Race to Nowhere Update

The most recent comment about 'Race to Nowhere' was posted just a few minutes ago, and the writer requested an update.  Prior to that, we heard from a reader on July 14th.  Well after the April viewing of the documentary film, its message is still on people's minds. 

Coincidentally, the Administrative Leadership Team meets tomorrow for our annual all-day summer retreat.  It is our first opportunity to talk together about the previous school year and to plan for the next one without the busy end-of-the-year workload.  Everyone is refreshed and ready to go. 

'Race to Nowhere' IS on our retreat agenda for tomorrow, August 18th.  I had already made copies of all of your blog comments, and we are planning to review them and discuss what this means for the school district.  That said, it never hurts to call your school's principal directly and ask about the school's homework policy and what can be done to help students who are overly stressed or unable to get enough sleep due to school work. 

What does 'Parents 4 A Change' Have to Do with You?

by
Lynn K. McMullin

On Tuesday, in the midst of all the snow calls and AlertNow hullabaloo, you also got a message from me and the Community of Concern's Substance Abuse Council about an upcoming program February 2nd.  Here are the details, and then I'll tell you more about why the program might be of interest to you.

WHO: Mary Marcuccio, from Parents 4 A Change, a dynamic speaker featured on Good Morning America! Along with an informative display to help you recognize today's drugs and paraphenalia sponsored by our local Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association

WHEN: February 2, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Canton High School Auditorium -- with childcare provided.

 WHY?

The first time I heard Mary Marcuccio speak I was impressed with her intensity, honesty, and passion for sparing other families the same grief she experienced in her own family with a teenage son, now lost to drugs.  The tragedy struck at a time in his life, and hers, when she thought they had already beat the odds and were 'free and clear.'   I remember her talking about the little elastic bands he would have on his fingers, picking at them, flipping them around from finger to finger, in plain sight.  She had noticed the little elastic bands and just thought they must have come from his girlfriend's hair.  But, they came from baggies.  The baggies held cocaine.  Her son, like so many others, was a middle class honors student, college-bound, well cared for and living in the suburbs.  His parents were smart and knowledgeable.  They had a 'typical' parent-teen relationship.

That's one reason to come -- not because we're trying to scare you, but simply because knowledge is power.

Another reason to come is this:
Even if your children aren't yet teens themselves, you might have teens in your home.  It's not uncommon for teens to take a quick peek into the bathroom cabinets of neighbors, families for whom they babysit or mow the lawn, to collect prescription medications.  Bringing pills to share at parties is more common than any of us would like to think; and sometimes kids who will not participate in pill-taking, still contribute.

Several years ago, we did a Drug and Alcohol Survey at the high school. We asked our students about almost everything -- family patterns, friends, seatbelts, smoking, academics, and sports, church, etc.  What we learned wasn't earth-shattering, but it was worth sharing.

By filtering the responses we found that students with three or more of these indicators were significantly MORE likely to make unsafe choices, including illegal drinking, riding in cars with people who are drinking, using illegal drugs, and misusing legal drugs. Click here to read the full survey results.

• Students who spend 0 – ½ hour per day on homework
• Students who spend 3+ hours alone per day
• Students who do not eat 1 meal per day with their family
• Parents who “rarely” or “never” know where their teen is when the teen is away from home
• Parents who “rarely” or “never” know with whom their teen hangs out
• Parents who “sometimes,” “rarely,” or “never” set clear rules about the use of alcohol or drugs
• Students who report they “rarely” or “never” feel comfortable sharing their thoughts with their parents
• Students who smoke
• Students whose friends smoke, drink, or use marijuana
• Students who report no close friendships within Canton High School
• Students who feel they are in “fair” or “poor” mental and physical health
• Students who spend more than 3 hours during the school week “hanging out with friends”

Based on those findings, and the filtered responses of the 'safest' students, the Community of Concern wrote a plan called "What Parents Can Do Immediately."  Here are those suggestions:
1. Eat 1 meal per day with your children
2.  Set expectations for homework (in terms of stress, the healthiest two groups of students do 1 – 2 and 2 – 3 hours of homework per night)
3.  Arrange the schedule so that your children are not home alone more than 1 - 2 hours daily
4.  Know where your children are, and with whom, when they are not at home.
5.  Set clear and firm rules about the use of alcohol and drugs
6.  Become more aware of your teen's stress levels and more informed about stress reduction
7.  Help your student become involved in civic organizations and volunteering in the community
8.  Limit the amount of time your student spends “hanging out with friends”

One more thing parents can do: 
Join us February 2nd at 7:00 and become as informed as you can be!

How to Make the Most of a Parent Conference!



You're Invited!

by

Lynn K. McMullin

When I was a high school teacher, both in East Granby and Canton, I remember a few of my colleagues pulling their parent teacher conference schedule from their mailboxes and complaining, “I’m always seeing the wrong sets of parents.”  I understood what they meant by this, but it made me cringe then, and still does today. 

I’ve always looked at parent conferences this way: First, if your child is doing very well in class, you deserve to hear that message in person.  Second, and more importantly, if your child is excelling in class you deserve to know what the teacher is doing to challenge your child above and beyond the everyday expectations… what are his or her goals for your child this year?   Third, if your child is struggling, the teacher should lead a discussion about what you can do together to support your child’s motivation and/or achievement.  You have some information about what works and doesn’t work with your child, and the teacher has additional strategies to suggest.

It’s very important to attend conferences if your child is struggling academically or socially. It’s equally important to go if your child is doing very well.  Every parent has a right to be at conferences, to be treated with respect, and to be given a current progress report, with clear goal statements and suggestions for working together as partners in the student’s best interests.   You should never feel like you don’t belong or are taking up the teacher’s time.  If your schedule does not permit attending conferences, or if you have too many conferences to squeeze them all into one day, call and ask for an alternative day and time.

Maybe you’re asking yourself why you should attend for the umpteenth time and what you're supposed to say or ask during a parent teacher conference.  After all, you’ve got a progress report; you can check grades in PowerSchool; you’ve seen papers coming home; you have, or will receive, a report card.  What’s left?  Face-to-face communication can be much more effective than a number or letter on a report card.  You can learn so much about the teacher’s expectations and your child’s progress when you and the teacher review a few of your child’s papers together.  Facial expressions and body language can also help you and the teacher better understand each other’s perceptions.

