District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT) April 2024

The District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT)  has met four times during the past three months: January 25th, February 15th, February 29th and March 21st. In the previous Assistant Superintendent’s Blog, I outlined what the focus of our first two DLLT meetings were.   The following information outlines the work we conducted during our February 29th and March 21st meetings.

February 29th  DLLT Meeting
At our meeting on February 29th, each of the six subgroups shared out with the entire group the programs they reviewed. Each subgroup had a specific program to review, those programs included: Wit and Wisdom, EL Education, Wonders, Into Reading, My View, Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA).  The Pros and Cons of the six programs were shared with the entire group.  We were all able to hear about the programs, which was extremely helpful.  From there, our group was able to whittle down the programs from six to three.  We then turned our focus on three programs:  Into Reading, My View and CKLA.

We were led through the review tool by Hill for Literacy.  The tool was comprehensive-each of the three programs we are reviewing will each be held up to a review tool, that is composed of several larger categories, with specific criteria listed under each category.  The larger categories consist of: Phonological Awareness Instruction, Phonics Instruction, Fluency Instruction, Vocabulary Instruction, Comprehension, Writing Instruction, Instructional Design, Assessment, Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education, Motivation and Engagement, Listening and Speaking.

Each member of our DLLT was assigned to be a reviewer in one of three groups:  Red Group which focuses on phonological awareness, phonics, and culturally responsive and sustaining education.  Yellow Group, which focuses on fluency, vocabulary, motivation and engagement, listening and speaking.  Lastly, the Blue Group, which looks at instructional design, comprehension, assessment, and writing. 

At the end of this particular meeting, we focused on the first program we would review which was, Into Reading.  The groups got together, reviewed the resources for this program, and began their work.

March 21st  DLLT Meeting

After having a few weeks to review Into Reading, the three groups met and discussed their review of Into Reading.  We discussed our ratings, and entered them into the larger rubric/database that we’ve been using to capture our impressions of the programs. 

The entire DLLT broke into four groups, where we shared our insights and learnings about the process, and identified stumbling blocks and brainstormed solutions and then shared them out to the entire group.  

At this point in our meeting we began to focus on the next program that we needed to review which is My View.  We watched an introductory video on the program, and reviewed the rubric again, and also how to access the resources for this specific program.  

Our next meeting is on April 11th, where we will meet again, and share our findings regarding My View.

The members of the DLLT are spending a great deal of time and effort reviewing the programs!   This work is greatly appreciated! 

District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT) March 2024

The District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT) has met twice during the past three weeks, once on January 25th and again on February 15th. 

January 25th DLLT Meeting

During the meeting on January 25th the DLLT started off our meeting with team introductions (approximately 30 members), and establishing meeting norms. We also discussed the BPS District Literacy Plan, and developed our own ideas around a shared vision for the work of the DLLT. 

Most importantly, at this initial meeting, we established why were were looking at implementing  a new K-5 literacy program in Bedford, which included discussing our focus on Goal 4: Core Curriculum and Instruction from our BPS District Literacy Plan, which outlines consistency in Tier I, and differentiated literacy instruction, and a clear scope and sequence for literacy too.

The Hill for Literacy, which is the group that we have consulted with and are orking with during all of our DLLT meetings, outlined information regarding the Science of Reading, and High-Quality Instructional Materials.  We also discussed the programs that we would review during the next few meetings, and the criteria we would use to narrow down our review to potentially three literacy programs to review extensively.

At this point in our meeting we broke into six smaller groups, and we spent the remainder of our meeting reviewing the following programs (each group was assigned one of the following programs to review), and noting various elements of each of the following programs:  

-Core Knowledge Language Arts

-EL Education

-Into Reading

-My View

-Wit and Wisdom

-Wonders

February 25th DLLT Meeting

At the February 15th DLLT meeting, we continued our initial review of the six programs, by working in our small groups, reviewing the materials, and discussing information and populating our shared document.  We also discussed the process related to narrowing down our choices from six programs to three, which we will do soon, and then conduct a more in depth investigation of each of the three programs, with every member of the DLLT reviewing each of the remaining three programs.  

As our progress continues, there will be more updates provided.  At this point both teachers and administrators are completing Science of Reading modules, and the DLLT continues to meet and will meet several times throughout the next three months, culminating with a recommendation to the school committee for the purchase of a K-5 Literacy program on May 28th.

