Hello from the Wessington Springs Schools. It is March already and as always there is a lot going on. Two weeks ago our Juniors took the ACT assessment. As explained in an earlier column this is a different requirement from the South Dakota Department of Education for state testing. It was a good day and the Juniors worked hard on the assessment. Results will not be available for 6-8 weeks. The next set of state testing for our students will be for grades 3-8 taking the Smarter Balanced testing. Teachers are working hard to prepare students for this testing that will take place in April.
On March 6, the staff had a half day of inservice. The in-service was our 5th session of Explicit Instruction. These sessions were very valuable in giving staff the knowledge and tools to effectively work with students in their classrooms.
At the elementary school the staff are performing WIN time to help students. Below is a paragraph about WIN time from elementary principal, Becky Fjerstad: At Wessington Springs Elementary School, we have implemented a dedicated WIN (What I Need) Time to ensure that every student receives targeted support and enrichment. During this daily small-group block, instruction is intentionally differentiated to meet the specific academic needs of each learner—whether that means extra support, skill reinforcement, or enrichment opportunities. Teachers use ongoing assessment data to guide instruction and meet quarterly to review student progress, adjust groups, and refine strategies. WIN Time reflects our commitment to providing responsive, student-centered learning experiences that help every child grow and succeed. Both students and staff enjoy WIN time at our school and believe it is making a positive impact.
Staff at all of our schools do many things to help students and the WIN time at the elementary school is a great strategy being used to work with our students.
The staff of all the schools are also doing a math curriculum review. Doing a curriculum review is an extensive process. Teachers must go through sample curriculums to ensure the standards match what needs to be taught, includes necessary activities and curriculum will be best for our students. Within the next month we hope to have chosen a math curriculum that we will use next school year.
The next two months will be busy and will go very fast. We are looking forward to a great last quarter of the school year. If anyone has any questions about anything please contact the school and I will do my best to answer any questions.