Judge response to final asq 2011 summer learning loss

Summer R.O.C.K.S. Program

Westfield Washington Schools

Westfield, Indiana

Team Composition

Jodi Dubovich, Shamrock Springs Elementary 4th Grade Teacher

Beth Bielefeld, Westfield Intermediate School 5th Grade Teacher

Aaron Byers, Carey Ridge Elementary 2nd Grade Teacher

Maria Esterline, Instructional Technology Coordinator

Jennifer McAndrews, Oak Trace Elementary 4th Grade Teacher

Background

Title I, K-12 School District in Westfield, Indiana

Mission Statement: To provide meaningful and

engaging work in the pursuit of profound learning

Vision: To be the world-class learning organization

focused on continuous quality growth for all

Background on Moodle

Moodle is our learning management system. It is developed from a

learning-centric perspective. It enables teachers to easily set up

interactive, online class communities and materials for classes. This

enables students to not only learn within the classroom walls but outside

the classroom walls as well. This online learning community is in a

secure environment.

Moodle was instituted at Westfield-Washington Schools in the 2008-

2009 school year. Not only is Moodle used in K-12 schools, but it is also

used at the college/university level as well as in the business

industry. By implementing this learning tool in our district, we are

preparing Westfield-Washington Schools’ students for the real world.

1a. How was our project selected?

1b. How does the project support our goals?

Goal: Reduce gap on NWEA RIT scores from Spring to Fall

Goal: Provide cost effective, valid and engaging summer learning for Westfield families

Goal: Reduce summer learning loss in all areas for students in grades K-8

Strategy: Create free and interactive summer learning vehicle with Moodle

Strategy: Provide feedback and collect data throughout the summer for participating students

Initiative: Use core standards and district technology experts to create Summer R.O.C.K.S. program

Initiative: Provide monitoring and feedback to students within Moodleusing Westfield Teacher experts

Output (Measure)- Compare NWEA RIT scores from Spring to Fall after completion of Summer R.O.C.K.S. Moodle program

1c. How were key stakeholders identified?Key Stakeholders Why chosen

Students -Need to retain essential standards-Need to pass ISTEP+-Need to reach NWEA RIT growth goals-Need 21st Century learning exposure

Monitoring Teachers -Provide feedback to improve/change programming-Continuously update content to meet needs of participating students

-Collect and analyze data

Next-In-Line Teachers -Use data to guide classroom instruction-Compare previous year’s data to show summer learning loss gapclosing

Administrators -Need to increase student performance-Raise ISTEP+ passing rates-Raise NWEA RIT scores to meet growth targets

1d. How are the key stakeholders impacted?

Key Stakeholder How are these stakeholder impacted?

Students -Improved academic performance-Better prepared for upcoming school year-Close the summer learning gap-Improved technology skill set

Monitoring Teachers -Validation from feedback and level ofparticipation by students

-Use differentiated instruction and increaseknowledge of best practices

-Increased awareness of creating Moodle activities

Next-In-Line Teachers -Less time spent reviewing previous year’s content-Increased awareness of incoming students’ academic skills

Administrators -Increased student performance-Raised ISTEP+ and NWEA RIT scores-District-wide consistency

2a. How was the root cause identified?

Student takes

Spring NWEA over

grade level skills

Summer

Break

Student takes Fall

NWEA to build on

previous skills

Due to summer regression, teacher spends weeks

reviewing previously taught material

Problem Statement


Potential Root Cause:

The lack of student learning

opportunities results in

academic regression during

the summer.

2b. How did the team use data and information?

Used soft data such as teacher observations on how

students were performing on previously learned standards

Used NWEA test scores and compared previous spring

score to current fall score indicating learning loss

Used district CIC (Common Instructional

Checks) to compare retention of previous grade level skills

2c. What key data was identified in team’s analysis?

2d. How did the team ensure it identified the actual root cause?

Root Cause:Students regress over the summer due to

lack of learning opportunities

Validated by:Analysis of soft and hard data of a

sample class following their progress

over two years

Our Corporation recruited a team of teachers from each grade

level, IT experts and administrators to evaluate and enhance the

current summer program.

Team Discussion :

Where we have been, what results do we want and how do we obtain those results?

Answer: Start the process by reviewing past initiatives with

an eye on the future.

