Michael McColgan, M.A.T., NBCT

 “Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plant.” John W. Gardner

 7:45 Enter Building to Gym  7:55 Homeroom  8:15-9:15 Core Period 1  9:20-10:20 Core Period 2  10:25-11:25 Core Period 3  11:25-11:55 Lunch & SMART Lunch  12:00-1:05 Core Period 4  1:10-2:00 Elective Period I  2:05-3:00 Elective Period 2  3:00 Dismissal

 In-Class Resource  Math and Language Arts  Classes are learning Grade Level SCOS  Students taking Regular EOG tests  Taught by a certified Math or Language Arts teacher with a special education teacher to assist in the room.

 Math and Language Arts  Smaller Class sizes  Students are learning Grade Level SCOS  There is opportunity for more remediation than in ICR Classes  Students take Regular EOG tests  Taught by a teacher with dual certification in Special Education and either math or language arts.

 Math and Language Arts  Smaller class sizes  Teacher is dual certified in special education and math or language arts  There is a teaching assistant in the classroom to help  Students are not working on Grade Level SCOS  Students working on basic math or language arts skills  Math-Money, time and measurement concepts  Language Arts-Fundamental reading and writing skills  Students are taking NC Extend2 EOG tests

 For students identified with significant reading delays  Small class size  Research based direct/explicit instructional format to teach reading decoding and comprehension on student’s assessed reading level

 A class designed to assist students on the regular SCOS in regular or ICR settings.  Not used for students served in resource level classes  Class designed to remediate and assist SCOS  Is used in place of an elective  Can be used for one quarter, half year or all year depending on student need  Primary focus is Math and Language Arts grade level curriculum assistance.  Can also work with science and social studies time permitting.

 Taught by certified social studies or science teacher  No additional help in room  Large class sizes  The curriculum can be modified to an extent, to help with understanding

 Health and PE class  Very large classes in PE, three teachers worth  Health is one class of 30+ students  All students expected to dress out and participate in PE  Mandatory elective class daily  Health has text book, curriculum and tests

 Meet Daily  Electives: Band, Computer Applications, Technology Systems, Art, Life Skills, Spanish, Dance, Chorus

 High school might seem far away, but….  Everything we do in 6 th grade correlates with high school prep  The three years of middle school are necessary to prepare students for independent work necessary in high school  To succeed at the SCOS in high school, we must focus on accommodations that are necessary, not just helpful  The time to be honest and thoughtful about your child’s future education begins now

 Only add accommodations a child needs to succeed independently  In middle school we are preparing for independence, do not list accommodations that might help, only that are needed  Middle school students don’t like to be singled out for separate setting  “Read aloud upon request”; use this instead of “read aloud all” when applicable  Avoid accommodations that preclude students from realizing their potential

 Testing in the classroom, which has the expert teacher(s) and ambiance of the subject should be first option, not separate setting  Extended time only if necessary, most middle school students can finish on time.

 Modifications to the curriculum compromise the curriculum  We are preparing for high school which in many cases does not allow changes to NCSCOS curriculum  If a student requires significant modifications then they might need resource or essentials level classes  Examples of modifications…..  Modified tests, modified assignments, pass/fail, dictate to scribe

 Extended time not necessary on EOG as they have no time limit any longer  For students served through ESL, please add LEP tests and Modifications to IEP

 Resource Classes not listed on IEP for modifications, can modify as needed  Elective classes are 45 minutes long  Core classes are 60 minutes long  Accommodations on EOG must match what is used in the classroom on a daily basis