Vision 129: Teaching & Learning Overview |
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The mission of School District 129 is to provide a positive learning environment that guides all students toward lifelong learning by maximizing academic, social, emotional and physical growth.
The mission of the division of Teaching and Learning is to support increased student achievement by providing relevant instructional materials and training for teachers and administrators. The office works closely with the division of Student Services to ensure a shared vision, a common language, and the alignment of priorities that support current best practice and educational research. Our work focuses on the time, tools and training that support the daily work in schools and individual classrooms.
“Good” schools are geared to continuous improvement. No school, no teaching, no curriculum is ever perfect; good schools are places where people are neither smug nor complacent. Good schools are always in the making (Ayers, 2000).
School District 129 is always “in the making.” Thank you for your participation as we continually work at improving instruction for our students.
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August 2011 |
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Implementing new middle school self-contained gifted program (6th grade implemented 2011, 7th grade 2012, and 8th grade 2013)
Implementing new 6th grade Science for the Enriched and
Talented course in all four middle schools
Placing state-certified Reading Specialist in every school |
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April 2011 |
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| Approved social studies tools |
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March 2011 |
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| Approval of Full Day Kindergarten |
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August 2010 |
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Implemented phonics instructional intervention “Just Words” tool in grades 6-9
Distributed PK-12 Science Curriculum Manual
Developed and distributed a consistent PK-12 District Assessment Calendar
Provided training for school improvement planning teams in the use of state assessment data to develop school improvement goals |
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May 2010 |
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Conducted and reported parent and student surveys on the World of Work (Career Technical Education) and Exploratory
enVision Math materials and professional development for teachers |
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February 2010 |
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Completed Assessment and Curricular tool rollout for Social Emotional Standards
Professional development for enVision Math training. Multiple sessions held with different teacher groups
Held joint East – West Parent University |
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October 2009 |
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Present school improvement plans to board
Present update on Aurora City-Wide Mathematics and Science Education system
Held Teaching and Learning study session for board
Plan for East/West Parent University, a day-long seminar for parents
Provided staff development for all K-1 teachers on assessment and intervention tools
Early Childhood teachers at Todd, Hope Wall, and O’Donnell assessing students every trimester with the 50 Objectives from the Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum and maintaining student data in the Creative Curriculum web-based system |
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September 2009 |
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Approve Internet safety curriculum for grades 3-12
Recommend elementary school field trip changes
Implemented Quarterly District Benchmark Common Formative Assessments in Science in Grades K-8
Early Childhood teachers utilized common tool for developing individual student portfolios that were based on the school improvement goals. These portfolios were used as an indicator of student growth and were especially useful during parent-teacher conferences |
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May 2009 |
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Approve eSchool Plus as the District’s new student data management system (Purchase and implementation delayed due to economic conditions.)
Approve K-5 Math: Otter Creek Math Facts Program for 2009-10, but delay Envision Math instructional materials until 2010-11 due to economic conditions
Approve new middle school gifted instructional materials - Word Within the Word |
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March 2009 |
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Approve new math instructional materials for middle and high schools
Approve Jewel restructuring
Adopt Pre K-12 writing tools
Approve new elementary school schedule with an additional 100 minutes of instructional time per week
Begin training of elementary principals and teachers on Six-Trait Writing Model
Recommend and approve new writing instructional materials for all grades |
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January 2009 |
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Update middle school and high school math tool improvements
Present the review process for math standards, evaluation, and development and recommend multiple new math instructional materials for grades 6-12
Continue course fee discussion
Recommend restructured middle school schedule with an additional 125 minutes of instructional time per week
Assess individual buildings on phases of implementation with the use of student progress data to drive instructional decisions |
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November 2008 |
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Present Herget’s E-Plan
Continue discussion of assessments and diagnostic tools
Review effectiveness of 8-period day at West Aurora High School
Training for Teaching and Learning leadership team and principals on the use of student progress data to drive instructional decisions |
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September 2008 |
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Teach elementary school parents at Pearson Science Night how to use new online science resources at home to help in their children's science learning
Purchase PLATO, a technology-based teaching and standards-driven assessment tool to provide continuous academic improvement for Dist. 129 alternative school students
Review possible new math textbooks and support materials for eighth grade for implementation in 2009-10 school year to upgrade math teaching and learning
Implement new teacher evaluation process to assist teachers in improving their skills
Expand partnership with IMSA to provide an after-school math and science enrichment program at Fearn
Begin discussion of fee matrix at all levels
Begin discussions of elementary and middle school time of day
Present Teaching and Learning Plan of Work to Board of Education
Begin discussion and collection of field trip matrix data |
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July 2008 |
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| Held summer camp for middle school engineering clubs that began last year in partnership with Northern Illinois University |
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April 2008 |
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Approve West High 8-period-day for 2008-09
Approve new middle school science textbooks and related materials
Approve new middle school science textbooks and related materials
Start at Hope Wall a new Special Olympics program for younger children with intellectual disabilities |
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January 2008 |
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| Start enrichment classes for 20 high-achieving elementary students in partnership with Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development |
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October 2007 |
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Approve Advanced Placement English textbooks for West High
Two teachers earn National Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards |
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July 2007 |
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Install new West High science equipment, including LCD projectors for the Biology program and a classroom polling system
Approve new West High Science textbooks for biology, honors chemistry, honors biology, geology/meteorology, chemistry in the community, anatomy and physiology and chemistry |
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May 2007 |
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| Implement the Waubonsee Community College Dunham Academy Program where 25 West High seniors will earn one year of college credit |
