Community Connections 7th Edition

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT DR. KEISHA CAMPBELL

As we dive into the latest edition of our community newsletter, I am thrilled to share some of the exciting developments over the past few months!

Following a comprehensive math instructional review throughout the District to analyze current programming and practices in K-12 math education, the Board of Education approved the launch of Illustrative Math (I.M.). Seeing this new curriculum in place and the positive impact it has had with our students and staff has been tremendous and has provided a newfound enthusiasm for math by having students delve deeper into problem-solving and collaborative learning. It’s not just about memorization; it’s about understanding the why behind math and applying it to everyday situations.

I am also excited to share an update from the Great Minds organization about D205’s launch of Wit & Wisdom®, Geodes®, and Fundations last year in grades K-5. It has been inspiring to see how the new English Language Arts (ELA) material has ignited even more passion in our students and staff. The dedication of our literacy steering committee has been instrumental in guiding this process and we are grateful that Great Minds helped us tell this story.

Year Two of this journey brings fresh opportunities for continued growth and student and teacher engagement, and we’re excited to see where it takes us!

The end of a school year always brings excitement and anticipation for the future. As we looked back at 1921, we are reminded of the rich history in District 205 and can’t wait to see all of the things our 2024 graduates achieve. Thank you for a great year and I look forward to seeing you in August!

Sincerely,

Dr. Keisha Campbell

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District 205 offers robust summer programming options for ALL students! With courses that will allow your student to prepare for the next year, or explore some new areas, you are sure to find something for your student.

Classes offered include math, reading, STEM, athletics, and fine arts. Courses will be focused on relearning, exploration, and acceleration for a diverse array of students.

All Summer Programs are currently scheduled to begin on Monday, June 3, 2024. We invite all families in District 205 to join Us!

Scan this QR code to learn more!

7TH EDITION

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Collaboration + Creativity = Mathematical Excellence

By: Tonya Daniels

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year, District 205 led a comprehensive math instructional review throughout the District to analyze current programming and practices in K-12 math education. The driving mission of the review was to ensure instruction that meets the demands of grade level standards and coherently links standards within and across grades was being executed.

Following the completion of the review and a thorough analysis of the findings, the Elmhurst School District 205 Board of Education, approved the launch of Illustrative Math (I.M.), a streamlined math curriculum resource, beginning with the 2023-2024 school year in Algebra classes taught in grades 7-9. Illustrative Math is a comprehensive math curriculum resource used in all algebra classes in grades seven through nine, that prioritizes students to learn math by doing math. The I.M. curriculum is fully aligned to the focus, coherence, and rigor demanded by the Common Core math standards.

With the support of the Board of Education, starting from sixth grade all the way through Algebra II with

Trigonometry, students begin familiarizing themselves with the structure of an I.M. classroom, providing a solid foundation of mathematics to prepare them for the next step in their journey.

“Students are thriving in mathematics classrooms in District 205. As adults, we have always seen our students as mathematicians, but this problembased structure that Illustrative Math allows the classroom to really center on the student’s thinking,” shared Kerry Leuschel, Executive Director of Secondary Education. “Students are making sense of the problems by connecting them to their prior knowledge and then adding on those additional and new concepts to really meet the depth and breadth of the algebra standards.”

The impact in the classroom has been felt by both the students and the teachers. We stopped by the middle schools and the high school to talk to some of the students and teachers to hear firsthand about the changes they have seen and felt in learning.

Kevin Smith, Math Teacher at York High School, talked a little about the importance of setting the stage for

You need to really create a classroom and a community where students feel

comfortable trying things, getting things wrong, and trying to figure out why they got things wrong and taking chances. - Kevin Smith, York Math Teacher

success when implementing this new curriculum. “You need to really create a classroom and a community where students feel comfortable trying things, getting things wrong, and trying to figure out why they got things wrong and taking chances,” he shared. “Creating an atmosphere that makes students feel comfortable to take those chances.”

Collaboration is key when it comes to Illustrative Math. Students work in teams to solve problems using mathematics. Avery Anast, seventh grader at Bryan Middle School, shared “Well, it was really challenging for me to work by myself on one of the big problems and then have to share my answers with someone else because I was worried, what if I get the answer wrong and I get embarrassed?

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But now I realized that it doesn’t really matter if I get it wrong because the whole point is that you’re trying to learn and get better with each lesson.”

