Annual Report on Curriculum, Instruction, and

Student Achievement 2010

 

Phil Minkkinen, Superintendent, Patricia Driscoll, Curriculum Coordinator

 

 

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION  

 

The Lake Superior School District’s Curriculum & Instruction Advisory Committee’s function is to advise the Board of Education on curriculum and instruction issues in the district. The committee is responsible for:

·         Ensuring the Curricular Review Cycle is maintained

·         Developing a yearly improvement plan

·         Evaluating the district testing program

·         Completing an annual report to the community

 

         An administrative convener/facilitator shall facilitate the process.  Membership of the committee shall include the Principals and the Superintendent as well as one representative from each building, one Special Education Teacher from each end of the district and the Lead Title I teacher.  Parents and community members who would like to serve are welcome. Citizens interested in volunteering to serve on this committee should call Patricia Driscoll at 218-834-8221 ext. 8402.  The 2009-2010 members include:

Phil Minkkinen, Superintendent District 381

Patricia Driscoll, Principal Minnehaha Elementary

Joe Nicklay, Principal Wm. Kelley High School and Elementary School

Brett Archer, Principal Two Harbors High School

Ann Hastings, Grade 4 Teacher Minnehaha Elementary

Pam Carlson, Grade K Teacher Minnehaha Elementary

Tom Frericks, Grade 5 Teacher Wm Kelley Elementary

Carl Freund, Language Arts Teacher Wm. Kelley High School

Dee LeBlanc, Spec. Ed. Teacher Wm. Kelley High School

Andrea McMillen, Grade K Teacher Wm. Kelley El.

Deb Livingston, Spec. Ed. Teacher Two Harbors High School

Karen Lodin, Math Teacher Two Harbors High School

 

 

No Child Left Behind

 

MCA-II / GRAD Test

Graduation-Required Assessments for Diploma (GRAD) refers to three tests written composition, reading and mathematics.  Students who entered grade 8 in 2005–06 or later must pass these tests in order to graduate from a Minnesota public high school. These tests measure proficiency on the Minnesota Academic Standards.

     Practice assessments are available at this website:

http://etest.pearson.com/customers/Minnesota/mn/itemsampler.htm

     More information about the GRAD is available at:

http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Accountability_Programs/Assessment_and_Testing/Ass

essments/GRAD

 

Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments II

The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments – Series II (MCA-IIs) are the state tests in reading, mathematics and science that meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. These tests are given every year to measure student performance on the Minnesota Academic Standards, which define what our students should know and do in a particular grade. Minnesota’s rules for testing and the federal NCLB Act require that mathematics and reading tests be given in grades 3-8.

 

 

 

How did our students do on the MCA II this past year?

 

 

Percent

Math

Not Proficient

Percent

Math

Proficient

Percent

Reading Not Proficient

Percent

Reading

Proficient

Minnehaha Elem.

26.08

73.91

21.54

78.45

Wm. Kelley Elem.

28.99

71.0

28

72

Two Harbors High

47.85

52.14

31.23

68.76

Wm. Kelley High

46.23

53.76

27.95

72.04

District

39.26

60.73

28

71.98

State

34.10

65.89

27.65

72.34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did our students do on the MCA II in previous years?

 

 

Percent Not Proficient Math

Percent Proficient Math

Percent Not Proficient Reading

Percent Proficient Reading

2006

 

 

 

 

        District

47.17

52.82

27.76

72.23

           State

41.95

58.04

28.48

71.51

2007

 

 

 

 

        District

43.07

56.92

30.58

69.41

           State

39.37

60.62

31.77

68.22

2008

 

 

 

 

        District

43.21

56.78

26.89

73.10

           State

37.96

62.03

29.30

70.69

2009

 

 

 

 

        District

39.61

60.38

26.35

73.64

           State

36.14

63.85

28.08

71.91

2010

 

 

 

 

        District

39.26

60.73

28.01

71.98

           State

34.10

65.89

27.65

72.34

 

 

 

NOTE:  Additional information regarding tests and data for individual schools and State Report Cards can be found at the Minnesota Department of Education websites:

http://education.state.mn.us/ReportCard2005/index.do http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Accountability_Programs/Assessment_and_Testing/index.html

 

 

 

DISTRICT IMPROVEMENT PLAN

 

The District Administrative Team attended a two day data retreat in August and met again in September with the District Improvement Plan Team.  The teams studied the district test results carefully and created a District Improvement Plan including goals and actions for improvement in teaching and learning.  Their suggestions are based on trends and patterns they identified in the district MCA II data.

 

1.     Implement Professional Learning Communities for all certified staff.  Design and implement action research district-wide to improve assessment, enhance professional development, and develop instructional strategies.

2.     Use formative assessments, such as CBM, Accelerated Reader, Scholastic Reading, Lexia Learning, and others to measure progress toward achieving the standards.

3.     Research what is evidence based reading intervention curriculum with emphasis in special education.

4.     Continue the process of implementing Response to Intervention district-wide in grades PreK-12 in reading by focusing in on a student’s skills and needs and differentiating instruction to meet the student’s needs.

 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT PLAN

    

The District Staff Development Team met in September to review the 2009-10 Staff Development Plan.  It was decided to continue the same goals for 2010-2011 which are improving reading teaching and learning, math teaching and learning and technology use in the classroom.

            The District’s major focus for 2010-2011 is reading.  Professional Learning Communities will be implemented District-wide.  Every teacher and administrator will participate in at least one ongoing PLC throughout the school year.  Speakers on Brain Development and teaching strategies will be brought to the district to train teachers and administrators district-wide.  Some teachers and administrators may attend workshops/conferences that pertain to the District Goals and their PLC study groups to gain information to bring back and share. 

Special Education teachers will learn to analyze and use the results of formative and summative assessments and incorporate the results of data to monitor and adjust instruction.  Special Education teachers will also evaluate the skills and concepts of the Minnesota standards to create a district scope and sequence PreK-12 for Special Education.

 

 

CURRICULUM REVIEW CYCLE

 

 

 

YEAR

 

PREVIEW

 

REVIEW

 

IMPLEMENT

2010-11

SCIENCE

 

Language Arts

Math

2011-12

MUSIC

ART

SCIENCE

 

Language Arts

2012-13

SOCIAL STUDIES

WORLD LANG.

Music,

Art

TECHNOLOGY

SCIENCE

 

2013-14

PRACTICAL ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES

WORLD LANG.

Music

Art

 

2014-15

HEALTH & P.E.

PRACTICAL ARTS

SOCIAL STUDIES

WORLD LANG.

2015-16

Math

HEALTH & P.E.

Practical Arts

2016-17

Language Arts

Math

HEALTH & P.E.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preview individuals will gather information regarding curriculum and instruction that are in line with Best Practices and assist in implementation of the Standards.             

               

    Review  Materials are reviewed and selections are made that meet the needs of the students, align with the standards and are supported by Best Practices research.

 

    Implement  The School Board sets aside funds every year to purchase the necessary curriculum.