Dear Canyon View Families,
The first three full weeks of
school are in the books and the students and staff at Canyon View Elementary
are starting to settle into our routines.
I want to thank all of our families who attended our Curriculum Night on
Tuesday. We hope the evening was
informative and you were able to learn about your child’s day here at school. As mentioned during our Curriculum
Night, we will continue to work hard to keep the lines of communication open
with our families. We fully
understand how important it is to build and maintain a strong school-home
partnership and we appreciate your support!
As mentioned in the last
newsletter, this year marks the second year of our five-year School Improvement
Plan (SIP). Our site-specific SIP
supports Canyon View students in their journey to become college and career
ready. The strategies and action
steps outlined in our SIP support the overarching District Objectives in the
areas of numeracy, transfer, academic mindsets, Deep Learning Proficiencies
(DLP) and communication. In this
newsletter, we will focus on specific aspects of our numeracy plan to give our
families a better understanding of the direction we are headed in this content
area as a school.
Numeracy
District Deep Learning Goal # 1: Reduce the gap
between current and desired student academic achievement.
District
Objective: Increase
the achievement of numeracy in all
academic content areas by addressing
students’ diverse needs and abilities.
Rationale: All students are
expected to achieve the Arizona College and Career Ready Standard (AZCCRS) in
mathematics, which include the eight (8) mathematical practices. As the content
expectations have increased and shifted for students, critical thinking and
problem solving must become the focus of instruction. The eight (8) standards
for mathematical practices will serve as the guide. This means teaching is not
so much as “how to get the answer” but instead to support students’ ability to
access concepts from a number of perspectives. Teachers will need to engage
students in mathematical experiences that allow them to demonstrate deep conceptual
understanding of core math concepts by applying them to new situations,
including application of math concepts in “real world” situations, as well as
writing and speaking about their understanding. These instructional practices
will likely result in students being able to solve more complex mathematical
problems and use critical thinking skills, effectively and efficiently.
Data Sets & Problem
Statements: After reviewing numerous site-based and standardized
testing data sets in the area of numeracy, the SIP team identified and analyzed
various data trends that ultimately provided guidance in the formulation of
various problem statements, criteria for success, and numeracy goals &
strategies.
Criteria for Success: In
order to be college and career ready in the area of numeracy:
·
Represent a solution in more than one way (2-5
grade)
· Are
able to translate situations into symbols for solving problems (K-5)
· Analyze
and critique their own solutions and the solutions of others with precise
vocabulary (K-5)
· Use
models and symbols to represent and solve a problem, and accurately explain the
solution representation (K-5)
· Select
from a variety of tools the ones that can be used to solve a problem, and
explain their reasoning for the selection (K-5)
· Compose
and decompose number situations and relationships through observed patterns in
order to simplify solutions (K-5)
· Find
and explain subtle patterns (K-5)
·
Select and use efficient strategies to solve
problems (K-5)
Strategy 1: Implement effective
instructional interventions to assist targeted students in achieving the
mathematics standards. Use timely and accurate data
sources to identify students for targeted interventions and extended learning
opportunities.
·
Implement DIBELS Math
as the universal screener two times a year in grades 4-5, and use the data to
identify the student in need of specific math interventions at Tier 2 and Tier
3.
·
Implement
identified math interventions for students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 to increase
computation and conceptual understanding of mathematics.
o Tier 2
Khan Academy: Students will be taught how to use their own data
reports to self-monitor their progress, set goals, and make informed decisions
about their skill practice. Khan
Academy facilitators will provide a weekly/bi-weekly structure where students
will review their progress reports and identify skills to practice. Facilitators will spot check each
student’s report at least once a month.
o RTI Math: Expand
RTI math to fifth grade to provide targeted interventions to students in the
areas of multiplication, division and fractions. Interventions include small group direct instruction,
repeated practice, use of manipulatives, modeling, pictorial representations
and numeric computation.
At Canyon View, we are
committed to preparing all of our students to be proficient mathematicians who
can meet and surpass any standard or expectation that is placed in front of
them. The lofty goals that we have
set for ourselves can, in fact, be achieved and we will continue to support
each and every one of our students and staff members along the way.
Sincerely,
Rob Henikman
Principal
