middle during the 2010 TransitionDay.high school surroundings at theCenter for Alternative InstructionalResources (CAIR), GrandviewMiddle School, Martin City K-8,and Grandview High School. Theschedule will include fun andmeaningful activities for all newstudents.Breakfast and lunch will beoffered for purchase at schoolcafeteria prices. The TransitionDay schedule will be 7:00-11:15am (CAIR), 8:15 am-12:15 pm(Martin City K-8), 8:00 am-12:15pm (Grandview Middle) and7:20-11:35 am (Grandview HighSchool).6