Pathways

A weekly collection of information, thoughts, reflections, and accolades for the Reading Public Schools Community

January 2, 2020 Volume 7, Number 12

Upcoming Dates • January 2 – Back to School;

(7:00 p.m.) School Committee Meeting in Schettini Library

• January 6 – (7:00 p.m.) School Committee Meeting in the Schettini Library

• January 8 – Grade 6 – 8 Early Release

• January 10 – (7:00 p.m.) RMHS Improvosaurus in the Endslow PAC

• January 13 – (6:30 p.m.) RMHS Guidance Junior Parent Night

• January 14 – (7:00 p.m.) SEPAC in the RMHS Library

• January 16 – (7:00 p.m.) School Committee Meeting in the RMHS Library

• January 17 – (11:00 a.m.) Prek-12 Early Release; (7:30 p.m.) Coolidge Musical in the RMHS PAC

• January 18 – (7:30 p.m.) Coolidge Musical in the RMHS PAC

• January 19 – (2:00 p.m.) Coolidge Musical in the RMHS PAC

• January 20 – Martin Luther King Day – No School/Offices Closed; (10:00 a.m.) MLK Day Celebration at RMHS

Coolidge Students Participate in Memory Project

This past month a group of Coolidge eighth grade students participated in The Memory

Project’s Art Exchange as part of their art elective class, under the direction of Sarah Doane.

The Memory Project is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting intercultural

awareness, friendship, and kindness between children around the world though the

universal language of art.

In the exchange, children from different countries are asked to create a drawing or

painting based on themes of happiness, peace, kindness, and friendship to share with

a child in America. American students are then matched with each child abroad so that

they can respond with their own meaningful creation.

The children on the other end of the exchange are from countries that we usually only hear

about from headlines and that most children in the U.S. will never get to experience. By

connecting children from different cultures in a heartfelt, personal way, the exchange

means to humanize all sides and promote intercultural awareness. Although we live in very

different situations, we are all more alike than not.

For this project, Coolidge students were partnered up with middle school aged children in

Pakistan.

Kudos and Accolades

• Kudos to the RMHS Band on an outstanding winter concert.

• Congratulations to the boys hockey, & girls basketball on wins to open the season.

Superintendent’s Office

Half-Hours this Week All are welcome

1/3 8:00 a.m. Central Office 1/6 7:45 a.m. Coolidge 1/7 8:30 a.m. Birch Meadow

Trauma and Learning Cohort Being Formed

Reading Public Schools in collaboration with Stoneham Public Schools and Lesley University, has successfully scheduled, and is hosting a brand-new graduate certificate cohort in Trauma and Learning.

Have you heard about this Trauma Program? Are you interested in finding out what it is all about? Well here is your chance to start in on the FIRST Trauma Course.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out the registration form and send the completed registration form, and check for $500, made out to Lesley University, to Lauren Sabella through inter-office mail at RMHS. Or please email the completed registration form to Lauren.Sabella@Reading.K12.MA.US and indicate that you will pay Lesley directly by credit card. Below please find the course details.

Course I: The Impact of Trauma on Learning: An Overview

(This is course I in the four-course series).

"This course examines the impact of traumatic experience on student learning (both academic and social / emotional) and provides a structured approach to individual and school wide interventions. The biological, environmental, and sociocultural aspects of traumatic experience will be presented, and participants will analyze the effects of their work with students impacted by trauma on their own well being (secondary trauma)."

This is the first of four courses that you need to complete to earn your graduate certificate in Trauma and Learning. Trauma II-III, and IV will be scheduled out on the following tentative timeline:

Tentative Timing of Course Progression Course I: Spring 2020 and/or Summer 2020 Course II: Fall 2020 Course III: Spring 2021 or summer 2021 Course IV: Fall 2021

Trauma I will run Wednesdays, 3:30PM-6:30PM Dates and Locations: Starts Wednesday, January 29th at Stoneham Central Middle School Media Center.

The remaining dates will run:

· Wednesday, February 12th · Wednesday, February 26th · Wednesday, March 11th · Wednesday, March 25th · SNOW DATE- Wednesday, April 1st

Completed registration forms and payment are due to Lauren Sabella by January 13,2019.

