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Swan Valley School has a strong commitment to provide nurturing, supportive, and enriching learning experiences for all students. All staff are committed to provide guidance and support for all students in all settings that will enhance their learning and provide students with skills necessary to be successful in all areas of their lives including accountability, responsibility, respect of others, safety, and to feel connected to the world around them.
One great partnership that formed during the 2024-2025 school year was the Volunteer Program created by Diane Kennedy in conjunction with the group known as the Walking Women, Amazing 41, and finally SMAAART Group (Swan-Mission Academic Art Athletic Resource Team). Working with the volunteers throughout the year was harmonious, supportive, and delightful while sharing their experiences working with the students or providing support for the staff/students. As a retired school educator and administrator, Diane has provided extensive support and encouragement for all of us at SVS in her quiet way. Showing up on the last day of school to help and being a supportive role for activities so that the students could enjoy themselves exhibited her loving support. Once an educator, always an educator can be said for Diane, Sharon Lamar, and Trina Arnold who have all provided their love of teaching students in unique and meaningful ways. Throughout the year, Renee Sanning spearheaded the Library Restoration (Updating) Project and provided pivotal support for our Librarian Erin Lipkind, as well as for Jamie Matthew our 3rd - 5th grade teacher who adopted the role of interim Librarian for weekly needs. Renee has extensive experience and qualifications working in libraries throughout her career, and what she has provided to Swan Valley School has been extraordinary and very much appreciated. Due to her unique abilities, Renee has researched historical information, made connections to retired professionals in our valley, met with community members, and provided information for grant applications for fundraising needs. This is just a few things that she has provided to our small school. Renee has also provided training and guidance for volunteers such as Gwen Feese and Kirsten Russell who have helped in our library throughout the year. What began as an apprehensive ideology became something stronger through trust, building relationships, and observable and profound care for our students, staff, and school community. Communities remain intact and stronger throughout the test of time by active engagement, vision, and commitment to providing a preservation of significant presence. I will be looking for ways to provide community involvement in the upcoming school year. Here is one resource I’m using to help guide me in a more creative and sustainable way to formulate some fun, engaging, and meaningful community events. Community Partnerships | Edutopia Thank you to all of the volunteers who continue to show up and support Swan Valley School! Without you, our community would not be as amazing as it is. Many Blessings, Angela Mock Swan Valley Principal
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Data collection is an important part of the education system as it is intended to provide valuable information for educators, administrators, and curriculum coaches. Educators use the data in various ways to enhance, support, and improve their instruction. Different types of data are used and completed throughout the year in order to provide specific and meaningful information depending on the desired data collected.
For instance, at Swan Valley Schools in 2023-2024 students were assessed using MAPS testing, Dibels, Core Phonics Survey screener, Smarter Balance, and Aimsweb Plus. These assessments provide different information based on the designated content area being assessed. We assess for math preparedness and ability focusing on Content and Application, Numeracy proficiency, and Fact Fluency knowledge, and different composite modules that comprise of the Math Composite score presented on reports. English Language Arts includes Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Letter Naming Fluency, Segmentation, Nonsense-Word Reading, and Oral Reading Fluency to have an accurate composite score. Based on the assessments of the previous year, in 2024-2025 students were assessed using Aimsweb Plus, Core Phonics Survey, Dibels, and Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year (MAST). This data was specifically used to determine school-wide goals and instructional impact.This information is different from what is provided on Office of Public Instruction (OPI) state report card information and should not be interpreted as the general performance of students at SVS. What these indicators provide us with is individual student progress in areas that are necessary in order for students to be successful in math, reading, language arts, etc. and how they will be able to build their knowledge with new content as it is provided. It also provides us detailed content specific information that can be used to determine areas of need for further instruction, explicit interventions, and when a student may need additional support or encouragement to perform at a higher level. Parents see the importance of data collection when it is presented in a way that is equated to their students’ learning, however, this can be misinterpreted without a narrative or explanation provided to bridge the gap between the assessment results and their students’ grade or report card performance rating. One struggle as a school administrator is how to share this assessment information with parents so that it can be processed in the manner in which it is intended. All assessments are glimpses or “snapshots” of what a students’ ability is. They are also determined by various factors that can change the overall performance of a student based on their motivation, attention, distractibility, mental or physical fatigue, emotional state at the time of testing, the time of day the testing occurs, and if the student was present for all instruction of the content being assessed. National norms are used to provide baseline information as a guideline that sets specific demographic parameters that are easier to track over time. When comparing students in the same grade for instance, students should be receiving the same content instruction as the Common Core State Standards helped create consistency and expectation of grade-level proficiency across the country. Therefore, understanding how to correctly interpret the data is essential in understanding the overall performance or composite score. One additional factor to consider is that all tests use a different scoring technique that is unique to that assessment. There is not one scoring rating that exists to help isolate and determine score outcomes across multiple assessments. What is helpful in determining where your child(ren) is performing, is to isolate content specific areas that can be dissected to skills within the content area, such as literacy based screeners. The Core Phonic Survey screener breaks the literacy knowledge into isolated skills when reading letter names, sounds, CVC words, long-vowel spellings, R-controlled vowels, Variant Vowels, and multisyllabic words. This can help guide specific practice and intervention materials appropriate for individualized student instruction. There is no “right” way or “wrong” way of providing students of all ages with opportunities to learn, practice, or use information they’ve been taught. There are more effective strategies that are proven to provide higher results, and there are strategies that work for different students that do not work for other students. All assessments should be given to provide information on instructional relevance and allow for teachers to perfect and refine their instructional impact accordingly. One report card per year cannot adequately share and exhibit a students’ overall performance and knowledge. Here is a resource that may help as well: https://www.montanapta.org/uploads/1/2/4/1/124113056/montana-assessment-guide-2016.pdf Many Blessings, Angela Mock Swan Valley Principal Summertime is often the time when families relax routines and change
expectations for getting up in the morning or going to bed at night. These routines become sidelined because of the change in daylight hours or activities taking place. In my house, it was a time when we could stay up later, watch movies, do some star gazing, or play games. Now that school has started, there is a sense of calm due to the established routines being back in place.At the end of the summer prior to school starting, my kids usually were thankful to have their routines back in place, even if it meant going to bed earlier. School dictates what time to get up, especially for those individuals who struggle for a while in the mornings to wake up and to be able to engage in the day at their optimum. Some individuals need some time to become fully awake, maybe eat, have some juice/coffee/tea, or exercise. Other times it could be that the alarm goes off and the person is immediately awake and functioning within their routine with enthusiasm. Sometimes this looks like a student needing some quiet time, individual paced work time, or perhaps music playing softly in the background as they are working on academic tasks. Others need conversations and engagement with others in order for their brains to become active and help them become successful in their day. I wake up daily by engaging my brain with different games of solitaire. This creates some problem solving and thinking ahead situations for my brain to focus on that initiates my daily thought processes and decision-making for the day. In the classroom, routines help establish order in place of confusion and chaos, time efficiency, and a sense of achievement throughout the day. Accreditation requirements establish the length of a day schools must meet in order to fulfill academic requirements, but teachers organize the day accordingly to provide ample time for instruction, self-care, and developmentally appropriate breaks that support students. Having established routines at home supports student social-emotional well being that transfers to the classroom as well. Providing anticipatory guidance and expectations is a benefit to children of all ages that has little to do with rewards or discipline. It helps them feel safe, secure, and successful when they are acting within the boundary of the set routine and expectation. This time of year can be challenging for students who require more sleep for optimal learning and brain development because it’s light later than suggested bedtimes. However, with a simple change in window coverings to blackout solutions, having a routine that allows relaxation and calming, or providing processing time can help transition from daily activity to bedtime easily. Reading is a great bedtime routine that can be a time for parents to connect with their child(ren) or as a coveted time to relax. Here is an article supporting the importance of establishing routines: https://zerotothrive.org/routines-for-kids/ I think back to my own educational experience and can specifically name individual students/peers that were in my classes, grades, or schools who had visible physical disabilities that included down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and blindness from about 3rd grade up through high school. They helped me learn acceptance and to look past the disability-to get to know the person they were.