The Art of the Elementary School Conference:
1. Ask how your child is doing overall in the classroom. Is your son or daughter behind, ahead, or on target academically and socially? Is your child happy in the classroom?
2. Ask to review some specific information about your child’s work in comparison to a benchmark. The teacher should be able to show you examples of what the grade-level expectations are for writing or what a sample math problem or task looks like. The teacher should be able to show you and explain your child’s reading level. Together, you should compare your child’s papers or written work to a benchmark or standard. Some teachers can also provide rubrics which describe what they are assessing.
3. Wherever your child is on the spectrum, ask what the teacher’s goals are for your child, when your child might reach those goals, and how your child is going to get there.
4. Ask about your child’s personal performance. Is your child working hard? To his or her full potential? Does your child enjoy the academic work? Share what you observe during homework time. Share any strategies that motivate your child … or circumstances that shut him/her down.
5. Ask about your child’s social growth. Does your child get along with others? Is your child friendly and respectful towards others? Does your child handle frustration, disappointment, guilt, or anger appropriately? Is your child accepted by others?
6. Both the teacher and parents must try to give vague observations a clearer context. If you can’t picture your child in a particular scenario, say, “Tell me more about that.” Ask the teacher to describe a particular time, place, and situation. Provide the same specifics for the teacher, when necessary. The goal is to determine ‘what works.’
7. Ask the teacher about your child’s good qualities and strengths. How can you, together, as a team, capitalize on those qualities and strengths?
8. Ask the teacher for suggestions about what you can do at home to support what the teacher is doing in school. There are specific ways parents can help children develop number sense, engage in critical thinking, read and follow multi-step directions, or make connections between stories (or even movies) and their own lives.
9. Ask what’s coming next. What’s the next unit in math or science? The next skill in reading?
10. If necessary, plan a follow-up conversation. Sometimes the teacher needs to think through a question or research new information. In that case, the teacher will need to get back to you. Sometimes, you’ll agree to try new strategies at home or in school and a follow-up will be necessary to evaluate the strategy.

Middle school and high school conferences are much tougher. Because teachers must see 40 or more parents in three days, secondary school conferences are considerably shorter. As a result, specific details about the student (rather than generic observations) and the facial expression and body language from both parties become the key communication devices. There IS time to be friendly; but there’s no time to chat about older siblings who went off to college, where the student is currently working, or the outcome of a recent sport or music event.

The Art of the 8-Minute Conference:
1. Ask how your child is doing overall in the subject. Is your son or daughter behind, ahead, or on target academically for that course? Is your child engaged, interested, and involved in the classroom?
2. Bring the last progress report with you and ask the teacher about any patterns you’ve observed. For example, your student might be struggling with homework or tests and quizzes. Ask the teacher for strategies which can strengthen weak areas. Ask for content-specific studying tips, such as flash cards or out-loud practice in front of a mirror. If you don’t know the amount of homework time expected each night, ask.
3. Ask to see your child’s work in comparison to a grade-level or department benchmark. The teacher should be able to show you what the expectations are for some elements of the content area -- a sample of a lab report, a one-page essay, or an essay test question response, for example. The teacher should be able to define the work qualities being assessed, such as labeling, showing all steps in a process, using complete sentences, or providing specific examples. Most teachers can provide rubrics which describe what they are assessing.
4. If necessary, plan a follow-up meeting or phone call, especially when a parent-teacher collaboration is required for the student to improve.


Conferences are November 16th, 17th, and 18th. Early release days are scheduled to accommodate the greatest number of parents.

CyberSMART and a Decision-Making Model

by Lynn K. McMullin

In education, as with many other fields, we tend to rely on catch phrases which are intended to resonate with an audience and make a complex concept more meaningful and memorable.  Sometimes, however, jargon does the opposite because the phrase is wide open to a variety of interpretations.  “Whole Child Education” is one of those terms. On the surface, it even seems a little silly – after all, who would teach half of a child?

Whole child education, however, refers to the idea that all children learn best when their academic, emotional, physical, and social needs are met.  Yes, we report to you on CMT, SAT, AP, and CAPT testing as evidence of our students’ academic achievements.  For a while now, educational thinking, practice, and policy has seemed singularly focused on improving academic achievement.  But, to be successful participating world citizens, our students must also be healthy, safe, confident, self-motivated, caring, and capable.  All of our schools focus on these important qualities; but today, an event at the Middle School illustrates the idea of whole child education perfectly.

CyberSMART at CMS
Today, parents and their students are participating in a day-long event aimed at equipping both groups with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the world of the Internet and telecommunications.  The day is being hosted by Mr. Drew Bartkiewicz, a parent and the CEO of CyberRiskPartners; Joe Scheideler, Principal; the Middle School PTO and Quality Council; and its teachers and staff.  The event includes opportunities to learn new information and to discuss both concerns and possible plans for the Middle School’s next step in this contemporary student arena.


In conjunction with this day-long event -- during which students will receive USB flash drives and the parents coffee mugs bearing the school's CyberSMART logo -- the teachers have added a CyberSMART experiential course.  This is a 30-day course covering the basics of SMART use of electronic information and communication: Safe, Mannerly, Authentic, Research-wise, and Twenty-first century ready.  A major theme of the curriculum is that your "online self" should mirror your “real self.”  If you wouldn’t walk up to a perfect stranger on the street and say, “Here’s my name, age, phone, and address,” then don’t do that online either.  If you wouldn’t pass a questionable photo aound the cafeteria or walk up to a classmate and bully them to their face, then don’t do it online, either. The internet is neither distant from you nor anonymous.  Be real.  Be who you are.  Put your best self forward.

A Important Decision-Making Model
Over the past two years, the Middle School has begun to adopt a focused decision-making model to help students consider wise choices, rather than simply “follow directions.” Often we think that decision-making only has two opposing sides.  In error, we think that decision making is black and white, our kids either do the ‘right thing’… or, the ‘wrong thing.’  But, in reality, decision-making is more complicated than that, as shown by the four quadrants in the model below.  The model applies to all decisions, from choosing the right food to choosing the right social action.

Consider this example: Student A tells her best friend, Student B, that she has done something really stupid.  She sent a photograph of herself in her underwear to a boy in their class because he asked for it.  Student A begs Student B not to tell a soul.
Using the decision-making model above, a class can discuss what Student B should do.  In the green quadrant, the right decision might be to get the help of a parent; the right reason might be so that Student A is saved from embarrassment and future repercussions. In the red quadrant, the wrong decision might be for Student B to keep the secret and tell no one. The wrong reason would be because she never liked Student A anyway and hopes the picture gets around.

But, most students find themselves living in the middle of those two choices – If I tell my mother or an adult, my friend will get in trouble and she will hate me.  I care about her, so I better not say a word to anyone -- the wrong decision, but for the right reason. 

If I tell my mother or an adult, my parents may see how responsible I am and think I’m old enough to have my own cellphone -- the right decision, but for the wrong reason. This latter quadrant can be confusing sometimes, because the student DOES make the right decision.  But whenever kids make the right decision solely out of fear of the consequences… or, due to our level of policing… or, because we have told them what to do… their ability to make the right decision for the right reason is affected.  When they get older, and the fear or the policing or the parental direction lessens, they will need to rely on their own reasoning and decision-making ability.  That's why instruction in decision-making needs to explore all four quadrants.

In educating the whole child, the Middle School is focusing on doing the right thing for the right reason by talking about real-life decision-making as being more complex than simply right or wrong.  Right or wrong, “WHY?” is the question.

“It’s summer vacation! Do I have to read?”

by Lynn K. McMullin


The answer is an unqualified "YES!"

