August 2024

Welcome Back & Accessing Curricular Resources

Welcome back to the 2024-25 school year! As we prepare to take another school year by #StVrainStorm, here’s a reminder of the robust instructional support resources available to ensure high-quality instructional planning for propelling student success.

One of the key descriptors in the St. Vrain Instructional Framework under Plan & Prepare is “Teachers will … Collaborate with colleagues and use Colorado Academic Standards, district curricular resources, student performance data, and advanced technologies to develop dynamic instruction that meets student’s needs.” Our curricular Unit Plans for ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science are accessible exclusively through the “Staff Curricular Resources” app in ClassLink. In addition to aligning our adopted instructional resources with the Colorado Academic Standards by unit, there are numerous resources available on these Google Sites for supporting content-based instruction.

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Digital Curriculum Product Assignments & iPad Settings

Access to digital curriculum products for teachers and students are driven by Infinite Campus, and grade level digital licenses are automatically assigned to students and teachers. If you believe the product assignments for your class are incorrect, please submit a DTS ServiceNow Work Ticket.

Some settings on a district iPad may interfere with access to digital curriculum. If students or teachers are having trouble accessing digital curriculum, please check these settings. These settings may need to be reapplied after an iOS update.

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Math Updates

First impressions are important, especially with pursuing positive student math identities. What first impression will you make with math as you start the year? How will you norm your classroom for all students to thrive and succeed in a language-rich learning environment? Consider these ideas, questions, and recommendations.

All enVisionmath2.0 Topics have a revised Topic Assessment linked for use in the corresponding Unit Plan. These revised Topic Assessments have fewer questions, align to the intention of the evidence outcomes, consist of various item types (including mathematical reasoning), and have been peer reviewed by St. Vrain teachers.

We strongly encourage teachers to use these assessments instead of the published assessments with enVisionmath2.0. Digital forms of these assessments also exist for Grades 3-5 only. Check out how to use Performance Matters for administering these digital assessments.

Once again this year, we have rostered all elementary math sections for XtraMath access. Teachers and students will need to search for and add the app from the ClassLink App Library. Please consult the XtraMath Best Practices for using this supplemental tool productively for reinforcing math fact fluency.

Lastly, continue referring to the enVisionmath2.0 Expectations of Practice, enVisionmath2.0 Daily “Look Fors,” and the Five Strands of Mathematics Instruction on the Elementary Mathematics Unit Plans landing page as a guiding compass for our vision, beliefs, and values around comprehensive math instruction in St. Vrain.

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ELA Updates

Putting structures in place for collaboration and discussion can be instrumental at the beginning of the year. How are you intentionally planning how to introduce, practice, and use the leveled language frames, accountable talk structures, and/or cooperative structures throughout the literacy block? What do you want it to look and sound like? Rich discussions are both helpful for processing information as well as supportive for all students to get involved with the learning process!

Remember to utilize the Scope and Sequence documents in our Elementary ELA Unit Plans as they provide guidance on how we strategically move from reading instruction into writing instruction. Content highlighted in yellow on the Scope and Sequence documents are modifications made to better connect the reading and writing lessons in some lessons. Check out the Scope and Sequence docs on the ELA website at the top of each Module page.

Structured Morphology

As we begin our second year of implementing a structured morphology program, I encourage you to dig into the Assessment Companion and see how you might use the activities to further student application and use of morphemes during review and reteach days!  

Level 5 Structured Morphology for fifth grade teachers launches this year! 5th grade teachers sign up for a program training here as there is different content as well as lesson structures to be informed on. Materials have been sent out to schools and are available digitally via the 5th grade homepage on the ELA Website. All Level 5 end of unit assessments and mid-unit quick checks will be housed on the ELA Website for this year. 

5th grade teachers: Please keep your Level 4 Morph decks to use during Unit 1 and as needed for support.

Level 4 Structured Morphology for fourth grade will stay the same. If your school gained a round in fourth grade, please reach out to me so I can send a Level 4 Morph deck for them. Level 4 Teacher Guides from 5th grade teams should be shared with 4th grade teachers or stored at your school. Level 4 has new mid-unit quick checks which will be housed on the ELA Website for this year.

