COLD SPRING HARBOR CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 October 9, 2018 Cold Spring Harbor Central School District The 2017-2018 school year was one in which we created a variety of new learning experiences for our students, all behind the efforts of Cold Spring Harbor teachers and leaders to prepare them for the future. Following the vision driving the district’s board of education goals, all teachers and leaders continued to build an awareness of the Next Generation Learning Standards through a diverse professional development workshops offered by staff developers from around the country and members of the Cold Spring Harbor faculty. Professional development occurred in numerous content areas such as English Language Arts, math, social studies, science, and technology. Teachers also received professional learning in the revised New York State Standards for the Arts. These efforts continue to support many goals including the district’s work in building authentic research experiences for all students in kindergarten through graduation. In addition, our Science Research Program continued to flourish and its expansion provided students with practical experiences and even an opportunity to highlight their work at the Science Research Symposium at the high school, a true example of providing students with opportunities to share high level research with their peers and the community. While there are many highlights to the school year in relation to the district’s goals in the area of technology, the Creative Learning Labs assembled at the two elementary buildings provided students, teachers, and even parents the chance to experience a truly redefined classroom. Designed by teachers and leaders, these state-of-the-art spaces outfitted with flexible furniture, afforded students with the ability to experience enhanced and differentiated learning environments. As these new spaces became the footprint for classrooms of the future in Cold Spring Harbor, this most collaborative effort, was a sign of teamwork across all content areas and grade levels. Over the course of the year, wellness of all students continued to be a focus for the district. Social-emotional learning opportunities grew and building student connectedness remained a priority throughout all buildings. In addition, Cold Spring Harbor continued to examine the K-12 SEL curriculum in an effort to augment and expand the program for the future. In each building, Cold Spring Harbor students had the ability to participate in a variety of initiatives that support the culture of the school and the well-being of its students including peer mentoring programs, character awards, and a focus on themes relating to social-emotional learning to name a few. As we look back on the 2017-2018 school year, we are reminded of the depth and breadth of the many K-12 experiences Cold Spring Harbor students shared. 1 | P a g e Section I. 2017-2018 District Goals Update 1. Instructional To examine and further develop our current K-12 curricula to ensure cohesive instruction aligned with Next Generation English Language Arts and Mathematics Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Social Studies C- 3 Framework. To develop a K-12 research and writing continuum to ensure that all students are engaging in thoughtful and original research at all levels. To further enhance our Science Research program to provide interested students with the opportunity to engage in high level research and compete in national science competitions (Siemens, Regeneron, etc.). To examine our current Junior High School program to determine if the structure of the time and support for our early adolescent students represents an optimal design. 2. Technology To implement Creative Learning Labs in all elementary schools to support student learning, collaboration, critical thinking and research. To expand our emphasis on the thoughtful use of technology, including the establishment of the position of Executive Director of Instructional and Administrative Technology, to support student-centered learning, small group instruction, and inquiry-based research for students at all grade levels. 3. Professional Development To provide continuous and comprehensive support and professional learning through the implementation of a four-year Mentoring Program for teachers new to Cold Spring Harbor. 4. Health/Wellness/Safety To maximize the impact of our social and emotional programs, as well as that of the efforts of our staff, including a newly added psychologist at the Junior High Level, to promote healthy and safe decisions of our students. To implement the Too Good for Drugs into the Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) in grades 8 and 9 as a means of addressing the issues of drug and alcohol use. 2 | P a g e 5. Facilities To revisit and review the next steps to improve our facilities to address academic, physical education, and wellness programs as well as the areas of security of energy efficiency. 6. Finance To continue to navigate the impact of the tax cap and recent developments in the changes to state aid formulas to ensure the financial health of the district in the long-term. 3 | P a g e Section II. The Schools A. Goosehill Primary – Lynn Herschlein, Principal Enrollment at Goosehill Primary School for the 2017-18 school year was 216 students, with five sections of kindergarten and five sections of first grade. 2017-18 School-Wide Focus - The School Improvement Team led the school community in an extension of last year’s effort to promote respect for all people with the establishment of a school-wide theme of Kindness. While the 2016-17 school year theme emphasized respect for diversity, the 2017-18 school year broadened and simplified the effort by focusing on kindness in all contexts. The GPFA supported our efforts by arranging a kick-off assembly in the fall entitled “ForceField for Good.” The program, presented by renowned literacy and SEL expert Barry Lane, included songs and stories about kindness and the importance of standing up for what is right. As a school-wide follow-up, the children created links on which they wrote about their own acts of kindness, resulting in a chain of paper links encircling the school’s halls. Each month at our Spirit Day Assemblies, acts of kindness were shared and celebrated. Children wrote and performed skits about kindness, sang songs, recited poems, and shared stories about the kind acts of people around the world. Kindness was promoted through children’s literature, morning announcements, Game Days, and culminated in an institute in April called Kindness Day when members of our community offered workshops for students. In one workshop, deaf/hearing impaired students from Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf taught Goosehill students about sign language, the challenges they face living in a hearing world, and the importance of showing respect to people with disabilities. Our own High School Students conducted a workshop about respecting the differences among one’s peers and being confident in oneself. Cold Spring Harbor High School Varsity athletes also conducted a workshop focused on showing good sportsmanship and kindness on the playing field. Two workshops focused on respect and kindness towards people of different cultures. Four workshops emphasized being kind to one’s own body and mind, such as through exercise, Tae Kwon Do, healthy eating, yoga and mindfulness. Additional workshops focused on showing kindness to the Earth including respecting and caring for animals, recycling and conserving resources, and gardening to beautify one’s surroundings. Following the institute day, the children wrote thank you notes to all presenters, sharing what they’d learned and expressing appreciation for a terrific learning experience. Reading and Writing Workshops - Teachers continued their work with a literacy consultant during the fall. Their focus was on the creation of teacher toolkits designed to support the delivery of targeted guided reading instruction. Teacher teams analyzed guided reading texts, determined instructional objectives, and planned vocabulary and comprehension questions for use in their work with students. Special Education and 4 | P a g e Academic Intervention Service providers worked with a consultant to refine their use of the updated Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark assessment which has a more rigorous comprehension component. Teachers learned best practices for using the data gleaned from the assessment to inform instruction, especially targeting higher level comprehension strategies. Students were engaged on a daily basis through reading and writing mini-lessons, shared, interactive, and independent reading and writing experiences. Teacher lessons focused on increasing student stamina and the development of higher order thinking strategies. In reading workshop, students learned to make inferences, determine the importance of facts, and provide evidence for their thinking. In writing workshop, students wrote extensively, generating narrative, informational, persuasive, and procedural texts. They also conducted research and shared their learning using technology applications such as Flipgrid, SeeSaw, and Book Creator. Teachers continued to use Fundations, a multi-sensory word study program designed to teach students phonics patterns and rules in order to support the development of decoding and encoding skills. Ongoing assessment practices ensure that students master foundational skills so that they develop fluency and