Summer Reading as part of the daily routine is the best antidote for what is called the ‘summer slide’ in children’s reading achievement. A set schedule for reading, as well as access to books and to library programs which promote reading, result in more reading.  More reading in turn results in improved reading skills and wards off the predictable slide in skills that comes from two summer months without reading 'exercise.'

In a meta-ananlysis study of 39 other reading research projects, the University of Missouri found that most students lose an average of one month of school learning over summer vacation.  Some students lose up to three months of learning in that same time period. 

A research report titled, "Lost Summers: For Some Children, Few Books and Few Opportunities to Read," created by The Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University showed that for elementary school children who do not read during the summer, “Reading skill loss during the three summer months accumulates to become a learning gap of 18 months by the end of sixth grade.  By the end of middle school, summer reading loss produces a cumulative lag of two or more years in reading achievement even when effective reading instruction is present during the year.”

Furthermore, the research shows that the more a student struggles the more he or she stands to lose over the summer.  Reading works in a sort of "rich-get-richer, poor-get-poorer" pattern of development.   Both successful aqnd unsuccessful early reading experiences have cascading effects that can benefit or deter students success in other areas.  The same study also found that an increased volume of reading was an important factor in building language and vocabulary skills.

Another study revealed that children who engage in leisure reading of a variety of books have more 'background' knowledge.  Developing extensive background information is a key success factor in making difficult texts easier to read and understand in future years. Children who enjoy reading will read more and become proficient at the same time.  A report from the National Institute of Education concluded that, “… the amount of reading done out of school is consistently related to gains in reading achievement.”


OK, so I don't want to "research study" you to death!  We, of course, find all of this fascinating, but I know that not the general case. So, to skip to the bottom line:

Summer Reading Matters!  And, parents can help their children avoid the 'slide.'  Help us help your student by making reading part of the summer routine, free from television and distractions.  Bring books to the beach or pool... or, to the doctor's waiting room.

P.S. Just, one more study:  Educational researchers from the University of Florida found that children who read as few as six books over the summer break can maintain their reading skills at the level they achieved in the preceding school year.  It's not that difficult!

CLICK HERE for Reading Resources.

See you here in September!  All new topics!

What is Lexia?

by Lynn K. McMullin

In brief, Lexia is a reading software support program with a strong research base behind it.  In fact it’s an award-winner - recognized by several organizations, including Scholastic and EdNet for being the best in reading technology, RTI, and assessment.  Lexia helps students ages 4 and up acquire and improve the most essential reading skills from phonics to Latin roots.  At the same time, it allows the teacher or the tutor to monitor the student’s progress and target very specific and informed instruction to meet his or her needs.

There are three programs in Lexia: Early Reading, Primary Reading and Strategies for Older Students (SOS). Each program has multiple levels within it.  We’re using it in grades K – 9 in a variety of scheduling options, including before and after school tutoring sessions.  Some parents have even asked to be trained and are using Lexia at home. Research shows that fidelity yields results; success with Lexia requires 20 – 30 minutes a session, 3 – 5 times a week (depending upon the child’s needs).  The teacher or tutor also must take a backseat and not help students answer the questions.  When on the computer, the student must be working independently 100% of the time for the program to correctly diagnose and assign skills.

Canton’s reports are showing this level of fidelity is giving us results, and some students have moved up four or more Lexia levels since we began in November.  Lexia Reading begins with an auto placement tool in which a student completes a game-like assessment on the computer, using a headset to listen to instructions and to the sounds and words being taught.  Based on the results of several different diagnostics, such as short and long vowels, segmentation of words, beginning and ending sounds, etc., Lexia seamlessly levels the student and then creates a program specifically targeted to the student’s needs.  The Lexia dashboard below is an example of a program a student might be assigned.  I was working from a student’s screenshot, so it’s not the best clarity; but you can see that the student has been assigned to five activities in Early Reading, Level 2: Consonant Tree I, II, and II, Short Vowel Crate, and Consonant Pairs.  The yellow progress bar shows the child has almost completed the Short Vowel Crate, including all of the looping that Lexia might have done within that activity.  In the meantime, the tutor’s dashboard shows the amount of time each child has spent on Lexia, each child's progress through the activities, and the trouble spots he or she might be having.

When a student bumps into a skill he or she can’t master in Lexia, a yellow exclamation point shows up in both the teacher’s dashboard report and at the bottom left corner of the child’s screen. This indicates the child needs one-to-one instruction to get over this hurdle.

Using “long vowel, silent e” as an example of a skill-based activity, Lexia might begin by assigning a game in which the student sorts words with “long a, silent e” into a barrel while a clown descends onto the screen. The student would click on “lake, maze, name, gate,” and so on.  Next Lexia will add “long i, silent e” and the student will find “bike, dime, kite, pipe,” etc.  If the student is successful and can move on to “long o, silent e,” Lexia will mix all three patterns together, "name, bike, note, tape, home" etc.  If the child is unsuccessful, the Lexia program will back up and isolate the skill where the student was last successful. Furthermore, the teacher's report will show all of this by charting the long vowels.  This type of pinpoint accuracy has amazed all of us, as while a teacher or tutor will know a child is struggling with reading, it takes a good amount of trial and error to know that “long vowel, silent e” is the immediate culprit.

In the screenshot below, the child is working in Consonant Castle; and as he or she answers correctly, the pieces of the castle are coming together.  When this child selects the “b” to complete the word “bow,” the castle will be complete.  If the child didn’t hear the word "bow" clearly, clicking on the ear in the upper right corner will repeat it as many times as necessary.

This is a very brief description of a very involved tool.  Lexia obviously cannot teach reading and replace the teacher’s multi-faceted classroom instruction… nor will it replace our very successful DIBELS program… or Wilson Reading for significantly struggling readers... or "Soar to Success."  It is simply another successful tool in our toolkit.

The Facts about Field Trips

by Lynn K. McMullin

        Field trips cost money! When your family has two or more permission slips sitting on the counter and the checks need to be written, the tempting question is, “Are field trips really worth it?”   The answer is a qualified ‘yes.’  Yes, if they are planned with a clear-cut purpose and follow research-based principles.
        I remember as a 6th grader going to Old Newgate Prison in East Granby.  I vividly remember climbing down a ladder to the underground caverns and then experiencing the slimy, wet walls and lightless holes where prisoners were kept.  I remember the docent telling us that a prisoner, over the course of many years, had worn away a small bowl to hold water in the rock to which he was chained.  My feelings about the inhumanity of the place have never left me.
        My memories, and maybe some of your own, remind us that field trips are definitely worth it when they are experience driven, rather than information driven, and when they involve multi-sensory learning rather than language-based learning.  In other words, if kids get to see it, touch it, manipulate it, hear it, taste it, and talk about it, rather than read about it from a placard, field trips are well worth the cost in dollars and classroom time. 

