’s physical/mental health, disabilities, or roadblocks.
When parents and teachers team up, the child benefits. Parents and teachers should share as much information as possible so they can be more effective in their respective roles.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
What’s Right in the School District of Janesville
What’s Right in the School District of Janesville (SDJ) is a forum to recognize outstanding performances and achievements by SDJ employees, students and schools.
Janesville Principal Presents at Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) Conference
Harrison Elementary School Principal Jessica Grandt presented as an exemplar at a break-out session on Culturally Responsive PBIS practices at the statewide PBIS conference that was held in Wisconsin Dells in August. Harrison’s PBIS team also met at the beginning of August to plan professional development for Harrison staff.
Information Technology Team Receives Praise from Monroe Elementary School
Chief Information Officer Dr. Robert Smiley and his team did a fantastic job with the technology walk through at Monroe. Monroe was able to button up some small things that needed attention and will increase their ability to raise student achievement.
Van Buren Elementary School Summer School Students and Staff take a “World Voyage”
Van Buren Elementary School Summer School staff created an amazing World Voyage for their student travelers. Students traveled through Reading, Math, Art, PE and technology as they filled their passports with new countries each week. This was a wonderful experience for students to learn about other cultures, traditions, education, food and events from other countries.
Wilson Elementary School Students Learn “Cool-Tool” Lessons
Wilson Elementary School teachers have prepared Cool-Tool Lessons to teach for the month of September. Cool-Tool Lessons focus on specifically teaching behaviors staff members have identified as being areas of concern. Staff specifically teaches the expected behaviors so students understand how to act/react to different situations. During the month of September, students at Wilson Elementary will be taught the following:
- How to Line Up Appropriately
- Voice Volume Expectations For Different Situations
- How to Get Involved Appropriately During Play
- Home versus School Rules
- Using Kind Words
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
The School District of Janesville “Exceeds Expectations”
The School District of Janesville (SDJ) scored in the Exceeds Expectations category with a 74.8 for the Overall Accountability Score on the first State of Wisconsin District Report Card. Based on how well schools perform in priority areas, schools and districts will receive an accountability score on a 0-100 scale and its associated accountability rating. The district report card is calculated for the district as a whole.
The 2012-2013 School Report Cards are also very encouraging. Two SDJ schools Met Expectations, fourteen Exceeded Expectations, and one Significantly Exceeded Expectations. This was Harrison Elementary School’s second year scoring in the Significantly Exceeds Expectations category, the highest distinction available. The report cards signal a new era of school accountability that honors the complex work of schools and focuses on making sure students graduate ready for college and career.
The report cards were made public on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. School report cards place an important value on integrating information; they are used to tell the public the progress schools are making and gives direction to schools about ways they can improve student learning. In short, the new system is designed to be both informative and useful.
Each year, on the report cards, schools receive one of five accountability ratings. These ratings are based on a score from these four priority areas: Student Achievement, Student Growth, Closing Gaps and On-Track to Graduation and Postsecondary Readiness.
Student Achievement
Student Achievement is calculated using reading and mathematics data related to state assessments
The district scored above the State in Student Achievement with the distinction of Meets Expectations. Every SDJ school improved their score in this area from 2011-12 to 2012-13. Harrison scored in the Significantly Exceeds Expectation category, the first school in Janesville to achieve this distinction.
Student Growth
Student Growth is measured by year-to-year improvements in achievement
The School District of Janesville’s strongest priority area was in the student growth category. The district scored 10.6 points above the state average. All elementary schools and two middle schools were above the state average. Jackson, Roosevelt, Van Buren, and Washington’s scores were 18 to 20 points above the state average, placing them in the Significantly Exceeds Expectations rating category. This was the second year for Roosevelt achieving at this level. Student growth has been an important goal for the School District of Janesville, especially in reading and math.
