Elementary Updates for K-5 Teachers

Elementary Content Areas K-5th:

Writing K-5th

As the 2022-2023 school year closes, we want to celebrate the success of the implementation of writing through the use of our Benchmark Writing resource. Our elementary theory of action was about explicit instruction and analyzing student writing. We have multiple pieces of evidence that we reached full implementation in these two areas, as seen by: teachers modeling their writing, writing partnerships with guided practice, teachers using explicit language in their minilessons and high levels of conversation and calibration in PLC’s and writing professional learning. Writing growth was celebrated through displays in classrooms, hallways and writing celebrations. The anecdotal stories shared this year from teachers, parents, principals and kids on the newfound joy is one of the most exciting outcomes!  

As we move into year two of implementation we will focus on conferring and the transfer of grammar and phonics into student writing. Thank you teachers for being learners, brave writers, and being vulnerable as we calibrate around grade level expectations. You will always be the most important part of a child’s education! 

Math K-5th

At the May School Board Meeting iReady Classroom Mathematics was approved as the new math curricular resource for K-5th grade mathematics. This program will replace all of our current math materials, and we will be following it exclusively. Please watch the video below for more information: 

https://www.loom.com/share/6f84c2dd58c14a6ca087c5a65fd62a82

Social Studies K-5th

The feedback teachers provided in the Social Studies survey guided the adjustments that will be made during curricular summer work days. Elementary Social Studies will reduce the number of days of instruction to be able to ensure that teachers have the time to do the quality inquiry with students that support students to meet the criteria of their inquiry project for each unit. Students will be evaluated using the targets that support the skills required to be able to complete the inquiry project (We hope that you see that direct alignment, but will create more PD to support your deepening skill). Also, additional materials have been purchased to support Social Studies Teaching including: compasses, maps, globes etc. These materials may be shared for check out, while others will arrive directly to your classroom. You will notice that AVID strategies will be embedded into your units of study to support increased student engagement in: academic discourse, reading, writing and collaborative inquiry. The feedback teachers provided in the Social Studies survey guided the adjustments. 

Elementary Assessment 4K-5th:

As previously shared in the April Assessment Update Link (click on link) elementary will be replacing MAP and PALS with FastBridge for literacy and iReady will replace MAP for math. This will be a reduction in assessment systems at the elementary level and give a better opportunity to understand how students perform across grade levels. 

For detailed information about the early reading assessments in English click

HERE, and for information about the Spanish assessments, click HERE. The Fastbridge assessment suite offers reading assessments beyond early reading readiness. Other reading assessments include aReading, CBMReading, AUTOreading, CBMcomp and COMPefficiency. 

At the Summer Institute you will attend professional learning for iReady & FastBridge. (Summer Institute Pathways)

Elementary Standards Based Grading 4K-5th:

Report Cards: 

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, 4K-5th grade will move to reporting student progress on the report card with Semester grading instead of Trimester. This will align with Secondary’s reporting practice of student grades using a Semester format. 

Report Card descriptors have been updated to focus on priority standards, while reducing the overall amount of standards on the report card. Click this LINK for a preview of the changes.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held during the Fall and Spring. This will give opportunities for teachers and parents to connect on student progress in Fall and Spring. 

Elementary Summer Learning Opportunities:

We are excited that we were able to bring back early learning sessions for new curricular adoptions and other professional learning opportunities where teachers are able to earn a stipend for attending. Below are the list of opportunities that were offered:

iReady Mathematics: 

June 15th AM  (8:00 - 11:30) or PM (12:30 -  4:00) Implementing iReady Classroom 

Benchmark Writing: July 12 from 8:30-11:30 Writer's Workshop Implementation Year 2: Conferring and Transfer

AVMR:

July 17th - 20th from 8:00 - 3:30 AVMR Course 1

July 24th - 27th from 8:00 - 3:30  AVMR Course 2

AVID Path Trainings:

August 15th 8:00-4:00 pm Academic Literacy and Language. 