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December 2006 |
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| Eleven teachers earn national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards |
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August 2006 |
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| Began implementation of research-based Positive Behavior Intervention Suports in schools |
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June 2006 |
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| Receive a $30,000 foreign-language-assistance grant to research the development of advanced Spanish classes for students whose native language is Spanish |
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| June 2011 |
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Used federal grant dollars to support elementary and middle summer school program at no cost to parents
Approval of Self Contained Gifted online World Languages tool to
include options for students in Latin, Spanish, French, Chinese, and German
Approved new Advanced Placement French tool
Approved new tools for physical education, health, and driver’s education |
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| February 2011 |
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Creation of three new dual credit course offerings at West High via
Waubonsee Community College - Accounting, Math, and Psychology
Held joint East–West Parent University |
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| October 2010 |
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| Provided staff development for all K-5 teachers on enVision math tools |
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| September 2010 |
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| Implemented Quarterly District Benchmark Common Formative Assessments in Math in Grades K-5 |
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| June 2010 |
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| Presented K-12 Learning Media Center grant update and internet safety status report |
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| April 2010 |
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Approved Language Arts K-9 phonics tools
Approved Schneider school-wide Title I status
Presented K-12 physical education and health learning targets with curriculum and identified current tools
Implemented Middle School Speech Contest |
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| January 2010 |
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Published in a White Paper by The Leadership and Learning Center
Developed and implemented improved service delivery model for special education bilingual students
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| December 2009 |
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Approved school improvement plans
Completed rollout of multiple scientifically based reading support programs for special education and general education students
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| August 2009 |
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Recommend Internet safety curriculum for grades 3-12
Implement new math instructional materials for grades 6-12
Implement new writing instructional materials for all grades
Implement new gifted instructional materials for grades 6-12
Implement new schedule for grades K-8
Train School Improvement Planning teams in the use of state tests to develop school improvement goals
Implemented grades 6-12+ aligned curriculum for World of Work (Career and Technical Education) including integration of science, technology, engineering and math projects
Provided professional development support in literacy for staff in grades K-5 through grant-supported position of a district Literacy Professional Development Coordinator
Implemented instructional intervention schedule for elementary students
Implemented Shared inquiry Model in middle school language arts for identified gifted students |
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| April 2009 |
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Recommend eSchool Plus as the district’s new student data management system
Recommend new middle school gifted instructional materials, Word within the Word
Recommend new math instructional materials for grades K-5 |
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| February 2009 |
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Approve School Improvement Plans
Recommend course fees for grades 6-12
Present the review process for writing of standards, evaluation, and development for writing curriculum and recommended writing instructional materials for all grades
Train Teaching and Learning leadership team on the development and use of quarterly common assessments of students to assist teachers in data-driven decision making
Update PreK-12 Reading/ Language Arts/Writing improvement plans
Approve new middle school schedule with an additional 125 minutes of instructional time per week
Restructure preschool program to include blended (combined general education and special education) classrooms |
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| December 2008 |
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Recognize four district teachers for achieving National Board Certification
Approval of Herget’s E-plan
Update course fees for grades 6-12 |
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| October 2008 |
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Contract with Quad County Urban League to provide services for middle school (AMSA) and high school students (Pathways)
Continue field trip matrix discussion for future alignment with curriculum
Approve PLATO software purchase
Begin discussion of assessments and diagnostic tools |
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| August 2008 |
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Add eighth period to longer high school day to provide more educational options for all students
Place science learning tools online for parents to use in helping their children learn the new science curriculum
Implement fourth- and fifth-grade Language Arts Enrichment classes, an expansion of the Gifted and Talented program
Expand enrichment classes to 10 more high-achieving elementary students in partnership with Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development for a total of 30 students
Adopt of PLATO software as a web-based instructional tool |
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| May 2008 |
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Accept for review the gifted enrichment textbooks for fourth and fifth grades: "Caesar's English One," "Caesar's English Two" and "Junior Great Books Series Four" and "Junior Great Books Series Five"
Accept for review the new high school English Text, "Archetypes in Literature"
Accept for review an updated seventh-grade Social Studies textbook – Holt: " World Geography 2009"
Propose fourth- and fifth-grade Language Arts Enrichment classes, an expansion of the Gifted and Talented program |
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| February 2008 |
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Present new Gifted Continuum of services to include enrichment pull-out for grades 4-5 and the development of a gifted academy for grades 3-8
Approve new science textbooks and support materials for kindergarten through fifth-grade |
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| December 2007 |
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| Start middle school engineering clubs in partnership with Northern Illinois University |
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| September 2007 |
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Strengthen gifted education including clustering K-8 students, increasing middle school math enrichment sections and training teachers to better prepare middle school students for high school Advanced Placement classes
Evaluate preschool programs |
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| June 2007 |
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| Middle schools accepted into IMSA E2K math and science after-school enrichment program |
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| April 2007 |
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| Referendum passes. Voters approve new operating rate |
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| September 2006 |
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Evaluate English Language Learner Programs
Evaluate Special Education
Receive an additional $175,000 to reduce class sizes under the state’s Class Size Reduction Pilot Program |
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| January 2006 |
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| Develop priority learning targets for Foreign Language, Health, Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Emotional Learning, Social Science and Visual/Performing Arts |
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