What is the perfect field trip?
        Experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom head the list of ‘perfect’ field trips.  I don’t want to throw a lot of research at you, but one study stands for many others: kindergartners who attended an interactive science museum had specific and accurate memories of the field trip for more than a year after it occurred (Wolins et al., 1992).  The study revealed that the teachers had used a high degree of anticipation – in other words, they got the kids excited before they went!   And a high degree of summary – they talked about, replicated, or play-acted the experiences at the museum for several days after their return.  The teachers had also capitalized on the social nature of the trip – they formed color-coded teams, they put friends together, they had students hold hands, they took photos, and so on.  It’s a juggling act – great field trips enable students to socialize about learning and yet still have a high degree of personal, independent involvement in the activities.  Follow-up review activities are another essential.
        Two of the “favorite” Canton field trips are detailed below.  Both of these trips show up in our students’ senior yearbook memories and graduation speeches.  Nature’s Classroom, a Grade 6 trip, marks for many students the first time they are away from home “on their own.” Washington, DC, in the 8th grade is a remarkable adventure, both socially and educationally symbolizing for many students a Canton ‘rite of passage.’

Nature’s Classroom
        CIS students have been attending Nature's Classroom for over 20 years with great success.  In a week-long adventure (5 days, 4 nights), they learn a variety of subjects – maps, compasses, orienteering, bridge-building, storytelling, Native American games and crafts, dissection, weather, etc. -- through hands-on explorations and activities.  By living and learning together, Nature’s Classroom also develops community awareness, social responsibility, independence, and self-confidence.  Usually, Nature’s Classroom is held on the property of Camp Jewel in Colebrook, Connecticut; but this spring, from May 3 to May 7, the students are travelling to Camp Beckett in Beckett, Massachusetts.  In the fall of 2010, Nature’s Classroom will be returning to Colebrook.

Washington, D.C.
        The Washington, D.C., trip has traditionally proven extremely popular with students and the learning experiences are closely related to the 8th , 9th, and 10th grade social studies curriculum.  One of the themes in the 8th and 9th grade courses in Western Civilization is the development of western democratic institutions.  A trip to Washington, D.C., brings to life the culmination of ideas and experiences which began thousands of years ago by Greeks, Romans, and many others in the long history of civilization.  In addition, the English, math and science teachers on the 8th grade teams incorporate ideas and concepts about Washington, government, and travel into their lessons prior to the trip.  But, aside from these important intellectual pursuits, the personal memories of this independent travel experience, embarked on together with classmates, will stay with the students for many years to come.

More About the Budget....

This week, I'm "lending" my blog to Superintendent Kevin Case so you will have the chance to read his full budget message.   Next Friday, I'm planning to share with you some really interesting details from a class at the high school which I observed today.   It was great to see what these kids had done, so I'm excited to tell you about it!   In the meantime, here's Kevin's letter...

Dear Canton Residents,
The proposed 2010-2011 budget seeks a 0% increase over this current year’s spending. We have approached the development of this budget responsibly, recognizing the extraordinarily difficult economic times and the fiscal constraint of the town, while maintaining our obligation to meet the individual needs of the students in the Canton Public Schools.

Contractual obligations related to employee salary and benefits along with increased costs in utilities, out-of-district tuition, and transportation accounted for a $928,545, or a 4.17% increase over this year’s spending. Administrators’ budget requests totaled $359,809 or a 1.61% increase.  Thus, combined increases totaled $1,288,354, representing an increase of 5.78%.

Although every administrative request was justifiable, I worked to reduce each area of the budget possible, reducing the budget by over $855,433.  There are reductions in the area of instructional supplies, equipment, and professional development.  No new requested staffing positions were part of this budget proposal.

On February 9, 2010, I presented a proposed budget request to the Board of Education with an increase of $432,912 or 1.94%.  The Board of Education’s Finance Subcommittee met several times to review my proposed budget.  Every line item and personnel position in the District was reviewed carefully.  On March 4, 2010, the Board of Education voted to reduce the budget further by reducing funds in various line items where more accurate information had been obtained, such as in workers’ compensation and transportation fuel.  Reductions were also made in the utilities line items, as we will be challenging the staff and students in each of our buildings to conserve energy more than ever before through various activities.  We also continue to implement energy conservation measures wherever possible.

The following personnel changes were also made:
• Elimination of .5 FTE Director of Physical Plant
• Reduction of .5 FTE Library/Media Specialist
• Reduction of .5 Custodian
• Elimination of four paraeducator positions
• Reduction in secretarial support

This budget development process required extra attention this year from start to finish, as each request and line item was scrutinized as never before.  If additional cuts are made, existing non-certified and certified staff and programs will be affected, which would greatly diminish the quality of our school system.  We wish to see the Canton Public Schools continuously improve by providing the highest quality educational experiences and opportunities for our students.  It is our hope that you will support this budget as submitted.

Sincerely,
Kevin D. Case
Superintendent of Schools

What Our Kindergarten Data Tells Us

by Lynn K. McMullin

       Over the past few years, a planned focus on reading instruction at Cherry Brook Primary School has yielded exciting and rewarding confirmation that we are on the right path.   The 2009 CMT, our DRA2 data, and our in-house assessments have documented this success.  From the beginning, the instructional changes in reading included our youngest students, as Columbia Reader's Workshop, leveled-books, sight-word lists, DIBELS, and the DRA2 found their way into our Kindergarten classrooms.  The intention of this week's blog is to share with you an overview of that success story. There is additional information and resources for reading at the bottom of the CBPS website and in their monthly newsletters.

What is DIBELS?
       Several years ago, Canton began using DIBELS, a reading assessment focused on early intervention. DIBELS stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, and it is a research-based assessment program with years of strong data support.  Basically, there is a series of one-minute assessments that follow the same continuum as a child's reading development.  The assessments progress from recognizing beginning letter sounds, naming the letters of the alphabet, segmenting the different sounds in a word, rhyming, through reading nonsense words such as MIP or CACK.   As the child learns to read, the DIBELS assessments also include fluently reading texts aloud and retelling what you’ve read.  There are five main categories of assessment: phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency in reading text, vocabulary, and comprehension.
       Using DIBELS, Cherry Brook’s well-trained tutors can now spot gaps in students’ emergent reading skills and immediately target specific interventions to address those gaps.  Rather than waiting for Grade 3 CMT results, which might show general difficulties with comprehension and fluency, DIBELS provides information right when it is needed, in grades K, 1, 2,  and 3.

Turning the Pyramid of Support on its Head!
       Thus, the focus on immediate remediation changed our model of support.  Four years ago, our largest group of tutored remedial students was in the 3rd grade, and there was no reading assessment done in the kindergarten program.  Letter recognition and sounds, for example, were introduced beginning in January of the Kindergarten year.   As a result, no kindergarteners received tutor support and only about 20 students received tutoring in Grade 1. 
       Over the past four years, we have changed the pattern of both instruction and support.  Letter recognition and sounds are taught beginning in September; kindergarteners have a sight word list; and they, too, are reading "just right" books in the Columbia workshop model. We have also successfully tipped the pyramid of support over with our largest group of tutored students now in kindergarten and the smallest group in Grade 3. That is success!