Photos from our DLLT work at the Lane School, where DLLT members reviewed program materials, and discussed the core program review process.                   

District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT) January 2024

 During the fall and early winter a lot has happened in the world of literacy for Bedford Public Schools.  This past November, we were able to present an update to the school committee circling back to the update provided on literacy in June 2023. 

In particular, the school committee was updated on how Goal 4:  Core Curriculum and Instruction (Action Step 1:  Consistency in core, Tier I literacy instruction will be created at all grade levels.  Action Step 2:  Core, Tier I literacy instruction will be differentiated at all grade levels.  Action Step 5:  A clear scope and sequence for reading and writing in the content areas will be created, using a common template for curriculum mapping.) would be addressed this year in our district.  We were able to outline a very specific plan, to address Goal 4.  This includes:

• Forming a District Administrative Team (DAT) to work with Hill for Literacy which is a group that is consulting with us to address this goal.  The DAT is composed of a small group of district leaders.

• Forming the District Literacy Leadership Team (DLLT). This is a group of  30 parents, administrators and teachers who are meeting several times over the next few months to do a core program review, with the consultation of Hill for Literacy.  This group will look at several High Quality Instructional Material (HQMI) based programs, and select one to recommend for purchase this spring, to utilize fully in all classrooms K-5 starting in September 2024.  

• Both teachers and administrators (primarily K-5) will all participate in a 10-Module course in the Science of Reading provided by Hill for Literacy, to be completed by August 31, 2024.  

The District Literacy Leadership TEam (DLLT) met for the first time, last night, January 25th, at the Lane School.  Even though the meeting began at 3:45 p.m. and went until 5:45 p.m., after a very busy day for all of the participants-the energy in the room was positive, and energetic.  The members of the DLLT were very engaged in learning about the process that they would undertake to make the core program selection.  As we worked through the process timeline, and activities as a preview-we also participated in capturing what our vision collectively is for excellent literacy teaching.  We also engaged in group work in reviewing programs, and evaluating systematically, as led by Hill for Literacy on our impressions of various programs based on important criteria for  HQIM program.  

The hard work and total engagement was clearly observable while the groups were working yesterday afternoon.  They dug in immediately, were earnest, and diligent in their work-with the students at the very core of everything they were thinking about and discussing.  As the spring progresses updates will be posted here on the Assistant Superintendent’s blog, and also updates will be provided at school committee meetings.

Oftentimes, big undertakings like selecting a curriculum program can seem daunting, overwhelming, and difficult-this was not the case yesterday, the feeling was of excitement, optimism, and collaboration.

Sincerely,

Tricia Clifford, Ed.D

Assistant Superintendent of Schools

BPS Literacy Plan Update-June 2023

In the spring of 2020 a K-12 district-wide committee was formed to create a Bedford Public Schools Literacy Plan.  The plan consisted of five goals that spoke to the needs in the district regarding literacy.  The goals had several action steps that outlined over the span of several years, the actions that needed to be completed to further the plan and complete it.  After three years of implementation the plan is basically completed, with only a few items within goal 4 to be completed during the 2023-2024 school year.  

The BPS Literacy Plan Progress, was shared at the School Committee, on June 13, 2023.  Below is a link to the information that was shared at the School Committee, which consists of the completed items within the plan, and next steps, along with literacy data from grades K-10 for this current school year, 2022-2023.  Many thanks to all of the educators in Bedford who have been instrumental in addressing the Literacy Plan goals, and action steps.

Bedford Public Schools - Literacy Plan Update, June 2013

Tricia Clifford, Ed. D.
Assistant Superintendent

Superintendent's Blog
Bedford Public Schools
Curriculum Review Cycle

Generally speaking, one constant in any school district is the ongoing review of curriculum.  This is an important process, and one that we’ve spent a great deal of time examining during the past year.   Last fall, the curriculum leaders within the Bedford Public Schools, collaborated on The Bedford Public Schools Curriculum Review Cycle.  This was an important endeavor, to discuss what the purpose of curriculum review would be, which areas of curriculum would be reviewed, when this process would occur, and who would be involved. 

We created a thoughtful guide on exactly how the curriculum review process will occur in Bedford.  This review cycle process is part of the system’s commitment to thoughtful, continual improvement in the schools.  The review cycle is aligned with the system’s District Improvement Plan and the School Improvement Plans created by each school.  All curriculum development must align with, and be informed by the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks as well as College Board, ACT, and Advanced Placement course content expectations.