Birch Meadow PTO Presents a Workshop: How to Look at Children's Books with an Eye Toward Equity and Anti-Bias

Presented by Paula Falvey, Librarian Jan Rhein, Literacy Specialist

Julia Hendrix Principal

Are you wondering how to talk with your child about bias and stereotypes in children's books? Do you want to know more about how to select books that challenge bias and stereotypes and are still enjoyable to read? In this workshop, we will teach ways to examine bias in children's literature (both chapter books and picture books) and give you the chance to review books from our own library for bias and stereotyping. You'll leave with some tools to help you talk about bias and stereotyping with children.

Location: Birch Meadow School Library Day and Time: Wednesday, January 15th at 6:30 p.m.

The graphic below gives you an idea of what diverse representations look like in children's literature in 2018.

Quote of the Week . . .

“A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of

others, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same

measure as I have received and am still receiving.”

—Albert Einstein

Professional Learning with a side of WONDER! By: Heather Leonard, STEM Coordinator, Reading Public Schools

I've spent the last few days processing the week of shared experiences with my RPS colleagues. While I don't know that I've had a chance to reflect on all aspects of our time, I will say that the underlying theme of my reflection is... Wonder!

This past spring I wrote a blog post following a trip to the Museum of Science with my daughters (it can be seen here: https://readingstem.blogspot.com/2019/04/quality-science-instruction-realized.html) Following that experience I couldn't get it out of my head that to do this work in our instruction, we had to experience that feeling of... you got it, wonder. I was lucky enough to get in touch with the Manager of Teacher Professional Development for the museum, Lesley Kennedy... now known as my "Thinking Partner." We had a chance to virtually collaborate and she was able to share great ideas and contributions to the planning of our professional learning days - including planning engaging phenomena to engage our teachers. What really impressed me is our our Reading teachers jumped right into this new thinking about the design of our science instruction - with a willingness and engagement to rethink HOW we do this work. Our staff experienced that wonder with a facilitated phenomena, as well as in their exploration of the museum displays. The best part was when our educators returned, they dug into their materials to find the phenomena embedded in our curriculum resources, and consider ways to highlight it - as well as explore other rich curated resources to support noticing and wondering about the world around us. My sincere appreciation to... • RPS teachers in grades 3, 4, and 5 for deeply engaging in this new learning and experience. I cannot wait to see the amazing lessons that come from your work.

• Lesley and Meredith of the Educator Resource Center at the museum for being my thinking partners and collaborators

• The Museum of Science for allowing us to utilize the beautiful learning space

• Assistant Superintendent Kelley for supporting this professional learning idea

Disney Quote of the Week

"Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets

left behind.”

– Stitch, Lilo & Stitch.

Important Websites

Help Desk (To submit a ticket) help.desk@reading.k12.ma.us

RPS District Website

www.reading.k12.ma.us

Access Your Email https://login.microsoftonline.com/

Baseline Edge

https://baseline.ioeducation.com/Site/login

Interface Health Services

https://interface.williamjames.edu/community/reading

Troubling Data on Youth Suicide In her New York Times Personal Health column, Jane Brody cites statistics on the increase in suicides and suicide attempts among young people. From 2007 to 2017, the suicide rate among 10-to-24-year-olds increased by 56 percent, making it the second-leading cause of death in this age group (after accidents). Suicide attempts have quadrupled over the last six years, a statistic that is probably an undercount. “We’re in the middle of a full-blown mental health crisis for adolescents and young adults,” says psychologist/author Jean Twenge (San Diego State University). “The evidence is strong and consistent both for symptoms and behavior.”

Because of the shame generally associated with suicide, families often shroud the issue in secrecy, and there isn’t the kind of national mobilization that would normally accompany this kind of data spike. “We invest heavily in crisis care,” says John Ackerman, a suicide prevention expert at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, “which is the most expensive and least effective means of preventing suicide.” The key, he says, is identifying vulnerable youth as early as elementary school, helping them cope with stress, and teaching them what to do if they have a crisis. This can be as simple as regularly checking in on young people’s emotional status. “It’s not putting ideas in their heads to ask directly whether they’ve had thoughts of suicide or dying,” says Ackerman. “That doesn’t increase their risk. Rather, it’s relieving. You actually reduce the risk if you help kids talk through these difficult issues.”