        To illustrate what it 'looks' like, the first triangle below represents what we had -- a little support in the early grades and a great deal of support in Grade 3 when it was clear to teachers that some students were struggling with their reading.  The second triangle represents what we have achieved -- a great deal of support for reading in Kindergarten and with our emerging readers.  There is less support in Grade 3 because more students are meeting the expected reading goals.

       A more specific look at the actual support data is pictured below.  As you can see, we started the DIBELS in 2005-2006.   In addition, the teachers at every grade level have spent the past four years collaborating with Columbia Reader's Workshop.  They attended full-day Columbia workshops for three days in August for several years and regularly worked with Columbia trainers in their classroom.  They have met collaboratively in their grade-level teams to write mini-lessons and discuss student data.  They have worked together on the additional components of literacy, such as word work, guided reading, interactive read-alouds, and vocabulary and have fully developed their classroom libraries of "just-right" leveled books.  These are just a few of the many program and instructional changes that have suported reading. 

But, Are Kindergarteners Ready to Read?

       Absolutely! And we have the data to prove it!

       Two years ago the Connecticut State Department of Education changed the expectations for kindergarten reading. The new standard became DRA2 Level 4. In addition, the new DRA2 included a retelling and comprehension question. Prior to that, the expectation had been Level 3 with no comprehension question. Some people asked if the kindergarteners, particularly those in a half-day program such as Cherry Brook's, were prepared to meet a Level 4 expectation by May.

       A readiness assessment which the kindergarten teachers complete in October for each of their students gives us the information we needed. The results, which I'll summarize here, show our students are more than ready. To determine a district's kindergarten readiness, the students are rated in six categories at three performance levels -- from Level 1 (lowest) to Level 3 (highest). As you can see from the Level 3 scores below, Canton's kindergarteners are well above average for the State in terms of their kindergarten readiness. I've put the state results in parentheses.

• 
  
  Language Skills   -- 56% at Level 3  (37%)
• Literacy Skills  -- 66% at Level 3  (35%)
• Numercy Skills  -- 70% at Level 3 (38%)
• Physical/Motor Skills  -- 83% at Level 3 (47%)
• Creative/Aesthetic Skills  -- 81% at Level 3 (47%)
• Personal/Social Skills  -- 65% at Level 3  (41%)

For more information about the DRA, click here.

For more information about Kindergarten readiness, click here. 

A Parent’s Guide to the CMT and CAPT

by Lynn K. McMullin

        For teachers and administrators, it seems like the standardized tests are no sooner over than they are upon us again. Here we are preparing for March’s CMT and CAPT tests in grades 3 – 11, and every school in the district is involved.
        The CMT and CAPT will take place in Grades 3 – 8 and Grade 10 from March 2nd – 12th. Make-ups will occur over the following two weeks.

What are “High-Stakes, Standardized” Tests?

        Many people cite President Bush’s 2002 NCLB Act (No Child Left Behind) as the beginning of standardized testing. That’s simply not true! Granted the NCLB Act stated that by the 2005-06 school year, all states needed to test students yearly in Math and Reading, grades 3 – 8 and one grade in high school, and by the 2007-08 school year, in science, as well; but, the truth is Connecticut has conducted the CMT (Connecticut Mastery Test), now in its 4th generation, since 1985 and the CAPT (Connecticut Academic Achievement Test), now in its 3rd generation, since 1994. The CMT was originally administered every other year, in grades 4, 6, and 8, and given in October versus March. It’s gone through three revisions since then.
        “High-stakes standardized testing” sounds ominous; but, in Canton, from your student’s and family’s point of view, you should not be worried about the kind of fallout and horror stories you read on the Internet. Your kids are not sitting through hours of kill-and-drill workshops and our teachers and administrators are not changing answer booklets to save their jobs. The term “high-stakes” means there is the intention of a tighter accountability for each state’s and district’s educational system -- although, interestingly enough, each state developed its own tests. Regardless, “high-stakes” means the results of the tests can be used as determinates of funding, licensing, sanctions, interventions, and so on.
        In Canton, we have not lost funding and no educators have lost their jobs due to the CMT or CAPT.  Neither are your students’ test results ever used for grade promotion … nor as the sole data point for placing them in programs or courses. The term “standardized” means all students take the same test and are measured against the same grade-level learning expectations as all other students across the state. It was taken for granted in the NCLB Act that the states would set challenging, but reasonable, expectations for student learning. Connecticut has done so.

What are the CMT and CAPT?

        Both the CMT (grades 3 – 8) and CAPT (grade 10) are multi-day tests in Reading, Math, Writing, and Science that take approximately 500 – 625 total minutes to administer and complete. The tests are designed to accomplish several goals:
1. Establish high expectations for all students at each grade level
2. Identify students who need extra help
3. Help schools and teachers identify weaknesses in the curriculum and improve daily instruction
4. Help families monitor their children’s achievement from grades 3 through 8, and high school.

For a parent brochure about CMT, click here.

For a parent brochure about CAPT, click here:

So, What Can You Do to Help Your Child?
        A lot of the following suggestions are simply common sense. Most kids want to succeed and will naturally strive to do their best. You simply need to nudge that natural tendency along.
        First and foremost, engender confidence in your child’s ability to do well. Help them to see the tests as their chance to shine rather than as tasks they must suffer through. Tell your child that they're not expected to know all the answers. They should work hard on what they know and not worry if they find some things hard to do.  Encourage your child to take their time, to listen carefully to test-taking directions, and to ask questions if any of the directions are not clear.  In other words, when you talk to your child, find the happy medium between taking the tests seriously and being overly anxious about the test and its results.
        Secondly, make sure your child is well-rested during the testing window and eats a well-rounded diet. Hunger detracts from performance; and, at the risk of sounding corny, the more protein and less sugar your child consumes in the morning the better. Make it fun!  To boost morale or alleviate stress, surprise your child with something they love.  For lunch, include a positive message or something along the lines of a "test survival reward."
        Finally, it’s very important to make sure that your child attends school on time during the testing sessions. Do not plan doctor or dental appointments on test dates.  Research shows that students perform much better when they begin comfortably and calmly and when they take the test in a familiar setting along with their peers. Remind your child that there’s no prize for finishing first, and when they do finish, they should review their answers and check their answer sheets for errors.
        Your child’s teacher or school might have additional suggestions for at-home support. Watch for information in the school newsletter, on the website, or in the backpack notices. And please, feel free to call the school if you have any questions.