Parker Morrow, Ninth grader at York High School shared, “I personally work better with other people than on my own. So by working with other people, I find it a lot more useful because you get to share ideas and work off of each other.”

Reflecting on the impact she has seen in her classroom, Lauren Hyde, Seventh grade algebra teacher at Churchville Middle School shared, “I think the biggest celebration was building their confidence that they can create their learning through working in groups and working on problems.”

Teachers and staff have embraced the launch of Illustrative Math in their practice to welcome this studentcentered learning approach. “Teachers have reported that their math classrooms are highly collaborative spaces where students are playing with mathematics before formalizing those concepts,” Leuschel shared. “This has created a dynamic room where even some of our students who might not have seen themselves as mathematicians before are thriving in

their algebra classrooms.”

Not only is I.M. driving student learning, teachers are also reporting that the curriculum has pushed their learning and helped them connect with their peers. “What this curriculum has really helped me understand is how deep I should be going into each standard and what level of difficulty we should be getting into,” Smith shared. “There’s so much more collaboration happening within the teaching team because it’s not just teaching these lessons. We have to understand how each lesson builds and how each activity fits together and what the culminating theme is of the lesson. And not just within that lesson, you have to see how all of the lessons fit together in a unit and how all the units fit together because this curriculum is very very well designed that every unit is tied together. I think just understanding how all this builds is so important. We have just had to really get together and work way ahead and make sure we truly understand these lessons before we teach them.”

“When the light bulb clicks, especially in a situation where they are like, oh, I get this, and then other kids are like, how did you do that, and a student starts explaining it to another student” Smith shared. “I see that happening. It’s incredible. It’s the best feeling. And it’s

amazing because when they do come across a question that isn’t a situation, and it’s like, just solve this problem. They look at it and they’re like, that’s so much easier. They’re like, you’re already giving me the equation, and I just solve it, and I don’t need to interpret it. It’s pretty awesome when they see something like that, like when they practice for the PSAT, and it’s just, here’s an equation, solve it. It’s great to see kids hit that light bulb moment and then be able to explain it to another kid. It’s amazing.”

The District has begun to see the impact of their strategic work in the area of mathematics. When District staff compared this year’s Winter MAP results with last year’s assessment they saw that math achievement was slightly higher this year than last year in terms of the national comparison. Across all grades, District 205 students in the 50th percentile performed as well or better than 76% of their grade-level peers nationally, compared to 69% in 2023.

Scan the QR code with your phone to watch interviews with the Principal, teachers and students.

Transition To Science Of Reading-Aligned Instructional Materials And Professional Learning Yields Impressive Gains

By:

Elmhurst School District 205 Administrators recently sat down with Jenny Taylor from Great Minds to share some exciting updates about the successful implementation of Wit & Wisdom®, Geodes®, and Fundations. Founded in 2007, Great Minds is a non-profit organization that works to bring together teachers and scholars to create exemplary instructional materials that provide joyful rigor to learning, spark and reward curiosity, and impart knowledge with equal parts delight. Below is the story Jenny wrote following the interview. You can also scan this QR code to watch a video of interviews with students and staff to hear from them how Wit and Wisdom has been implemented and made an impact in student learning in grades K-5. Learn more about Great Minds by visiting www.greatminds.org.

In school year 2022–2023, Elmhurst Community School Unit District 205 in Illinois began implementing new instructional materials aligned to the science of reading after building strong consensus on the opportunity for change. Now the district is thrilled to be celebrating significant gains in student achievement following their first year of implementation of Wit & Wisdom®, Geodes®, and Fundations from Wilson Language Training.

Using Scarborough’s Reading Rope to Reflect on Current Practice

District Profile

• 8,292 students

• 8 elementary schools

components of word recognition.

• Instructional Materials Analysis. After spending time observing classroom practice, Lyons began an analysis of instructional materials in use across the district. Two major findings emerged: There were too many different instructional materials in use, and the materials being used lacked coherence within and across grade levels.

• Teacher Engagement. After completing the instructional materials analysis, the district surveyed teachers to better understand their current experience and instructional needs. Survey results revealed that teachers saw gaps in their instructional materials; wanted cohesive, aligned, and research-backed materials; and were working hard to fill instructional gaps for their students.

