Throughout our JELL journey together, we have worked hard to establish practices that not only focus our instruction on high priority standards, but also allow us to pinpoint where each of our students are in the learning process. Doing this helps us know exactly what each of our students needs in order to continue to learn and grow. We know this has not been an easy task, and we honor the work that each school is doing to move forward in their implementation of these skills.
We also know that some schools have felt like they are in a holding pattern until we know what the new report card looks like and how it fits with the work your teachers have done. While this is certainly important, the work your teachers have done to increase clarity around the standards and how students move through the learning process has been crucial in preparing them for the new reporting tool.
Many of you have expressed interest in piloting the new report card next year. While we are excited for this next step, we are also committed to making sure that we get it right. We anticipate working closely with a small number of schools who truly believe that this is their next step in their journey. In order for this to be successful, it is critical that each pilot school considers the culture of their school, current practices, community factors, and the commitment of their faculty.
For those who believe they are ready to move forward, please read the Next Steps section below. If your school is not there yet, don’t worry. We’ll continue to support you. You should not feel pressure to volunteer to pilot something new. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to your AOS for guidance and support.
Next steps:
- Self-Reflection- Take a moment to review the Learning Scale for Standards Based PLC’s. You do not need to fill it out, but reviewing each step may help you celebrate how far you’ve come and reflect on what work may still need to be done.
- Readiness Assessment- If you feel that piloting the new report card is a clear next step for your school, complete the New Elementary Report Card Readiness Assessment by Mar 1, 2022.
- Communicate with your AOS- Make sure your AOS is aware that you are interested in being a part of the pilot, and that you have completed the readiness assessment.