2010-2011 BUDGET information coming NEXT FRIDAY

Adolescents, Sexting, Social Networking, and School

by Lynn K. McMullin

         In the mid-1960’s, teachers reported their biggest discipline concerns as chewing gum in class, running in the hallways, and smoking in the bathrooms. Rising hem-lines were also an issue; and I can remember kneeling in the nurse’s office, and if my skirt didn’t touch the floor, Mrs. B. stapling a crepe paper steamer to the hem. In the 1970’s, when I entered my own classroom, teachers were reporting disrespect in the classroom, T-shirts with references to drugs, and public displays of affection (PDA’s) as their major concerns. Times certainly have changed; and this century’s educators are faced with issues no one could have imagined 40 years ago.        
        Among those issues is the far-reaching impact of today’s technologies. With Internet research, what’s a reliable fact? Should cell phones be banned from classrooms? Or, used as instructional tools? Should classroom discussions be extended through blogging? Also, of concern is the impact of social networking on the school environment, especially when negative on-line messages and questionable content spill over into the hallways and lunchrooms. On-line bullying, which takes place off school property and during non-school hours, has become both a worry and a disciplinary quagmire for school administrators, particularly in middle schools.
        Canton is trying to respond with proactive solutions. We developed an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for the Internet several years ago. The Intermediate School held an Internet forum for parents in October; and the Canton Middle School Quality Council, a committee comprised of educators, parents, students, and Principal Joe Scheideler, is studying the impact of electronic communications on the school environment. Their goal is determining how Canton Middle School can best help parents and students navigate the electronic landscape of cellphones, Facebook, and the Internet. Since providing as much information as possible seems like a step in the right direction, I’d like to answer a few questions here.

What is Social Networking?          
       Online social networking occurs when a website is used to create an on-line community of Internet users who share a common interest through culture, music, age, gender, hobbies, religion, politics, etc. Once you “join” a social networking website, you can begin to socialize with other members by sharing your own information in a “profile,” by reading the profile pages of others, and by contacting them. MySpace, FriendWise, FriendFinder, Yahoo! 360, Facebook, Orkut, and Classmates are examples of social networking sites. Recent research suggests that 93% of American teens (ages 12 to 17) use the Internet (no surprise there!) and that 55% of those teens use social networks (also, no surprise!). The 12 – 13 year-olds are the fastest growing group of social network joiners.         
       Social networking is still too new, however, to have a strong research base about its positive and negative impacts on teens. But, opinions abound. On the positive side, some experts feel teens are safer now than when they were entering private chat rooms, because their "network" of friends, friends’ parents, relatives, and others “follows them around the site” and can thwart bad decisions and “intruders.” In other words, social networking is more public and less secretive than the chat rooms of the past. Supporters feel teens are also reading and writing more and are more actively-involved with their friends than they were when they passively watched TV and played video-games.         
       On the negative side, detractors say adolescents are trusting; and thus, they are too forthright in providing information about themselves and too non-discriminating about the information they read from others. They also can be secretive, impulsive, and mean to each other when friendships go wrong, sometimes resulting in gossip, lying, and even “cyber-bullying.”  At the very least, opponents argue, social networking is a worthless activity; it contributes no “product;” does not make teens smarter, happier, or healthier; and therefore nothing of merit results.       
       Families should weigh the information carefully, become informed about their teens attitudes and usage, and make their own decisions.

What is Sexting?         
       On Monday, February 8, the Today show offered a brief lesson for parents in adolescent sexting, which is the transmission of nude, semi-nude, or sexually provocative photos or videos by cellphone. The largest growing group of “sexters” is 13 – 15 year-old girls, which makes both the sending and receiving of “sexts” child pornography, a criminal offense. Yet, when adolescents who "sext" were confronted about their sexting behavior, a surprising number did not see their actions as having been “sexual” in nature.         
       In brief, parents should know the photo and video capabilities of their teen’s cellphone, and then talk to their teen about its use, and particularly about the act of sexting. Many teens who engaged in this practice claimed that no adult had ever discussed sexting with them, and they had not considered the consequences of sexting prior to engaging in it. Basically, they trusted the receiver of the sext (usually a friend or boyfirend), and did not think that the photos or videos they sent would be shared, copied, posted to the Internet, or viewed by an adult. They also had no understanding that sexting was against the law.         
       Clearly, teens today live in a technology-dominated world. Clearly, parents and schools must help them understand the pros and cons of electronic communications and teach them to become informed consumers. The Canton Middle School Quality Council has accepted this challenge, and their findings and recommendations will add another dimension to our educational programming. In preparation for future program development, on February 17th, Mr. Drew Bartkiewicz will be conducting proper Internet use seminars with middle school students and sharing the results of these workshops with the Quality Council members who are able to attend.

Click here to view the Today show segment from February 8, 2010.

Student Fees for Parking and Athletics at the High School

by Lynn K. McMullin

One of the most controversial and painful decisions the school board has had to make is the implementation of parking and athletic participation fees at Canton High School. Across the state, these difficult economic times have seen one district after another resort to fees in order to maintain the quality of athletic programs; and in Canton, in order to expand rather than reduce our students’ athletic opportunities.

Athletic Fees

There is no argument that athletics are a vital part of the high school’s program. Sports provide over 55% of Canton’s students with the chance to develop their physical aptitude, as well as their personal and leadership skills. Competitive sports provide another realm of challenges, and the lessons that come with both winning and defeat build character. A myriad of benefits come from participating in athletics. No one argues that point!

Yet, the high school athletic program represents about $240,000 in the district budget, and that price tag rises every year. Canton pays $11,000 in dues and fees to the league, associations, and state for its 11 varsity and junior varsity men’s and women’s sports: soccer, field hockey, cross country, basketball, wrestling, indoor track, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and track. Our officials and coaches are not overpaid; our transportation throughout the widespread NCCC League is not unreasonable; and our kids’ uniforms are neither new nor personalized.

Knowing all of this, the Board of Education adopted Policy #5139 and added athletic fees stating that all developmental, freshmen, JV, and Varsity athletes would be required to pay a fee for each season. For all sports, except football (which is self-funding), the fee is $100 per athlete per season with a $175 individual cap for the year and a $300 family cap. The participation fees do not guarantee playing time; and the policy provides additional regulations for fee collection, refunds, and so on.

As you can see, the fee schedule for athletics was carefully designed to be sensitive both to families with multiple athletes and to athletes who participate in multiple sports. In addition, students who receive free and reduced lunch are automatically waived from athletic fees; and a form for athletic fee relief is readily available on the CHS home page, under “Important News” in the right menu (“Pay to Participate Waiver/Reduction Fee Form”). Privacy is guaranteed.

The athletic fees for the 2009 – 2010 budget are intended to pay for the athletic trainer ($26,000) from whom all the teams receive a valuable service. Fees in excess will be used to offset transportation costs, another equally shared expense.

Parking Fees

Implemented in September 2006, the parking fees pre-date athletic fees by three years. Students who wish to drive to school pay $50 per semester or $100 per year. Upon completing an application and providing payment, a student receives a permit which must be visibly displayed in the same vehicle for which the permit is issued.

Despite the existence of a parking fee, parking at Canton High School remains a privilege. A parking permit can be suspended at any time for violating the parking lot rules, such as driving above 10 miles per hour or driving against the flow of traffic. On the rare occasions when a student needs to drive to school and does not have a parking permit, the student can park at Millennium Field and walk the sidewalks to school. Some students elect to do this routinely.

Parking fees bring about $6,000 a year into the district budget and are always used to enhance the middle and high school’s outdoor campus. An example is the lighted school sign at the end of the driveway, the newly-planted shrubs, the benches at the top of the field hockey field, several trash receptacles, and outdoor bleacher replacement. Recently, three picnic tables were purchased for student use. They are currently housed in the cafeteria, but will be moved outside in the spring.