August 16th  8:00-4:00 pm Elementary Foundations 

Summer Learning Opportunities in Math - AVMR and iReady

 While summer is a time to rest and relax, it is also a time to engage in some new learning. This summer, a few different opportunities are available for teachers to learn and grow in math. 

iReady Training

Be a part of this early adopter training to get the head start on looking at the new iReady program. You will receive a $125 stipend for attending.

Targeted Audience:

Elementary and Special Education Teachers at the elementary level teaching math

Date Offered:

• June 15th (AM or PM)

SIGN UP HERE

AVMR Training

Targeted Audience:

• Classroom Teachers who teach math 
  

• Special Education Teachers 

who teach/support math

• Math Interventionists

Dates Offered:

• AVMR 1 - July 17th-20th
• AVMR 2 - July 24th - 27th
• 8:00 am - 3:30 pm each day

SIGN UP HERE

SDW Seal of Biliteracy Awards

 

Between 2017 and 2023, through Covid-19, this year we are celebrating the graduation of sixty four students with the State of Wisconsin Seal of Biliteracy. 
With the addition of these graduates, the School District of Waukesha leadership and faculty can celebrate the achievement of over 300 Graduates who have earned the prestigious Seal of Biliteracy.

These students will leave our schools soon completely Bilingual and Biliterate, with an industry certification award which communicates to universities and employers the quality of multilingual and multi-cultural student they are interacting with.

Special thanks to our Dual Language and World Language Teachers K-12 for whom, without them, this work would be impossible! Gracías/Mercí and Thank you so much for bringing your passion for learning every day!!

Teacher Appreciation Week is upon us!

As we approach the official week of May 8-12 to celebrate all of our teachers, I wanted to kick off the weekend ahead to say how much I appreciate all of you!

Teaching is so demanding and complex and yet the feet of our children who walk into our classrooms every day make it so rewarding. If you are like me, you couldn't imagine doing anything else. Between the tears, the screams, the smiles, and the laughter, you impact the lives of our students, every, single, day.

Although you may not always get the praise that you deserve, I see how hard you work for students. I see how you commit to one another. I see how you extend and develop relationships with our parents. I see how you bring positive energy for kids, because they matter most.

Thank you for being here in Waukesha. Each of you are a champion! 

Life Lessons at 50

There are a lot of sounds around us each and every day, some that fill our buckets and some that deplete our buckets. I turn 50 on Thursday of this week, and I got a birthday message from my student teacher supervisor I had back in my UW-Whitewater days. This was 1996 (I know!) in Fort Atkinson at the Middle School. Mind you, I do not keep in touch with her at all but she emails me once a year and I got this note that I wanted to share with all of you.

Why?

I think it shows that we have so many opportunities each and every day to make an impact, to spread joy, and to pay it forward. 

Hey JL,

Tis joy I feel again to be wishing you a Happy Birthday. As you age, so do I. It is with great pleasure that I am still able to send a birthday greeting to you. As you begin a new birth year, may you continue to embrace your daily challenges with an open heart and mind. Work hard, play hard, take chances, love big, have faith, make a positive difference each day, listen to hear, and keep diving right in for those underdogs in our world. Keep smiling and thanks for all the memories I have of our adventures together. I am so proud of you. All the best to one of the best.

How can you pay it forward to someone this week? Be that person who can positively fill someone's bucket.

Carroll University Graduate Programs in Education Opportunities - Fall 2023

The School District of Waukesha has a partnership with Carroll University which allows our employees the opportunity to conveniently continue their education with multiple graduate degree options in education at a 15% discounted rate. Please see the flyer below with more information and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. Carroll will be hosting a Grad Education Open House on April 20th - if you're interested Save the Date!

University of Wisconsin -Whitewater Onsite Master's Degree Opportunity - Fall 2023

The School District of Waukesha has a partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater which allows our employees the opportunity to conveniently earn a Master of Science in Education on site at a discounted rate. I am thrilled to announce that we are opening enrollment for our third SDW Cohort! The goal is for a minimum of 15 students to enroll to run the cohort. Please see the flyer below with more information and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. An information session will be held on May 9th at 4:15 - if you're interested Save the Date!