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Date: 9/20/2022
HADLEY – Student progress, supplemental learning support, and English language learner (ELL) evaluations were on the agenda for the Sept. 12 Hadley School Committee meeting.
Brooke Fernandes led a presentation on student reading level changes throughout the district & selection criterion for Title I support. Grades 1-6 go through FASTBridge screening, which indicates high or some risk in reading level. They are also subject to the Gates MacGinitie Reading Test, which grades students on a Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE). If students receive an NCE of less than 40, they are considered eligible for Title I support. The annual Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) is also a valuable tool; students are selected for supplemental learning support if they are six months or more below grade level. Finally, input from teachers and family is used to round out the student’s profile.
Fernandes shared the results of this year’s DRA. The assessment measures competency in concepts of print, phonological awareness and decoding skills. 64 percent of 12th graders made a year’s worth of growth, as compared to 67 percent of second graders, 40 percent of third graders, 100 percent of fourth graders, 50 percent of fifth graders, and 22 percent of sixth graders.
The next steps to address students who are behind their grade level involve initial and advanced Orton Gillingham literacy training, along with the Wonders program from McGraw-Hill. There will be continued weekly progress monitoring, as well as FASTBridge screening three times a year. Title I support is limited to elementary school, but students at Hopkins Academy are also screened so that those in need may receive specialized attention within their classrooms.
Hopkins Academy Head Teacher Ruthann Fitzgibbons gave some updates on the school field trip scheduled for April 2023. Honduras was the original destination, but several families have voiced concerns over the safety of the area. Fitzgibbons met with Eric Warner, the president of Squads Abroad, the organization that is coordinating the trip. He maintained that the Honduras trip would be “very safe,” but did note that many other schools planning on attending the same trip have switched their destination to Guatemala.
It is a service trip, mostly focusing on helping a local school in building efforts and classroom support. Both Guatemala and Honduras are ranked at level 3 by the State Department’s safety ranking, but Guatemala would probably be a cheaper trip due to a lack of flights servicing Honduras, and transport costs within the country. Also, students would have a police escort and a medical doctor to accompany them during their voyages. After some deliberation the council voted to change the trip’s destination to Guatemala. The details of the trip will be discussed at a later meeting.
Michelle Wojtowicz was next with a presentation on the role of the SEL/MTSS coach in the school. SEL stands for Social and Emotional Learning, while MTSS stands for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. The role is broken down into three core responsibilities: curriculum implementation, assessment and teacher support.
Curriculum implementation revolves around three systems. Fly Five is a K-8 social and emotional learning curriculum which is grounded in diversity, equity and inclusion principles. The responsive classroom model is an evidence-based approach to teaching and discipline which promotes positive community and developmental awareness. Positive behavior support is the third pillar of the curriculum, centered around reinforcing positive behaviors.
The assessment section of the coaching involves universal screenings for literacy and math. Students in grades K-6 are screened via FastBridge, while grades 7-12 utilize MAP. Screenings are also performed for social, emotional and behavioral skills using the SAEBRS method for K-12. Students in grades 5-12 are screened using the offshoot mySAEBRS.
The SEL/MTSS coach also provides teacher support. This is a two-pronged approach. First, the coach offers professional development in multiple sessions throughout the year, such as the PBIS launch at Hopkins academy coupled with additional SEB topics over six sessions over the course of the 2022-2023 school year. Secondly, the coach also engages in individual teacher support though classroom coaching. The coach practices goal setting with teachers and evaluates them at regular intervals.
The overall goal of the SEL/MTSS program is for at least 80 percent of students to meet academic, social and behavioral expectations.
Superintendent Anne McKenzie detailed the qualification requirements for students in the ELL program. Whenever a new student enrolls in Hadley Public Schools, they are given a home language survey. If anything other than English is listed, they are screened and tested. If their score falls within a certain range they are offered status as an English as a second language (ESL) student. Families do have the option to opt out of said program, but it is rare that they chose to do so.
After their second year within the program, ESL students take a language proficiency test in addition to the MCAS. The language proficiency score is out of 6; students must score a 4.2 or higher to be able to leave the program. Former ESL students are closely monitored for three years following their exit to guard against backslides. If any such backslide is detected, students are given additional instruction, and may return to the program depending on the circumstances. This monitoring after exit is a legal requirement.
McKenzie said ESL numbers have dipped in recent years. Currently 14 students are classified as ELL within the Hadley district. In the most recent evalution, 40 percent of ESL students met their progress target. McKenzie was careful to note that though this figure has dropped 13 percent over the past year, those within the 40 percent demonstrated “aggressive growth.” The 2021-2022 school year was “hard” in McKenzie’s words. When asked for possible explanation of the drop in progress targets, she believed it to be at least partly due to in-home learning over the past year. Because ESL students were not speaking English at home like they would have been in school, there may have been some regression. Although there is more need within the ESL department, the declining ELL population means that funding and resources can be greater concentrated on individualized students with more personalized attention going forward.
Some quick announcements closed out the meeting. CES meetings start up again on Sept. 21. Hopkins Academy has a new athletic director, food service director and nurse. The new school fuel efficiency policy was voted in. Sept. 20 will be the first day of the single-tier system; Hopkins Academy will have a delayed start, while Hadley Elementary has an early release. Detailed bus information will be available by the time of this article’s publication. Finally, the Community World’s Fair will be hosted at the Hadley Public Library on Sept. 23 between 5 to 7 p.m., featuring many international foods.
Further information is available in the events section of the Hadley Learns website.