• 68.1% White, 18.7% Hispanic, 6.8% Asian, 1.6% Black

With the arrival of a new superintendent, Dr. Keisha Campbell, to the district, the opportunity arose to reflect on current English language arts (ELA) instructional practices and materials. Executive Director of Elementary Education Katie Lyons led this work in school year 2021–2022 and shares that the district used Scarborough’s Reading Rope to evaluate practices and materials with the goal of ensuring the district was attending to all standards of the rope throughout students’ K–12 experience. There were three key components to their analysis.

• Classroom Observations.

The district’s Learning and Teaching team observed classrooms alongside principals across grades K–12 to understand students’ complete ELA experience in the district. They used Student Achievement Partner’s Instructional Practice Guide and instructional minutes recommendations to assess complexity of tasks and texts as well as understand how instructional minutes were being spent. From these observations, district leaders and principals recognized that instruction was overemphasizing certain components of language comprehension and under emphasizing certain

Teacher Survey Results

• 75% of teachers reported they create their own materials for ELA instruction.

• 54% of teachers reported seeking third-party resources for reading materials, 60% for foundational skills, and 52% for writing.

• 71% of teachers reported spending three or more hours per week planning for instruction for reading, 30% for writing, and 27% for foundational skills and/or language instruction.

• 86% of teachers reported they create their own ELA assessments.

A clear story was emerging in the district: Instructional shifts in ELA were not at the forefront of how the district was providing instruction to students, and incoherent materials were serving as a barrier. “Texts were not the center. Integrated reading and writing experiences were not at the core of our instruction. It was disconnected instruction in terms of kids writing from what they knew or a seed idea rather than writing from how we were building knowledge within the reading block,” recalls Lyons. Having successfully identified the gaps in current materials and practices across the district, district leaders took their findings to the Literacy Steering Committee to discuss next steps.

Literacy Steering Committee Develops Shared Definition of Literacy and Guides Selection of New Instructional Materials

Recognizing a clear need across the district to improve instructional coherence, the district convened a Literacy Steering Committee to guide the district into the next phase of their literacy journey. Every school in the district had representation on the Steering Committee, including each school’s leadership team and instructional coach. Prior to reviewing new instructional materials, the Steering Committee engaged in deeper exploration of literacy and professional learning research as well as data analysis of current student learning outcomes to help inform their decision-making process.

• Science of Reading Research. The district engaged in conversations at every level—from the board of education to school leadership teams, instructional coaches, and teachers—about the science of reading and what research identifies as common barriers that impede students’ reading comprehension, including lack of content knowledge.

Jenny Taylor, Great Minds

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• Curriculum-Embedded Professional Learning. The Steering Committee also investigated the current body of research around high-quality, research-based, curriculum-centered professional development. From this research, the Steering Committee recognized how educative curricular materials can support educators and that curriculum in partnership with aligned professional learning opportunities is critical for implementation success. Lyons shares that the district sought to “honor teacher expertise and insight and help build their knowledge. Professional learning commitments have been at the forefront to really empower teachers to make meaning from the materials.”

• Assessment Analysis. The Steering Committee reviewed the state ELA test to understand current student outcomes and to explore the content of the assessment to gauge the complexity and knowledge requirements of the passages on the test. This analysis along with the classroom observations showed a clear opportunity to improve students’ writing experiences and provide more integrated reading and writing opportunities. The analysis of state assessment data also highlighted that students’ proficiency and growth on the state ELA test had largely plateaued.

Once the Steering Committee completed its research efforts and data analysis, they developed a shared definition of literacy for the district and a commitment to help drive what they were looking for in instructional materials. With this consensus around a common definition and shared commitments grounding their work, the Steering Committee was able to begin exploring new instructional materials options. To guide their instructional materials review process, the district used a combination of resources and considerations, including a rubric adapted from IMET,

• EdReports, the fit of the materials with the district’s strategic plan,

“What we heard from our community and from our staff is that they want our students to think critically, to affirm diverse perspectives, and to demonstrate empathy. So when we were looking at materials, we were looking for materials that encouraged students to do that.”

instructional coaches received Wit & Wisdom Lead professional development. To further support teachers in implementation over the summer, the district bought all teachers the core texts for the first module of Wit & Wisdom to take home and gave them access to the instructional materials online.

As year one began, the district was well organized to support educators and leaders through a robust implementation of the new instructional materials, providing multiple ongoing opportunities for professional learning (see sidebar). Coaches received training over the summer on the module internalization process so they could lead teachers in PLCs during year one to discuss “what am I teaching?” and “what are students learning?”