What is causing the increase in suicidal ideation, attempts, and deaths? Experts point to several factors:

• Social media and communication patterns – “Kids never disconnect,” says Henry

Spiller, director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. “They go to bed with their smartphones. It may be cyberbullying. It may be envy.” Twenge agrees: “There’s less face-to-face time spent with friends. It’s now the norm to sit home Saturday night on Instagram. Who’s popular and who’s not is now quantifiable by how many people are following you… There’s a lot of negativity, competition, and jockeying for status…”

• School-based interactions – Suicide data for young people track the academic year – September to December, January to May – which is not true of adults. This suggests that negative social interactions in and around school are the areas that educators, families, and health care professionals have to monitor.

• Sleep – Teens’ quantity and quality of sleep can affected by going to bed late and night-time social media activity. “The brain can’t slow down and relax,” says Twenge. Kids shouldn’t look at the blue light of their devices less than an hour before bedtime. Parents can set limits, such as setting their kids’ phones to shut down at 9: 00 p.m.

• Information and means – Kids with smartphones have unfiltered access to Internet sites that tell them how to harm themselves. And some homes give young people unguarded access to firearms and potentially lethal medications and other substances.

• Sometimes a perfect storm – School, social, and family problems can converge to create a crisis. “Ultimately,” says Ackerman, “it’s a combination of economic, social, and technological factors that come together along with family and school issues, and kids are less equipped to tackle these problems.” “Time to Sound the Alarm Over Youth Suicide” by Jane Brody in The New York Times, December 3, 2019, https://nyti.ms/2Po5dCF . Reprinted from Marshall Memo 816.

Contact Us

Pathways newsletter is published weekly for the Reading Public School Community. If you have anything that you would like to share, please email your info to John Doherty at:

john.doherty@reading.k12.ma.us

2019 Education Research Highlights Does doodling boost learning? Do attendance awards work? Do boys and girls process math the same way? Here’s a look at the big questions that researchers tackled this year.

By Youki Terada for Edutopia Every year brings new insights—and cautionary tales—about what works in education. 2019 is no different, as we learned that doodling may do more harm than good when it comes to remembering information. Attendance awards don’t work and can actually increase absences. And while we’ve known that school discipline tends to disproportionately harm students of color, a new study reveals a key reason why: Compared with their peers, black students tend to receive fewer warnings for misbehavior before being punished.

T O R E M E M B E R S O M E T H I N G , D R A W I T ( B U T B E C A R E F U L W I T H D O O D L I N G ) A 2019 study found that students remember less of what they’re learning if they’re doodling at the same time. But the study also addresses a big misconception: Doodling is not the same as drawing. Earlier research concludes that drawing easily beats reading, writing, or listening when it comes to learning and retention. So what’s the difference? Free-form doodling is often a distraction from what's being learned. At least six decades of studies show that divided attention impairs learning. But drawing that reinforces what’s being studied—for example, sketching out and labeling the solar system—taps into visual, kinesthetic, and linguistic areas of the brain at the same time, encoding the information more deeply.

A W A R D S D O N ’ T B O O S T A T T E N D A N C E — T E A C H E R S D O It’s common to see awards being handed out to reward students for good attendance, but a 2019 study found that these awards can backfire spectacularly, giving students a “license to miss more school” and actually driving absentee rates up.

Students are more likely to attend school when their teachers notice absences and make efforts to reach out to them and their families, accord ing to a 2017 report from Attendance Works. And a 2019 study found that highly engaging teachers can decrease absences by 49 percent, making it clear that a teacher’s impact extends well beyond test scores and grades.

M A T H C I R C U I T R Y L O O K S T H E S A M E I N B O Y S A N D G I R L S Advanced imaging technology like fMRI continues to push at the frontiers of our understanding of the human brain. After analyzing the brain circuitry of 104 children ages 3 to 10 while they watched math problems being solved, neuroscientists discovered that neural activity in areas of the parietal lobe associated with numerical cognition was nearly identical across genders.

The findings tend to confirm that gender differences in math performance are socially constructed, an argument that’s bolstered by past research showing that the gender gap in math is not as pronounced in other cultures —and in some countries, like Finland and Korea, it often reverses to favor girls.

T H E “ S U M M E R S L I D E ” S T U D Y F A I L S T O R E P L I C A T E While the idea of a “summer slide” is widely accepted and influential, much of what we know about it is based on a 1980s study that concluded that kids who spent their summers playing fell further and further behind those who studied. But a recent attempt to replicate the study failed, and an in-depth analysis revealed that the original testing methods distorted the gap between student scores.

When applying modern scoring methods to the old data, researchers discovered that the hypothetical, ever-expanding gap actually shrank as students got older. Students can still benefit from enriching summer activities, of course, just as they would at any time of the year, but the idea that the gap widens over the summer is almost certainly overblown—and there’s an abundance of evidence that play has significant emotional and cognitive benefits.

