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Title I at Schuylkill Valley Elementary School Success For All Readers

Purpose Provide information about our school’s Title I program for parents of students participating in the program.

Why Should I Know About Title I? Because it can make a difference in many lives! Title I can help: Children achieve more in school and feel better about themselves. Parents can have more say about their children’s education. Teachers benefit from the suggestions and support that parents offer and from the satisfaction of seeing kids achieve.

How Title I Works The federal government provides funding to states each year for Title I. To get the funds, each state must submit a plan describing: What all children are expected to know and be able to do. The high-quality standards of performance that all children are expected to meet. Ways to measure progress.

How Title I Works, Continued State educational agencies (SEAs) send the money to school districts based on the numbers of low-income families. The local school district (called a Local Education Agency, or LEA) identifies eligible schools and provides Title I resources.

Your Title I program needs you to help: Determine program goals Plan and carry out programs Evaluate programs Work with your child at home Work in school as a volunteer

The annual Title I meeting is the place to start! It’s the perfect time to: Learn more about Title I. Learn about your rights and responsibilities as a Title I parent. Meet other parents and teachers. Begin a process of communication and cooperation between parents and schools.

Purposes of the P.A.C. To allow parents the opportunity to make program improvement suggestions To provide parents with information regarding program requirements, regulations, provisions To conduct an annual evaluation of the content To develop and update the Parent Involvement Policy and the School-Home Compact

Parent Involvement Policies Parents will be involved in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of the Title I program. Parental suggestions and recommendations regarding the development, operation, and evaluation of the program will be given serious consideration for Title I changes and improvements. Parent Involvement Policy Parent Child Compact

Title I Reading Staff

S.V.E.S. Reading Staff Title I Coordinator Lori Messner Reading Specialist Title I Coordinator Parent Activities Deb Werstler Reading Specialist ESL Specialist Title I Aides: Beth Carlson, Julie Esposito, Christa Gebely, Melanie LeRoy

Ms. Messner

Mrs. Werstler

Contact Information Ms. Messner lmessner@schuylkillvalley.org 610.916.5675 Mrs. Werstler dwerstler@schuylkillvalley.org 610.916.5676

Mrs. Carlson

Mrs. Gebely

Mrs. LeRoy

Mrs. Esposito

Parents Rights under NCLB The right to know the qualifications of your child’s teacher. Right to request opportunities to meet regularly with staff for parent involvement. Right to participate in decisions affecting your child. You have the right to request the qualifications of your child’s teacher and any other teacher or paraprofessionals that work with your child.

Teacher Qualifications Highly qualified teachers requirements: Must hold at least a bachelor’s degree Must hold a valid PA teaching certificate Teachers demonstrate subject matter competency for the core content area they teach by passing rigorous state exams

Paraprofessional Qualifications To be highly qualified, instructional paraprofessionals must have: Completed two years of higher education study, or have an Associate Degree, or taken a formal assessment Take 20 hours of Professional Development annually to keep them informed and current

Title I Selection Process

Students are selected through the S. V. S. D Students are selected through the S.V.S.D. Title I Student Selection Process. This process begins in the spring of the preceding year and combines teacher recommendation and assessment results. The screenings include curriculum-based assessments, performance assessments and benchmark assessments.

The screening includes: oral reading fluency and accuracy (DIBELS Next DORF) DIBELS Next NWF, PSF, FSF STAR (grades 2-4) Teacher Recommendation Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment

A student may also be selected through parent requests and through Child Study Team recommendations when a need is identified. During the school year students may be targeted for interventions based on data-analysis-team decisions.

Performance Report The federal government requires that all students in our school meet performance standards.

PSSA Proficiency Levels Your child will be taking the PA System of School Assessment (PSSA) in grades 3-8. Four Proficiency Levels for the PSSA Advanced Proficient Basic Below Basic Our goal (and the State’s goal) is for your student to reach the Proficient or Advanced level on the PSSA.