The Board values input from the students and community about the use of the parking lot fees.

What happens to gate receipts?

Just in case you’re wondering, the money you pay for a family pass or a single ticket into a basketball game does help a little, too.  Gate receipts for winter sports bring in about $9,000 and are used to offset the $25,000 budget line for time keepers and officials. Football gate receipts from home games belong to the Canton Football Association, however, as that program is completely self-funded.

Code Red! Code Yellow!

by Lynn K. McMullin

As a child growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I experienced the duck-and-cover style civil defense preparedness drills that followed the Soviet Union’s development of a nuclear weapon and the Cuban Missile Crisis. We were taught to fall to the ground and get under something if we saw a bright light. We practiced going to the school basement and lining up in rows along the basement walls; littlest kids closest to the wall, biggest kids on the outside. I lived within one mile of the school; so in one drill, when the town’s air raid siren sounded, I ran home as fast as I could,  My mother was supposed to time me and report my time to the principal.

Thank goodness times have changed! Hopefully, we have grown more cognizant of how emergencies actually happen; and, while we still must prepare for these emergencies, more sensitive to our children’s feelings when they experience that ‘preparedness.’

I’m not going to share with you the details of our Code Red and Code Yellow procedures, as publicizing those plans would be counter-productive to children’s and teacher's safety; but I do want to explain when, how, and why we practice.

First of all, this year new legislation required that we practice our emergency procedures (Code Red and Code Yellow) a minimum of three times a year. Previous legislation required 10 fire drills per school year. Now, we may add the three emergency drills to that schedule to total thirteen drills; or, we may substitute up to three emergency drills for the fire drills, keeping a schedule of ten total drills per year. Canton will be doing the latter. From 2009 – 2010 on, we will have seven fire drills and three emergency drills. The thinking is that for decades no student has died in a school fire because everyone knows exactly where to go and what to do; the same level of practice might prevent misfortune in other types of emergencies.

All school administrators and town officials have what is called an “Annex O Handbook.” It was written by committee and is revised every July. Its goal is to “establish protocols and guidelines for all agencies who would be responding to Canton School facilities so that any incidents would be handled as rapidly as possible thereby allowing an orderly return to the business of educating the children of Canton.” It contains protocols for everything from severe weather to bomb threats to finding a mysterious package to locating a missing child, and so on. Depending upon the situation, a Code Red or Code Yellow is called by the principal or other administrator. Code Red emergencies indicate a threat within the school; Code Yellow emergencies indicate a threat outside of the school. In both cases, the doors to the buildings are locked and no one can leave or enter.

To be prepared for these kinds of potential emergencies, we do hold drills as mentioned above. Just as with fire drills, which have become commonplace and routine, Code Red and Code Yellow drills do not constitute a real emergency. Students are always told “This is a drill” and reassured that there is no reason to worry. During drills, teachers remain calm and practice the procedures that have been outlined for them.

When one school has a Code Red drill; the other two school buildings will always have a Code Yellow drill. This is because the Canton Police and Adam Libros, the Director of Emergency Management, attend the Code Red drills so that they can provide feedback to the principal and teachers at a faculty meeting later that same afternoon. Canton’s emergency responders are too limited in number for us to effectively practice a Code Red drill at all three school buildings simultaneously; therefore, we stagger our Code Reds. The debriefing sessions we’ve held so far have been very helpful. While teachers always want to know exactly what they should do in a variety of ‘what if’ situations, they are reminded that real emergencies aren’t predictable and common sense prevails.

To date, we have had several real Code Yellows where a possible or perceived emergency was outside the school buildings.  In none of these instances were any children ever endangered.  An incident where a bear was spotted on the playground at Cherry Brook Primary School is just one example. We realize that it can be inconvenient for parents when the doors are locked and you can’t get in… or sometimes, can’t get out. But the strict procedures to lock the doors are in place for well-intended reasons.  
In a real Code Yellow, we will use AlertNow’s everyday calling and emailing feature to let you know what happened. This phone call will look like a call from Central Office, or from the school, on your caller-ID; it will begin 860-693-77xx.  In a real Code Red, however, we will use AlertNow’s emergency calling and emailing feature as soon as possible to let you know what is happening. Your caller-ID will display 411.

Remember, in a real Code Red, you should not come to the school that is experiencing the emergency situation. Past emergencies in other school systems have taught us that, especially when roads and driveways are narrow (as they are in Canton), citizen traffic to the location of the emergency can delay the access and mobility of the rescue personnel. Wait for the AlertNow message to tell you where to congregate and what to do.

My intention this week was to provide reassurance, not to create a sense of urgency or alarm. We have had one emergency drill to date and need to conduct two additional drills to be in compliance. We hopefully enter into all of our emergency preparedness with a sense of compassion for our children; we want them to feel safe in their classrooms. At the same time, we want you to feel comfortable that we know how to protect them, as we know you would, in an emergency.

School Closings and Delayed Openings: When? Who? and How?

by Lynn K. McMullin

To delay? Or, not to delay? To close? Not to close? When the weather is foul, parents, teachers, and the community at large often wonder how, when, and by whom the decision to close schools or to remain open is made. While one single factor is at the heart of each decision – student safety! – there still remains the question, how does a district determine when the roads are safe?

How are the weather-related decisions made?

First of all, I do set-up the AlertNow early notification system to teachers’ and students’ homes, and it is my voice you hear… but, I don’t make the decision.   In fact, no single individual makes the decision to cancel school or delay school’s opening.

The final call is a collaborative one usually made around 4:30 a.m. by Superintendent Kevin Case, Dean Martel owner of Martel Transportation who bears direct responsibility for student bus safety, Walter LeGeyt, the Director of Public Works, and the on-duty police dispatcher who is in constant contact with the police officers on the road. These individuals are paying close attention to the road conditions, particularly in North Canton where many times, due to a difference in elevation, the roads are more treacherous.  Ideally, at 4:30 a.m., they try to predict what the driving conditions will be like two hours later when the buses will actually hit the roads.  However, sometimes the conditions either worsen or don’t improve as anticipated and a decision to delay or cancel comes at 5:30 a.m. or later.

Yes, there are times when Avon or Simsbury have school and Canton doesn’t; but every town’s bus routes and road conditions are different.  Yes, there are times when your route, or my route, to work might be safely passable, but our older high school students and our buses must navigate some very difficult roads in the hilly North Canton neighborhoods.

In every case, only one question factors into the decision – will our students be safe today?


How to get weather-related updates!

First, the AlertNow Early Notification System is set-up to make phone calls to teachers and students’ homes on the morning of a delay or cancellation. Once the decision is made, the phone call to teachers is arranged immediately, usually around 5:15 a.m.  Hartford students also receive their calls at this time, too, since some of these students catch the bus around 6:00 a.m.  A second of round of calls to Canton students’ families is scheduled for 6:20 a.m.

