I m p o r t a n t D a t e s

Technology Update

Performance-Based Assessments

Valuing the Whole Child

Science Standards

WPS Summer PD

Elementary Literacy

Wellness

English Language Learning

C E N T R A L O F F I C E

N E W S L E T T E R

F A L L 2 0 1 7

Important Dates to Remember

No School

November 7, 2017 Staff Professional Development

November 10, 2017 Veteran’s Day

November 23-24, 2017 Thanksgiving Break

December 25-January 1, 2018 Winter Break

Early Release

October 25-27, 2017 (PreK-5 only) Parent/Teacher Conferences

November 22, 2017 Thanksgiving Break Begins

Upcoming Religious Holidays

October 13, 2017—Simchat Torah (Jewish)

October 19, 2017—Diwali (Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh)

October 21, 2017—Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i) Bicentennial celebration begins sundown on

10/21/17 and continues through sundown on 10/22/17

November 4, 2017—Birthday of Guru Nanak (Sikh)

November 15, 2017—Advent begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian)

December 3, 2017—Advent begins (Western Christian)

December 13-20, 2017—Chanukkah (Jewish) begins sundown on 12/12/17 and continues

through sundown on 12/20/17

December 25, 2017—Christmas Day (Western Christian)

December 26-January 1, 2018—Kwanzaa

Fun Fact: Many birds will prepare for their winter migration during the fall. The distance they travel is impressive -

the Artic Tern travels 11, 000 miles each for its annual migration.

Artic Term

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TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

There are no words to express the fundamental and deeply meaningful changes you have made for each and every student. Thank you to WFEE, the school committee, and the community for the shared partnership that has transformed our learning; we are now truly

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Performance-Based Assessments

Winchester teachers have been learning about, designing, and implementing more performance-

based assessments in the classroom. We are very excited about this initiative and want to share

just one example of the fabulous work that has been produced by our students:

https://biteable.com/watch/our-water-project-tania-colette-and-erin-1439785/

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Performance-based assessment measures students' ability to apply the skills and knowledge learned from a unit

or units of study. Typically, the task challenges students to use their higher-order thinking skills to create a prod-

uct or complete a process (Chun, 2010). Arguably, the most genuine assessments require students to complete a

task that closely mirrors the responsibilities of a professional, e.g., artist, engineer, laboratory technician, financial

analyst, or consumer advocate.

What are the essential components of a performance-based assessment?

Although performance-based assessments vary, most share key characteristics. First and foremost, the assess-

ment accurately measures one or more specific course standards. Additionally, it is:

Complex

Authentic

Process/product-oriented

Open-ended

Time-bound

Normally, students are presented with an open-ended question that may produce several different correct an-

swers (Chun, 2010; McTighe, 2015). In the higher-level tasks, there is a sense of urgency for the product to be

developed or the process to be determined, as in most real-world situations.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/performance-based-assessment-reviewing-basics-patricia-hilliard

-Hillard, P (2015, December 7) Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics. Retrieved from https://

www.edutopia.org

What Are Performance-Based Assessments?

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Peace

Calm Centers

VALUING THE WHOLE CHILD Our teachers have been working hard to support the whole child’s academic and social-emotional growth. Throughout the summer, teachers learned more about strategies that best support our students socially and emotionally. One of these strategies is building a place in the classroom environment where stu-dents can: work quietly, retreat for comfort, work out a conflict with another student, reflect/practice mindfulness, etc. Teachers have worked hard to implement these spaces in the rooms. See the amazing work below:

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The new STEM standards emphasize learning through practice

using hands-on scientific investigation and problem-solving.

Part of our goal is to teach by designing, building, testing and

making things driven by children’s questions about the physical

world. We support student's development as global citizens

who can not only investigate and understand the world but

develop the tools to change it.

Third graders at Muraco explore monarch in “J” stage before becoming chrysalises

hat could be more exciting than starting the school year encouraging our next generation

of scientists to question, investigate, explore and explain the world around them?

My first goal as Elementary STEM coordinator is to plan and

facilitate transition to the new standards, in collaboration

with district and school based teams. We must prepare our

students more effectively for their years in school ahead, but

also for a life of exploring and investigating the world around

them.

