Monthly Updates

July 2006 July has been a productive month for the Lehigh University Project MP3 staff. During July 10-14, Phillip’s teachers and staff, Project MP3 staff, and several Central Dauphin School District administrators came together at the Making Adequate Yearly Progress Conference at Penn State – State College. Most participants attended sessions all day Monday and Tuesday, particularly those sessions geared toward increasing elementary reading performance and collaborating with school team members. Late that afternoon, the Data Decision Making (DDM) Team and project staff met for the first time and reviewed the project timeline, the roles and responsibilities of the DDM team, and the week’s agenda. Follow-up meetings allowed the team to choose the standard interventions for Tier 2 and Tier 3, address issues related to the skill grouping schedule, and practice interpreting benchmark and progress monitoring data. The members of the Phillips DDM team include teachers, specialists, support staff, and administrators. Below is a complete list of the team and their current positions. PHILLIPS ELEMENTARY DATA DECISION MAKING TEAM Debbie Stover (School Principal) Janet Walsh (Reading Consultant) Nancy Conway (School Librarian) Sherry Leymeister (5th Grade Teacher) Jodi Scott (4th Grade Teacher) Carol Uveges (Special Education Teacher) Gretchen Barnes (School Psychologist) Connie Igou (Instructional Support Teacher) Mary Kay Gainor (Project MP3 Onsite Coordinator, CDSD Staff Developer) In addition, Margaret Auten (Director of Pupil Services), Chris Lay (Director of Curriculum), and Janet McClausin (Director of Special Education) attended each of the meetings. Their feedback was instrumental in decisions related to selecting reading interventions and scheduling. Our PaTTAN representative, Deb Fulton, also attended and will continue to assist the DDM team throughout the initial implementation of the project. Another exciting event was our visit from John Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, Jim Button, from the office of Policy and Planning, and Dr. Linda Rhen, Director of the Bureau of Special Education of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Our guests were treated to lunch with the MP3 staff and the Project REACH staff (click here to learn about Project Reach ). We presented an overview of the project, the MP3 progress monitoring model, and our methods of dissemination. Our visitors expressed gratitude for the work we were doing and said they looked forward to learning about the outcomes of the project. The July Update marks my last day with the project and the hand-off to Dr. Alex Panahon, the new project coordinator. I would like to wish the MP3 staff and the administrators, teachers, and specialists from Central Dauphin School District the best of luck. Warmest Regards, Tessie Rose, Ph.D.