Second, most schools have set-up the AlertNow student records to include email. If that is the case for your family, you can turn down the phone and use your email instead.   In a few days, you will be able to send a note to your school and arrange for a second email address if you need one.  You can also arrange to receive an email notice by registering for e-notifications at http://www.ctweather.com.   Just follow the on-line directions.

Third, check our www.cantonschools.org webpage.  I use the scrolling bar at the top of the page to post delays, cancellations, and early closings.  It is updated as soon as I have set-up the AlertNow calls.

Finally, you can still listen for school delays and cancellations on the radio and television as follows: WTIC – 1080 or 98.6, WDRC – 102.9, Fox 61, WVIT 30, WTNH 8, and WFSB 3.

More about AlertNow!

Sometimes I get requests regarding the AlertNow Early Notification System from families wanting special arrangements – Can we receive our call at 6:00 a.m., instead of 6:20?  Can we receive a call for delayed openings, but not for cancellations?  Can we receive a call on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays only?  I would love to accommodate, but AlertNow is not set up that way.  It operates from a database using our district’s student information system, so I can isolate ‘logical groups’ already existing within the system.  I could isolate gender or birthdates, for example, but those fields wouldn't make sense for announcements.  However, I can select “all students” and “all teachers” as sub-groups. AND, I can also isolate students by their specific bus routes.  The bus route sub-group, for example, is what allows me to place a special call to Hartford students.  There is a down-side to this special call, however; because when I later make the 6:20 a.m. call to “all students,” these families get a second call from me. The same is true for teachers who are also parents of a Canton student – two calls, one at 5:15 and one at 6:20.

Even with a computer-based system like AlertNow, mistakes happen!  If you are not receiving your AlertNow call, please contact the school with the correct phone numbers.  This past Wednesday, I disconnected a cell phone belonging to an elderly woman in South Carolina who called back to say she “has no kids and was enjoying her weather down south very much!”  Our records had her cell phone number listed as belonging to one of our teachers, but it was an easy fix.  After Wednesday’s call, I was also able to provide information to our schools about four invalid phone numbers and 22 disconnected phones, thus enabling us to correct our contact information.  I also know based on our “delivery report” that 78% of the calls went to answering machines, 14% were answered live (including the woman in South Carolina), 6% were ‘live partials’ (meaning the person hung up on us), and the remaining 2% were busy, disconnected, or invalid numbers.

How to Make the Most of a Parent Conference

Every two weeks, I meet with our newly-hired teachers and discuss Canton’s philosophy and approach to various facets of teaching. Last week’s topic was “Conducting Effective Parent Conferences;” and we talked about welcoming parents and clearly communicating students' progress and expectations. While it is very important for teachers to know how to structure a conference, it’s also important for parents to know how to maximize that limited time as well.

Who should attend conferences?
Definitely attend conferences if your child is struggling academically or socially!  Definitely attend if your child is doing very well!  Every parent has a right to schedule a conference, to be treated with respect, and to be given a current progress report, clear goal statements, and suggestions for working together as partners in their student’s best interests. You should never feel like you don’t belong or are taking up the teacher’s time. If your schedule does not permit attending conferences, or if you have too many conferences to squeeze them all in, call and ask for alternatives.


Why should parents attend?
Maybe you’re asking yourself why you should attend for the umpteenth time and what you're supposed to say or ask during a parent teacher conference. After all, you’ve got a progress report; you’ve seen papers come home; you have, or will receive, a report card. What’s left? Face to face communication can be much more effective than a number or letter on a report card. You can learn so much about the teacher’s expectations and your child’s progress when you and the teacher review a few of those papers together. Facial expressions and body language can also help you and the teacher better understand each other’s attitudes and perceptions.

The art of the elementary school conference:
1. Ask how your child is doing overall in the classroom. Is your son or daughter behind, ahead, or on target academically and socially? Is your child happy in the classroom?
2. Ask to review some specific information about your child’s work in comparison to a benchmark. The teacher should be able to show you what the grade-level expectations are for writing, for example, or what a sample math problem or open-ended task looks like. The teacher should be able to tell you and demonstrate your child’s reading level.  Together, you should compare your child’s papers or written work to a benchmark or standard. Some teachers can also provide rubrics which describe what they are assessing.
3. Wherever your child is on the spectrum, ask what the teacher’s goals are for your child, when your child might reach those goals, and how your child is going to get there.
4. Ask about your child’s personal performance. Is your child working hard? To his or her full potential? Does your child enjoy the academic work?  Share what you observe during homework time. Share any strategies that motivate your child … or circumstances that shut him/her down.
5. Ask about your child’s social growth. Does your child get along with others? Is your child friendly and respectful towards others? Does your child handle frustration, disappointment, guilt, or anger appropriately? Is your child accepted by others?
6. Both the teacher and parents must try to give vague observations a clearer context. If you can’t picture your child in a particular scenario, say, “Tell me more about that.” Ask the teacher to describe a particular time, place, and situation. Provide the same specifics for the teacher, when necessary. The goal is to determine ‘what works.’
7. Ask the teacher about your child’s good qualities and strengths. How can you, together, as a team, capitalize on those qualities and strengths?
8. Ask the teacher for suggestions about what you can do at home to support what the teacher is doing in school. There are specific ways parents can help children develop number sense, engage in critical thinking, read and follow multi-step directions, or make connections between stories (or even movies) and their own lives.
9. Ask what’s coming next. What’s the next unit in math or science? The next skill in reading?
10. If necessary, plan a follow-up conversation. Sometimes the teacher needs to think through a question or research new information. In that case, the teacher will need to get back to you. Sometimes, you’ll agree to try new strategies at home or in school and a follow-up will be necessary to evaluate the strategy.

Middle school and high school conferences are much tougher. Because teachers must see 40 or more parents in three days, secondary school conferences are considerably shorter. As a result, specific details about the student (rather than generic observations) and the facial expression and body language from both parties become the key communication devices. There IS time to be friendly; but there’s no time to chat about older siblings who went off to college, where the student is currently working, or the outcome of a recent sport or music event.
The art of the 8-minute conference:
1. Ask how your child is doing overall in the subject. Is your son or daughter behind, ahead, or on target academically for that course? Is your child engaged, interested, and involved in the classroom?
2. Bring the last progress report with you and ask the teacher about any patterns you’ve observed. For example, your student might be struggling with homework or tests and quizzes. Ask the teacher for strategies which can strengthen weak areas. Ask for content-specific studying tips, such as flash cards or out-loud practice in front of a mirror. If you don’t know the amount of homework time expected each night, ask.
3. Ask to see your child’s work in comparison to a benchmark. The teacher should be able to show you what the grade-level expectations are for some elements of the content area -- a sample of a lab report, a one-page essay, or a test question response, for example. The teacher should be able to define the work qualities being assessed, such as labeling, showing all steps in a process, using complete sentences, or providing specific examples. Some teachers can provide rubrics which describe what they are assessing.
4. If necessary, plan a follow-up meeting or phone call, especially when a parent-teacher collaboration is required for the student to improve.

Conferences are November 17th, 18th, and 19th. Early release days are scheduled to accommodate the greatest number of parents.