Page 21 - Superintendent Report 2021-22

FY21 Industry Certification Data
The District continues to be a leader within the state for students earning industry recognized
credentials. For the FY21 school year, students earned 10,792 industry certifications and digital
tools. This represents a 4.9% increase in the number of students who earned an industry recognized
credential from the previous year. In addition, there are improvements in the participation and
performance of English Language Learners and Exceptional Student Education students compared
to the previous year.

Literacy Initiatives

Professional Development
There were many opportunities for literacy-focused professional development. These included:
• K-2 Collecting Evidence of Student Learning
• The Foundation of Reading (Phonemic Awareness/Phonics/Oral Language)
• Dive into Florida’s B.E.S.T. 3rd to 5th Grade Literacy Standards (3-5)
• Benchmark Oral Reading Records
• Fountas and Pinnell Reading Running Records
• Approaching Sensitive Topics
• FSA Writing Rubric Training (Grades 3-5)
• K-2 Small Group Differentiated Literacy Instruction & Workstations
• Grades 3-5 Small Group Instruction
• Exploring the ELA B.E.S.T. Communication Standards
• K-2 Elementary Literacy Essentials
• Benchmark Module 1, Module 2, and Module 3

STARS Grant
During the FY22 school year, the STARS Grant literacy initiative directly benefited 709 students,
in grades K-2, at three elementary schools (Orchard View Elementary-242, Pine Grove Elementary
-165, and Crosspointe Elementary-302). When comparing fall diagnostic scores to winter diagnostic
scores among the three participating schools, 95% percent of students demonstrated increased
learning gains in reading. Investing in professional development to support teachers with
instructional delivery, understanding curriculum, and best practices during the FY22 school year
has significantly increased the teacher’s literacy instruction competencies. Students’ attitudes and
perspectives towards literacy have been positively impacted, as students have developed a new
sense of confidence as a result of feeling better about themselves as readers and writers. The impact
of this program will continue to support our three pilot schools in the FY23 school year and in years
to come.

Norton Initiative
The Norton Museum’s 2nd Grade Literacy and Art Initiative aims to infuse visual thinking strategies
and vocabulary into art-centered activities to enhance the grade two curriculum. The partnership
began in 2018 and has worked with a small pilot of five schools involving a lead 2nd-grade teacher
and a Visual Arts teacher. Most schools in the project are Title I schools, with students who may
not have many arts-related experiences outside of the classroom, so this project positively impacts
students through experiential learning rooted in standards-based instruction. Benefits of this
initiative include exposing students to and reinforcing careful observations and drawing conclusions
about the artwork, formulating questions that demonstrate curiosity and engagement, connecting
new ideas to prior knowledge and experiences, and understanding that artists can use their art to
discuss their culture and heritage.

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