Elmhurst’s Professional Learning Opportunities

Teacher Learning Communities were organized by grade band (K–2 and 3–5) and included teachers from each elementary school, instructional coaches, and special educators. They met three times per year for a full day. These meetings provided an opportunity to engage in intentional professional learning around the ELA instructional shifts and share challenges to identify solutions together.

Literacy Learning Collaboratives for district leaders, school leaders, and coaches were used to deepen knowledge about the science of reading, instructional shifts, and using reading and writing integrated resources.

Professional Learning Communities met weekly for grade-specific planning and preparation, internalizing, and arc planning in year one.

In addition to learning opportunities at the role level, the district also identified half of the elementary schools as demonstration sites for Wit & Wisdom and the other half as demonstration sites for Fundations. While each school was implementing all instructional materials, the two cohorts embarked on different year three professional learning trajectories (see chart).

—Katie Lyons, executive director of elementary education

• the fit of the materials with the community’s belief in what the student experience in Elmhurst should include, and the extent to which instructional materials providers would also be professional learning partners.

The Steering Committee also provided teachers updates on the committee’s progress and opportunities to provide feedback on the prospective instructional materials. When the options had been narrowed to the final materials, the district surveyed teachers about which instructional materials they preferred. The district selected the materials that the teachers also wanted: Fundations, Wit & Wisdom, and Geodes.

Implementation of Science of Reading-Aligned Instructional Materials Has Positive Impact on Student Learning

With instructional materials selected and a robust plan for professional learning support in place, the district was prepared to begin their implementation journey in the spring of 2022. The district wanted educators to have sufficient time and resources to acquaint themselves with the materials, build their knowledge of the materials, and hone their practice before full implementation began in school year 2022–2023.

All educators in grades K–5 received the Wit & Wisdom Launch professional development, and district and school leaders and

The intense focus on sustained professional learning in year one supported teachers in strong implementation but also provided them a place to share challenges and address those with peers as they worked toward solutions. For Lyons, those teacher learning communities were an opportunity to address challenges head-on: “We honor those implementation challenges, and then we talk about what’s next.”

The investment in new resources and robust professional learning for teachers was evident in student learning outcomes by the end of the first year of implementation. The district’s ELA state test data highlights the successes the district experienced this year as the educators worked hard to implement the curriculum. In school year 2022–2023, the district saw an eight-percentage point increase in the percent of all students meeting or exceeding expectations on the state ELA test. Students exceeded their projected achievement by 10 percentage points in ELA and saw higher than expected growth on the district’s growth model.

Percentage of All Students Scoring

Level 4 or 5 on State ELA Tests

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Lyons notes that all students experienced growth, including those performing at the highest levels already on the state assessment, an outcome Lyons attributes to the focus on writing in Wit & Wisdom. She notes, “Teachers and principals are reflecting that it really has to do with the rigorous writing that is embedded in Wit & Wisdom. Teachers have reflected that even the writing in the FTQs [Focus Task Questions] leading up to the end-of-module task is more complex writing than they’ve ever asked their students to do and students are producing at a high level of writing because they have deep knowledge of a topic.” In addition to strong writing skills, teachers are reporting that kids are synthesizing across texts, even at the earliest grades, a trend they attribute to the elevated students writing experiences that occur regularly throughout Wit & Wisdom.

Additionally, in survey feedback, one educator shared that “students are building knowledge about rich texts and growing vocabulary faster than in the past. Students can’t stop talking about the topics at school and at home, and they are excited to showcase their learning.” Another educator shared that “Teachers are impressed with students’ writing about their reading, and students are excited to showcase their knowledge through discussion and writing.”

Reflecting on the year one results, Lyons shared, “We’re really excited that we aren’t talking about an implementation dip. We know there are variables, but we’re showing that we’re on a trajectory to change outcomes for students, and that’s what we set out to do. This is really affirming in where we’re headed.”

Tonya Daniels, executive director of communications and community relations, adds “This data incorporates learning loss from Covid. Not only did we come back from pre-Covid numbers, we surpassed pre-Covid. We implemented a new program, didn’t experience an implementation dip, and, in fact, actually skyrocketed past pre-Covid numbers.” The year one data were energizing for the whole district. Lyons shares that teachers are very happy with the year one outcomes, and the district is eager to celebrate the work and successes of teachers.