Katherine Dwyer—WPS STEM Coordinator

cience echnology ngineering athematics

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Summer Professional Development 2017 Twitter @Asstsuptwin

#teachersarelearners

OVER 500

WINCHESTER

STAFF

PARTICIPATED

THIS SUMMER IN

WPS

PROFESSONAL

DEVELOPMENT

7:30 PM and teachers still hard at work about social emotional supports

#teachersarelearners

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Elementary Professional Development

Summer is a time for rejuvenation, relaxation, and adventure; for soaking up the sun and having more time in the day! In July and August, Winchester teachers made summer a time for grow-ing as they took advantage of many opportunities to learn, practice and plan so our students will have another fabulous school year. As they have in years past, dozens of our teachers par-ticipated in a variety of professional book groups that focus on best practice for literacy instruc-tion; our teachers read a newer educational resource, collaborated with their colleagues, and then planned for bringing these great ideas into the new school year. As learners, our teachers are eager to try out the new strategies they have read about. Topics included inspiring students to do more independent reading, improving literacy instructional materials, making 1-to-1 read-ing conversations with students even more meaningful, enhancing and embedding word study strategies, and adding to the Kindergarten teachers’ repertoire of reading and writing activities.

Coordinated with great reads, many of our teachers took part in a plethora of other professional development experiences to further develop their techniques around balanced literacy top-ics and the workshop-model approach for instruction. Some educators studied small groups for reading instruction - this is often done by using books at different levels to hone word-reading skills as well as how reading should sound and by specific reading strategy teaching to draw students toward deeper understanding of what they are reading. The main purpose behind small group reading time is to elevate readers beyond reading words and into reading stories; then to devel-op critical thinking skills before, during, and after reading. Teachers want to help students do such things as make infer-ences while they are reading, analyze why characters behave

they way they do, and carry over ideas between fiction and non-fiction.

As teachers took classes on Readers’ Workshop and Writers’ Workshop, they put together collec-tions of lessons that will offer students on-going opportunity for real-world reading and writing adventures. Students will take part in whole group lessons and then move into independent reading and writing work and/or small group learning with peers and teachers to guide and ex-tend their thinking.

New and veteran teachers and specialists took part in some specific work-and-learn groups to de-velop the ELA curriculum, refine phonics instruction, and analyze multiple points of literacy data. Teachers prepared learning moments and activities for their students that are differentiated for what a child can do as a reader or as a writer and move them forward incrementally as they are ready for the next skill.

With many more professional development events lined up, our teachers will model growth-

mindset for our students, seeking out workshops and learning groups that are directed toward

growth and application of strategies and skills. We continue to bring our new learnings into

classrooms full of our students that will use and integrate these fundamental skills in all aspects of

their future.

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T he Counseling, Health and Wellness Department wants to extend a

warm welcome back to students and faculty. It was an exciting summer

filled with various Professional Development opportunities. We were thrilled at

the number of faculty who attended sessions on topics including Youth Mental

Health First Aid, RULER, Differentiation, Social Emotional learning: Creating an

Inclusive School Wide Environment, 21st Century Tools for Teaching Diverse

Learners, The Coping Classroom, Critical Practice for Anti Bias Education, Social

Justice Standards, LGTBQ: Understanding Inclusion and Education, Concepts of

Yoga, Mindfulness & Meditation and many more! The summer was filled with rich

conversation, cooperative learning, and collaboration across grade levels, and dis-

ciplines. As a Department and a District we are looking forward to continuing to

focus on Social Emotional Learning and embedding what we are learning into

daily practice.

Research tells us that there are ways that help us to protect/support our students

socially and emotionally. Here are some examples of what are called “protective

factors”:

Connectedness to family or other adults, such as teachers or guidance counselors

Ability to discuss problems with parents

Frequent shared activities with parents

Youth involvement in social activities

Commitment to school

Perception that parent expectation for school is high

The consistent presence of parent during key times of day

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Although school was out, that didn’t mean the fun and learning stopped! During the summer, the ELL department held a

summer camp for our English Language Learners, and ended the summer with a family picnic. Students played games,

cooked, gained language skills, and made friends along the way. Thank you to our ELL department, along with supporting

families and staff, for making our ELL summer a success!

“Any good teacher knows how important it is to connect with students and understand our culture.” Adora Svitak— American writer, public speaker, former child prodigy, and activist.

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Follow us on Twitter! Superintendent: @JudithEvans1 Assistant Superintendent @Asstsuptwin

Superintendent’s Office

781-721-7004

Assistant Superintendent's Office

781-721-7006

Business Office

781-721-0080(Payroll)

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781-721-7001 (Transportation)

Winchester Public Schools

Central Office

40 Samoset Road

Winchester, MA 01890

Phone: 781-721-7000

Fax: 781-721-0016

www.winchesterps.org

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Keep in touch! Human Resources

781-721-7003

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Technology

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Fall at Boston Public Garden