April 16,2014
Dear Parents:
I would like to provide you with information and changes around the 3/4 configurations for the 2014/15 school year. We are constantly evaluating our structures at Bill Roberts so that teachers can provide the best instruction for students. This past year the team came to administration to discuss the possibility of a change around the present structure. One teacher currently teaches Literacy; the teammate teaches Math and Science, and they both teach Social Studies to all of the students, in both third and fourth grades. That requires each teacher to teach two different grade levels, and different content. That is challenging.
In order to instruct students in each content area with greater depth, fidelity to the curriculum, and to meet the needs of each and every student, all teams who are instructing both third and fourth grades will no longer be teaching two grade levels. The teaching teams will remain the same, but they will only be teaching a single grade level.
Therefore, next year the configuration will be organized in the following way:
· Val Beckler (Literacy) and Brenna Markson (Math) will team teach two classes of third grade.
· Jamie Salturelli (Literacy) and Jeff Lewis (Math) will team teach one fourth grade class. (More details below)
· Gretchen Bartling (Literacy) and Cheryl Beckwith (Math) will team teach two classes of fourth grade.
· Caitlin Moore (Math) and a teacher TBD (Literacy) will team teach two classes of third grade.
We have a wonderful opportunity through the Differentiated Roles pilot in DPS next year. In order to build leadership capacity in the building, both Jamie Salturelli and Jeff Lewis will be released from teaching half-time in order to work with teachers in deepening their practices and professional development in the areas of Thinking Strategies/Content, and Blended Learning with Technology. They will share one fourth grade classroom between the two of them.
This configuration change will provide consistency in second through sixth grades with each team instructing just one grade level in either Literacy or Math. We know that it takes the commitment of both home and school for our children to make the greatest progress. We devote a great deal of effort to helping our staff acquire, deepen, and refine their skills. We believe these changes are aligned with our plan of going from “good to great.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Thank you for your support.
Trich Lea
Dear Parents:
I would like to provide you with information and changes around the 3/4 configurations for the 2014/15 school year. We are constantly evaluating our structures at Bill Roberts so that teachers can provide the best instruction for students. This past year the team came to administration to discuss the possibility of a change around the present structure. One teacher currently teaches Literacy; the teammate teaches Math and Science, and they both teach Social Studies to all of the students, in both third and fourth grades. That requires each teacher to teach two different grade levels, and different content. That is challenging.
In order to instruct students in each content area with greater depth, fidelity to the curriculum, and to meet the needs of each and every student, all teams who are instructing both third and fourth grades will no longer be teaching two grade levels. The teaching teams will remain the same, but they will only be teaching a single grade level.
Therefore, next year the configuration will be organized in the following way:
· Val Beckler (Literacy) and Brenna Markson (Math) will team teach two classes of third grade.
· Jamie Salturelli (Literacy) and Jeff Lewis (Math) will team teach one fourth grade class. (More details below)
· Gretchen Bartling (Literacy) and Cheryl Beckwith (Math) will team teach two classes of fourth grade.
· Caitlin Moore (Math) and a teacher TBD (Literacy) will team teach two classes of third grade.
We have a wonderful opportunity through the Differentiated Roles pilot in DPS next year. In order to build leadership capacity in the building, both Jamie Salturelli and Jeff Lewis will be released from teaching half-time in order to work with teachers in deepening their practices and professional development in the areas of Thinking Strategies/Content, and Blended Learning with Technology. They will share one fourth grade classroom between the two of them.
This configuration change will provide consistency in second through sixth grades with each team instructing just one grade level in either Literacy or Math. We know that it takes the commitment of both home and school for our children to make the greatest progress. We devote a great deal of effort to helping our staff acquire, deepen, and refine their skills. We believe these changes are aligned with our plan of going from “good to great.”
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call.
Thank you for your support.
Trich Lea