Most importantly the review cycle is designed to meet the following needs:

• A process to support both curriculum changes and instructional improvement.

• A process which is manageable for elementary teachers who are impacted by changes in many instructional areas.

• A method for equitable distribution of funding for materials, staff, curriculum work, and professional development.

The need for a curriculum review cycle is clear, as outlined above.  Exactly which areas of the curriculum are examined during a review are listed below:

• Mathematics

• Science, Technology and Engineering

• Visual and Performing Arts

• Social Studies

• English, Language Arts, English Language Learning, and Reading

• Physical Education, Health, and Family and Consumer Sciences

• World Language

The actual implementation of the curriculum review process is overseen by a Program Administrator, a Program Director, or at the K-5 level a Curriculum Coordinator, who is responsible for managing the review cycle within their content area.  Each curriculum content area has a Curriculum Steering Committee whose membership includes representatives of each school building. Membership includes both teachers and administrators.  The Program Administrator, Program Director, and/or Curriculum Coordinators (or teacher), serve as co-chairs of each steering committee.

The curriculum review cycle generally encompasses a four year span of time. Within the four year span specific steps are taken by the steering committee, in reviewing curriculum, instruction and assessment. This process involves four phases, Introduction, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.  During each phase there are several steps that the committee must undertake to complete the review cycle.

Here in Bedford, we’ve outlined which department will enter the curriculum review process by participating in Phase I.  This  year, as we begin this cycle, we will begin with mathematics.  The mathematics steering committee will be co-chaired by our two math leaders in the district, Anne Pumphrey, K-5 mathematics curriculum coordinator, and Patrick Morrisey, 6-12 mathematics program administrator.  

It's very exciting to begin this important process in Bedford. Learning about best practices and innovative curriculum, assessment, and instructional practices as educators, is vital to creating the best learning environment for all our students.

Tricia Clifford, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent

 Monday, January 3, 2022

Superintendent’s Blog

Bedford Public Schools

Acceleration Road Map at Mid Year

It’s that time of year, when we can take stock not only of the past calendar year, but also where we are at the mid-year point of the school year.  While we are still trying to navigate the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, we continue our efforts to focus on student learning.  

Last May, almost at the close of the 2020-21 school year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education published Acceleration Roadmaps for Teachers and Administrators.  These “Roadmaps” were intended to help educators prepare and to address the varied needs of students as we began to bring all students back into the classroom, after different models of teaching and learning, i.e. hybrid, all remote, all in-person, etc., were implemented during the 2020-21 school year.  The following provides a broad outline as to where we are in Bedford in relation to the three priorities included in both the Teacher and Administrator Acceleration Roadmaps:

Priority 1:  Foster a sense of belonging and partnership among students and families

• Focusing on student attendance, and ensuring that we are watching carefully to see that students are attending school regularly, and that if students or families need assistance with attendance we provide outreach and support.  

• In December we sent out a survey to families to gauge student engagement at JGMS and BHS in regards to school based activities.  We will be analyzing the data to understand how students experience inclusion within our activities both academic and athletic.  This will help us understand how we can be more inclusive and more effective in including opportunities for all students to participate.

• Our Bedford District Improvement Plan, for 2021-2024, outlines specifically, three areas that pertain to fostering a sense of belonging and partnership among students and families, they include a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, a strong focus on student-centered curriculum instruction and assessment, and continuing to implement programs and a focus on social-emotional learning.  This plan with strategic details embedded, will continue to provide a clear focus and steps for us as a district not only for this year, but for the next few years.

• We continue to implement many different forms of communication with families, from weekly updates from the superintendent's office, to individual school updates.  The utilization of webinars and virtual platforms like zoom continue to help us communicate with families.  We also continue to focus on making sure that all families can access information vital to understanding what is happening at our schools, this includes providing information in many different languages, and also meeting with families in a variety of formats.

• Social emotional learning is pivotal as we continue to address the needs of our students.  This year in particular,  we are focusing on professional development in March for teachers at the elementary level on the Responsive Classroom program, which will help us to broaden and reinforce our understanding of creating classrooms where students are engaged and feel supported.  At the middle level, we continue in year two of our implementation of the RULER program to help students understand how they are feeling, and how to help facilitate those emotions with strategies on regulation and agency.  At the high school, with the implementation of the Advisory program, we aim to connect with students in small groups, where conversations can happen organically and in a supportive environment.