Closing Gaps
Closing Gaps refers to performance between specific students groups (comparing English Language learners, low-income students, students with disabilities, and members of racial or ethnic groups with their peers).
SDJ also exceeded expectations in the priority area Closing Gaps. All schools met or exceeded expectations in this priority area, with the exception of Jefferson which was just 0.2 percentage points from reaching Meets Expectations. Jackson was given the rating category of Significantly Exceeds Expectations.
On-Track to Graduation and Postsecondary Readiness
On-Track to Graduation and Postsecondary Readiness uses reliable predictors of high school graduation and postsecondary success.
All Janesville schools met or exceeded expectations in this priority area. The district along with sixteen schools scored in the Significantly Exceeds Expectations rating category. Jackson and Wilson both scored in the Exceeds Expectations category. The calculation for this area includes student attendance rates, third grade reading, eighth grade math, graduation rate, and ACT participation and performance.
Kim Ehrhardt, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment credits the successful district report card results with improved revisions to the curriculum and its implementation, frequent attention to measuring student learning to ensure students are mastering the curriculum, and improved effort on the part of students to value their learning. In addition, high quality instruction by the teaching staff, and ongoing support and feedback from building principals are other critical components to this year’s success.
Finally, efforts by the Student Services staff to work with homes and emphasize the benefits of regular school attendance and increasing student confidence related to school is another strategic response that helps promote student achievement in the district.
Monday, September 16, 2013
District and School Report Cards Scheduled to be Released
District and School Report Cards are scheduled to be released to the public on September 17, 2013 for the 2012-2013 school year.
Beginning in 2011‐12, a comprehensive accountability index replaced the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) system. The index approach uses multiple measures and classifies schools along a rating continuum. The ratings determine the level of support a school receives, ranging from rewards and recognition for high performing schools to state intervention for the lowest performing schools in the state. Accountability Determinations (the index score and rating) will be reported annually in the School Report Card.
Accountability report cards include outcomes in four priority areas:
· Student.
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Accountability scores are provided for each priority area. Student Engagement Indicators are measures outside the four priority areas that affect student success and the soundness of the index. Each indicator has a goal, and schools that fail to meet that goal receive a point deduction from their overall score. Goals were set by looking at statewide data and establishing thresholds that identify schools contributing the most to lowering Wisconsin’s overall performance in the areas below.
1. Test Participation (minimum 95%) - The calculation is based on three years of data. The lowest group rate of all students and subgroups is used for this indicator.
2. Absenteeism (below 13%) - Related to attendance, the absenteeism rate is the percentage of the school’s students whose attendance rate is 84% and below.
3. Dropout Rates (below 6%)
Schools not meeting the threshold for any Student Engagement Indicator will have points deducted from their index score. For Test Participation, if the rate is less than 95 percent, but at least 85 percent, five points are deducted from the school’s overall score; for rates less than 85 percent, 10 points are deducted. If the absenteeism rate in the school is 13 percent or more, 5 points are deducted from its score. The goal for every middle and high school is to have a dropout rate of less than 6 percent. If the school does not meet that goal, 5 points are deducted from its score. The resulting overall accountability score will determine the Accountability Rating a school receives:
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Friday, September 13, 2013
Wake Up and Be Awesome!
Check out this video posted on YouTube! It is a must see! The theme revolves around the premise that we are all teachers AND students. Think about the following questions while viewing:
- WHAT are you teaching the world?
- WHO are you learning from?
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Did You Know?
On September 10, 2013, the Janesville Board of Education approved the Janesville International Education Program (JIEP) which is designed to promote:
- Student exchanges
- Educator exchanges
- Summer institutes
- Winter institutes
- Revenue generating mechanisms
- Tuition paying students
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
When the Going Gets Tough....SDJ Staff Steps Up!
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Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Multicultural Scholarship Fundraiser Coming in November
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Monday, September 9, 2013
From Mt. Lincoln to Lincoln Elementary School: A Principals Journey to