3a. How was the final solution selected?

Year One

- Paper Packets or Purchased Workbooks

Year Two

- Basic Moodle

Year Three

- Enhanced Moodle

Year Four and Beyond

- Where do we want to go

Mission: Stopping the

“Summer Slide”

3a. How was the final solution selected?

•Deep knowledge of core standards

•High level of participation among students per grade/activities per grade

•Summer-long participation

•Learning assessments

•Continuous improvement of program

•Cost-effective and accessible program

More of What We Want: Less of What We Do Not Want

•Learning loss from summer regression

•Students starting the new school year behind on academic skills

•Significant cost or demands on families

3a.- How was the final solution selected?

3a. What are potential solutions?

Year One 2008 and before Reflection

Where We Were: Teachers copied random activity worksheets for

students to complete over the summer and/or schools had vendor

supplied workbooks for purchase.

Key Points: *Easily created by teachers

*No accountability for students or teachers

*Copying costs to make packets; not always able to be located by

students when school started in the fall

*Difficult for teachers to grade

*Not necessarily directly linked to standards

*No lead team in charge for grade level or schools

Team Discussion Results: Packets do not provide enough

reliability or engagement for students; difficult for data to be obtained;

no secure numbers on student participation

Key Points: *Available to 5th and 6th grade students

*Only quizzes were provided

*No monitoring or reporting

*No learning enrichment (no new content)

*Minimal cost; teacher created quizzes and students accessed

site on their own or through library Internet

*Not familiar interface to students

*Single session quizzes; no reason to return to site

*Able to collect some data on student participation; about 75 students

Team Discussion Results: Not enough interaction with other

students or teachers, data was limited, students did not return to the

site throughout the summer months

Year Two 2009 Reflection

Where We Were: Basic Moodle was introduced in our

district; select teachers decided to use this online format


Key Points:

* Students were familiar with Moodle interface

* Available to only 4th-6th grade students

* Added content; 30 assignments/activities for reading and math

* Easy to navigate for students

* More engaging activities

*Teacher monitoring

* Reporting/Trending of results

* Increased student participation

Team Discussion Results: Greater student participation, students began

meeting each other before the school year started via Moodle chats and messaging, usable data for teachers and corporation

3a. What are potential solutions?Year Three 2010 Reflection

Where We Were: Enhanced Moodle site with more activities

and monitoring based on the results and feedback we received

from the previous year

Year Four 2011 Identified Major Enhancements

Key Points:

*Expanded Summer R.O.C.K.S. to include K-8 students

*Sought student and parent feedback

*Increased teacher lead team numbers

*Teachers monitoring student participation daily

*Separated activities into months which included additional

activities, games, lessons, videos and end of month

benchmarking quizzes

*Increased student and parent awareness through websites,

flyers and newsletters


Needs:--------------------------

Summer Learning Loss Program :

Cost Effectiveness Access Accountability

Student Interest

Copied Paper Packets

Purchased Workbooks

Basic Online Quizzes

Enhanced Online Activities, Lessons, and Quizzes

3b. How was the final solution selected?

= Poor = Good = Excellent

3c. How was the final solution selected?

3d. Final Solution- What were expectedbenefits and how were they determined?

A team of teachers was asked to worked together and build

the updated Summer R.O.C.K.S. program

March 2011

Teachers used state and district standards to create

lessons, activities, and quizzes for students

March and April 2011

Teachers were recruited to monitor and collect data

throughout the summer on the Summer R.O.C.K.S. site

April and May 2011

Our district informed students, families and

community centers about our Summer R.O.C.K.S. program

May 2011

Students were excited and began using Summer

R.O.C.K.S.

May 2011

Summer R.O.C.K.S. began to collect data for 2011

June 2, 2011

4a. How was the solution’s implementation planned?

4b. What was the process for implementing the solution?

All classrooms were visited by district technology experts to

explain how Summer R.O.C.K.S. worked, how to access it and to

share some of the great results from the past.

Families and the community were provided the information via

newsletters, blogs, Internet sites and flyers.

We have data to support increased participation in our program:

4c. How did the team achieve support for implementing the solution?

<2008 = Unknown number of participants

2009= 75 participants

2010= 500+ participants

2011= 1,016 as of 6/10/11

4d. How will the results be measured and sustained?

