New programs ready to roll for new school year

As Day One, Aug. 31, approaches, Henkle Middle School staff are very enthusiastic and optimistic about several new programs we're beginning this school year. We're adopting programs and assessments to improve student learning outcomes as well as student behavior.

1. Literacy: We’re going to start a new reading and writing program, Journeys, a curriculum published by the same company that Whitson Elementary School uses. Thus, fifth grade students next year will be able to build from the same skills and same approach that has produced superior student learning results at Whitson. Sixth graders will also enjoy this new program. The program provides many engaging reading experiences in a variety of literary genre, fiction and non-fiction, and very well matched with state and national standards. Christy Holtman, the literacy coach who has been assisting Whitson teachers in their use of this program, will be working with our teachers.

We are able to adopt this program because the school district levy contains funding for curriculum adoption, and we are grateful that this local support will benefit our children. We are also able to provide training for our teachers to teach this program, thanks to a grant from the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation.

While the fifth and sixth grade teachers implement Journeys, seventh and eighth grade teachers will also launch a new pilot literacy program, one that features a complete array of literary genre well-connected to state standards.

2. Mathematics: Our entire school district will be utilizing a new program, Mathematics Benchmark Assessments, sponsored by our state superintendent's office and very well matched with state standards. This program features two tools that will help students and teachers be aware of students' strengths and needs in more timely ways throughout the year. The first is the Mathematics Benchmark Assessments. Three times yearly, students in school can take a “benchmark” assessment. At each assessment, students will be assessed in four specific standards that the school can select, so that the assessment matches what the school is teaching or about to teach. The second tool is called “Data Director.” This tool will enable teachers to access test item banks aligned to state standards to create smaller assessments for more frequently monitoring students’ progress. With both of these tools, students and teachers alike will be able to know students’ skills in relation to the standards they need to master.

3. Positive Behavior Intervention Support System: Our entire school is adopting a school-wide student management system known as “Positive Behavioral Support.” (PBS, or PBIS—please see www.pbis.org.) A large team of teachers is leading this effort, having spent much time during the summer devising a "common language" in regard to student behavior for every location in the school, emphasizing positive recognition and encouragement but also having decisive ways for responding to misbehaviors. All staff received training in the program at a meeting Aug. 25, the costs of which were paid for by a grant by the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation.

4. Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying--a new policy and procedures: This school district and all school districts across the state of Washington have adopted new policies and procedures to combat all forms of harassment. Presentations on these procedures will be communicated to all the students during the week of Sept. 6, and a meeting will be scheduled to share our district's new policies and procedures with parents. Any incidents of harassment are too many incidents; we're determined to eliminate the practice of bullying and harassment that has long affected some children as they grow up, a pattern that has been going on for generation after generation. We believe we can stop it.

Although budget cuts combined with increasing state and federal mandates significantly impact our capacity, we believe we have the staff and the programs to make your child's educational experience one of high quality. We look forward to putting that belief into practice.