ELA Curriculum Implementation Update
The Academics Department and CTU have been meeting to provide clarity in messaging in regard to the newly adopted ELA curriculum.
ELA Pacing:
For Into Reading, the Academics Department provided a pacing/Scope and Sequence support document for each unit.. After each Module, there is a spiral review week which is intended to provide wiggle room for when/if pacing is off due to testing, days off school, sickness, etc. The goal is to finish the module by the end of the spiral review week. This gives an additional week of time per module for instructional needs. Please do not skip over lessons to stay on pace, instead please use your professional judgement to determine how you can push the timing back and/or combine lessons when appropriate to ensure that you complete each module by the end of the spiral week review. If you are able to stay on pace, then take advantage of the spiral week review to review lessons, focus on the writer's workshop, look into additional resources that could be used outside of the implementation specifics within the curriculum that may help students retain the standards taught in that unit's lessons.
For SAVVAS, please pace your unit based on student need and differentiation. Reach out if you have any questions.
Training:
The Academics Department acknowledges that more training is needed for HMH/SAVVAS. We are working with the vendor to create a schedule of supports for every school. Please use the curriculum materials to the best of your ability. If you need support, please reach out to your principal and PLC office hours for support. This is a need for all teachers, and we are working on how to provide additional training. Linked is a one pager listing out all of the ELA supports for schools that was also presented at the Principal/Chapter Chair meeting at the beginning of this school year.
ELA Supports One-Pager.docx
ELA Office Hours are now available every Wednesday and Thursday! The district and union are starting weekly office hours to support the new ELA curriculum. These office hours are staffed by CTU members who teach ELA in CMSD.
The members of this PLC receive monthly training by HMH and SAVVAS and also meet once a month as a group so they can support our teachers throughout the district.
Jillian Ahrens and Mark Baumgartner are the CTU half of the team that helped put this PLC together. Any questions or concerns can be directed to either or both of us.
Office Hours Day/Time
- Wednesdays (Into Reading & MyPerspectives) 4:00pm - 6:00pm
- Thursdays (Into Literature & MyPerspectives) 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Office Hours Zoom Link
https://clevelandmetroschools-org.zoom.us/j/86852988356
Feedback Visits:
The Academics Department has started conducting visits to classrooms. These visits are meant to provide data that can drive supports for schools and teachers. Please understand that these are in no way evaluative and school administration is aware that an indication of not evident is not necessarily an indication that support is needed. These classroom visits are only for a brief amount of time and the administration is aware that it is impossible to see every part of the Structured Literacy Block within a single visit. Therefore, an indication of not evident could simply mean that it was not occurring during that observation. This is where the qualitative feedback of the classroom visit is vital to the analysis determining necessary supports. Please remember the guidelines both in Article 13, Section 1, H (non-TDES Feedback) and in Appendix W (Classroom Integrity) must be followed. CTU members are not required to meet with administrators during their planning periods. If an administrator wants to meet with you regarding a visit or support, that will need to occur during the 50 minutes or during a PD Day or assigned time (coverage provided).
ELA Materials:
All classrooms should have the needed HMH/SAVVAS materials to implement the ELA Block. If you are in need of materials, please first contact your principal. The principal has access to a Smartsheet link to upload curriculum material needs. If you do not receive materials in a timely manner, please email Maria Carlson and cc Jillian Ahrens and Mark Baumgartner.
We appreciate your hard work during this shift focused on our Tier 1 instruction in ELA this year. Only when we work together can we help all of CMSD's children be ready for college, career, and the world ahead of them. We look forward to providing more support for everyone and know that utilizing this collaborative approach will provide the necessary path toward success for our teachers, students, and Cleveland community!
Thank you,
Anna Turner, Andrew Koonce, Jillian Ahrens, & Mark Baumgartner
Still need help? ELA Office Hours are available every week. Learn more HERE.
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