MESSAGE FROM
Mr. Matthew Patterson Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education est Jefferson Hills WEST JEFFERSON HILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
Welcome to the 2017-2018 school year and a new beginning in the West Jefferson Hills School District. I would like to thank the community for the warm welcome my family and I have received since arriving and I look forward to meeting more proud parents and community members of this school district. It is truly an honor and pleasure to serve this community and I believe the best is yet to come.
There has been no more of an exciting time in education than the present, and we have many new learning initiatives planned to enhance student growth and achievement. Much research has been conducted and published from which we can learn how to better serve our primary stakeholders- children. In a world filled with choices from specialized health care to made-to-order fast food, the time for personalized learning is at hand. Much like healthcare where we receive treatment for what ails us rather than a“ one-size fits all” approach, personalized learning recognizes and values the individuality each child brings to the classrooms and expects a year’ s worth of growth for a year’ s worth of input. Moving forward, the goal of our program at West Jefferson Hills School District is to create individualized pathways of learning so that each child reaches their fullest potential in a system of education that is supportive and nurturing to their unique needs.
Benchmarking is an important tool in establishing the“ ground floor” for learning and is a vital component to personalized learning. Benchmarking simply means knowing where students enter our system academically and provides a point of reference in order to gauge the impact of teaching and learning. Think of it this way: My physician takes my blood pressure at the beginning of each visit( benchmark 1). She then prescribes a course of treatment unique to me, not to the average, middle-aged male. Following a period of treatment, she evaluates my progress( benchmark 2) and adjusts my treatment plan accordingly in order for me to reach my goal of an ideal blood pressure. Benchmarking in education works in a very similar manner. We are about to embark on a consistent K-8 system of benchmarking that will provide teachers, students and parents with important information about how well children are growing. Additionally, benchmarking will allow teachers to“ prescribe” a customized educational program designed to meet the unique learning needs of each child. Throughout the course of the year, we will be providing you with important and valuable information regarding the growth in learning for your child. While this approach may represent a shift in thinking, education itself has shifted and every child deserves to experience growth no matter what level they enter our system.
42 West Jefferson Hills
The results of the stakeholder surveys indicated several themes, but most notably, consistency in programming. At the present moment, two children in the same elementary school may each have vastly different learning experiences. Additionally, disparities in programming exist among each of the elementary schools. The administrative team acknowledges these differences and has already begun developing a plan for bringing about greater equity so that every child in the West Jefferson Hills School District receives a similar learning experience. Perhaps the children said it best in the surveys; they want more! From STEAM( Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) to small group learning, we must place significant value on their feedback as part of our improvement process and work diligently to respond accordingly.
With a focused effort on personalized learning, the thoughtful use of technology plays a critical role. Our plan includes a“ prescription” for learning for every child based on the results of their benchmarking assessments. Using the online program Study Island, children will be able to customize their learning experience anywhere, anytime. Parents will be provided with easy-access, online resources to help their child no matter where they may begin. Perhaps the greatest advantage for parents is to be able to receive valuable information about how their child’ s progress compares to others in the District and across Pennsylvania along with specific areas parents can help their child grow. As a Study Island parent myself, I appreciate knowing the exact learning needs of my children and how I could best support their growth at home.
The concept of personalized learning described thus far only begins to scratch the surface of what is possible for our students. With a laser-like focus on growth for every child, change is necessary. Your support for this change is critical if we are to truly create a unique learning experience for each child. Every child matters; from the high-achieving student needing to be challenged to the struggling learner needing additional time, we must recognize these differences and stand ready to adjust our teaching methodologies.
I want to thank you in advance for your support and cooperation. Anticipate change throughout the year as we learn and grow as adults in the pursuit of improvement for every single one of our 2,986 scholars. Children deserve the very best and that is exactly what we intend to deliver through a personalized and caring educational experience here in the West Jefferson Hills School District.