Looking Ahead

Now in year two of implementation, the district is continuing to support educators with professional learning and shifting focus to analyzing student work and writing. Through student work analysis, the district hopes to both better understand how teachers are implementing the instructional shifts and instructional materials and to see how that instruction is translating to student learning.

As Elmhurst continues their implementation, Lyons knows that high-quality professional development remains a key component to the district’s continued success and ability to continue to grow their own instructional leaders. She shares, “We know the research that says instructional materials matter, and how teachers use those instructional materials matter even more so. Choosing the right materials can have a huge impact. We’re pairing high-quality materials with developing really high-quality teachers. Without Wit & Wisdom in the equation, we wouldn’t be seeing these gains.”

REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is well underway. Whether your student is new to District 205 or a returning student, make sure that all of your information is up-to-date to ensure a smooth start to the year. Here are a few key things to remember:

1.

Register Online

Begin the registration process by visiting the District 205 website or scanning this QR Code.

3.

Summer Office Hours

If you were not able to drop your documents off at your neighborhood school this year, we will be offering two dates over the summer where you will be able to stop into some schools to complete your registration.

• July 16, 2024 | 8AM - 5PM

• July 17, 2024 | 12PM - 7PM

Once the locations have been finalized we will share that information on the D205 website at www.elmhurst205.org.

2.

Document Drop-off

Registration documents include residency verification, health documentation, age verification and other important information. Your registration is not complete until all required documents, including residency, have been submitted to your school.

4.

Residency Verification

A total of three proofs of residency are required for all new students, incoming 9th graders, and parents with expiring verifications. Please contact your neighborhood school if you are having trouble collecting the required documents.

EMPOWER

EXCELLENT EDUCATORS

Meet Jon Monique Manuel! Monique is the Lead Administrative Assistant at Sandburg Middle School. She has worked for District 205 for more than 20 years.

Administrative Assistants are an integral part of the unique fabric of each of our schools. They are the first person that students, parents, staff and community members see and interact with when they come to our schools. Whether they are multitasking a project to assist their school Principal or helping a student or teacher, we know that we wouldn’t be able to best serve our school community with care and support without them.

Scan the QR code to learn more about what Monique thinks is the best part of serving the students, community and staff of District 205.

We are regularly hiring for administrative, teaching, support staff, and other positions in each of our buildings. There is currently a high need for applicants in the following areas:

 Special Education Teachers

 Educational Assistants

 Lunch/Recess Supervisors

 Custodians

 Food Service

Interested people should apply online at https:// qrco.de/D205Jobs, or by scanning this QR code.

www.elmhurst205.org | info@elmhurst205.com | 630.834.4530 | 162 S. York Street Elmhurst, IL 60126 @ElmhurstD205 | #WeAreD205

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Members serving our community boardofeducation@elmhurst205.org

COURTENAE TRAUTMANN, SECRETARY Committees: Policy - Chair Safety

KARA CAFORIO Committees: Finance LEND

ATHENA ARVANITIS PRESIDENT Committees: Parent-Teacher Advisory/ Behavioral Interventions - Chair

JIM COLLINS Committee: Finance - Chair

BETH HOSLER VICE PRESIDENT Committees: Policy, IASB Representative SASED Gov Board

KELLY ASSEFF Committees: Parent-Teacher Advisory/ Behavioral Interventions Finance

DR. KELLY HENRY Committees: Parent-Teacher Advisory/ Behavioral Interventions Policy

More than a century ago, 16 bright young women and men stood at the threshold of a new era. As the York Community High School Class of 1921 stood for a picture, they surely could not have imagined the thousands of other young people who would follow them in the years to come. After the closure of Elmhurst High School in 1920, York was opened in September to a small group of students and staff and the seniors in the Class of 1921 would become the inaugural class of graduating Dukes.

May 19, 2024 held yet another momentous occasion—the graduation of the Class of 2024. Nearly 700 students bid farewell to their alma mater, ready to embark on new adventures and move on to the next step on their journeys of excellence.

York Community High School has helped to shape the lives of close to 40,000 students across the community and around the world. From scholars to athletes, artists to scientists, each graduate carries with them a piece of, “what it means to be a Duke,” as they forge their own paths in the world. From the pioneering Class of 1921 to the graduates of 2024, each student has added their own chapter to the story of York. As we celebrated the Class of 2024 and their achievements, we also remembered the spirit of those who came before them, carrying forward the proud tradition of being a Duke. THE BACKSTORY | HISTORY OF GRADUATION