C U T T H E A R T S A T Y O U R O W N R I S K , R E S E A R C H E R S W A R N As arts programs continue to face the budget ax , a handful of new studies suggest that’s a grave mistake. The arts provide cognitive, academic, behavioral, and social benefits that go far beyond simply learning how to play music or perform scenes in a play.

In a major new study from Rice University involving 10,000 students in third through eighth grades, researchers determined that expanding a school’s arts programs improved writing scores, increased the students’ compassion for others, and reduced disciplinary infractions. The benefits of such programs may be especially pronounced for students who come from low -income families, according to a 10-year study of 30,000 students released in 2019.

Unexpectedly, another recent study found that artistic commitment—think of a budding violinist or passionate young thespian—can boost executive function skills like focus and working memory, linking the arts to a set of overlooked skills that are highly correlated to success in both academics and life.

S T U D I E S O N D I S A B I L I T Y E M P H A S I Z E E A R L Y I N T E R V E N T I O N — A N D T E A C H E R T R A I N I N G Failing to identify and support students with learning disabilities early can have dire, long-term consequences. In a comprehensive 2019 analysis, researchers highlighted the need to provide interventions that align with critical phases of early brain development. In one startling example, reading interventions for children with learning disabilities were found to be twice as effective if delivered by the second grade instead of third grade. But only 17 percent of teachers say they feel adequately trained by their certification programs, according to a new report from leading experts—and in the absence of good information, misconceptions take root. For example, the researchers found that one-third of teachers believe that learning disabilities reflect a lack of motivation, not a difference in brain development. To support students with learning disabilities, then, we also need to tackle the pervasive myths that can stymie their potential.

M O R E Z ’ S M A Y Y I E L D M O R E A ’ S When the Seattle School District delayed high school start times by an hour, students caught an extra 34 minutes of sleep per day, and their grades improved by about 5 percent while absences decreased by 7 percent. The new research highlights the ways in which traditional high school start times —which

aren’t aligned to teenagers’ natural circadian rhythms—can cause physical, mental, and cognitive health problems.

While previous studies relied on anecdotal or self -reported evidence to establish a link between sleep, academic performance, and school start times, the new research is the first high-quality, scientific study to quantify the real -world benefits of delaying start times for high school students.

F E W E R W A R N I N G S F O R B L A C K S T U D E N T S Compared with their white peers, black middle school students were given fewer chances to correct their misbehavior before being sent to the principal’s office or being suspended, according to a 2019 study from the University of Illinois.

The finding is the latest in a long line of similarly disturbing conclusions about race and discipline in schools, with most research agreeing that black students are disproportionately suspended or expelled compared with their peers. Last year, for example, a study found that while an astonishing 40 percent of black boys were suspended or expelled by third grade, only 8 percent of boys who were non-Hispanic white or other races were.

P A P E R B E A T S S C R E E N S , S A Y S A N E W S T U D Y — B U T R E A D T H E F I N E P R I N T Virginia Clinton, an education professor at the University of North Dakota, analyzed 33 studies published since 2008 and found that children and adults tend to remember more of what they’ve read on paper compared with digital devices such as e-readers, tablets, and computers.

But there’s a catch: Many of the inherent advantages of digital devices —such as hyperlinking, commenting, and multimedia—were eliminated to allow for “direct comparisons of the media.” In addition, the actual advantages of paper were “rather small,” the study conceded. The newest digital reading tools can enhance note taking, encourage students to read collaboratively, and incorporate pop quizzes—all of which can clearly tilt the benefits in digital’s favor.

G R O W T H M I N D S E T F A L T E R S , T H E N R E C O V E R S One of the most popular theories in education was put to the test last year when a large meta-analysis found that growth mindset interventions had “weak” benefits—although at-risk students did see bigger gains. But a new national study, this one encompassing more than 12,000 ninth-grade students, gives new life to the theory.

Unlike previous studies, the new one employed a multipronged approach. Students were taught a powerful metaphor: “The brain is like a m uscle that grows stronger and smarter when it undergoes rigorous learning experiences.” They also reflected on their own learning and gave advice to future students who were struggling. The result? Students saw modest gains of 0.1 of a grade point and were also 9 percent more likely to take advanced math courses the following year. Students who were academically at-risk saw major gains, however: 11 percent were prevented from being off-track to graduate.

