Communication Central

Fayston Elementary School Principal Chris Dodge was featured in the Q&A section of Responsive Classroom’s April newsletter. His answer to the question “How do you create all-school messages that work well for your school community?” emphasizes the need for visual communication in all-school messages.

Because Fayston is a preschool to sixth grade school, I always include a visual in the message so that children who aren’t reading yet will have something to look at and think about. I also vary how I write the message, sometimes using large letters and simple words, and sometimes using more text and higher level vocabulary.

Student’s get a kick out of it—I’ve heard them say, “Look, it’s a kindergarten message today!” Such observations help the childrenappreciate how reading and writing skills change as they grow, and also remind older students that younger children mayneed their help with reading what I wrote.

Fayston Elementary School has been a leader in the Responsive Classroom approach. Responsive Classroom emphasizes “social, emotional, and academic growth in a strong and safe school community.”

Check out the Service Learning PLC wiki site for examples of service-learning from the KIDS Consortium, meeting notes and documents from the Service Learning Team, a slideshow of pictures of service-learning activites, and other information and updates from the SL Team!

We asked faculty members to offer us feedback at the end of Wednesday’s professional development group work.  One of the questions asked teachers to share stories of how the professional development work has impacted student learning. The stories we received were both enlightening and encouraging.  Here’s what a few teachers had to say:

“I have one student who is not very academically inclined, but she does love to read, so I have started doing ‘book discussions’ with her.  We talk about the book and then discuss how its themes related to middle school life and teenage girls.  We haven’t discussed many of the books the student and I have worked on here in the PLC group, but the idea was hatched here.”  - Jennie Hempey, CBMS, from Teaching Health through Literature with Sue Dillon and Linda King

“It can only help because when teachers communicate it improves what is presented and how. After a discussion on multiplying mixed numbers, I demonstrated the use of arrays and how it works with fractions and decimals, just like whole numbers.” - Doug Bergstein, Fayston, from Common Assessment with Aldo Bianchi

“One of my students, in particular, is involved in a service learning project where he has been allowed to lead and shine, unlike his “regular academic” classes. I have seen incredible growth in his confidence as well as his performance in other classes.” - a participant from Service Learning to Enhance Learning Opportunities with Jean Berthiaume and Ellen Berrings

“My students are excited by “Math” which has never had a name in my class before. They participate enthusiastically in challenging Math related activities.” - a participant from Structuring Number with Loree Silvis

Please be our guest at the spring Superintendent’s Seminar on March 26th to address Strengthening Mathematics at Washington West.

Join Superintendent Bob McNamara, Administrative and Teacher Leaders, and Mathematics Consultants Marge Petit, Aldo Bianchi, and Loree Silvis to address:

• Local and national reports on the status of mathematics;

• Strengths of our schools, and progress we are making;

• Challenges we have identified, and work ahead.

The program will begin with an informal supper in the Harwood Common Grounds Café, followed by a panel presentation, and opportunities for large and small group dialog in the library.

Please come, and RSVP to Laura Titus or 496-2272, ext 111, to be sure to be included in the supper planning.

WWSU Superintendent’s Seminar Flyer

National Math Panel Report

Math Audit

Education Panel Lays Out Truce In Math Wars - WSJ.com

Strengthening Mathematics in WWSU

On January 17th and 18th, more than fifteen Harwood students participated in Reading to End Discrimination, an interactive literacy program in which volunteer high school students read age-appropriate stories with themes of tolerance, service, and justice to elementary school students.  Harwood students read at Moretown, Warren, Waitsfield, and Thatcher Brook elementary schools.

 
 
 
Harwood student Gabriela shares this reflection of her experience: “Participating in Reading to End Discrimination was a blast!  Sharing such a complicated issue with elementary school students was a challenge, but I was impressed by how well they grasped it.  The questions they asked also required me to evaluate my own perceptions so it was a win-win situation for everyone involves - and a lot of fun along the way!”

Early in January, students at Fayston Elementary School immersed themselves in African culture.  Students studied a variety a topics including drumming, dancing, weaving, beading, and fabric printing.  Please visit this week’s Tiger News for a direct link to images of the project.

Additionally, Fayston Elementary’s Artist-in-Residence performance will be aired this week Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on MRTV Channel 44 at 9am, 5pm, and 11pm, as well as Tuesday and Thursday at 11am and 7pm.  Don’t forget to tune in!

Once again, Harwood students would like to celebrate Martin Luther King Day with “a day on, not a day off.”  For the second year, Harwood students will participate in the Reading to End Discrimination (RED) project.  RED is an interactive literacy program that invites volunteer readers from high school to read age-appropriate stories with themes of racism, discrimination, tolerance, service and justice to elementary students.

Harwood students will be reading at elementary schools on Thursday, January 17 from 1:30-2pm.

For more information on this project, please contact Americorps VISTA volunteer Becky Groberg.

Harwood Media Center Director Susan Hennessey was awarded the Milken Educator Award for excellence in teaching on Monday, October 29th during a rousing student-led assembly. Guests included Governor Jim Douglas, Commissioner Richard Cate, and many local and state dignitaries.