Fundations

As you set up your classroom for the upcoming year, be sure to establish your routines for materials and classroom learning activities. Consumable workbooks should be delivered to schools by mid August. If you would like to have the writing grid pages from the student workbook ahead of time, feel free to access those materials on the Wilson Fundations Site.

If you are new to K-3 or the district, please sign up for the Fundations training here. 

Need to Know: New to St Vrain District Training Options

As a result of changes to the Colorado READ Act, Colorado school districts are required to ensure all K-3 teachers who provide literacy instruction and K-12 reading interventionists complete evidence-based training in teaching reading. 

Check out this document for all the training options to ensure you receive you receive your READ Act Designation (K-3), CLDE Designation (All teachers for relicensure), and SpEd Training (All teachers for relicensure)

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Social Studies Updates

Welcome back! There are a couple of new items to be aware of on the social studies unit plans that will be very helpful as you begin planning for the year. 

• ReadyGen, Social Studies, and Science Alignment document. This is a “new and improved” document that gives each grade level a year-long scope and sequence alignment of these three contents. ReadyGen modules and social studies and science unit plans are aligned based on content and skills.
• Teacher Background on Content and Pedagogy. As we incorporate diverse narratives and perspectives into our curriculum, this document offers guidance on the content and  pedagogy of teaching counternarratives.

Both of these documents are found on the landing page in the unit plans for each grade level.

• Research to Support the Teaching of Social Studies in Elementary. We all know the importance of teaching social studies in elementary, but there is now research to support this! A recent metanalysis finds that social studies instruction at the elementary level increases students’ reading scores! Here is the study, if you are interested in reading more about it.
• Digital Access to Social Studies Curricular Resources. DTS is working diligently with McGraw Hill and Colorado Story to make sure all students and teachers have access to these digital resources. With that said, digital access will not be available for teachers or students for a couple of weeks while they iron out some rostering issues. In the meantime, the print text and resources are available in your classrooms.

Keep in mind the various ways you can incorporate your social studies content into your daily practice. Besides dedicated time for teaching social studies, consider using the texts and content in small group ELA blocks, warm-up activities with primary sources and current events, and whole group read alouds and discussions.  

Reach out if you have any questions or concerns, and have a great start to the school year!  

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Science Updates

As always, this is an exciting year for Elementary Science! We have Mystery Science and Mystery Packs along with new Unit Plans to enhance your literacy instruction. Below is some additional info. Thanks so much for what you do for Science in St. Vrain.

Elementary Science Welcome Back Info – Includes goals for the new school year as well as information on Mystery Pack refurbishments and Unit Plan enhancements. 

PROOF POINTS: Learning science might help kids read better. Evidence increases for building students’ background knowledge of the world. A growing chorus of education researchers, pundits and “science of reading” advocates are calling for young children to be taught more about the world around them. It’s an indirect way of teaching reading comprehension. The theory is that what we grasp from what we read depends on whether we can hook it to concepts and topics that we already know. Explore Article

Elementary Science ”Daily Look-Fors” – This document is for Elementary Teachers and Administrators to support the implementation of 3D Science Instruction. The first page is a simple check list for classroom visits. The second page is a full 3D overview for teachers and administrators. This document will be sent to all administrators for use during classroom visits. Please take a look at what they have been asked to look for to assist with this transition.

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Professional Development Opportunities

The following classes are available for registration through the Office of Professional Development. All classes are in-person unless otherwise noted.

• Structured Morphology Program Training (Saturday, August 17; 8:30 – 10:30 AM or Monday, August 19; 4;15 – 6:15 PM; 0.25 credits)
• Explicit Literacy Instruction Using Fundations (Session starts Thursday, September 12; 0.5 credit)
• Professional Learning Opportunity Outside of St. Vrain: The Colorado Department of Education’s evidence-informed, K-12 math course offers 14 modules on topics including how students learn math, techniques for engaging students, and aligning instruction with standards. Registration is open for this online, no-cost, asynchronous course. Teachers, school leaders, and others who support the teaching and learning of mathematics are encouraged to participate. Currently, St. Vrain Professional Development/Salary credit is not available.

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