Sage Department Update July 18, 2018 2018-2019 Sage Data - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Sage Department Update

July 18, 2018

2018-2019 Sage Data Elementary

2018-2019 Sage Data Secondary

2018-2019 Demographic Sage Data

2018-2019 Demographic Sage Data

2018-2019 Budget--Staffing

Elementary Teachers: 4.5 Middle School Teachers: 3.0 Department Head Secretarial Support through Office of Teaching and Learning

2018-2019 Budget -- Expenses

Curriculum Materials: $5,618 Dues (WordMasters, New England Math League): $1,100 Travel Reimbursement - Mileage: $515 Screening: $14,000

Department Review History -- 2011 Task Force

Goals of the Task Force:

❖ “Review current and past practices” ❖ “Consider programming options that best meet the needs” ❖ “Recommend program elements given the current staffing or additional staffing”

Department Review History -- 2011 Task Force

The Review Identified The Following Challenges: ❖ Inability to service profoundly gifted students in K-1 ❖ Large number of students per teacher ❖ Itinerant nature of programming ❖ Amount of time per building ❖ Reduced hours of direct services and integrative services ❖ Placement of students across all classrooms

Department Review History -- 2011 Task Force

The Review Identified The Following Challenges: ❖ Training of new district teachers and administrators ❖ Facilitation of programs such as WordMasters and Math League ❖ Limited time available to support independent investigation ❖ Resources and policies for curriculum acceleration

Department Review History --2011 Task Force

The Review Identified The Following Recommendations: ❖ Train teachers on differentiation across the curriculum ❖ Train teachers in cluster and flexible grouping practices ❖ Provide accelerated learning options ❖ Continue and expand pull out services ❖ Offer Independent Investigation ❖ Conduct early identification and intervention

Department Review History --2011 Task Force

The Review Identified the Following as Optimum Services:

Department Review History --2011 Task Force

The Review Identified the Following as Optimum Services: ❖ Centralize Sage services in support of district goals

➢ Full-time Director ➢ Secretary

❖ Screening all Kindergarten students town-wide, grades 1-11 as needed ❖ 120 minutes per week pull out model in elementary

2017-2018 Sage Department Review

❖ Gathered responses from parents, teachers and administrators ❖ Conditional survey for parents

➢ Customized questions based on respondents’ answers ➢ Survey open to ALL parents

❖ Static survey for teachers ❖ School district visits

➢ Brookline ➢ Bedford

❖ Presentation by member of Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education (MAGE) ❖ Sent two Sage teachers to Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) conference on Differentiated Learning ❖ Formation of Sage Council

2017-2018 Sage Department Review Findings and Concerns

Many issues from 2011 still exist although the following additional concerns were identified: ❖ Issues with communication ❖ Lack of clarity and understanding among classroom teachers about gifted learners ❖ Lack of clarity among families about Sage ❖ Screening process may be biased ❖ Student demographics do not reflect school populations ❖ Department needs strong leadership

2017-2018 Sage Department Review Recommendations

❖ Different model for elementary and middle

➢ Scheduling differences ➢ Change in social and emotional needs as students enter preteen years ➢ Content specific classes at middle school level

❖ Elementary:

➢ Multiple screening tools PLUS portfolio ➢ Sage teacher consults with classroom teacher to provide support ➢ Development of a Classroom Strategies list for differentiation and flexible grouping ➢ Parent Information Sessions twice per year ➢ Pull out services 2 hours per week ➢ Independent Investigation continues with stronger focus on solutions-oriented problem solving; includes community involvement ➢ Integration services continue ➢ Sage teachers meet monthly with grade level teams ➢ Move toward universal screening over time in Grade 1 with a watch list in Kindergarten

2017-2018 Sage Department Review Recommendations

❖ Middle School:

➢ Middle school Sage teachers work with elementary Sage teachers on transition to grade 6 ➢ Middle school Sage teachers and DH work with Sage students on transition to grade 9 ➢ Development of Sage checklist for students showing need for services in middle school ■ Checklist will be created using current research ■ Middle school teachers will be trained in use of checklist ■ Elementary screening tools will be used if additional information is needed ➢ Sage services offered on a continuum of tiered interventions in alignment with Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) ➢ Direct services to students 25% of time ■ 3 hours per grade level per 6-day cycle ➢ Work with teachers through collaboration, coaching and integration 75% of time ➢ Students monitored through multiple indicators ■ Mastery of content ■ Demonstration of higher order thinking skills ■ Growth in subject and social-emotional realms

2017-2018 Sage Department Review Next Steps

❖ Hire Department Head ❖ Create professional development plan for Sage teachers ❖ Review screening tools and research alternatives ❖ Create and implement a communication plan - administration, teachers and parents ❖ Develop a plan for universal screening to begin in the 2020-2021 school year ❖ Collaborate with new Department Head on finalizing the vision and mission statements as well as the role of the Sage Council ❖ Identify data to be collected for next Sage Department review in 2023-2024

Thank you!