Superintendent Office Hours Continue This Week Starting this week, Superintendent of Schools John Doherty will begin to hold office hours at the different schools. Superintendent Office Hours will be scheduled for 30 minutes and are open to all members of the community and staff. The purpose of office hours is for staff and community members to discuss any topics related to the Reading Public Schools with the Superintendent. We will try to schedule two office hours per week.

The next few week’s office hours are as follows:

• 1/3 8:00 a.m. Central Office

• 1/6 7:45 a.m. Coolidge

• 1/7 8:30 a.m. Birch Meadow

No appointment is necessary. If you are attending an office hour, please go to the Main Office of the school that is holding the office hour.

If you cannot make one of the advertised office hour times and you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Doherty, feel free to call the Reading Public Schools Administration Offices at 781-944-5800 or contact Linda Engelson at linda.engelson@reading.k12.ma.us.

Reading Public School Happenings

RMHS High Five For This Week Below is this week’s RMHS High Five.

High Five: Christian Trauger

• Favorite Book: Harry Potter Series

• Favorite Quote: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”- Wayne Gretsky

• Favorite Subject: Biology

• Activities/Clubs/Sports/Employment: Soccer, Flag Football Referee

• Plans for after RMHS: Christian plans to attend Tufts University

Christian Trauger

Parker Students Spread Joy To Local Residents Prior to Winter vacation, Parker Service students held their third annual holiday party with the Tannerville residents. Crafts, games, music, food and fun filled the room! A special thanks to Mrs. Peterson for her work with our student leaders! Below are some pictures from the event.

Eaton Students Participate in Hour of Code

This past week, Joshua Eaton students, under the direction of Technology Integration Specialist Kathy Santilli and Library Media Specialist Karen Ghirardi, participated in the hour of code activities. Below are some photos from the week.

RMHS Bands Perform at Holiday Concert Last Wednesday, the RMHS Bands performed at their annual Holiday Concert. Below are some pictures from the event.

RMHS Jazz Ensemble

RMHS Symphonic Band

Stepping Stones… • Our thoughts and prayers go out to Barrows Principal Beth Leavitt and her family

who lost a loved one recently.

• We welcome the following new staff to the Reading Public Schools: ✓ Erin Gaffen, Extended Day Lego League, Joshua Eaton ✓ Meredith Yoder, Extended Day Lego League, Joshua Eaton ✓ Matthew Chase, Special Education Paraeducator, Joshua Eaton ✓ Domenica DiStasio, Daily Substitute, District

• We have posted a new position. If interested, please visit https://reading.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx to view the job detail

1.0 FTE Long-Term Substitute English Teacher, Reading Memorial High School https://reading.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=870

Tutor https://reading.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=871

Regular Education Paraeducator, 35 hours biweekly, Wood End Elementary School https://reading.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=872

Blazing Trails…

"Building Bridges for ELL's." English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest-growing student population group in the United States. Yet most teachers are not trained to work with these learners. The December 2019/January 2020 issue of ASCD's Educational Leadership explores strategies and school cultural shifts to improve instruction and opportunities for ELLs and make schools more intentionally supportive, enriching spaces for these student. Read More

"The Language of Lunch." Guest ASCD blogger Erika Johnson, a teacher who is as passionate about food as she is about sharing it with her students, discusses the inequities of food and food education in the United States. How might these inequities be different if more students were exposed to nutrient-dense foods and educated on the benefits of these foods?. Read More "School Shootings Prompt HS Student's Project." Kansas high-school senior LaKaia Smith is working on a project that explores ways to prevent school shootings as part of an Innovation Academy class. For the project, Smith is raising money to bring Kristina Anderson, a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting, to speak to the school. Read More "Coaching for Success." Instructional coaching isn't simply about checking a box. It's an opportunity for even the most effective educators to grow and learn from one another. In this issue, coaches and leaders explore how schools can turn the practice into an essential, relationship-based lever for instructional improvement in this ASCD Express. Read More

"Educator Explains Another PBL: 'Phenomenon-Based Learning.'" Petteri Elo leads his students in Finland through nine-week interdisciplinary projects called "phenomenon-based learning," in which students have control over the project, use transferable skills and explore topics that interest them. Elo says teachers using this technique must shift between traditional and hands-off teaching based on student needs, and provide fundamental knowledge so students can develop their own research questions. Read More

Have a Great Week!