Record number of students participating

Measure amount of time students are on the

Moodle site

Count the number of activities and

assignments students completed

Collect data of their quiz results

Compare the NWEA test scores from the spring to the fall to assess student

retention of skills

Reassess the program each year for areas of

improvement

5a. How were our team members selected? Executive Director of Learning Systems- Leader

Grade Level Teachers were chosen for their:

Technology expertise

Commitment to 21st Century learning

Leadership within district

Knowledge of data-driven learning

Central office Staff chosen for their:

Database Coordinator


Knowledge of data retrieval process

Instructional Technology Coordinator


Data research and analysis

Knowledge of online learning platforms

Prior to our project for School Improvement we:

5b. How were our team members

prepared to participate?

Trained team members on Moodle

Participated in Summer R.O.C.K.S. planning meetings

Created Summer R.O.C.K.S. learning platforms for specific

grade levels

During our project for School Improvement we:

Regularly checked and updated data using real-time information

from student usage of Summer R.O.C.K.S.

Participated in open dialogue with each other about program

success and needs for improvement both in meetings, via video

and through email communication

Consistently compared and shared data as a catalyst for

discussion and change

5c. How did our team members contribute?Team Members Major Contributions

Maria Esterline •Scheduled and facilitated meetings•Oversaw project •Gathered feedback and collected data•Produced graphs and comparative data•Supported team efforts and project

Jodi Dubovich •Analyzed data from team members•Co-created Summer R.O.C.K.S. learning platform for grade 4•District technology leader

Beth Bielefeld •Compiled data and information on summer learning loss•Analyzed data from team members•Created Summer R.O.C.K.S. learning platform for grade 5•District technology leader

Jennifer McAndrews •Compiled data and information on summer learning loss•Co-created Summer R.O.C.K.S. learning platform for grade 4•District technology leader

Aaron Byers •Co-created Summer R.O.C.K.S. learning platform for grade 2•Expert on Core Learning Standards•District technology leader

5d. How was our team performance managed?

Meeting times- Bi-weekly to weekly,

agreed upon times, video feed for review

Confidentialty- Data and information

vital to success of the project kept within

our team

Expectations- each member had

specific tasks and deadlines by which to

share information

Communication- team members

communicate via email, phone, text and

in person

Our team created specific norms for effectiveness:

6a. What where the results?

6a. What were the results?

6a. What were the results?Key Stakeholders Benefits/Evidence

Students -Enthusiastic return to school/teacher report-Less summer learning loss/data analysis-Recovered instructional time/principal observation-Increased technology skill/teacher observation and parent comment

Monitoring Teachers -Greater familiarity with standards/teacher report-Continued student relationships outside of the classroom/teacher report-Enhanced skills in web-based learning/ principal observation

Next-In-Line Teachers -Recovered instructional time with less review/teacher report-Receive “better prepared” students/teacher report-Opportunity for higher level technology based instruction due to enhanced student skill/teacher report

Administrators -Opportunity for innovation through greater skilled teachers in web-based learning/district level discussion-Better served students/ district level discussion-Higher student performance/district level discussion

6a. What were the results?

6b. How did the results impact the goal?

6c. How were the results shared?

Results

Shared

Parents

Brochures

District websites

Community

District website

Students

School wide celebrations

Classroom visits

District

LDT and School Board monthly

meetings

Teachers

Faculty meeting

classroom visits

The Westfield-Washington School District has developed a no-fee summer enrichment program for our students.

This program, Summer R.O.C.K.S., fills the void in the academic calendar and supplies interesting, self-paced and

fun learning opportunities for students in grades K-8th.

Our unique Summer R.O.C.K.S. program can be replicated and customized by other schools in the United States and

internationally.

Each participating team member has expanded his or her own technical skills and capabilities.

Project Summary

Continuous Improvement: *Assessment of our program effectiveness through NWEA Fall testing*Compare NWEA Fall scores against the program content*Focus on problem areas where scores were lower than projected *Evaluation from student feedback for what was liked and not liked

Next Steps

Westfield Washington Schools

Submission for:ASQ Education Team Excellence Award

6b. How did the results impact the goal?

The first four days of summer break…..

1,238

Tasks Completed

K-8th

Judge response to final asq 2011 summer learning loss

Education

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