1. A SCHOOLWIDE PROGRAM TO IMPROVE STUDENT PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE IN WRITING The Writing Initiative 2.4

2. What is the Writing Initiative? A program that supports and trains teachers and staff in writing instruction across the content areas A program that seeks to help all students meet district and national writing standards A program to better prepare students to be college- and career-ready writers

3. Why do we need a Writing Initiative? Writing is an essential skill in today’s workplaces, colleges, and universities Writing instruction across the content areas improves content knowledge and reading skills We must prepare students to meet district and national writing standards We need to support teachers and staff in writing instruction across content areas

4. Who will be involved? Students and Families Teachers and School Administration Instructors, advisors, counselors, and other school staff PTA and School Board Community Organizations

5. How will the Initiative support learning? Writing supports learning in all content areas Students who write frequently have better scores on high stakes tests Writing can be used for exploration, inquiry, and to generate interpretations

6. …Support for Student Learning Ideas are generated through writing Informal writing can provide motivation to students Writing helps students retain information Students will learn conventions, structures, and formats required in the content areas Writing and reading are connected—good writers are better readers and vice versa

7. How Long will the Writing Initiative Last? Successful Writing Initiatives take time 1-2 year minimum Need for school board, parental, and community support to sustain this long term commitment

8. Ways for the community to get involved Be a writing coach: Offer your expertise in business writing, college admissions essays, new media writing or other genres. Improve technological resources: Donate equipment, volunteer to maintain hardware, or help write a grant for new technology. Support professional development: Help seek out funding for professional development in writing instruction for teachers and staff.

9. Ways for families to get involved Participate in surveys and information-gathering at the outset of the Initiative Volunteer to serve as an authentic audience for a writing sample Stay informed and follow up on what is happening with the Writing Initiative Encourage your child as she/he develops as a writer

10. Key writing terms for families Revision/editing: When revising, students are rethinking or conceptualizing in writing; editing means working on spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure. Content-area writing: Successful high school and college writers know how to write differently across school subjects, including writing for audiences other than their teachers. Informal/formal writing: A range of writing assignments in different genres will help student writers. Informal writing includes low stakes and impromptu writing; formal writing is often composed over time and graded. New media writing: Being technology-savvy is important for 21st century writers. Students need opportunities to practice using new technology as part of the writing process.

11. Please help equip our students for the future!