Priority 2:  Continuously monitor students’ understanding

• A major focus within our district during the past three years has been the implementation of the Data Wise process.  By developing and carefully implementing a data system within the district, during the 2019-2020 school year, we were poised to really be able to capture where students were when they entered our schools in September 2020, and again in September of 2021. With the use of assessment calendars in all four buildings, we were able to assess students’ understanding mainly in reading, writing, and mathematics.  We utilized screening tools, to understand the skills of students, and attained concepts.  By analyzing the data as grade level teams, departments and schools, we’ve implemented tiered interventions (RtI) at all levels.  We continue to assess student progress, and will shortly be involved in the second round of “data sweeps” this month, and again at the end of the year, as we did in September. 

• This year at the elementary level in particular, we developed a “Data Dashboard”. Which was a quick snapshot of a student's skills at the beginning of the year in literacy.  We were able to share this with families at parent/teacher conferences. The objective was to share important information with families, to assess where students are with their learning, and to discuss strategies to help students grow in the coming months.

Priority 3:  Ensure strong grade-appropriate instruction with just-in-time scaffolds when they are needed

• While last year was challenging, it provided us with a deeper understanding of the importance of implementing standards comprehensively throughout the year-especially in the area of mathematics, where the scope and sequence of concepts and skills is crucial to the building blocks of mathematical understanding.  Much focus is happening throughout the district on providing formative assessments, especially in mathematics, to make sure that students have the understanding they need, before moving on to the next standard.

• In November our K-5 teachers were able to participate in Reading professional Development with trainers from Columbia Teachers College.  This professional development provided the teachers with the time, and expert knowledge to reinforce all that they’ve been doing while implementing the Units of Study for Reading, at the K-5 level.

• The department work within the 6-12 continues, and has been refined by the MCAS analysis we were able to do in September.  This work yielded important data for us, and provided us with a roadmap of our own in Bedford in relation to how our students are doing on the state standards in ELA, Math, and Science. 

• Our instructional practices have also been altered and have strongly been focused on student centered teaching and learning.  Instead of the more traditional teacher-directed approach to instruction, we’ve been working on creating more small group instruction, more time for teachers to engage with students in small groups or individually to check for understanding.  This happens within the reading, writing and math workshop approaches.  This also enables teachers to differentiate their instruction, and for students to display to their teacher their level of understanding in “real-time”.

• Our focus within our observational work as administrators within the district, has been on understanding and working with teachers on objectives. Clear objectives, guide both the teacher and students, in what students should know and be able to do, as the result of a well crafted lesson.  This has always been important work, and through professional development as a an administrative team, we’re working with a consultant from Research for Better Teacher (RBT), which is also the group that we consult with for our Studying Skillful Teacher course, along with a Differentiation class we offer to all of our faculty members during the summer.

While the Acceleration Roadmaps for Teachers and Administrators, published by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in spring 2021,  provided important suggestions and guidance for schools in Massachusetts, we were fortunate in many ways in Bedford to already have many processes in place.   

The ongoing focus in Bedford on student learning during the pandemic, as outlined above, is to continue  to make sure that students are receiving what they need in terms of their ability to attend school regularly, understand the curriculum, and also gauge their level of learning through formative assessments and when needed, provide scaffolds.  This is all possible, because of the support that the Bedford community has provided during the past few years.  The families, the school committee, faculty/staff, and administrators, along with the resilient students, have positioned us to continue to hold teaching and learning at the very forefront of the work that we do in the Bedford Public Schools.

Tricia Clifford, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent

Superintendent's Blog

June 16, 2021

BPS Literacy Plan Update

Tricia Clifford, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Schools

What a year!  So much has happened in each of our four schools in Bedford, and with each new change, or transition, staff/faculty, parents and students have all been flexible and have done their best to focus on teaching and learning.  I’ve written about the Bedford Public Schools Literacy Plan in the past on this blog, and it’s been discussed at school committee meetings, and within each of the faculty meetings at the schools.  The BPS Literacy Plan was a joint effort among educators throughout the district in the spring of 2020.  It was implemented in the fall of 2020, and now at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, I can provide an update on where we are with the five goals, and the action steps outlined under each of the goals.