In the educational setting, any students struggling to learn, retain, and access new information to use it again and again can fall behind their peers. There are “norms” formulated by percentiles and IQ scores that guide educators and school psychologists to help identify students who are flagged in certain areas that fall outside of the generalized norm scores. Therefore, student scores on academic achievement assessments are used to further identify key areas of need for specialized instruction to allow the student to continue to make academic progress. This is what Special Education is for. Supportive Services are designed for each student to achieve their best success in any areas they need support in. The issue with learning at a different rate and ability level is that the type of information may be more difficult to learn and then access and apply, if only given a limited amount of exposure time to learn it. It is my opinion (by my personal experience), that many students are being evaluated for academic needs/deficiencies in 4th-5th grades, when in all actuality, if they had received ample time to learn and practice the new information earlier in their education-Kindergarten thru 2nd grades, there would not be a need for specialized instruction later on. This is usually the student who is found to be eligible for Special Education under a Specific Learning Disability, which is the umbrella term for most reading, dyslexia, audio/visual processing, math, etc. areas of learning that require longer exposure with systematic instruction for retention and access later on. A lot of current curriculum used to guide instruction is pushing for a five-day instruction plan (not to be confused with a 5-day school week), which in a lot of ways contradicts brain-based learning and development. This knowledge is guiding many districts to extend to a 7-10 day instructional model, in order to provide ample opportunities to learn and practice new information, especially in English/Language Arts skills development. Now, this isn’t to say that there aren’t very specific disabilities that become immobilizing for a students’ academic success. Cognitive (brain) function and ability, neurological development, autism spectrum disorder, and many other disabilities have significant impact on student learning. When identified as having a disability that falls within one of the 13 categories in Montana, each student requires a unique and individualized education plan (IEP) that helps identify key components that parents/guardians need to know about how their student is being educated. This can and should look differently for each student, as it is individualized. What I have been able to perfect through my 17 years as a Special Education teacher is how to identify student needs and create unique ways in which to provide individualized instruction and practice opportunities. One aspect that I am good at is differentiating instruction (changing it to provide better access, repetition, or independent practice). For instance, following directions can be auditory (verbal) or visual. Step-by-step instruction can be provided through simple words/sentences or photographs/diagrams. Depending on the outcome objective, this will change for each student and progress from the most basic level of instruction to the most challenging format/model the student can achieve independently. The best thing about being surrounded by individuals with identified ability needs is that they often don’t realize they have a disability by societal standards. One of the most incredible aspects of our world is that people of all ages, backgrounds, experiences, and abilities create the world we live in today. This includes all abilities, which I see instead of only disabilities. It’s time that the negative connotation is changed to be supportive and accepting of individuals who have different learning needs. For further information and guidance about Special Education in Montana, visit https://opi.mt.gov/Educators/School-Climate-Student-Wellness/Special-Education. Thinking back to my childhood and what made it enjoyable, I recall one thing in particular while traveling. Singing songs like "There's a Hole in my Bucket, Dear Liza," or "The Green Grass Grows All Around'', or any other silly children's song, or playing games. My mom and I traveled a lot, mostly road trips around the northwest, and all by vehicle. This allowed for a lot of game time. I passed these same games down to my kids and even to my students! They are great memory exercises, attention keepers, focused listening/responding, and most of all-fun!
Traveling with babies, toddlers, children, pre-teens, and teenagers (and even some adults) can be challenging. Making it fun and enjoyable can create some lighthearted laughs and memories that can become traditions. Happy Memory Making! The "Summer slump" refers to the degree a student regresses in academic
ability according to the end of year assessments, determining where a student is performing in areas such as reading and listening comprehension, vocabulary, oral reading fluency, concepts and applications, and numeracy knowledge. Specific areas of assessment focus can differ between schools, depending on the annual academic goals. When students return in the fall, schools perform assessments in the same areas of academic performance within the first 4 weeks of school. The scores are compared to the previous scores (spring assessment scores) and any regression of skills is noted, along with how much time it takes the student to reach the same level of academic performance previously noted. This is also used to determine if a student requires Extended School Year services through Special Education. The fall assessment results and findings are used to determine specific groups for intervention purposes, general education content area educational groups, and to create beginning of the year data scores points to help guide instruction and remediation as the year progresses. Ways to combat "Summer Slump" for reading: ask the child to read aloud rather than silently; require a certain level of time that is read (for instance, 3rd grade - 5th grade it is recommended that children read 20-30 minutes), or create a summer reading goal. Offer incentives to read and to reach the reading goal to help. Make it a shared time: you read the left page, they read the right; they read the wording and you read the dialogue; take turns reading sentence by sentence or paragraph by paragraph. If the child mispronounces, just correct the word and allow them to repeat it correctly and continue on. Go to the local library and talk to the librarian (Ms. Kauffman is ready to help), and get her recommendations. Read anything the child wants to read...this is where it can be fun! https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/raise-a-reader-blog/summer-slide.print.html Tips for preventing 'summer slide' |
Angie MockMrs. Mock has experience teaching and supporting students who demonstrate a wide range of skills and abilities. Being called upon to help manage more challenging behaviors for numerous years, her overall approach to student behavior and discipline is dependent on the student. Archives
August 2025
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