Monthly Updates

May 2006 Central Dauphin School District The final spring benchmark data are here! Lehigh MP3 staff, Deb Fulton from PaTTAN, and Phillips Elementary School staff worked together to collect baseline data for grades K-5 in just two days. This approach to collecting the data really seemed to be efficient, and allowed teachers to stay focused on instruction. The final benchmark data were entered into the DIBELS database by the tech specialist for Phillips Elementary School. Two weeks after the benchmark period, teachers met for their final 50 minute teacher training for this school year. The session began with a review of DIBELS general outcome measures and their connection to the five big ideas of reading, followed by a brief review of interpreting the data and the teaming process. Teachers opened the folder that included the final benchmark data and began the teaming process. Grade level teams received assistance from a group facilitator as well as Dr. Edward Shapiro, the Project MP3 co-Director. The outcomes of the professional development activities have been positive. School staff has shown real comfort in the teaming process and appear ready to start implementation of the project this coming fall. More professional development and planning will be provided before the model is fully implemented in September. Dr. Edward Shapiro, Karen Gischlar, Nate Clemmons, Dr. Alex Panahon (replacement for Dr. Tessie Rose, Project Coordinator) from Lehigh’s Center for Promoting Research to Practice, Deb Fulton (PaTTAN), Deb Stover (CDSD), and Mary Kay (CDSD) met to finalized the training. First, we discussed the schedule for Phillips next year. As a team, it was important to provide common times for skill grouping for students in Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Debbie Stover, the Principal at Phillips Elementary School, and Janet Walsh, Phillips Reading Specialist, were able to accomplish the always difficult task of scheduling. Second, plans were finalized for the AYP Penn State Conference in July. During the five day conference, Phillips Elementary School staff, PatTTAN staff, and Lehigh MP3 staff will meet four different times to finalize the progress monitoring model. We will also have the opportunity to meet the teachers participating from the Uniontown School District, who are partnering with the University of Pittsburgh as part of the MP3 project, during a dinner of pizza and soft drinks. Finally, we completed the planning for the two-day August professional development. The tentative schedule is as follows: DAY 1: The Necessities                 • Introduction to the model                 • The nuts and bolts of progress monitoring                 • Review of the 5 big ideas in reading. DAY 2: Putting it All Together                 • Guided practice in progress monitoring                 • Guided practice in reading strategies related to data                 • Final review of the model Tessie Rose - Project Coordinator, Lehigh University Back to Monthly Updates Main Page