Just to review, there are five goals within the Literacy Plan.  Also, there is a Literacy Committee, with membership from each of the schools that meets with me every six weeks.  The purpose of this committee and the bi-monthly meetings, is to check in on where we are with the progress of the action steps, and to also listen, support and problem solve as a committee, all things literacy related.  The five goals that make up the Literacy Plan are as follows:

Goal 1:  Vision/Leadership/Communication

Goal 2:  Assessment

Goal 3:  Intervention Process

Goal 4:  Core curriculum and Instruction

Goal 5:  Professional Development/Coaching

As I stated, each of the goals has a number of action steps outlined that address the goal.  Each of the action steps is generally labeled with being addressed/completed during year 1, 2, or 3 of the plan’s lifespan.  Some of the goals are to be implemented during all three years, while many of them are outlined specifically to be completed in year 1 or 2, etc.  As I reviewed my notes before beginning to write this update, I was impressed with how many of the action steps that were outlined for year 1 of the plan were completed, and how many action steps outlined for year 2 were also completed-during a pandemic, during hybrid learning...kudos to the faculty/staff, students, and families!

Goal 1:  Vision/Leadership/Communication.  An important action step under this goal was to make sure that the Literacy Plan was embedded in School Improvement Plans throughout the district.  This yielded action steps being embedded in what each school did this year, which added consistency and importance to the plan.  We also were able to make sure that funding for programs, including Units of Study for Reading and Writing were supported.  That Fundations (phonics instruction) training will take place, and be implemented with fidelity at the elementary level.  Also that, Orton Gillingham, which is a specialized way to teach reading was provided and that special needs teachers were trained in this approach.  We also have leveraged the expertise of our Literacy Specialists by creating schedules at the elementary level that allow them to work as interventionists at all grade levels, focusing on tiered intervention for students in relation to reading and writing needs. We are also participating in a specially designed workshop for teachers on  “Differentiation” at the end of June from Research for Better Teaching.  This training will help teachers plan and implement lessons and classroom structures that address the different learning needs, and instructional practices that students will need returning from a year of learning during the pandemic.  

Goal 2:  Assessment, We’ve implemented the Data Wise process for the second year.  During the first year of implementing the Data Wise process (as I’ve outlined in this blog previously) the curriculum and administrative leadership group learned about how to use data to inform instruction.  This past year, the actual work of implementing assessments in reading, writing, math, and science was utilized in what we call “assessment sweeps”, where students take assessments, and then we have data meetings where we discuss and analyze the data-and then implement interventions to address student needs.  This process happens regularly at least twice a year, and in some cases three times a year.  

Goal 3:  Intervention Processes.  Within this goal we’ve really been able to examine the RtI (Response to Intervention) structure, looking closely at how we use our faculty/staff to meet student needs, whether in small groups, or one on one, or “push in” to classrooms.  We also made changes to our middle school ELA program, specifically in sixth grade, going from one ELA class for students, to a reading class and a writing class, doubling instructional time at that level on reading and writing.  We also were able to begin to take assessment data and work on ways we can help teachers understand where their students are based on assessment reports.  Also, we are examining ways to share this information with families at parent/teacher conferences during the 2021-2022 school year.

Goal 4:  Core Curriculum and Instruction.  Within this goal we were able to implement at the elementary level strong fidelity to our reading and writing curriculum.  To also potentially implement more training on our phonics program, “Fundations”.  We also have worked on common assessments for writing at the 6-12 level, and at BHS we started the process for school-wide curriculum development and revision of the curriculum, which will be a three year process.  

Goal 5:  Professional Development/Coaching.  This year while so much was new, we were able to implement a lot of newly acquired instructional strategies, which was amazing.  We were able to continue to provide professional development based on individual teacher needs.  A great deal of time was invested in professional development related to “Data Literacy”, learning how to use data to inform instruction, which will continue.  We also, as I stated previously, will  be participating in a workshop for teachers spanning three days in June on “Differentiation” which will help teachers address the various needs of their students, and help to reinforce the workshop model for reading and writing that we are utilizing in several of the grades throughout the district.

This is just a quick update and review of the impact that the BPS Literacy Plan has had within the district during the past year.  As I stated, we were, surprisingly, able to implement many of the year 1 action steps, and year 2 action steps this past year.  We will continue to meet as a Literacy Committee every other month during the 2021-2022 school year, keeping our eyes on the action steps we’ve implemented, and those that we need to implement in the next few years.  As always, thank you to the Bedford families, students and faculty/staff for their continued support and work.

Sincerely

Tricia Clifford, Ed. D.

Assistant Superintendent