WELCOME BACK TEAM ROCHESTER!

 Why Performance Assessments  Why Writing  Parent Communication

 We want to increase student achievement so that our students are ready for their paths in future learning and workplace opportunities.

 To increase student achievement by having students write every day in every classroom.

 Every performance assessment will focus on content specific competencies/performance indicators plus argument/opinion writing.

 Teachers will use the district adopted K – 12 writing rubric for argument/opinion writing.

 Teachers will participate in professional learning in the area of writing.

Reeves on Writing

 SMARTER Balance  NECAP Science  We want that to be our accountability System

Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” 2011 – – 2013 Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” Unit Planning – Understanding by Design Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” Unit Planning – Understanding by Design 2013 – 2014 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 1 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 2 K – 8 – Year 1 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 2 Develop Competencies K - 8 Common Summative Assessments Tuned to Competencies Our Continuous Steps Toward Improvement

Why take the next step?

Team Rochester is committed to continuous improvement!

Develop engaged and passionate learners K – 12. When all students are engaged, all students are learning! RSD Opening Address August 27, 2012

Even clearer… Engaged and Passionate Learners greater academic and social achievement which means they are: prepared for future work and learning

Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” 2011 – – 2013 Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” Unit Planning – Understanding by Design Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” Unit Planning – Understanding by Design 2013 – 2014 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 1 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 3 K – 8 – Year 1 Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 2 Develop Competencies K - 8 Common Summative Assessments Tuned to Competencies 2014 – 2015 Student Engagement& Learning Plan Differentiation “Teach to the top and differentiate for the rest of the class.” Unit Planning – Understanding by Design Competency-Based Learning SHS/BCA – Year 4 K – 8 – Year 2 Improved Common Summative Assessments Tuned to Competencies Argument/Opinion Writing Our Continuous Steps Toward Improvement

Argument/Opinion Writing Participate in professional learning on argument/opinion writing Use the adopted K – 12 writing rubrics Engage students in argument/opinion writing Incorporate argument/opinion writing into a performance assessment

Writing Competency Students will demonstrate the ability to write effectively for a variety of purposes and audiences. Performance Indicator: Construct arguments and develop informative/explanatory texts using evidence to support claims and ideas, and create narratives using structure and specific detail.

Parent Communication

Formative Assessments Do Count Formatives are important We need to emphasize that every day We need to stop saying they don’t count How do they count

How Formatives “count” You need to do formative work so the teacher is certain you understand the work Formatives increase your knowledge and understanding If a student can complete the summative without doing the formative, “rethink” the expectations for that student You must do 75% of the formatives to be able to reassess

Everyday, remind students and parents Formatives are important and we must let parents know when students are not doing their formatives

Key Requirements Each week, parents should clearly understand if there are any outstanding, incomplete or late assignments If an assignment is due on a Friday, it should be graded by the following Friday, and entered into IC Teachers should communicate with parents on a weekly basis, if a student is not yet competent based on formative or summative assignments

Some Methods to Communicate At RMS the To Do List should work on the parent portal At SHS, grades must be entered in the gradebook on a weekly basis, plus the missing assignment report At all schools the missing assignment report, s or phone calls

If this does not happen Contact the teacher If that does not resolve the issue, contact the Principal If that does not resolve the issue, contact the Superintendent

READ THINK WRITE “…writing is thinking on paper…” -- Doug Reeves RSD Opening Address August 27, 2012

Improved Common Summative Assessments Continue to improve summative assessments Participate in professional learning on performance assessments Take a current assessment and shift it to a performance assessment which includes content competencies/performance indicators plus argument/opinion writing

What makes an assessment a performance assessment?

Performance assessment video

Making the Case for PAs Source: Linda Darling-Hammond, SCOPE, Stanford We want all students to get here!

Some people say “mother knows best”, that may be true, but when it comes to knowing where a student is in his/her learning, we say “teachers know best”.

Let’s be clear about the goal Good teaching in every classroom every day every year RSD Opening Address August 27, 2012