Plum City School District receives partnership grant

Grants distributed to strengthen mathematics teaching
We'll be able to provide training and support for teachers, and implement math standards that require students to achieve the higher levels necessary for economic competition

According to a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, about 450 mathematics teachers across the state are gaining knowledge and skills to increase student achievement through federal Mathematics and Science Partnership grants administered by the DPI.
Last spring, CESA 11 put out a proposal to write a grant for prefessional development for math teachers for grades four through eight.
"Last spring we worked on curriculum reviews in Plum City, which is something that hasn't been done a lot over the years," said Superintendent Mary Baier. "It's important for us to look at reading and math curriculums. We focused on reading last year, and math this year."
Baier said the District was involved in writing the grant, and took its needs forward.
"In rural schools like ours, the resources are limited," she said. "We haven't had any new math curriculum for 15 years."
Baier said the School District of Plum City was lucky enough to be a part of the process, and received dollars. The District was part of the UW-Eau Claire and Clayton School District Partnership, which includes school districts of Amery, Boyceville Community, Clayton, Clear Lake, Elmwood, Grantsburg, Osceola, Plum City, Saint Croix Falls, Shell Lake, Siren, Spooner Area, Turtle Lake, Unity, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and Webster. The partnership received a total of $195,146 to be distributed throughout the schools. The partnership was one of four to receive new grants for the 2014-15 school year.
Grants were awarded in three categories: New competitive grants, second-year continuing grants, and third-year renewal grants. Baier said the grant involves a three-year committment.
According to the DPI, each new partnership focuses on mathematics and includes a college or university giving districts and arts and science faculty joint responsibility for improving mathematics instruction.
All projects provide intensive staff development to help teachers deepen their content knowledge and sharpen teaching skills to reach all students. Activities include summer institutes that directly relate to STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) to enhance teachers' ability to understand and use Common Core Standards for Mathematics.
"Student achievement improves when their teachers have a deep understanding of the subject area and multiple methods to bring that content alive for their students," said State Superintendent Tony Evers in the press release. "These partnership grants provide the training and support teachers need to implement Wisconsin's mathematics standards that will help our students achieve at the higher levels demanded by the globally competitive economy."
Baier said it's a focus of the State and country to focus on STEM.
"We get to focus on math as part of the larger picture, and we're excited about that," she said.
Baier said she received word mid-September that Plum City was receiving grant money.
"We're in the process of naming our team, which will be led by Lisa Mack," she said. "Her leadership is important, as it gives ownership to the project, and makes this a very positive learning experience."
Baier said the team will also include the fourth and fifth grade teachers, middle school math teacher, and the special education teacher, with Baier as the administrator.
"I do most of the work with curriculum and instruction in the district," she said.
Trainings will be held at UW-EC, which will look at collaboration between regular education and special education teachers, and closing achievement gaps.
"We'll be able to provide training and support for teachers, and implement math standards that require students to achieve the higher levels necessary for economic competition," Baier said.
Each district in the partnership will create a team of five to six members, depending on district size, and the grant money will be equally distributed between the districts.
"Some money will go to UW-EC professors for their time, and resources and materials," Baier said. "After trainings, the team will come back and share the information with their colleagues."
"We need to become more rigorous, as students will compete not only in Wisconsin for jobs, but all over the world," she said. "Expectations have risen, which is a good thing. We want students to be prepared."
Baier said the District is very excited for the opportunity.
The Smarter Balance Assessment is aligned with the Common Core for reading and math in Spring of 2015, so Baier said students need to be prepared for that.
"We want to prepare the students as best we can," she said. "We're also going to be helping community members and parents understand that this is about students learning conceptually that they can solve problems in a number of different ways."
Methods may be different than traditional, but can still be correct, said Baier.
The DPI press release states the UW-Eau Claire partnerships will develop and use a process to diagnose and address specific gaps in the students' conceptual and procedural knowledge and will increase collaboration on mathematics instruction through a professional learning community design between regular and special education teachers.
All new partnerships will support a network to integrate Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and to establish effective ways to evaluate whether students are mastering these higher standards.
To be eligible for a grant, the lead school district had to have at least 10 percent of students from low-income families; have a Rural Education Achievement Program or be a small, rural school district; or have student mathematics achievement that is less than 65 percent proficient based on 2012-13 statewide test score data. Funding for the Mathematics and Science Partnership grants is part of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title II, Improving Teacher Quality Grant Program. These programs encourage scientifically-based professional development as a means for improving student academic performance.

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