The following “Community Update” was submitted for publication by the Wilton Board of Education. It is signed by the Board of Education members: Deborah Low (chair), Glenn Hemmerle, Jen Lalor, Ruth DeLuca, Mandi Schmauch, and Laura Schwemm.
A warm welcome to the new school year! It is incredibly wonderful and exciting to be back in person full time. The positive energetic spirit from teachers, students, and families provides a great start to the year.
We thank Superintendent [Kevin] Smith, district staff, principals, and the facilities team for their extensive preparation this summer to ensure a smooth and safe opening. We recognize our outstanding faculty as they return to the classrooms and we welcome more than 30 new faculty members (the top 6% out of over 500 applicants). We welcome families and students new to Wilton — you made a great choice! And we celebrate the return of our engaged, motivated, talented, and resilient students.
We have several projects to address this year. None are more important or immediate than addressing unfinished learning and returning to normal rates of academic growth.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the changes to classroom structures necessitated by COVID slowed learning progress across the country. National data show there was academic growth, but not at the usual pace. The national data show that, in general, progress was more impacted in math than reading and more impacted at the lower grade levels.
Our Wilton data reflect the national pattern. It is important to remember that our starting points are above national averages. From those higher starting points, we definitely showed positive growth. However, our growth was not at our usual Wilton rate.
Academic progress, as measured by the MAP test scores, shows learning growth. Students made progress; students did not regress. However, the learning gains were not at our usual Wilton levels.
What are we doing about the slower growth last year — the unfinished learning? Superintendent Smith, curriculum leaders, and teachers are leading with a model referred to as “accelerated learning.” Students will engage in grade-level work and they will be provided specific support strategies as needed to compensate for unfinished learning from the year before. This prevents students from falling further behind. As a simplistic example, third-grade students would lose ground if they spend two months reviewing second-grade material. The accelerated learning model avoids that pitfall.
How does accelerated learning work? Instead of reviewing and re-teaching everything that might have been missed or not completely mastered on a topic from last year, teachers will focus on very particular, specific concepts to review so that students can understand the current material and tasks. By assessing students regularly and often, teachers can determine which students need review about which specific skills and concepts related to the new upcoming material. In addition, teachers will provide support or “scaffolds” that help students get over the pieces of missing material in order to get on with the larger task at hand.
Is this model difficult to implement? Accelerated learning requires team effort to support teachers and students in classrooms. Curriculum leaders are doing the technical work of identifying specific background concepts needed for the new topics as they are introduced. Curriculum leaders and teachers are regularly analyzing assessment data for each student. The subject-area teacher coaches are providing guidance and models for scaffold strategies for grade-level tasks. Accelerated learning will be bolstered by subject-area interventionists working in classrooms with students as needed. Using federal funds, the district has hired several additional part-time interventionists. Accelerated learning requires time and principals are ensuring uninterrupted instructional time is a top priority. Accelerated learning requires reasonable class sizes so our elementary class sizes this year are at the lower end of our normal range.
We are fortunate to have the school resources to make accelerated learning work. In addition, as with all success in the Wilton schools, accelerated learning depends on family partnership. We encourage parents to learn more about the model from the principals and teachers and perhaps watch the Wilton Youth Council/SEPTA webinar or detailed BOE workshop BOE Workshop (Sept. 2, 2021). We encourage families to discuss their children’s needs with the teachers and learn more about how to support students at home. In addition, if families have questions or feedback, please email Superintendent Smith, Assistant Superintendent Charles Smith, or the Board.
This is a big task ahead and there will undoubtedly be some ups and downs. However, our strong district leadership, our world-class faculty and staff, our motivated students, and our involved families proved last year during the worst of COVID that our district can successfully meet big challenges. We are off to a great start this year.
Thank you for this important update and also for everything you’re doing to help our young people learn – well done!
I think it’s important to know that National education reports are providing facts that all kids have lost out at least 6-9 months of education with those in lower resourced settings impacted more significantly. By the district spinning a narrative to “did not regress” is ridiculous. They are STILL 6-9 BEHIND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. Characterizing this as anything but ‘loss’ is disingenuous and absurd. I don’t want a PR spin from my district leaders, I want facts, plans, programs and proactive thinking to re-engage kids in learning so they can get back on track.