2017 P.S.S.A. Results Third Grade ELA Fourth Grade ELA 75.7% Ranked 13 of 52 schools in Berks County Fourth Grade ELA 71.7% Ranked 21 of 52 schools in Berks County

Local Performance Report Since the P.S.S.A. is only given in third through fifth grades, schools are required to give local assessments, as well. All of our students were tested at the end of last year in the following areas: Oral Reading Fluency, Accuracy and Retell(DIBELS Next) Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment First-graders had an extra DIBELS Next test: Nonsense Word Fluency

Local Performance report 15-16 16-17 K 85.8% PROF. 78.6% 9.7% BASIC 14.3% 4.5% BEL.OW 7.1% 1ST 76.4% PROF. 80.7% 10.8% BASIC 8.9% 12.7% BELOW 10.4% 2ND 81% PROF. 87.2% 9.5% BASIC 9.6% 9.5% BELOW 3.2%

CONTINUED 15-16 16-17 3RD 80.7 PROF. 80% 10.6% BASIC 10.6% 8.7% BELOW 9.4% 4TH 85.2% PROF. 88.5% 10.1% BASIC 6.2% 4.7% BELOW 5.4%

Parent Involvement Policy Here is a copy of our current Title I Parent Involvement Policy. Please take a few moments to look over it. Feel free to comment or ask questions. Shall we approve it as is? Or do you have any suggestions for change? At S.V.E.S. the policy is reviewed at our annual meeting. Revisions take place at your suggestion. The policy is updated and approved each fall.

Title I teachers are available to attend parent/teacher conferences. Parents will always be welcome to make arrangements to visit Title I classes. A notification/permission letter is sent to the parents of each child selected to receive Title I support.

S.V.’s 2017/2018 Title I Program This year’s Title I program will focus on grades K, 1, 2. 1st grade: 35 students 2nd grade: 29 students Kindergarten to be identified mid-year Current Total: 64 students

What support is given? The Title I teacher collaborates with the classroom teacher to decide how to best support the Title I student. Your child’s classroom teacher is the person responsible for planning classroom instruction for your student. This might include: assessment and evaluation reinforcement of vocabulary or grammar skills practice with the focus-comprehension strategy assistance with writing assignments word rings a research-validated intervention program ( Read Naturally, Reading Mastery, Soar to Success, Orton Gillingham, Corrective Reading) fluency practice guided reading groups

In-Class Title I Support In accordance with ESEA recommendations, the Title I program at Schuylkill Valley Elementary School will primarily provide in-class supplemental reading support, while using a pull-out model when appropriate. Title I students work in the regular classroom in small, flexible groups during core reading instruction. During the WIN time students work in various small groups in their classroom on targeted skills.

Kindergarten Kindergarten students are screened during the first full week of school using the DIBELS NEXT assessment. Students work in small groups during the WIN time block each day. The goal is to catch reading difficulties early and see if we can intervene successfully. Interventions at this level include , Language for Learning, Fundations, WonderWorks, Lexia, Leveled Literacy Intervention.

First Grade Students work in small groups during the WIN time block each day. Title I reading specialists work with small pull-out groups daily. If needed, intervention programs your student may encounter include Fundations, Read Naturally, Language for Learning,, Lexia, Leveled Literacy Intervention, Wonder Works. Title I reading aides provide in-class support during the language arts block.

Second Grade Title I reading specialists work with small pull-out groups daily. Title I reading aides works with second grade students during the core reading instruction and WIN time. Some children also have word rings and work for 5-10 minutes each day with a reading staff member. Interventions on this level include Read Naturally, Wilson Language Learning., Wonder Works, Leveled Literacy Instruction. Ready, Set, READ!

Information Information about which program your child is using should come home with him/her in the form of a letter from me. If you do not receive it or would like further information, copies of the letters are on my spot on the website under Programs.

TITLE I LEARNING COMPACT We believe that the parent, the child, and the school should form a partnership in the very important business of improving the learning success of the student. We have developed a Learning Compact which the parent, the child, and the reading specialist are asked to sign. This is a voluntary agreement that defines the goals and responsibilities of teachers, parents, and students as equal partners in learning . The compact is one way to help carry out the school’s policy process.

Your Title I Program needs you! Learn about your local Title I program. Take advantage of what Title I has to offer. Get involved in your child’s education. You, your children, and S.V.E.S. can be a winning team. Thank you for coming.

Wrap-up Questions Comments Concerns Title I Library