May 10, 2013
After a thoughtful and lengthy discussion, the Writing Adoption Committee recommended Lucy Calkins Units of Study as the district adopted writing curriculum. In addition, the Committee voted to support the recommendation of the handwriting sub-committee and move Handwriting Without Tears forward as the recommended writing curriculum.
March 14, 2013
During the March 14th meeting of the Writing Adoption Committee, Word Work/Spelling was the focus of conversation. Teachers discussed current research on the topic and unanimously agreed to move forward with Fountas and Pinnell as the framework for word work/spelling at the primary level.
Teachers then considered various resources for word work at the intermediate level. Alignment to Common Core and ISD practices was in the forefront of the discussion. In the end, the committee voted to develop an ISD model that will meet the needs of all constituents.
January 17, 2013
Representatives from the writing curricula being considered for adoption made presentations at the January meeting of the Writing Materials Adoption Committee. The members processed this information and using a consensus model, narrowed the potential programs to two. Teachers on the Committee are now in the process of field testing Writing Fundamentals.
December 11, 2012
December 11, 2012 marked the third meeting of the Writing Materials Adoption Committee. Members continued the task of screening curriculum for alignment to Common Core State Standards and the ISD writing model, in addition to noting overall quality of materials. The Committee is continuing to narrow the selection so the strongest curriculum moves forward for field testing.
November 15, 2012
The Writing Materials Adoption Committee began the diligent task of screening writing programs for alignment to Common Core State Standards and the Issaquah School District's Balanced Writing Model. During this meeting, programs under consideration were vetted at each grade level, kindergarten through fifth grade, to ensure writing standards were met. At the end of this process one program was eliminated due to lack of alignment. This work will continue at the December meeting.
September 27, 2012
The Elementary Writing Adoption Committee convened on September 27, 2012 for their first meeting. The committee is comprised of a K-5 teacher from each school, and representative specialists. These educators reviewed their charter and goals, agreed to group norms and developed a percentage based definition for group consensus. To arrive at a common understanding of best practices, teachers read and discussed a variety of materials from researchers and leaders in the field of writing. They also reviewed Common Core State Standards, the ISD Writing Scope and Sequence and ISD parent survey results to understand the implications for the work ahead.